Chapter 3

Even if she had not seen it, Sergeant let her know the prowler was gone. He sniffed around the door and the perimeter of the room. Then, he came and sniffed her hand and walked to the hallway. He stopped to look back at her and when she moved to follow, he padded quietly to her room where he immediately climbed on the bed. He lay curled in his usual spot but his head stayed raised until she covered herself and lay back against her pillow. Then he dropped his head to the bed.

She wished she could sleep so easily but despite her exhaustion from a day of work, she knew that it would be hours before she slept. As long as she could remember, no one had ever bothered her family here. The dogs would obviously have been a deterrent but everyone who knew her, knew that Sergeant was here and that he was dangerous in certain situations. Locals would not be so foolish.

So who? Someone from one of the other provinces? If that were the case, it was unusual. The Council of Nine was very strict in the punishment of crimes against citizens such as this. If intimidation, assaults, and murder were to go unpunished life on the island would be unbearable. The belief was that since relocation was impossible, the citizens of the island must be able to live in peace and safety. Banishment was usually reserved for the most severe criminal act, such as murder. Other lesser crimes usually received severe punishments, with banishment still a possibility. The rotation of the council and the lesser leaders insured that judgments were consistent and equitable. As a result, serious crime in any of the provinces were nearly non-existent and minor crimes were few in number.

Tomorrow, she would have to notify her brothers of this night’s events. Living alone was her choice but she was not stupid enough to believe that she could handle something like this alone. Even Sergeant had his limits. If someone managed to injure him she would be totally defenseless.

Around dawn she managed to still her thoughts and doze off. The sound of the rooster outside her window woke her. A look at the clock on the wall told her it was just seven a. m. She groaned as she rolled out of bed. Thank goodness it was Saturday.
After she washed up and dressed, she made her morning rounds to the chickens and cows. She had enough eggs to sell at the store today and even some of the milk could be sold. She could drop those off when she went to see John. He was the oldest, 12 years older than she, and more like her father than the others. After her father died she had easily turned to John as advisor and confidant. Her mother had always accused him of spoiling her unmercifully.

The sun was high by the time she started to town. Sergeant usually stayed at home but today, she whistled and he trotted out of the barn and jumped into the carriage. She smiled when she remembered the first time that had happened. He didn’t like the long walk to town and had decided on his own that his place was on the seat if he was taking such a long trip. He father had ordered the dog down but he had refused. When he had physically set him on the ground, Sergeant had walked back to the barn. Her father has stared after him, dumbfounded while the rest of the family had laughed hysterically. Sergeant never walked to town.

She parked the carriage in her usual spot behind the store and got her eggs and can of milk to sell. Today she was a customer so she went round to the front to enter. Sea Side Supplies was bustling. She stopped and stared at the crowd on the sidewalks and coming and going. Making her way in she waved to Mr. Parker. He smiled and waved back but continued to help the customer. She found Ms. Parker behind the dairy counter and held up her eggs.

“Oh my, Miss Sam! I am so glad you brought those today. We are totally out.” She reached out and took the basket of eggs. “Let me count these. Is that fresh milk? Wonders never cease, girl. Yoohoo, Mrs. Carver.” She called over Samantha’s head and waved to someone, “I have fresh milk this morning if you still want some!” Then, to Samantha she said, “Lands, it is so busy. Seems everyone needs something today.” She laughed, “But that is my luck. Now, what can I do for you? Do you want this in cash or credit, dear?”

Samantha was used to Mrs. Parker headlong approach and knew that if she just waited her out, it would eventually run down. “I think credit, Mrs. Parker. I can’t think of anything I need cash for today. I usually get most everything from you so, just give me credit for it. Oh, but you can give me a bag of that candy, please. Would you like me to stay and help?”

“Oh no, dear! You need a day off. You run along and have some fun. If you decide you need the cash, come back and I’ll pay you. Here ya go, dear.”

Sam took the small packet of candy and shoved it in her handbag. “I can’t believe it is this busy. Where have all these people come from?”

She shook her head. “I can’t say. But let me tell you, three farms were robbed last night. Mostly eggs but one place had cookware stolen and another has a blanket taken right off the line. Can you believe that?”

“Newcomers?” Samantha ask.

“I don’t think so, not really. Those who are still in retreat have everything they need and so have no need to steal. We’ve had no new ones in two months. I guess someone has just lost their mind.”

She agreed, particularly since the penalty for stealing was harsh. There was no reason to steal. Any person in need was provided with what they needed. However, unless they were physically or mentally disabled, they were expected to work. To steal was a sign of selfishness that was not tolerated. The person would be banished from the province and forced to live beyond the border in The Outland.

The Outland was a stretch of land ten miles wide surrounding every province. It was wild land, dominated by the forest and filled with wild life of all kinds. It was some of the most rugged terrain on the island. The punishment for certain crimes was banishment to these areas. The person so banished was forced to fend for themselves where there were no stores and no people except other’s like them. They could not cross back over the borders of the province where the crime was committed and could only cross into other provinces with authorization from the ruling council member. If they were caught violating this law, they were set adrift to find their way through the mist. If they had family they had to choose to take their family with them or sever all ties. Rumor said there were nearly one hundred people living in banishment.

Her father had once told her it was not as bad as it sounded. Families of the banished would often deliver goods across the border to them as there was no reason they could not move across the borders freely. And it was easy to survive because there was a food source in the woods. There weren’t any stores to buy luxuries but they could build cabins and even farm if they were inclined. In her father’s view, that was a good thing for someone who thought the way to make a living was to steal from those who worked.

Samantha walked out onto the sidewalk and watch the milling crowd. The morning was going to be a busy one at the market but she would not stay to shop. Her destination was still a mile on the other side of town.

“Samantha!”

The voice called just as she stepped into the alley heading for her carriage. She turned and watched a young man dart across the street and nearly collide with a freight wagon. He halted and waited for it to pass before continuing his dash.

“Samantha, I’ve been looking all over for you!” He smiled down at her and tried to catch his breath. “I didn’t think you went anywhere on your day off.”

Rider Tremont looked into her eyes and as usual, she found it difficult to breath. Something about the sapphire eyes beneath the lock of black hair that fell across his brow took not only her breath, but rational thought as well. He stood over six feet tall and he was tanned from the days he spent in the sun on his father’s horse ranch. The muscles of his shoulders, chest, and arms rippled against the fabric of his clothes. Samantha had a difficult job just trying to keep her eyes fixed on his face.

“Rider,” she said, shading her eyes against the sun. “Good morning to you.”

“And you,” he replied and tipped his hat. “I was meaning to come by the store yesterday but didn’t get a chance. I was wondering if you’d be givin’ me the honor of taking you to the harvest festival next month?”

“Bit early isn’t it, to be looking for an escort?” She smiled and let her gaze slide away as a flush crept up his neck.

“I thought it would give me time to find someone else should you turn me down.”

She looked up at him and found he was grinning. Their friendship had started when they met on the beach the day he and his family had arrived. They were both eight and she had tried to put the young Rider at ease by joking about his hair having a jelly fish in it. When he realized she was joking he’d come back with a comment about her freckles. They had smiled at one another and from that point on, they were fast friends.

“I am sure there are a string of island beauties eagerly awaiting an invitation from the eligible Rider Tremont.” She batted her eyes at him and laughed at his scowl. Rider hated being pursued.

“Aye, and that’d be why I am asking you.”

“Well, I reckon I could let you know in a day or two. That is, unless you must know now?”

“I can bear a few days, Sam. Hey, did you hear that a couple of the farms in the western sector were robbed last night?”

“Mrs. Parker told me when I dropped off my milk and eggs.” She frowned, “She didn’t tell me where they were located.” Her farm sat on the border of the western sector.

“Well, those items will be going fast. So, you weren’t robbed then? Seems whoever did it limited themselves to food items. Although, I think there was word that one farmer had clothes stolen off the line.” He looked around the bustling street. “I can’t believe our people would do that, particularly knowing the penalty.”

“Could have been someone from the Outland.”

He raised dark brows and nodded slowly. “Yes, I suppose it could, though that had not occurred to me. I guess I’ll see you in church tomorrow?”

Samantha contemplated telling him about her prowler the last night but decided before she told anyone, she needed to talk to her brothers. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Rider but he was unaware of her ability. Her eldest brother, John, knew about her ability to predict new comers but he was sworn to secrecy by their father and had never broken the vow. She could talk to John freely about her suspicions.

“I’ll be there. Rider, I have to go. I need to catch John. I’ll talk to you later about the festival.” She waved at him and then ran off to her carriage.

The ride to John’s house took nearly thirty minutes. The roads were teeming with people going and coming to town. Although the first day of the month was Council day and drew the largest number of residents to town, Saturdays were shopping days, as well.

In her mind there was no doubt that whoever had come through the mist two nights ago was also stealing supplies from the locals. She wondered how many of those she passed had been robbed during the night. She thought that perhaps of more concern would be exactly how many had come through the mist.

Samantha flicked the reins and urged the horse into a trot. There was a hollow spot in the pit of her stomach that had nothing to do with hunger. Something was very wrong and for the first time in her life she felt that her to ability to sense the arrival of newcomers just might be important.