Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (31 page)

Tob shifted unhappily on the seat. Pross had to be alive. He was just living somewhere else for the summer, that was all. That had to be all.

Ahead of him the horse shook her head irritably. He heard his father
’
s startled protest as she tossed her head, pulling on his arm and splattering him with her mane.

“
Easy.
”
Jordy turned sideways, watching her feet as he steadied her.
“
No mischief now, you foolish beast.
”

She quieted. Jordy resumed his usual pace, and Tob relaxed. A moment later, the low roof of the goat shed loomed out of the rain on their left, and Jordy turned Stockings into the yard. The stable came into view, one lamp-lit door open, and the chicken coop, and the house. They were home.

Tob jumped down from the wagon and ran to open the double doors on the east side of the stable. Jordy coaxed and threatened the horse until he had the wagon properly lined up in front of the double doors. At the last moment Stockings seemed to remember the procedure, and backed readily on Jordy
’
s command, rolling the wagon into its accustomed place.

“
Ho,
”
Jordy said.
“
Good girl.
”

Tob ducked gratefully into the dry stable. Splashing footsteps gave them a few seconds
’
warning of Pepper and Matti
’
s arrival. Tob grinned as his sisters clamored for Jordy
’
s attention.

“
Dad, you
’
re home!
”
Pepper cried.

“
Pick me up, pick me up,
”
Matti insisted, knowing exactly what she wanted.

“
Just a minute, now,
”
Jordy said. He led Stockings clear of the traces and hitched her to the grooming stand. Then he turned back toward the doorway, arms outstretched.
“
Come on, then.
”

Matti ran to meet him, pale braids bouncing against her shoulders, and was swung, squealing, into the air. Jordy pretended to drop her, and hugged her instead, then planted her firmly back on the floor. This made room for Pepper, who received similar treatment amid complaints from her father that she was getting to
o
big and heavy to lift. Tob shook his head. A man who lifted bales and crates and bundles of all shapes and sizes day after day, complaining about a fifty-pound child. Pepper wrapped her arms and legs around him for a moment, clinging fiercely until Jordy
’
s firm tone warned her that enough was enough. Then she slid reluctantly to the ground.

“
I made a mash for Stockings,
”
she said.

“
I helped,
”
Matti added.

“
Mama baked a pie. When are we going to eat?
”

“
Mama finished that rug last week. The one with the geese in the picture.
”

“
Stockings is very dirty. If you don
’
t wash her legs we won
’
t be able to see her stockings anymore and we
’
ll have to change her name.
”

Tob turned his back on the controlled chaos around the grooming stand. It wasn
’
t quite so simple to close out his sisters
’
continuing chatter, but he managed it. As much as he loved them, their non-stop questions and comments would take a bit of getting used to after the long, companionable silences that filled most of his and Jordy
’
s days on the road.

He took off his dripping cloak and spent several minutes hanging wet tarps up to dry, sweeping the wagon, and coiling lines and straps loosely to allow the air to get at them. When he finished, his damp clothes were steaming from his exertion. He walked down the aisle toward the grooming stand. Jordy had stripped off his outer cloak and sweater as his work warmed him. In addition, he
’
d rolled his tunic sleeves up past his elbows, probably while he was washing the mud out of Stockings
’
coat. He saw Tob approaching and stepped back, brush in hand.

“
What do you think?
”
he asked.

“
She
’
s cleaner than we are,
”
Tob replied. In fact, Stockings looked extremely comfortable, having fallen asleep, one hind leg cocked, during his father
’
s ministrations.

Jordy snorted and put the brush down.
“
That
’
s not saying much. But she
’
ll do for now. Come along, girl.
”
He patted Stockings
’
shoulder to wake her, then untied her halter and led her toward her box. Tob clambered up into the loft and forked some hay into her trough. Jordy removed the lead rope as he turned her into the box. She went directly for Pepper
’
s mash and began to eat.

Jordy latched the half door securely as Tob swung down beside him.
“
You finished with the wagon?
”

“
Yes, sir.
”
Tob looked around, suddenly aware of the quiet in the stable.
“
Where are they?
”

“
I sent them to ask your mother to warm the bath house for us.
”
They returned to the wagon, where Jordy pulled the chest containing their traveling gear from under the driver
’
s seat and balanced it on his shoulder, leaving Tob to collect their damp cloaks and sweaters. Outside, the rain had lightened a bit. Together, they pushed the stable doors closed and hurried across the yard to the house.

Cyril met them at the door. She smiled at Tob and deftly relieved him of his burdens. After she deposited them in her wash tub near the hearth she returned and helped Jordy lower the chest to the floor next to the door. The quality of the smile she bestowed on her husband made Tob uncomfortable, so he turned away. Not that his parents would complain that he was intruding on their privacy. When they were busy looking at one another like that, they didn
’
t notice anyone else.

By the time Tob finished struggling with his mud-caked bootlaces, his mother was back at the hearth, stirring something over the fire, her long, heavy black braids fastened together behind her back to keep them out of her way. Jordy sat on the chest near Tob and drew off his second boot.

Matti trotted in from the other room.
“
Which shirt do you want?
”
she asked Tob.
“
Blue or green?
”

Tob stroked his chin pensively.
“
Green.
”

Matti whirled and raced back the way she
’
d come.
“
See, I told you!
”
her shrill voice carried back to them.
“
He wants green.
”

“
Those two,
”
Jordy said. He waved Tob to bath house.
“
You go first, lad. I want to tell your mother about Kessit.
”
Cyril looked around from her cooking.
“
Just don
’
t be too long.
”

“
No, sir.
”
He left as his mother put down her cooking spoon and gazed expectantly at Jordy.

* * *

Sometime during the course of supper the patter of the rain faded and ceased. Through the window, Jordy could see the light in the yard take on a reddish cast as the clouds thinned just in time for sunset.

He pushed back from the table with a sigh.
“
You can clean those boots out on the porch, Tob. I
’
ll see to the harness.
”

The boy nodded, his mouth still full of a last piece of lamb. Before any of them could move from the table, however, they were interrupted by a sharp rapping on the front door.

Cyril
’
s expression told Jordy she wasn
’
t expecting visitors. Neither was he. He rose and went to open the door. The women facing him were not neighbors. Both wore the black of the Mothers. One was young, tall and skinny, her damp red hair pulled tightly back, her expression tired. The other
’
s ageless, serene face he recognized immediately.

“
Jenil.
”

“
This is semi-official business, carter Jordy,
”
she replied.
“
You should invite us in.
”

Jordy stepped aside.
“
Would it be anything else?
”
he asked.
“
Enter, and welcome.
”

Jenil swept past him in a swirl of heavy cloth. Her young shadow showed less self-assurance.
“
Come,
”
Jenil said over her shoulder.

The girl jumped as though she
’
d been stung, and hurried across the threshold. Jordy closed the door. His family were on their feet, watching with varying degrees of curiosity.

“
Tob,
”
Jordy said,
“
outside. Pepper, take Matti and prepare the wash water for your mother.
”
The children scattered and disappeared. Cyril retreated toward the hearth.

Jenil stopped beside his chair and turned toward him.
“
My business involves your wife as well.
”

“
We
’
ll see,
”
he countered.
“
Sit you down.
”

Jenil sank gracefully into his chair, and Jordy pulled out the bench so that he could face her across the table. The girl hovered uncertainly behind Jenil until Cyril stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder and guided her to a chair. Then Cyril stepped watchfully back from the table once more, and Jordy eyed his visitor.

“
Well?
”
he said.

“
I
’
ll be brief,
”
she said.
“
This is Iris. She
’
s had a difficult couple of years. I
’
ve decided to remove her from an unfortunate situation.
”

Jordy frowned, puzzled.
“
You want me to transport her to her family?
”

“
Just the opposite. I want you to keep her.
”

“
What?
”

The Greenmother
’
s professionally benign smile became something more rueful and therefore, if anything, more alarming.
“
You and I have never liked one another. But there are a few areas in which I trust you. This is one of them. You have a good family. Iris needs that.
”

Jordy didn
’
t know what to say. He looked at his wife. Cyril
’
s expression was neutral, leaving the decision to him. Then he looked at the girl
—
Iris
—
but her gaze was fixed on the table in front of her.

“
We don
’
t buy and sell people here in Broadford,
”
he told the Greenmother.
“
You
’
re treating her as goods to be disposed of.
”

“
I
’
m acting in her best interest. Somebody has to. You know I wouldn
’
t get myself in debt to you if it weren
’
t important.
”

“
What does the girl herself want? Iris?
”
When she refused to look up at him he turned back to Jenil.
“
Is there something wrong with her? Does she understand when spoken to?
”

“
She understands. She
’
s just shy.
”
Jenil rose from her chair.
“
Iris, look at me.
”
The girl raised her eyes immediately.
“
I
’
m going now. Remember what I said.
”