After cold days of gray skies, a morning came with warming sunshine. Mari leaned out of the window and shook a quilt in the chill morning air. A floor down and a few windows over, another quilt billowed over the sill and the landlady’s head soon appeared. Mari leaned down and said, “Happy Hogmanay, Mistress Durie.”
“Thank you, Mistress McEwan, and the same to you!”
Mari gathered the quilt back into her arms. “Em, I was wondering, Mistress Durie.” She glanced about, not wanting to be overheard. “About the rent… ”
“Aye?” Mrs. Durie pulled her own quilt back and held it in her arms as she turned to give Mari her full attention.
Mari said, “I’m fearing I dinnae ken what the arrangement was for the rent. What I mean to say is, do I owe you money?”
“Och, no. The gentleman paid it this morni
