More Secrets and the Horse Race - Book 8 - The Frencolian Chronicles

Chapter 3

"I should ride back to my brother..." Jobyna said as she opened her eyes to find herself lying on the same bench but with a thin rug over her.

"You're awake," Tod said, making Jobyna start. He sat at her feet.

A thought struck her, one that had niggled in the back of her mind for some time, but it had kept appearing then disappearing. She asked, "How is it that Elliad knew I was in Chanoine?"

"The master has flocks of courier pigeons. He has them in every village of Frencolia. He has them in Frencberg and he has them flying out of Chanoine. A manor house servant takes information to the courier and the message is written and sent. Same as in a pigeon-loft in the city that I know about; Elliad has up-to-the time news most every day. Pigeons fly high, straight home without stopping, over the trees as well as the mountains with coded messages attached to their legs. That's what I sent off just now to the master to inform him that we're here, at the first post. I wrote you fell off your horse. Nothing on earth goes faster than our pigeons. The moment you arrived at the manor house a message was written to Elliad. He had it early the next morning and then the news that King Luke visited you there. I fear for my safety because he knows things almost before I do."

"But it's night."

"They fly in the dark —they've got a sense of direction. They're known as homing pigeons and will fly any time of the day or the night to get to home. In a few days, up to a week's time when they've eaten well, they're transported in cages on carts or in carry bags on horses, to be used again."

"Well then, the ride here was worth this information," she said, adding, "and there's more, isn't there, Tod? I want to hear it all but I'm going to Valdemar and I will see this master man. I've made up my mind and don't believe he's as bad his brother."

Her thoughts revolved to the kindness of Doctor John, the differences she remembered. "The Elliad who stormed in with Berg was very different from the one who cared for me," she said. "He said that the king frightened him and that his life had been threatened —that was too real to be an act.

She shuddered and said, "Memories... I have memories of them both... but my headache's making me forget things over the last week..." She stood and said, "We'll go now. I feel better..." Lifting her hand, she lightly stroked her fingers through the hair across her forehead. The lump there felt huge.

"So, you're not thirsty? I'll drink it then..." He reached for the goblet...

Snatching it from the bench with both hands, Jobyna downed the contents.

"Ugh! It's got that taste again. Uhh! It's like..." she licked the tip of her tongue around her lips... "like... Victoria's drinks, only bitterer... it has that... that... tang... makes you want more... but that bitterness!" Shaking her head, she clicked her tongue, complaining, "It must be the lemon. They should have sweetened it more. Ugh! I need plain well-water next time."

"P'raps you're not feeling up to the journey to Valdemar, p'raps your head still hurts..."

She smiled thinly at him, divulging, "I just remembered —I feigned that fall so I could send Lightning home. I couldn't lose him, but..."

"You didn't fall off the horse?" He laughed, and said, "I'm deceived." He quickly said, "But, mind, I'm also relieved." He stood, walking a few paces then turning to look at her, then at the empty goblet, repeating, "I'm relieved too! I give it to you, Jo. You did indeed, take me in. I still hesitate. I know what I should do but don't know how to do it. A good person would see you safely home, but as you know, I'm not a good person... but, my care for you is kind of, like, a brotherly thing. I know that your brother, Luke will want you safe at home; I'm sure of that."