A double surprise leads onto even more surprises as Julina's day progresses. An unexpected encounter ends up with again surprising results.

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Disclaimer:

The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended.
This story is copyright © 2013 - 2020 Julia Phillips. All rights reserved.

It uses some of the associated characters and situations that arise from the world called ‘Anmar’ created by Penny Lane, whose stories
are also copyright © 2010 - 2020 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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I carefully wiped my eyes on the cloth Waxerwet held out to me. I was sort of surprised that I still had so many tears left to cry. I think it was because I at last had an audience that would more fully understand me and with whom I could sort of relax.

But it was time now to be more positive, to thrust this lachrymose episode behind me.

Then it became something of a struggle to wriggle my way out of the seeming forest of arms all hugging me. It was against Epp's shoulder than I finally laid my head, with one hand held by dear Gyth.

We were in the front family room of Em's house, five of us women, four all showing their concern in their faces as I had my final big cry over Jerk and his injury and the loss of my plans for the two of us.

I had walked out of the front door accompanied by Em and Surtree and we had turned uphill to go to inspect the Market Place developments that had taken place whilst I was downvalley. We had walked a hand of strides, certainly not as many as two hands, when I heard a hail from behind me.

“Julina! Julina! Hold!”

I whirled round to see Epp, Waxerwet and Gyth walking up the walkway on the other side of Main Street. I was surprised to see them as I had expected to receive a semaphore to tell me they were due.

But then I thought of the sheaf of papers that were awaiting me in my room at home and which I had deliberately decided to put off reading, giving myself one day of 'relief', a day that I had already known would be partially consumed by the debriefing about The Retreat following on from the children's lesson of the morning; which was once again a delight with the Countess and Master Horbelan in attendance.

And I was pleased to see them, Epp in particular. So I dashed across to them.

And burst into tears.

Em had ushered us into the family room, waved Surtree away to help in the kitchens (and to arrange for some pel) and had helped explain to the other three what had passed whilst they were away. This was necessary as my own explanations were more than a little disjointed, and many were most awkwardly garbled.

Looking back, I realise now that this was a good cry, indeed so much so that I shall label it as a Good Cry, with the capital letters, for it flushed the last lingering traces of my funk away and thereafter I was nearly fully over those events. (Older Julina says: Even now, I sometimes feel a twinge. I deem every girl shall always remember her first love!)

Once my selfishness had been dispensed with, we chatted in broad terms about Gyth's mission, about Waxerwet's impressions and about Epp's thoughts of the things I had done for our partnership, like Bezlet's developments and so on. I determined that we would then go and inspect the Market Place and get someone to take us over to the Artisans' Area where we …

“Nay, nay, Julina. We are but recently arrived after much travel. We have yet even to return to our house for we came straight up from the Claw. I deem we can do such an inspection on the morrow,” interrupted a laughing Epp.

“Very well, then!” I laughed in reply. “Tell me how you ...”

“And again I say 'Nay', young Mistress, although I must needs tell you I do have a little more to report; this time with regard to Blackstone Wagons rather than regarding Meglina!”

I looked over at her in some surprise, for she had always been clear and firm that the wagon side was not her concern. She smiled at the confusion written so openly upon my face.

“I bear news. Let me stress now that I have my own opinion but that shall remain my own; for the most part I make no policies regarding my man's business, just as he keeps out of mine.” She thought a bit. “Generally!” she added to some laughter.

“I must say that sending Mistress Gythy here downvalley was a decision of some genius. She is frankly too good to remain here in Blackstone. She has much talent and showed it with the designs and suggestions for our places in Tranidor. She has also done the same at Brayview much to everyone there's delight. Why she has effectively designed the entire kernel of the town that is rapidly expanding down there! Additionally, I must report that all down there send their regards to you; Administrator Kolston particularly along with Mistress Basset of course, Master Quizzen and even Mistress Brogla.”

“What? None from Master Pyor?” I said lightly.

But suddenly I felt a problem, a cooling in the air, since Epp, Gyth and Waxerwet all glanced at each other.

Before I could chase up on that very unexpected reaction, however, there was a gentle knocking on the door. It opened to reveal Senidet, with Maid Molly of course.

“There you are Julina! I was look... Oh! What's the matter? Are you alright? You have been crying I deem. I thought you had thrust ...”

She looked round the room more closely then. “Why Gythy, oh and Mistresses Waxerwet and Megrozen! Good morrow to you all!”

She nodded at Em, who nodded back, so I knew they had met already that day.

“I'll be fine Senidet, just fine. Mistresses Megrozen and Waxerwet have been downvalley for a while with Gyth and they have just got back. I was just filling them in about Jerk, Explosions, Gun-powder and the like.”

“Ah!” she said knowingly. “Talking of filling people in, I was looking for you to advise that your presence would be preferable for the Assembly Meet here on the morrow, in the early afternoon.”

“Oh?”

“Indeed! I am to present some of my ideas and, as they are based upon your ideas and uses, I need you there to bear me out maybe on a few points.”

“I shall do that for you, then!” I said, smiling warmly at her.

Senidet then surprised us all – well maybe not Maid Molly – when she turned to Waxerwet and said: “As you are returned, then I best give you something Mistress.”

She turned to her maid and said: “The key, if you please, Molleena.”

After receiving it from the carrybag Maid Molly was holding, she turned to Waxerwet once more, formally handing it over. “Mistress Waxerwet, this is the only key to an extra room we have built onto your house whilst you were away. Master Brydas has the details should this ever get lost. You asked Julina to look after your place in your absence, and she herself has been absent so she asked me to take over her duties ...”

I nearly gasped at the distortion of events but suddenly and swiftly realised that this would save me a lot of explanations so I snapped my gaping mouth shut very rapidly.

“... and consequently I went a little farther than I had at first intended. You see, Her Highness had suggested something, and it suddenly occurred to me that here was an opportunity to try out her idea with absolutely no disturbance to anyone. So we built this additional room to your unoccupied-at-the-time house and have achieved a great success. Indeed, so comfortable is it now, that more and more people are wanting to try it; in the end we had to build a lock into the door!”

She laughed gaily at the looks of total incomprehension on our faces, as she hurried on: “You are just discovering that you are currently the only people, certainly in Blackstone, but I suspect also in all Palarand, to have a toilet upon which you can perch and rest your weight whilst you void your body of wastes – and then clean up afterwards with simple efficiency. I know that this project is planned to be implemented in the Palace during the rainy season when outside work is nigh impossible, but Master Bezan and my father, together with Master Blandel, have produced a few of these 'sit-you-ons' as we have named them. Yours was, is, the first to be actually used and the experience has given us valuable lessons in the design and use of such things. I have sent mails and semaphores down to the Palace with a summary of our design.”

“Maker!” breathed both Gyth and her mother at the same time as I.

“We are very happy with the results for not only is it much more comfortable for the person, it shall also comfort the entire community, for these new version toilets shall save an immense amount of water.”

“Save water? But how?”

“Rather than having a constant stream running, one which washes the waste pipes constantly, even when no waste exists, then these just release sufficient water to deal with the one … 'load', I suppose would be an appropriate word … each time. You may seat yourself on a bench at normal seating height and empty yourself into a specially designed bowl. When finished, a swirl with a bucket of water washes the wastes down a cunningly designed tube, or pipe if you prefer, into the waste channel you have been using up to now. Mayhap a second bucket would be required.”

We sat and thought about that for a little, until I broke the silence: “But surely the stink would come up ...”

“Ah! That's what is so clever about Her Highness' design, what is so cunning about the pipe. She told us to incorporate something she called an 'S'-bend. Let me show you in a swift diagram.”

She held out her hand towards MM, who swiftly fished out a pad of papers and a reedlet for her mistress. A rapid diagram was sufficient to bring us all to an understanding, with her running commentary as she drew.

“We can then just run a flushing flood down through the waste pipes say for five moments each bell, thus saving the greatest part of a bell's amount of water.”

We all clapped in genuine appreciation of simple, yet far-reaching, wonderful idea.

And then came the start of my next surprises as Waxerwet and Epp drew the conversation back to what we had been saying before Senidet joined us.

… … ...

“Maker! I deem I would never have guessed.”

His eyes twinkled back at me. “Shemel has approved. Flemak has agreed and Father can help him along. If there is anything too complex for Flemak, then they can call me down, or send to Master Rader who has also agreed. All that is required now is your approval, and then we shall set up another company to do it; yourself, Shemel and I being equal partners. You two provide the finance to get us going, I provide the expertise.”

I was somewhat aflounder, I must confess. I was frankly a little shocked by these developments.

When I had flippantly mentioned Pyor's name and the three women looked at each other, I had an inkling that something was happening. But then the Senidet interruption sort of deflected the moment. Once Senidet had finished her message (or polite demand as I mentally thought of it) 'twas Epp who had broached the subject once more, but Gyth had already indicated to Maid Molly, knowing that Surtree would have to be called in, to go and fetch him from the kitchens.

For Epp had said: “Master Pyor is in the 'Claw' awaiting your summons even as we speak.”

Maid Molly returned with Surtree, who was promptly despatched to the Claw to bring Pyor up here to this room. None of the women were going to leave for they too were full of interest as to what was about to transpire, and none of them tried to hide it.

You will remember I said (long ago now I deem) I had two more surprises a week or so after the previous ones?

Well those two were both connected to Pyor; first there was his physical presence and second there was a present he had brought with him.

That present, carried so carefully by Pyor was certainly a huge surprise, but was not the biggest of the two, so let me deal with the present first.

Tapio and Bormio had together produced a tall, flat, silvered glass mirror, similar to the one that had been sent to Her Highness last year. This one was a little less tall and a little less wide than the original, but 'twas impressive indeed that the two men down in Tranidor had managed to do this task. I was told that they had actually made two at first, Epp being presented with the other.

And we were also told that Epp and I would be paid one twentieth of the price of each one sold in the future, one fortieth to each of us. Of course, that was just the ones that were made in Tranidor. Master Pocular here in Town was close himself to being able to produce them, I was told by Senidet. (I shrugged that off as just being information, but Master Pocular later made the same arrangement with me so I received one twentieth of the sales price of each one he and his works subsequently produced; they were not priority items though at that time, windows were what with all the construction going on.)

As regards the other matter, and by that I mean Pyor's presence, then, after he explained, I turned to Surtree and said: “Could you please run to find Master Jepp and tell him I need to draw up some more company papers? When can we come to him – and where I suppose – for all the signing and witnessing and so on?”

He grinned, sketched a vague sort of salute in the air, and scampered off.

I turned back to my surprising visitor. “Are you so very certain then?”

“Indeed, Julina. It could not be otherwise. I was grasped by this project when I was up here with you, grasped so deeply and firmly that it seems like I have a harness to which a rein is attached and I am being dragged inexorably here to do it. I am convinced that Blackstone Wagons shall require to be in at the beginning of creating – that is designing and making – wagons for this railroad to come. I shall require some workshop and some cooperation with the Smith, but this shall indeed be a great enterprise that shall change the face of Palarand forever. And I want in on it.”

“Very well, then I shall do what I can to accommodate your wishes. As long as you are certain that young Flemak will be able to replace you adequately down in Brayview, Pyor!”

“I am confident that that shall be the case.”

“In that case,” I said with the smallest of sighs, “welcome to your new home town. Talking of accommodation, you must specify your requirements and I shall get my contacts to find you somewhere. Obviously, for now, 'twill be merely temporary, but in the fullness of time you must needs be determined in your decision. We can find a building plot easily at the moment here in Town, but should you require a closeness to your workshop, then that might even have to be over at the Artisans' Area. After all, in Brayview, everything was so much closer, the question didn't arise.”

Thus can you readily imagine that this was the second, and greater, surprise to me. The fact that Pyor had determined to remove to Blackstone, had given up such a golden opportunity as being the wheelwright down in Brayview.

And now he was here, and we were about to set up a new company for him.

Thus was it that BW Rail came into being.

… … …

It was only now that I was finally able to get out and up to the Market Place to observe the changes that had occurred while I was away. Em and Surtree were with me, Waxerwet and Gyth having gone off to inspect their new 'room'.

Epp had gone off to arrange the first of the many things she needed to arrange, and then to do some follow-up interviews for staff for our establishments. Urchins had been sent round to the ones that I had short-listed once Surtree had obtained permission for us to use the Miners' Hall (I handed Epp my lists and notes) and she would see them, speak with them, up there in a bell or so. We deliberately arranged it so that I was not there with her, so she could have her own thoughts.

Senidet had gone off to wherever she went off to, with Maid Molly trailing along. She muttered something about wires and slaves and getting to the Salon, but I didn't really understand what she was saying, deeming it in my mind to be not something that was of great concern to me.

Pyor had left to go and register with the men who were doing the rail tests after Epp told him he could overnight temporarily here at hers. I told him I would buy him a dinner in the Salon that evening – but made it clear that this was not going to happen EVERY evening.

Once we three had set out upon our brief tour of inspection, then one of the first things I discovered early on was that it had rained on two of the days I had been down at the Retreat; not a downpour but that thin sort of persistent drizzle that is really annoying. When it wasn't drizzling on those days, then the clouds clung to the Town. The sun had only reappeared on the day before we returned. That weather had delayed some of the works a little, so there were general grumbles from most I met about delays and freshly changed priorities and so on. I sort of mentally kicked myself as I only noticed the increased lushness of the vegetation around after the rainy days had been mentioned; I felt I should have picked up on that clue a lot earlier.

(A rough map of the Town, from the Claw up to the Cistern, may be of help to some readers at this point. It is the tenth one of those which can be found at https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/45006/map-repository-...)

I had a great interest of course in two of the buildings round the Market Place in particular and, by extension, in the development and looks of the Market Place as a whole. As we passed the shoemaker's, Wainer's, the first thing that was noticeable was the clear space where Wagras' house had been. That site was completely flat and no sign was visible of the old foundations or anything. Indeed, there were a few piles of what I now recognised as being the pre-fabricated house parts lying off to one side so we knew construction of something was going to start soon.

This strangely clear site (to my eyes at least) opened up a wide-angled view of the Market Place as we approached up Main Street.

The Shuttle Shed was the first feature we saw and then the Auction Shed, or Hut as some referred to it as, came into clear view. The flank of the Cistern on this side, some already hidden by the Shuttle Shed, was mostly obscured now by the wooden walls of the Frolicsome Frayen, the ground floor of which appeared from this distance to be completed, and the upper floor of which was well underway – they were building it from left to right as we looked at it, from west to east if you prefer, doing the women's side first that meant.

As we drew nearer to the Market Place, we could see off to the right and saw that most of the walls for my Market Place Mansion were now in place, but only on the lower level. Obviously we could not see the entirety of the walls, which is why I here used the word 'most'. The arcs of the steps down into Julina Park (that's still a little thrill for me to think that) seemed to be completed and the Park itself must have been completed, for there were no workers there. The ground was mostly brown though, where those workers had been trampling and using Senidet's new wheel-bros. But it already gave a most pleasant feel, with gently winding paths, seating benches, a small pond with a spraying thing in the middle of it, which I was later told was called a fountain. Bushes and young trees were planted in sensible and attractive positions and there were a few mature trees too; although they were yet young, I could already see that it would be most pleasant in the future.

I could see four young mothers already taking their tiny ones around it, pointing out this and that as they slowly progressed. One of the mothers had an active, slightly older child as well, which was giving her a few problems as she had to keep chasing after what must have been a young boy for it was always trying to climb things and jump into things and so on. Even as I watched, another mother came along, this one with a babe in arms but also with two others as equally lively as the one I had been recently watching. The three active ones joined together and were rushing round almost immediately, having good fun in their childish ways.

I smiled fondly as I remembered those days with my young brothers, and saw visions in my head of the scrapes they got into, and the scrapes they got on their knees and just about all other protuberances.

I was dragged back to the present by my companions and we scooted across to the Frolicsome Frayen to inspect the insides. You will remember that the inn was to be split, with the men's quarters on one end, the eastern one, and the women's at the other, the middle being occupied by a 'neutral' area open to all.

“Of course!” said Em, as she looked in the doorway of the men's end. “There will be staircases in each of the three sections, won't there?”

“Indeed!”

“And bathrooms! Well...” she hastily added, “... I suppose that there needs be no 'joint' bathing facilities, the couples can split apart for their ablutions.”

Immediately behind us was the Auction Hut, so it was natural for us to keep our backs to it and to move on to our right and inspect the barracks. There was a deep trench between the Inn and the barracks which I put down to drains, water pipes and the like.

“Em, why have they built a stone wall, albeit a low one, along the edging there, when the building is but a stride behind it? Surely the building's wall could have been the edge and the passage way here that much wider?”

Now I am certain that Surtree didn't pick up on it, but I knew Em very well by that time and I could see some thoughts flit across her face before she answered me. And she answered me in a carefully measured tone that told me there was a lot more behind the seemingly innocent answer.

“One of the favourite activities of the soldiery is to march up and down whilst being 'on guard'. If the building's wall was the boundary, then the guards would have to contend with passing traffic as well as concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other...”

I laughed out loud and Surtree did too, breathing: “I deem I can begin to understand that remark!”

This prompted Em to change the subject slightly, an opportunity I suspected she grabbed thankfully.

“So how are your lessons coming along, Surtree? I deem you require no more regarding riding, but you are joining in with the group of lads to whom the soldiers are giving some basic training, are you not?”

“Indeed so, Mistress. I find most of it excellent, but as you say, the basic work like marching in step and so on gets very boring very quickly. None of us enjoy that, and I confess we fail to understand why we have to do it.”

“You are right, but only because you have a lack of complete understanding as to the reasons.” She took a deep breath. “In a battle, if a force gets split, then the smaller units, maybe even individuals, can be more easily dealt with by the enemy. In other words, killed or wounded. The purpose of all that marching up and down is to instil into the recruits a basic sense of a larger group, all helping out each other. That marching up and down may one day save your life by becoming so ingrained it allows you to concentrate on other things, such as saving your own and your near companions lives, while the moves you are doing come so naturally that you don't even think on them!”

She paused for a little while during which her face took on a more grim look. She shook herself a little and continued: “But with these modern weapons mayhap our learned, tried and trusted tactics will have to change.”

By this time we had progressed to the corner of the barracks on the north-east side of where the Dam Road joined the Market Place. This was again curious to me, for a line of sight-blocking curtains had been mounted on poles. I could not see what works were going on behind it.

“What passes here, Em? The road is now wide enough for only one wagon here, and the works are hidden from sight?”

Again there was that slight tenseness in her answer: “Just like down at the rail testing works, the curtains keep back all the people who would interrupt with enquiries.”

Her eyes were darting about as she said that and then they focussed on something behind me, a little flash of surprise appearing in them, followed by a genuine smile. I thought I also detected a hint of relief as she delightedly exclaimed: “Oh Maker! Look you there! The corner stanchion on your house! See how wonderfully it has been carved?”

After checking for traffic, we all three scampered over there to inspect it and 'twas indeed wonderfully well done. I realised after a little study that the lines and carvings depicted many of our animals, avians and plants, all of the intertwined pictures being of things that can be found in a kitchen.

This brilliantly carved post was the north-east corner of the mansion, a corner that was almost not one. For the mansion you might recall was far from square. The north-west corner was where East Street and the Market Place combined, with a footpath running along the wall of the building, between that and the road. That north-west corner was the only normal square corner of the whole thing. The north-east corner was more of a kink really, for the Dam Road came in at an angle there to reach the Market Place.

Between these two northside corners was the shortest wall of the entire thing, and this wall was pierced centrally by a large and imposing double door, arched at the top. I gasped as I caught sight of more carvings above the arch of the door frame, which was framed in a way by two large windows either side and a longer but less high one above.

But we didn't go that way, we went the other way, heading from the north-east corner down to the south-east corner along the longest wall of the building, walking along the Dam Road itself.

“Excuse me, Julina. Why are the windows on this side so much higher on the ground floor along this wall?”

“A very astute observation, Surtree.”

The lower edges of the windows along there had started, back at the north-east corner, a thumb above the top of my head but that 'gap' was rising as we walked along the edge of the road. By the time we got to the south-east corner, there was well over a foot of difference, mayhap even two, such was the slope.

“The reason is quite simple though. Look all along the wall paying particular attention to the areas at heights up to our waists.” I pointed back the way we had come, and then at the stride or two we still had to go. “See all the little and not so little marks, the dents and gashes?”

“Aye?”

“They were caused by things like stones thrown up by wagon wheels, by wagon wheel hubs scraping along as the driver got a little too close, even by falling parts of the loads, and by many, many other similar things. This wall is still new, not yet a month old even but look at the damages it has suffered already. If there were any glass there, that glass would be long broken!”

“Of course! I should have thought of that myself!”

I grinned as I teased him in reply: “Indeed, young man, I find I cannot argue with you.”

Em burst out in laughter as he stuck his tongue out at me.

We reached then the south-east corner, the sharpest angled one of them all. From here, the southern wall curved round to the south-west corner. A two stride wide wooden platform went all the way round, following faithfully the curve of the wall. Several doors led from the interior onto the platform with a more complicated arrangement in that sharp corner. There were a pair of steps that allowed people to get down from this platform to the grassed areas of the Park. These steps were naturally level, so the shape of the ground meant that the steps were at different heights above the grass as they curved around. Indeed, on a couple of occasions, the lower one disappeared entirely into the soil.

“What is the story behind that arrangement of doors and windows near the corner?” asked Em. I could see that Surtree also wanted to ask the same question.

“Ah! That shall be a small shop for refreshments. On a nice hot day like today, we shall sell small pastries, and pel and the like. We deem that families shall come here to rest and relax, maybe enjoy the open air but in the shades of the trees that have been planted. We shall have a few tables out here on the platform and a couple inside too. There shall be toilet facilities for women and children inside too – the men can use the Frolicsome Frayen – so we have therefore a serving window and an access door over there.”

“What a clever idea!”

“Thank you, Em! But it's really not so clever after all when you recall that the initial description called for some refreshment place. This just seemed the obvious way to do it, particularly as that is going to be the most shaded corner of an afternoon.”

We passed on then along the curving platform, towards the south-west corner of 'my' plot of land. Surtree was at that time very mature in so many ways, but he showed his stubbornly remaining childishness by using the lower step so he could walk on and off it as the ground's undulations dictated. I realised that I too had still some childishness in me for I wanted to join him; the only reason I didn't was because I didn't feel I could be so undignified in Em's presence.

We reached the south-west corner and turned to survey the mansion and the park once more. The three boisterous children were screaming and laughing, playing some complicated game unintelligible to mere adults like us, when one scrambled up one of the freshly planted young trees. A branch broke, the child fell, there were screams and tears of shock and the mothers hastily bundled up their charges and walked off rapidly away from us.

By this time, it was slowly beginning to fade into late afternoon, so I knew I would need to get back to the Salon before long. We turned that final corner of the Mansion to walk back to the north-west corner and the Market Place when we saw a young girl, around Surtree's age, coming towards us.

Now this pathway was wide enough for two people to pass, designed deliberately so because this was intended to be the access to Julina Park for all those coming there from the Market Place and beyond. The pathway was as narrow as could be made, but which would still allow two people to pass.

I studied the girl coming in the opposite direction to ourselves. There was something about her that drew all our attentions. As the gap between us closed, I noticed clearly the first obvious problem she had. Her right arm was strangely withered and shaped. The way her body movements occurred told us immediately that this disability was a long-term one, not something that had happened recently.

But the second obvious problem she had was that she had not seen us coming towards her. No-one could have, not with those amount of tears and soul-wracking sobs.

Em and I started towards her to try to comfort her and find out if there was some way we could help her, but we stopped suddenly when Surtree called out: “Davabet? Is that you? What on Anmar is the matter?”

She gasped, cuffed away some of the tears and then ran to Surtree, grabbing him and letting her tears flow as she almost squeezed him to death. We, Em and I, could do nothing for a good while, but then we managed to get the girl, still clinging to poor Surtree, over to one of the benches in the Park.

To cut a long story short, Davabet, an only child, had been born with the withered arm and had suffered much teasing and bullying as a result throughout her entire life. She suspected that her long suffering parents had made the long trek up to Blackstone in the hopes of leaving some of the bad memories behind. A fresh start, they had said. They now lived in the little house next to Surtree's family and the two youngsters had struck up a still tentative friendship.

News had flashed around town that Epp was going to do more interviews and a lot of people had turned up hoping for a chance. Davabet was one of them. Whilst she was waiting patiently, she had been roughly shoved out of the way and told that a cripple like her stood no chance. When she tried to assert her rights, a small bunch of women had punched her and thrown her out of the queue. Then she was beaten with a broom wielded by some woman who had been branded.

My temper flared at that, for I was certain that the branded woman would be Konna, I knew of no other in our town.

“Surtree, tell your friend what the line for interviews was for!”

“Davabet, there is a company called Meglina Accommodation. They are developing several inns and restaurants and cafes. All these establishments have to be staffed soon, so they are looking for reliable workers.”

“I'm sure I could have fitted in somewhere,” sobbed the girl.

“Davabet! If I might have your attention for a little while?”

She scrubbed her face on her sleeve as she turned to look at me.

“Do you know why Meglina got that name?”

“No Mistress, I have no inkling.”

I liked that word 'inkling'. It showed she was educated quite well.

“Did you hear the name of the woman who was conducting the interviews this afternoon?”

“Yes, Mistress. 'Twas Mistress Megrozen.”

“Did you also know that she is in partnership with another woman?”

“I had heard that, or something similar. A younger woman who is quite inexperienced I heard while waiting in the line.”

“I see. Did you get this other woman's name?” I saw Em and Surtree grin then, as they realised where I was going with this train of conversation.

“No Mistress, only that she had done some interviews before, but they hadn't been that good.” I fear I may have flinched slightly there, but the girl was being introspective then and will not have seen that. Slowly, she added something that increased my already increasing respect for her: “Although I deem, now I reflect on't, that they probably said that because they had been rejected by the younger woman beforehand.”

“Her name is Julina. Megrozen and Julina. If you take ...”

“Oh, I see. They made Meglina from their own names!”

Her quickness of mind had impressed me. My own mind started racing as a sudden idea burst in upon it. One that would definitely be of advantage to her and to me. If she was up to it, that would be a wonderful solution to several problems.

“Davabet, can you read and write?”

“Why yes, Mistress. I have learnt my letters, and the new Garian numbers, since we have been here.” Her tone went back to being bitter as she added: “And I have diligently practiced. After all, I have nothing else to do all day, and no-one here will hire a cripple.”

“Davabet, look around you here. What do you see? What do you make of that Mansion over there, its shape? What of this park we are in? Those roads on either side, are they important? Across that road over there, what is that house there? Describe it all to me as if I was a stranger to Town, and it was important to make me understand what is to be seen here.”

She looked at me funnily at first, but – with a little nod from Surtree after a poke from him – she began. I was pleasantly surprised with how she did and my eye-speak with Em, who caught on early, meant that she was fed little clues so her description got more accurate as she went along. She demonstrated an admirable ability to be flexible in her approach, to take in and use information, and to have moments of realisation as various things connected in her brain. She correctly identified the Shoemaker's house and even the three that were visually behind it, the Wheelwright's, the Saddler's and the Bellringers'. So I knew she was observant and locally knowledgable.

“Davabet, thank you. That was an excellent report, and I noticed that you took on board the information Bailiss Michet provided and used it. I could see flashes of understanding cross your face even as you were speaking. I should now ...”

“Excuse me for interrupting Mistress, but did you say 'Bailiss'?”

“I did. This lady is on the town's Assembly and is responsible for presenting the Assembly's point of view to the citizens, and the citizens' point of view to the Assembly. Amongst other things. But that is what the title Bailiss means.”

Davabet leapt to her feet, shock written upon her face. She dropped a curtsey to Em, “Forgive me er... Bailiss, I meant no disrespect.”

“And none was taken, I can assure you. Now allow Mistress Julina here to ...”

“Mistress Julina? Why, that's the name of the partner to Mistress Megrozen. YOU are the other half of the 'Meglina'?”

“Guilty as charged,” I laughed in reply. I waggled a finger in irritation as she tried to curtsey to me. “Tell me Davabet, do you like frayen? Oh, and when do you achieve your majority?”

“Frayen??? Um … yes, I like frayen. I have often seen some of the ladies ride and would wish that I could myself, but I fear it shall be many a year before I could even think of affording one for myself. And that's even if I get a job, which seems doubtful and more so every day.” She forced herself to stop slipping into her depressed mode again, an effort that was obvious to all of us watching her. “As for my age, then I have a year until my majority.”

That last was a bit of a blow to the plan I was creating but all the rest seemed to fit in. I frowningly thought it all through once and then twice. Another thought intruded just then and I grinned in triumph, for I had just realised that Kords was not that much different in age to her. So that would be my argument should anyone object.

“Right, that decides it.” I said aloud. The others looked at me with questions writ large in their faces.

I turned to the young girl who was now seated once more on the bench. Adopting my most formal tones, I said: “Mistress Davabet would you like me to hire you as my personal companion? It would mean you have to learn to ride a frayen, and would mean that you have to be with me all day every day, just about. In effect, you would do much that young Surtree here does, but, since you are female, then it saves me having to keep looking around for another female to accompany me whenever I need to go places. It will be hard work and you will need to learn much, and quickly.”

Em couldn't help herself and broke out in admiring clapping as my scheme was revealed. Surtree was also enthusiastic once he grasped what I was saying, but that is not to say he was slow on the uptake. I deem he had not really the feel for the problem. Em had, having been press-ganged into service on a few occasions already.

As for Davabet, well she was crying again, but this time it seemed with delight, judging from the broad smile which lit up her face. And which also suddenly revealed her natural prettiness.

“I shall purchase what you need and shall pay you an opening basic salary of one fenik a day that you are with me. Other extra payments will be made as and when the occasions arise. You may reside with your parents as you do now, but be aware that we shall from time to time have to travel downvalley and overnight there, mayhap for several nights. If that happens, then I shall be responsible for providing your accommodation for the duration of that trip. So, what say you?”

“Oh yes please. Yes. Yes. Yes. Oh, this is wonderful. I never expected this could happen. Oh yes please, please, please.”

“I take it then that you are in agreement?”

Em laughed at that and so did Surtree. Davabet grinned, which I found to be another plus point for her.

“We shall thrash out the exact details of everything, how you can resign, or how I can sack you if it doesn't work out, and so on, in the morning, if Master Jepp is available. But until then, you are hired informally. Nay, let us say we shall have a week to get to know one another, and to decide if this can work. Does that suit?”

She nodded, unable to speak more.

“Right then. Surtree, it is time for you to start making arrangements. Please take Davabet here down to the Claw and ask Perry to get a frayen for her, just like I got one for you. Arrange for Davabet to have riding lessons, then take her up to Waldan's, be sure to send my love to Pomma, but get Davabet measured for a saddle, to be delivered as soon as it may be ready. Explain to them what Davabet is going to do, particularly to Pomma, so she knows that my impositions upon her shall be reduced in the near future. Then bring her to the Salon that she might meet the others. Remind me to open a ledger for her with Master Schild on the morrow. Oh, and make a list of anything else you think she shall need for us to discuss in the morning. Clear?”

He sketched his usual cheeky salute, accompanied by his usual cheeky grin as he verbally confirmed my instructions. Then he dragged the somewhat dazed Davabet off down the side of East Street, heading for the Claw.

I called after the pair of them: “And make sure you tell her all about my bad side too! And the disadvantages she shall encounter.”

He waved a hand in acknowledgement but did not turn round, nor did he break the animated chat he was having with her.

“Right then, Mistress Bailiss. I deem we need to pay a visit to a certain waiting line.”

“I hope that that Konna woman is still there, for I shall make sure her evil deeds do not go unpunished.”

… … …

But we were indeed too late to find Konna. We did find a small and fairly rowdy group that were creating an uncomfortable atmosphere as they complained about nigh on everything. I drew closer and nodded to myself. I knew the one who appeared to be the ringleader. It was that Battona.

We looked for Konna fairly thoroughly and eventually found out that she had been assigned a different task and had had to go away.

By then, we both had other tasks ourselves and I made my way down to the Salon.

It was a day that Kissa had been employed and when I got there, I could immediately see that something was wrong. She was banging pots about most unnecessarily and generally grumping about all over the place. I threw a querying glance at Kords who shrugged a shoulder back at me – she didn't know either what was wrong.

This went on for a little while but then I had reached my limit of patience.

“Fine! Enough! Everyone! Stop whatever it is you are doing, unless something will burn. I cannot work like this. Kissa! Whatever is wrong with you? Either tell us, or go home. Your crashing and banging is getting on everyone else's nerves. Either it stops right now and you continue by behaving properly, or it stops right now because you are no longer here. Make your choice. This instant!”

She looked at me, looked at Kelly, looked at all the rest of us. She realised that what I had said was correct; we were all fed up with her attitude today. Her mouth dropped open, she swallowed twice. Then she burst into tears and ran out of the door. I was torn as to whether or not to chase after her and try to settle her down with some cuddles and the like. In the end, I did nothing though. 'Twas, I deemed, time for her to start taking responsibility for her actions.

It took a little while for the team to settle back down into our usual efficiencies, but before long the curious incident was forgotten as a busy night swept us all along with it. It was one of those rare nights when everything came together nearly perfectly and our Coin Pot received a quite hefty influx. After everyone else had left, Kelly, Kords, Em and I sat down for a well-earned rest and we discussed the strange events. None of us could find any explanation for Kissa's behaviour.

We chatted on for quite a while as we discussed in particular the Salon and its continued excellence. We also discussed the Tree and the Stoop, about which I said that I had no idea when construction would start, and the Frolicsome Frayen, how we could combine the foods served there and so on.

“And today, I have personally hired a new helper. She is a young girl a year short of her majority, called Davabet. She is unfortunate in that she has a withered arm from birth ...” I noticed Em nodding in confirmation as my tale progressed “... and has had therefore many rejections. We bumped into her quite by chance today, Em, Surtree and I and I daresay we would not have interacted with her had she not been crying so hard and had not Surtree recognised her as one of his neighbours.

“In the end, I interviewed her quite thoroughly I feel, with the help of Em here. She impressed me and I now have a companion who shall learn all that I do and it will mean I shall not require great searchings to find a female to accompany me on some of my visits. She is on a week's trial to start with, so in the morning I shall have Master Jepp draw up some contractual papers so that she will be with me at least until the end of the year. Whenever I am here in the Salon, she can be an extra body, albeit with only one effective hand, so we must consider a training scheme for her too. Of course, if it transpires that she is unable to ride a frayen, then I shall have to find alternative employment for her. Please help her all you can, she has had it tough in her life so far. I will introduce her to you all come morning.

“And now, it being considerably later than normal, I hear my pillow a'calling most loudly.”

I was the last to speak before we headed off to our various beds, Kords and I leaving together for we were both going to the same place.

Thus it was that Kords and I walked home, again thrashing over the details of Kissa's behaviour. Which remained a mystery even after we got there, for Swayga had also no explanation for it, despite having seen the effects herself. We had only just caught Swayga for she was running a little later that evening. I suspected that she was waiting up for us, or at least for Kords, but she wouldn't admit that, if she was.

My eyes and head and back and feet decided that the Kissa thing was a subject best left for the morning.

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