Wide is the Water Read Free Page A

don’t want your mother to freeze to death, do you? It is Mrs. Paston?’ The girl nodded. ‘And you’re …?’
    â€˜Ruth.’ Once again she broke into those disconcerting, childish tears.
    â€˜I’m Mrs. Purchis, Hart’s wife.’ How strange to be saying it for the first time here in this desolate New England sickroom.
    â€˜Cousin Hart!’ Instead of taking the mug, the girl, Ruth, began to cry harder than ever, and Mercy moved impatiently round to the other side of the bed.
    She put a firm arm round the frail shoulders and lifted gently. ‘Mrs. Paston, try to drink this.’ Holding the mug to the grey lips, she was relieved when the old lady opened clear blue eyes and looked her over thoughtfully.
    Her lips moved. ‘Rum?’
    â€˜It’s all I’ve got.’
    â€˜Spirits!’ exclaimed Ruth, but her mother had taken a good pull at the mug. A little of the strong-smelling spirit dribbled down her chin, and Mercy put down the mugto wipe it away with a corner of the cold sheet.
    â€˜More.’ Mrs. Paston’s voice was a little stronger. ‘I’ve got to talk to you. You said – you’re Hart’s wife?’
    â€˜Yes.’ Mercy was surprised and delighted that she had taken this in.
    As Mrs. Paston drank a little more, Bill Barnes came quietly into the room with an armful of cut wood and began to make up the fire.
    â€˜Hush.’ Mrs Paston stretched out a shaking hand and put it on Ruth’s. ‘Hush, child. He’s helping us. Hush your crying, child. He’ll do you no harm.’ She drank some more and this time managed without spilling any. ‘That’s better.’ The blue eyes studied Mercy throughtfully. ‘Mercy?’ she asked. ‘Mercy Phillips?’
    â€˜Yes.’ Mercy was beyond surprise.
    â€˜I thought he’d marry you. He talked about you. Told me more than he knew, I think.’ Something almost like a smile flickered across the white face. ‘I’m glad. You’re strong, aren’t you, Mercy? I could tell, from the way Hart talked.’ And then, her eyes clouding: ‘But where is Hart?’
    â€˜Back at sea by now, I hope. He’s captain of a privateer: the
Georgia
.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Disappointment showed in every line of her face. ‘But you’re strong,’ she said again, and when Mercy nodded, ‘Good. Ruth, dear, go see if the man has got the kitchen fire alight.’
    â€˜But …’ Ruth stopped crying and looked at her mother with a kind of wild horror.
    â€˜He won’t hurt you, no more than Jed does. We’ve a guest, Ruth. Put the kettle on, make a pot of tea. There’s bread in the crock, still, and a little butter. We all need our breakfast. Give the man his in the kitchen.’
    â€˜Mr. Barnes,’ said Mercy. ‘He’s kind. He won’t hurt you, Cousin Ruth.’
    â€˜Cousin,’ said Ruth. ‘That’s nice.’ And left them with one long, anxious backward glance.
    â€˜Good,’ said Mrs. Paston. ‘You’ll be able to manage her. Give me some more of that rum. We’ve got to talk, youand I, and there’s not much time. You’re an answer to prayer, Mercy Purchis.’ Once again she drank eagerly, and a faint flush began to show on her thin cheeks. ‘That’s good,’ she said, ‘but that’s enough. I’m badly hurt, Mercy. I fell stupidly. I was so tired and cold, and Ruth screaming like that. She does sometimes. But you’ll look after her, I know. An answer to prayer. Hart’s wife.’
    Mercy sat down in the chair beside the bed and took a pull at the rum herself. ‘You’ll have to explain,’ she said. ‘I don’t understand anything, Mrs. Paston. Hart said … Hart told me …’
    â€˜That I was a thriving woman with a parcel of children.’ The ghost of a sardonic smile flickered across the