My mouth moved again. Widow Primmer recognized the word.
“Claire? Yes, Claire will miss her. But your mother will still see her every day. They won’t be separated yet. More?”
She wiggled the spoon in front of my mouth. The porridge was so solid it didn’t move.
I mouthed, “No, thank you.”
Widow Primmer let the spoon thump back into the bowl.
“Well, you’ve eaten more than yesterday.”
She stood up and took the bowl back downstairs. I forced myself to sit up. I didn’t want to sleep all the time. In my dreams I was either locked in the vault with the scurrying coming closer and closer or I was in the cabin of the ship, with nothing but the sound of water around me.
Later on, I learned that the fisherman was called Luke Wolverton. He was sixteen and lived with his father and four sisters in a tumbledown house near the old friary. He’d managed to right the boat and had been heard calling for help the next morning, as he tried to paddle it back to shore with his hands. I never saw him again. I believe that he travelled to Portsmouth to work in the dockyards there.
Antonio’s ship had been heading to Lisbon. It was against the law to take slaves from England, but Mama said that if he’d been caught, he could have claimed that Mama and I had run away and that he was just recovering his master’s property. Widow Primmer had laughed. She’d said that she couldn’t imagine Mama running away from anyone. There had been a short moment before Mama had laughed along too. If Jacques hadn’t stopped them, I would have been on that ship. I thought of how hard Mama would have searched for me, running from gate to gate, from Houndwell down to the mudflats, knowing that every day her chance of seeing me again grew slimmer. Even worse for Mama, she’d have know exactly what was in store for me.
One good thing happened though: Mama and Jacques finally met. After we arrived back at the apothecary’s in French Street, he’d found a set of the apothecary’s wife’s old clothes for me to wear. She’d died many years ago, but the apothecary still kept all her belongings. Jacques built up a fire and, after changing his own clothes, went off to fetch Mama. I was terrified about him leaving me alone. Every time the shadow of a flame flickered across a wall, I was sure it was Antonio or the fisherman, creeping round the house, ready to take me again.
It felt like I had waited all night, but Mama said that she’d left Widow Primmer’s straight away – after she’d recovered from the shock of seeing Jacques Francis at the door. She had run almost the length of the town to be with me. I was taken up to sleep in the bedroom while Mama and Jacques sat on the hard wooden chairs and talked all night.
Time passed. After three days I was well enough to get out of bed and it was back to helping Widow Primmer with the chores. I had even more chores than before, now that Mama was working at All Hallowes and Widow Primmer cared for Claire. Thanks to Mama, Claire spent more time out of her chamber now and her hair was growing back. It was red like her mother’s, but curlier. Claire helped me stack wood by the hearth and sometimes she’d take turns with me to churn the butter.
April came. Jacques Francis left for London. He had been waiting for a ship from the Lowlands bringing ceramic bottles. He also took with him a letter that Widow Primmer had written on Mama’s behalf. I’d been in the room as they composed it. Jacques promised to deliver it by hand directly to George Symons at the Tabard.
Dear Master Symons,
I hope this letter finds you in good health.
I fulfilled our agreement and spoke to Jacques Francis. He has assured me that all the gold and other valuable cargo was taken from Southampton Water and returned to their legal owners. There is nothing there.
Master Francis will deliver this letter directly to you. If you are in any doubt, you can speak to him for confirmation.
Thank you for the pains you have taken to help me. All monies owed will be paid to you by Michaelmas.
I commit you to God’s protection.
Your humble servant,
Mistress Joan Cartwright
I think Mama was sadder to see Jacques Francis leave than she wanted me to know. In the days before he left for London, he would meet Mama at All Hallowes after she’d finished working and walk with her back to Widow Primmer’s. He’d sit by the fire while Mama was in Claire’s chamber and when she came out they’d sit there; sometimes they would talk, sometimes they’d just sit there silently. I’d watch them from the top of the stairs and wonder if they were talking to each other without saying words aloud.
I still hadn’t told Mama that it wasn’t just George Symons who’d hoped to make a fortune from her. Griffin and Gina would be on their way back soon. He must have started a new bead bag by now. There was no treasure. I couldn’t give him what didn’t exist, but I would find work to make sure he was paid. I was good at scrubbing pans and well-practised with a sewing needle. There were almshouses in East Street and more outside the walls by St Mary’s Church. Perhaps they needed help in the scullery or with washing and mending the bed linen. I would offer my services and use the money to pay off our debt to Griffin. It would take time, but there was no quick fortune for him to find.
April ended and the town prepared for May Day. Mama and Widow Primmer were to take Claire – it was the first
