be obvious to anyone watching that he was eavesdropping.
“Danner,” said Isabel, her voice firm.
“Yes, milady,” answered a male voice that Will presumed was that of her bodyguard.
“Find Lieutenant Stanton. I want to know that soldier’s full name and how he got here,” she ordered.
“The big one, milady?”
“No, the other one,” she replied.
“Begging your pardon, milady, but William is a common name. Without knowing what town he comes from or his company, it will be difficult,” said Danner.
“He’s from Barrowden,” said Isabel confidently. “I can’t remember his surname, but he’s probably in the same company as the man I stitched up. I believe he said his name was John Shaw.”
“May I ask why you’re interested in him?”
Isabel paused before answering. “He isn’t supposed to be here. After you find out his name, tell the lieutenant I want to see him. In person.”
Will left after that, rather than risk being seen if her bodyguard stepped out too quickly. His head was swirling with questions that had no clear answers. Why was a noblewoman posing as a nurse? How did she know he was from Barrowden? The thing that bothered him most was wondering why she seemed so interested in him. Had she seen something unusual when she looked at him?
He vividly remembered his grandfather’s warnings about being caught as an unlicensed wizard. They’d accuse him of being a warlock. It hardly seemed fair, since he hadn’t the faintest idea how to do anything useful with his magic.
He found his place in the mess hall and ate with mechanical efficiency, lost in thought. Sven and the others tried to draw him out, but he remained quiet through breakfast. Once or twice he looked up and saw Tiny watching him, but the big man didn’t say anything.
Later that morning he received another surprise when someone from the company digging near their section recognized him. “Will!”
He knew the voice. He ran up the mound of earth and saw his cousin standing near the top. “Eric!” The two embraced.
“What are you doing here? I heard Dad was given an exemption, but I didn’t know you were here,” said Eric.
The others from his squad were staring at him, and Will saw Corporal Taylor frown. He had too much to say to simply blurt it all out. “We need to talk,” he told his cousin. “Can we meet later? After supper?”
“Where?”
“How about by Company B’s latrine?” suggested Will. It wasn’t an ideal spot, but it was one of the few places he was allowed to go on his own during his severely limited free time.
Eric understood. “Sure. See you there tonight.”
They parted and Will returned to digging. Corporal Taylor walked over to him. “Who was that?”
“My cousin,” he answered. “I haven’t seen him since before Barrowden was burned.”
“I bet you’re glad to see him,” said the corporal amiably.
Will stared at the earth. “Yeah, but I have a lot of bad news to give him.”
“Take your time when you see him then. If anyone asks why you’re gone so long, I’ll tell them you have the piles,” offered the corporal helpfully.
“Thanks,” said Will wryly.
That evening he rushed over to the latrines as soon as he was free, though his feet felt heavy as he did. Eric was there ahead of him, waiting. His cousin waved when he spotted him. They hugged once more and then Eric pushed him out to arm’s length. “We heard about Barrowden a few weeks ago. How bad is it?”
The food in Will’s stomach felt like a rock. “Really bad. They burned the whole village.”
“What about Mom, Doug, and Sammy? They got out, right?” There was desperation in Eric’s eyes, though he was doing his best to control it.
“Sammy is safe,” said Will. “I didn’t get there fast enough to help the others.”
Eric’s face was dark, his eyes swelling. “Then Mom, and Dougie?”
“They died trying to protect each other,” said Will. “Your mom got one of the raiders with your dad’s crossbow.”
His cousin crouched, putting his hands on the ground as though to steady himself and hanging his head. “How much did you see?”
“It was mostly over before I got there. There was smoke everywhere. It was hard to see, but it looked like they died quickly without much pain. I grabbed Sammy and ran to my house.”
“And your mom?”
“We got out before the soldiers got there, but the old man died trying to keep them from following us.”
The two cousins remained together for half an hour, but most of their time was spent in