Guild.’
Robert didn’t know what had possessed him to say that, except thatit seemed to justify his continuing acquaintance with her. Not that he should need to explain his actions to his son, or anyone for that matter, he told himself. But guilt always makes a man feel he has to say more than is wise.
Catlin smiled. ‘Your father is such a shrewd businessman, Jan. I don’t know what I would have done without his guidance.’
‘Is that so, Widow Catlin?’ Jan said, dartinga sharp look at Robert. ‘But if you will excuse us, we have work to do. My mother’s sick. My father’s anxious to return home to her as soon as he can.’
Catlin nodded earnestly. ‘Of course. I won’t detain you either, Master Jan. I understand how busy you must be. Your father has told me how hard you work and how much he relies on you. But it was because I heard your poor mother is sick that Icame. A neighbour of your wife’s cousin mentioned it and I thought perhaps a jar of sweet oil might comfort her. It will help her sleep if she rubs a little on her temples. I always find it soothes me to have such oils to perfume my chamber.’
She bent and pulled something from her basket. It was a small clay jar, sealed with wax. Even though the seal had not been broken, a heavy fragrance hungabout it of lavender and other herbs that, though vaguely familiar to Robert, he had never troubled to identify. She set the jar on the table.
Jan muttered something that might have been his thanks, while Robert beamed at her. It would never have occurred to either of them to buy such a thing for Edith. Only a woman would think of it. Robert decided it might be prudent not to tell Edith who hadsent her the gift. Better to pretend he had bought it himself.
‘And how is that little dog of yours, Leonia? I trust he is behaving himself.’
‘I’m afraid he’s rather naughty,’ Catlin said, with a tiny laugh. ‘He seized Leonia’s favourite gown when it was drying and tore it, then nipped her when she tried to stop him. But as I told her, he’s only a puppy and will learn.’
Robert was about tosay that he’d buy the child a new gown but, catching sight of his son’s face, he thought better of it. He’d have one made up and sent to her. There was no reason for Jan to know.
Leonia was once more edging close to the edge of the platform and Robert could see that she was fascinated by the hooks and pulleys, as the men swung them to lift great barrels and bales onto the stacks below.
‘My dear,do be careful!’ he warned again. ‘Jan, why don’t you take the child and show her the warehouse before she tumbles into it?’
‘Father, I have these bills of sale to check. Besides, a warehouse is no place for a little girl – she may easily be crushed.’
‘All the more reason for you to go with her. After Mistress Catlin has come all this way to bring a gift for your mother, the least you can dois show her a little courtesy.’
‘Please will you take me?’ Leonia beamed eagerly up at Jan. ‘I’m sure you know everything about how it works and I’ve never been inside a warehouse before.’
Jan, it appeared, could no more resist her large brown eyes than his father could, and his expression softened as he held out his hand to her. ‘I can spare only a few minutes.’
Robert waited until he heardtheir footsteps reach the bottom of the stairs outside, then positioned himself on the stool behind the table close to Catlin. They were seated right at the back of the loft, where he knew they couldn’t be seen from the floor of the warehouse.
‘You’re tired, Robert,’ Catlin said. ‘You’ve been exhausting yourself worrying about poor Edith and the business. You must rest else you’ll fall sick too.’
Beata, Edith or even his physician might have said exactly the same thing to him for there was nothing intimate about the words. But a look of wondrous tenderness shone in her eyes as she said it, as if she were deeply concerned for
Robert didn’t know what had possessed him to say that, except thatit seemed to justify his continuing acquaintance with her. Not that he should need to explain his actions to his son, or anyone for that matter, he told himself. But guilt always makes a man feel he has to say more than is wise.
Catlin smiled. ‘Your father is such a shrewd businessman, Jan. I don’t know what I would have done without his guidance.’
‘Is that so, Widow Catlin?’ Jan said, dartinga sharp look at Robert. ‘But if you will excuse us, we have work to do. My mother’s sick. My father’s anxious to return home to her as soon as he can.’
Catlin nodded earnestly. ‘Of course. I won’t detain you either, Master Jan. I understand how busy you must be. Your father has told me how hard you work and how much he relies on you. But it was because I heard your poor mother is sick that Icame. A neighbour of your wife’s cousin mentioned it and I thought perhaps a jar of sweet oil might comfort her. It will help her sleep if she rubs a little on her temples. I always find it soothes me to have such oils to perfume my chamber.’
She bent and pulled something from her basket. It was a small clay jar, sealed with wax. Even though the seal had not been broken, a heavy fragrance hungabout it of lavender and other herbs that, though vaguely familiar to Robert, he had never troubled to identify. She set the jar on the table.
Jan muttered something that might have been his thanks, while Robert beamed at her. It would never have occurred to either of them to buy such a thing for Edith. Only a woman would think of it. Robert decided it might be prudent not to tell Edith who hadsent her the gift. Better to pretend he had bought it himself.
‘And how is that little dog of yours, Leonia? I trust he is behaving himself.’
‘I’m afraid he’s rather naughty,’ Catlin said, with a tiny laugh. ‘He seized Leonia’s favourite gown when it was drying and tore it, then nipped her when she tried to stop him. But as I told her, he’s only a puppy and will learn.’
Robert was about tosay that he’d buy the child a new gown but, catching sight of his son’s face, he thought better of it. He’d have one made up and sent to her. There was no reason for Jan to know.
Leonia was once more edging close to the edge of the platform and Robert could see that she was fascinated by the hooks and pulleys, as the men swung them to lift great barrels and bales onto the stacks below.
‘My dear,do be careful!’ he warned again. ‘Jan, why don’t you take the child and show her the warehouse before she tumbles into it?’
‘Father, I have these bills of sale to check. Besides, a warehouse is no place for a little girl – she may easily be crushed.’
‘All the more reason for you to go with her. After Mistress Catlin has come all this way to bring a gift for your mother, the least you can dois show her a little courtesy.’
‘Please will you take me?’ Leonia beamed eagerly up at Jan. ‘I’m sure you know everything about how it works and I’ve never been inside a warehouse before.’
Jan, it appeared, could no more resist her large brown eyes than his father could, and his expression softened as he held out his hand to her. ‘I can spare only a few minutes.’
Robert waited until he heardtheir footsteps reach the bottom of the stairs outside, then positioned himself on the stool behind the table close to Catlin. They were seated right at the back of the loft, where he knew they couldn’t be seen from the floor of the warehouse.
‘You’re tired, Robert,’ Catlin said. ‘You’ve been exhausting yourself worrying about poor Edith and the business. You must rest else you’ll fall sick too.’
Beata, Edith or even his physician might have said exactly the same thing to him for there was nothing intimate about the words. But a look of wondrous tenderness shone in her eyes as she said it, as if she were deeply concerned for
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