Chapter 9

           Itwastheseacaptain,comeforhiswindspellatlast,andnotatallpleasedathavingtowait.“IfImissmytide,boy,”hesaidtoMichael,“IshallhaveawordwiththeSorcereraboutyou.Idon’tlikelazyboys.”

           Michael,inSophie’sopinion,wasfartoopolitetohim,butshewasfeelingtoodejectedtointerfere.Whenthecaptainhadgone,MichaelwenttothebenchtofrownoverhisspellagainandSophiesatsilentlymendingherstockings.Shehadonlyonepairandherknobbyfeethadwornhugeholesinthem.Hergraydressbythistimewasfrayedanddirty.Shewonderedwhethershedaredcuttheleast-stainedbitsoutofHowl’sruinedblue-and-silversuittomakeherselfanewskirtwith.Butshedidnotquitedare.

           “Sophie,”Michaelsaid,lookingupfromhiseleventhpageofnotes,“howmanynieceshaveyou?”

           SophiehadbeenafraidMichaelwouldstartaskingquestions.“Whenyougettomyage,mylad,“shesaid,“youlosecount.Theyalllooksoalike.ThosetwoLettiescouldbetwins,tomymind.”

           “Oh,no,notreally,”Michaelsaidtohersurprise.“ThenieceinUpperFoldingisn’tasprettyasmyLettie.”Hetoreuptheeleventhpageandmadeatwelfth.“I’mgladHowldidn’tmeetmyLettie,”hesaid.Hebeganonhisthirteenthpageandtorethatuptoo.“IwantedtolaughwhenthatMrs.FairfaxsaidsheknewwhoHowlwas,didn’tyou?”

           “No,”saidSophie.IthadmadenodifferencetoLettie’sfeelings.ShethoughtofLettie’sbright,adoringfaceundertheappleblossom.