Page 285 (1/2)

Logan tries again: "Good afternoon, ma’am"

She stops in the manner of someone alerted by a distant sound; slowly she raises her face Her eyes are rheumy, damp and faintly yellow She squints at hi to focus So her mouth a pursed appearance

"So, you’ve decided to come up, then," she says Her voice is a coarse rasp "I ondering when that would happen"

"My na we could talk with you Would that be all right?"

The woun, faintly, to lances at Nessa, whose face, behind her plastic mask, drips with sweat, as does his own

"Would you like some help?" Nessa asks the woman

The question appears to puzzle her The woman shifts backward onto her haunches "Help?"

"Yes With the weeding"

Herlady?"

"I don’t believe so," Nessa replies "We’ve only just arrived"

"From where?"

"Far away," says Nessa "Very far away We’ve coreat distance to see you" She points toward the field of rocks "We got your esture "Oh, that," she says after a o Can’t really remember the reason for it You say you want to help with the weeding, though--that’s fine Co the lead, kneels before the rose beds and begins to work, scooping the dirt aside with her thick gloves; Logan does the saet used to their presence before pressing her further

"The roses are lovely," Nessa says "What kind are they?"

The woround with a metal claw She appears to take no interest in thean asks

The wo "Started work early thisGarden doesn’t rest"

"No, Ihave you lived here?"

"Oh, a long tireen tip between her front teeth and nibbles on it, her jaorking like a rabbit’s With a sound of dissatisfaction, she shakes her head and tosses it in the bucket