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At Dag's house
There was a small gasp, quickly stifled, as Káta finished her little speech. Gunna’s eyes widened at the woman’s words, her eye’s flicking quickly toward her sister who sat on a little stool spinning some wool and then back to the scarf-draped basket in the entryway. For her part, Mem looked expectantly toward the entryway, a smile of delight at the promise of such welcome company lighting her features.
‘Well, sister,’ Mem said, wrapping the unspun yarn about her spindle and setting it aside. Her hands now free, she smoothed her skirt over her knees, and gestured to the cushions near her. ‘We should not keep our good friends waiting. Please, have them come in.’ Káta glanced at Gunna, waiting for her invitation.
Jora squirmed away from Granny’s side, her eyes on the baby just to the other side of Mem. ‘Oh, there you are, little sweetling!’ she laughed dashing across the threshold. She swooped down on the little girl and swept her up in her arms. ‘We’ve brought some of Granny’s jam,’ she confided to Mem as she sat down at the woman’s feet. ‘And Mother packed some of her sweet buns, the ones with the fat currants in them. Jora dandled the baby on the ground in front of her, the infants delighted squeals breaking the silence at the door.
‘Come in the,’ Gunna said motioning for the others to enter and seat themselves around the low table in the center of the room. ‘The scarf . . . it’s lovely,’ she went on, as she picked up the basket and followed Káta in. She gave Káta a smile. ‘I don’t suppose it’s for me, now, is it?’
‘It’s for you, Mem,’ Jora whispered. ‘You heard what mother said, didn’t you,’ she continued. ‘It’s really pretty. Blue like the sky and soft as ever.’ Jora went on with her running commentary to Mem. ‘Fálki’s brought it to give to you, you know.’ Her voice dropped even lower. ‘I think it means we might be sisters.’ Mem felt the heat from this last pronouncement rise to her cheeks.
Granny moved past Káta and Gunna, to a place near Mem. She patted the seat near her, one closer to the young woman. ‘Come, Fálki. Sit here.’
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