“I do, yes,” he said cautiously.
“The previous innkeeper died not long ago, and the lease is available.Emma has been wanting to do something like this for years.Her aunt, Mrs Steele, is lending them the money for the lease.‘Twas all planned before we ran into Vaughan, of course.But Wallace says he don’t want to let that scupper his plans.”
“Well… the inn is a good way inland, at least,” Jed offered.“It’s a small place, but it’s the only building along that road for miles along, I mind.Must get a fair amount of stopping trade.”
“Wallace is going out to see it on Friday.Sounds like it’s fallen into disrepair of late, but it shouldn’t be too hard to get things up and running.There’s a twenty-horse stables, too, and an Exeter businessman keeps five or six hire-horses there.”
Solomon sat propped against the headboard, limbs sprawled across the sheets.But there was an intensity in his gaze that belied the relaxed lines of his body.He seemed to be studying Jed’s reaction closely.
“Yes, sounds like a going proposition,” Jed said.“But, er… they’re both going to live out there together, then?”
Solomon caught his meaning.“They’re getting married.”
“They’ve only known each other, what, a couple of months?Scarcely longer than we have.Unless—” Maybe it was just a business arrangement?People married for all sorts of reasons, and sometimes on the merest acquaintance.Anyroad, the whole thing was their own private affair.None of Jed’s business.
“You don’t believe people can fall in love that quickly?”There was an odd note in Solomon’s voice.
“I make sure they can, in ordinary circumstances, but not when—” He scratched his head.“I don’t know.I only wonder if… Is Wallace really in a state of mind to be making decisions of such import?Lord knows I’m not, and I en’t been through half what he has recently.”
“I think Wallace can be happy there.I hope so.I desperately want that for him.”
Jed nodded, still bemused.This was the last thing he had been expecting.He would have been less surprised to hear that Wallace was running off to some other part of England, and he still thought the decision was sudden and possibly unwise.But it was Wallace’s business, and Emma clearly knew what she was getting into.
“Well, I hope so too.”
There was a short silence.Jed could tell Solomon still had something else to say.
“There’s a reason I’m telling you all this,” Solomon said finally.“They’ve asked me to come with them and run the stables.But… it’s very much a two-man job.”
Jed sat up, turning so they were facing each other, the sheets falling to his waist.His pulse had quickened.“You mean—?”
“So, what do you think?Would you—be interested?”
Jed was suddenly lightheaded.It sounded like a dream: to be their own masters, working with horses, far from the sea and the press gang.It could be perfect.
But that was all it was: a dream.And to pursue it, Jed would have to let go of the lifeline he’d been clinging to these past five years.The mere thought of it drove the breath from his chest.He’d said he didn’t think Wallace was in a fit state to be making decisions, and that went for him too.He knew only that he’d been happy in Ledcombe before he was pressed.
“I’m not sure,” he said.“I’m not sure if I can… You know I’m going home.Back to my village, back to my old life.As soon as we get word that the press gang have left Minehead, I’ll be able to go home.”
The bed was narrow, and they were touching in several places, arms brushing, legs entangled.Solomon was very still.Finally he said, “Of course.I understand.”
Jed’s gut wrenched with guilt.“I’m sorry, I— You wouldn’t be able to rely on me.My head en’t on straight.I can hardly keep it together enough for Mrs Drake not to dismiss me.I don’t know if I…” He trailed off.“Just give me some time to think about it?”
“Yes, of course.”
Jed wanted to apologise some more, but that would hardly do any good, nor change the look on Solomon’s face.
Solomon gave Jed a small, unconvincing smile.He threw off the sheets, swinging his legs to the floor.“We’d better go.Mrs Drake will be looking for us.”
Darkness filled the waggon, and no one but Jed seemed to be awake.A hearty young farm labourer snored gently in Jed’s left ear.On his other side, Solomon slept silently.
They’d left Barnstaple with five passengers the previous day: a lacemaker and her little daughter, two day labourers, and Wallace, who was on his way to see a land agent about the Jarret Arms.When the waggon made its scheduled overnight stop at the Rose and Crown, a village inn halfway to their destination, the woman had paid sixpence to sleep in the inn’s kitchen, but Wallace and the two labourers preferred to save their pennies and sleep in the waggon.
Jed sat up, his arm brushing Solomon’s.
Yesterday’s journey had been a strain on Jed’s nerves.Solomon had behaved quite as normal, but in Jed’s imagination, the spectre of the Jarret Arms loomed between them.It had been a relief to have the other passengers with them, so that he and Solomon never found themselves alone in a strained silence.
Now, Jed felt for his coat and shoes.Solomon stirred, and Jed bent to murmur into his ear.“I’m going to go see to the horses.”
