Eve 5/8

Eve was amazed when she got back to the George and Dragons. The place was full of sailors who all cheered as she came in through the door. The landlord called for silence, then explained that the lady had one of the mysterious small clocks like Jennifer Jane’s to sell. In order to make things fair, then with the lady’s agreement he was going to display the clock on top of the bar and auction it.

“I’m sure she’ll answer any questions before the bidding starts.”

Eve took off her watch and placed it on the bar top as she had been asked. She assured everyone that it really was accurate to within thirty seconds a year and that batteries had to be replaced every two years or so. No, if she wasn’t able to supply them for any reason, then she was sure that Jennifer Jane could.

She got the feeling that the show of amazement was absolutely genuine, for what she well knew was a fairly cheap digital watch. She had to explain how the hour and minute numbers worked to one or two who were used to looking at clocks with hands, but every one else seemed quite happy and were soon calling for the auction to start.

She didn’t know what to expect and was rather disappointed when the bidding started at ten shillings, but she quickly realised that money values were very different here. Eventually it sold for three pounds fifteen shillings and sixpence. The new owner carefully counted out a lot of rather grubby and very heavy coins and was soon showing his purchase to his envious friends.

The barman said Eve could have bed and breakfast for nothing, because of all the extra drinks he’d sold to the crowd who’d come in for the auction. Then as everyone started leaving to make sure of catching tomorrow’s tide, Eve excused herself and went up to the horrible little bedroom. It was just as bad as she remembered and in the morning the landlord brought her a slice of bread and butter and a cup of tea, because he remembered how little she ate.

“You’ll be wanting to go and see the giant’s castle I suppose,” he said. “Well you’re in luck today because he’s coming across to the village green with his carrying box to pick up anyone who wants a free ride. You’ll need something to pay him to go inside the castle though. He accepts food instead of money, so I suggest you go round to the baker’s and buy a loaf of bread, seeing as you don’t live round here and won’t be able to give him any livestock.”

“Wouldn’t an ordinary sized loaf of bread be a bit small for a giant?” asked Eve with a grin.

“Oh no, he has a magic enlarging box that all his payments are put through, to make them large enough for him.”

“And I suppose Jennifer Jane thought of that idea as well,” said Eve rather sarcastically.

The landlord didn’t notice the sarcasm at all. “That’s right,” he replied, “she really is very clever at sorting out all these types of problems. I really don’t know what we’d do without her.”

Eve walked round to the baker and bought a large loaf of bread for a penny, then went out on to the village green and waited for the giant to arrive. There were several strangers waiting with her, all clutching parcels for their entry fees. The general mood was one of excited anticipation, while one or two were obviously trying to be brave and not look too frightened.

Then one of the crowd said, ‘here he comes’ and five seconds later, Eve was as excited and frightened as the worst of them. She had been expecting a very tall man, perhaps even as much as seven or eight feet tall, but this man’s size was incredible.