Tess frowned at him, irritated.

"What?" he said, responding to her unspoken criticism.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Tell you what?"

How could he be so thickheaded? "That this isn't England."

"It is England. They just speak a different language. And there are always people who speak English."

Tess sat back, listening to the voices around her. "Not many."

Brenn flicked a bit of caked food off the table. "Not in the country," he conceded. "Along the coast, a

good number of the Welsh speak English."

"What about at Erwynn Keep?"

"Oh, well." He took a moment before saying, "One or two speak English."

Willa made a humming sound. Her back was ramrod-straight.

Tess glanced around the room. Everyone looked respectable enough. But she couldn't help saying under

her breath, "This is a long way from London."

At that moment, the innkeeper arrived with their food. To Tess's surprise, the meal was delicious. Sheeven liked the ale. It was sweeter than any she'd had before, with a bit of a bite.She was just about to say as much to Brenn, when a young man dressed little better than a sheepherder stepped in from outside. Everyone greeted him. "Daniel!"But instead of answering them, Daniel began reciting."What's he saying?" Tess asked Brenn."Poetry."Tess looked over the man's rough costume. "Poetry.""They all do it here, Tess. The Welsh have a love for rhyme and song. They can go like this all day."To add truth to Brenn's words, once Daniel had finished, another man stood up and began reciting. And then another who appeared little better than a chimney sweep. They were cheered on by the innkeeper

and his patrons.

She finished her meal, thinking this was all a bit upside down. "Would you mind if I took a walk before we set off again?"

Brenn started to rise. "I'll go with you."

"No, you continue eating. Willa can come."

The maid was only too happy to oblige. She'd barely touched her food.

Outside, Tess tied the ribbons of her bonnet into a bow as she drew a deep breath. "Let's go this way,"

she said, pointing to her left.

Willa immediately started voicing her complaints, starting with all the posturing and carrying on in the inn.

Tess listened to her with half an ear. She had her own sense of disquiet to deal with. This was her new

home...and she was a stranger in her own country! Perhaps after a short visit to Erwynn Keep, Brenn

could be convinced to live in London. She longed for what was familiar.

They'd crossed the road and started their way back toward the coaches when a group of boys jumped

out from between two houses, shouting and yelling.

"Merciful Lord, they're attacking!" Willa shouted. She would have started running except that Tess grabed her arm.

"Don't be ridiculous," Tess said sensibly. "They are boys...shouting at a bush." Which was the truth. The lads gathered around a scraggly bush, shouting in Welsh at it.

"No, they are heathens worshipping!" Willa cried.

One of the boys threw a rock into the bush. At that moment, a scrawny black cat crawled out from beneath the bottom leaves and streaked through the lads' legs, running for its life. The boys gave chase.

"It's a cat!" Tess cried. "A poor little cat!"

She started after them, alarmed that anyone could mistreat an animal in such a manner.

The cat ran, its head low, its ears back. The screaming boys followed, and Tess followed the boys. Her

straw bonnet came flying off to bounce against her back, held on by only the ribbons around her neck.

Behind her Willa called for help and deliverance.Unfortunately, the cat's path was blocked by the stamping coach horses. Unnerved, the animal swervedand then started to dash for the only safety it could see-the door to the inn.

Just as the cat would have run inside, Brenn stepped outside. The little cat smashed headfirst into his boots. Its paws scrambling, it started to run away but Brenn caught the animal in his gloved hands, lifting it up by the scruff of the neck.

"What have we here?" he said.

The boys skidded to a halt, their eyes widening at the sight of the tall stranger. Almost as one, they turned and scattered off into different directions.

Tess came charging up. "They were chasing this poor cat," she said, trying to catch her breath. "You may

have saved its life."

The innkeeper and patrons crowded into the doorway behind Brenn, their eyes agog at the sudden commotion.

Brenn brought the cat up to eye level. It hissed and spat, trying to break free. There wasn't much to him.

Sores and bald patches marred his coat. One ear looked as if it had been torn. He was so thin, Tess

could see his bones. Her heart went out to him.The innkeeper stepped forward. "Here, let me take him from you, my lord. That there is the vicar's cat.He's nothing but a nuisance."

"The vicar's cat!" Tess said with indignation. "Why does he not take better care of his pet than this?" She

reached for the cat before the innkeeper could have it.

The poor kitty recognized a safe haven. It dug its claws into Tess's bodice and watched the innkeeper and the others with round yellow-green eyes.

"Why, the vicar's dead," the innkeeper said. "He pa.s.sed on almost a year ago."

"Then why doesn't someone take care of this cat?" Tess asked. "Look at the poor thing. It's starving!"

To give truth to her words, the animal let out a pitiful "meow" that was met without a blink of sympathy from any of the patrons of the inn.

"Everyone has enough cats of their own," the innkeeper said. "Besides, those lads-" He shrugged.

"They are the sons of Dissenters. We've a good number of them around and there's not a person that

wants some Church of England cat."

Tess wasn't certain she had heard him correctly. "Are you saying that people in this village will not take in this cat for no other reason than because it was owned by a clergyman with the Church of England?"

"Yes, my lady," the innkeeper said without an ounce of hesitation. "The Dissenters are a strong-minded lot. They have conviction."

"Then I'll take the cat" she snapped. "He'll make his home with me!"

"Tess," Brenn started to protest.

"I'm keeping the cat, Brenn."He looked from the mangy animal and back to her. "Very well. If my wife wants a cat, she shall have acat. Innkeeper, do you have a hamper for this cat to travel in? And we'll need an a.s.sortment of your besttable sc.r.a.ps."

"That's one lucky kitty," the innkeeper said.While the innkeeper did Brenn's bidding, Tess petted the poor cat, saying calming words to it."I was afraid you were going to be murdered, taking out after those boys," Willa said dramatically."Well, I wasn't and I have this fine kitty for my troubles," Tess answered.Brenn reached out but instead of petting the cat as she'd thought he was going to, he rubbed the back of his gloved fingers against her cheek. "You were brave, Tess. Foolish but brave."

Brave. No one had ever said that about her. In that moment, Tess could have fallen in love with him all over again.