Chapter 36 Past Mistakes


    Rose was forced to listen to Hilda and Nina’s whining and bragging for quite a distance.


    “Well my husband will probably be a rich merchant.” Nina speculated, fluttering her lashes at Sadko.


    “I’m sure he’ll have a pointy nose and knobby knees like Frost.” Hilda teased.


    “Speaking of Frost if you ladies are chilly there is a blanket back there for you.” Sadko said over his shoulder. That did it. Both of them pounced on the blanket each meaning to hog it all. They shrieked when discovering Rose beneath it.


    “Little sneak! Sadko! Sadko Rose has been hiding here the whole time!” Hilda bellowed.


    “Rose you could have been hurt! And your parents are bound to be worried! Thanks to you we shall have to turn back!” Nina jutted out her lip.


    “Girls be calm,” Sadko laughed, “I’m not about to make you late for your bridegrooms or they might call off the weddings.” Sadko shrugged, knowing if it were him, he would try to find any excuse. “Little Red, why don’t you come up here next to me and explain what you are doing.” He stopped the cart a moment so everyone could get resettled.


    “She should not get to go, she isn’t old enough!” Nina protested.


    “And her parents will be furious with you Sadko!” Hilda added.


    “Perhaps so,” Sadko shrugged, “Yet we are nearly out of the woods.  I can always send word to her parents once we reach town.” Rose hugged him and he gestured for her to sit down.


    “Well I must say every day I did not see you. Your hair has grown more red than brown. Why are you here?” He clicked and the horses began to move.


    “I was playing with my gosling and heard Father coming so I hid in the cart.” Rose did not look at him while she spoke. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    “So you didn’t just want to get out and see the world did you?” He eyed her with a raised brow. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “I’m sure you had no help from the little specter in my barn that keeps my geese well fed.”


    Rose sealed her lips together quickly. Sadko took another swig and grunted. “Orphans are welcome in my home whenever they choose to stop hiding. I have a vague memory of care taking whilst I was ill.” He twisted the cork back into the bottle and winked at her as she gave him a grateful smile. Once again she had been rewarded by her faith in his gentleman’s worth. She wanted to speak thanks, her ears started to burn and she noticed the two girls behind them were trying to listen in.


    “Sadko, do you think we could buy salt while we are in town for Mother?” Rose clicked her swinging heels together.


    Sadko laughed an unabated inebriated laugh, “Oh I see you''re making up for that little disaster!”


    “Little!” Hilda exclaimed standing up again.


    Nina snorted, “The rest of us could have burned on the other side of the lodge!” Nina stood up too on the same side and suddenly there was a great snap as the wheel came off and everything tipped. They weren’t moving that fast. The girls still tumbled out.


    “Well that’s done it.” Sadko said sternly, calming the horses. “Is everyone alright?”


    Besides the obvious complaints no one was greatly injured.


    “The axle is broken,” Rose had hopped down to look at the bottom of the cart.


    “It’s all that stopping and starting we did for you!” Nina pointed at the accused.


    “We are going to be late!” wailed Hilda.


    “No, we will still have a good time. I packed spare parts. If I work hard I can have us at least to the edge of the wood by nightfall.” Sadko tied up the horses and rolled up his sleeves. “Who is going to help me?”


    “I’m faint.” Nina sat.


    “I hurt my ankle.” Hilda lifted her foot though before she had no complaint;


    “I shouldn’t have been drinking today.” Sadko shook his head.


    “I’ll help,” Rose climbed up into the tilted cart and began handing him small items to unload.


    “My thanks,” Sadko adjusted his hat, cheeks still rosy.


    “Sadko, why is it you never drank before?” Rose pushed hard to move the trunk.


    “Well long ago, I drank while I was in Volpi and I made a mistake. I made a woman think I loved her. I was really thinking about someone else at the time you see. When my mind cleared I was forced to break her heart and leave. Since then I did not drink but I have come to realize that it was not entirely drinking that caused my folly.” He hefted the big trunk out, dropping it on his own foot.


    “Maybe it was that you are very silly when you drink.” Rose giggled as he hopped about.