Status Updates From Cinnamon Wharf

"Books are like a disease. Once you've got it, it's incurrable and lifelong"
Janice Young Brooks

**sniff sniff**

"She's staying here," Mary said. Where she belongs. Oh, Agnes..."

"Helster, you are the problem being discussed. Not a participant in the discussion. We already have ample proof of the quality of your judgment. If you can't keep absolutely quiet, you'll have to leave the room." he said as if he were talking to a spice supplier trying to sell him shoddy goods.

Lol, let alone the ENTRANCE Portia's very elderly Uncle Wilbur just made :)

"It's not right, is it? The way things work. Portia loved Papa and he loved my mother and Winston loves me and I love you and you love Anjanette and Hester loves Jamison and he only loves money. I think it's damned shabby of God to have arranged it all so badly. When I go to heaven, I'm going to talk to Him about it."

That Mary, she's got *sand* all right :)

"She'd lose interest soon enough when she realized how well her advisers were looking after things."

*rubs hands with glee* Mary now has half control over the family's spice business. Can't wait for ---- to get back from Singapore. Sparks should fly.

A will is read...

I am just loving the descriptions of the jungle and the rainforest (including the critters). That said, I have a sneaking suspicion that someone's going to take ill and forever change Mary's life.

The family leaves for Pulau Penang so Alex can supervise the clove harvest

The family heads to Singapore. Will Alex be changed? Will Mary be able to meet his new wife without scratching her eyeballs out?

I love Mary.

"She's a lot like using a whole spoonful of pepper when a sprinkle would do."

Alex comes to England to go to school, after spending his entire life in Singapore with his not-so-likeable mother and father. I'm getting the feeling young Mary and Alex are going to be life long soul-mates. I like how the author writes these two as children. Very endearing but not with that annoying *cuteness* you get with some.

I think this is going to be a good 'un.