His eyes searched her face, trying to understand.
Pierre sat on the brick edge of the fountain and placed her purchases on the ground by her feet. “Doris is…” How to say this? “Simple, but—” Pierre hurried to defend the woman. “She’s the kindest, sweetest person you’ll ever meet. But she’s never finished schooling. I think the school head kept her on, but she never really learnt much beyond the basics. She stayed at home looking after her father but then he died, and she was left penniless.”
Gabriel came to sit next to her on the dry edge of the fountain. “Go on.”
“Back then, Lord M owned all the land on the island. So, there was nothing for her to sell. Lord M made sure she kept the house, but she had no income and she’s quite proud. So, people in the village gave her simple jobs which Lord M paid for, but no one tells her. This way, she can earn a living without it looking like…you know…”
“Charity,” Gabriel said grimly.
“Exactly, and she is really a very sweet person; everyone here is very protective of her. The post-mistress lets her help out, sort of, like an assistant but mostly because it gets her out where she can see people and chat but doesn’t have much responsibility. I think she was on her own for a bit this morning while the postmistress nipped out and that’s when Nicole came in and found Doris alone.”
He was quiet for a moment then got to his feet. “Where is this post office?”
“It’s a short walk up the lane, just before the old mill.”
“Let’s go.” He offered her a hand and pulled her up, then picked up her bag.
“I can carry my own shopping.”
“I know.” He gave her a nice smile but shouldered the bag anyway.
It gave her a little thrill that he would carry her things. In her mind, a card template started writing itself.Feminism is hard to hold on to when an attractive man treats you like a lady. No, maybe something like.There’s an old-fashioned girl inside every feminist.
Seriously, what was wrong with her? She was a frilly skirt and a set of hoops away fromGone with the Wind.
When they arrived, Young Parker, the post-mistress, was there too.
“Give me a minute.” Pierre took her shopping bag from him and then strolled slowly through the shop looking at envelopes and stationery while thinking what to say. Eventually she selected a few postcards and went to the counter.
“Just those. And…” She took out the jar of honey she’d got from Hedge. “This is for Doris. It’s an apology from Nicole at Du Montfort Hall because she was feeling stressed this morning and apparently lost her temper a bit.” Pierre hoped Gabriel didn’t hear or contradict her. But he had gone behind one of the shelves and she couldn’t see him.
“She did?” Young Parker asked dubiously.
“Yes.” Pierre prayed her face didn’t turn red and betray her.
She waited while Young Parker put the postcards into a small paper bag and took her money. “We just heard what happened and” — Pierre bit her lip on the lie but made herself go on — “And Nicole asked Emmet to get something nice for Doris to say sorry.”
The explanation was for Young Parker’s benefit because the post-mistress was like a one-woman news agency.
“Well, well.” Young Parker eyed the jar. “This is nice. Thank her for me, but it wouldn’t be necessary if she hadn’t behaved like a harridan in the first place.” Young Parker spoke loudly enough; no doubt Gabriel could hear.
Pierre decided a quick exit was best before the post-mistress said anything else. “All right, I’ll be off now. I’ll just say a quick hiya to Doris.”
And where was Gabriel?
She went to the back of the shop where Doris might be, and found Gabriel there, leaning on the counter, chatting to her.
When he saw Pierre, he straightened. “All done?” he asked.
Doris, who had to be in her late thirties, looked like a happy little girl, two bright red spots on her cheeks.
“This is for you.” Pierre handed her the jar. “If you like honey on the comb that is.”
Doris accepted it happily, but her brightest smiles were for Gabriel. She handed him a piece of paper and pen across the counter, and he wrote a phone number on it. “There, call any time,” he said. “Whenever a package comes, I’ll collect it myself.”
“We’ll be here whenever you chance by.” Doris beamed, she almost twinkled at him “And if you want to print any pictures, let me know and I’ll show you the machine.”
“That would be great.”
