Kings of the Boyne by Nicola Pierce

once more, ‘Marian, please tell me where your mother is.’
    For an answer, the girl stepped away from the door, bringing her brother with her. Daniel pushed the door open. Inside was smoky from the small fire that barely thrived in the grate. Apart from the baby, who was stretched out on his belly on the grubby floor, the rest of the children were seated at a small, square table, seemingly competing with one another to see who could cry the loudest. Samuel took his place beside them and scowled at the young soldier.
    Marian sounded weary as she told him what he wantedto know. ‘She’s gone to get our horses back.’
    Daniel had not really believed the widow when she’d said as much to him. What on earth was she thinking? Foolishly he asked the girl, ‘Are you sure that’s where she went? Absolutely sure?’
    Marian nodded her head. ‘I tried to stop her. We all did.’
    Georgie, the baby, seemed to recognise Daniel from earlier and babbled some form of greeting before launching himself in his direction. Daniel tried to think. The whole thing was ridiculous. Suddenly, it occurred to him that when his brother and Henry heard about the woman’s disappearance they might well be convinced that this was the proof they were looking for, that Mrs Watson was actually a murderous Jacobite spy who was now, thanks to the Sherrards, in hot pursuit of their king. He imagined Robert’s embarrassment at having allowed her to escape.
    â€˜We begged her not to go. Even our neighbours told her it was too dangerous.’
    Daniel felt something tugging at his leg and looked down. Georgie was staring up at him expectantly. Without thinking he bent down and lifted the baby into his arms.
    Samuel shouted, ‘NO! You can’t take our Georgie. Tell him, Marian.’
    Fortunately his sister realised that little Georgie was not about to be whisked off to help King William on hiscampaign. ‘Oh be quiet, Samuel Watson. He’s not taking Georgie anywhere.’
    Daniel felt obliged to add his own assurances. ‘It’s just that I miss my own sister, Alice, she’s about Georgie’s age. But I can put him back down on the floor, if you prefer?’
    Samuel shrugged and announced, ‘I’m hungry!’
    There was a chorus of ‘Me too! Me too!’
    Daniel felt sorry for the harassed girl who muttered, ‘I’m doing my best!’
    â€˜Of course you are. Do you have food for them? I can go and shoot a rabbit; there are plenty of them around.’
    â€˜No,’ said Marian. ‘Mother left us plenty. I have some rabbit left over from yesterday with potatoes boiling in the big pot. I was about to check them.’
    Marian was rather shocked when the soldier suggested that he’d take a look at them to see if they were ready. He explained, ‘I do most of the cooking for our group in the camp.’
    The meat was soft enough, while the overcooked potatoes were starting to break apart. Marian placed six bowls on the table and took Georgie from Daniel so that he could carry the pot over and begin ladling up the steaming food.
    â€˜Will Georgie eat the meat?’ asked Daniel.
    Marian shook her head. ‘No, he hasn’t the teeth to chew but I’ll mash up some potato with milk for him; he likes that.’
    Georgie began pointing at his bowl and bellowing something that might have meant, ‘Please hurry up, I’m simply starving!’
    â€˜Let me do his potato,’ said Daniel. ‘You just eat your dinner.’
    Grateful to have someone else be in charge, Marian handed the baby back to Daniel and sat down to eat.
    Daniel mashed up the already mushy potato for Georgie and, taking the last stool, he folded the baby into his lap and began to spoon-feed him, being careful to blow hard on the potato first to cool it down.
    The children ignored him and he was glad that all the crying had stopped. Briefly he worried that their mother