The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum

by Wendy Saunders

  ‘Temperance,’ James looked down to the young girl, ‘run along home now before you’re missed.’

  He sensed her hesitation as she turned to look at her brother.

  ‘It’s alright, I mean them no harm, they will be safe here with me.’

  Temperance looked up at Theo, unconsciously seeking his approval. At the barest almost imperceptible nod of his head she glanced once more at James before disappearing out of the door, closing it quietly behind her.

  ‘What are your intentions?’ Theo asked warily.

  ‘I am not going to tell anyone you’re here if that’s what’s bothering you,’ James replied, ‘but we should continue this conversation back at the house. I can’t guarantee Nathaniel won’t return.’

  ‘What makes you say that?’ Theo replied.

  ‘I don’t know,’ James suddenly frowned, ‘there was just something about the way he was looking at me, I don’t trust him.’

  ‘But you expect us to trust you?’

  ‘That’s your choice, I am simply offering you a roof over your head, a hot meal and a bed for your friend. He is sick is he not?’ he glanced to where Sam was hidden in the shadows behind a large barrel. From the light in the barn and their vantage point there was no way he could’ve seen or known about Sam.

  ‘How do you know about that?’ Theo whispered suspiciously.

  ‘Theodore,’ James sighed, ‘I know a lot more than you might think.’

  Theo stared at him, trying to gauge the man’s sincerity. He’d always believed James Wilkins to be a fair and good man but there was something about him that just didn’t add up.

  ‘Why should we trust you?’

  ‘Well you don’t have a lot of options right now do you?’

  ‘He’s right Theo,’ Olivia stroked his arm reassuringly, ‘we can’t do this on our own, not while Sam is still out of it. We need help.’

  ‘Look,’ James turned and glanced uneasily at the door, ‘I would feel a lot more comfortable back at the house. You have my word I mean you no ill will but we have much to discuss which we cannot do out here, Nathaniel and his cronies have ears everywhere.’

  ‘You know what he is don’t you?’ Olivia realized suddenly.

  ‘I have my suspicions,’ James replied.

  ‘Just how much more do you know?’ Theo asked.

  ‘I know that you are not supposed to be here,’ James raked his hand through his hair in frustration, in a gesture so familiar Olivia’s stomach clenched and her mouth went dry. But if the gesture had tied her stomach in knots the next words out of his mouth nearly stopped her heart.

  ‘I wasn’t expecting you both for at least another ten years.’

  Chapter 3.

  The light was dying as Olivia got her first look at James Wilkins’ house. It was larger than she’d expected for a rural farmhouse; a south facing timber framed single storey building with a shingle roof. She could see where the house had been expanded beyond its original design. A further two rooms had been built onto the ground floor which would have originally just been one room and a small kitchen garden was tucked neatly in front of the house to protect it from the North winds.

  James led the way, glancing around to make sure they had not been seen, before opening the door and stepping aside to allow Theo to enter carrying Sam, who hung limply over his shoulder. Olivia followed, curiously glancing around the darkened room.

  As she’d suspected the ground floor was mostly given over to one large room which was dominated by a fireplace. A table stretched across the room, but upon closer inspection was actually little more than a long rectangular board resting on trestles. A single high backed wooden chair sat at the head of the table with two benches either side. Candles were spaced at intervals around the room, some made from tallow and some from what looked like beeswax. The latter she knew would probably be reserved for special occasions as they were more expensive than the smelly tallow ones. A small bake-oven sat beside the fireplace next to a stack of firewood.

  She jolted slightly as James shut the door abruptly behind her and bustled into the room, crouching down to light the fire. She watched him quietly in amusement, knowing she could have lit the fire and all of the candles around the room without even moving. Even with that errant thought she felt the power pool in her fingertips, heat and light tingling beneath her skin.

  James stopped suddenly and glanced up at her, his eyes narrowing as she ruthlessly reined her magic in. James may not have been what he seemed, but she was still far from trusting him and there was no way she was about to reveal her magic.

  After a moment James turned back to the fire which had caught and begun to crackle merrily. He took a long taper and lit it from the dancing flames, moving steadily around the room lighting candles and flooding the space with warm golden light. He moved purposefully to the corner of the room where a small chest stood. Sliding it out of the way with a shrill grating noise he prized up a loose floorboard revealing a small cavity beneath the floor.

  ‘You can hide your belongings in here,’ he glanced up at Olivia.

  She nodded and ducked down to drop in her backpack which contained both hers and Theo’s clothes. Their boots also followed the backpack, the only thing she retained was Hester’s Grimoire which was tightly wrapped up in a dull grey utilitarian cloak.

  ‘A little help here,’ Theo sucked in a breath and rolled his shoulder, shifting Sam’s weight. ‘He’s not getting any lighter you know.’

  ‘Come,’ James replaced the floorboard and shoved the chest back into place before he indicated towards a ladder which led upwards to an open loft. ‘We’ll put your friend up in the loft, I have a bedroll up there he can use. He’ll be safer tucked out of eyesight, his condition would be too hard to explain to anyone who would come calling.’

  Theo nodded and followed James up the ladder, leaving Olivia to wander the large room. Two smaller rooms led off from the main one, these must have been the building additions she’d seen from the outside. She was intensely curious as to what they actually were used for but thought it best not to go snooping, after all she didn’t want to offend James when he was risking a great deal to help them.

  ‘It’s just the keeping room,’ a deep smooth voice spoke behind her so close she jumped.

  She turned to see James standing watching her. She’d heard of a keeping room, a kind of precursor to a kitchen, a food preparation area.

  ‘I’m too curious for my own good,’ she answered carefully.

  ‘Theo is just settling your friend he will join us shortly,’ he replied after a moment. ‘We haven’t had a chance to be properly introduced,’ he held out his hand. ‘James Wilkins.’

  ‘Olivia,’ she murmured purposefully omitting her last name. After all she wasn’t sure she completely trusted James and she certainly didn’t want anyone to know she was a West in case that information found its way back to Nathaniel.

  ‘It’s a pleasure,’ he replied softly as his hand closed around hers.

  She felt a sudden rush of power shoot up her arm, her eyes widened and her mouth opened with a small gasp as she pulled away, abruptly snatching back her hands.

  ‘Please,’ James continued as if nothing had happened, indicating for her to take a seat, ‘you must both be hungry.’

  She took a seat quietly on one of the benches next to the table and watched as James disappeared into the keeping room. If he’d felt the sudden jolt of energy when their hands had touched he gave no outward indication of it, and seemed completely at ease when he reappeared a couple of moments later carrying a large pot which he slid into the bake oven.

  ‘That shouldn’t take too long to warm,’ he told her as he reached for a small cask and three cups.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘Stew’ he smiled, ‘mutton I believe. Rebecca Foster brought it for me earlier today.’

  ‘Does that happen often?’

  ‘Too often,’ he laughed, ‘all the single lad
ies of the village seem to feel an uncontrollable need to feed me.’

  ‘I guess you’re considered a catch,’ Olivia chuckled.

  ‘A catch?’

  ‘A desirable prospect for marriage,’ she clarified.

  ‘Aye,’ he laughed lightly in return, ‘something of that nature.’

  ‘And no one has yet tempted you into matrimony?’ her mouth curved in amusement.

  He glanced at her, raising one eyebrow good naturedly.

  ‘Sorry,’ she shook her head smiling, ‘it’s that curiosity thing again.’

  ‘Well,’ he answered after a moment, placing a cup down in front of her, ‘there is a long and complicated answer to that question, but for now let us say that I have no desire for a wife.’

  Knowing not to push the subject further she took a sip from her cup, allowing the light fruity liquid to dance across her tongue, releasing the unmistakable flavor of sweet peaches and tart apples to burst in her mouth.

  ‘That’s delicious,’ she stared into the cup in surprise.

  ‘Thank you,’ he replied in amusement, looking up at the sound of Theo climbing back down the ladder. ‘How is your friend?’ he asked as he handed Theo a cup of his own.

  ‘Still sleeping,’ he took a seat next to Olivia, ‘he definitely has a fever though.’

  James nodded.

  ‘So are you going to explain what you meant when you said that you weren’t expecting us for another ten years?’ Theo asked bluntly.

  ‘Theo,’ James sighed as he shook his head, ‘there is so much for me to tell you, I’m not even sure where I should start.’

  ‘At the beginning would probably be a good idea.’

  Olivia hid a smile behind her cup as she took another sip. Theo had obviously spent too much time with Jake, he was beginning to sound like him, right down to the sarcastic undertone. The sudden thought gave her heart a sharp tug, it had been so long since they’d seen their friends and she missed them terribly. Knowing there was nothing she could do about it, she pushed the thought aside and tried to focus on the conversation in front of her.

  ‘Let me prepare supper first and then we will talk’ James told Theo who nodded begrudgingly, after all they were guests in the man’s house and he had been nothing if not courteous and considerate.

  They sat in silence watching as James laid out three wooden bowls and spoons. In the center of the table he laid a thick dark loaf of bread which he cut into chunky uneven slices. He filled a small jug with the delicious cider and set it beside the bread. When he deemed the stew ready he spooned it out into the bowls setting one each in front of Olivia and Theo with a thick slice of bread laid over the top. For the most part they ate in companionable silence, unless you counted the suspicious glare Theo kept casting in James’ direction.

  Olivia took a spoonful of stew and froze, her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel. She sat for an uncomfortable moment debating on whether or not to spit it discreetly back into her bowl or swallow. Unfortunately for her she didn’t want to give any offense and unaware of the etiquette of spitting into one’s dinner bowl in the 17th Century, something that hadn’t been covered in her beloved history books, she decided to err on the side of caution. Steeling herself she forced herself to swallow down the greasy meat, ruthlessly fighting back the urge to gag. It was absolutely disgusting, she’d never had mutton before and if that was what it was, and to be honest she wasn’t entirely sure, then there was no way in hell she was ever eating it again, she’d become a god damn vegetarian if she had to. As if the stringy greasy meat wasn’t bad enough, the gravy was thin and watery and a rather distressing grey color. She wasn’t entirely sure what vegetables had been used but they were a strange mixture of soggy overcooked mush and hardened uncooked lumps. If this was what the ladies of the village were serving up to James she wasn’t surprised the guy was still single.

  She glanced across to James who was contentedly scooping it into his mouth with all the enthusiasm of a guy who’d obviously never tasted fillet steak in his life. Theo was also spooning the evil mixture into his mouth without any outward sign of distaste, his gaze locked on James as if he was a puzzle he couldn’t quite figure out. She shook her head and picked up the bread which hopefully was a little more palatable. She wasn’t really surprised at Theo she thought dryly, he grew up on this type of food, he probably had a cast iron stomach. No wonder he liked her cooking so much. She bit into the thick bread which wasn’t too bad just dry, which made it hard to swallow. What she wouldn’t give for some butter and a jar of Liddy Mayberry’s strawberry jam. She picked up her cup of cider and took a deep gulp, at this rate she was going to spend her entire time in Salem hungry and drunk.

  Theo finished his meal and pushed his bowl away before sitting back and taking a swig of his cider, waiting patiently for James to finish. He took his time, seemingly unaware of Theo glowering in his direction. He mopped up the last of the stew with his bread and swallowed it down slowly before pushing his own bowl back and reaching for his cup. Their eyes met over the rim of his cup as James took a casual sip.

  ‘Thank you for the meal,’ Theo broke the silence.

  ‘You’re welcome,’ James replied, ‘unfortunately Rebecca Foster has limited skills when it comes to cooking but she does try.’

  His gaze fell to Olivia’s almost full bowl in amusement before rising to meet her apologetic eyes.

  ‘So perhaps now you will tell us what you meant earlier and why you are helping us?’ Theo interrupted.

  ‘So impatient,’ James shook his head, ‘so like your mother.’

  ‘My mother?’ he frowned in confusion, ‘what has my mother got to do with this?’

  ‘First,’ James glanced at both of them seriously, ‘we must make an agreement that nothing discussed here is repeated, all of our lives depend on it.’

  Olivia nodded glancing at Theo who also inclined his head in silent agreement.

  ‘I knew your mother very well’ James began quietly, his eyes distant and lost in memory, ‘I remember the very first time I saw her. We were barely more than eight years old but I remember thinking she was the sweetest, most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my life. She knew…’ he smiled to himself, ‘she knew the very first time she saw me.’

  ‘Knew what?’

  ‘That we were the same but not like the others.’

  ‘I don’t understand,’ Theo frowned.

  ‘Theo haven’t you ever wondered where you and Temperance get your gifts from?’

  ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ Theo replied stiffly.

  ‘Yes you do,’ James’ voice was soft and sympathetic, ‘but it’s alright, I know that feeling, the feeling of denying your true nature, of hiding for fear of discovery. You don’t have to admit anything, I know the truth and so did your mother.’

  ‘And that truth is?’

  ‘That you can see things before they happen, a kind of foreseeing.’

  ‘Are you saying my mother could see things too?’

  ‘Yes your mother was gifted too.’

  ‘And you?’

  ‘I have my own gifts,’ he replied vaguely, ‘but we both knew we were the same, it’s quite easy to identify others with power. We certainly weren’t the only ones.’

  ‘I really don’t understand, everything I thought I knew,’ Theo shook his head his voice dropping to a whisper, ‘you’re telling me it was all a lie?’

  ‘A lie that kept you safe,’ James told him, ‘that kept your sister safe.’

  James watched carefully as Theo struggled to reconcile the dead mother he thought he’d known with the woman James had obviously known very well.

  ‘Theo,’ James’ hand twitched involuntarily as if he was fighting the instinct to reach out and comfort him, ‘all of us with gifts of power are second or third generation. Our parents and grandparents fled England and Europe, thinking they were fleeing persecution towards a new life, a better life. They saw the Americas as their Ne
w World, a chance to flourish but what they found was a new society even more rigid and unforgiving than the one they fled from. In order to survive we learned to hide in plain sight. Most of us do not discuss our gifts with anyone, not even amongst each other. If you recognize one of your own kind, it is never spoken of. Emmy and I were the exception.’

  There was something in his voice when he spoke of Theo’s mother, something so wistful and filled with years’ old hurt.

  ‘You loved her?’ Theo whispered.

  ‘For my sins,’ James admitted, ‘yes I loved her, for all the good it did me. Her father must have known about me; he didn’t want her married to someone magically descended because it would increase the chances of her children being gifted too.’

  ‘Why wouldn’t he want that?’

  ‘Your grandfather was a fearful man Theo, he remembered the Old World. He’d watched his own grandmother accused of witchcraft when he was but a boy himself, he watched what they did to her. He wanted nothing to do with the legacy which ran through his veins. If his gift had been a limb he would have severed it without a second thought, but he couldn’t and as he couldn’t cut it out he thought to breed it out.’

  ‘So she married my father?’

  ‘She had no choice,’ James replied bitterly, ‘her father had her married to Matthias Beckett before she was barely old enough to be a bride.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Olivia spoke up her voice soft and sympathetic.

  ‘Old miseries,’ James shook his head, ‘that cannot be changed.’

  He blew out a deep breath filled with pain.