Jayden was getting used to the rhythm of the day. After their morning tea, Jamal had checked Jayden's work and described it as 'adequate'.

Jamal had then taken some time to show Jayden how to hold the knives to cut the leather more finely, with a cleaner edge and a better angle.

"If you cut at an angle out or in", Jamal explained, "then that affects how we can sew the pieces together. Whereas if it's a good, clean right-angle, it will sit quite flat and fit exactly as I intended.

"The pieces you're working on are for products I regularly make and sell in large quantities, so they didn't have to be too precise. But the practice you're getting now will be important when we work on larger and more complicated pieces and with more expensive leathers. Then, making a mistake can cost you a week's wage. Or, with some of the finer stuff, a year's wage. You really can't afford to be incautious then.

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Jayden's gut clenched at the idea of being able to make a single mistake that could ruin his fortune. Whatever fortune he might have here anyway.

He assumed he'd already lost his skiff, and with it, his means of passage home. He had no idea what was going to happen to his mother. Hopefully somebody would take care of her. Perhaps Felix would hear and lend a helping hand. Or their neighbor Deborah had always seemed to be kind. Perhaps she would take Jayden's mother in, and look after her until Jayden could get back.

It wouldn't be easy. But Deborah was the kind of person who would give over and above. Jayden prayed to the High Father that his mother would be okay.