Remarkable creatures by tracy chevalier 150

water. It was Fanny Miller, who had lately married Billy Day, one of the
quarrymen who helped me dig out monsters. Even the quarrymen were taken,
then.Fannystaredatus.Whenshemetmyeyesheclutchedherhusband’sarm
andhurriedawayalongthestreetasfastashergamelegwouldlether.
Then I knew what I would do with Colonel Birch, widow lady or no. It
would be my present to myself, for I was not likely to have another chance. I
nodded at him. “Go and see Mam, sir. She’s been expecting you. I’ll find you
after.”
Ididnotwanttowatchhimhandoverthemoney.ThoughIwasgratefulfor
it, Idid not want tosee it. Ionly wanted to seehim. When he had tiedup the
horse and gone inside, I packed away the curies, then went quick up Butter
MarketandfollowedColonelBirch’spathinreverse.Iknewhewouldlodgeas
healwaysdidattheQueen’sArmsinCharmouth,andsowouldpassthisway
again.WhenIgottoLordHenley’sfieldoffCharmouthLaneIcrossedtoastile
andsatonittowait.
Colonel Birch held his back so straight as he rode he looked like a tin
soldier.Withthesunlowbehindhimandcastingalongshadowbefore,Icould
notseehisfaceuntilhepulledupalongsideme.AsIclimbedtothetoprungof
thestileandbalancedthere,hetookmyhandsothatIwouldnotfall.
“Mary,Icannotmarryyou,”hesaid.
“Iknow,sir.Itdon’tmatter.”
“Youaresure?”
“Iam.Itismybirthdaytoday.Iamtwenty-oneyearsoldandthisiswhatI
want.”
I was not a horse rider, but that day I had no fear as I reached over and
swungintothespacebetweenhisarms.
Hetookmeinland.ColonelBirchknewthesurroundingcountrysidebetter
thanIdid,forInevernormallywentintothefields,butspentallofmytimeon
the shore. We rode through dusk’s shadows lit here and there with panes of
sunlight,uptothemainroadtoExeter.Onceacrossweheadeddowndarkening
fields. Along the way we did not murmur sweet words to each other like

courtingcouples,forwewerenotcourting.NordidIrelaxinhisarms,forthe
horseswayedandthesaddlepushedhardagainstmeandIhadtoconcentrateso
Iwouldn’tfalloff.ButIwaswhereIwantedtobeanddidnotmind.
Anorchardatthebottomofthefieldwaitedforus.WhenIlaydownwith
ColonelBirchitwasonasheetofappleblossompetalscoveringthegroundlike
snow. There I found out that lightning can come from deep inside the body. I
havenoregretdiscoveringthat.
Ilearnedsomethingelsethatevening,whichcometomeafterwards.Iwas