ichie’s But she was walking smartly, as if she knew just where she was going, and when she got closer I could see that her grey eyes were very bright, like a light shone through them I let out my breath, which I hadn’t even noticed I was holding When she saw me, her face lit up like Golden Cap does when the sun touches it Then I begun to run, shoving people out of the way and yet hardly seeming to move at all When I reached her I threw my arms round her and begun to cry, in front of the whole town, with Fanny Miller at a veg stall staring, and Mam come to see what had happened to me, and everyone who ever talked about me behind my back now talking about me openly, and I didn’t care We didn’t say a word, just clung to each other, both of us crying, even though Miss Elizabeth never cried No matter all that had happened to me— finding the ichies and plesies, going with Colonel Birch to the orchard, meeting Monsieur Prévost—this was the lightning that signalled my greatest happiness, in all my life “I have given my sisters the slip and was just coming to find you,” Miss Elizabeth said, when at last we let go She wiped her eyes “I am very glad to be home I never thought I would miss Lyme so much.” “I thought the doctor said you can’t live by the sea, that your lungs are too weak.” In response Miss Elizabeth took a deep breath, held it, and let it out “What do London doctors know of sea air? London air is filthy I am much better off here Besides, no one can keep me away from my fish Thank you, by the way, for the crate of fish you left for me They are a delight Come, let us go down to the sea I have seen so little of it, as Margaret and Louise and Bessy won’t let me out of the house They worry over me far too much.” She begun walking down Broad Street again, and I reluctantly followed “They’ll be angry at me for letting you do this,” I said “They’re already angry that I got you sick.” Miss Elizabeth snorted “Nonsense You didn’t make me sit on a draughty landing for an evening, did you? Nor go by ship to London Those follies I take complete responsibility for.” She said it as if she weren’t sorry for anything she done Then she told me about the meeting at the Geological Society and how Mr Buckland and Reverend Conybeare agreed to write to Cuvier, and Mr Buckland said nice things about me to all the gentlemen gathered, even though they weren’t recorded in the minutes And I told her about Monsieur Prévost and the plesiosaurus that was going to Monsieur Cuvier’s collection in the Paris museum It was wonderful to talk to her again, but underneath our words I felt