Da paid for his drinking in the morning, but Zima paid for it worst. He saw the gilt necklace and wanted the money she had been paid. She swore she had only had one man, and only been paid a shilling but he did not believe her and set to beating her with her shoe. Dandy and I made haste to get under the wheels of the wagon and well out of harms way. Dandy stopped to snatch up the baby and lug her to safety with us, and got a backhanded clout for her pains. She was soft-hearted about the little wretch, she was always afraid that Zima would throw it at Da in a rage.
We were under the wagon with the swearing and breaking crockery loud above us when I saw Robert Gower come out on to his step with a mug of tea in his hand and his pipe in his mouth.
He nodded good morning to us as if he was deaf to the thuds and screams from our wagon, and sat in the sunshine puffing on his pipe. Jack came out to sit beside his father, but we both stayed in our refuge. If Da was still angry he couldnt reach us under the wagon unless he poked us out with the butt of the whip, and we were gambling he wouldnt bend over with the beer still thudding in his head. It was getting quieter above, though Zima had started sobbing noisily, and then she stopped. Dandy and I sat tight until we were sure the storm was over, but Robert Gower walked towards our wagon and called out, Joe Cox? when he was three paces from the shafts.
Da came out, we felt the caravan rock above our heads and I pictured him, rubbing frowsty eyes and squinting at the sunlight.
You again, he said blankly. I thought you didnt want my fine hunter. He hawked and spat over the side of the wagon. Dyou want to buy that pretty little pony of ours? Hed look nicely in your show. Or the hunters still for sale.
The fine hunter was still lying down and looked less and less likely to get up. Da did not see it, he was watching Robert Gowers face.
Im interested in the pony if you can get it broken by the end of the week, Robert Gower said. Ive been watching your lass train it. I doubt she can do it.
Da spat again. Shes an idle whelp, he said dismissively. Her and her good-for-nothing sister. No kin of mine, and Im saddled with them. He raised his voice. And my wifes a whore and a thief! he said louder. And shes foisted another damned girl brat on me.
Robert Gower nodded. His white shirt billowed at the sleeves in the clean morning air. Too many mouths to feed, he said sympathetically. No man can keep a family of five and make the profits a man needs.
Da sat down heavily on the step of the wagon. And thats the truth, he said. Two useless girls, one useless whore, and one useless baby.
Why not send them out to work? Robert suggested. Girls can always make a living somehow.
Soon as I can, Da promised. Ive never been fixed anywhere long enough to get them jobs, and I swore to their dead ma that I wouldnt throw them out of her wagon. But soon as I can get them fixedout they go.
Id take the littlun, Robert Gower offered nonchalantly. Whats she called? Merry something? She can work with my horses. Shes useless with anything bigger than a pony so shed be little help to me. But Id take her off your hands for you.
Das bare cracked feet appeared at the wheels at our heads as we crouched beneath the wagon. He slid off the step and went towards the shining topboots of Robert Gower. Youd take Meridon? he said incredulously. Take her to work for you?
I might, Gower said. If the terms were right with the pony.
There was a silence. No, Da said, his voice suddenly soft. I couldnt spare her. I promised her ma, you see. I couldnt just let her go unless I knew she was going to a good place with ready wages.
Suit yourself, Robert Gower said and I saw his shiny black boots walk away. They went for three strides before Das dirty feet pattered after.
If you gave me her wages in advance, gave them to me, Id consider it, he said. Id talk it over with her. Shes a bright girl, very sensible. Brilliant with horses you see. All of mine she trains for me. Shes gypsy you see, she can whisper a horse out of a field. Id be lost without her. Shell get that pony broken and ridable within a week. You see if she doesnt. Perfect for your line of work, she is.
Girls are ten a penny, Robert Gower said. Shed cost me money in the first year or so. Id do better taking a proper apprentice with a fee paid to me by his parents. If youd been willing to give me a good price for the pony Id have taken whatever-her-name-is off your hands for you. Ive a big wagon, and Im looking for a helper. But theres a lot of bright lads who would suit me better.
Its a good pony though, Da said suddenly. Id want a good price for it.
Like what? Robert Gower said.
Two pounds, Da said looking for a profit four times what he had paid for the animal.
A guinea, Robert Gower said at once.
One pound twelve shillings and Meridon, Da said. I could hear the urgency in his voice.
Done! Robert Gower said quickly and I knew Da had sold the pony too cheap. Then I gasped as I realized that he had sold me cheap too and, whether Da was hung-over or no, I should be in on this deal.
I squirmed out from under the wagon and popped up at Das side as he spat into his palm to shake on the deal.
And Dandy, I said urgently, grabbing his arm but looking at Robert Gower. Dandy and I go together.
Robert Gower looked at Da. Shes idle, he said simply. You said so yourself.
She can cook, Da said desperately. You want someone to keep your wagon nice. Shes a good girl for things like that.
Robert Gower glanced at his perfect linen and at Das torn shirt and said nothing.
I dont need two girls, he said firmly. Im not paying that money for a cheap little pony and two girls to clutter up the wagon.
I wont come on my own, I said and my eyes were blazing green. Dandy and I go together.
Youll do as youre told! Da exclaimed in a rage. He made a grab for me but I ducked away and got behind Robert Gower.
Dandys useful, I said urgently. She catches rabbits, and she can cook well. She can make wooden flowers and withy baskets. She can do card tricks and dance. Shes very very pretty, you could have her in the show. She could take the money at the gate. She only steals from strangers!
Wont you come on your own to be with my horses? Robert Gower said temptingly.
Not without Dandy, I said. My voice quavered as I saw my chance of getting away from Da and Zima and the filthy wagon and the miserable life fading fast. I cant go without Dandy! Shes the only person in the whole world that I love! If I didnt have her, I wouldnt love anyone! And what would become of me if I didnt love anyone at all?
Robert Gower looked at Da. A guinea, he said. A guinea for the pony and Ill do you a favour and take both little sluts off your hands.
Da sighed with relief. Done, he said and spat in his palm and they shook on the deal. They can come to your wagon at once, he said. Im moving on today.
I watched him shamble back to the wagon. He was not moving on today. He was running away before Robert Gower changed his mind on the deal. He would celebrate getting a guinea for a pony and cheating Robert Gower a warm man out of an eleven shilling profit. But I had a feeling that Robert Gower had planned from the start to pay a guinea for the pony and for me. And maybe he knew from the start that he would have to take Dandy too.
I went back to the wagon. Dandy wriggled out, pulling the baby behind her.
I want to take the babby, she said.
No Dandy, I said, as if I were very much older than her and very much wiser. Weve pushed our luck enough.
We were on our best behaviour for the rest of that week at the Salisbury fair. Dandy went out to the Common outside the town and brought back a meat dinner every day.
Where are you getting it from? I demanded in an urgent whisper as she spooned out a rabbit stew thick and chunky with meat.
Theres a kind gentleman in a big house on the Bath road, she said with quiet satisfaction.
I put the bowls out on the table and dropped the horn-handled spoons with a clatter.
What dyou have to do for it? I asked anxiously.
Nothing, she said. She shot me a sly smile through a tumbling wave of black hair. I just have to sit on his knee and cry and say, Oh! Please dont Daddy, like that. Then he gives me a penny and sends me out through the kitchen and they give me a rabbit. He says I can have a pheasant tomorrow.
I looked at her with unease. All right, I said unhappily. But if he promises you a rib of beef or a leg of lamb or a proper joint youre not to go back again. Could you run away if you had to?
Oh yes, she said airily. We sit near the window and its always open. I could be out in minutes.
I nodded, only slightly relieved. I had to trust Dandy with these weird frightening forays of hers into the adult world. She had never been caught. She had never been punished. Whether she was picking pockets or dancing to please elderly gentlemen with skirts held out high; she always came home with a handful of coins and no trouble. She was as idle as a well-fed cat around the caravan. But if she sensed trouble or danger she could slip through a mans hands and be gone like quicksilver.
Call them, she said, nodding towards the doorway.
I went out to the step and called: Robert! Jack! Dinner!
We were on first-name terms now, intimate with the unavoidable closeness of caravan-dwellers. Jack and Dandy sometimes exchanged a secret dark smile, but nothing more. Robert had seen how they were together the very first evening we had spent in the caravan and had pulled off his boots and started blacking them, looking at Dandy under his blond bushy eyebrows.
Look here, Dandy, he had said, pointing the brush at her. Ill be straight with you, and you can be straight with me. I took you on because I thought youd do nicely in the show. I have some ideas which Ill break open to you later. Not now. Nows not the time. But I can tell you you could have a pretty costume and dance to music and every eye in the place would be on you. And every girl in the place would envy you.
He paused, and satisfied with the effect of this appeal to her vanity went on: Ill tell you what I want for my son, he said. Hes my heir and hell have the show when Im gone. Before then Ill find him a good hard-working girl in the shows business like us. A girl with a good dowry to bring with her, and best of all an Act and a Name of her own. A Marriage of Talents, he said softly to himself.