Blood or Water
Chapter 28
In your hands
Eve sat down in the coach as her father climbed in next to her. "Back before dark alright Percy. Eve you stay warm okay." It was a mothering thing. Percy knew it so he pulled a blanket down and lay it out over Eves lap. Peter pulled the step up, closed the door, and then stepped onto the back of the coach.
Eve looked out the window. It turned into a dreary day all of the sudden and lightning crackled in the distance. Eve looked up when her father leaned in closer to her. " Do you remember when we were in a coach much like this one...and it was storming. It was such an eery sight to see." Percy said and looked down and into the bright blue eyes of his daughter. "I have seen the most awful evils, and the most beautiful days...but none of them compare to the day I met you and your brother." Percy leaned forward kissing her forehead. "I don't know what I would have done if I had gone into that cellar and you..." He closed his eyes trying to block out the thought. He opened them a moment later when he felt Eve lean back against his chest and looked back out the window.
Percy helped Eve out of the coach and looked around at Peter who stood on the other side of Eve a little off to the side so not to be to close to her. He among everyone else had been very understanding and able to help Eve with what happened. Percy looked down when he saw Eve back away from the small crowded streets.
"Its alright Eve...Papa is right here. Do you want to stay in the coach with Peter?" He asked she looked up and shook her head stepping forward. The door to the boot shop was opened and Percy stepped in before Eve who was a little more comfortable looking now that they were inside a building with less people.
The man behind the desk stood up with a smile. "Percy!" He said aloud. "How the devil have you been old boy." The man said throwing open his arms and looked on as he saw Eve step through the door. "Oh child what happened?" He asked and took her hand kissing it. "Poor child have you been sick?" He asked getting no answer. Percy chuckled.
"I'm afraid so, she's had a sore throat and its taken her voice a bit to recuperate I'm terribly sorry." Percy said
"Ah poor thing, say no more I had the same thing happen last year if you recall." The man said looking over Percy's boot before taking it behind the counter.
"Yes I do remember your wife didn't do as good a job as you do with the boots." Percy said and looked at Eve who was looking at some of the feminine boots on display. Every so often Peter would say something about the clasps or the leather on the boots she looked over. She picked up one of the boots and looked inside.
"Eve?" She turned and looked at her father who came up beside her. "Do you like them?" Percy asked and looked down at the boot. Eve held it up and pointed inside the boot. Percy seen something move within the boot but only a little bit. On the heal of the boot there was fluff gathered up and what looked like three infant mice in the middle of it.
"Looks like some mice have kipped it up inside one of your boots." Percy said and chuckled. The keeper walked over and looked inside and smiled.
"They keep the spiders down. Specially with my wife taking a shine to some upstairs in the kitchen that saved her from a big one." He said and put the boot back on display.
"Saved her from a spider? Good lord how did that happen?" Percy asked and looked up when the keepers wife walked in with tea.
"The spider came out from under the stove. I was setting the table and it jumped at me. A mouse came out from under the cabinet and pounced on it." She said putting down some cookies.
"I bet that mouse now eats better then we do." the Keeper said.
"Perhaps he does." Percy said and helped Eve over to a chair. "Now Eve here needs some new shoes. I'm afraid her riding shoes took some beatings on her travels to Tibet." He said. The keeper looked astounded for a moment.
"Tibet...what took you all the way out there?" The keeper asked.
"School, she's interested in history. Archeology to be a bit more specific. An admirable job, and a safe one. Whats more safe then digging up old pots, and bones what?" He said and sat down next to Eve as the keeper grabbed a tool from his kit and walked over to Eve.
"May I see your foot please madam?" He asked. Eve looked up at her father for a moment. Percy nodded his head and scooted closer hoping it would help with the insecurity. The man put his tape against her bare foot and smiled. "You've grown since I saw you last." He said and went to mark down the measurements.
Peter bent down to button up Eves boots and chuckled, but then he looked at Percy who seemed to realize the same thing at the same time.
"But that would mean all these shoes you have on...don't fit." Peter looked at her heal and saw the blisters on the back, and around the edges.
"Eve...sweetheart why didn't you tell us?" Percy asked pulling off her other boot and looked around her foot. Those too had the blisters. Percy ran his hand down his face and looked at his child. The one he saw before him seemed to recoil away from his look.
"Bridges do you think you can..."
"Oh Percy I figured she'd grow by now so I've already gotten her boots made." He said and walked over and pulled out a boot. "Its not to hard to guess how she'll growl Its never to much, but its been the same amount every year." He said and pushed the new boot onto Eve. Eve looked down at the man who put her new boot on.
"How does that feel?" He asked. Eve looked at the boot and moved the boot around for a moment before standing up on it.
"There we are feels better doesn't it?" The man said and chuckled when Eve nodded. "Alright then. I shouldn't expect to much more growth out of her feet though, she's almost 17 she'll stop growing soon."
"I'd imagine so. I didn't stop growing until I was in my twenties though." Percy said watching the mouse mother run up the boot and inside.
"You are rather tall Percy. I'd think you wouldn't have stopped well into your 30s." Bridges said as Peter held up a cookie for Eve to eat. She took a small bite before drinking some tea.
"Well I think that does it." Bridges said holding up Percy's finished boot and put Eves old boots in a drawer probably to put into the used bin for the poor.
"Yes I believe so." Percy pulled on the boot and moved the heal around to test it. There weren't any popped seams nor any cracking. Percy's favorite boots were in working order again.
"Eve are we ready to leave hum?" Percy asked and held out his hand for his daughter who put the tea cup down before wiping her mouth and put her hand in his.
"What do you say to some lunch hum?" Percy said and Eve looked at her father before looking at Peter. Peter looked surprised at the gesture. He put up his hands.
"Its not my decision Eve thats your area. I just came along to hold your bags, or boxes. Thats my job remember." He said and patted her arm.
"I think shes asking if you want to come as a guest rather then a servant. You have been very helpful the last few weeks Peter I think you do deserve something...even if it is just lunch." Percy said and patted the young man on the back.
YOU ARE READING
Blood or Water
FanfictionEve was adopted, her father gave her to the Republic. But what would happen when he finds out she is no longer in France? What would he do if he found out she was in league with the Scarlet Pimpernel, not only that he adopted her? Or maybe she was a...
