Chapter Five

Spiller shut the door, and pressed the button for the electric light. The room blazed up, harsh, bright light that made Arrietty blink.

"Oh, Spiller, don't leave that thing on! Anyone can see that we're here with that thing on!"

"Like who?" He asked Arrietty as he looked around the room. "They weren't taken away, Ari. I told you. It makes no sense to think they were. Frankly, if Potts or that Miss saw the light on and came over here I'd be pleased to see 'em. Maybe they know what happened."

"Mother and Papa would never tell them anything!" Arrietty said firmly.

"No, but that don't mean they didn't see nothing," Spiller said, beginning to get cross. "What's this?" He walked over to the table, and Arrietty followed him. There was a large piece of white paper covering the top of the table. Because it had been lying flat, they hadn't noticed it when they had come in. They had just seen the empty table but now, as they looked at it closely, they realized it was a large piece of the white paper bag that Pod had used to trace their feet to size their new boots. On this piece was a drawing, two large pictures.

"It's a clue!" Arrietty cried, "Or perhaps a message. I've seen those pictures before, but I can't think where."

"Seen 'em twice I have, and I know where," Spiller retorted. "One's in the town and one's right here in Little Fordham."

Arrietty looked again, and then a certain swinging sign came to mind. "It's a crown, and an anchor. The Crown and Anchor is the public house! Do you think Mother and Papa went there? But why? And did they go to the human one or the one here?"

"They wouldn't go to a place with that many humans," Spiller said, holding up the paper, and examining the drawings up close. "Must be the one here in the model village. Don't know why they would do that, but they must've done. That's halfway between the river and old man Pott's house. What say we pick up our things and go take a look?" He rolled up the drawing, and went back by the door where he'd dropped his quilt and kit bag. Arrietty followed him and picked up her own bag. She watched as he put out the electric light, and gathered up his things.

She shut the door behind them. "I don't see why Papa would want to go to this Crown and Anchor, either," she said as they walked down to the High Street. "We've already looked around in there. The front of it is a public room with tables, chairs, and a bar. There are nice bottles and glasses behind the bar, but that's all that's really useful. When we took the curtains out of the windows and moved them to the cottage, Miss Menzies replaced them but she never said a word about it and once she had, no one could see in there anyway. I think that's why she never did anything with the upstairs or the back room. The stairs go up, but there's nothing there."

"The big one is not just a pub, though that's how the old widow who runs it makes most of her money. It's more of an inn. Those tables are for serving meals. She does teas on the weekend for folks who come to see the model railroad, and she does an evening meal as well. Ain't many places in the town for the humans to go out to eat. Not a big town. In the big one the back room is a kitchen, and there's a pantry and a bedroom off that for Mrs. Read. She runs the place," Spiller told Arrietty. "Then there's bedrooms upstairs that she lets out to travelers."

Trudging along toward the miniature one, Arrietty didn't even bother to ask him how he knew this about the big Crown and Anchor. She hadn't known Spiller had explored Fordham, but it didn't surprise her, either. He was an absolutely fearless borrower and she might have known that he wouldn't have been able to resist taking a look around the human town at some point.

When they got past the shops and to the little Crown and Anchor, he set down his bag and tried the door. It swung open easily, and he and Arrietty cautiously stepped inside. The tables, laid for luncheon with miniature china and cutlery, stood spread around the room and under the windows. The bar, with all of the miniature bottles and stacks of glassware looked as it always did, but just before Arrietty could say this, Spiller grinned. "There's a fire burning low in the fireplace, and someone's dusted the bar. Now who would do that, do you think?"

They walked as quietly as they could past the staircase that led up to the second floor, and headed toward the kitchen. Arrietty called softly, "Mother? Are you there?"

The door to the kitchen swung open then and Homily rushed out followed by Pod. Homily was wiping her hands on her apron. "Arrietty, thank goodness. I was getting so worried. You found our note then? I was hoping you would. Come on back to the kitchen. Wait until you see it!" They both hugged Arrietty and Pod clapped Spiller on the back.

"Glad to see you, my boy. Did you have a nice trip?"

"Got stuff in the boat for you. Could use a hand with it," Spiller answered.

Pod nodded. "I'll help you bring it up."

"After we show you how we're fixed," Homily said excited. "Come along!" She bustled into the back room and Pod rolled his eyes and followed her. Spiller and Arrietty dropped their bags and did the same. The kitchen was bright and warm with a candle stub burning on the table in a little metal dish. There was a lovely little iron stove like the one at Vine Cottage, and something that smelled wonderful was simmering on the stove.

"I have chicken stew," Homily exclaimed. "After the humans got done fixing up the house and left, we came over for a look. One of them had left their bag behind with a nice drumstick, a banana, and another of those lovely chocolate biscuits. Don't know how they came to forget it."

Spiller and Arrietty glanced at each other, both of them thinking the same thing, that the leaving hadn't been accidental.

"Your father slipped over to the house to see what they were up to, and found a basket on the porch with carrots and potatoes in it. Can't believe they left that out of doors and didn't take it into the kitchen right away. Your father got a carrot and a potato for my stew."

Spiller and Arrietty looked at each other again and this time they couldn't help smiling. They were both fairly sure that hadn't been accidental, either.

"Come wash your hands and I'll give you a bite to eat. We got a real tureen for soup now and real bowls, plates and knives and forks and spoons. They stocked the whole kitchen with the most wonderful pots and pans, too. The sink is just lovely. There's a holding tank over the back porch, and it's full up from all that rain we had. When we turn the tap the water comes right out. We've been keeping the soup on simmer hoping you'd come back tonight."

"Didn't expect you last night because of the storm," Pod acknowledged, as he sat down at the table, which had a nice red checked tablecloth on it, and a vase that Homily had filled with tiny flowers that she had picked from the remains of the garden Spiller and Arrietty had planted at Vine Cottage the year before.

"Yes, we had to hold up," Spiller said, giving his hands a quick rinse. Homily handed him a nicely hemmed dish towel that he suspected Miss Menzies had made to go with the sink.

He and Arrietty sat down at the table as Homily set out bowls and spoons. "Whatever caused you to move over here?" Arrietty asked, looking around.

"Well, you know how we'd seen them humans working before you left?" Homily said, bringing a tureen full of soup to the table. "They were working on this place. Didn't we tell you that they'd eventually do up all the buildings? They've got the kitchen here fixed all nice, and they've made four bedrooms upstairs. Everything you could ever want. It's just lovely. "

"The big Crown and Anchor has six," Spiller said, surprised, as he picked up his spoon.

"I'm glad they didn't do that!" Homily exclaimed. "They'd be too small. Your father and I have one, and there's one set up for you, Arrietty, and we've turned one into a work room for my sewing and your father's cobbling. He hasn't finished the shoes yet, you see."

"That's because the minute she saw this place she wanted to move. We've spent every blasted minute moving, or rearranging the furniture, even though the minute she moved something she moved it back." Pod shook his head, frustrated.

"Spiller, dear, you can either take the other bedroom upstairs or the one down here by the kitchen," Homily said ignoring him. "Downstairs might be best. You'd have your own entrance for when you come to visit and when you leave at odd hours."

"But I thought we weren't staying here!" Arrietty explained. "Papa, you said you didn't trust it!"

"Well, I didn't trust the cottage," said Pod. "Those other ones knew we were there, you know. Might stay here for a bit. It's farther from the river and closer to the old man's house so it's probably safer, and there's so much stuff left by the visitors when the railroad is open. So many things are here that we could stock up on. I was wondering if Spiller would mind making a few trips to the mill with me between now and fall, to get it set up. That way we could have it ready to move into when we're ready, instead of having to sort it all out when we get there."

"Could do," Spiller said, in between mouthfuls of the delicious stew. Bread and jelly were wonderful things, but you couldn't live on them forever.

"And I do have the shoes to finish," Pod added.

"Oh, Papa, about the shoes, the people we went to visit need some too. Can you make them some? I traced their feet just like you do. They're ever so nice!" Arrietty told her parents all about Arista and Burgonet and about their neat little home under the Vicarage, and how the visit had gone. "They said they'd like me to visit again, someday and I'd like that ever so much," she ended wistfully.

They had banana for dessert. After dinner, Homily took Arrietty to see the bedrooms, while Pod and Spiller went back to the boat to unload. Arrietty could see what Miss Menzies had in mind when she'd furnished the rooms. Pod and Homily's bed had an eiderdown, real sheets, and a quilt with a pattern Homily called double wedding ring. The room was painted a restful shade of light blue and there was a nightstand, a five drawer dresser and a lovely mirrored dresser as well.

"We have an extra set of sheets in the bottom drawer," Homily said, pulling it out of the mirrored dresser. "One for washing and one for using. They're like that in all the bedrooms."

Arrietty's room was light green, and the bed had a quilt in lovely shades of green that reminded Arrietty of out of doors. There was a five drawer dresser and a nightstand in there, too, a mirror on the wall with a gilded frame, a desk and chair. Arrietty walked to the desk and pulled open the drawer. There were sheets of paper, cut letter sized for a borrower and several miniature pencils. She sighed with pleasure.

The last bedroom was painted beige. The bed had a brown bedspread. Arrietty pulled it back and saw two beige blankets under the spread. Arrietty suspected that Miss Menzies had been thinking of Spiller when she designed the room but she agreed with her mother that he might be better off in the bedroom off the kitchen. Spiller wouldn't know what to do with such luxury.

The workroom had a bed and a dresser, but it also had a little rocking chair that was perfect for Homily to sit in and sew and a little table under the window with a stool beside it that was just right for Pod to use when he was plying his trade.

All of the bedrooms in the house had little stands with wash bowls and basins, and tucked under these stands were little china chamber pots. They all had rag rugs in colors to match the rooms. Mr. Pott and Miss Menzies had spared no expense to get these rooms done up. Arrietty so wished that she could thank her.

On the way to the boat, Pod shook his head again in frustration. "Homily's as happy as a lark, but I don't like this. Can't put me finger on it, but something isn't right about it. I'm still determined to go to the mill, but I guess it can wait a bit."

"Sure it will be fine," Spiller said shortly. "Got a point about getting your rooms arranged before you move in. There's something to be said for that."

"Perhaps," Pod answered. "Sounds like Arrietty had a good time with those other ones. Everything go all right?"

"Until the rains came," Spiller said, as they reached the boat. "But nothing got ruined by it." He climbed into the boat. "I'll hand the things out to you." As he handed out the tea, the onion, and the baking powder, Pod stacked it up on the bank.

"What about you and Arrietty?" Pod asked finally. "Get along all right?"

"Got along fine," Spiller said, picking up the half eaten jar of jelly, and tucking it into the burlap bag with the tea. "Think we wouldn't?"

"Was worried about exactly how well you'd get along," said Pod. "I know she likes you and you like her, but I was hoping you'd keep a check on yourselves."

Spiller got the point and sighed. "Might as well tell you the truth about that. Well, I did kiss her, and I liked it and she liked it. So that's where it stands. All right?"

Pod blinked, and then his mouth twitched. "I suppose. That's just as well. If you hadn't kissed her she probably would have kissed you and then what would you have done?"

They both started to laugh and Spiller climbed out of the boat relieved. Pod wasn't going to question him anymore about what he and Arrietty had done on the trip, which was a relief, and Arrietty was going to get to stay in Little Fordham a bit longer before going back under the floor. That could only be a good thing.

And it was. Arrietty and Spiller had a glorious June. They went fishing together, and several times he sneaked her up to see Mr. Pott and Miss Menzies. The first time she saw Arrietty, Miss Menzies burst into tears. "Arrietty, you've grown so much! What a beautiful young woman you've become!"

"I've told her that meself," Spiller said with a grin. "Still needs to grow up a bit more but she seems to have the hang of it now."

They all laughed at that. Not only was it not breaking her promise if Spiller was the one that did all the talking to the humans, Miss Menzies always seemed to enjoy hearing about their adventures. Plus they always received nice gifts when they did this. She was always good for food of various types that was not dropped by the visitors, and gladly gave them a spool of black thread when Homily needed it, and a large tube of seed beads for Pod to use as shoe buttons. They sat in Mr. Pott's kitchen for hours the day the two humans told them all about the remodeling of the Crown and Anchor.

Pod and Homily often questioned them about what they were doing when they disappeared on their own, but Spiller usually just told them he was having Arrietty keep a lookout while he was borrowing, and although they admonished him often to be careful, they never forbid it. They continued to veer back and forth as to their opinion of Spiller and Arrietty's relationship.

One day it would be Pod conceding that they owed Spiller their lives and that his loyalty and bravery were unquestionable, and Homily would be wailing about his vagabond lifestyle. A few days later, impressed with his borrowings, Homily would admit what a good provider he would be and Pod would be in no mood to think about a day when Spiller might be borrowing for a household of his own that included Arrietty.

Spiller and Arrietty went back and forth just as much. One day he wanted to be near her so much that he couldn't dream of leaving her, and the next day he's get an overwhelming urge go jump in his boat and disappear. She would want him desperately, and then he would exasperate her beyond belief. It was a dilemma that played out as Spiller stayed where Arrietty was and made no move to return to his carefree life in the stove by the gypsy camp. Staying with Arrietty meant radical changes to his lifestyle, though.

So much domesticity just plain wore on Spiller after awhile. The bed in the kitchen was annoying. It was too soft. The first night he tried to sleep in it he couldn't sleep at all. Finally he got out, took the pillow off it, and wrapped up in a blanket on the rug. There he could sleep. It got better when he found a scrap of wood just under the size of the mattress, which he put under it. That made the bed firmer and he was eventually able to sleep in it.

Pod had a new rule that they must not go out into the village at all on the weekends when the visitors were present. He wanted no one to ever have the slightest chance to see them. This meant that Arrietty and Spiller could only ride the trains if they got aboard before they started running, and stayed on board until the village closed. Several times they packed a lunch and did just that. They would sit on the seats and talk, holding hands, until lunchtime. Then they would slip into a freight car as the train went behind the church, spread out a blanket, eat lunch, and do some snogging. They were careful not to go too far, but they could barely keep their hands off each other when they were together. It was driving Spiller mad.

On the days when Homily and Arrietty sewed or knitted and Pod worked at his last, and Spiller needed to get away, he would sometimes go hunting or into the human village. He borrowed six small vials with cork stoppers from the druggist for storing food. He also borrowed some screw hooks and a hacksaw blade from the carpenter. He thought the screw hooks would be nice to have when Pod moved his family to the mill.

He and Pod started to plan trips up the river with materials to be stored at the mill. The first time they went back they took the hooks, along with some scraps of wood from Mr. Pott and finished separating the space in the wall into rooms. They also a large collection of match boxes that they planned to turn into dressers. The second time they took a lot of tacks and small nails that they had borrowed from Mr. Pott's scullery workshop. Nails were needed to put the rooms right.

When they went to the mill they always stopped to see Old Daubery. Daubery was badly in need of fabric for Sateen to turn into dresses for the girls, and Miss Menzies had been more than happy to give Spiller some scraps of fabric to augment the handkerchiefs and pieces of pullovers and jackets that visitors dropped at the model village that Homily passed on to him.

They always had nice visits, although Daubery was rather cool to Pod, until he found out Pod was a cobbler. He then gave Pod a nice black leather dress glove he'd borrowed from the Vicar. Pod promised to make them shoes with it. The girls giggled as he marked out the shape of their feet on paper, and Pod swore to himself that he would make them the prettiest shoes possible.

He felt rather guilty that he hadn't finished the shoes for Arista and Burgonet, yet, but Spiller said they would understand. Pod had worked on the shoes for his family and Spiller's fall boots first, and then found it easier to tackle the shoes for Daubrey's family next simply because he felt he owed them for putting him and Spiller up every time they made a trip to the mill.

Spiller planned a trip to Holmcraft for the beginning of June to deliver all of the shoes, and he intended to take it alone, even though there were supplies that needed to be taken to the mill. He wanted to get down to Holmcraft and back before Arrietty's birthday. Homily was making a fuss about this. She had a very fine dinner planned, with a real birthday cake, and she had begged Spiller to be back on time for it.

"I'm making her a new dress," Homily said to Spiller chattily before he left for Holmcraft, "and some other clothes and Pod will have her new shoes ready for her then."

This gave Spiller pause. He wanted to give Arrietty something, too, and didn't know what. Then it came to him. He went to the station on his way to the river. Tucked in the bottom of a barrel right where he'd left it was the fine gold chain that he'd found on the street so long ago. He examined it carefully. The clasp had come off at one end, and the jump ring was too big for a borrower, but the chain was light and delicate. He cut a length of it and worked the links on the end open, then connected them and worked them back closed. He hoped it would please Arrietty. He took it back with him to the boat, where he hid it under the platform, between two of the cutlery compartments. Certain it was safe he set off down the river.

He unloaded the bags of supplies he had bought at the mill. There were bottle tops, and bunches of string, extra material that Homily had folded up and more yarn. He got these things all squared away at the mill as quickly as he could. He didn't want to waste time. He was hungry for Sateen's good cooking. He filled up bags of flour for her and set off.

When Spiller arrived at the landing he glanced downriver as he was unloading at the bend he never took and sighed. Then he went for Daubery to help him unload. Daubery asked after Pod kindly, but while he was helping he commented on what a good provider Spiller was, trying to convince him again that he should marry Hemiola. Spiller couldn't take it anymore and looked him straight in the eye. "No use in that. It's just no good, Daub. I like her. I like all the girls but they're all more like sisters to me. We were so young when we met."

"Always felt like you were part of the family, the old man said slowly. "Wish you really could be."

"I know and I know how much I owe you. It's a lot. I wish you well always, but it just won't work between me and Hemiola. I just don't feel that way about her. I can't, and anyway, there's someone else for me."

Daubery looked at Spiller sadly. "Pod's girl, isn't it? That Arrietty you're always talking about. She's the one for you?"

Spiller nodded. "Think so. Nothing is settled but I think so. When I'm ready to settle down think it will be with her. Mind you, I'm not talking about any time soon, just in general."

"I don't mean to be hard," Daubery said. "I never meant to be so hard. I know love can't be forced, but I wish I knew what would become of the girls when I'm gone. They need someone to take care of them"

"As if I'd ever let them starve," Spiller snorted, "but I'm not the only borrower left in the world, not by a long shot. You'll see."

"I hope so," Daubery said sadly.

When they got everything in the hall the girls came rushing to try on the new shoes. They were thrilled with them. Hemiola especially liked hers. Pod had given hers a bit of a heel. She looked very grown up and Spiller felt sorry for her. Instead of talking to her after they ate supper he pulled Actina onto his knee and told her stories about Little Fordham. That didn't help, though, because it just made Sateen tell him when Actina finally got down to go get ready for bed what a good father she thought he would be. It took Spiller a long time to get to sleep that night. He was terrified by the idea of having an actual child of his own and worried about how Daubery would break the news to Sateen about their discussion.

First thing in the morning after breakfast he packed up the rice, spices, lump of butter, and matches that Daubery was giving him in trade for the shoes and for a spool of thread that had been given to Spiller by Miss Menzies. When Spiller headed out he told them that he had promised to get back to Little Fordham for Arrietty's birthday party. The butter was in one of the glass vials, but Spiller rigged up a strap for it so he could keep in the cold water of the river to keep it fresh until he got back to Little Fordham.

He got back early in the morning and went straight to Mr. Pott. The old man always got up early. He was in the scullery mixing away at a big pot, getting to re-tar some of the lines, and that had to be done early before the day got too hot. He set water to boiling so that he would have a can of it to keep the tar can in, to keep it thin while he worked. He started a bit when Spiller called to him but he was quite used to borrowers now, and so greeted Spiller with a gruff hello.

"Up early, aren't you? Going on a trip?"

Spiller shook his head. "Just got back from one, actually. Had to get back, you see. Homily's having Arrietty's birthday party tonight. Is Miss Margaret going to be about? I need some help getting ready for that."

"Should be soon," Pott replied. "Birthday party is it? What do you have in mind?"

"Arrietty's turning seventeen and I got a gift I made for her but I have nothing to wrap it in and I want it to be nice. Do you think Miss Margaret would help me?"

Pott snorted. "Arrietty's birthday and you want to know if she'll help? Waste of breath, boy. You know she will. What kind of wrapper do you need?" He set his stirring stick down and turned to Spiller, wiping his hands.

"For this," Spiller said, reaching into his deep vest pocket and pulling out the chain. Found it awhile back broken off a human necklace. Thought it might do for Arrietty. I likes her to have nice things."

Pott took it up carefully. It seemed so delicate in his large rough hands. "Margaret will know what to do," he said firmly. "Leave it here for now. I'll put it on the porch by the door here when it's finished. I'll tell her first thing when she gets here."

Spiller left the house through the scullery feeling cheerful. He unloaded his boat and sorted the lumpy packages so that he could carry them. The butter was the most awkward thing. When he got to the Crown and Anchor he went in through the kitchen. Homily was busy icing the cake. He had to wait for her to get done before she would tell him where to put the food he'd brought. She had a piece of chocolate and was going to shave chocolate curls onto the cake to decorate it.

"Looks good," he said admiringly.

"So does Arrietty," Homily said. "The dress I made fits her perfectly and looks wonderful with the new shoes Pod made her."

"You already gave her gifts?" Spiller asked. He was a bit disappointed to have missed that.

"We had 'em on the table when she came down to breakfast. That way we thought she could dress up nice for dinner. Do you want some breakfast? I could come up with some nice cornmeal mush and you can put on some of this butter you brought."

"I'd like that," Spiller admitted.

Arrietty came in then and she looked so lovely that Spiller was struck dumb. The dress was more grown up than she usually wore; made from the calico print Miss Menzies had given them when he'd gone to her to fetch the pins for Homily to use to make knitting needles. It was brown, and orange, and rust, more fall colors than summer ones, but it looked good on Arrietty, especially with her new brown boots. Instead of having her hair down long and tied back with a ribbon she had drawn it back and up so that it cascaded down the back of her head.

The vision of a grown up Arrietty that Spiller had described to Burgonet had come true and it made him feel as grimy as he had ever felt. She looked so much like a princess that Spiller was afraid to touch her. Thank goodness she was not afraid to touch him. She called his name and ran to him and hugged him, kissing his cheek.

"Oh, Spiller, I was afraid you'd miss my birthday dinner! I'm so glad you're here."

"Nothing short of a hurricane would 've stopped me," He assured her.

"I'm trying to work here," Homily said, grumbling. "Can't you two go off somewhere else? Go into the front and take a table if you want to talk. I'll bring Spiller's breakfast as soon as I can."

At that, Spiller took Arrietty's hand and they went into the pub. When they were around the corner of the bar he grinned at her. "Can I really kiss you now?"

She sighed. "Since when do you ask permission?" and looped her arms around his neck. He kissed her and kissed her again. Then he swung her out, arms length away, and spun her around as he had done when they were tamping down the sand at Vine Cottage.

"You look a treat. Much too ladylike for a filthy chap like me," he said. "The duchess and the dustman, people will say."

She laughed. "What people?"

"Oh, I dunno. Anyone who sees us together. I'll have to go see Burgonet and Arista soon. Perhaps you can go with me."

Arrietty drew him over to a table by the window and they sat down holding hands. "I got the idea for this dress from her. The dress I helped her hem was a lot like this one. I described it to Mother when she asked me what I wanted. I'd love to go see them again sometime."

"Before I go there I have to take a trip to see Lupy. I have to have her measure me for my winter clothes," Spiller said.

"But it's only June," said Arrietty.

"Aye," Spiller said, but it will be almost July when I get over there. "I have to stop and check on my stove first. Really need to check on things there, I do. I've neglected it and I want to see what the gypsies are up to. Lupy needs time to get the fur and make the suit, too. She usually doesn't have Hendreary borrow the skin until she's got me measurements."

"You do look a bit taller than you did last winter," Arrietty admitted. "You must promise me, though, not to take any chances around the gypsies. That Mild Eye is probably still furious about being caught poaching and he won't forget about borrowers ever."

"I know what I can do and what I can't," Spiller assured her and leaned in for another kiss, which was interrupted by Pod coming downstairs with the boots he had made for Spiller. Arrietty blushed scarlet because her father had seen them kissing but Spiller seemed nonchalant about it.

"Hallo," he said. "Did a great job on Arrietty's boots, you did. Hope the rest of them are that nice. I was just telling her that she looks smashing."

"She does," Pod had to admit, smiling slightly. He wasn't about to begrudge Arrietty a birthday kiss as long as it would go no farther. He handed the boots to Spiller who slipped them on.

"Soft enough," Spiller admitted. "Got to get used to them, though. Usually don't wear any until winter."

"I think I'll make you another pair for winter, a heavier pair, if you can get me some fur to line them with. Now these, I'd definitely save 'em for fall," Pod acknowledged. "Not good for getting in and out of your boat. How was your trip?" He sat down at the table with them, and the young people had to move their handholding under it.

"Did all right. No problems. Daubery sent rice, matches, spices and greetings."

"Sateen and the girls all right?" Pod asked casually.

"Right as rain," Spiller answered. "Spent the evening telling Actina stories about Little Fordham." He glanced at Arrietty. "You'd of been proud of me. Not much of a storyteller I am, but you've helped me learn."

"I miss telling stories to Timmis," Arrietty said wistfully, running her free hand through her new hairdo, making Spiller itch to touch it. "Spiller says he might go see Aunt Lupy in a few weeks." She looked over at him. "Will you tell Timmis I said hello?"

"You don't want to come?" Spiller asked.

"Not if you have so many other places to go," Arrietty said regretfully. "I'd better not."

"Ask her if she's spare Homily some honey," Pod said, "and some wax for candles."

"Will do," Spiller said. "Plan on doing some hunting and taking her some meat and maybe some of that blue yarn if you can spare a few more skeins of it. Can trade for that, and if we take another run to the mill before I go there, we can get some more flour. Lupy probably needs it. Groundskeepers ain't known for their baking."

Homily came in then with a big bowl of cornmeal mush, and a pot of tea. She set it down on the table and as Spiller ate they all talked for awhile of doings at Little Fordham. Because Miss Menzies had made them all the blankets and quilts they could possibly use, Homily and Pod thought the ones that she had made from the dropped baby jacket could be moved to the mill along with their coin plates and some more bottle tops for cooking pots. They had no need for such things at the Crown and Anchor. Their every need had been supplied.

Pod and Spiller went to the boat after Spiller' late breakfast, and they unloaded everything he had brought them from Daubery's house. As they stored away Spiller's trade goods in the little pantry off the kitchen he and Pod debated on what they could use for a cooking stove once they got settled in at the mill. Spiller promised to keep an eye out for something.

"Wish we could find one of them door locks like Lupy had," Homily said enviously, pinning up her hair, which had started to come down as she had worked over the heat of the stove.

"Not so easy to find," Spiller said with a shrug. He and Pod and Arrietty went back into the front of the pub and sat for awhile as he told them in detail about how Daubery's girls had liked the shoes and about his plans for the rest of the summer.

"I wish Lupy could see how we're fixed," Homily said with a sigh. "She'd be pea green with jealousy."

"Now, Homily," said Pod. "Let it go."

She shrugged and got up from the table. Afternoon was getting on and she had to get back to the kitchen. Pod went upstairs to work on shoes, and Arrietty and Spiller just sat holding hands and talking quietly. Spiller admitted to her that Daubery had tried to fix him up with Hemiola again, and that he had once and for all scotched any thought the old man might have had of him as a son-in-law.

Arrietty looked down at her hands. "I feel sorry for her. Really sorry. I can't imagine any girl being around you, Spiller, and not loving you."

"Oh, go on," he exclaimed. "I've known her since she was a little girl. She's more like a sister to me and she always was."

"That doesn't mean she didn't love you," Arrietty answered sharply. "Look at Miss Menzies and her dear Aubrey."

"I'd rather look at you," Spiller said, and leaned in for another birthday kiss.

On the pretext of going to check his moorings late in the afternoon he went to Mr. Pott's house. Mr. Pott and Miss Menzies had gone out to dinner together at the real Crown and Anchor but Spiller found a small box wrapped with the narrowest of blue ribbon beside the door. Miss Menzies, with her nimble fingers had constructed a tiny, finely crafted gift box for the necklace, and included another box, larger, but just as carefully constructed, and tied with narrow pink ribbon. Spiller wondered what it was, but was afraid to try to untie it and look. He wasn't sure he'd ever get it back the way she had it so he had to take it as it was.

When he came into the kitchen with the packages, Arrietty clapped her hands with delight and spun about like a little girl. Spiller was relieved. She hadn't turned completely into a sedate lady after all. When she opened the smaller box and saw the necklace she was delighted.

"Put it on me," she commanded, and he obliged, slipping it over her head. It settled around her neck, gleaming. "It's lovely."

"Wasn't that hard to make," he said bashfully.

"The other package was an exquisite white apron with tiny lace around the edge. "Just the thing for helping me in the kitchen," Homily said, admiring it. "Wherever did you get it, Spiller?"

"A friend made it for me," he said truthfully.

They had a wonderful dinner of stew, biscuits, and birthday cake. Afterwards Spiller said he had to get going. He wanted to travel down the river to the stove by night. Pod and Homily wished him well and Arrietty walked down to his boat with him. When he was ready to set off, Arrietty kissed him goodbye, and he almost wanted to stay, but he'd let his regular routine go for too long. Ever since Arrietty had come back from the attic he'd done everything differently than he normally did. He was almost looking forward to being on his own for a bit again. He knew he had to decide which life he really wanted.

There were gypsies in camp but Spiller didn't see Mild Eye's wagon. He was glad for that. He was tempted to make a lightning fast raid on the caravan, but something held him back. He'd never thought about danger before but now he was thinking of what would happen to Arrietty if he never came back. He just slipped into the stove instead. His stove needed a good cleaning, especially in the flue area and he brushed it out, but in the middle of doing so, he knew he was changed for good. Prior to sharing a house with Homily he wouldn't have cared so much. He examined the pin holes in the gas pipe, and saw they were all still burning normally. When it got dark he picked a few wild strawberries to fill him up and went out to hunt.

He brought down two mice and skinned them with the half nail scissor he'd gotten from Pod. He slept in the flue in his quilt, and had a rather restless night. Getting soft, he thought to himself, as he tossed and turned and finally fell into a fitful sleep.

In the morning while the gypsy men were out checking their snares and the women were in their wagons, cooking and humming familiar songs, he wrapped the meat in dock leaves to keep it clean and make it easier to transport and went back to his boat. When he got to the gamekeeper's cottage no one was home downstairs but the log box was pulled out.

Spiller left the meat in the hall and went up the ladder to get help carrying it up. Hendreary heard him coming and called to Halberd, Arrietty's oldest cousin, to help. They got the carcasses up the ladder without much trouble, and Lupy came out wiping her hands to see what there was.

"Smoke this for me?" Spiller asked. "Split it as usual."

"Of course," said Lupy. "I was wondering when I'd see you. My, how you've grown up. You get taller every time I see you. Do you want me to measure you for winter clothes while you're here?"

Spiller nodded. "Know it's early, but I've got lots to do this summer. Pod's moving into an old mill downriver and I said I'd help'em get it straight."

"Pod!" Lupy shrieked. "You mean they're alive?"

"As lively as you could expect," Spiller said, "and Homily and Arrietty, too. I have some more things in my boat that they sent you."

"Can you imagine that," Hendreary said, relieved. "What valiant souls they are."

Eggletina came and laid a soft hand on Spiller's arm and smiled at him. Her eyes were full of mischief. "And what of Arrietty?"

Spiller grinned at her. "Just had her seventeenth birthday party. Turning into quite a lady she is. We sort of have an understanding. I've spoken to Pod and perhaps next summer we'll settle things when she's eighteen and I'm twenty."

At this Eggletina threw her arms around Spiller's neck. "I knew it! I knew if you found her you'd sort it all out! Congratulations to the both of you. I hope you'll be very happy." Hendreary and Lupy both gasped in shock.

"Can't believe it," Hendreary said, dazed. "Can't believe little Arrietty's already going on eighteen. I remember when she was born. She was the prettiest baby I'd ever seen."

"Makes a fair lady, too," Spiller acknowledged. "Think we'll suit just fine once we have a bit of time to get used to the idea."

"Oh, my," Lupy said, sitting down quite hard on the nearest chair. "Oh, my, my. You ragamuffin! I never thought I'd live to see the day when you'd settle down!" Thinking hard she had to admit, however, "I knew she fancied you, though. She talked about you all the time when they were here. We'll have to have a nice luncheon together to celebrate. Spiller, you must stay. You won't say no, will you?"

"I'll stay," He told her. "Haven't had a bite since last night. Just let me go get the rest of the things."

"I'll help you," Halberd told him and Spiller shrugged. They went down the ladder to the sound of Eggletina laying out plates as Lupy rummaging through her cupboards. Halberd didn't say anything else until they were outside and on the way to the boat. Then he said quite a lot.

"You're so lucky, finding Arrietty like you did."

"I think so, too," Spiller agreed.

"I wish I could find someone," Halberd said viciously. "I'm so sick of that house. It's hot and it's crowded, and Pa treats me like a baby, even though I'm twenty-one. I'd give anything for a home of my own. I'd live in a hole in the ground if it would just be a home of my own with a family of my own but where in the world can I find a girl? I don't even know any other borrowers except you and the cousins."

Spiller stopped short and looked at Halberd. He was tall, even taller than Spiller and had broad shoulders. He was an excellent house borrower, and knew how to borrow outdoors in a pinch. An idea began to perk in his head. "How you would like to go on a trip with me Halberd? I think I know just the place for you to go!"

Halberd looked at Spiller puzzled, as Spiller handed him the skeins of yarn. "You mean it?"

"Mean it," Spiller assured him. "Think I can solve two problems at one go. But don't say nothing until I do."

Halberd agreed to this. Looking more cheerful than Spiller had ever seen him look he helped Spiller carry his things back to the house. Halberd had always been rather surly and Spiller had thought him dull. He hadn't realized how much Halberd had been chafing under Hendreary's control.

Lupy agreed to send honey and wax to the cousins. She was pleased to get the yarn, saying immediately that she would make socks and jumpers with it. Spiller grinned at that, thinking of what it would be like if the whole family were lined up in matching blue socks and pullovers. That wasn't likely to happen, though. He couldn't see Homily ever wanting to come and visit Lupy again, although Arrietty might like that, provided the visit was a short one.

They had dandelion salad, soup, and fresh green peas. Hendreary toasted Spiller and Arrietty with Lupy's dandelion wine. They made merry, telling stories of Arrietty's childhood. Spiller decided for his own good that he'd better spend the night. They gave him leave to go up and sleep it off in the two rooms on the next floor up. When Spiller collapsed into the bed on the floor, which was more to his liking than the doll bed, it still smelled like Arrietty. Before he went to sleep he realized what he had done, exactly the thing he hadn't wanted to do, committed himself and probably irrevocably. If he broke it off with Arrietty now, the Hendrearies would be furious with him, especially Eggletina, who had done so much to encourage him when Arrietty was gone. But as he went under he decided that it wasn't so bad after all.

In the morning everyone slept late. When Spiller went downstairs to dunk his slightly heavy head in cold water and rinse out his mouth, only Timmis was at the table. He'd cut himself a few slices of cold roast chestnut, and eaten them with strawberry jam for breakfast. Spiller gave him a slight smile, surprised at how much the boy had grown. When Spiller went to poke the fire and put the kettle on, thinking that for once in his life he wanted nothing more than a cup of hot tea, Timmis spoke, sounding slightly wondering.

"Are you really going to marry Arrietty?"

"Looks that way," Spiller said, passing up the silver thimble with a beehive and some strange squares on it that he thought just might be Masonic, and took a china one decorated with forget me nots, that he found slightly less depressing. He then rummaged about for some sugar.

"I miss her. I miss her telling me stories." Timmis looked back down at his plate.

"She misses you, too, mate. How about if I bring her back for a visit before the summer is over?"

Timmis brightened. "I'd like that."

Spiller had the tea made when Lupy came in, her hand to her head. "Oh, you blessed boy," she said with feeling. "You put the kettle on!"

"Did," said Spiller. "And Timmis cut a chestnut."

Lupy looked over at that, and shuddered. "I think I'll toast that. Timmis, dear, please go and get the butter. I don't feel like anything sweet this morning."

Gradually everyone wandered in, some showing the effects of the previous night's party more than others. Halberd had not indulged too much and was in the best shape. He was like a tightly wound watch, keeping his eyes on Spiller, hoping that Spiller hadn't changed his mind about taking him away from the groundskeeper's cottage.

After awhile Lupy recovered enough to measure Spiller for his new clothes, and Hendreary promised to get a moleskin as soon as possible, so that she would have the clothing done when autumn came. Then they all sat around and listened as Spiller told them a little more about what Pod and Homily and Arrietty were up to, and what their moving plans were.

"I knew that Homily would never last at that model village with all of those humans about on those paths," Lupy declared.

"Nice setup, though," Spiller told her, and began to describe Vine Cottage and the Crown and Anchor. He told them about the iron cookstoves, and the eiderdowns. He showed them his quilt and told them about all of the bedrooms, how they were different colors with quilts and blankets to match. He told Lupy about the washstands and chamber pots. When she heard about all of the tables with the flatware, matching china, and glassware, he thought she was going to faint. He'd have to tell Homily about this, he thought. She'd be so pleased at the way he'd made Lupy jealous. Homily certainly didn't need champagne cork stools anymore.

They had a dinner of tea, smoked minnow, and split a couple of green beans. When Spiller was packing up the wax and honey he asked Lupy if he could take them to some other customers, and pick up the load for the cousins on the way back. Then he asked Halberd if he would like to come with to help him load and unload.

"A trip with you? How long would he be gone?" Lupy asked, surprised. "You never need help"

"Few days, maybe. I think these people will like him. They miss having others about. They're lonely, sort of, and I'm not much company."

"Oh, let him go," Hendreary said. "I'll be fine and it'll be good for them. It was different for us when we were young. There were so many others about. He's at that age where a bit of change might do him good."

That, Spiller thought, is an understatement.