Molly Malone's Arc

Chapter 9 of 9

Molly stood at her cart Friday morning and counted her earnings from the week. She had enough for the guild's first payment with a little extra left over. She walked to the Fishmongers' Guild and handed the clerk her coins. He wrote her name in the registry and gave her a membership card. She held it in both hands, feeling the weight of what it meant. Access to ice, telephones, and wholesale connections—everything she needed to stop scraping by. She walked back to the market and looked at the timber stacked behind her cart. Next week she'd hire a carpenter to build her permanent stall. The foundation was set. Now the real work could begin. Monday morning, Molly hung a new scale from a hook on her cart. The metal dial caught the light as she tested it with a small cod. Customers had sometimes questioned her prices, and she'd lost sales because of it. Now they could watch the needle move and see the weight for themselves. A woman stopped and pointed at the mackerel. Molly placed it on the scale and showed her the reading. The woman nodded and paid without argument. By noon, three more customers had asked to see fish weighed before buying. The scale was already earning back what it cost. Tuesday afternoon, she walked to the docks to talk with the stevedores about bulk deliveries. A thick-shouldered man in a flat cap stood near a wooden crane, directing barrels onto a wagon. She explained that she'd need help moving crates once her permanent stall opened and wholesale orders came through. He looked her over, then quoted a fair price for his labor. She shook his hand and wrote his name in her ledger. When her first big shipment arrived, she'd know who to call. Wednesday morning, a girl no older than ten appeared at Molly's cart. She wore a patched dress and carried a wicker basket. She asked if Molly needed someone to shout out the day's catch and prices to people passing by. Molly studied her for a moment. The girl's voice was clear and strong when she spoke. Molly gave her two pence and told her to walk up and down the market row, calling out the specials. Within an hour, four customers came to the cart asking for the discounted haddock the girl had announced. Molly paid her another penny at day's end and told her to come back tomorrow. The pieces were falling into place. The scale built trust. The stevedore would handle the heavy work. The girl brought in customers. Everything Molly needed to grow was now within reach.