The Dresses Three

Chapter 7: Spinning and Weaving

It was difficult for Mercy to not slip into her talent. She had to keep up a banter with Helena and those that stopped by to admire her work and take in the magic of the invisible spinning wheel to break her concentration. It made her somewhat sad; it was a perfect day and she'd have liked nothing more than to get lost in the fiber and light.

Helena would direct the onlookers into the store if they showed particular interest in the bracelet. Laura was more than delighted at the number of sales she was making because of the thread. Mercy estimated Laura was selling the spools at about half the rate she was making them. She was glad Laura would have a small stock when she left.

"You must be Mercy," she heard a pleasant voice say just before noon. She turned to see a thin woman with mousy hair about Helena's age carrying a picnic basket approaching her. "I'm Glendin, the blacksmith's daughter. Lance said that you might have gotten so involved that you'd forget to eat, so I brought lunch."

Mercy smiled, "He's a wonderful, thoughtful man. I almost wish I loved him."

Mercy paused the wheel as Helena jumped up to take the basket from Glendin's shaking grasp.

Glendin gave her a weak smile, before turning back to Mercy. "He seems to be nice. And he's very talented, too."

"He is! I hope that he'll be able to make you all something worthy of the time at the forge."

Helena leaned in to catch Matt's attention who immediately offered his chair to Glendin. The young woman sat with obvious pain, but her face soon fell into a comfortable smile. "Oh, he already has. And, he's showing Da a trick or two."

Matt grinned, "Yeah, that sounds like my brother." He helped Helena unpack the basket, being careful of his work, and hortlyn they were all chatting and eating scones with peach jam.

"Oh my Gods!" Mercy moaned, "these are amazing!"

"Thank you," Glendin said with an incline of her head. "I started with my Grandmother's recipe..."

"Well, we can tell where your talent lies!" Mercy said, taking a large bite and washing it down with some milk Helena had fetched.

"Yes. I enjoy baking," the woman said wistfully. "I'd love to have my own shop."

"Why don't you? You'd make a small fortune just on scones alone," Mercy said.

"Glendin doesn't have a bakery because her mother is a jealous bitch," Helena responded with such venom that it stunned the group into silence.

"Now, Helena, you know Ma only..."

"Only what? Is looking out for you? She treats you like an invalid, Glendin! When, instead, she could support you and your talent." Helena turned to Matt and Mercy to explain. "Glendin's mother isn't talented. She's been jealous of Glendin ever since her talent manifested. She uses Glendin's health as a reason Glendin can't have a shop of her own. It's infuriating; she could stop using all the energy she puts into trying to control Glendin and start using it to help her run a bakery."

Glendin sighed, "Helena, we've been through this before..."

"Yes, I know, Glendin. And every time, I tell you I wish your father would put his foot down about it."

"Well, he's not going to, Helena, so there's no reason to fight. I'll never have a shop and that's that."

"You know that's bullshit, Glendin Helmson! Everyone knows full well that I would be your partner in a heartbeat.

The table lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Not knowing what to do, Mercy went back to her wheel and began to spin.

It was Glendin who changed the subject. "So, Mercy, is it true that you and Lance are betrothed?"