JACK and Adrian stood silently looking at one another, waiting for Stephanie to compose herself. They had offered her a glass of brandy, but she had waved it away. Several minutes had passed; she was still convulsed with sobs but they were becoming more intermittent, and between the sobs she was trying to force a smile.

Finally she stopped crying and appeared calmer.

“Is there anything you want to tell us?” asked Jack at length, as gently as he could. “About what you have been up to; about why you are here without Mark? Don’t feel you have to. If you want you can stop the night here, we’ll be glad to put you up—”

“NO! NO!” shrieked Stephanie. She paused, then continued, in a calmer voice, “Oh no, I’m so sorry, I mean yes, of course I’d be glad to stay here—if it’s no trouble. I’m so sorry about all the fuss I’ve caused, the hysterics: I couldn’t help it, I couldn’t stop myself…”

“We understand,” said Jack. “Just one question: is Mark all right? Really?”

“Yes, I already said so. Yes he is all right. It’s not about Mark. But please don’t ask any more.”

“Leave her be for now, Jack,” put in Adrian. “The girl’s had some sort of trouble, we can see that. Didn’t you notice the bruise on her cheek? But we won’t ask any questions tonight. Now, Stephanie, just one thing: have you eaten?”

“I had a bit of lunch when the coach stopped; nothing since then.”

“Oh, so you got here by coach did you? What happened with your horses?” put in Jack.

“No, Jack, I said, no questions! Stephanie, we don’t have much to offer you: just some bread, cheese, and ham—and a cup of warm milk or cocoa, whatever you prefer. Will that do? Then you can sleep in Michael’s room. We’ll make it up for you. You can even lock the door on us, if you feel insecure. We shan’t be offended!”

For the first time that day, Stephanie felt fairly relaxed. She felt she was among friends who could be trusted. She at once accepted their offer and after partaking of a modest meal, she retired to bed. She was awake for a long while, but eventually drifted off to sleep. This time, her dreams were about her times with David: once again she was sliding down the sandy slope, squealing with delight; they were fishing for shrimps in the river; they were playing around the rickety old beam-engine and making friends with its keeper Corky…

She awoke to a knocking on the door, got out of bed and opened it to find Adrian standing outside: he was bringing her some warm water. He told her that breakfast would soon be served, after which both he and Jack would be out for most of the day, but she was welcome to stay in the flat for the day, if that suited her. There were books on the shelves if she wanted to read. Stephanie thanked him, and was soon washed and dressed and seated at the breakfast table. Her bruise had almost gone by now.

“What do you do, the two of you, during the day?” she asked.

“We’re both in Law,” said Jack. “Adrian’s a junior attorney, I’m still studying at Law School to become one. So we’ll have to leave you on your own for most of the day. Adrian will probably be back first; some time in the afternoon, Ade?” Adrian nodded. “And I’ll be in about supper-time.”

“That’s fine, thanks. I’d like to explain things: I feel better now about telling you my story, if you want to hear it.”

“This evening, then, when we’re both here.”

After showing her where she could find food for lunch, they both took their leave of her.

Stephanie found little to occupy herself with during the day, but she waited patiently. She picked one or two books off the shelves, but they were very dull; and she was not very skilled at reading and writing. She had picked up a bit from her parents and David, and later from Rachel, but she came to realise how much she had missed out through not having a proper education. Hardly anyone back in the Fringes had been able to read…

That evening, when they had finished their supper, the three of them sat quietly around the fire, conversation on general matters having lapsed. There was an air of expectancy. Finally Stephanie braced herself, drew a breath and began:

“I suppose you want the story now. Well… we didn’t set out in search of Rachel and Michael. Not yet. I didn’t want to, and I persuaded Mark to change his plans. We agreed that it would stand waiting for a while—a few days wouldn’t make much difference. And I had a more pressing reason. I wanted to find my parents—”

“Your parents?” interrupted Jack. “So—you aren’t in contact with them?”

“I wasn’t. I was separated from them when I was only a little girl. And after that, what with prison, and me being sent away—” Stephanie checked herself, realising that she’d said too much. Both the men were eyeing her curiously.

“All right, I’ll have to take you on trust. You’ve been very kind to me, I’m sure you’ll understand. Best if I show you—here.”

And with that she kicked off her left shoe, lifted the hem of her skirt, and peeled off the stocking.

“So what is it you expect us to—?” began Jack, but Adrian interrupted him with a hissed stage-whisper: “Six!”. Jack took a closer look at Stephanie’s foot and realised: he nodded, slightly embarrassed.

“David didn’t notice either, at first,” continued Stephanie, putting on her stocking and shoe once more. “Oh, you don’t know about David, perhaps. A childhood friend of mine, a very good friend, also one of Michael, Rachel and Mark’s little group. No—but he was the first person, besides my parents, who knew about me.”

“We understand,” replied Adrian. “And please believe us: we’re not the sort of guys who’d march you straight to the Inspector! Trust me. So, I’m guessing you were hidden by your parents. But then you were caught?”

“Yes, my parents kept me, right up until I was ten. Then I was—seen; we tried to flee, but were caught: they were tried and sent to prison, while I was sent away to the—you know, to that place. But I was rescued from there. Rescued by Michael, in fact, who brought me back to civilised parts.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“That must have been an awful time for you. How long were you in the… Fringes?”

“About seven years. Yes it was horrible, but I survived. Nearly didn’t, though: I was hit by two arrows in the great battle. Michael saved my life…”

“That’s just like Michael! He deserves a medal. Yes, we know about the Fringes battle. I think we mentioned that when you were here, earlier,” said Adrian. “Over a hundred men, from the Waknuk and surrounding districts, most of them slaughtered. Terrible business.”

“Many of my people—the…Fringes people—died too, in that battle.” This was the first time Stephanie had been able to bring herself to say the word ‘Fringes’ since departing Waknuk. She had to overcome her reluctance, if she was ever to be able to tell the full story.

“All right; we won’t ask you any more about that. But tell us what happened after you and Mark left us. That’s what we still want to know. Did you find your parents?” asked Adrian.

“Yes—at least, we found my mother. My father had since died. Mark did most of the enquiring. She’s now living at a place called Kamach, north of here.”

“Very sorry to hear about your father. Yes, I’ve heard of Kamach, though I haven’t been there. Where the women’s prison is, isn’t it?” said Jack, with a glance at Adrian. Adrian nodded. “But please go on.”

“Yes, we tracked her down, there, without too much trouble. At least, not too much trouble once we got to Kamach…” And with that Stephanie launched into a full account of their journey to Kamach, complete with all the upsets, the close call with the cougar, the loss of the horse; and then her return to Kentak alone. She only omitted what had happened at the inn at Ashapi.

“Well, that was quite an adventure, and no mistake!” said Adrian, when she had finished. “So we can expect Mark, and your mother (Martha I think you said her name is?) in a week’s time. Excellent! Though I don’t think we can put you all up here: we only have the one spare room.”

“Mother will have to stay at the inn, I think. Don’t worry: we can afford it. After a while she’ll have to return to Kamach—probably on her own. I’m trying not to think too far ahead. But we all agreed, me travelling together with Mother, especially in the Kamach district, wouldn’t be safe. People might remember—they might even recognise me…”

“Might be risky—I don’t know,” said Adrian. “I’ve appeared at one or two trials involving alleged Deviations, though of course your parents’ trial was long before my time. The sort of ‘moral rectitude’ practised at places like Waknuk, especially in Joseph Strorm’s time—well, that’s being questioned now. The torturing of those poor girls—I suppose they were two of Michael’s group—that left a lot of people uneasy, people who weren’t otherwise involved. And you may not know this, but there’s a considerably more enlightened leader of the Government, now, over in Rigo, who’s taken an interest; and she’s committed herself to clamping down on the more extreme cases of maltreatment of Deviants.”

“ ‘She’!” exclaimed Stephanie. “You mean, it’s a woman in charge of the Government?”

“Yes. Why shouldn’t there be? In Rigo at least, some folk at least are beginning to understand that women can be on an equal footing with men, as far as jobs and responsibilities go. Not so, yet, in Kentak: certainly not in the parts you and Mark came from! But not everyone agrees with that sentiment, not even in Rigo, sadly.

“Besides, I’ve been studying up common Deviations, part of my legal work. Your—condition—has a scientific name: it’s called ‘polydactyly’. Apparently that was a word that came from the Old People themselves: probably means something in one of their for­gotten languages. It was very rare back then, but my argument is, if the Old People had a word for it, maybe it’s a syndrome that goes all the way back to before Tribulation: so not a Deviation at all! Because, according to Nicholson’s Repentances at least, all known Deviations are deemed to have been caused by Tribulation and its aftermath. But it wouldn’t do to pin your hopes on that: the Church Party people would go into convulsions if it was suggested. And I don’t think my argument would stand up in Court.”

“Too late for me, anyway,” murmured Stephanie, sadly.

“We understand,” said Adrian. “But if you can bear it, will you tell us something about what made you so upset, last night? We did notice the bruise on your face. Were you hit by someone or something?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. No—perhaps I do want to talk about it. It seems easier, talking to you two, than it would have been talking to Mother, or to Mark. Oh, and did I tell you? Mark and I want to get married.”

“Splendid news! We could tell at once that Mark was head-over-heels for you, at any rate. I’m glad you’ve accepted him. But this thing you didn’t want to tell us—or him. Was it—to do with—being with a man?”

“NO! Yes! All right, it was. There was this horrible ugly brute of a young man, working at the inn at Ashapi. A beast. He made a pass at me. It was horrible. And he hit me.”

“Did he try to rape you?”

“He did rape me. No! I don’t know. Perhaps it wasn’t rape. You see, I let him do it. It was the only way. The only way I could keep my stockings on. Otherwise he might have ripped them off. He’d have seen… Oh, why did I agree to travel alone? Mark was worried as I set off: I could see that. And Mother too, of course. And even one of the passengers in the coach warned me. But I thought I could take care of myself. I’d learned a lot, how to do that, in the Fringes. I was wrong…”

“Hmmm,” pondered Adrian. “In my book, what that man did to you, that’s still rape. But it would be difficult to prove: he’d use ‘consent’ as his defence. And you’d have to explain things in court. It’d all come out. Sorry, Stephanie, that’s me running away with my professional musings; I should have said, how truly sorry we are to hear this. As if you hadn’t had enough awful experiences… But you’re right: being hauled before the Inspector once more could have been worse.”

“Should I tell Mark? Or Mother?” Stephanie felt relieved that she had now shared her anguish. She only wished she could share it with a woman. Not Mother, however: perhaps neither of them was ready for that. More than anything she yearned to see Rachel once again… Rachel she could confide in. But Adrian, especially, was a real comfort.

There was a long pause. Eventually Adrian broke the silence.

“I think,” he said, hesitantly, “I think, your mother doesn’t need to know this. To her, you’re still a happy little ten-year-old child: unpleasant grown-up things like this don’t fit with her image of you. She’ll come to accept you as an adult, especially now that you and Mark are engaged. Does she know about that, by the way?”

“Yes.”

“How did she take it?”

“She wasn’t quite sure at first. She hesitated a while. But I think she’s been won over to the idea. She’s quite taken to Mark at any rate: thinks he could have been the son she never had. I was the only child.”

“That fits in with what I thought. I may never have met your mother, but I’ve a pretty good idea about her character. Part of my job it is, to judge people’s characters—especially the ones up in court!

“As to Mark—you’ve got to decide, but I think you’d be safe to tell him. He’d thank you for it. I’ve only met Mark briefly, but I read him as a dependable sort of chap—more dependable than Michael, whom I know well, who can be a bit headstrong! Knowledge like this won’t cloud his love for you…”

“He already knows I’ve been with other men. He’s easy with that.” She didn’t want to mention her fling with Michael explicitly, not even if Adrian had guessed it. There was no fooling Adrian, that was certain. But she felt at ease under his gentle questioning. Less so with Jack, but Jack had tactfully left almost all the talking to Adrian.

The conversation lapsed and they sat silent for a while, pondering much of what had been spoken. At length Stephanie got up and announced she wished to retire for the night. Acting on a sudden impulse, she rushed up to both Adrian and Jack in turn, embraced them, and planted passionate kisses on both cheeks. Both men were red-faced as she retreated to her room. As she lay down in bed she felt a great weight had been taken off her mind.