aren't you? Anyhow, Tallow will be here to make sure I do. Won't you, Tallow?' Pillar's eyes slid incredulously to Tallow's face. All he could focus on was the vivid imprint of Quinn's boot, the cut lip and bruised cheeks.
Sensing his ambivalence, Tallow spoke. 'I'll look after her, Pillar,' she said reassuringly. 'It's all right. Really.'
'See? That's settled. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll return,' said Katina and, before he could reply, she placed a hand in the small of his back and marched him down the stairs.
THE DOOR CLOSED BEHIND HIM and the small bell chimed. Bewildered by Katina, the money and his tasks – never mind how quickly things were moving in his previously lumbering life – and worried how Quinn might react when she discovered he'd gone, Pillar stood on the fondamenta, gentle rain falling on his face. He watched his neighbours patching their broken windows and shutters; a few were on their rooftops, picking up plants and mending broken tiles. Others called out and he waved vaguely in return.
He looked back up at his house and workshop. There was no point worrying about Quinn, Tallow or the business today, or for the next few days for that matter. Katina would do what she wanted with whomever she wanted and, as for candlemaking, everyone would be busy repairing the damage left by the storm. They would stay home and burn their stocks of candles. But after that, they would need to replenish what they'd used. Then, even his candles would be in demand.
Fingering the coins in his pocket, Pillar wondered at how quickly circumstances altered. Once, sudden change had made him ache with despair and anxiety. This time, a sense of freedom welled inside him, something he'd rarely experienced in his forty long years. Change might be a good thing, after all. It was with a skip in his step that Pillar went to the nearest fermata and waited for a traghetto. He would attend to his tasks and get home as quickly as he could. There was work to do and, he thought as Katina's tawny hair and dark eyes flashed into his mind, more importantly, a Bond Rider to get to know.
IN THE MEANTIME, KATINA AND Tallow cleared away breakfast. They worked in companionable silence for a while, Tallow sneaking glances at Katina out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't believe how, from one day to the next, her whole life had transformed – and this was only the beginning. Remembering the look on Pillar's face as Katina pushed him downstairs, she chuckled to herself. Hers wasn't the only life that was changing.
She stole a glimpse at Quinn's closed door. Quinn was so subdued: so angry and unable to act upon it. A part of her felt guilty about the cut Quinn had suffered at Katina's hands. But another part of her was glad that Quinn was at someone else's mercy. Tallow's cheeks reddened. It was such a disloyal sentiment; she shouldn't have those kinds of thoughts. Quinn was family, wasn't she? Not for the first time, she wondered what it would be like to have a different family, one that didn't include Quinn.
Then, something occurred to her. She recalled Katina's conversation with Signor Vincenzo at the taverna yesterday.
'Katina,' began Tallow hesitantly, putting away the last of the plates.
'Hmm?'
'There's something I've been meaning to ask you.'
'Well, don't stop now,' said Katina good-naturedly, wiping her hands on a cloth. 'What is it?'
'Yesterday, you told Signor Vincenzo that the foundling you were looking for had a family.' Tallow shuffled her feet, trying to find the right words. 'I ... I couldn't help wondering if that part was –'
'Oh,' said Katina, sitting down. 'I see. You were wondering if that was true.'
Tallow didn't speak. She just nodded and looked down at her hands.
'Tallow,' said Katina softly. 'It's all right, you can look at me. I know what you are and I won't turn away. You have to get out of this habit of lowering your head all the time – it makes people more curious than you realise – especially
Sensing his ambivalence, Tallow spoke. 'I'll look after her, Pillar,' she said reassuringly. 'It's all right. Really.'
'See? That's settled. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll return,' said Katina and, before he could reply, she placed a hand in the small of his back and marched him down the stairs.
THE DOOR CLOSED BEHIND HIM and the small bell chimed. Bewildered by Katina, the money and his tasks – never mind how quickly things were moving in his previously lumbering life – and worried how Quinn might react when she discovered he'd gone, Pillar stood on the fondamenta, gentle rain falling on his face. He watched his neighbours patching their broken windows and shutters; a few were on their rooftops, picking up plants and mending broken tiles. Others called out and he waved vaguely in return.
He looked back up at his house and workshop. There was no point worrying about Quinn, Tallow or the business today, or for the next few days for that matter. Katina would do what she wanted with whomever she wanted and, as for candlemaking, everyone would be busy repairing the damage left by the storm. They would stay home and burn their stocks of candles. But after that, they would need to replenish what they'd used. Then, even his candles would be in demand.
Fingering the coins in his pocket, Pillar wondered at how quickly circumstances altered. Once, sudden change had made him ache with despair and anxiety. This time, a sense of freedom welled inside him, something he'd rarely experienced in his forty long years. Change might be a good thing, after all. It was with a skip in his step that Pillar went to the nearest fermata and waited for a traghetto. He would attend to his tasks and get home as quickly as he could. There was work to do and, he thought as Katina's tawny hair and dark eyes flashed into his mind, more importantly, a Bond Rider to get to know.
IN THE MEANTIME, KATINA AND Tallow cleared away breakfast. They worked in companionable silence for a while, Tallow sneaking glances at Katina out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't believe how, from one day to the next, her whole life had transformed – and this was only the beginning. Remembering the look on Pillar's face as Katina pushed him downstairs, she chuckled to herself. Hers wasn't the only life that was changing.
She stole a glimpse at Quinn's closed door. Quinn was so subdued: so angry and unable to act upon it. A part of her felt guilty about the cut Quinn had suffered at Katina's hands. But another part of her was glad that Quinn was at someone else's mercy. Tallow's cheeks reddened. It was such a disloyal sentiment; she shouldn't have those kinds of thoughts. Quinn was family, wasn't she? Not for the first time, she wondered what it would be like to have a different family, one that didn't include Quinn.
Then, something occurred to her. She recalled Katina's conversation with Signor Vincenzo at the taverna yesterday.
'Katina,' began Tallow hesitantly, putting away the last of the plates.
'Hmm?'
'There's something I've been meaning to ask you.'
'Well, don't stop now,' said Katina good-naturedly, wiping her hands on a cloth. 'What is it?'
'Yesterday, you told Signor Vincenzo that the foundling you were looking for had a family.' Tallow shuffled her feet, trying to find the right words. 'I ... I couldn't help wondering if that part was –'
'Oh,' said Katina, sitting down. 'I see. You were wondering if that was true.'
Tallow didn't speak. She just nodded and looked down at her hands.
'Tallow,' said Katina softly. 'It's all right, you can look at me. I know what you are and I won't turn away. You have to get out of this habit of lowering your head all the time – it makes people more curious than you realise – especially
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