Last Days in Eden by Ann Kelley

Author:Ann Kelley [Kelley, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Luath Press Ltd
Published: 2014-10-22T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE NEW COCKEREL woke me next morning with his loud call. As soon as I was washed and dressed in my old overalls, I raked out the ashes from the range and removed them to the compost heap. I inspected the orchard, breathing in the delicious scent of orange blossom, then I walked around my smallholding, noting the neat heaps of firewood and sea-coal Kit had left. Not only had he mended the roof and plugged holes in the walls of Shell Shack, he had filled the gaps in the shed walls, too.

I let the chickens out to run in the yard, where they immediately started to peck and feed. They were beautiful, I had to admit, even though Li-li had chosen them. Glossy black feathers tumbled over their claws and spread over their necks. They were far more handsome than the plain brown hens I had grown up with. They were like the Laos – exotic and glamorous and strange. At first they were nervous of me, but when they realised that I was now the source of their feed, they gradually came closer, until they were eating out of my hand.

It was while I was feeding them that the Lao family arrived at Shell Shack.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

‘So this is your small kingdom, Flora!’ Lord Lao dismounted, opened the gate and walked in. Yo-yo and Li-li followed.

‘Please come in. I’ll make a pot of mint tea.’ Flustered, I fell back on the hospitality taught me by Nano.

‘No, we won’t bother you. I’ve come to see the sculptures. My daughter tells me they are most unusual and extraordinary.’

‘My grandfather’s work, you mean?’

‘Yes. May I look around?’

I showed him the driftwood and recycled metal creatures – an elephant, a zebra, and other extinct mammals. A peacock with metal rods as tail feathers. Lord Lao was impressed, I could tell. I tried to catch Yo-yo’s eye, but he was looking everywhere except at me.

‘Would you be prepared to sell any of them, Flora?’ Lord Lao twisted the ends of his waxed moustache.

‘Sell?’ The possibility had never occurred to me before Li-li’s throwaway comment. No one had ever shown an interest in buying the work, although they’d taken digigraphs of them, and paid for the privilege. But I thought of the dees at Lord Lao’s disposal and what I could do with them.

He could see my hesitation. ‘Name your price,’ he said.

‘I don’t know. I hadn’t thought anyone would want them.’ Except me.

‘They have artistic merit and a naïve charm. Your grandfather was a talented sculptor. I would like to buy as many as you care to sell.’

I was beginning to feel panicky, imagining the place without the sculptures. It was as if I was selling Grandpa Noah along with them.

‘Let me think about it,’ I said.

‘That’s very sensible, Flora.’ Lord Lao tilted his head, smiling. ‘Let me know when you’ve made your decision.’

‘I should give them to you, really, to repay you for the Dizcare.’

‘Nonsense. It was my pleasure.’

Li-li rolled her eyes.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.