Marigold's decision

In a cramped, leaky cottage on the edge of town, Josiah Plunkett, a big‑handed carpenter with a good‑natured grin, shouts for his daughters to hurry. His two girls—spirited Marigold, who never seems to shed a tear, and the softer‑spoken Narcissus—navigate the bustle of a household where food is scarce and tempers run hot. Their stepmother, once proud and neatly dressed, now drifts through the rooms gaunt and irritable, a mystery that hangs over the family like the damp on the walls.

As Josiah prepares to head out for a long night’s work, the cramped kitchen offers only a pat of butter and the promise of a hurried trip to the coffee stall. The sisters’ bond is tested by their mother’s sour mood and the constant demand for sustenance, while Marigold’s quiet resolve begins to surface. Listeners will feel the clatter of tools, the rumble of hunger, and the subtle stir of a decision that could change the course of their modest lives.