laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

As the morning opened a new day, William finally left her side where he had been kneeling beside the bed for some time, and rose to go to work. Aleser quietly jogged out behind him as he closed the door softly to see his father's shadow from the candlelight that he lit in the hallway and turn. His heavy jowls shaved as blue eyes shot a glance to his son.

"I was just about to wake you," he stated, then turned and continued on waking his establishment to another morning. William followed his father, height similar with a heavy, solid form from years of toil and hard work. He only hoped that no one became curious suddenly and went into his room before Anita had a chance to hide. Soon, they would be out on their own and wouldn't have to worry about hiding any more, but for now, he had to keep his eyes and ears open for the moment when her father realized that Anita was gone.

Once in the main room, he broomed quickly and quietly within the hearth as black soot and ash clouded around him as it was collected into a tapered board which he emptied into a box.

"You're up early," Lina mentioned as she began cleaning the tables. "Hoping the merchants daughter would come down for breakfast with us?"

He spun to eye his sister. "Why would she do that?"

Lina smiled as her hazel-green eyes stared. "Come on, she wouldn't. Girls like that enjoy being served. She didn't even come down for dinner last night, too good for us I think."

His brow furrowed. "You don't even know her. How could you say something like that?"

She straightened, long, light brown hair in a long pony tail fell down her young back. "What's gotten into you?"

Softening, he realized that he could be spoiling the plan right now as he went back to work. "Nothing. Long night."

As they ate breakfast, he heard commotion upstairs which prompted them all to straighten as his father rose and went upstairs. Should he sit here or go along? Finally, he stood and quickly made his way up the stairs as the armed men that rode in with the caravan began doing a room to room search as they knocked on doors and went inside.

"You," the merchant pointed to William. "Where is she?"

"Who, sir?"

"My daughter. You saw her last night, did you not? Where has she gone?"

William shrugged, "I don't know. I left her there near the window, reading when I retrieved her plate and things. That's the last time I saw her," he lied, sweat beading up as he watched the mercenaries frantically search the second story until they came to his door. His heart stopped as he noticed the soldier with the brown leather scabbard, brass dragon down the length push it open and go inside which prompted William to follow and see the man look underneath the bed and out of the window, then exit back into the hallway. He sighed and pulled the door closed and turned to follow the crowd down the stairs.

"I want her found, do you understand me?" the merchant stated emphatically, his light green eyes glared at William's father and his own captain. "I'll have your inn, sir, if she doesn't materialize alive and well. Get the magistrate, Connor. Get him now."

"Yes, sir."

"I assure you sir," the innkeeper tried to calm the situation. "She's probably on a walk in town, nothing to fear."

"You'd better be right," the merchant stormed down the stairs and into the main room as they followed.

"What's going on," his mother asked as she watched the guards move outside and through the kitchen.

"His daughter isn't in her room," the proprietor stated, then turned to William. "Go look in the stable and loft, maybe she's wishing some privacy."

"Yes, sir." He jogged out through the back and into the stables that some of the guards were already searching. Hopefully, if they saw his cooperation they wouldn't think him a prime suspect. As he moved to the ladder, he climbed up to the loft and walked across the hay covered floor as the heat of the day began to warm it and headed to the far end. If the attic became too dangerous, this may be an alternate location. Turning, he headed back to the opening and climbed back down as the remaining guard stood and scanned the small, rear yard and well.

"Has she ever done anything like this before, sir?"

Turning, the middle-aged mercenary grinned. "Several times. She always finds a new way to keep us on our toes. She'll show up before dinner from hunger and her father will give her the same lecture, then forget it ever happened." He shook his head and walked towards the front of the inn as William stole a glance up to his room's window.

Within moments, Sir Nicholas, the magistrate of Couronne arrived. His balding black hair and goattee always unnerved William and he knew he had to be relaxed now. Or perhaps invisible. He walked up to the front as the knight stood on the porch with his father.

"William, notice anything suspicious last night? Anyone skulking around in the back that shouldn't have been there?"

"No, sir. No one like that when I closed up for the night." He turned and they both noticed William Junior standing there, listening. "Did you notice anyone like that last night, Will?"

"No. The stables were quiet when I last checked the horses." He stepped up to the porch, no hiding now.

"Someone noticed a figure climbing the wall beside her window last night and crawl in."

"Kidnapped?" the innkeeper exclaimed. "Did they see anyone come out?"

"No. She said that they may have escaped out through the back door, she wasn't sure. As she woke her husband, there was no activity so, he could have taken her out through the window in that time. We'll need to investigate further."

William noted his father's face go pale.

"Don't worry, William. I'll find her," the magistrate placed a consoling hand on the innkeeper's beefy arm, then walked inside.

Guilt began to wash over the culprit as he feared the merchant's threat of seizing the Whispering Pine in retribution for the loss. His parents had worked long and hard for their business, but he couldn't give up Anita like that.

As the day wore on and the investigation spread into the streets, William tended to the stables and eventually stole a piece of bread, water and a chunk of ham and took them to his room where he closed the door and barred it. As he set the items on the table, he crouched to look under the bed, nothing. He moved the chair over and stepped up to push aside the two boards in the ceiling and straightened to see his love sitting in the dim warmth reading. He smiled.

Retrieving the food, he carried them up to her and watched her eat ravenously. "Sorry, I couldn't get up here sooner. The magistrate and your father's men were scouring the inn for you, they're in the town now."

She nodded. "He won't give up easily," she informed.

"Neither would I," he smiled as his eyes took her in again. "One of the guards told me that you enjoy playing hide-and-seek."

Chuckling, "Did he have a long dragon on his sheath?"

"No, it was another who told me. A long scar down his left cheek," he motioned with a finger that drew it on his own.

"Michael," she nodded. "Kyle is usually the one that finds me, when I tire of the game."

"Will you tire this time?" He needed some assurance of this scandal.

She softened. "I told you last night that I want to stay with you. No, they'll go home empty handed this time."

He smiled and nodded.

"You should get back before they become suspicious. Thank you for the food."

"Of course, I have to take care of my captive," he smiled, then climbed back down and replaced the heavy boards, then put the chair back. As he opened the door, his mother stood there, startling him.

"What are you doing up here," Jaclyn asked.

"I had to put some things away, why?"

She glanced beyond him, then back as he pushed forward into the hall and closed the door. "It's too bad that Lord Arzuman and his family didn't live here in Couronne," she began as they walked down the hallway. "I saw his daugther, she was very fair to look at. May have made a wonderful wife."

William stared at her as they walked. "Perhaps she already has, we don't know who she was spirited away with. Perhaps her lover came to retrieve her and they ran off together."

She sighed heavily. "Always the optimist. How am I to have any grandchildren this way, young man?"

* * *

Within five days of sneaking food and avoiding direct questions that would get them both killed, William helped saddle and equip the horses of his men as Arzuman gave up. He watched as the father, heartbroken, spoke with the magistrate as the stableboy led the horses to the front of the inn.

"Sir, I assure you that we will keep our eyes open for your daughter," Sir Nicholas stated. "If she turns up, I'll send a dispatch speedily to your home right away. I vow it."

Nodding quietly, the well dressed merchant grinned. "I trust that you will find the one responsible. As soon as you do, I wish to be notified without delay for I'll skin them both personally."

Bowing his head slightly, the magistrate backed nervously. "I'm sure she's fine. I've sent dispatches to Mayenne and Colombes to friends there, if she is in those places or anywhere near those towns, we'll find her. Don't fear, sir."

The caravan mounted as the innkeeper eyed the merchant who spurred his draft horses on towards the western gate. Luckily, there was no transfer of ownership of the Whispering Pine.