RACHEL had never seen a town as large as Kentak. The number of people going to and fro in the crowded streets, the horses and carts criss-crossing everywhere, the shops selling every imaginable kind of produce, the saloons with their swing doors and welcoming beery atmosphere—at the upper end of the town, by the lakeside, the splendid mansions, all immaculately whitewashed, housing families whose wealth she could only dream of—and at the other end of the town the dingy terraces with filth in the streets and beggars squatting in doorways…
And if they ever made it to Rigo, the capital of Labrador, hundreds of miles to the east, that would be a city ten times the size of this one. Maybe with ten times as many beggars…
It was lucky she had Michael with her. She would have been lost in a few minutes without him. He at least was familiar with the bewildering network of streets, and hustled her quickly past the slums and into more civilised quarters.
“That’s my old school, over there,” as he pointed out an imposing building. He was speaking in words, because amongst the crowds of people it seemed more natural—and safer. “But we won’t go too close: I don’t want to be recognised. We’re going to my flat to collect up a few things. I’ll need to call in at the carpenter’s shop and turn my job in. If I don’t, that’ll lead to more suspicion. I’ll think of some excuse.
“I think we can stay at the flat one night, maybe two. But we must be ready to flee at a moment’s notice. It’ll take some time for the pursuit, if there is one, to get organised—but when it is, Kentak is one of the places they’ll look. I’m sorry I can’t show you more of Kentak—there are some really nice parts, especially round the lake. But there’ll be more to see on the journey. Luckily I’ve got a fair bit of money saved up: we need to buy a cart. And at least one fresh horse.”
They got to Michael’s flat without trouble, and found both of his flatmates in. Michael quickly retrieved his store of money, and explained that he and Rachel would have to leave in a hurry – probably for good. He paid them the balance of that month’s rent. Luckily, they didn’t ask any awkward questions. Kentak was full of people ‘on the move’, for various reasons, and they must have assumed it was something to do with him and Rachel—an elopement, perhaps.
Which was not far from the truth.
They then went in search of a horse and cart, but in that they were less lucky. No-one in the town was willing to sell. It seemed that, although Kentak was not directly involved in the turmoil that had engulfed Waknuk and surrounding district a few months earlier, with so many of the men missing and presumed dead after the abortive raid on the Fringes, many people in Kentak were still afraid and alarmed. Quite a lot of residents had fled East—and those that there were left were preparing to flee themselves.
Whatever the reason, no horse nor cart was available, for love or money.
“We haven’t searched all the town,” said Michael, “and it’s getting late. We’ll try again tomorrow.”
Suddenly, Rachel tugged at his arm. They were passing a small, run-down church and she drew him towards the door, which was not locked, and then pulled him inside.
“What are we doing in here?” asked Michael. The church was completely deserted.
“Getting married, of course!”
“What!”
“Yes, getting married. Just you and me. We’ll repeat the wedding vows to each other. OK: I know it won’t be a ‘legal’ marriage: no priest, no witnesses, but it’ll do for us. As far as I’m concerned, we’ll be married. As far as your parents are concerned, we won’t be. Both sides satisfied! I wanted to be ‘properly’ married in Kentak, but since there’s no time for that…”
“And the ring…?”
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“I found this in the street,” explained Rachel, holding up a small steel washer which just happened to fit over her middle finger. “Of course, I can’t really wear it all the time, it’s the wrong shape—but I’ll carry it. And maybe we can get it shaped into a proper ring, later…”
Michael was still bemused, but he acquiesced. “Do you know the wedding vows?”
“Pretty much. Some of it anyway: the important bits. I remember them from Anne’s wedding. Come on now.” They walked up to the altar and she began: “ ‘Will you, Michael Anthony, take me, Rachel Naomi, to be your lawful wedded wife?’ ”
“I will.”
“Now you ask me the same.”
“OK. ‘Will you, Rachel Naomi, take me, Michael Anthony, to be your lawful wedded husband?’”
“I will. Now together please: ‘We now pronounce ourselves man and wife’ ”
After Michael had repeated the words, he said “this is all highly irregular. We can’t possibly say we’re legally married.”
“I know, but it’s good enough for me. Now let’s get back to the flat before someone finds us…”
At the flat, Michael told his flatmates that Rachel and he had just secretly married. They laughed a bit, but congratulated both of them, and luckily didn’t ask exactly how they’d got married. Kentak was a big town. Then they sat down to a splendid meal, prepared by Michael’s flatmates. Michael thanked them profusely for their help, explaining how his parents had been opposed to the marriage. They promised to cover for him if his parents came enquiring…
They sat talking well into the evening, mainly about the state of affairs in Kentak, and about Michael’s schooldays there. Rachel learnt a lot. Despite Michael having been in contact with her and the others during his schooling, there was much he hadn’t told them! Rachel was highly amused to learn about some of the pranks he and his friends had got into. She made a mental note to pass the stories on to Mark, if they ever got in touch—at present Mark was out of range.
Finally Michael’s flatmates retired to their bedrooms, leaving Rachel and Michael alone. “Don’t forget this is our wedding night,” said Rachel, this time in thought-shapes, as she led Michael into their bedroom. Michael had half been expecting this, but even so, as he followed her, he was consumed by shyness. And this time, Rachel seemed rather shy and uncertain too. She undressed down to her petticoat, as she had done before in Waknuk, then stood there, uncertain what to do next.
At length Michael took the initiative. Quickly stripping off his clothes, he stood there facing Rachel as she fiddled with the buttons of her petticoat. Finally she slipped it off herself, then Michael took a hand and gently relieved her of her undergarments…
“Oh Michael! Please be gentle with me!” she murmured as he slipped into bed beside her. It was hard for Michael to comply with that request, but he did his best and was rewarded when her moans were replaced by squeals of pleasure at the end…
They had been asleep in each others’ arms for perhaps three hours when they were suddenly wakened by a loud knocking at the front door. They clutched each other, terrified.
“Open up!” they heard a loud rough voice calling, and then the knocking resumed. Michael and Rachel leapt out of bed and dressed as quickly as they could. Fortunately their packs were ready and the horses were saddled and hitched outside the back window, ready for an instant getaway. As they clambered out of the window and dropped the short distance to the ground, they could hear one of their flatmates answering the door.
“We’re coming in. We’re looking for a couple of fugitives. A man and a woman. Blasphemies.”
“Blasphemies? Here? What on earth are you on about?”
“You heard us. Blasphemies. Now stand aside please.”
“There are no fugitives of any sort here, let alone Blasphemies. And you can’t come in without a warrant.”
“We don’t need a warrant if we’re searching for Blasphemies. Now will you please stand aside.”
There was the sound of a scuffle, but by this time Michael and Rachel had untied the horses. Hoping that the noise at the front door would mask the sound of the horses’ hooves, they led them carefully across the back yard and out through the gate into the alley. Then they mounted and rode gingerly away.
Once on the main road, they urged their horses to a full gallop and surged out of the town on the east road, towards Rigo.