Chapter 16
THE SLOOP MOVED upriver at a steady pace. The mist rose mid-morning and the sun came out.
It was spring, the time when the river swelled and spread into the surrounding paddocks. The sea cows found it hard going and their movement was slow. Fortunately, also because of the water, no one on the riverbanks could get close enough to the Lady Sara to see who was on board.
A few boats met them coming down the river. Some of them Johanna even recognised, but they couldn’t stop and after a few attempts, she had to give up trying to warn them of the events in Saardam, judging that it was probably better not to draw attention to themselves for Roald’s safety. Women didn’t crew river sloops, and they would be very visible even if only because of that.
Between themselves, they gathered
