added, not knowing what else to say.
By the time Colenso had cleared up the broken crockery and set the room to rights, it was late. Leaving her father to his snorts and snores, she snatched up the candle and took herself upstairs to bed. The door to the closet she’d shared with Tomas was hanging open, his few belongings gone. She threw herself down on her mattress, all thought of costings forgotten. Things must have been really bad for Tomas to have broken his promise. Never had she needed Kitto more, she thought, cradling the serpentine heart to her chest. She’d creep out and see him first thing in the morning when hopefully her father would still be sleeping off the effects of all the brandy he’d consumed.
However, exhausted by the day’s events, she fell into a deep sleep and it was late by the time she rose the next morning. Her father had already left for the works and she knew Kitto would have done too.
‘I’ll go and help Emily this morning,’ she told Caja. ‘I still owe her some hours to make up for that material she gave me.’ To her surprise, her mamm shook her head.
‘Father says you’re to stay in and give this place a clean. And he expects som’at filling for his supper.’
‘Well, he’s not here so he won’t know if I go out, will he? On my way back I’ll pop up to Mammwynn’s and pick some Alexanders. I’m sure Father’s system could do with something cleansing after all that brandy,’ she grinned. Her mamm stared at her forlornly.
‘I’ve to stay in too, keep an eye on you. He were in that foul a mood, I daren’t disobey. At least we’ve got one decent pot left to make a stew in, though it’ll have to be roots again cos there’s no money to buy anything else.’
Colenso saw her mamm wince as she lifted it from the range, and guessed her father had taken his temper out on her before he’d left. He was always evil after a night on the bottle.
‘Here, I’ll do it,’ she said, taking the heavy pot from her. ‘You go and lie down.’ Her mamm nodded but halfway up the stairs she stopped.
‘Best call me if someone knocks wanting the sick nurse. Being poor is no way to live, Colenso. I know you’ve set your heart on marrying Kitto, but it’ll be years before he can afford to look after you properly. Mr Fenton could give you so much more. A lovely home with furnishings you’d be proud to show off, servants to run around after you. You’d never have to struggle to make ends meet like your father and I do.’
But Kitto didn’t squander money on liquor like her father did, Colenso nearly said, but held her tongue. Besides, she didn’t want servants running around after her, she wanted to look after her own home. All these thoughts kept spinning round in her head as she automatically chopped vegetables and crumbled dried herbs into the pot. She put it on to simmer, then shook out the remaining flour from the sack and made the smallest loaf imaginable. Whilst she could understand her mamm hating the constant scrimping and saving and wishing a better life for them all, it was up to her who she married. The sooner she fulfilled this so-called obligation to the Ferret, the sooner she could prepare for her handfasting to Kitto.
Setting the dough to prove, she took pencil and paper from the dresser and sat down to work out her costings. She remembered Emily explaining that, depending on the task, she either charged an hourly rate or gave a price for the job itself. Thinking of all the curtains and covers she needed to make, she decided an hourly rate would be more beneficial. Then there was the amount of material involved. But of course, she hadn’t got the measurements so she couldn’t get any further.
Sighing in frustration, she pushed the paper to one side. Seeing the dough had risen, she set about knocking it back, then floured the table and kneaded it into shape. As her hands performed the rhythmic motion, her thoughts turned to Kitto. When would she see him again?
‘Visualize him, Colenso.’
‘Yes, Mammwynn,’ she replied automatically. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on his image, eyes like molten treacle, gentle smile, his warmth, the smell that was his very essence, his physical presence beside her.
A knock at the door made her jump, snapping her out of her envisioning. Thinking it was someone wanting the sick nurse, she wiped her hands on the cloth and hurried to open the door. Her eyes widened in surprise.
‘Surely you haven’t forgotten me already?’ Kitto laughed.
‘What are you doing here?’ she gasped. She knew the power of visualization was strong, but surely she hadn’t really conjured him up?
‘I needed to see you, Cali,’ he explained. ‘I intended calling home first but was seized with the strongest feeling. It was almost as though something was pulling me here. Can I come in?’ Instinctively, Colenso looked over her shoulder.
‘Don’t worry, your father was barking orders at the other labourers when I left the works.’ Still staring at him in amazement, she stepped back to let him in.
‘Mamm’s upstairs resting. She’s, er, not feeling well today.’
‘Sorry to hear that,’ he said, giving her a knowing look. ‘Does that mean I can steal a kiss from my favourite girl, then?’
‘Your favourite …’ she began then saw he was teasing and let him pull her close. He kissed her lips, lightly at first then more fiercely as their need for each other surfaced. For long moments they stood enfolded in their own world, each revelling in the warmth of the other’s embrace. With a sigh, he reluctantly pulled away.
‘Something smells good,’ he grinned, sniffing the air appreciatively.
‘’Tis only root stew but you’re welcome to a bowl,’ she offered, wondering how many dishes were left intact after yesterday’s fracas.
‘Regrettably I can’t stay that long, Cali. I’ve to sail out with the schooner on the next tide. The shipment includes an ornamental barometer and clock ordered by some lord or other who attended that second major craft exhibition in London last year. He’s an important bigwig and Fenton’s hoping he’ll put more business our way, that’s why he’s entrusting me with their delivery. He says as I helped with the turning it would be a good idea to see them in their setting. Then I’m to take a look at their showrooms. Get some ideas for the one they’re building here.’ Colenso studied his excited face, suspicion mounting.
‘You mean he’s paying you to be away from your work?’ He nodded happily.
‘Better than that, he’s even promised me a bonus. I shall put it towards a ring for you, Cali, being as how you don’t see fit to wear my brass offering,’ he said, lifting her left hand.
‘Father threw it in the bushes,’ she admitted. ‘But like I told you, the ring’s not important.’
‘It is to me, Cali. I love you and want everyone to know we’re betrothed. If I can ever get your father to give his permission, of course. I’d like you to wear my ring every day, as you do that necklace.’
‘It was Mammwynn’s,’ she said, lifting the pentacle from inside her blouse. ‘Funnily enough, I was going to take it off but something stopped me. I swear it keeps me safe,’ she sighed, staring up into his brown eyes.
‘Then you must continue wearing it,’ he insisted, his lips grazing hers. ‘Especially as Tomas is no longer here.’
‘Blimey, how do you know that? He only left yesterday,’ she muttered,
