Find your tools... and ... put them ... to good use." There was silence. Effie had drifted off to sleep.
While Effie slept, Matilda's thoughts ran around and around in her head. She thought about living at the manor, being lonely, using her own tools. Why had she spoken so freely to Effie? Was she right to do so? All the same, she had a sweet, full feeling inside that warmed her, and soon she too slept, and all was silent in the little house with the bright-yellow bone on the door.
Chapter Fourteen: Sending a Letter
Often Matilda and Effie would talk quietly into the night, and Matilda grew fond of her. Too soon she and Hamish were leaving. Effie, her side still swaddled and head wrapped in linen to keep the wound clean, said farewell to Peg and Margery, who hugged and clucked and fussed. Then Effie turned to Matilda. "My prayers stay here with ye, Matilda," she said. "I wish ye well."
Matilda wanted to reply but instead gave Effie a little nod and turned her head to hide her tears.
Unable still to ride, Effie settled herself in a litter swung between two horses. She looked at Matilda once more and said quietly to Hamish, "I long to cuddle her like a babe, and sing to her as my mother sang to me: 'Hush thee, hush thee, dinna fret thee, the Divil willna get thee.' But she be too stiff and proud for cuddling." Matilda, overhearing, thought if Effie tried, she might not find Matilda as stiff and proud as she thought. But Effie did not try.
Matilda watched as the woman was carried away. Would she never be able to ride again? Would she always see the purple heather from behind the curtains of a litter? She lived, which did count for something, but would she never recover? Matilda shook her head. If only Master Theobald had tended Effie instead of Doctor Margery!
Matilda watched for a long while as the riders disappeared into the distance. Peg's little shop would seem very empty now.
Across the alley she saw Walter heading toward the apothecary shop. There was much she had neglected while tending Effie. She had failed to meet Tildy at the well. She had not seen to Sarah—Peg had done that. And she had not thought even once of Nathaniel's troubles. She would remedy this right now, she thought, as she wiped her hands on her skirt, patted her hair, and hurried off to Nathaniel's.
"Who is this here to see me? Do I know you?" asked Nathaniel as she entered.
She hesitated for a moment and then said loudly, "Who is this old man in Nathaniel's shop? Does he know you are here?"
Nathaniel smiled a big smile and nodded at her. "Welcome back, Matilda Bone. We have missed you."
"Has not Peg come to tend Sarah's legs?"
"Yes, but she is not you. People are not as replaceable as ... as boots."
Matilda wondered for a moment if she should look behind her to see who Nathaniel was speaking to. But she knew it was she. He had missed her, and she smiled inside and out with pleasure.
"How is it you come here today, Matilda Bone?"
"Effie has gone, and I found myself wondering how your eyes do. I have not heard that your sight miraculously improved while I have been busy elsewhere, so I came to see for myself."
He shook his head. "No better, but I have Walter's help and my Sarah, so I try to be thankful for those. And what have you been busy elsewhere about?"
Matilda sat and told him about Effie and Hamish, and he listened and nodded. Finally she got up and said, "Forgive me. There is much I must attend to," and she was off.
Talking about Effie had reminded her of something Effie had said, and Matilda decided to try again to help Nathaniel, this time with her own tools. She had already tried her Latin and her prayers, and they had not worked. What else could she do but read and write? (And start fires, brew tonic, and bargain for fish, and she did not know how those could help Nathaniel.) Perhaps a letter? She could write a letter and ask someone very wise for help. Someone wise in medicine. But who?
Her father used to say the wisest
While Effie slept, Matilda's thoughts ran around and around in her head. She thought about living at the manor, being lonely, using her own tools. Why had she spoken so freely to Effie? Was she right to do so? All the same, she had a sweet, full feeling inside that warmed her, and soon she too slept, and all was silent in the little house with the bright-yellow bone on the door.
Chapter Fourteen: Sending a Letter
Often Matilda and Effie would talk quietly into the night, and Matilda grew fond of her. Too soon she and Hamish were leaving. Effie, her side still swaddled and head wrapped in linen to keep the wound clean, said farewell to Peg and Margery, who hugged and clucked and fussed. Then Effie turned to Matilda. "My prayers stay here with ye, Matilda," she said. "I wish ye well."
Matilda wanted to reply but instead gave Effie a little nod and turned her head to hide her tears.
Unable still to ride, Effie settled herself in a litter swung between two horses. She looked at Matilda once more and said quietly to Hamish, "I long to cuddle her like a babe, and sing to her as my mother sang to me: 'Hush thee, hush thee, dinna fret thee, the Divil willna get thee.' But she be too stiff and proud for cuddling." Matilda, overhearing, thought if Effie tried, she might not find Matilda as stiff and proud as she thought. But Effie did not try.
Matilda watched as the woman was carried away. Would she never be able to ride again? Would she always see the purple heather from behind the curtains of a litter? She lived, which did count for something, but would she never recover? Matilda shook her head. If only Master Theobald had tended Effie instead of Doctor Margery!
Matilda watched for a long while as the riders disappeared into the distance. Peg's little shop would seem very empty now.
Across the alley she saw Walter heading toward the apothecary shop. There was much she had neglected while tending Effie. She had failed to meet Tildy at the well. She had not seen to Sarah—Peg had done that. And she had not thought even once of Nathaniel's troubles. She would remedy this right now, she thought, as she wiped her hands on her skirt, patted her hair, and hurried off to Nathaniel's.
"Who is this here to see me? Do I know you?" asked Nathaniel as she entered.
She hesitated for a moment and then said loudly, "Who is this old man in Nathaniel's shop? Does he know you are here?"
Nathaniel smiled a big smile and nodded at her. "Welcome back, Matilda Bone. We have missed you."
"Has not Peg come to tend Sarah's legs?"
"Yes, but she is not you. People are not as replaceable as ... as boots."
Matilda wondered for a moment if she should look behind her to see who Nathaniel was speaking to. But she knew it was she. He had missed her, and she smiled inside and out with pleasure.
"How is it you come here today, Matilda Bone?"
"Effie has gone, and I found myself wondering how your eyes do. I have not heard that your sight miraculously improved while I have been busy elsewhere, so I came to see for myself."
He shook his head. "No better, but I have Walter's help and my Sarah, so I try to be thankful for those. And what have you been busy elsewhere about?"
Matilda sat and told him about Effie and Hamish, and he listened and nodded. Finally she got up and said, "Forgive me. There is much I must attend to," and she was off.
Talking about Effie had reminded her of something Effie had said, and Matilda decided to try again to help Nathaniel, this time with her own tools. She had already tried her Latin and her prayers, and they had not worked. What else could she do but read and write? (And start fires, brew tonic, and bargain for fish, and she did not know how those could help Nathaniel.) Perhaps a letter? She could write a letter and ask someone very wise for help. Someone wise in medicine. But who?
Her father used to say the wisest
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