The Second Saga: Part Fourteen

The party slowly made its way back toward The Village and Oggin was pleased that Bob kept his curiosity in check throughout the journey. When they reached Bob’s gate, he sent the boys in with Bob junior and instructed them to unhitch the cart and get some food for the donkey. He then leaned back on the gate and spoke.

“Well then Oggin....wa’s the story wiv dat tin then....?”

“As you know, the cottage you live in used to belong to Greedle the Bronze...she had to leave in a hurry and I don’t think she’ll be back. She used to sell ‘stuff’ to some shady types and got locals to grow the plants for her....and one of them was H’rsh the Boog. Now as far as I can tell poor old H’rsh had no idea what she was growing till some rough types showed up to collect it.....you with me so far...?”

“Aye....I know’d about the Bronze wummin....”

“Well....H’rsh was well known in these parts for messing about with herbs....she tried to use them to colour hair...in fact she tried them out on herself....used to get in a right state too.....anyway, she moved out of her cottage and sold it on......To Nitaa the Cutter...who also dabbles with herbs and is a hair cutter as well...!”

“An’ you recons there’s a connection loike....”

“I’m sure of it Bob....that tin had H’rsh’s recipe book in it and only one person would profit from its disappearance....Nitaa the Cutter....in fact she coloured H’rsh’s hair yesterday....Oh...and that tin....it was a cat food tin...imported too I should think....”

“’ow you know that....”

“That writing on the lid...I’ve been thinking about it....the letters were spaced wrong...like some were missing...I think it said La Cuisine de Chatte.....and the picture....it was a ginger cat...not a monkey....”

“An’ oos gotta load’er cats....” said Bob, with a knowing look.

“...and who’s just moved here from Eastex...right next to the Small Water...”

“Tha’s all well an’ good Oggin....but you’da gotta wonder why loike....wass all the hidy stuff about....?”

“I don’t know...” said Oggin, “...and I don’t think we’ll find out any time soon either Bob....Still...time’s getting on....I’ll see you in the morning and we’ll go and get the job finished and hopefully get some coin too.....you Stay Well Bob Weaver....”

“An’ you an’ all Oggin...you stay well an’ all.....”

The two men parted company with a wave and Oggin made for home. There was much to think about and Oggin tried hard not to think about it. His personal philosophy of “Live and let live” was having a hard time dealing with the events of the day and he knew that Kajoa would quickly sense that all was not well, so decided to put all thoughts of Nitaa, the tin and The Stone Woman out of his mind.

Of course, this plan didn’t work and the more he tried to behave normally the more it showed and the more suspicious Kajoa got. In the end the atmosphere got quite frosty and Oggin went to bed early, simply to escape.

Oggin laid in bed, in the dark, thinking. He knew that Kajoa was unhappy because she realised that he was keeping something from her but he also knew that telling her would be like standing on the green and shouting it out loud!

In the end he decided to sleep on it and hope Kajoa calmed down a little.