As the sparks fly upward, p.16
As the Sparks Fly Upward, page 16
Colin leaned over the table, holding the quill firmly in his hand. He was making a sketch of one of the bones in the human arm and having a hard time of it. His brow was furrowed, and he shook his head, muttering, “I’ll never be able to do it!” Suddenly he was interrupted by a knock on the door. Sticking the quill in the ink pot, he rose and walked to the door. When he opened it he saw a young man he recognized as James Laurence, a blacksmith from the village. “Come in, James.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Twyla entered the room and James greeted her warmly, “Good afternoon, Miss Hayden.”
“Good afternoon to you, James.”
Colin wanted to get back to his attempts at drawing, so he said rather shortly, “James, do you have a medical problem?”
“Why, no, sir. I don’t.”
Twyla said quickly, “Come with me into the kitchen, James, and sit down. I want you to try this spiced ale I just made. It’s got ginger and cinnamon and just a little bit of honey.”
“Thank you, Miss Hayden. It sounds delicious.”
“Would you have some, Dr. Winslow?”
“No, I don’t have time for that.”
Impatiently, Colin waited until the pair went into the kitchen. He walked back to his desk and began to draw, but Twyla’s and James’s voices distracted him. They were talking of music, fairs, and other events that were taking place.
Finally, after an interminable time—or so it seemed to Colin—he heard the door open, then close. He got to his feet and turned to Twyla, saying sarcastically, “He’s gone, then?”
“Yes, he’s gone.”
“I thought he would never leave!”
“Well, he didn’t come to see you.”
“Why did he come, then?”
“He came to see me.”
Colin stared at her in shock. “Why would he do that?”
Twyla’s cheeks colored slightly. “You think that it’s impossible for a young man to come just to see me?”
Colin was already angry with himself for his failure to do the drawings for his book, and without meaning to he snapped, “Well, he can’t call on you!”
“And why not, Mister?”
Colin tried to think of a reason that would not sound absurd, and finally blurted out, “You’re too young. That’s why.”
“James doesn’t seem to think so.”
“Well, I don’t like this whole thing.”
Twyla turned to face Colin squarely. She had a tremendous capacity for strong emotions, and now she felt anger from the top of her head down to the tips of her toes. Her lips came together in a tight line. “I know what it is. It’s because you own me, isn’t it?”
“I never think of myself as owning you, as I have told you many times! But anyway, I don’t know this James well, and he might not have good intentions.” Then he blurted out, “Young men are dangerous.”
Suddenly, a wry smile came to Twyla’s lip. “Are you dangerous to women, Mister?”
“Of course not!”
“No? What about Heather Benton?” She knew as soon as the words left her lips that she had made a mistake.
Colin stared at Twyla, unable to answer. Finally, he said stiffly, “I don’t own you. Let the young man call on you if he wants.” He abruptly left the room, and Twyla could not remember his being as upset since she had come to live with Colin and Dr. Teague. “I shouldn’t have mentioned that woman,” she whispered to herself. “He feels bad enough, and I made it worse.”
For a week, the tension between Twyla and Colin was almost a physical thing. Twyla tried desperately to undo her words, for she knew she had been wrong to utter them. A week passed, and as she got ready to go to market, she decided to get Colin to go with her. She walked through the house and found him staring at the book in front of him. “Mister, would you please go with me to the market? I have to buy quite a few things and it would be too much for me to carry.”
Colin had a stubborn look on his face. He opened his mouth to refuse but instead got to his feet. “All right.” He was tired of the barrier of tension between him and Twyla. He saw no signs of anger in Twyla; he realized the anger was only in him.
The two left the house, and Twyla did her best to cheer Colin up. She had always been able to do that. She was surprised when Colin mentioned Adam.
“Did I tell you that Adam is coming by to see us?”
“No, you didn’t.”
“He’s been at home, but he’s going to visit us before he goes back to his ship. I expect him sometime this week.”
Twyla said no more on the subject. She knew that Colin was unhappy about his brother’s upcoming wedding, although he had never said anything about it to her.
They passed by a pub, and as they did, two soldiers came out. One of them was a large man who said, “Well, this is a pretty one, isn’t she, Sid?” The soldier put his hand in the small of Twyla’s back.
“Better watch out, Barrett. She’s got a man with her. He may take you to task,” the soldier named Sid jeered.
Barrett sized up Colin and laughed, saying, “I don’t reckon this pretty boy will hurt me. Will you, fellow?”
“Take your hands off of this young woman!” Colin said aggressively.
Barrett had blunt features and bulging muscles, and he wore a sword at his side, as all soldiers did. He wrapped his arm around Twyla’s waist and said with a laugh, “You run along, sonny. This young lady’s going to keep me company.”
Colin stepped forward and tried to remove the man’s arm from Twyla’s waist. Sid simply pushed him back and grinned broadly, saying, “You better watch out, Barrett. He’s getting mad. He’ll probably cut you in two.”
Barrett chuckled. “He don’t even have a sword. What are you, some kind of clerk or something?’
“He’s a doctor!” Twyla cried. “Now turn me loose!”
“A doctor, is he? Well, if I ever get sick, I’ll know where to come.” He grinned at Twyla and hugged her tighter. “You and me, we have things to do.”
Colin stepped forward and struck at the soldier. He hit him in the face, but his blow didn’t even move the man.
Barrett turned with surprise, and Sid laughed. “Don’t let him insult you like that, Barrett. Meet him with any weapons he chooses.”
Barrett’s face was red. “I don’t like being hit, Mr. Physician. You have to prove you’re a man now. I’ve been in a duel or two. You can choose your weapon: sword or pistol?”
Twyla jerked away from the man and took hold of Colin’s arm, trying to pull him away. “They’re drunk, Colin. Don’t listen to them.”
“If you’re any kind of a man you’ll meet me next Friday,” the large soldier said abruptly with a slight smile on his face. “Meet me at dusk in the cemetery. What’ll it be, swords or pistols?”
“Swords!” Colin said. He wasn’t sure why he said that—he’d had little enough experience with one.
Barrett laughed loudly. “Remember, next Friday at dusk in the cemetery. If you’re not there, I’ll find you and take a horsewhip to you right down the middle of this village.” With a cruel smile he looked at Twyla and said, “Then I’ll find something for me and this young lady to do together.”
“I’ll be there,” Colin said firmly.
Twyla pulled at his arm, and when they were out of hearing distance she said, “You just ignore him, Mister. He is only a drunken soldier.”
“I can’t do that.”
Twyla was shocked. “You can’t fight him!”
“I have to.”
Twyla argued with him all the way home. Stubbornly, Colin said, “I’ll fight him, and that’s all there is to it!”
As soon as they were in the house, Twyla told Dr. Teague what had happened. Teague said instantly, “Don’t be a fool, Colin! Fighting is his profession. You’re no good with a sword.”
“I probably am a fool, but I’m going to do it.” He turned and walked away.
Twyla turned to Teague, pleading, “You have to stop him, Doctor! You must, or he’ll get himself killed.”
“I’ll do the best I can, but I’ve noticed that as easygoing as Colin is, there’s a stubborn streak in him. I don’t see it often, but I see it now.”
“We have to think of something,” Twyla said. “I couldn’t stand it if something happened to him!”
“Nor could I. I’ll think of something to be done.”
Friday morning came, and Twyla had slept little. She went about the house mechanically doing her chores, and Colin stayed in his room. Twyla walked into the room where the two doctors made up their medicines and found Dr. Teague, who was measuring medicine out into bottles. As she watched him an idea suddenly arose, and she asked, “What’s in that bottle?”
“This is oil of basil. It’s good for the croup.”
Twyla pointed to another bottle. “And this one?”
“That’s a compound good for rubbing on open sores,” Teague answered.
She picked up a large brown bottle and asked, “What is this?”
“Well, that is what we give people when we have to do some surgery on them.”
“You mean it makes it not hurt?”
“It’s like liquor, but a lot stronger. The person passes out.” Teague shook his head. “It’s really very dangerous. If you give too much it can be fatal.”
“How much would be too much?”
Teague picked up a small tin cup. “Half of this cup would be enough to knock an ox down. I wouldn’t give a patient even half of that. Why are you asking all these questions?”
“No reason.” Twyla didn’t say any more. Her mind was made up to go through with her plan.
Teague was staring at her. “You’re up to something. What is it, girl?”
Twyla hesitated, then decided to trust the old man. “I thought if I could give Colin a drug to make him sleep, he couldn’t go to fight that stupid duel—and he wouldn’t get killed.”
Teague laughed aloud. “You are a devious young woman—but you could kill him if you give him too much. Here, I’ll mix you up a dose that will make him sleep like a baby!”
It was after four o’clock when Colin came out of his room. His face was pale as he said, “I have to go pretty soon, Twyla.”
Twyla said quickly, “You must eat something. You’ve haven’t eaten all day.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Just a little bit to give you some strength.” She pulled him to the table, and he sat down. She put some cold beef in front of him and some fresh-baked bread. He ate a few bites and she said, “Here, try this. It’s a new kind of wine.”
“It smells like it’s full of spices.”
She smiled, saying, “That’s why it’s called ‘spiced wine,’ Just try it.”
Twyla watched as Colin drank the wine. “Very good,” he said absently. He drank from the flagon until it was gone; then he sat there for a few minutes, saying nothing. “I know you think I’m insane,” he finally said. “I don’t know why this is so important to me. I think it has something to do with Adam.”
She looked puzzled. “How could this have to do with him?”
“He is always the one who gives pride to the family. He can fight in battles at sea—I haven’t ever done anything. He is able and I’m not.”
Twyla pulled up a chair beside Colin. “Tell me about what you and Adam were like when you were children. Here, have some more wine,” she said as she refilled his flagon.
He took another swallow of the wine and began to talk about their childhood. Twyla noticed that his speech was getting slower and becoming slurred. Finally, he blinked his eyes. “I’m getting sick, Twyla.”
“You’d better lie down until it passes.”
Colin got to his feet and started toward the horsehide sofa. He was weaving when he got there, and he muttered, “The room is spinning around.”
“Lie down, Colin. It’ll pass.” He lay down, and Twyla put his legs up on the sofa. She watched as his eyelids fluttered, then closed. He was stumbling through words, trying to speak. Finally he quit, his breathing slow and regular.
“He’ll hate me when he wakes up,” she whispered, “but at least he’ll be alive.”
Thirty minutes after Colin lay down, there was a knock at the door. Twyla went to the door and saw Adam. “Well, Miss Twyla, how are you?”
“Oh, Captain Winslow, something terrible has happened!”
“What is it? What is the trouble?”
“It’s Mister Colin. He is supposed to fight a man, and I know he would get killed.”
Adam stepped inside, having to duck his head because of the low doorway. He listened as she told the story. He leaned in closer and stared at her with surprise. “You say you drugged him?”
“I couldn’t think of nothing else to do.”
Adam’s lips turned up in a smile. “He hasn’t been drunk in some time, I suppose.”
“But he’ll hate me!”
“He’ll be alive and not hurt; that’s what counts. I’ll take care of this fellow he’s supposed to fight. Where are they supposed to meet?”
“The man said at the cemetery at dusk,” Twyla quickly answered.
“Well, it’s about that time. I’ll be back after I take care of this.” He turned and left. Twyla felt a sense of relief. Adam is strong. I know it makes Colin feel bad that he is not a man like this, but I’m glad he is not.
The village was quiet and most of the citizens had gone home, seeking the warmth of their fires. A few people hurried along the main street. The two soldiers, who had been drinking heavily, were laughing as they approached the cemetery. “Here, have some more, Barrett,” the short one named Sid said, offering his companion the flagon.
“That’s right, Sid. I’ll need some liquid courage to face that man-killing doctor,” Barrett said sarcastically.
The laughter went on, along with more rude jokes about Colin Winslow. Finally, Sid said, “Here comes somebody, but that isn’t the doctor.”
“That’s not him—he’s too big,” Barrett said.
The two stood and watched as the large man approached. He was over six feet tall and strongly built. He had a sword at his side, and his eyes were a steel blue. “Which one of you is Barrett?”
“That’s me.”
“My name is Winslow.”
“You’re not the doctor I had trouble with. Where is he?”
“He’s indisposed. I’m acting as his representative.” Adam drew his sword. “I’m Captain Adam Winslow of the Seahawks, second in command to Sir Francis Drake. I’ve been killing Spaniards, but I’m tired of that. So now I’m going to kill myself a worthless drunk soldier. Draw your sword!”
Barrett took one look at the fierce intensity in Adam’s eyes and began to back away. “I didn’t mean no harm, sir.”
Suddenly, with a lightning-quick movement, Adam touched his sword right over Barrett’s heart. His voice grew harsh as steel. “You lay a hand on my brother, you scum, and I’ll cut pieces off of you an inch at a time! You understand that?”
“Y—Yes, sir. Come on, let’s get out of here,” he said to his companion.
The pair scurried away, and Adam began to laugh. “Not a fight in the bunch of them! Well, it’s a good thing I came.”
The room seemed to be swimming, and Colin felt as if he were rising out of a dark pit. His vision was blurry, but a candle outlined the figure of Twyla, who was sitting beside him. “What—what happened to me?”
“I couldn’t help it, Mister! I had to do it!”
Colin sat up and immediately felt sick. “Get me some water, will you, Twyla? My lips are dry as a bone.”
She rose, went to the kitchen, and came back soon with a cup filled with water. He drank it thirstily and he said, “It’s time to go.”
“It’s too late. Look, it’s dark outside.”
“What happened to me? Did I get sick?”
Twyla knew she had no choice but to confess. “I got some medicine that makes people sleep. I put it in the wine. That’s what made you so sleepy.”
“I’ll still have to face that soldier,” Colin said. “You just put it off.”
“No, Adam came. He went in your place.”
“Adam? Where is he?”
“He had to leave already. He came back here after he went to the cemetery, but his ship was due out. You don’t have to worry. Adam scared those men so bad they’ll never show their faces again.”
Colin dropped his head. “Like I’ve always said, he’s the strong one. I’m the weak one.”
“Please don’t hate me, Colin, and don’t hate Adam. He loves you and he does whatever he can to help you, just as you would help him as a doctor if he got sick.”
Colin was still woozy, but he said, “I’m glad you were able to stop me from going, even if the method was rather harsh. And I’m glad Adam was able to get that man off my back.” He saw that her face was tense and she was close to tears. “But the next time you want to stop me from doing something, don’t give me any drugs. Just talk to me.”
Twyla whispered, “I did talk to you, but you wouldn’t listen. I won’t use the medicine again.” She hesitated, then said, “As long as you behave, that is.”
Colin reached out and ran his hand down her black hair. He suddenly felt better. He had not run away from the fight. “Next time you want to keep me from making a fool of myself, just hit me over the head with a stick. It couldn’t feel as bad as this.” He smiled weakly as he said, “Don’t worry. I’ll try not to be a bother to you anymore.”
“How could you be a bother to me?” Twyla said softly. She saw that he was smiling, and this lifted her spirits. A rose color stained her cheeks, and her lips were caught in an uncertain, crooked smile. Whatever mistakes she had made, there was a sweetness and gentleness about her, Colin noticed. As his hands smoothed her hair, she held her head straight and looked at him, a quiet longing in her violet eyes. “I didn’t want you to get hurt,” she whispered.
“I’m glad to have someone to look after me,” Colin said. “I hope you always will.”
16
January 3, 1586
Over two feet of snow had fallen, cloaking the dead woods and the brown earth with a pristine blanket. All afternoon the sun had come out from time to time from behind tawny clouds and struck what seemed to be flashes of diamonds in the whiteness. The far-off low hills in their sullen haze brooded over some brutal thought and hunched down, seeming to seek shelter from the piercing cold.
