Part 29 (1/2)

Miss Samonds set down her cup. ”Some less green, some more. But, aye, every one of them.”

But Mr. Samonds's eyes were brown, I recalled. This was peculiar and made me think of Miss Mew. Only female cats were ever tortoisesh.e.l.ls, and only Addysen women ever had green eyes. How was it such a trait could be pa.s.sed only to daughters, not sons? I did not know. However, interesting as this was, it did not explain the reaction I had gotten in the village.

I started to ask this question, but it appeared Miss Samonds had antic.i.p.ated it.

”They're not thought of as a good thing these days,” she said. ”Eyes of green, that is.”

”Why is that?”

Up to this point, Miss Samonds had been talkative and open, but now her expression grew closed, even canny. She seemed to be thinking.

”The great oak tree on the commons in Cairnbridge,” she said at last. ”Do you know what happened to it?”

”It burned some years ago. That was what your nephew Mr. Samonds told me.”

”Aye, it did burn. Nearly twenty years ago now.”

”How strange that they have not planted another in its place.”

”You think it strange? And did you know there was an old stand of Wyrdwood near the village that burned that same night? Would you think that strange as well?”

I recalled the dark smudge I had seen atop the hill just north of Cairnbridge. ”I don't know what you mean, Miss Samonds.” All the same my breathing quickened, as if I did know something, and my hands felt damp. I pressed them against my dress.

”No, you don't know, do you? I wonder if it is good or ill.” She shook her head. ”Well, you should ask Mrs. Darendal about it, all the same.”

”Mrs. Darendal?”

”That's right. She's still the housekeeper up at Heathcrest, isn't she?”

I nodded.

”Ask Mrs. Darendal, then,” Miss Samonds said. ”She can tell you what happened better than I can. Ask her what happened to the oak tree on the commons in Cairnbridge nineteen years ago.”

Before I could say anything more, she had risen and fetched me a pot of b.u.t.ter. I paid her, then found myself at the door. A mist was falling outside. I pulled up my bonnet and ventured out into the damp. However, as I reached the bottom of the steps, I remembered and turned around.

”Miss Samonds, you still haven't told me. The gesture the men made with their hands-what does it mean?”

She did not look at me but rather into the mist. ”It's a sign,” she said. ”A sign against poison and bad luck.” She tightened bent fingers around her cane. ”A sign against curses.”

The door shut, and the violets beside the step lowered their heads as the mist turned into rain.

B Y THE TIME I returned to Heathcrest, Jance was waiting for me. He hurried out of the stables as I rode up, took the reins, and helped me down. It was an act for which I was glad, for I was drenched through, and my fingers were so numb I could hardly pry them from the reins.

”Are ye well, miss?” He held me steady. ”Are ye hurt?”

My mind was as numb as my fingers. ”Hurt?”

”I went to Cairnbridge, but ye weren't there. An' then I heard word about Deelie Moorbrook's cow, an' my mind can only get to thinking. So I ride back here, an' ye weren't back yet. I was just going to ride out to try to find ye, only then I see ye coming up the hill. Are ye sure ye aren't hurt, miss?”

I a.s.sured him I was just cold and explained that I had gone to Low Sorrell to buy b.u.t.ter. He gave me a startled look, but he said nothing as he led me to the house.

Inside, he called for Lanna, and when she saw me her eyes went wide. She led me up to my room and helped me out of my sodden clothes. Soon I sat before the fire, wrapped in a shawl, drinking hot tea.

”Thank you, Lanna,” I said when at last my s.h.i.+vering subsided.

She appeared quite relieved. I supposed I had given everyone a fright.

”Well, I know it was foolish of me to ride so far,” I said. ”But at least we shall have b.u.t.ter on the table tonight.”

Lanna treated me to one of her rare smiles.

”The children-they haven't risen already, have they?”

She hesitated, then nodded.

So I had been gone too long after all.

”I will see to them at once,” I said. Despite Lanna's looks, I set down my cup and rose. ”There, I'm quite well, thanks to you,” I a.s.sured her, and though my legs were not so certain as my words, I went downstairs.

I found Clarette and Chambley in our parlor. They sat at the table, books open before them. They had not seemed to notice my approach, and I paused in the doorway. Their heads were bent together. Clarette's hand was cupped between her mouth and Chambley's ear.

I made a sound at the door. Chambley seemed not to hear it, but Clarette's look s.h.i.+fted in my direction. A chill came over me. There was a hardness to her gaze that seemed unnatural in the eyes of a child. She continued to whisper in his ear.

”Good day, children,” I said.

Chambley sucked in a breath and looked up, his eyes large and dark in his round face. Clarette folded her hands on the table. I entered the room, though as I did my s.h.i.+vering resumed.

”It's chilly in here,” I said. ”You must be cold.”

”We're very well,” Clarette said.

And Chambley said, ”Where were you?”

”I was delayed.” I stooped to light the kindling on the hearth. The hairs on my neck p.r.i.c.kled. I could feel her eyes on me. ”I went to Low Sorrell to buy some things we needed. I'm sorry I was gone so long.” I rose and smiled at them. ”I see you've been keeping yourself well occupied in my absence. Let's see what you've been reading.” I sat and took up one of the books.

”You go out riding when we're in our room,” Clarette said. ”You go every time it's a long afternoon.”

I set the book back down. How could she know that? The window in their room faced east, and I always left from the west side of the house.

”You're going to be leaving us,” she said.

These words astonished me. ”What a strange thing to say! Nothing could be further from the truth.”

”And Mr. Quent is always gone,” Clarette went on in a low voice. ”We'll be here all alone.”

”All alone?” Chambley said, looking at his sister with worried eyes.

”No, not alone,” I said to him. ”I have absolutely no intention of leaving Heathcrest.”

”But you will leave,” Clarette said.