Family Luck 4

"I have business to do in London this trip so we will be in port for a day and a half; plenty of time for you to find your brother," Master Tweedy informed Jude, as they set sail with a new load of coal.
"Would that business take you to Cheapside?"
"No, lad, but I can spare Jed to go with you; he knows London like the back of his hand."

No longer seasick, Jude busied himself with the menial tasks of the voyage. He mopped the decks, cleaned the galley, laundered the skipper's shirts. His head was elsewhere; in Cheapside with Barnaby. He wondered if he would even recognise his brother after all this time.

"Can you row, boy?" Jed asked.
"I don't know, I've never tried." Jed slipped a few coins to a man on the dockside, then climb into a small clinker built boat.
"Come on, lad." It took Jude a while to get the rhythm of the oars and for a while they went around in circles. Jed found it funny but Jude had better things to do.

They tied up at Southwark pier some hours later.
"Don't know about you, lad, but I'm mighty hungry after all that rowing," Jed said, leading the boy toward a tavern.
"I don't want to stop; I need to find my brother."
"Tough!" He dragged the lad into the smoky inn.

"Two flagons of ale and two pies," Jed ordered from the scantily clad serving woman with the ample bussom. Jude watched as another man pinched her bum as she walked past. The woman giggled, like it was a normal occurrence. Other women sat on men's laps and allowed them to take liberties.

Pie eaten, ale only sipped at, Jude got up to leave.
"What's your hurry, lad. Sit down and let that young lady there keep you company," he pointed to a girl no more than ten, currently flirting with a paunchy older man. Jude was disgusted; that could be one of his sisters. As Jed ordered more ale it was obvious Jude was on his own in his search for his brother.