Page 182 of The Armor of Light

The man asked the stallholder: ‘How much do you charge for a ribbon like this?’

‘The whole reel? Six shillings.’

‘Six shillings, you say?’

‘Yes.’

‘Very good.’

Elsie wondered what was so significant about the price, that it had to be repeated.

The stallholder said: ‘And I’ll have it back, please.’

The man hesitated and said: ‘You will give evidence in court?’

‘Of course.’

The reel was handed over.

Elsie said: ‘Wait a minute. Who are you?’

The man said: ‘Good day to you, Mrs Mackintosh. I’m Josiah Blackberry. There’s been an outbreak of thieving in Kingsbridge lately, and the borough council has asked me and a few others to keep an eye on suspicious characters at the market today. I take it you saw this boy pocket the ribbon.’

‘Yes, but I question why. Boys do not generally want pink ribbons.’

‘Perhaps not, but all the same I must take him to the sheriff.’

Elsie said to the boy: ‘Why did you take that ribbon?’

His defiance, which had been ignited by rough words, now melted, and he seemed on the verge of tears. ‘My mother told me to.’

‘But why?’

‘Because we have no bread. She can sell it and then we can eat.’

Elsie turned to Josiah Blackberry. ‘This child needs food.’

‘I can’t help that, Mrs Mackintosh. The sheriff—’

‘You can’t help him, that’s true, and nor can the sheriff, but I can. I will take him home and feed him.’ Elsie turned to the boy. ‘What’s your name?’

‘Tommy,’ he said. ‘Tommy Pidgeon.’

‘Come with me and I’ll give you something to eat.’

Blackberry said: ‘All right, but I must stay with him. I have to deliver him to the sheriff. What he stole is worth more than five shillings, and you know what that means.’

‘What does it mean?’ said Elsie.

‘It means he may be hanged.’

*

When Roger Riddick walked into Barrowfield’s New Mill, Kit recognized him instantly. Roger’s face had lost that boyish glow – he must be past thirty now, Kit reckoned – but he still had an impish grin that made him seem younger.

Over the years Kit had picked up scraps of news about Roger going from one university to another, studying and sometimes lecturing, and had thought he must end up teaching, probably at one of the Scottish universities that specialized in maths and engineering. But here he was back in Kingsbridge.

However, Roger did not recognize Kit.