‘But I shouldn’t think anybody would want to marry you now, if you are so old as you say you are,’ cried Gerna, with all a child’s candour, thinking of her shrivelled, toothless old great-grandmother.
‘And yet Hager, in spite of my age, is waiting impatiently for the waning of the moon to marry me,’ said the little voice, with another sigh. ‘I overheard him talking about it to some of his people, and what grand doings they would have then, and how they would send an invitation to all the dear Little People—my own True Love included—to come to the wedding.’
‘What a horrid person he must be!’ cried Gerna indignantly. ‘Why ever didn’t your little True Love come and take you away?’
‘He can’t, because of the spells Hager worked upon this bag.’
‘Haven’t you seen your little True Love all those long years?’ asked the child.
‘Not once. But I thought I heard his voice when the little Brown Man was telling you to bring the ring-marked purse to Piskey Goog.’
‘There was nobody on the beach except those little Dark Men searching for this purse and Farmer Vivian,’ said Gerna. ‘Farmer Vivian is a great big man, and lives up at Pentire Glaze Farm. He is very kind, and he do love all the Little People dearly.’
‘How do you know he does?’ asked the little voice eagerly.
‘My Great-Grannie told me he did, and she do know. This little cottage of ours belongs to him, and he al’ays talks to her about the Wee Folk when she goes up to his house to pay the rent. There! Great-Gran is calling up the stairs to ask if I’m in bed. I shall have to put ’ee back into my big pocket now. I hope you won’t mind.’
‘Not one bit. The only thing I do mind is being given into Hager’s power. You won’t take me to Piskey Goog, whatever the little Brown Man offers you, will you, dear?’