Weave of Silver [ONC III | Fantasy/HistFic | Complete]

Chapter 3: Journey into Silver

Heart hammering, Meera swept the memory off the stabiliser and back into its tiny bottle. The sound of a key turning in the front door made her heart race even faster. The red bottles returned to their places at the back of the shelf. She managed to shove the footstool back in its original position near the basin before her eyes caught the bottle she'd set aside, with the wide body and pointed lid. A curse word slipped out under her breath.

"Meera?" Mackleberry's quiet voice reached her ears. His boots clicked across the wooden floorboards. Sweating profusely, Meera grabbed the last bottle. No time to move the footstool and put it back where it belonged. Panic rippled over her flesh. She crouched and pushed aside large jars of desiccated Anastrazite and shoved the bottle at the far back. It would perhaps buy her several days before Mackleberry discovered it when cleaning. Hopefully, by that point she would have had a chance to sneak to the back again and return it to its rightful place.

Aware of sweat sticking to the back of her collared dress, Meera straightened up and hurried to the front of the store.

"Master! You've returned early!"

Aurelius Mackleberry hung up his dark blue tophat on the hat stand before striding past her on long legs, black Hessian boots clicking with every step. The navy cutaway tailcoat went on the wall. He rolled up the white sleeves of his linen shirt before turning to face her. Thick dark brown eyebrows knitted together over sharp hazel eyes. His thin lips were pressed so tight they almost disappeared. Even though he'd been hiking in the middle of nowhere for the past few days, he still remained immaculately put-together, sideburns carefully sculpted and chin clean-shaven, revealing a chiselled jaw. Many ladies of Pirran Downs found Aurelius Mackleberry attractive; none of them had had the pleasure of acquainting with his arctic personality or strict demands. There was a good reason a man his age had yet to court a lady, let alone marry one. Meera had never seen him interact with someone of the opposite gender outside of work.

She couldn't help but compare the animated, younger Aurelius Mackleberry to the sullen one today.

"I have asked you many times to ensure the bottles are spaced evenly when on display. Else, it makes the place look slovenly. I trust you have kept them all polished in my absence?" He ran a razor-sharp eye over the displays but made no further remark.

"Every single one," Meera said with a grin. It was always the same lines whenever he came back. Everything must be perfect for Mackleberry. Heaven forbid the day his quills didn't line up beside his inkpot. She'd grown used to his criticisms. He turned to her.

"Where is your apron?"

Meera's eyes flicked to the counter. It must have slipped off and fallen to the ground. She opened her mouth.

"And why is the shop closed early? It is not yet sundown."

Her smile faltered. Although his voice was low and his face expressionless, the disapproval pulsed with every syllable. Closing early was not doing things his way.

"My apologies," she said, her eyes downcast. Mackleberry tutted and left it at that, sweeping into the back room.

Meera hastily fetched a new apron and tied it around her waist, relieved at her luck.

"What new memories have you procured, Master?" she said, hurrying after him.

Mackleberry emerged from his private room at the far back. He loosened his collar and stretched his neck from side to side. Even though he must have travelled hours, not a hair was out of place.

"I made acquaintances with some businessmen in Mecklestow." Although his voice remained quiet, there was a pink glow on his cheeks. Long fingers carefully laid tiny bottles on the wooden workbench. "The art of procuring and reselling properties is quite the popular pass time amongst the upper class, but many young men lack the experience. Unless one grew up well-acquainted with businessmen, even if they inherit tens or hundreds of estates, they do not know how to make it grow."