A Wulf's Curse

chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

An hour later, Elise still sat inside of Sterling 's wagon, staring down into the basket.

He was touched in the head if he thought that she would dress in nothing but transparent scarves and dance around in public.

She was an adventurer, not a woman of loose moral standards.

Sterlinghad left, saying he had chores to attend to.

Elise mopped the perspiration from her brow and glanced toward the closed wagon door.

During the daylight hours, the wagon certainly heated up.

There wasn't much room, although it was tall, built in similar fashion to the brightly colored caravan wagons of the Gypsies.

There was the cot, a trunk where Sterling kept his clothing.

A sturdy wash basin and pitcher, which he wrapped and put away when the wagon moved, and a couple of lanterns.

She wondered what else his chest held besides clothing.

She would snoop if she weren't so blasted hot.

Elise smoothed her hair, rose, and brushed the wrinkles from her frock.

She decided that she wouldn't hide herself away inSterling 's wagon but venture outside.

A bustle of activity took place around the camp.

No one took time to stop and stare as they had earlier.

In the process of skinning a rabbit, Sarah Dobbs nodded to her.

The woman's smelly husband worked on a wagon wheel.

Elise saw Mora in the distance gathering wood.

The hustle and bustle surprised Elise.

She'd heard that people like these were lazy and that that was why they preferred their roaming ways.

She didn't see Sterling but noticed Dawn, the small couple's daughter, carrying a heavy bucket of water in each hand.

The girl struggled with her burdens.

Elise decided she would help as well.

At least until she figured out her next plan of action.

She joined the girl. "Let me help you."

Dawn didn't protest.

She merely shrugged and offered the bucket in her left hand.

Elise took it, surprised at how heavy it was, and plodded along behind the girl.

They reached a large pot and Dawn dumped her bucket.

"We'll be doing wash as soon as we get the pot filled and Mora gets a flame beneath it," Dawn said.

"We may be beggars, but we're not dirty beggars, as my mother says."

Elise smiled. "Your mother seems like a very nice person."

Again the girl shrugged. "She's a dwarf, as some call them. So is my father. But as you can see, I'm not like them."

"You have the look of your mother."

Dawn glanced away. "I need to fetch more water."

She left.

Elise went after her, reclaiming the empty bucket the girl had taken from her. "Since I'm at a loss as to what to do, maybe you won't mind if I follow along."