As soon as the boys were gone, Ian turned to his uncle. “What just happened?”

Vanek chuckled. “Did you really think cramming those boys into a carriage would fix things?”

“But to send them out alone? Laurel won’t like it.” Ian fiddled with the buttons on his cuff. “I don’t like it.”

—excerpted from Byways, Book 1: On Your Marks

Ian’s overly optimistic plan was doomed from the start, but thanks to wise Uncle Vanek, the brothers will each have a chance to prove themselves. This big bear of a man is the Postmaster’s business partner, his trusted friend, and his uncle. Vanek Johns is the person who helped Ian establish the postal system that serves Liberty’s people. He has a booming voice and a deep laugh. The father of six grown children, he’s wise when it comes to helping young ones grow up.