Paul Lawrence - Hearts of Darkness

Lucy dabbed at his brow and cast me a quick smile, while Jane sat there stunned. It was one of the nicest things anyone had ever said about me, however fanciful the sentiment. I felt my irritation subside.

‘Help me, Harry,’ said Lucy, and we pulled the great butcher up onto his feet.

It wasn’t a long walk, but the crowds would be thick and impatient. ‘Can you manage, Davy?’ I asked.

‘That I would walk worthy of God, who hath called me unto his kingdom and glory,’ Dowling replied, lifting his chin. ‘As I said, ’twas but a prick.’

Lucy and I struggled to support him towards the entrance to Thames Street. It would be a long, slow haul.

‘Your house burnt down,’ said Jane.

‘I know,’ I nodded. ‘We will have to build a new one.’

‘We?’ she raised an eyebrow. ‘What makes you think I will be housemaid to a pauper?’

‘I am not a pauper,’ I replied. ‘I will find my money when it is safe to go back into the City, and I

had

thought you might want to live with me as my wife. Seems I was wrong.’

She pursed her lips. ‘You still plan to become an apothecary?’

‘Yes,’ I replied through gritted teeth, waiting for her to ridicule me again.

Instead she slipped her arm into my spare arm and brushed her cheek against my shoulder.

‘Jane,’ I said. ‘You know I …’

She reached up to touch my lips and smiled. ‘We can talk later,’ she said. ‘It’ll be many months before you can build a new home. Meantime we can get married at my aunt’s house.’

Her aunt’s house had but three rooms. ‘I think we can do better than that.’

‘Don’t argue, Harry.’ She pinched my wrist. ‘Your life is about to change for the better.’

She smiled happily and I wondered what I had let myself in for. I looked up to Dowling for Godly wisdom, but he bit his lip and struggled to keep walking. At first I thought he was in pain until I realised he was laughing.