Callie took a deep breath at the nonsense. Her mother may have been of royal blood and Jamie’s mother a simple shepherdess, but only a fool would spout off such rampant stupidity. And to a wee bairn no less.
“He was being mean to you, Jamie. God loves all people equally. Your mother is a good soul who loves us and the Lord in His mercy will see her in heaven with the rest of us.”
“Well, what-”
“Jamie, please,” she begged. “I’m needing every breath to carry you. Please, no more questions.”
“Very well.” He wrapped his thin arms around her neck and laid his head on her shoulder.
Callie walked on for as long as she could, but after a time her arms and back ached. “Lad, I need for you to walk on your own for a bit.”
Jamie got down and held onto her skirts as they headed down another crowded street.
“How many days do you think it’ll take us to walk through London? A hundred? Two hundred?”
It felt like two thousand. “We’ll get out eventually. Try not to think about that. Think about being home again.”
“Can I think about my mother’s mincemeat tarts?”
“Sure.”
“Can I think about Uncle Aster’s horse?”
“Fine.”
“Can I think?—”
“Jamie, my love, can you please think to yourself?”
He heaved a weary sigh as if the burden of thinking to himself was more than he could bear.
Callie pulled him to a stop as she spied a group of mounted knights riding through the city. She let go of Jamie’s hand to pull her veil around her face in case they should glance her way.
Laughing, the mounted knights paid no heed to her. But it wasn’t until they had ridden past that her heart stopped thudding and she found her wobbly legs able to continue on.
“That was close.” She reached to retake Jamie’s hand only to realize he wasn’t there.
Oh Lord, nay!
“Jamie!” she called, scanning the crowd around her. “Jamie!” Her panic gripped her anew. She saw no sight of his brown cap. No sight of his red curls.
Where could the wee lad be?
“Jamie!”
Terror consumed her. Where was he? Where could he have gone to so quickly? He’d been right beside her only an instant before, and she had told him a thousand and one times not to wander off. Especially not in unknown places where strangers were about.
Oh Lord, anything could happen to him!
Callie scanned the crowd again, seeing several small children, but none that bore any resemblance to her imp.
Could he be in trouble?
Her heart hammering, she searched all around her as fast as she could.
“Blessed Sainted Mary, where are you, lad?” she whispered over and over as she searched. “Please Lord, give me my brother back. I swear I’ll never again ask him to be quiet and I’ll answer every single question he asks. I’ll never ever lose patience with him again. Just please, God, please let me find him before something happens to him.” Tears welled in her eyes.
He could have fallen in the river or been run over by a cart. He could have been kidnaped by thieves or some horrid such! Her mind played through numerous horrific scenarios, and all of them culminated with Jamie needing her and her not being there to protect him.
