2 June - Rifles camp

From Whistle While You Work

Maggie had been searching for McIntyre to ask him for a needle and thread. He was sure to have them, and she wanted to mend the captain's torn shirt. She heard the dog barking and followed the sound. Stepping around a wagon she saw them both there, McIntyre and his dog. But her heart leapt into her throat at the sight of the other man speaking to him. His back was to her, but she would have recognized that odious voice and hideous bald head anywhere, even without the sergeant's stripes on his sleeve. Hakeswill.

She turned and ran as fast as she could, and as she turned to look over her shoulder, she collided with someone and let out a short shriek.

Burke swallowed a curse as someone bumped into him, jarring through his wounded shoulder. The bump and the shriek that followed were both startling, and on instinct he reached out to steady the smaller figure. He was surprised to recognize the woman who had been lost the night previously, looking exceedingly distressed.

"'Ere, now, miss," he said worriedly, "Are ye alright?"

Maggie started at his touch and gave a shiver, but she was relieved to see that the man was a rifleman. She ducked behind him and peered out to see if she had been followed. "Don't let that sergeant come near!" she whispered.

Confused, Burke followed Maggie's gaze to look towards the two men at the other end of the wagon. He did not recognize either - 33rd, by the looks of them - but if they caused this reaction in a woman, he was willing to be they were not to be trusted. The sergeant had a shifty look to him, and Burke glared in his direction for a moment. He would remember that face, and keep his eye out for any mischief from that one.

Thankfully, however, both men seemed intent on their conversation for the moment.

"'E ain't seen ye, miss," Burke said to Maggie, turning to her with a reassuring smile. He gestured in the other direction, away from the two men of the 33rd. "Why don't we 'ead over this way, an' find ye a nice cup o' tea, aye?"

He was fairly sure he still had some tea in his pack, and calming the lass's nerves would be putting it to good use.

Heading away was certainly what she intended. She nodded her head and let him lead her in the right direction. "That man - he's the devil himself." She looked over her shoulder once more to make sure she wasn't being followed.

The woman certainly looked as though the devil himself might be following her, glancing back and seeming terrified.

"Don't worry, lass," Burke said, feeling oddly protective. "'E won't get anywhere near ye, I promise."

She looked up at the rifleman, seeming to see him for the first time now. "Thank you. He comes round to make trouble, and my husband's gone from being took by the French yesterday, with the 60th." She was rambling. "Sorry. I'm all right now."

"No bother," Burke replied with a shrug (and blast, but that had been a bad idea, he realized with a wince), not believing her claims of being alright. He gave her another smile. "Let's still get ye that tea. Could use a bit meself, so I could."

He paused, before adding, "Sorry t' hear about yer 'usband."

In spite of her own distracting worries, Maggie noticed his wince. She would rather talk about something or someone else anyway. "Have you done in your shoulder?" she asked with concern. And then a vague memory stirred in her mind. "Oh. Did I run into you last night, with the surgeon tending your arm?" She had nearly quite literally run into him, much like today.

"Aye, that were me," Burke said with a nod. "Glad t' see ye made it back t' th' 60th alright."

Well, current predicament aside, anyway.

She smiled faintly. "How's it doin' now, that arm?"

"Right as th' rain, thank ye," Burke said, ignoring the fact that it was a blatant lie. He would be alright in a few days, he was sure. No reason to make a fuss until then.

He stopped walking for a moment, glancing around the camp. Then, gave Maggie a sheepish smile.

"Ye know, missus, I offered ye a cup o' tea, but I ain't rightly sure where I'm goin'."

That made her smile, even while she was still recovering from the fright a few minutes before. "Well the 60th is over this way. If you like - Jessy!"

She stopped and stared at a man who was leading a donkey whose ears pricked forward at Maggie's cry. "That's my donkey!" she cried, rushing forward to take the reins which the man readily relinquished. She thanked him profusely and rubbed the animal's nose before moving to the packs still strapped to the tired creature's back. "It's my donkey!" she explained to Burke, smiling in amazement.

"Is she now," Burke said, his smile widening at her surprised joy. "Must be a fair luck sort o' donkey."

It was rather impressive to see one of the baggage animals, all of its packs still intact following the mess of the previous day. Looked uninjured, too, which was an added bonus. Burke rubbed down the donkey's long nose with his knuckles.

"Jessy, is it?" he asked Maggie. Then, to the donkey: "Halloa, there, Jessy."

He had always liked animals, and this one gained his immediate approval for cheering Missus Cotton up so readily.

"And all my things!" she continued. "Poor Jessy, carrying all this lot for so long. Do you mind helping me...? Sorry, I've forgot your name. Did I say? I'm Maggie Evans. I mean Cotton, Maggie Cotton. But not with your hurt arm," she added, speaking in a confusing jumble.

Burke felt a blush rise in his cheeks at Maggie's reminder that he had not introduced himself.

"'M Brendan Burke," he said. "Nice t' meet ye, Missus Cotton."

Her enthusiastic rambling was slightly difficult to follow, and he found himself once again strongly reminded of his youngest sister. Still, he managed to catch the main gist of what she was saying.

"Don't mind 'elping at all. What d'ye need me t' carry for ye?"

She smiled. Besides having a piece of pork for breakfast, this was the one good thing that had happened since yesterday. It was a burden lifted from her mind, since nearly all her possessions in the world were strapped to the back of that donkey. She would have been quite impoverished without them.

"Well if you don't mind undoing the straps, I can lift them off. Poor girl, all covered in burrs and brambles. Where've you been, Jessy?"

There was no need to tie the reins, for the animal was only too glad to stand still and have her baggage removed.

"I even have some tea in here," Maggie added with a laugh.

"Ye're right set, then," Burke chuckled. He bent down to open the straps holding the packs on the donkey's back. There was no way he intended to let Maggie carry all of it, however. Injured shoulder or not, he was more than capable of lifting a few bags.

"Not all of 'em at once!" Maggie exclaimed. "Just do that black one first or they'll all come tumbling."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, obligingly stopping and holding the one undone strap steady. "Where would ye like 'em placed?"

"Just right here is fine. I can do it! Don't hurt your arm."

She looked around to see if there was anyone else free to help, and she let out another gasp of delight. There was the white mule that carried the captain's things, Willow he was called. "That's the captain's mule! Won't Gabe be so pleased!" Her smile faded when she remembered that her husband was not there. But at least the captain would be pleased to have his tent and things again.

"I don't mind," he replied. "I'll be just fine, me."

Noticing her smile fade, he quickly added: "'Ere now - I'm sure yer 'usband will be fair pleased when he gets back, aye? An' th' Captain'll be pleased t' 'ave his own things, so he will."

Burke pulled the pack from Jessy's back, shifting most of its weight to his uninjured shoulder.

"Let's get it all settled, aye?" he asked, smiling reassuringly.

She gave him a weak smile and nodded. "Over here, Jacklin's got a fire and some water. In that blue box is my tea. I can get it." The donkey certainly looked relieved to have her burden lifted. "Poor old Jessy. D'you mind leading her over there? Or give her to Roper, that's him with the mule."

Looking in the direction Maggie indicated, Burke nodded.

"Oh, aye - Roper. I've met 'im." He offered Maggie a smile. "I'll bring Jessie 'ere right over. Won't be but a tick."

The donkey snuffled at his shoulder which made Maggie smile. "Looks like you have a new friend," she called after Burke.