The Loyal Heart by Merry Farmer Page B

generous merchant at that!” He held up two hands full of rings with a grin.
    “Jack,” Ethan scolded.
    “Oy, mate, he gave ‘em to me.”
    Ethan was ready to reply but the prisoner started struggling again. Tom twisted the young man’s tied arms behind his back. He shouted a curse before he stopped struggling.
    “We need to move,” Ethan told them. “One of the guards got away. And there’s no telling how long the others will be out.” Aubrey motioned to the nuns and mimed tying. “Right. Jack find something to tie those nuns up with. Put them back in the carriage.”
    Jack turned to do as Ethan said, Aubrey following, but as they reached the nuns again the serene one said, “You will not touch us,” as calmly as if they were at dinner. Jack and Aubrey stopped and exchanged glances. The serene nun looked first to Jack and then to Aubrey. “You will take us with you.”
    Jack laughed. “Well that’s a first.”
    Frustrated beyond words, even if she could have used them, Aubrey turned to Ethan and gestured to the nuns. “Look we don’t have time to argue.” He shook his head as he approached.
    “Precisely,” the serene nun answered with a nod. “You do not have time.” She stared at Ethan for a brief moment then took the hand of the younger nun and bolted with her into the forest.
    Aubrey growled and ran after them. She was surprised at how quick they were. Maybe the older had been feigning her injury. Aubrey dodged in and out of the undergrowth for several long, wasted minutes, feeling like she was just a few feet behind them the whole time. When she finally did catch up she grabbed hold of their soaking wet garments to drag them to a stop. She held them where they were, all three of them panting. The serene nun was grimacing again. The younger one wore a look of misery and cried as she caught her breath in gulps. She wiped her face with the corner of her wet wimple, pulling it askew to reveal the smallest patch of strawberry blonde hair.
    Aubrey’s eyes widened with recognition. “Madeline?” The younger nun stopped crying with a hiccup. Aubrey let go of them and reached up to pull the scarf from her face, throw her hood back, and peel her mask off.
    The young nun’s mouth dropped open in shock and then broke into a huge grin. “Aubrey!” For a moment they stood there staring at each other. Then they launched into each other’s arms and embraced like sisters.
    When Ethan and the others caught up they were treated to the uncanny sight of Aubrey and the young nun holding each other’s arms and chattering like two magpies on a fence.
    “That is not what I expected,” Jack spoke all of their thoughts aloud.
    “Something you’d like to tell me?” Ethan arched an eyebrow at Aubrey.
    “Ethan, it’s Madeline of Matlock! You know, Edward’s youngest sister.”
    Ethan squinted at the beaming young nun. “But you’re ten years old.”
    She laughed. “Ten years ago.”
    “Madeline was sent to the Abbey of St. Mary in Coventry,” Aubrey reminded him. “I was so angry with your father for sending my best friend away.”
    “Madeline of Matlock.” Ethan shook his head.
    “It’s Sister Mary Peter now.” She nodded to Ethan in an imitation of the serene sister.
    “Uh, good to see you again.”
    “I’m Jack.” Jack elbowed his way past Ethan and Tom. He reached for Madeline’s hand and brought it to his lips with a wink. “And it is more than a pleasure to meet you.”
    Madeline squeaked and her face went bright pink, her green eyes round.
    “Jack loves nuns,” Aubrey explained, unable to keep a straight face.
    Ethan cleared his throat. “We need to get out of here.”
    “Fine.” Aubrey agreed. Jack let Madeline’s hand go, his eyes twinkling. Aubrey turned to her friend who was staring hard at the soaked ground in front of her, face violent pink. “Can you run?”
    “I … I think so,” Madeline stammered and turned to the serene nun. “Sister Bernadette?”
    “Oh, I can run,