Ella At the Cottage

The next morning Evan left to sea before Ella was up. But when he was coming back from the village he could smell stew. He and Ella sat down to very tasty dinner together. The next morning Ella was up and about when Evan left. That day when Evan came back the cottage was spotlessly clean. After dinner Evan asked Ella if she would stay and keep house for her in exchange for room and board. Ella said she would and they shook hands on the agreement.

As the days got shorter Evan spent more of his time at the cottage. Evan realized that the out building must be getting cold as the winter was soon to start. He decided he would build Ella a room. It was fairly simple to do. He just took some stones from the cottage, and the ground (for Ireland has many stones) and used them to make new walls. The first day Ella kept her questions to herself, but the next day she came outside, wiped the flower off her hands (she was making biscuits) and asked Evan what he was doing. He said winter was coming and she would need a real room to stay in. And that he thought the cottage could use another bedroom. Well presently Evan finished the room.It was on the small side, it could only really fit a bed and the small bookcase Evan had made for Ella. She said it was fine seeing how she would not be spending a lot of time in the room.

That winter Ella made some of her own improvements in the cottage. She got candle sticks for the table, and yes the windows did need curtains. Evan admitted the walls did look better white washed. Evan helped Ella make a flower bed across the front of the cottage. Ella put all types of bulbs in it. During the long winter they spent the evenings in front of the fire talking of every thing from potatoes to castles and kings. One evening Ella asked what was in the shell case on the fire places mantel. Evan took it down and showed her the ring. As Ella looked at it, while he precede to tell her of his love; the blond hair blue eyed lass, and of the mermaid, and of what the merking had said. Ella believed what Even said about the mermaid (it would have been rude not to)then asked him what day it was exactly when he had spoken to the merking. Then she made a calendar of all the days left until he would gain what his heart truly desired.