“But the butcher’s son is to have her. It is all arranged.”
“Is there no chance that it can be unarranged, if the alternative is London with me?”
The man struggled to absorb the change. “But she is precious to me, my only daughter. I need her settled, for my old age.”
“I will compensate you for the loss of her, never fear, but can you not see the better future that lies ahead of her?”
“Won’t London turn her head, a pretty girl like that?”
“More likely it will be the making of her and she will make a far better match. What do you say?”
Joseph turned to his daughter. “Is this what you want?”
She nodded at once.
“At first, it would only be for a few weeks in London, then we will return to the village. If Mariot proves herself, I shall take her into my household, so you may see her whenever we are at Green Hollow.”
“The butcher’s son will be mighty disappointed.”
“I am sure he will recover from his loss,” said Thomasin, winking at Mariot. “Do you agree to my terms?”
The man shrugged. “I’d be a fool not to.”
“Very good. Then, Mariot, pack up your belongings — three or four of your best dresses and spare shoes — and present yourself at the manor house at seven of the clock tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, we don’t have a clock, my lady, but I shall go out with the dawn and wait until you appear.”
“That will do nicely. And have a good wash tonight; clean your teeth with bark and brush the tangles from your hair.”
“I will, my lady, I will. I will fairly shine when you see me.”
Giles was writing letters on a desk in the oriel window when Thomasin returned home.
“Last-minute arrangements,” he said, looking up as she approached.
“Speaking of which, I might have done something a little rash.”
“Really? You?” He smiled. Even though Thomasin had curbed the more impulsive tendencies of her youth, her husband knew her to still have her passions.
“Can we accommodate one more on our trip? You recall how Nell asked to remain here, on account of her mother. Well, I have found a very promising girl from the village, the carpenter’s daughter, and I would like to give her a trial as my maid. She’s a good girl and her father is arranging a marriage for her that she cannot stomach, so I want to take her away with us.”
“You have found someone to save. Thomasin, you are too kind. I hope this girl will not prove to be a burden to you, or run away, or steal your jewels. I trust you have the best of intentions, but your heart is sometimes too soft.”
His words ruffled Thomasin. “I am not a fool. I did think about the matter. When you meet her, you will see that I am right.”
“Don’t be cross with me. You know I trust your judgement more than anyone else’s. Only this is a time of change for us, and we do not need too many other unsteady influences.”
“She will prove herself, I promise you.”
Giles nodded. “Very good. I am sure she will. Now, help me with this letter: how many fresh horses do you think we will need to hire in London?”
SIX
Scents of evening were hanging in the air as they approached the city of London on the northeast road. They were surrounded by woodsmoke, mud and the denseness of forest shadows. The journey had taken most of the day, passing through the green fields of Essex, with its villages and church spires, its grazing flocks and glassy ponds. Thomasin had felt herself nodding off once or twice with the motion of the carriage, but at her side Lettice was perched on the edge of her seat for the entire journey. Every so often she pointed out a landmark, her face a picture of awe and excitement for her first ever trip to the capital. Opposite them, Mariot sat taut and unmoving, only alive to the rolling of the wheels, equally a novice, but her reaction quite opposite to that of Lettice.
Outside the carriage window, Thomasin caught sight of Giles, who was riding alongside them on horseback, his broad back keeping pace just ahead, filling her with a sense of security. Over his shoulder, she glimpsed a familiar landmark; the spire of St Leonard’s Church, which she always looked for as their first sign that the city was upon them.
“Look,” she said to the girls, pointing out of the window, “we are entering Shoreditch, a village on the outskirts of the city. Very soon the walls will be visible. You will see them, Lettice, if you keep watching.”
