Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman

Author:Karen Cushman
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Chapter Eleven: Easing Sarah

On her way back from the market one day, smelling strongly of the fish heads and onions she carried, Matilda stopped by to greet Tildy, as had become her habit. "Fat Annet just poured a bowl of frumenty over the cook," Tildy said. "I am afeared that her temper is growing worse as the days grow warmer. Best you not come here anymore, or we both may suffer the consequences." Tildy and Matilda agreed to meet instead at the town well each Wednesday and Friday when the bells rang for the hour of Sext, after dinner when the sun was highest in the sky.

Matilda thought herself fortunate all the way home. Peg was so much kinder than Tildy's Fat Annet and never begrudged her helper time for a visit or a gossip or a getting-lost walk around the town.

When she entered the shop, she was surprised—knowing Peg was out seeing to Matthew Carbuncle's broken hip—to hear someone move in the darkness. A rat? she thought. A cat? Or Father Leufredus come at last? Her heart jumped. She squinted to see through the dimness.

It was the rude boy from the street. "I am here to see Red Peg the Bonesetter," he said. He peered closely at her. "You? The small girl with the green eyes and dimpled chin? Surely a miracle has brought us together again."

"Muddy Walter, I see," the girl said, dizzy with disappointment. "Peg is my mistress. She is not here, but you can tell me what is it you want of her."

"My master is Nathaniel Cross, the apothecary. His wife, Sarah, who suffers many ailments, is now much afflicted with pains in her legs. Nathaniel thought Peg might have some lotion or tonic to soothe them."

"I will ask Peg when she returns."

"It would help greatly if you were to bring it, for I am most fearsomely busy." Walter moved toward the door. "We must move from our large shop in the High Street. We will be the new tenants of Mother Uffa's small, dark shop. Your neighbors." At that the boy smiled.

Matilda pitied Nathaniel's predicament and would not mind having him for a neighbor. She was less sure about this boy, who both irritated and intrigued her. She shrugged. "Mayhap I could bring the tonic tomorrow."

"And what is the name of the valued bonesetter's helper we will be indebted to?" Walter asked.

"Matilda."

"Well, Matilda the Bonesetter, we are grateful. No, that is much too big a name for someone as small as you. Let me rather say, Matilda Bone, we are grateful."

"As well you should be, Walter Mudd."

He left her.

Matilda Bone, she thought. Never had she been called any name but Matilda. Or clerk's daughter. Or priest's girl. Matilda Bone. It sounded well enough, although she would have preferred Saint Matilda or Matilda the Wise.

The next day there was a commotion at the far, dark end of the alley as Nathaniel, Sarah, and Walter moved into Mother Uffa's old house. Peg rejoiced over her new neighbors and the bouts of draughts that promised.

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