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Dessert was spice cookies. Two, in fact, washed down with one last cup of tea. By the time she’d taken her last swallow of the sweet liquid she was beginning to feel the tiredness from the long day begin to set in. She stifled a yawn behind her hand and begged the Elf’s pardon.
‘My goodness!’ she said. ‘It seems my day is catching up with me. Sorry to be yawning, Master Tavaro. It’s certainly not your good company and conversation that’s making me do so.’ She crumpled her napkin and put it alongside her now empty mug. ‘And gracious, it’s grown quite dark out,’ she went on, reaching down to get her bag. ‘I think I’d better get my cart and see about getting home.’
Miribelle stood up, looking around to see if Will were somewhere about. She called Prim over and asked her to let Will know that she needed her cart.
‘How kind of you,’ she said as Tavaro offered to walk her out to the stable. She declined to take his arm, but walked close by him as they crossed the yard. It was a bright moon above which lit their way.
Will had harnessed Cookie to the cart and brought it out to meet her just as she reached the stable doors. He held the reins as she climbed up to her seat. She gave him her thanks and waved good-bye to Tavaro, saying in parting that she hoped he would not be leaving soon and that they’d meet again before he did. ‘We still have springle-rings to talk about. And I’d very much like to have you come to my little shop to see what I do.’
Miribelle waved once more to Tavaro and Will. She flicked the reins lightly against Cookie’s back and set out for home and her snug little bed.
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