way she’s blaming herself. I mean, it’s tragic about Jenna but so many die in childbirth, and as for Ma Somers, well, she was an old lady. No, Grozen needs someone who can see beyond …’
‘Merry, you’re a genius,’ her mother cried, grabbing her arm. ‘I know the very person. Can you stay with Grozen tomorrow morning whilst I pay a visit?’
‘Of course, but who …’
‘Good evening, ladies.’ They’d been so engrossed in their conversation, they hadn’t heard Nicco approaching.
‘Good evening, Nicco,’ Karenza said, looking worried. ‘I hope we’re not late?’
‘You are right on time as ever, Mrs Dyer. Why, I can set my pocket watch by you. May I ask how your mother is?’ he asked solicitously.
‘She’s improving, thank you,’ Merry said quickly, ignoring the look her mother gave her.
‘I’m very pleased to hear it. Does that mean you will be making your trip to Plymouth sometime soon?’
Devil’s dewdrops; that man was such an opportunist, Merry thought.
‘Merry will indeed be keeping her appointment at the end of the month,’ Karenza said. ‘Now if you’ll excuse us we must get to work or we’ll be letting the others down.’
‘Of course,’ Nicco said, smiling widely as he stood aside so they could enter the pallace.
‘Whatever did you have to tell him that for?’ Merry hissed as they took their places and began salting the fish.
‘What do you mean?’ Karenza asked, feigning innocence.
‘Don’t play games with me, Mother. I am not travelling with him again, got it?’
Her mother smiled but didn’t answer.
CHAPTER 6
Although still cross with her mother, the next morning Merry fulfilled her promise and sat with her grandmother. She tried her best to make conversation but the woman stared morosely into the fire. Seeing her pins lying idle in the corner, Merry tried again.
‘I need to get on with my knitting. Why don’t you do some as well, Grozen? It will take your mind off things and you might find the rhythmic motion soothes your nerves.’ The ticking of the clock sounded loud in the ensuing silence. Perhaps she’d try shock tactics whilst her mother was out. ‘I don’t know what I’m going to say to Mr Fairbright if I don’t have the dozen I promised him. Mother and I can’t manage any more, especially now we’re salting the fish of a night.’
Still there was no answer.
‘You don’t mind letting me down, then?’
The woman gave a gimlet look, then returned her gaze to the fire. Now it was Merry who sighed for she really was worried about letting the new agent down. She knitted as fast as she dared but knew she’d never be able to fulfil her grandmother’s quota as well. Still, if she didn’t have the knit frocks, there’d be no need for her to go to Plymouth and no need for her to evade Nicco. She could kill her mother for having told him when her next visit was; she could see by the way his eyes had lit up that he intended accompanying her.
Her musing was interrupted by the murmur of voices as the door was opened.
‘Look, Mother, I’ve brought an old friend to see you.’
Merry stared in amazement as a tiny man with snowy hair and eyes like jade darted across the room and squatted beside her grandmother.
‘Rozen, my dear; long time no see.’
‘Cador! Well, I’ll be,’ she cried, holding out her arms in welcome.
‘Come along, Merry,’ Karenza whispered. ‘We’ll knit outside and leave them to it.’
They took themselves round to the point and perched on the wall. For the first time that year, the sun had real warmth in it and Merry lifted her face in delight.
‘You’ll get freckles,’ her mother teased, looking happier than she had for some time.
They knitted in amiable silence for a few moments, watching the fishermen in their boats and the gulls squawking hungrily above them.
‘Looks like we’ll be busy again tonight,’ her mother said.
‘So who was that funny man?’ Merry asked, unable to contain her curiosity
‘Merry, you’re a genius,’ her mother cried, grabbing her arm. ‘I know the very person. Can you stay with Grozen tomorrow morning whilst I pay a visit?’
‘Of course, but who …’
‘Good evening, ladies.’ They’d been so engrossed in their conversation, they hadn’t heard Nicco approaching.
‘Good evening, Nicco,’ Karenza said, looking worried. ‘I hope we’re not late?’
‘You are right on time as ever, Mrs Dyer. Why, I can set my pocket watch by you. May I ask how your mother is?’ he asked solicitously.
‘She’s improving, thank you,’ Merry said quickly, ignoring the look her mother gave her.
‘I’m very pleased to hear it. Does that mean you will be making your trip to Plymouth sometime soon?’
Devil’s dewdrops; that man was such an opportunist, Merry thought.
‘Merry will indeed be keeping her appointment at the end of the month,’ Karenza said. ‘Now if you’ll excuse us we must get to work or we’ll be letting the others down.’
‘Of course,’ Nicco said, smiling widely as he stood aside so they could enter the pallace.
‘Whatever did you have to tell him that for?’ Merry hissed as they took their places and began salting the fish.
‘What do you mean?’ Karenza asked, feigning innocence.
‘Don’t play games with me, Mother. I am not travelling with him again, got it?’
Her mother smiled but didn’t answer.
CHAPTER 6
Although still cross with her mother, the next morning Merry fulfilled her promise and sat with her grandmother. She tried her best to make conversation but the woman stared morosely into the fire. Seeing her pins lying idle in the corner, Merry tried again.
‘I need to get on with my knitting. Why don’t you do some as well, Grozen? It will take your mind off things and you might find the rhythmic motion soothes your nerves.’ The ticking of the clock sounded loud in the ensuing silence. Perhaps she’d try shock tactics whilst her mother was out. ‘I don’t know what I’m going to say to Mr Fairbright if I don’t have the dozen I promised him. Mother and I can’t manage any more, especially now we’re salting the fish of a night.’
Still there was no answer.
‘You don’t mind letting me down, then?’
The woman gave a gimlet look, then returned her gaze to the fire. Now it was Merry who sighed for she really was worried about letting the new agent down. She knitted as fast as she dared but knew she’d never be able to fulfil her grandmother’s quota as well. Still, if she didn’t have the knit frocks, there’d be no need for her to go to Plymouth and no need for her to evade Nicco. She could kill her mother for having told him when her next visit was; she could see by the way his eyes had lit up that he intended accompanying her.
Her musing was interrupted by the murmur of voices as the door was opened.
‘Look, Mother, I’ve brought an old friend to see you.’
Merry stared in amazement as a tiny man with snowy hair and eyes like jade darted across the room and squatted beside her grandmother.
‘Rozen, my dear; long time no see.’
‘Cador! Well, I’ll be,’ she cried, holding out her arms in welcome.
‘Come along, Merry,’ Karenza whispered. ‘We’ll knit outside and leave them to it.’
They took themselves round to the point and perched on the wall. For the first time that year, the sun had real warmth in it and Merry lifted her face in delight.
‘You’ll get freckles,’ her mother teased, looking happier than she had for some time.
They knitted in amiable silence for a few moments, watching the fishermen in their boats and the gulls squawking hungrily above them.
‘Looks like we’ll be busy again tonight,’ her mother said.
‘So who was that funny man?’ Merry asked, unable to contain her curiosity
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