Still, I had not actually seen Meggy Adams at the market or her bloodied body, only what was left behind.
“Are ye all right, lass?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
He was not convinced.
“It is a bold colour,” he commented, turning the feather over in his fingers. “Not one might find at the poulterer’s.”
“None of his chickens have this colour feathers. It is more the colour that would be found on an exotic bird such as the ones Mikaela and I saw in Africa.
Elizabeth had returned. Her eyes widened as she saw the feather.
“Something one might find on a fancy gown on a lady at a soiree, or fancy man,” she commented.
“Where might a feather of this sort be bought?” Munro asked.
“Perhaps a lady’s shop on the Royal Mile,” she replied. “Or possibly the haberdashery at Jenners. I used to purchase handkerchiefs for my husband there. They were verra fine quality even though he said I was foolish.” She was thoughtful.
“The manager of the department is a man by the name of Mr. Woolsey, a fine man who always had time for me when I went there. He always insisted on serving me, rather than letting one of the clerks there do so. He might verra well be able to tell ye something about that feather.”
It was very near the time of the day when the store opened for the day. It was decided that we would go there and try to learn something about it that might be important.
“Lovely colour as it is, ye canna go with that bruise for everyone to see,” she informed me.
“Come along and we’ll see what can be done. I hope ye gave as good as ye got,” she added as she led me into her bedroom off the parlour.
I sat before the dressing table mirror in her bedchamber as she applied first the cream and then the powder.
Munro had gone to find a driver to take us to the department store. The room was quiet with only the sound of the rain that pelted the window.
“There is a children’s nursery rhyme about crows.” I caught the curious look on her face in her reflection in the mirror.
“Aye,” she replied. “’Tis well known.”
“One is a warning, two for joy... I don’t remember the rest of it.”
“One is for sorrow, two is for joy, three for a letter, four for a boy,” Elizabeth replied.
“Five is for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret, never to be told,” she continued. “Eight for a wish, nine for a kiss, ten for a bird you must not miss.”
The room was silent once more. I looked up to find her watching me from that reflection.
“There are those who believe that the crows are messengers,” she softly said. “Ye have seen them.”
I forced a smile as I gave myself quick inspection in the mirror then stood. “They are everywhere,” I replied, determined to ignore the encounter.
There was a knowing smile on her face when I glanced at her.
“Aye. Some say they speak to those with the gift. Here,” she said as she went to the narrow closet and retrieved a coat. She held it open for me.
“It’s a bit long as yer a mite shorter than meself, but it will keep ye dry and warm.”
“I cannot take yer coat,” I exclaimed.
“It’s for certain that yer determined to go on about yer business whatever it is. And the weather can be sunshine one minute, a downpour the next as ye well know.” She eased it around my shoulders.
“I’ll not have ye soaked through and coming down with fevers, and I have no need of it for now. I won’t be out and about today. At least one of us has some sense about it.”
