Cecilia Adler stepped under the eaves, her eyes following the little girl.
She was a little over a meter tall. She ran to the courtyard wall and paced along its base, muttering to herself about who-knows-what.
"Cecilia, do you have a moment?" Aunt Moss asked, walking over.
"I do. What's wrong?"
"Could you help me buy a bottle of soy sauce? I was thinking about it this morning when I went out for groceries, but then I got to talking with someone and it completely slipped my mind. I only just remembered when I needed to use it," Aunt Moss said, looking embarrassed.
She had just asked the helper who worked for the master's eldest daughter-in-law for help.
The woman had initially agreed, saying she'd just pop back in the house to let the eldest daughter-in-law know. But less than two minutes later, she came back and said she had to put the child down for a nap and couldn't leave.
And here she was, right in the middle of cooking, with no way to step away herself.
