Chapter 3
River Journey
They had a late breakfast the next morning with Spiller's tea. There was only enough left for a few more cups and that worried Homily. She had made some of the cornmeal into a sort of mush with butter that reminded her of a story that Lupy's cousin Oggin used to tell about the Indians in America and the English settlers who went to live there.
Pod had fussed a bit about them having the fire lit, sure that the humans would see the smoke and know that the borrowers were still in residence which would lead to trouble, but Spiller assured them that when he had gone to check on his boat the night before he had also stopped by Mr. Pott's house. He was quite sure that Mr. Pott was supposed to meet Miss Menzies at the blacksmith shop that morning, to discuss something that they wanted Henry the blacksmith to help them build for Little Fordham.
"Oh, I wonder what they are up to now," Homily cried, but Pod cut her off short.
"It's nothing to do with us," Pod said sharply. "We're not staying."
Arrietty let out a small sound then, almost like a sob but not quite, and Spiller looked up from the table with a frown. He knew how she was dreading the move to the mill. "I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out, and we'll come back and see it eventually," he assured her, and she gave him a dazzling, grateful smile.
"I'm thinking," Pod said, "that we might be able to leave tomorrow." He was beginning to feel uneasy about the way Spiller looked at Arrietty and the way she looked at him. He knew how things stood, and he was trying to be practical about it, but that didn't mean he liked it, and he couldn't depend on Homily to explain much to Arrietty. She was a good woman but tended to get flustered and when she did she just saw what she wanted to see. The sooner they got to the mill and back under a good floor, the better chance they all had of getting life back to the way it used to be. Pod hadn't realized yet that life doesn't run backwards. But Spiller spoiled that notion for him pretty quickly by shaking his head.
"Thought about it," he told Pod, "and we need all the room for cargo that we can get. Think I'll take the extra flour and cornmeal down to my friend Burgonet's place tonight once the moon rises. He and Arista are probably needing it and once it's out of the boat, we'll have more room for other things. You don't need it at the mill. You can get more anytime but they can't and you need more tea. I get usually that from them. They live in the wall of a rectory and the vicar can't live without his tea. Keeps the kitchen full of it all the time. I can give them the yarn at the same time. They'll probably have other things you can use at the mill as well." Spiller saw Homily perk up at the mention of more tea and knew he was going to win. He just didn't know yet by how much.
Pod sighed. "I suppose one more day won't hurt anything. I do want to mend our shoes and then I can help Arrietty and Homily wind the rest of the yarn so we have some in skeins to take with us."
"What about new shoes?" Spiller said. "Got a nice brown leather change purse in the storeroom. Leather's like butter, it is. I'll go get it now, and you can take a look."
When Pod saw the purse he was impressed by the leather and Homily was ecstatic over the coins. She hadn't known what she would have for plates at the new place, dead set as Pod was against taking anything out of Little Fordham.
"This would make good shoes, most comfortable things I've probably ever made," said Pod, "but it would take a few days at least. How long would you be gone, Spiller?"
"Couple of days, maybe," he said cagily."Depends on the weather, if it stays clear."
"I could make socks while you're gone to go with the new boots!" She glared at Arrietty. "Pity you're such a clumsy knitter," Homily told her daughter.
"Why don't you come along with me instead, Arrietty?" Spiller said casually. "You'd like Burgonet and Arista. They're only a couple of years older than I am. They'd like meeting someone new."
"Oh, I don't know," Pod started to say, but Homily interrupted.
"Let her go, Pod. She's been droopy and as cross as two old sticks. Let her get this hankering for meeting other ones and being outdoors out of her system. There will be time enough at the mill for her to brush up on knitting and sewing and all of those household things."
Arrietty clapped her hands and spun around, she was so happy. "Oh, could I go? I'd love to do that!"
Pod knew he was beaten. "If Spiller promises to be very careful," he said. "I want you back here the same as you left. Nothing dangerous, you hear me?" He glared at Spiller. "She comes back with one bruise on her and that's the end of boating excursions for her."
"I'll never do nothing that would hurt her," Spiller answered, his black eyes flashing. "Should know that by now."
"Of course we do, Spiller, dear," said Homily, still admiring her new plates. "You've saved our lives so many times, through storms and drains and gypsies and what all. Go pack a bag, Arrietty. You can use one of those burlap borrowing bags that Spiller brought up from his boat, but make sure your father measures your feet before you go. We want the new shoes to fit."
She looked over at Spiller. "Are you going to have fur boots again for winter? Pod could make you a leather pair for fall if you like. Just the thing for when it gets nippy, but before the snow flies."
"Could do," Pod said slowly. "Could do."
Spiller nodded thoughtfully. "Might be good to have at that. Seems far away it does, but autumn will come eventually. That in between in the middle when it's not summer but not winter is sometimes hard."
Pod had Spiller and Arrietty stand on pieces of the torn lunch bag, and traced around their feet with the scrap of pencil lead Arrietty had brought from the cottage. Then he did Homily, and had Homily do him. With the tracings, he would be able to judge the size of the boots. He and Spiller took the coin purse apart while Homily and Arrietty wound some more yarn.
"Wish we could think of something to do with the clasp," Pod said with a sigh. "Should be good for something, but I can't think what, and I wish I had brown thread."
"Miss Menzies probably does. Fancy taking a run over to the cottage while they're out?" Spiller said. "I think I know where it is."
"Could do," Pod said thoughtfully, causing Arrietty to laugh at the way he and Spiller both did that.
So he and Spiller slipped out the back door of the cottage, and keeping a careful eye out, went out borrowing together. After they slipped out of the cottage Spiller led the way to the house. He knew of a way in, through the workshop next to the garden. Mr. Pott's workshop was attached to the kitchen, having been used as a scullery at one point, for washing clothes. You didn't have to go into the kitchen through the main door. You could also get into the kitchen from the side through the old scullery and this is what Spiller and Pod did.
The basket of sewing supplies was still on the floor in the corner by the wall just where Miss Menzies had left it. She must have been, though Spiller, too distracted by him to put it away and when she'd gone home Mr. Pott must have not paid any attention.
"Baskets like that, woven ones, are easy," Pod said. "Just step on each strip carefully. You want me to go up?"
"I can do it," Spiller said, and began to climb. When he got to the top, he saw brown thread inside sitting next to a spool of black."It's here," he told Pod, and dropped down in. He landed on some rolled up quilting material, which cushioned his fall nicely. "Watch out!" By moving the spool of black thread on top of the quilting material, he was able to climb on top of the black with the brown in his arms and hoist it over the side. He heard it hit the floor.
"Got it," said Pod. Spiller then climbed up the inside of the basket, and swung himself over the top. When he dropped down beside Pod, Pod was standing next to the spool of thread, looking around the room. "Wish we had time for a proper look around," he sighed, "but best not, if we don't know when they'll be back." He looked longingly at the kitchen table. "Wish I had me hat pin."
"Best not to," Spiller agreed, and with a last look around, they headed back out to the workshop. They managed to get the brown thread to the cottage, where Arrietty and Homily were just slicing up the last of the sandwich into pieces for their dinner.
"There's still half a chocolate biscuit left for dessert," Homily pointed out.
"What should I pack?" Arrietty asked Spiller. She was almost too excited to eat.
He shrugged. "Change of clothes should do it, just in case."
After the meal, Arrietty packed her bag. Spiller was looking out the window when she came back down. She was still glowing with excitement. He looked at her and suppressed a smile, forcing his voice to be stern.
"If you're going with me on the river at night, got to listen. Can't be doing things you oughtn't. Got to do what I ask you to do. Promise?"
"Aye, aye, Captain!" Arrietty gave him a little salute.
"He's right," Homily told Arrietty, putting one of the blue shawls around her shoulders. She looked over at Spiller. "Does she need a blanket?"
"Don't think," he answered. "I'm taking my quilt in the boat, and I can roll up in that anywhere. There's a guest room at Burgonet's place with plenty blankets where Arrietty can sleep. I've stayed there before."
"I can't wait to meet them," Arrietty exclaimed.
"They're nice," Spiller said. "Ready to go?" Arrietty was, and taking up the skeins of fine blue yarn to use as trade goods, they did.
The prospect of a cobbling job had made Pod more genial, and he was certainly grateful to Spiller for the wonderful brown leather and thread, but once he and Homily got up to their bedroom, he tried one more time. "Are you sure Arrietty should have gone off overnight with Spiller?"
As Homily rolled her hair up on rag curlers she looked over at him. "Why not? We'll be too busy to just sit around missing her. I think she'll be safe, and it will be a nice thing for her to look back on and remember, when we're back under the floor."
"They're not children anymore," Pod warned.
"They're not grown up, either," Homily countered. "They do have a lot of ideas on what they think being grown up means, but it's not all boating on the river. Let them see that. Let them see how they get along without us around and how another young couple manages. Besides, if Spiller's friends have tea…"
"You care more about tea than our Arrietty?" Pod exclaimed.
"Of course not," Homily said, exasperated, climbing into bed. She did so love the eiderdown Miss Menzies had made for her. "But the boy said she'd be safe and he knows what he's doing. He's not going to kidnap her, Pod, just take her on a visit. They're going to be with other people after all."
"Not on the boat, they're not," Pod pointed out.
"What can they do on a boat?" Homily asked crossly.
"I don't like to say." Pod grunted and rolled over, his back to Homily.
"Oh, nonsense," she said, as she settled back down on her pillow and looked around the room at the little wooden dresser, and the crisp curtains hanging at the window. "They did do a good job fixing this house up," she said wistfully. Pod didn't answer.
Spiller and Arrietty slipped through the fence and headed down to the river. When they reached the boat, Arrietty took off her shoes, finding it easier to walk on the boat in bare feet. They got the bags of flour and cornmeal that he was taking with them to trade under the boat's canopy, and then he and Arrietty laid the skeins of yard in carefully along each side.
"Better take this," he said, offering her his quilt, as he got ready to pick up his paddle. "Gets a bit nippy on the river at night."
"What about you?" Arrietty asked.
"I'm used to it. You're not. I'm going to be paddling all night anyway, and that keeps me warm. You can sleep under the canopy if you want. Just lean up against them flour sacks."
"Spiller, what would happen if a human saw the boat on the water?"
He looked at her. "They have. Seem to not think much of it. Probably think we're some child's toy, gone astray. Don't be afraid."
"I'm not," she answered. "Not when I'm on an adventure with you." Then she shocked him out of his senses by giving him a quick kiss before ducking under the canopy. He watched her settle in, and could see her bright eyes then, watching him.
"All right, then," Spiller said with a grin, and taking up the silver knife he used as a paddle, he untied the boat and pushed off.
She peeped out at him occasionally as he stood in the front of the boat, but the rocking water did put finally put Arrietty to sleep. When she woke up the light was pale and hazy, predawn.
"Where are we?" she asked, sitting up.
Spiller glanced back. He looked tired. "Nearly there. We'll be tying up right there next to that pile of logs."
"The sunrise is so beautiful. What's up beyond that bend further down the river?" Arrietty asked.
"More river," Spiller said grining.
"Will your friends be up this early?"
"Probably not," Spiller acknowledged, "but if we can get into the wall we can have a nap until it's time for breakfast. It's what I usually do. They keep a bed for me in the passage way." He maneuvered the boat in along the shore and hid it under some long grasses that were hanging over the water's edge. Helping her out, he asked, "If I carry the sacks and the yarn can you manage your bag and my quilt?"
"Yes, and you don't have to carry the skeins. They're not heavy, just a bit awkward." Arrietty slipped her shoes and stockings back on, wrapped a couple of the skeins around the rolled up quilt, and swung them up onto her shoulder. Picking up her bag with the other hand, she followed him.
When they got into the house through a small hole she found herself in a dark passage. "Wait a minute," Spiller whispered, and she heard him set down the heavy bags and fumble with something. A match flared and a candle was lit, which illuminated the hallway. Arrietty saw then that there was a shelf on the wall just inside the passageway. That's where the box of matches and candle stubs were.
"We go here," Spiller said softly.
Halfway down the passageway there was a opening that led to a small room. The room had a bed in it made from a small box stuffed with what must have been fleece, and covered with a sheet made of some kind of small print material. On top of the sheet were a couple of folded up blankets, which were a green and navy plaid knitted material. Arrietty guessed that they had been made from a borrowed scarf. A matchbox chest of drawers stood against the wall, where Spiller set the candle stub, and there was a small rag rug on the floor.
"This is the guest room," Spiller said. "Not too bad now but it does get a bit chilly in the winter. Arista and Burgonet live farther down the passage. There's a wire gate. You'd best get to bed. I'll sleep on the rug wrapped up in my quilt." He unrolled it and spread it out.
"Oh, Spiller, that's not fair," Arrietty whispered. "Let me sleep on the floor."
"I'm used to sleeping on the floor, remember?" Spiller answered, "and I'm so done in I think I could sleep on rock. Go on to bed. It's a good bed. I'm just going to go get the bags and bring them away from the entrance down to the gate. Don't want to attract mice with that grain. I'll put them over onto the other side and then blow out the candle when I settle down. Arista or Burgonet will see them in the morning and know we're here."
So that is what they did. When Spiller came back Arrietty was climbing into the snug little bed. She'd left her shoes and stockings on the floor next to the chest of drawers, set her pinafore and dress on top of it and was climbing into the bed in her vest and petticoat.
Spiller grinned, thanking his lucky stars she hadn't tried to change into a nightdress. If he'd walked in and seen her undressed, she probably would have been furious, no matter how much she liked him. Stretching and yawning, he blew out the candle and lay down.
"Good night, Spiller," said Arrietty.
"Good night, Ari," said Spiller.
"Ari?" she puzzled this out. "I've never had a nickname before."
"It suits you," Spiller said with a yawn, and then he rolled over in the quilt and was out like a light.
Poor Spiller, thought Arrietty. All that paddling while I was asleep, but then she fell back asleep, too. When she woke up, she didn't know where she was. She sat up, and saw the lump that was Spiller rolled up in his quilt, still on the rag rug. She sat up, then slid her feet off the bed and found her shoes and stockings. Putting them on, she stood up pulled her dress and put on her pinafore.
She tried to smooth out her hair and wondered where she would be able to go wash up. She tiptoed across the floor. Spiller must be really tired, she thought. The slightest sound usually wakes him. She thought she heard a small noise in the hallway, and peeked out. Someone was down by the gate. She walked hesitantly down the hallway until she could see, in the dim light, a young woman examining the flour and cornmeal bags. She had light colored hair and was wearing a light colored dress. When Arrietty stepped on one slightly loose board, the woman heard her.
"Spiller?" She stood staring, trying to see into the dark hall.
"No," Arrietty said. "I'm a friend of Spiller's. He's still sleeping." She walked up to the woman, who stood transfixed.
"Oh, my, you must be Arrietty!"
Arrietty was confused. "Yes, do I know you?"
The woman shook her head, as she opened the gate. "No, but Spiller's talked about you. I've wanted to meet you for a long time. I thought that he'd lost you. He was miserable over you for months and months. Thank goodness he found you again! Come on in, and let's get you comfortable. Spiller certainly doesn't know much about creature comforts. You're awfully brave to take him on as a beau, although he's certainly kindhearted enough and probably the best provider you could ever wish for."
Arrietty was startled that Spiller had told these people she was his girlfriend, but then she felt a wave of affection for him, for missing her and worrying about her so while she was in the attic. She stepped behind the gate, which was made out of a piece of wire fencing, by the looks of it, and then looked back. "Maybe I should wake him. When he wakes up won't he wonder where I am?"
"He'll know where you've gone. I'll leave the gate unlatched for him. Besides, where else could you go? My name is Arista, by the way." She looked Arrietty up and down. "Why, you're as sweet as can be. I thought you'd be more of a tomboy, judging by the stories Spiller has told us about your adventures."
"He told me that you're married to a friend of his?" Arrietty asked tentatively, as Arista took her arm and led her down the hall.
"I'll get Burgonet to come get these sacks in a moment," Arista said, "after breakfast. We'll have an omelet. I have an egg, and some ham, and some onion and peppers. I wasn't going to scramble a whole egg, but if you and Spiller are here, it won't go to waste. That boy can certainly eat."
They went into a kitchen that was warm and cozy. It reminded Arrietty of under the floor at Firbank. There was a good sized kitchen table, with spools for seats. Arista had made cushions for them, and smiled happily when Arietty complimented her on them. She showed Arrietty where she could wash up, and asked her if she needed a hairbrush.
"The Vicar gets a new toothbrush every three months," Arista said. "When he throws the old one away, Burgonet borrows them and cuts them down. I wash them good and then we make hair brushes and scrub brushes out of them. It's perfectly safe, I assure you. The clean ones are in that little basket in the bathroom, next to the tap. Take one. You can keep it and take it with you when you go."
Arrietty did, and looked much more presentable when she came back out. A tall, thin, nice looking young man with light brown, curly hair and blue eyes was standing next to the kitchen table wearing a white shirt and navy blue trousers, with suspenders made from an elastic band.
"So this is Arrietty," he said, taking her by the hands. "You're just as pretty as Spiller said you were. I thought those bags of grain were a treat, until I saw you."
Arrietty blushed. "I didn't know he had told anyone I was pretty!"
"But of course he has," Arista exclaimed, "except perhaps old Daubery. Daubery is still hoping to settle one of his daughters on Spiller, but none of them had a chance once he met you. He talks about you all the time, but I thought you were gone away for good. I didn't know what we were going to do with him for awhile. He missed you so much. Now come sit down, and I'll fix us a mess of eggs. Burgonet, give the poor girl some tea. She's had a long weary journey no doubt."
The young man poured the tea, and Arrietty picked up an acorn cup gratefully, and then looked stricken. "Don't you need any help with the cooking?"
"Oh, no," Arista said. "Leave me to it, but do tell us all about where you went and how you managed to get back together with Spiller, not that it would have been very hard to convince him to get back with you."
Sipping the fragrant tea, Arrietty told the tale of how her family had been kidnapped from Little Fordham, how they had escaped, and how her father was planning on moving to the mill. The nice young couple seemed really interested and it was easy for Arrietty to see why Spiller was so fond of them. They were probably in their early twenties, she guessed, and seemed to be quite proper house borrowers. She was just finishing up her story when Spiller stepped into the kitchen, with the yarn draped over his shoulder.
"Ah," he said, "I thought I'd find you here."
"Where else would you find her? "She certainly didn't sneak out and go back to that attic," Arista said. "Come sit down. We're having omelets."
"You told them about that?" Spiller asked, eying Arrietty.
"She told it very well," Burgonet said. "Terrible thing that. Bet you're glad that's over. What have you got there?" he added, deftly changing the subject to Spiller's relief.
"Ari's mother sent along some yarn. Wants to trade you for tea." Spiller held it out and shook it slightly.
Wiping her hands on her apron, Arista came over to see. "Oh, this is lovely. I can make some beautiful things with this. Put it over by my sewing basket for now, next to the chair. Arrietty's mother wants the tea, eh? I wondered what you were doing with so much tea last year. You never drank so much of it yourself. I can give you two or three twists of it. We've got plenty. Now sit down and eat. Burgonet, help me, please."
"Be right back," said Spiller, and wandered off to the bathroom.
Arista and Burgonet went to the stove, and came back with a dish of eggs so big it took both of them to carry it. They set it in the middle of the table. It smelled heavenly and Arrietty's mouth began to water. Spiller came back and sat down, and it looked like he had clean hands for once. Apparently he followed propriety a bit better around Arista, just as he was starting to do for Homily. He passed up a silver thimble with a horse design on it for a acorn cup. "That's too nice for the likes of me," he said, thinking of his mother's rose thimble once again.
They had a wonderful breakfast with a lot of lively conversation. Arrietty liked this young couple very much. They were happy, cheerful people, who lived comfortably as house borrowers, just as her parents had under the floor at Firbank. She had a feeling that her father would have liked them, too. When the meal was over, Arrietty convinced Arista that she simply must help with the dishes, and Burgonet and Spiller decided to do a bit of borrowing.
"The Vicar's doing a funeral at the church this morning. He should have left for the church by now, and his housekeeper was going to the funeral, too," Burgonet said. "We'll have the way clear. Old Man Brecher died. He's the human who ran the pub. Everyone in town will be there, and they'll all go to the pub to drink his memory after the cemetery."
'"Even the Vicar?" Arrietty asked, puzzled.
"Oh, surely," Arista answered. "He likes a sherry now and then, certainly. Go up to the kitchen, you two, and see if you can get a few potatoes. I already have a carrot, and there's plenty of onion left. I'll make stew for supper."
When the men were on their way up to the kitchen, which was accessed through a mouse hole under the stove that reminded Arrietty of Firbank, Burgonet gave Spiller a friendly knock on the shoulder. "She's lovely, mate. You did the right thing waiting for that one. Bit younger than I thought, though."
"Aye, she's got a bit more growing up to do. Spoke to her father and he wants me to wait, and really, I want to wait. Just not ready yet," said Spiller, "but glad to have her back, I am. Got plenty time to see if she can get used to the way I live. Think she can."
Burgonet shook his head. "Things will have to change a bit, Spiller. Got to have a proper home once you settle down. You've got some nice spots, don't get me wrong, but you need to arrange the choicer ones a bit better if you're going to be having a family. We've already started planning our nursery and it does take a bit of planning."
Spiller eyed his friend, startled. "Trying to tell me something, are you?"
Burgonet laughed. "Not yet, but it's not for lack of trying!" And then they both laughed. Most of what Spiller had learned about what transpired, or was supposed to transpire between the sexes, he had learned from Burgonet, who'd had a father long enough to get the man to man talk most fellows got eventually from their dads.
Spiller sobered up quickly though at the idea of having a family of his own. "Not a chance for me at this point of that anyway. Don't have the patience yet for a wee one. My mother almost lost her mind with the lot of us, and she was the most patient person I ever knew, outside of me dad. Besides, that's a hard thing to go through and Arrietty's too young."
Arista washed the dishes and Arrietty dried. When Arrietty complimented Arista on her home, she snorted. "Took a lot of doing, this did. You should have seen it when I got here. Typical bachelor's home it was, although it had possibilities. Burgonet weren't nearly as tidy then as he is now and Spiller used to hang about a lot back then. They were right good mates."
"Spiller needs friends," said Arrietty. "My Aunt Lupy said he was solitary, and he is, but I think at times he got lonely, too."
"Everyone needs friends," Arista agreed. "I hope we can be. I hope Spiller brings you back again."
"I'd love to come if you'd have me," Arrietty said honestly.
Arista then offered to show Arrietty her storeroom, which was impressive, and then the rest of the house. The bedroom was quite cozy and there was another room next to it, that Arista said she was planning on using for a nursery since it was the farthest from the human bedrooms. She had already started thinking about what they would need, and what they could adapt for a baby bed and baby toys.
"I have Spiller on the lookout for some nice flannel that I can sew into diapers. We'd like to have several children. We were both only children and it was hard sometimes," said Arista, "but it's also hard when they're small and cry. You have to be careful that the humans don't hear. The baby will have to sleep with us at first, so we have to find a nice little basket or something we can keep next to our bed for the first couple of months."
"I suppose you do," said Arrietty. "I didn't like being an only child either. After my cousins had to emigrate, I never saw anyone else. I haven't really thought about it but I think I'd like to have lots of children, too, but not now. I haven't any idea what it's like to have one, and Spiller's not ready for that, either."
"Spiller grew up in a big family," Arista said, "and I think he'd like to have a big one again, but you do have lots of time to discuss it. You are thinking you'll marry him, don't you?" she asked, as they headed back to the main room.
"I told my parents that I wanted to, and he told my father he wanted to, but I'm just going to be seventeen in June. My father thinks I'm too young. Mother let me come here today probably hoping I'll change my mind. She doesn't like the outdoors you see, and with Spiller, you've got to. I do like the outdoors, and I think Spiller and I would get along fine eventually, but it might take awhile."
"Can't be outdoors all the time when you have a family of your own, though. Outdoors isn't really healthy for children," Arista warned.
"I know. My father talked to me about that, too," Arrietty sighed, as they both plopped down on chairs and thought about what it might be like to have a child. The very idea scared Arrietty silly and she was very relieved when Arista began to show her the sewing projects she was working on. Arrietty told her that Pod was a cobbler, and Arista got all excited.
"Burgonet and I both need new shoes. Could he make us some?" she asked, but then sighed. "Don't know how we could get them fitted, though."
Arrietty explained to her about how they could trace their feet, and take the tracings back to Pod, and Arista scrounged around for some paper that she thought would be big enough to do the tracings. Arrietty started on Arista right then and there. When Spiller and Burgonet came back, they laughed when they saw Arrietty tracing Arista's stockinged foot, but when Arrietty explained, Burgonet was delighted.
"We haven't had a cobbler around in years. Are you sure your father won't mind doing it?"
"Not Pod," Spiller said, pleased with the idea of Pod having enough shoes to do that it might put off the move to the mill for awhile. He and Arrietty could spend a lot more time together in Little Fordham than they would be able to do at the mill.
Arista stepped off the paper, and said, "Here, give me the borrowings. I can put them away while Arrietty measures your feet, Burgonet."
"I'll help," Spiller said. "These potatoes are heavy, and we got some bacon, a nice scrap of beef, and more tea, salt and pepper, and some cheese."
"Roll the potatoes into the storeroom first," Arista directed, and Spiller followed her as Arrietty measured Burgonet's feet. "I can make a lovely beef stew for dinner. Will you and Arrietty be staying with us another night?"
"Could do," Spiller answered. "Didn't say exactly when we would come home. If we stay tonight though, we have to stay tomorrow. I want to travel by moonlight."
"We'd love to have you," Arista assured him. "It will be like having a party. We haven't had proper company for ever so long."
After Arrietty rolled up the paper carefully to take to Pod, she helped Arista with the stew, and they mixed up some biscuits and a cake. Spiller and Burgonet sat around and talked about when the strawberries would be ripe, and whether or not there would be a lot of spring rains that would make the river too difficult for Spiller to navigate. Spiller expected the gypsies to start appearing in Perkin's Beck soon, but he didn't expect to spend too much time in his stove that season.
"Got to help Ari's people get settled in at the mill, and want to check back at Little Fordham regular like when the humans are going through the village and looking at the trains. Leave all sorts of good stuff behind they do."
Arrietty came out of the kitchen then, her face pink from the heat of the stove, and said, "Little Fordham is wonderful. We have the nicest house there. If only Papa wasn't so worried about being seen."
"You can't blame him, though," Spiller admitted, "after what happened last fall. When that attic lot finds you missing, they're sure to think the first lot stole you back. I'm glad Pott's got the fence up now, and is watching the back the way he is, but it's still tricky."
"I suppose so, Arrietty sighed, "but I do so love our little cottage."
Arista appeared and said that everything was cooking nicely. "I need a rest, I do."
"The cake is going to be ever so wonderful," Arrietty exclaimed. "I wish you could write down the recipe for me."
"I don't write," Arista admitted. "I've just done it so many times I know it by heart. My mother used to make it whenever we had enough butter, sugar and flour. She started teaching me to bake when I was just a tot. We lived clear on the other side of Bedfordshire, in a nice house, but we were the only ones left. Ma died first, and I took care of Pa until he died and then I decided to set out on my own. I had heard Little Fordham was nice, and I just packed a bag and started walking. I walked at dawn and at dusk and slept in between. I was following the river, you see, and when I got outside the village here, Burgonet saw me."
"She was a plucky little thing, to be sure," Burgonet said, chuckling. "I asked her in for a bite and she never left. One day the Vicar was getting ready to have a wedding in the study of the vicarage, a very quiet wedding, and I told her we should just go upstairs where we could listen, and repeat the vows."
"Is that how it's done?" Arrietty exclaimed. "I'm sure my parents were never near a rectory!"
"If you have parents that can be present," Arista explained, "you usually make your vows before them and they give the bride to the groom. That's the borrower way, but neither of us had any parents left, so we thought that would be just as good. Mind you, I was so surprised when he asked me!"
"Don't see why," said Burgonet, laughing. "You knew by then I didn't want you to go and I was pretty sure you didn't want to go, either. That cake of yours was one of the things that helped me decide!"
"Oh, get on," Arista said, getting up in a huff. "I'll be going to take it out, not that I shouldn't let it burn to get even with you for saying such a thing!"
"I'll help you put in the biscuits now," Arrietty said, also rising.
They had a lovely dinner. Arrietty helped Arista with the dishes, while Spiller and Burgonet had a cup of the Vicar's sherry, and after the dishes were done they all talked for a long time. Finally hardly any light was coming through the cracks in the ceiling, so Arista lit a dip, and told Arrietty and Spiller they might want to think about cleaning up and going to bed.
Burgonet and Spiller stood up and stretched. "I'll walk down to the river," said Spiller, "to check my moorings. Got to make sure the boat is in trim. Want to walk along, Burg?"
"If you do," Arista said, "I wouldn't say no to a bit of wild garlic. I could roast the rest of the beef with it tomorrow afternoon, and we could have that before you go."
When Spiller and Burgonet came back, Arrietty was in the little guest bedroom on the hallway, brushing out her long brown hair with the brush that Arista had given her. She looked quite lovely, and Spiller couldn't help leaning in for a quick kiss.
"Having a good time?"
"Oh, yes," Arrietty said, her eyes shining. "Thank you so much for bringing me. I like them very much."
"Thought you would," said Spiller, and then sighed as she climbed into the little bed.
He rolled up in his quilt but he was still awake thinking things over long after her breathing had become deep and even. The trip had given him an idea of what it would be like to be with Arrietty all the time. He had to admit she was adaptable and likeable. Arista and Burgonet seemed to be able to see exactly what it as that had made Arrietty special to him. He certainly still liked her every bit as much, but the traveling part of the trip was the best part. He hoped to be able to keep traveling for a long time. There was plenty of time in the future to settle down and get poky.