Nano 8

‘I told you. I did tell you.’ Laurel pushed past him angrily, choking on her tears. Art stepped out of the way silently.

Mr. Lefroy leaned against the doorframe and watched the boy. Art turned away, uneasy.

‘It’s a good offer, Art,’ Lefroy said. ‘Mr. Sept knows what he’s talking about. And a future in the books business will be quite stable and comfortable.’

‘But I don’t want it,’ Art said, not looking at Lefroy. ‘I know, it’s for my own good, but I don’t want it enough. I want to…I guess I want to stay here, and help out in the fields, and everything.’

‘I know,’ Lefroy said heavily. ‘I would have liked you to stay here too.’

‘I’m sorry for upsetting Laurel though,’ Art muttered. ‘She expected this, I think.’

‘Laurel’ll get over it after a while.’ Lefroy shook his head sadly. ‘But she’s cut up about you leaving now.’

Ellen came out of the room and placed a comforting hand on her husband’s shoulder. ‘The girl will be all right after a few days,’ she said. She smiled gently at Art. ‘I’m really sorry you’re leaving, but as Christopher said, it will be better for you, Art. There’s – there’s nothing much for you here, I’m afraid. We would have liked you to stay, very much so…but there it is. You stay here, and then you’ll realize that you can’t move or even breathe after a few years. It’s not a good place for a young man to find his fortune.’

‘I’m not looking for a fortune,’ Art argued. ‘I just want to stay here. I don’t mind living here and earning my keep, even if it’s not a lot, and it’s a lot of hard work in the fields.’

‘Listen to the lady, young man,’ Lefroy said. ‘I’ve talked it over with her and Mr. Sept, and we all agreed that it would be a better prospect for you to follow him. You can come home in the future, once you’ve settled in with the business, and we will always, always, welcome you back.’

‘But.’ He bit his lip and fell silent. Ellen pulled him into a hug and patted his shoulder. Art kept quiet, waiting for his throat to unstuck itself.

The next morning, Mr. Sept arrived in time for breakfast, packed and ready. Ellen kept herself busy with preparing breakfast and slipping the last few things into Art’s pack. Laurel had shut herself up in the attic and was refusing to come down, even after her father went upstairs to coax her down. Vivien slept peacefully in bed, oblivious to the bustle and talk.

Breakfast was over too soon, and then it was time to leave. The sun had not risen properly yet, but Mr. Sept insisted – gently – that they had to leave soon to arrive in the nearest town that evening. Ellen handed a bottle to Art without saying anything, her eyes red. Lefroy cleared his throat several times and went up to the attic again to bring his daughter down for the goodbyes.

Art was halfway out of the yard with the man, when he heard the patter of footsteps and a shriek. Laurel flung herself around his leg and wailed. ‘Don’t go!’

‘Er.’ He stopped and pulled her arms off his numb leg. ‘Laurel. I have to go. I don’t want to, you know, as much as you.’

‘But I want you to stay!’

‘Look,’ he said patiently, kneeling down to look her in the face. ‘I’ll be back soon, I promise. I’ll bring you back presents too, or anything you want. I can get you all those science journals, nearly all of them, where I’m going. I promise.’

‘Okay.’ She grabbed his face, then pulled him forwards and planted a wet kiss on his forehead. ‘Keep your promise, okay? Or I’ll go out looking for you. And then you’ll be sorry.’

‘Don’t worry about that,’ he reassured her, smiling.

And then they were off, the two of them, man and boy. Art turned for a last look at the house, but Ellen or Lefroy had already shut the door. Mr. Sept turned to look too, and nodded knowingly to the boy. They didn’t say anything for the next hour or so.

‘One last performance today, and then we’ll be moving on,’ Iris said as she checked the list. ‘Good. I’m getting sick of this place already.’

‘Where are we heading to next?’ Katya reached over and snatched the list back. ‘Looks like I’m on duty today with the boys.’

‘Not sure.’ Iris nibbled on a nail nervously. ‘I hope the river isn’t flooded though. My dad said that we’ll be taking that route.’

‘What route?’ Katya said absently, reading the list critically. ‘Hey, look here, you’re on the mermaid performance again. It’s not your day!’

‘Anna’s sick today.’ Iris sighed and added, ‘Of course she would be, stupid girl. She went out swimming last night with some boys. Her cousin’s mother caught her, and then she – the mother, I mean – brought the boys back to their fathers and told them everything. Anna would be stupid to show her face again around her.’

‘I see.’ Katya smirked and shook her head. ‘Tut tut. You would have thought that girls these days had more brains.’

‘And more time to do other things besides meeting boys secretly,’ Iris said. ‘Hey Katya, have you seen anyone suspicious around here lately? Men, for example?’

‘If you’re talking about those weird men watching the creek the other day, then no, I haven’t. But I can see several suspicious men looking at us right now.’ Katya tossed her head, setting her hair flying in the wind. Iris rolled her eyes and snorted.

‘I was talking about the men at the creek. Thanks all the same.’ Iris pulled herself up reluctantly. ‘Well I’d best be getting ready. Those damn shells!’

Katya waved her off cheerfully. Iris dodged a big group of kids with red balloons tied to their wrists – schoolchildren out on an outing, she thought – and hurried across to the next field. Men were already filling up the mermaid tank with hoses and pumps, while Jonas circled the tank, checking the breathing equipment and emergency aids. The benches in front of the tank were filling up rapidly with children and families. Iris could hear shouts from the booth, where the man was urging people to ‘Step up, step up to see the show, one of a kind, not to be seen anywhere else in the world!’

‘Hey girly.’ Someone gripped her arm tightly and tugged.

‘Get off!’ she yelled, wrenching her arm back. She whirled around and brought her leg up. The man fell back quickly, stumbling over his own feet and landing on his back heavily. She watched in amazement as the man rolled over on to his face and began snoring loudly. By gods, he’s drunk silly! she thought.

Feeling slightly foolish, she ran off to the gate, leaving the sleeping man to a curious circle of bystanders who had heard her yell. Jonas was waiting for her at the tank, looking anxious and excited.

‘Hurry up!’ he called as she ran to the back to change. ‘We’re starting in five!’

Iris pulled the curtains close behind her in the makeshift tent and turned to pick up the costume from the shelf. Her hand froze in mid-air, despite the messages from her brain telling her that Jonas would be furious if she wasn’t ready on time.

The little man took off his hat to her and bowed deeply.

‘Good afternoon, Miss Langdon.’

Iris backed out of the tent and screamed.