cot already? I put a lot of time into that.”
Will grinned. “All right, the two best presents I’ve ever gotten. Honestly, you’ve probably saved my life. I’m sure I’d freeze to death if I had to keep sleeping on the floor this winter.”
“That’s better,” said Eric. “If you’re done giving Sammy a big head, I have something to talk to you about.” He glanced around for a moment. “Is the old man around?”
Will shook his head. “He’s off somewhere. Probably chasing deer again. What is it?”
Lowering his voice, Eric leaned close. “He isn’t our grandfather.”
Will frowned. By now he was firmly convinced the old hermit was insane, but he hadn’t shown any signs of dishonesty. Sure, the old geezer had a mean streak a mile wide, but as far as Will could tell, he was honest, often brutally so. “How do you know that?” he asked his cousin.
“I asked my dad. He said the first Cartwright to live in Barrowden was his grandfather, Nathan. Before that they lived in Branscombe. He said all his great-grandparents are buried there,” answered Eric somberly.
“That can’t be right,” said Will. “Mom said he was her great-grandfather. Did you tell your dad that?”
“No,” responded Eric. “He seemed so sure, I was afraid it might start an argument between them. He said he’s seen all their graves, though they died before he was born.”
Sammy pulled on her brother’s sleeve. “Tell him what else Dad said!”
Eric hesitated, looking uncomfortable.
“What is it?” asked Will.
“I probably shouldn’t say,” said Eric. “It’s not my place to talk about your mom.”
“Just tell me,” said Will impatiently. “I won’t get mad.”
“Your mom ran away from home when she was sixteen,” blurted out Sammy, unable to contain herself. “She didn’t come back for almost four years, and they don’t know where she was. When she did come back, she was pregnant with you.”
Will grimaced. He hadn’t known much about it, but he had expected something along those lines. “Did he say who my father is? Maybe the old man is my great-great-grandfather on his side.”
Eric seemed embarrassed. “He doesn’t know. He said he thinks your mom worked as a barmaid in Cerria. She probably got pregnant from one of the customers.”
Will’s cheeks flushed, and the candle flame flared. His hands balled into fists. “You’re saying she was a whore?”
His cousin held up his hands. “Look, I’m sorry. That’s just what he said. I don’t think he really knows what she was doing while she was gone.”
“He also said he doesn’t know anything about her being taught by the old man,” put in Sammy.
Will let out a long breath, calming himself. “I don’t know why she would lie about that. Plus, the old man said the same thing. Why else would he visit our house over the years?”
“You do know he doesn’t visit anyone else, right?” said Eric. “He’s never come into the village. Not once that I can remember.”
That seemed odd. Where does he get the butter then? wondered Will. His grandfather never seemed to lack for necessities like soap, salt, dried beans, flour—the list went on. The old man had to be buying things from somewhere.
Sammy broke in, “Dad says there’s been a hermit living here since he was a boy, and according to him, there was one here when his dad first moved to Barrowden, but he doesn’t think it’s always been the same old man.”
“What does that mean?” asked Will.
“The hermit in the woods was an old man when Dad was a boy. He’d have died of old age by now, so the one you’re living with has to be different,” explained Sammy. “Anyway, Dad said the old man who lived here when he was little had dogs.”
“Just because he had dogs back then doesn’t mean he would still have dogs,” argued Will. Though it is a good idea. Putting that aside, he had to admit it seemed unlikely it was the same person living here back then. People just didn’t live that long. “I’ll ask him about it later.”
“Be careful,” warned Eric. Sammy nodded in agreement beside him. Both their faces displayed worry.
“Careful of what?” said Will dismissively.
“Remember what we talked about before?” reminded Eric. “He might be a warlock.”
Will laughed. “He’s a grumpy old bastard, but I don’t think so.”
Sammy grabbed his hand. “He might be fattening you up for later.”
“I doubt it,” said Will confidently. “Aside from eggs, I’ve never seen him eat anything that didn’t grow out of the ground.”
“As a sacrifice,” added Sammy, wrinkling her