The Rambling Spy

by Mackenzie Morgan

  Craven walked out of the back storeroom.

  “Craven?”

  Craven nodded. “Sorry, but the shop’s closed today. I’m just putting feed out for the horses.” He set a bucket of oats on the table near the back door.

  Gildan explained he was staying at the inn and asked if Craven boarded horses.

  Again Craven nodded. “Pasture or barn?”

  “She’d prefer pasture. She doesn’t spend much time inside.”

  “If you’re just going to be in town overnight, I’m sure Tyner wouldn’t mind if she stayed in his paddock.”

  “Tyner?”

  “The innkeeper. Tavern’s his, too.”

  “He told me your name but never told me his,” Gildan said with a chuckle. “I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but definitely more than overnight. Probably a month or so.”

  “When do you want to bring her down?”

  “Now if it’s not too much trouble.”

  An hour later Gildan’s horse was in Craven’s pasture, her tack was in his barn, and Gildan had an open invitation to come by anytime to check on her or take her out for a ride, and he didn’t even have to finagle it.

  ~~~~

  When Aster got to the inn Monday morning, she checked the register to see which rooms needed cleaning. She was heading upstairs with fresh linens when she heard someone start down. She glanced up and the man she saw at the top of the stairs confirmed her worst fears. Rolan had found them.

  Aster froze in her tracks and clutched the linens to her chest.

  “Oh, sorry.” Gildan paused on the second step. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  Aster told herself it couldn’t possibly be the man she remembered. “No, it was my fault. I thought everyone had already gone downstairs.” Then she noticed he didn’t have a bag. ”Are you staying another night?”

  Gildan nodded.

  “Do you need anything? A fresh towel? More blankets?”

  “No, thank you. Everything’s fine.” Gildan started down the steps again.

  As he passed her, Aster said, “If you decide you do need something, let us know.”

  “Thank you.”

  Aster stood still until Gildan reached the bottom of the steps and headed for the door. As soon as he was outside, she ran downstairs and checked the register again. He had signed in as Gildan, but he hadn’t listed a home town. Aster was frowning over the book when Tyner came out of the back.

  “Something wrong?”

  “No. Just checking to see how many rooms I need to clean. Is Gildan staying another night?”

  Tyner nodded. “Paid up through the end of the week. He’s looking for work, short term, for maybe a month or so. Know of anyone who needs some?”

  “Isn’t it unusual for someone to want work just for a month?”

  Tyner shrugged. “He’s not looking for a home, just a place to take a break from traveling for a while, and trading a bit of work for a bed and meals is a good way to do it.”

  “Where’s he from?”

  “All over, best I can tell. He said he’s lived in Riordan, Nandelia, and Brendolanth. I got the impression he hasn’t been in Camden all that long.”

  “Well, guess I need to get to it. Should I clean his room? Or leave it for now?”

  “Leave it for today. I’ll see if he wants it cleaned tomorrow.”

  As Tyner went into the tavern, Aster went back upstairs. As she worked, she couldn’t stop thinking about Gildan. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was one of the guards who’d worked in the dungeons right after she got there. He hadn’t worked there long, only a few months, and it was a long time ago, over two years now. She tried to convince herself it had been too long, that she must be mistaken, but it didn’t work. She didn’t think she’d recognize any of the guards from the last six months or so, by that time she’d given up and barely looked at them, but the faces of the guards from the first few months were vivid. Theirs were the faces she saw in her nightmares, the ones from the beginning, when the horror was new, before she gave up hope and longed for death.

  Gildan had told Tyner he’d lived in Brendolanth. Was it possible he was the same man? And if so, what was he doing in Ardmore? Did Rolan send him?

  As she tried to concentrate on her work, memories flashed through her mind. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she clenched her teeth in anger. She shook her head and tried to break the hold the past had on her.

  Two hours later when Aster came back downstairs, Tyner was at his desk in the front lobby. “All done?”

  Aster nodded, but didn’t trust herself to speak.

  When she didn’t answer, Tyner glanced up and gave her a closer look. “Aster, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” she said through gritted teeth as she put her supplies in the closet. “Just a headache.”

  Tyner frowned. “Want me to get Shana?”

  Aster shook her head. “I’ll be fine once I get back to the house and lie down for a bit. No need to bother her.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Aster nodded and closed the closet door. “But if you don’t need me for anything else, I think I’ll be on my way.”

  “No, there’s nothing else, but I’d feel better if someone walked you home.”

  “No need of that,” Aster said as she headed towards the front door. “See you tomorrow.”

  As she walked home, an argument raged in her head. On one hand, she felt like she was being silly, that there was no way that man would recognize her even if he had been one of the guards. She was one of many and she never did anything to draw attention to herself. And it had been two years!

  On the other hand, she recognized him, and it had been two years since she’d seen him, too. If she knew who he was, it was every bit as likely he’d know who she was.

  The first side kept telling her to relax, everything would be all right. The second side had her family packed and headed out of town by daybreak.

  By the time she got to Allisandra’s, she was so jittery she couldn’t settle in one place. She walked back and forth between her bedroom, where she felt like she should be packing, and the kitchen, where she attempted to help Allisandra with lunch.

  Finally Allisandra put her hands on Aster’s shoulders and asked, “What’s wrong, Aster? What’s going on?”

  Aster bit her lips and shook her head.

  Allisandra gave her shoulders a gentle shake. “Aster. Snap out of it. Something’s happened. What is it?”

  “I can’t be sure. I don’t know if it’s him or not.”

  “Who?”

  Aster took a deep breath and told Allisandra about the man at the inn. “It couldn’t be the guard from the dungeon, not here, but he looks like him.”

  “And he was one of Rolan’s guards?”

  Aster nodded.

  Allisandra frowned. “Why would one of Rolan’s guards be here? In Ardmore of all places!”

  “Looking for us?”

  “No, there’s no way Rolan could know you ended up here. No one in Milhaven knows where you are.”

  “You can’t be sure of that. Rolan has spies everywhere. He made my daughter spy for him. There’s no telling who else he’s forced to do it.”

  “Chances are Chris and Laryn know,” Allisandra said, thinking out loud. “But no one else does, I’m sure of it. Myron’s more careful than that.”

  Aster didn’t look convinced.

  “Do you know his name?”

  “He signed the register as Gildan.”

  “Could you point him out to me?”

  Aster’s eyes widened. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know, but if he’s here, there’s got to be a reason, and if that reason involves Rolan, it can’t be good. I don’t want you involved. You could get hurt. Lysette could get hurt!”

  “Aster, if he’s here because of Rolan, he’s here for me, not you, and if he’s here for me, I need to know who he is.”

&nb
sp; Aster bit her lip.

  “If you don’t want to point him out to me, would you point him out to Shana?”

  Aster nodded. “He’s a guest at the inn. I could introduce them so she could ask him if he wants her to bill the desk. He wouldn’t suspect anything about that.”

  “I’ll write Myron and tell him I need to see him. We’ll let him decide what to do.”

  ~~~~

  Allisandra’s letter was on Chris’s desk when he got to the office Tuesday morning. As soon as he saw it, he took it to Kevin.

  Kevin opened the letter and laughed. “Guess I’m going to Ardmore.”

  “Why? What’s going on?”

  Kevin shrugged. “All she said was, and I quote, ‘Need to see you - now.’”

  “That’s it?”

  Kevin nodded and took out his key. “Back in a few minutes.”

  When Kevin knocked on Allisandra’s front door no one answered, so he walked around back. Allisandra was working in her garden while Lysette played in the dirt. He walked towards her and said, “Hi. You wanted to see me?”

  Allisandra stood up, brushing dirt off her hands. “What took you so long?” Then, without waiting for an answer, she turned to Lysette. “Come on, sweetie. We’re going inside for a minute.”

  “Cookie?” Lysette asked as she toddled over to her mother.

  Allisandra laughed. “I may be able to find one for you.” Then she looked at Kevin. “Coffee or tea?”

  “Whichever you’re having.”

  “Tea it is.”

  Once they were seated at the kitchen table, Kevin asked again, “You wanted to see me?”

  Allisandra nodded. “Do you know the name of the man who was interested in us? The one at Fenway’s?”

  “Gildan. Why?”

  “Because we have a Gildan staying here. Aster saw him yesterday and thinks he might be one of Rolan’s guards.”

  Kevin let out a slow breath. “Aster’s not the first person to say that.”

  Allisandra arched her eyebrows. “Another rescue?”

  “No, just someone from Trendon who’s living near Milhaven now. She saw him in Fenway’s.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “There’s nothing I can do. He hasn’t broken any laws, at least not that I know of. Has something happened here?”

  Allisandra shook her head. “As far as I know, all he’s done is register at the inn, board his horse with Craven, and ask if anyone around here needs any help.”

  “He’s looking for work?”

  “On a temporary basis. From what Tyner said, he’s only planning to stay a month or so.”

  “Interesting. Wonder where he’s headed next.”

  “My guess would be Danyelle’s.”

  “You think he’s making the rounds?”

  “I have no idea what he’s doing, but if he was in Milhaven asking about us, and then he shows up here…”

  “We need a picture of him. Can you draw?”

  Allisandra laughed and shook her head. “Not a lick.” Then after a moment, she said, “But Laryn can. She could do it.”

  “But she hasn’t seen him.”

  “Yet.”

  “Huh?”

  “Bring her down here. She and I can go to the tavern for dinner. I’m sure he’ll be there.”

  “Have you seen him?”

  Allisandra shook her head. “But I asked Aster to point him out to Shana, and Shana will be working during dinner. She can tell us which one he is.”

  “But what reason would Laryn have for coming down here? Donovan’s only two weeks old! There’s no way she’d leave him this soon to go visiting.”

  “How would he know that?”

  “He was in Milhaven when all of you were getting the nursery ready, and Fenway told him why everyone was there. He knows she was close to her due date.”

  “Due date?”

  “When her baby would be born. At any rate, if she shows up here and she’s not huge, he’ll know her baby’s been born. What possible reason would she have for leaving him so soon?”

  “How would he know who she is? Did he see her?”

  “Did she go down to the tavern with the men?”

  Allisandra shook her head. “She stayed at the house with us.”

  “Then I don’t guess he would have seen her.”

  “So there’s no way he’d recognize her.”

  “Would any of the other people in there know her? And speak to her?”

  Allisandra hesitated and then said, “That’s possible, depending on who’s there that night. But she could always bring the baby down with her.”

  “And take him to the tavern?!”

  “No, if anyone asks, we’ll say we left him and Lysette with Steve and Craven. In fact, we could make sure we’re overheard talking about the men giving us a night out.”

  Kevin mulled it over. “I really would like to know if this is the same guy who was in Milhaven.”

  “And with a picture, you could find out. And you could let the others know who to be on the lookout for.”

  Kevin nodded. “Okay. I’ll talk to Laryn and see if she’s willing to do it. But she might not want to bring the baby through the energy field.”

  Allisandra rolled her eyes. “You’re too honest for your own good. She doesn’t have to bring him. We can say he’s here whether he is or not. Who’s going to know the difference?”

  Kevin nodded. “When do you want to do this?”

  “We could go tonight as far as I’m concerned.”

  “I’d rather be sure Shana knows which one he is before I bring Laryn down.”

  “I can find out tonight, but it’ll be late by the time she gets home.”

  “All right. I’ll talk to Laryn and see if she’s willing to do it and get back to you in the morning.” Kevin finished his tea and stood up. “See you tomorrow.”

  ~~~~

  Wednesday morning Kevin went to Ardmore as soon as he finished his morning routine. Allisandra and Craven were eating breakfast when he got there.

  “Coffee?” Allisandra asked as she got up to get him a cup.

  “Please,” Kevin said as he sat down.

  “Have you eaten?” Craven asked.

  “Not yet, but I’m going to breakfast when I leave here.”

  “So you don’t want anything to eat?” Allisandra asked as she set the coffee in front of him.

  Kevin shook his head. “Did you get a chance to talk to Shana?”

  Allisandra nodded. “As it happened, Aster didn’t need to point him out. He introduced himself, said he was staying at the inn, and asked if his meals could be charged to his room. He told her he’d be eating dinner there every night.”

  “All right,” Kevin said. “So, when do you want to do this?”

  “Laryn’s all right with it?”

  “She’s fine. So is Steve. He said if the women here are anything like the ones he’s known, they’ll want to see the baby, so he volunteered to come with her and take care of Donovan while you two go to dinner. Then if anyone insists on dropping by, he’ll be here.”

  “Laryn’s all right with taking Donovan through the energy field?” Craven asked.

  “She said it wouldn’t hurt him,” Kevin said.

  Allisandra nodded. “It won’t. It didn’t faze Lysette. So when does she want to do it?”

  “She said the sooner the better, that if you wait, he may find a job somewhere and stop eating at the inn.”

  “The orange crop’s good this year and the farmers are looking for help,” Craven said. “A couple of them asked me over the weekend if I knew of anyone who wanted some extra work. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets offered a job today.”

  “Then let’s do it tonight,” Allisandra said. “Shana said he came in around six last night, but he made the comment he was running late. I think we need to be there by five. And tell Laryn to dress like a woman for a change. Then I know he won’t recognize her. No one will.”

  ~~~~

 
Kevin dropped Steve, Laryn, and Donovan off at Allisandra’s about four that afternoon. “What time do you want me to pick you up?” he asked Laryn as he was getting ready to go back home.

  Laryn looked at Allisandra, who shrugged. “I don’t know,” Laryn said. “I have no idea how long we’ll be at the tavern.”

  Kevin took the Key to Terah off his chain. “I should have done this to start with,” he said as he handed it to Laryn. Then he looked at Steve. “I’m sure Laryn will be busy getting Donovan settled for the night when you get back, so could you come get me?”

  “Sure. Will you be in the office?”

  “Probably, but check with Rupert if I’m not. I’ll be sure he knows where I am.” Then Kevin took out his other key. “Good luck.”

  A little before five, Laryn and Allisandra left for the tavern. They chose a small table in the far corner so they could both have a good view of the room. While Shana was taking their order, a man fitting the description they’d been given walked in, greeted Tyner, and sat down at a table in the back. When Shana brought their food, Laryn tilted her head towards his table and raised her eyebrows. Shana gave a quick nod and asked if there was anything else.

  As Kevin had predicted, quite a few townspeople dropped by their table to say hello. When the women found out Laryn had recently had a son, they oohed and aahed and complained that she hadn’t brought him with her to show him off. If nothing else, having people drop by to talk to them gave them plenty of opportunities to look around without being obvious.

  When they got back to the house, Laryn sat down at the kitchen table and got to work. She drew several different sketches, some full face and some profile, all with different facial expressions. After she was done, she called Aster in. “Do these look like him to you?”

  Aster studied each one carefully, and nodded as she handed them back to Laryn. “That’s him.”

  “And you think this man worked as one of the guards in Rolan’s castle?”

  Again Aster nodded. “If it’s not him, it’s his twin.” Then she stepped back into the front room and caught her husband’s eye. “Tobias, would you come in here for a minute?” She laid the sketches out on the table. “Does he look familiar to you?”