We're Almost Free

Chapter 20

Regina woke the next morning with renewed hope in her heart, helped along by the first birdsong of the year. She'd spent so much time in the library in varying shades of dusk that she hadn't noticed the seasons changing. It was still quite chilly outside, as she found when she went to swing the window open and a gust of cold air swept through the room, causing her to close it again at lightening speed, but the sun was shining and large patches of grass were beginning to overtake the snow.

Her good mood was improved even further by John managing to get up for an hour, limping across the room with her arm supporting him, and the doctor pronouncing his leg fully healed if a little weak from lack of use.

Roland came back at lunchtime from a mid-morning's ramble with a bunch of late daffodils, that Regina initially thought he'd picked from the beds; however, Robin swore they'd gone a little way into the forest. She'd stayed behind in order to spend some time with John - the poor boy had had almost no company in his feverish weeks aside from the doctor's visits and a grudging servant tasked with keeping an eye on him. By gentle coaxing she managed to get his parents' names and the town they lived in: as luck would have it he was from this kingdom and she encouraged him with this.

"We'll find them. I promise."

"I really hope so. I miss them; I don't know if they were told we were hijacked by pirates."

Only a few days later, Celia poked her head round Regina's door.

"Mrs Mills, there's someone here. I think you might know them?"

"I'll be right down, Celia. Thank you." Regina was scared, worried as to who it might be, but she straightened her dress and made her way downstairs anyway. A young woman in her twenties stood on the step, a baby on her hip. She had a pleasant, ruddy face, and a healthy figure smothered by the thick cloak.

"Good morning," Regina greeted them with a smile.

"Hello, are you Mrs Mills?"

"Yes, I am."

"Margaret Smith. And this is Bobby. Is John here?"

"Come in, quickly." She glanced over her shoulder as she led her upstairs. "He's in here." Opening the door, she saw with gratification the looks of pure joy on her face as she saw her brother, and the mirror of that look in his. Regina suddenly found herself trying not to drop a one-year-old as Margaret smothered her brother in a firm hug.

"Maggie?!" he exclaimed as his sister squeezed the air out of him.

"What happened?"

"Pirates," he said simply.

"I knew going away to sea was a bad idea," she shook her head. "I'm just glad you're all right, John."

"You have Mrs Mills over there to thank for that. And the daughter of the house." Regina was impressed he'd remembered her cover.

"Really? You saved him?"

"Well, I..." Regina's words were effectively squeezed out of her by Maggie's arms. Bobby wriggled between them in discomfort.

"Thank you so much."

"It is my pleasure. If it weren't for John we would probably never have gotten off that pirate ship."

"We? Your husband?"

"My son was with me when they hijacked the ship."

"Where's your ring?" she asked, face not altering at all but her eyes changed slightly, now sympathetic even as they chastised. "Please don't tell me you made the same mistake I did."