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“My very intimate friend.”
“A friend with benefits?”
He cocked his head to one side and a slightly heated look slipped into his eyes. “I have never heard that saying, but I believe I understand your meaning.”
I blushed and turned my face away. “W-well, I’m glad, but that still doesn’t get me introduced intoanysociety.” I set my elbow on the table and leaned my chin on my cupped hand as I stared into space. “Maybe I should join the newspaper boys and learn the streets first.”
Ben chuckled as he resumed his eating. “You would be the prettiest among them, but what do you say to putting off your employment for another day? We have an entire afternoon to enjoy, and I wondered if you wouldn’t enjoy it on my ship.”
My eyebrows shot up and I lifted my head off my hand. “The one on the river?”
He nodded. “Just the same. Bailey always likes to keep it at the ready, and he would like to see his work enjoyed more often.”
I grinned. “Then it sounds like a date.”
We finished our food, and Ben was the first to rise from the table. “If you’ll excuse me a moment, there are a few instructions I need to give to Tully. I’ll meet you in the courtyard.” And without waiting for me to reply he slipped into the kitchen.
I frowned at where he’d gone, but stood and ventured out into the cobblestone courtyard. In a few minutes he rejoined me, and we set off for the river. I couldn’t help but look him over. “Well?”
He lifted both eyebrows. “Well what?”
“Are you going to tell me what you’ve been up to?”
He grinned as he shook his head. “That would ruin the surprise.”
The sun was shining and the citizenry was out enjoying the warm day. I lifted my chin in the air and took in the sweet smell of grass and trees as we drove through the elegant park.
The mood was ruined by the angry shouts of boys.
“Give it back!”
“It’s mine!”
“I won it fair!”
“I didn’t put that one out to play!”
“So? I get to pick any card I want from your deck!”
“No way!”
A small figure darted out from the trees to our right and into the middle of the road. Ferox reared up and whinnied. A cry of fear came from the figure and the carriage was nearly overturned. I was relieved to see a young boy of eight stumble backward and fall on his butt onto the grass. A pile of cards fell from his shaking hands and scattered around him. I noticed they all had different animals and scenes on them.
“Easy, Ferox!” Ben called as he hopped down from the carriage. He hurried to the front as I gripped tightly to the side of the vehicle.
Ben grasped the halter and dipped beneath the horse’s high neck to inspect the young lad. “Are you hurt?”
The young lad shook his head, but I could see his body quivering. A group of other young boys slunk out of the shade of the trees, but stopped several yards shy of the road. Many of them held packs of cards in their hands, and the tall one in front had a pale look on his otherwise tanned face.
“You okay, Stanley?” the tall boy called out to the younger one.
Stanley turned around and glared at him. “Just leave me alone!”
“Easy there, lad,” Ben softly scolded him as he moved over to the young boy’s side and helped him to his feet. “What’s the meaning of running out in front of a carriage? You could have been killed.”
Stanley hung his head and rubbed the tip of one shoe into the grass. “I didn’t mean to.”
Ben turned his attention to the others. “What have you young gentleman been doing to cause one of your own to flee?”
