The Sea Shell Girl Read Online Free PDF Page A

than on the way over earlier, caught her eye and winked. Glad to see a cheerful face, she smiled back, only to have Nicco grab her hand. Angrily, she made to snatch it away but his grip tightened.
    ‘Come on, Merry, surely you’ve learned your lesson about not trusting strangers,’ he hissed. When she didn’t answer, he sighed. ‘I’m not cross with you any more.’
    ‘Look, Nicco, I admit I shouldn’t have wandered off, especially with my purse full, but you are not my keeper.’
    ‘No, not yet,’ he answered, staring into her eyes.
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ she spluttered, but the ferry had reached the bank and for a moment he was too busy gathering up the reins to answer.
    ‘Let’s just say I can see why your mother was worried about you going to Plymouth on your own and …’ he began.
    ‘What has my mother got to do with anything?’ Merry asked, her earlier suspicion returning.
    Nicco shrugged, his supercilious expression sending her blood bubbling, but the day had caught up with her and she suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired. She just wanted to get home, she thought, stifling a yawn.
    ‘It’s a good job you didn’t have to walk,’ he said, grinning at last.
    ‘Meeting me on the way was no coincidence, was it?’ she asked. As he gave another superior grin something
niggled at the back of her mind but try as she might she couldn’t think what it was.
    The wind rose, buffeting the little cart from side to side and making further talk impossible. Merry shivered, tightening her shawl around her and wishing the journey over. It was growing dark by the time they reached the village and she was pleased to see the welcome flickering of candles coming from the cottages below. As the donkey slowed at the brow of the hill, she quickly gathered up her parcel of yarn and jumped out before Nicco had a chance to remember his invitation to supper.
    ‘Thanks for the lift,’ she called. Ignoring his protests, she ran down the hill, darting into the warren that led to their little cottage.
    Her mother threw open the door, fussing as if she’d been away a week instead of a day.
    ‘Come in and sit yourself in front of the fire, our Merry,’ she urged. ‘I’ll get your supper.’
    ‘How did you get on?’ Grozen asked, getting down to business as usual.
    ‘Very well indeed. Mr Fairbright’s a really nice man,’ Merry grinned, her good mood returning as she handed over her purse. Her grandmother’s relief was evident.
    ‘Why there’s enough here to pay the rent and buy food,’ she exclaimed. ‘I suppose it was your mother’s work that commanded such fine payment.’
    ‘Mr Fairbright liked all our work, Grozen, but surprisingly it was my shell-pattern frocks he paid most for.’
    ‘Really,’ the old woman said, her eyes widening in surprise. ‘You hear that, Karenza?’
    ‘Well done, Merry,’ her mother said, handing her a steaming bowl. ‘I’ll see if I can get us a sheep’s head or something tomorrow to celebrate. It’ll make a nice change from this limpet broth.’
    ‘Not half,’ Grozen replied with feeling. ‘Is this the yarn this Fairbright gave you?’ As Merry nodded, the woman gathered it up, hurried over to the dresser and placed it carefully on the old scales. ‘Well, he’s not diddled you,’ she proclaimed.
    ‘I told you, he’s a nice man, Grozen,’ Merry said, pausing mid-sip.
    ‘Doesn’t pay to be too trusting of people you don’t know,’ Grozen grunted, looking meaningfully at Karenza as she settled back into her chair. She looped a hank of the indigo wool over her hands, then leaned closer to her daughter, who automatically began winding it into a ball.
    They were acting casually but Merry wasn’t fooled, and no sooner had she put down her spoon than they pressed her to tell them about her day. She told them about her deal with the agent and the disagreeable Miss Brown, but omitted to mention the incident in the market. There was no point in worrying