Mary Anning's Curiosity by Monica Kulling

Mary Anning's Curiosity by Monica Kulling

Author:Monica Kulling
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Groundwood Books Ltd
Published: 2017-03-24T16:14:15+00:00


8

The Fossil Shop

It was two weeks since Joe’s discovery. Ma was busy with a customer when Mary and Joe burst through the door. The day after Mary brought home the half crown and Joe stumbled on the eye, Ma had the idea to turn the front sitting room into a shop.

“If ye are set on following in your father’s steps, we best do it right,” she’d said. “Shall we call it the Fossil Shop?”

Pa’s tools were brought up from the cellar. No more standing in floodwater to clean curiosities! Display shelves and a counter were built. Mary was even able to carve a wooden sign, which now hung outside.

Since that day, Mary had worked in all types of weather, hour after hour, all the while keeping a lookout for the Captain.

Today Joe had come down to see how Mary was getting on. The weather was raw and a harsh wind had buffeted them all the way home. Now, they stood in the shop with roses in their cheeks and excitement in their eyes.

“The eye is amazing, Ma!” said Mary.

“It’s only the skull, though,” said Joe.

“The body of the beast is somewhere higher up,” said Mary. “I’m sure of it!”

The customer, who’d had her back to the door, turned.

“What beast is this?” she asked with a smile.

Mary hadn’t seen the woman standing in the corner of the room, and now she’d spilled the secret! Relief washed over her when she saw it was Miss Philpot.

“Joe found the dragon.” Mary’s words tumbled out excitedly. “It’s buried in Church Cliffs! I’ve been working on the skull for days, but it’s a powerful amount of work. The hardest bit will be getting the beast out of the cliff.”

“We don’t know how we’ll do it,” Joe picked up the story. “And we fear the Curiman will grab the dragon from us. He’s been sniffing round. It won’t be long afore he twigs.”

“What dragon is this exactly?” asked Miss Philpot. She was still rather new to Lyme and, as yet, didn’t know all the town’s secrets.

“It’s the Lyme Regis dragon, ma’am,” replied Joe. “Only it’s not really a dragon — probably more like a giant crocodile. Folks have been talking about it for years. I found its eye, and it’s enormous.”

“I’d like to help you if I may,” offered Miss Philpot, catching the excitement. “It sounds like a real scientific discovery.”

The keen sparkle of interest in Miss Philpot’s eyes reminded Mary of Pa when he talked about how old the curiosities were, what they might be and why they were buried in the coastal cliffs. Could Miss Philpot be trusted not to take the discovery away from them?

Ma must have been wondering the same thing, for she replied, “That is a kind offer, Miss Philpot, but I’m sure we’ll find a way.”

Mary caught Elizabeth Philpot’s look of disappointment, followed quickly by embarrassment.

“Of course, I didn’t … I didn’t mean …” Elizabeth sputtered.

Mary jumped in. “We’d love your help, Miss Philpot.”

“We would?” asked a surprised Joe.

“Yes, we would, Joe,” Mary assured him.



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