Here Comes a Candle Read Online Free PDF Page A

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    “ I ’ m afraid so. ” How different his voice was. “ This is the worst time of year, ” he explained to her. “ No snow for sleighing, and the roads still waterlogged. If you can call them roads. ”
    “ Perfectly good corduroy, ” said the sailor.
    “ Corduroy? ” Kate had never heard the phrase.
    “ They ’ re made of logs. ” The sailor was glad to explain it to her. “ Laid crossways. Well, stands to reason you won ’ t get too smooth a ride. ”
    “ Goodness gracious, I should rather think not. ” And then, beginning to be aware of how sensitive these Americans were about any criticism of their country: “ But what a miracle to have roads at all over all these miles of wilderness. How far is it to Boston, Mr. Penrose? ”
    “ Quite a way, I ’ m afraid. We ’ ll be lucky if we get there under three weeks, now it ’ s thawed. ”
    “ Three weeks! ” Her voice went higher than she meant. She brought it down a tone. “ I had no idea. Stupid of me. I should have realized ...”
    “ I suppose I should have warned you. ” No need to add that it was too late now.
    “ It ’ s not that. I just hope I won ’ t be a terrible trouble to you. ”
    “ Nothing of the kind. ” Impossible to tell whether he meant it. “ Well, here we are. This is the landing for Fort Niagara, ” he explained. “ But we ’ re not going there. It ’ s out of our way. ”
    “ Welcome to American soil, Mrs. Croston. ” The young American had lost his heart to her on sight and made a point of helping her ashore. He held her hand for a moment. “ I reckon you ’ re pretty average glad to have got safe away from that bloodthirsty Regent of yours. ”
    “ Oh—thank you. ” She had hardly looked on her adventures, or, for the matter of that, on the Prince Regent in this light, but felt a great surge of gratitude for his interest.
    “ We go this way. ” Jonathan had been watching the exchange with a slightly doubtful amusement. It was no part of his intention to have to set up as chaperon to his young companion, and, indeed, it had been a source of self-congratulation to him that she was such a quiet little thing and unlikely t o attract much attention.
    Now, watching the sailor press her hand in farewell and wish her a pleasant journey at rather excessive length, he was not so sure. “ Come, Mrs. Croston, we ’ ve no time to waste. ” His tone as he cut short the interview sounded repressive even to him, and he tried to make amends as he took her arm to guide her up the rough track that led away from the lake. “ I hope you don ’ t too much mind our famous American curiosity? ”
    “ They ’ re wonderfully kind. ” She had expected hostility from the American crew of the Madison, and had met nothing but an oddly frank, friendly curiosity. Now, as they reached the turn of the track, a sailor who had just finished unloading stores from the boat ran to catch them up.
    “ Excuse me, ma ’ am. ” He sketched a salute. “ But you ’ re the first English lady I ever set eyes on. Tell me, do they really eat babies there? ”
    “ Good heavens, no! ” Impossible to resent the simple inquiry. But a relief just the same when he smiled broadly, said, “ I reckoned it was just a tall story, ” and turned away. And yet his going left her feeling alone as never before. Fantastic to be walking along this wild trail with a total stranger.
    “ It ’ s no distance. ” Jonathan Penrose might have read her thoughts. “ We ’ re going to the house where I left my wagon. The Masons are old friends of mine. ”
    And indeed Hugh Mason and his wife Janet greeted them with warm relief and a volley of friendly questions. “ And now, I suppose, you ’ ll want to be on your way at once, ” said Hugh Mason, when the first explanations were over.
    “ As soon as we can. Yes, I ’ m afraid so. It ’ s taken so long ... Arabella will be wondering— ”
    “ She ’ s bound to be. ” He had a quick look of curiosity