Free Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen Page A

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    5/31/11 1:45 PM
    . 72 .
    A. C. Gaughen
    “This is excellent news, lads. Once we fence most of this, we’ll have time to spare for tax day. ” Rob nodded at me. “And we can focus on running Gisbourne out of town. ”
    I nodded back, sucking in a breath that made my chest swell up. He were right, ’course. It would all be fi ne, and we were safe as houses.
    k
    It were later that afternoon when I walked through the market in Worksop with Much. The people in the shire towns liked much best; he were an awful good listener, and they all knew him from a whip of a boy. Only, he didn’t always know which were the important bits, so I went with him to listen to what he heard.
    It were strange. People looked at him and they gave everything over. They wanted to talk to him, and they wanted to pat his good hand and kiss his cheek and stand next to him. I weren’t the same as him. I stood alone, though I weren’t fair sure if that were by my own choice or not. Honestly, watching him, I felt like a leper.
    I also felt a little noticeable. “Hello, Will, ” I heard from beside me. Two girls were crowding around a launder basket and beaming at me. I tucked my hat down lower and frowned.
    “Everyone’s heard what you did for Freddy Cooper, ” her friend said.
    I scowled. “You think yapping about that will be good for anyone?”
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    5/31/11 1:45 PM

S C A R L E T
    . 73 .
    They shut their mouths. “We weren’t. ”
    “You were. Your mothers should have taught you better. ”
    They both fl ushed, but one still bit her lip like she were sweet on me. I scowled again. Stupid chit. I shook my head, looking over to Much, and by the time I looked back she were next to me; she took my face in both her hands and kissed me. I whipped away, sputtering oaths as she went back to her friend and ran off , giggling the two of them. And they weren’t the only ones. Much were bent over in laughter. I pushed him, and he rolled to the fl oor without my intended insult. “Come off it!” I stamped my foot.
    “What’s so funny?” John asked, coming over in the middle of eating an apple. He tossed me an apple and I threw it at Much. He only laughed harder. “K-k-kissed Scar!” he hooted.
    “Someone kissed you?” John asked, turning to me. He didn’t look like it were too funny. “Who is he?”
    This made Much laugh more.
    “None of your business, John Little, ” I told him. He stepped closer to me with a fl at face that, if I could ape it, I’d never be kissed by a stupid girl when I didn’t want to be.
    “Who, Scar?”
    “Jenny Percy!” Much roared.
    John’s face broke open, like a smile could split a black mood.
    “Wait till Rob hears this. ”
    “You two are nothing but loose lips, ” I snapped. John grinned. “Sounds like Jenny just got your lips a little looser. ”
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    5/31/11 1:45 PM
    . 74 .
    A. C. Gaughen
    “It isn’t funny. ”
    “Look at Much. Of course it’s funny. I’ll tell you, though, wouldn’t I have loved to see the look on your face. ”
    “What happened to her shining on you? Weren’t you fi ddling around with her?”
    “Her cousin, Emma. ” He smiled. “Now she had lips that could do quite a bit of loosening on me. ”
    I shook my head, disgusted, and then a shine caught my eye. I grabbed John’s shirtfront and dragged him back behind the weaver’s shop. Much jumped up, but I shook my head. It were too late; he’d look suspect. John didn’t crack wise as I drew my knives, hooking eyes round the corner to watch Gisbourne come through the market.
    He stopped in the center of the market square, stepping up on a small fountain. “Perhaps I should introduce myself, ” he called. People stopped to look at him. He were wrapped in violence as if it were clothes, his cloak like death, his armor like blades. His hair were shaggy as an animal’s and it looked like