No trace: Part Two of The Accidental Trilogy

Chapter Twenty Four

We travel west, to Norway, to the coast. Finding a boat that would take three people and three horses was going to be a challenge. As the big ships cost more and required identification papers, were expensive, whether they came by honest means or by forgeries.

In the local inn, we discussed our options.

'We could sell the other two horses, that would give us enough.'

'For tickets or for forgeries?' I ask.

'Both.' Tristan is confident of his ability to haggle, but that generally works better when people have the coinage to do so. And Alaric says so.

'Okay, maybe just the forgeries. We will need them, sooner rather than later.'

'Agreed.'

The next morning, we all split up, firstly to sell what we can spare, I have various items of clothing that I won't be needing in the months ahead. The men sell what they can spare, plus their two horses.

At midday, we rendezvous to go over what we have managed to get, which isn't bad.

'Tristan has found a good forger. We will go to see him, you try and get a boat.'

'See you at the inn.'

A boat. A small fishing village we find ourselves in, there are many. Just not too many that will safely carry a horse.

I persist though and swim out and even investigate recent shipwrecks for possibilities.

I find one, the damage slight enough to be barely noticeable.

'It's got a great gaping hole in its side!' Tristan is not impressed by my efforts, later that afternoon, back in the inn.

'Easily mended, it's not even that big,' I retort.

'We can't spare money for repairs.'

'We won't need to, as I said, easily repaired.'

'We have to leave soon,' Alaric says quietly.

'What happened with the forger?'

'One of his other customers, he recognised me,' Alaric answers, in the same quiet tone. 'From before. We got out of there, with the papers, but it would be foolish to stay any longer than is strictly necessary.'

'Meet me at the shore, hundred metres left at the main jetty, in fifteen minutes. I'll be ready.'

'Are you certain?' Goran looks me full in the face then and I am honest.

'Yes.'

I transform into speck form and straight to my boat. Ship.

I don't mean to sound immodest, but repairing the minor holes and checking again that there aren't any more, is quite easy.

Preparing the ship to sail, isn't that challenging either, it's not a great behemoth that sailed the seas in my youth and fought the French, it's barely bigger than a dinghy. Maybe twice the size, which is something that Tristan ever so kindly points out on arrival.

'Will we make it across the North Sea, Goran?' He asks, in a joking tone, but I can see his worry underneath the swagger. Seeing this old acquaintance of Goran's has really put him on edge.

'I don't think we will in it long enough to worry about that. Full sail ahead Captain,' he tells me.

'Aye aye.' I give Andrea a reassuring pat, before transforming my hand into water, and making that push the boat off and along at a steady pace. 'Let me know if either of you are seasick.'

'Faster!' Alaric tells me, and I oblige, but I slow the boat slightly in the rougher parts, speeding up again in calmer waters.

We reach the English coast the next day, naturally, we had to slow down in the evening and dodge any official ships.

On the shore, we abandon the vessel for whoever wants it, trying to sell it would be pointless.

And also, a little suspicious, as people would want to see papers and the like. We walk and ride south, stopping in the town of King's Lynn. Once more, we have plans to make. All of us are keen to return to the States.

'We can't make a journey to America with what we have at the moment.'

'We will need to find some work,' I surmise.

'That is a definite. Steady employment. But it will have to be all above board, there is still a war going on.'

'Of course.'

'Amy, you can busk, take Andrea with you. Alaric and I, we will ask at the farms and follow your trail north.'
'That sounds like a fair plan, the weather is definitely improving, that will make things easier.' I say the words without much feeling, the logic is sound but I cannot bear to think about the time ahead without their company. Without thinking, I take Alaric right hand with my left and Tristan left hand with my right and hold them both tightly. 'We will see each other again. We will save up and we will all see each other again. Agreed?'

'Agreed,' Alaric and Tristan both reply at the same time. I let go of their hands.

'Would have thought you were sick of our company by now,' Tristan says, teasing a little.

'You do deserve a break,' Alaric says, also teasing, but the eyes remain serious.

x

I catch a small break, busking a little in a town further up north, a manager of a small café hires me, which is enough to rent a room above the café, and I save a lot in the meantime. The separation from the men is a pang that I feel every night. Andrea is put up at a nearby stable and even his company isn't enough to quell the emptiness. I still busk while not playing cheerful melodies in the café, in a town further south, to avoid detection, my tunes there are decidedly lonely and sad in comparison. But they do have more feeling than the former.

I have no intention of wearing out my welcome, but as long they want me and therefore to continue to pay, I stay.

I sell my remaining old clothes and buy some new pieces, solid pieces of clothing that are decidedly not homemade but still practical. I buy cheap items, but select items that will last. Among other things, I purchase skirts and a few pairs of smart trousers, plenty of blouses and one dress, to wear in the café when I perform. And of course, for this weather, a mackintosh coat and then a sturdy suitcase to place everything.

When unwanted attention comes from the manager, that is when I choose to leave. I busk my way up to Lincoln where again I find work in a dance hall.

Sheffield is my next big town and I keep my growing fortune safe and secure. All the change I receive from busking, I transfer as soon as possible to notes and in the lining of my shawl, I sew them in. Keeping a few loose in my purse for necessary expenditures.

Like a proper saddle and bridle for Andrea.

In Leeds, I stop on the outskirts of the town and am lucky enough to find a farmhouse that is renting two rooms.

I am aware that it feels too optimistic, I rent out Andrea for them to use in the field. He looks very put upon but accepts it.

After a week of my lodging there, I can hear two would be farm boys in my field of hearing. I walk to the edge of the property line and begin to play. Talking would attract some awkward attention.

I stand there playing for some time, it starts to rain, then it stops and I keep on playing. I see two men approach slowly over the rise and when they are closer I recognise them both as my friends. The three of us hold each other in a tight embrace for some time before walking up the house.