didnât mean anything by it. Honest. Itâs just that Iâve been staring at silver day and night till Iâm near to going blind.â
âI understand,â he said, though he did not sound as if he meant it. âAnd you may go as soon as youâre finished with the bowl. Iâll be in conference with the steward for the rest of the afternoon. Weâll start again early tomorrow and finish the rest.â
âThank you, Thomas.â
I had scarcely touched the bowl again when the pattern began to dissolve, taking its new shape before my eyes. I was in the silversmithâs workshop again, and the square-faced man was there. Standing beside him was a young woman, probably his wife; she held the baby at her hip.
These visions were confusing. They came all jumbled up and out of order. Of course this would have to be something that happened before the silversmith was killed.
âYou should have refused him,â the woman said.
âI couldnât. I had no choice.â
âOf course you did. You might have told him you have not the skill to do it, that you are nothing but a charlatan and your Loving Cups are a fraud.â
âTheyâre not.â
âOh, you and your silly pride.â
âListen to me: if Iâd told him I couldnât do what he asked, then he would have killed me on the spot, as Iâd be of no use to him and heâd fear that I might talk. Once I was dead heâd have gone after you and the childââ
âBut you cannot lay a death-curse on a newborn baby, no matter the cost. âTis wicked, William, truly.â
âI know that, and I donât intend to do it. But as long as he thinks I am willing, we will gain some much-needed time.â
âTime for what?â
âFor you and Greta to go somewhere safe. Theyâll be watching us, but I have a plan. You visit the market every day. As soon as I have made all the arrangements, you will simply not come back. Meanwhile, I shall make them a marvel, and swear that it is cursed. When itâs done Iâll slip away and join you.â
âOh, Williamâdo you really think theyâll let you live once youâve given them what they want?â
âThey might. Who can tell? If I seem compliant, they might just keep a close watch on me in hopes of using me again.â
The baby had been playing with her motherâs gown. Now she reached up and took hold of something with a pudgy little hand.
âDonât, Greta,â the woman said, carefully peeling away the fingers.
I saw it thenâthe necklace. I would know it anywhere. It hung, even then, around my neck.
Chapter 10
Ribbons
I SAT IN THE SHADE of the blacksmithâs shed waiting for Tobias. He was helping to unload bales of hay from a cart that had just come in. But he knew I was there. Heâd come as soon as he could.
I didnât mind the wait. Indeed, I was glad of it, for I was forming in my mind what I would say to him and was finding it hard to do.
I ran through truths and half-truths, even considered outright lies. I was still thinking when Tobias came over, grinning as though heâd just heard a jokeâor was about to tell one.
âMolly!â he said, sitting beside me cross-legged. âWillem says youâve been over at the stables asking after me. He thinksââ
âI know what Willem thinks,â I said, âand Willem is a pig.â
Tobias laughed.
âI am glad youâre back,â I said. âTruly, I was worried. You were so late in coming.â
âWe didnât drive straight through. We stopped for the night.â
âBecause of the wolves?â
âThere was talk of wolves, yes, but we didnât see any. And I never believed that story anyway. In a hard winter they grow hungry and roam in packs. But theyâre no danger at harvesttime. The fields are full of mice, and rabbitsââ
âTobias, I must
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