THIRTY

 

The pile of coins on Romein's kitchen table told him Julia had come to the mill, and taken supplies with her. Judging by the quantity of what was gone, she could not have travelled far – Veluwe, most likely, just as Captain Balthasar had surmised.

Father had been generous, loading the ship with enough food to see Romein well into spring, but Romein knew that was only a fraction of the value of the salt he had given his father during his time here. Which would multiply tenfold once he had the windmill working...

And for that, he needed Julia.

He would find her, apologise for his foolish, cider-fuelled kisses, and offer her anything and everything she could possibly want to come back to the mill and help him. Because only together could they save the lowlands.

He loaded up two of the mill ponies with some of the choicest foods Mother had sent, including a basket of oil cakes, left over from the new year feast, and set off across the bridge to Elst.