05-12-2022, 05:47 PM
Mable didn't think there was such a thing as being too old, especially not to start over, but maybe she was too young to understand. She supposed if there was someone who would understand such a thing better than her, it would be Mr. Brennan. He was an adult in every sense of the word, and - did he call himself a father, before? Maybe he had children and a wife he couldn't leave behind.
When the man's smile faded, so did the girl's, but where his expression remained open, Mable's shut off entirely and she looked away.
The babbling river gave her little reprieve, though. Mr. Brennan's words echoed around in her head along with her brothers.
"I... well, I don't think I should say, sir," she said, trying to keep her voice indifferent. "We're safe as far as I know, but my brother knows more than I do."
She knew some, but only what he'd told her. Debtors after their father, and in his death, would be after them. They'd have no way of finding them across the ocean, she'd been assured, but she had also been instructed to tell absolutely no one the details.
"I'm sorry sir, I'd say more if I knew, but my brother..." Mable searched for the words to explain, but came up with nothing. Instead, she found the tall man's eyes again and shrugged. "My brother."
When the man's smile faded, so did the girl's, but where his expression remained open, Mable's shut off entirely and she looked away.
The babbling river gave her little reprieve, though. Mr. Brennan's words echoed around in her head along with her brothers.
"I... well, I don't think I should say, sir," she said, trying to keep her voice indifferent. "We're safe as far as I know, but my brother knows more than I do."
She knew some, but only what he'd told her. Debtors after their father, and in his death, would be after them. They'd have no way of finding them across the ocean, she'd been assured, but she had also been instructed to tell absolutely no one the details.
"I'm sorry sir, I'd say more if I knew, but my brother..." Mable searched for the words to explain, but came up with nothing. Instead, she found the tall man's eyes again and shrugged. "My brother."