The next morning as soon as his father had driven the wagon off with Chester and Maggie headed to Rivers Edge. Quenting took Sugar from her stall and hurried to the pond to meet Roscoe.

"That's not Piper, where did you get this dog?" Roscoe asked.

"I got her from Mrs. Timberlane she was supposed to be a surprise for Maggie and Chester, but when I got her I didn't know they were leaving today," Quentin said sadly.

In Roscoes life many people had left, and none had ever came back, two of his uncles, a cousin, and his grandmother, all gone never to be seen again.

"Leaving?" Roscoe said looking worried.

"They went to visit some relatives I hope they come back, I am really going to miss them," Quentin said.

Roscoe nodded he hoped so too but he didn't see it happening once people left they didn't come back.

That day the inn had a new resident, Captain Ferrin of his majesties regiment, who was to ride circit and spend a bit of time in each township in this area to coordinate the constables and help with any way he could, he came from the new fort Harrison where the regiment was stationed.

All the women in town swooned over the handsome young dashing captain. Jamie thought he was a bit full of himself but not a bad man really. Seth saw him as a threat to the constables authority in their townships but hoped he would be wrong.

Quentin thought he was really exciting and really wanted to hear some stories and get to know him.

A couple of days passed and Quentin had hinted to his parents about another dog, but he had yet to get the nerve up to ask. he was still keeping Sugar at the inn. But he decided today after school he would tell them ready of not Sugar didn't like the stall she wanted to be with him.

Quentin was just picking up Mr. Havern's plate and had been happy to hear the word excellent. When he saw his father and Jack in the kitchen and they didn't look happy, the kitchen was a big mess. "Where is Jenny?" Jamie asked his son

"I saw her upstairs," Quentin admitted he had gone up to take the captain some water to wash up in, the man washed more then anyone Quentin ever knew.

"What is she doing upstairs she has dishes to do and pans to scrub, Jack doesn't have the time to do that and cook.

"Not only that but someone has been taking soup bones and meat," Jack said

Quentin winced he did not know it was not scraps.

"Quentin send Piper home with a note to your mother we will be late," Jamie said.

"Yes father," Quentin said, thinking he would have to explain to Jack about the meat and bones later and hope he wasn't in trouble.

Jamie went upstairs, he had about had it with Jenny.

He started opening doors to rooms knowing everyone was out Havern for his after supper walk, Ferrin had gone to see Seth, and Morton was having a drink in the pub.

Captian Ferrin had the best room in the inn, and Jamie came to it last, hearing Jenny giggle he flung open the door.

"Jenny what are you . . . oh Captain Ferrin I didn't realise you were in," Jamie said noticing how flushed Jenny was and not liking the way things looked.

"I asked her to make my bed," Ferrin said suddenly finding the contents of his wardrobe very fascinating.

"Oh sorry Captain, Jenny please go to the kitchen when you finished," Jamie said, and wished he had of knocked first.

Quentin could not find Piper, he must have gone home, so he suddenly got a brainstorm, he would train Sugar to take messages, he tied the one he had written around her collar with his kerchief, adding a few words to the back of it. Then ran with Sugar to the house.

She knew the word in, he had been using it to tell her to go in the stall she hated. WHen they got home he said in, and she went into the house.

Octavia took the note and read it, and looked at Sugar, then shook her head, then wrote a note back and said with a smile. "Go to Quentin."

Quentin smiled and he and Sugar hurried back to the Inn.

"This note says, pretty clever Quentin, your father and I agreed last night you could have a dog, next time ask first before getting something. That is not a puppy either, love mother, PS tell your father, we will think of something to do about Jenny." Quentin read, and hugged Sugar.

"Your really mine girl, come on we got work to do," Quentin said, feeling tears in his eyes thinking Sugar had almost been Maggie and Chesters and now she was his.

Quentin went to school every day most of that winter, in fact Mr. Havern had a new agreement with Quentin if he didn't want to go to school he would ask Mr. Havern if he would like anything else. If Mr. Havern asked if they had any blueberry pie, that meant no he had to attend but if he said he was fine or asked for anything else, that meant Quentin could go play. But those days hardly ever happened because now Quentin was in group three with some of the bigger boys and the work was very interesting and challenging.

His little sisters grew into toddlers, and were into everything, if it wasn't too cold Quentin and Sugar would sleep in the unfinished upstairs in the corner he claimed as Quentin's room much to his fathers amusement.

Spring at last came and Mr Havern let everyone go early who had completed their work. Which was all the girls, Quentin, and most the bigger boys.

Quentin went to Roscoe's and they decided to go to the pond, maybe they would catch something, even thought it was too early for worms sometimes hungry fish could be tricked with bread.

Quentin slipped into the house, his mother was laying down with his sisters and napping, and he was coming out with bread in his pocket when he ran right into his father.

"Da," Quentin said startled.

"Quentin you are home early, I am surprised you didn't come to the inn.

"Mr. Havern let us go early, I thought I would surprise you and mum with some fish for dinner." Quentin said.

"Good, you work so hard," Jamie said smiling at his son. Havern had boasted of Quentin being in group three and only seven years of age.The youngest child in that group was nine before Quentin joined it.

Quentin saw his father pick up some letters and papers off a high shelf and thought he forgot the things for the post is why he came home. His mother did all the book work and correspondance for the Inn.

He went back to Roscoe, and Quentin was telling about how Roland Swensen told off a bully at school and how smart Roland was. Roscoe agreed he sounded really smart.

Roscoe had just started to tell about Jim, his aunt May's man who used to tickle fish, this made Quentin giggle as he pictured Jim who was a big man tickling fish with a feather like his mum used to do when he was little and now did to his sisters.

Jamie stepped from behind the bush and said, "I thought I would join you, hello who is this?"

Roscoe knew he was caught, and there was no where to hide or run.

"This is my friend Roscoe, he is a good fisherman," Quentin said watching his father carefully.

"Oh nice to know you Roscoe, where do you live?" Jamie asked.

"Ambercrest," Roscoe said jestering towards the farm down the road from Warwick's place.

"Oh I see," Jamie said, and had an expression Quentin thought was a bit sad.

Later when Roscoe felt it was almost time to bring in the ducks, he excused himself and took his fish and went home.

"I didn't know you had a new friend," Jamie said, "You talk about Roland and Alvin Timberlane, but you never said anything about Roscoe."

"Because I was afraid you wouldn't let me play with him. Alvin said darkies are not good," Quentin said, he thought Alvin was full of horse feathers, but he was a good kid basically just telling what his parents said.

"Don't judge a book by the cover," Jamie said.

"Roland is always saying that, I like Roscoe," Quentin said relieved his father wouldn't forbid him to play with Roscoe.

"Roland sounds like a wise boy," Jamie said smiling. Roland Swensen was different and Jamie had liked the boy at once.

"He is, he is in group six, the highest group," Quentin said, proud that a big boy so smart that he was in a group of only two boys were smart enough to be in would talk to him.

"Some day you will be there too son," Jamie said, seeing a bit of worry on Quentins face.

Roscoe knew where Quentin slept, and one night he came and tossed a pebble at his window, which went in and beaned Quentin, who now had moved a bed Cass had made for him to his room.

"Come down I got to talk to you," Roscoe said.

Quentin did, telling Sugar and Piper to be quiet. They were they were used to Roscoe anyone else they would have barked an alarm long ago.

"What's wrong?" Quentin asked.

"Come down," Roscoe repeated.

Quentin came down to where his friend was, and the two walked a ways from the house where the moonlight wasn't so filtered by the tree. Quentin's heart was pounding Roscoe had never done anything like this unless they were planning to go see something.

"What's wrong?" Quentin repeated.

"Aunt Carry she is the cook at the big house. She said Master Amberly is going to sell my mama!" Roscoe said, trying to be brave and not cry.

"Can he do that?" Quentin asked, thinking how could you sell another person, it seemed wrong. Perchance this was a dream.

"Yes, we are his servants . . . he can sell us," Roscoe sobbed.

"Why would he though? Your mother is a good worker and does all the laundry," Quentin said.

"Nettie says it cause she hasnt had no babies since me and she only 23 so something wrong with her," Roscoe said.

"We will think of something. How much would they sell her for?" Quentin said thinking of the money he had saved, but a cow had cost more then what he had, and surely a woman would cost more.

"I don't know but it's almost morning, and this afternoon he is taking her to sell in Rivers Edge when he goes to pick up stock for his store." Roscoe sighed.

"Look my father doesn't think owning servants is right, I heard him say that, but we need help at the Inn, Jenny is worthless, I am not going to promise but maybe I can convince my father to buy your mother. All I can do is ask and all he can do is say no, Roland often says do not be timid in asking favours because the worse thing that can happen is to hear no. But I know your mama would work better then lazy old Jenny," Quentin said.

"Do you think if your dad buys my mama he would buy me too?" Roscoe asked hopefully.

"I think he would, if he buys your mama. But if he don't where would you go?" Quentin asked. "Well, I guess with my aunt May she takes in all the boys what don't have mamas," Roscoe sighed, as much as he liked aunt May and Jim he rather be with his mama.

Quentin wasted no time telling his parents about Roscoe's mother, and how he would have to live with aunt May who had a lot of boys, and leave his cabin and how good of a worker Roscoe's mother was.

"What do you think?" Jamie asked Octavia.

"Well why not? I mean we could let her work off her price in a few years and then give her freedom, some of the Quakers do that. They have a contract with the servants they don't own them," Octavia said, she liked the Quaker women at the sewing circle.

"How much does a servant cost?" Jamie asked, he had never paid any mind when Amberly and some of the other men had discussed this.

"I wouldn't know Jamie, ladies don't discuss such matters," Octavia said with a smile.

"Probably less then my ticket," Jamie guessed, when he had cleaned out Chesters and Maggie's room he had found the ticket and was alarmed at the price that Chester had paid for his ticket.

"We could use that money we have been saving to finish the upstairs, if Quentin doesn't mind having blankets for walls another year," Octavia said.

"I don't mind," Quentin said.

"You don't mind?" Jamie asked Octavia knowing Quentin would agree to almost anything to rescue his friend and his mother.

"No, we could really use someone to do the laundry and skullery work, people are complaining and reservations are down," Octavia sighed.

"The only reason I haven't sacked Jenny is because of Cass," Jamie said, Octavia nodded.

Jamie arrived with Quentin at his heels at Ambercrest, he turned to Quentin and whispered, "Look be on your best behaviour and not a word about Roscoe."

Quentin only nodded, he couldn't believe this it was going to turn out better then he hoped.

A pretty young woman answered the door, Quentin knew her as cousin Jane, but he did not greet her.

"Good morning, may I help you?" Jane asked.

"Good morning, I am James Warwick here to see Mr. Amberly."

"On pleasure, or is it business?" Jane said trying to remember any meetings Mr. Amberly might have told her of.

"Business," Jamie said, and they were shown into the office and sat and waited on a divan.

"Nice house Mr. Amberly has," Quentin said looking around wide eyed. He had seen children playing in the other room. He went to school with Casper who was nine and in his group but didn't know the younger boy or the girl.

"Yes he does," Jamie said, wondering what his son would think of the 15th century mansion he had grown up in, none of his children would ever see it. That was fine by Jamie.

"Yes Jamie, what can I do for you?" Jacob Amberly said sizing up Warwick. Wondering if he needed a loan so quickly. Chester had arranged with him to help Warwick with money or goods on credit.

"I hear you have a servant you wish to sell," Jamie said, "I am in need of an experienced laundress."

He was trying to sound casual and not look like he felt, the thought of owning another human being turned his stomach, he kept thinking contract, business, and pulled himself together.

"Ah yes, the pub is quite a gossip mill," Amberly laughed, then said, "Well the girl's name is Naomi she around twenty two or three."

Jamie nodded and tried to look bored, he wished he would have asked Quentin what Roscoe's mothers name was.

"I have too many servants," Amberly said, wondering who was talking about his business around town. Perhaps his wife.

"I see how much might you be asking?" Jamie asked, "Oh and I would want what ever children she might have as well. A child or two to slop would be good if she has any."

"I think fifty pounds, but first we must talk and this is not meant for young ears," Jacob laughed covering Quentin's ears.

"Quentin go out to the yard and wait," Jamie ordered.

"Yes father," Quentin said, and left trying his best not to glare at Amberly.

"She has a boy about the size of Quentin there," Amberly said, wondering how much he should tell Warwick.

Quentin heard this and his heart pounded.

When Quentin was sure no one was around to observe him, he crept to the office window to listen.

"I will just get the papers," Amberly said, "I am fond or Ronald, so if you ever decide to sell the boy I want first dibs you understand that don't you?"

"Of course," Jamie said, thinking if he had to listen to much more he was going to loose his breakfast on Amberlys expensive English shoes.

Who was Ronald? Quentin wondered and worried that his father might by the wrong woman, not aware that Amberly called all the boys David, Ronald, or Tommy because those were the names of the three servant boys he had grown up with at his fathers farm.

Amberly had let Warwick bargin him down to forty pounds because he would only get twenty for her at the market and children had little value. He thought Warwick was short sighted to want a barren woman. No one realized the money he made raising and training good servants.

Jamie grinned as Quentin hugged him and cried thanks, then they set off to the servants quarters to collect Roscoe and Naomi.

Amberly had told Jamie he was too busy to go down there, he had errands to attend to.

Jamie was surprised how neat the cabin was, Naomi was so grateful and Roscoe and Quentin were trying to keep from hugging each other and going all girly.

Jamie sent the boys outside so he could talk to Naomi.

He told her about the contract and how after four years she would be free to go, or stay and work at the inn if she liked it. Roscoe would have the same contract, and when he was fourteen Jamie would try to find a trade for him if he wished it.

Naomi could not believe her good fortune, and was ready to go as soon as Roscoe said goodbye to his cousins.

Outside Roscoe talked to Marie one of his cousins about his mothers patch, she agreed to tend it.

Quentin and Roscoe giggled about how pretty Marie was and how nice she smelled like vanilla.

They would be put in the loft which Cass had made into living quarters again, because he had wanted to move out of the Inn but Jenny refused to live in a barn.

In reality the quarters here were better then in the attic, cooler and Cass had did a good job on building in everything a lady would want. Naomi was so pleased she could not believe it was only half the length of the stable but bigger then her cabin and only she and Roscoe it seemed enormous.

Roscoe thought he was smile so much his face would break.

Naomi jumped right in and started cleaning up while Roscoe fetched wood and water.

"This kitchen is a mess Mister Jack, but I will have it nice for you in no time," She told Jack, it seemed strange to call a white man Mister, but Mister Warwick had told her that was what she was to call them.

"It's nice not to have to fetch wood and water," Jack said smiling at Roscoe.

"What a mess your pans are in, just tell me where the soap is and I will set them right." Naomi promised.

Quentin went into the pub to ask a man who had just rented a room if he had a horse to be boarded. When he ran into Lewis.

"Have you seen Captain Ferrin?" Lewis asked.

"Yes he just came in I put his horse up for him," Quentin said smiling, he liked the captain, he always gave him some brass for stabling his horse.

"Good, then he must be in his room," Lewis said.

Just then Jenny came in Cass had been running the pub while Jamie had been getting his new servants settled.

"Did you see what is in that kitchen?" Jenny huffed.

"Yes someone to do half your work," Cass said, glad he would not have to appologize for his wife as much now.

"I refuse to work with a . . ." Jenny shouted.

Whack went Cass's hand across her face.

Lewis winced, and whispered, "Quentin, that had to have hurt."

Quentin nodded her face was red.

"You will do as I and Mr. Warwick tell you, now you slattern get yourself up stairs and mop that hall, it rained last night and mud has been tracked in." Cass said.

Jenny was crying and Jamie said, "Be glad your work load has been cut so much."

"You will be civil!" Cass called after her. He started to appologize and Jamie put his hands up, as if don't bother.

Chapter 16

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