Wanted

Chapter 17

Staying in his bedroom until Edwards called him to come downstairs for dinner John managed to get through the rest of the day without a confrontation. Edwards still looked hungover and a little under the weather, but his mood seemed to have improved a lot. He seemed downright cheerful which made John wonder if he had cured his hangover with some more of the alcohol in the pantry.

Edwards even enquired about John's health, to which his wife replied that 'Poor John' had been sleeping all afternoon, despite the fact that she had not been up to his room once to check on him. John told him that because of it he was now "right as rain again!" A good sleep was all he needed, he informed him. He probably just needed to get used to the new diet, John said, with the most cheerful grin and upbeat tone of voice that he could possibly muster. There was no way that he would let her make him out to be some sort of weakling, who needed to be kept in a glass cage.

"You are?" Mr Edwards asked in a surprised tone. "You bounce back easy, boy. I wish I had your stamina," he chuckled impressed, no doubt also thinking of his own slow recovery from the previous night's drinking.

"That I do," John said and smiled a big smile and then went on to ask Mr Edwards, if he was going to allow him to help him out again in the barn the next day, since it was a Saturday and there was no school and he had enjoyed it 'so' much the first time. To top it all off, he also asked Edwards if he thought he could teach him how to ride Goliath. He was of course not one bit as enthusiastic about it as he pretended to be, especially not about riding Goliath but knowing how much she would dislike those suggestions, he did it purely to antagonise her. His empathy for her vanished in thin air, he was no longer pushed to avoid causing her unnecessary pain and took satisfaction from the way she glared at him from where she stood behind her husband, while he smiled the happiest smile at them both. Faking fearlessness and delight at the same time. It was revenge of sorts and a clear message. He was not scared of her. Or at least he was not going to let her know that he was.

"We talked about this, Martin," Mrs Edwards said with a stern expression and a snooty tone.

"I know, I know love," her husband said in an attempt to pacify her, and then turned to John to explain a little more, "we didn't bring you here to work, boy. We are well enough positioned that we can afford to pay the stable boy you met yesterday."

John lowered his gaze. He was genuinely disappointed and surprised that Edwards hadn't taken him up on his offer. Had he not told his wife that he would have had Thomas help in the livery if he had lived? Had he not done a good enough job the previous day when he was helping him? He truly did not want to spend the whole Saturday locked up inside the house with his tormentor.

Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe Edwards actually started to warm up to John a little, but seeing him disappointed Edwards took pity on the boy. "I tell you what boy. I do you one better. I take you fishing with me tomorrow morning," he offered with a kind smile, and then added, "I'll be leaving early mind," he said giving him a cheerful warning and explaining that he had to be back before lunch time, as he couldn't leave the livery in the hands of the stable boy for too long.

Surprised, John happily agreed. "I'll be ready," John said with an enthusiastic smile. He did not even have to fake his eagerness on this occasion, as a lesson in fishing was badly needed since he had no idea how to actually use the fishing tackle he had stolen. Old Bill had taken him fishing a few times and shown him the basics but was far more interested in drinking his beer and telling him stories than tend to the lines in the water and so was John when it came to it. He couldn't remember if they ever actually caught anything.

Mrs Edwards was outraged at the suggestion. What if the boy drowned? He was sick this morning, she reminded her husband. What if he got sick again while they were out fishing? What if he caught a cold? What about the bears, the wolves, the mountain lions? What if, he fell of the horse, which was a concern John shared with her but was prepared to risk. What if?