jolted her back to the present.
‘Are you all right, Grozen?’
‘Never felt better, young Merry. That Cador’s like a tonic. Made me see the error of my ways about Ma Somers, he did.’
‘What do you mean?’ Merry asked.
Her grandmother sighed. ‘I was blaming myself for the way the poor woman took so long to pass. She just wouldn’t go. Hung on and hung on even though I could see it was her time. Cador explained that dying can be a difficult process especially if the person persists in fighting it.’
‘And that’s what Ma Somers did?’ Karenza asked.
‘Yes, and how. She didn’t want to go and clung on until … well, that’s where Cador put me right about everything. He also said Jenna’s wean had a misshapen head and would never have been right had he lived. I was that upset, I never noticed. Didn’t think Cador had seen the mite but then you never know with him. He seems to know everything.’
‘But how?’ Merry asked, but her grandmother shook her head.
‘He just does. You’d do well to pay heed to what he told you, our Merry, for Cador is never wrong. Now where’s my luncheon?’
Merry looked at her mother and they burst out laughing.
Never had their bread and cheese tasted so good. It was a relief to see her grandmother normal again and for that Merry was thankful. Cador was wrong about her life not lying beyond Porthsallos, though.
‘I expect you feel like a snooze after your tiring morning, Mother,’ Karenza said as she cleared their plates.
The woman snorted. ‘What, after our Merry took me to task about my shirking?’ she said, picking up her pins. As the wool flew back and forth between her fingers, Merry let out a sigh of relief. She’d been really worried about not being able to fulfil her promise to Mr Fairbright.
Although they spent the next weeks knitting furiously until their candle guttered, Merry was still one knit frock short when she packed them up ready to take to Plymouth.
‘These are really heavy,’ her mother commented, helping Merry lift the parcel onto her back.
‘Well, no doubt Nicco will just happen to be waiting with his cart at the top of the hill,’ she retorted, and saw a blush creep over her mother’s cheeks.
‘God speed, my love,’ was all she said, though, as she kissed Merry goodbye.
There was a fret coming in from the sea and the air was
decidedly chill. By the time she’d climbed the hill her hair was curling in damp tendrils and she cursed at having forgotten her hat. She’d slept heavily, the late nights of knitting having caught up with her so that she’d been late rising. Her parcel felt cumbersome, knocking awkwardly against her back as she walked, and it was actually a relief when she turned onto the path for Logh and saw Nicco. Not that she intended showing it, of course.
‘Morning, Merry. Your carriage awaits,’ he said, jumping down and taking her parcel.
‘Nicco, what a surprise, I don’t think,’ she replied.
He grinned and lifted his hand but instead of helping her into the cart he pointed to her hair. ‘You look like a princess with a crown of diamonds on your head.’
Hastily she wiped the beads of moisture from her hair and climbed onto the seat. Chuckling, he took up the reins.
‘Talking of diamonds,’ he began, and her heart sank.
‘Which we weren’t,’ she replied.
‘Well, it’s time we did. You know it’s my intention to make you mine. I meant what I said about having a special celebration on St Peter’s Day and as it’s only a matter of …’
‘Look, Nicco, you need to realize this is not how I want things to be,’ she said, anxious to get matters straight between them once and for all.
He took hold of her hand. ‘No, I can see that.’
Thank heavens he understands, she thought, removing her hand and relaxing back in her seat. The mist was lifting and it promised to be a fine day. She looked around, noticing the trees were now a froth of white blossom, the flowers in the hedge-banks
‘Are you all right, Grozen?’
‘Never felt better, young Merry. That Cador’s like a tonic. Made me see the error of my ways about Ma Somers, he did.’
‘What do you mean?’ Merry asked.
Her grandmother sighed. ‘I was blaming myself for the way the poor woman took so long to pass. She just wouldn’t go. Hung on and hung on even though I could see it was her time. Cador explained that dying can be a difficult process especially if the person persists in fighting it.’
‘And that’s what Ma Somers did?’ Karenza asked.
‘Yes, and how. She didn’t want to go and clung on until … well, that’s where Cador put me right about everything. He also said Jenna’s wean had a misshapen head and would never have been right had he lived. I was that upset, I never noticed. Didn’t think Cador had seen the mite but then you never know with him. He seems to know everything.’
‘But how?’ Merry asked, but her grandmother shook her head.
‘He just does. You’d do well to pay heed to what he told you, our Merry, for Cador is never wrong. Now where’s my luncheon?’
Merry looked at her mother and they burst out laughing.
Never had their bread and cheese tasted so good. It was a relief to see her grandmother normal again and for that Merry was thankful. Cador was wrong about her life not lying beyond Porthsallos, though.
‘I expect you feel like a snooze after your tiring morning, Mother,’ Karenza said as she cleared their plates.
The woman snorted. ‘What, after our Merry took me to task about my shirking?’ she said, picking up her pins. As the wool flew back and forth between her fingers, Merry let out a sigh of relief. She’d been really worried about not being able to fulfil her promise to Mr Fairbright.
Although they spent the next weeks knitting furiously until their candle guttered, Merry was still one knit frock short when she packed them up ready to take to Plymouth.
‘These are really heavy,’ her mother commented, helping Merry lift the parcel onto her back.
‘Well, no doubt Nicco will just happen to be waiting with his cart at the top of the hill,’ she retorted, and saw a blush creep over her mother’s cheeks.
‘God speed, my love,’ was all she said, though, as she kissed Merry goodbye.
There was a fret coming in from the sea and the air was
decidedly chill. By the time she’d climbed the hill her hair was curling in damp tendrils and she cursed at having forgotten her hat. She’d slept heavily, the late nights of knitting having caught up with her so that she’d been late rising. Her parcel felt cumbersome, knocking awkwardly against her back as she walked, and it was actually a relief when she turned onto the path for Logh and saw Nicco. Not that she intended showing it, of course.
‘Morning, Merry. Your carriage awaits,’ he said, jumping down and taking her parcel.
‘Nicco, what a surprise, I don’t think,’ she replied.
He grinned and lifted his hand but instead of helping her into the cart he pointed to her hair. ‘You look like a princess with a crown of diamonds on your head.’
Hastily she wiped the beads of moisture from her hair and climbed onto the seat. Chuckling, he took up the reins.
‘Talking of diamonds,’ he began, and her heart sank.
‘Which we weren’t,’ she replied.
‘Well, it’s time we did. You know it’s my intention to make you mine. I meant what I said about having a special celebration on St Peter’s Day and as it’s only a matter of …’
‘Look, Nicco, you need to realize this is not how I want things to be,’ she said, anxious to get matters straight between them once and for all.
He took hold of her hand. ‘No, I can see that.’
Thank heavens he understands, she thought, removing her hand and relaxing back in her seat. The mist was lifting and it promised to be a fine day. She looked around, noticing the trees were now a froth of white blossom, the flowers in the hedge-banks
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