The Remembered (6 page)

'Let us get all this loaded up, me luv,' encouraged Elizabeth's father. 'I think that is aboot it for the dee.'
'Aye, yes father,' Elizabeth replied as she finished with her last customer. Then she sat about the task of loading the wagon.
Richard watched as they loaded the wagon and headed west on High Street. The wagon was pulled by an ox, so it was moving slowly and Richard could easily follow it without being seen. When the girl and her father headed south on Maiden Lane, Richard hurried further along High Street. He figured that he could go down Saint George's street and still get in front of the wagon before they reached Saint Mary's street.
Reaching Saint Mary's Street before the wagon, Richard ducked between two buildings and watched as the wagon turned west on Saint Mary's Street. Richard suspected that they would leave Stamford by way of the gate near the River Welland, just as he usually did. He decided to take a chance and try to reach the bridge before they did. After the wagon passed him, he hurried back east on Saint Mary's Street and then circled around the east and south of Saint Mary's church on Saint Mary's Place as the wagon passed to the north and west of the church.
Richard reached the bridge and was able to cross and hide in some bushes on the south bank. The wagon passed so close to him that he was sure he could have reached out and touched the girl. This is the closest that he had been to her and even though the sun was nearing the horizon and there was a blanket of clouds, he could see that she was even more beautiful than he had imagined.
After crossing the bridge and after passing Saint Martin's church, the girl and her father turned on to the road to Barnack.
'So, that is it,' thought Richard to himself, 'they must be from Barnack.'
For the first time since leaving the Glazier's shoppe, Richard felt the chill of the wind as it swept across the road from the east. The sun was setting now and since Richard had satisfied himself as to the girl's village, he headed for Easton-on-the-hill. He cut across a field and then took the Kettering Road to Easton-on-the-hill. The walk home seemed shorter than normal as his mind was fully occupied with thoughts of the girl.
It was completely dark well before Richard reached the village. As he neared the cottage, he was met by Bromley and Margaret who were also heading toward the cottage from the home of Margaret's parents. The two were extra jovial this evening.
'Richard,' exclaimed Bromley excitedly, 'I 'ave just spoken with Margaret's father and we are to be wed before summer.'
Richard glanced at Margaret. She was beaming and truly looked lovely he thought. Richard was a wee bit surprised at the initial feeling of jealousy that coursed through him. It was fleeting though and he cheerfully responded, 'Aye, that is wonderful. Congratulations to you both. So, I will 'ave another sister then.'
At the cottage, Gleda was very pleased. She had been looking forward to this day for a very long time and had long treated Margaret as a daughter. Lind, on the other hand, was not as excited. He liked Margaret well enough, but this meant that there would be another mouth to feed and soon enough maybe more. After all, they weren't wealthy people and Margaret would not be bringing a dowry into the marriage. Eventually, they would have to find additional fields to plant.
As Gleda, Margaret and Geva spoke happily about the wedding, Lind took Bromley outside. They walked in the darkness across the lane to the church yard and stopped near the graves of his father and mother, Ian and Winifred.
'Sone, I am 'appy for you and Margaret, boot you know that this farm will only support so many mouths. I and your mother are getting older and we intend to dee on this farm, like me parents before me. If you are willing to stay on the farm and care for us in our old age, you and Margaret are welcome. Otherwise, I will tell you as me father told me. 'e said that I and your mother culd stay on the farm until we had two children, but after that, we would have to find our own place. Of course, your grandparents deed prior to that time.'
'I am a farmer,' said Bromley. 'I 'ave planned to stay on this farm all of me life. Margaret and I will care for you and mum. May we use the sod cot'age that you and mum used?'
'Aye, of course you may. Boot it will take sume work to clean it up.'
Lind looked down at the wooden markers of Ian and Winifred's graves. 'sume dee maybe you or I can afford to place sume stone markers on these graves,' said Lind.
Having reached an understanding on their futures together, Lind and Bromley walked back across the lane and into the cottage. Richard was outside the cottage also now, standing in the shadows and they did not see him as he watched them enter. He was thinking about his future. He knew that his time on the farm was limited. He could stay in the cottage for a time. There would be more room with Bromley moving out soon, but he was becoming a man and Lind would be expecting him to leave as soon as his apprenticeship was completed, maybe sooner. That was okay with Richard. The last couple of years had not been quite the same between he and Lind since he learned that Lind was not his real father. Richard realized that it was probably more himself that had strained the relationship, more so than Lind, but he couldn't help thinking about it whenever there was a disagreement. He hoped to be on his own before his sixteenth year ended, but right now he had other things on his mind. Specifically, the girl from Barnack. On the way home that evening he had already made plans to go to Barnack on Sunday and see whether he could find out where she lived. He wasn't ready to approach her in the market.
Just then Geva came outside also.
'Whot are you doing oot 'ere, Richard,' she asked.
'I 'ave just been thinking.'
'Thinking 'boot whot then, aye, maybe a certain yung lady? Did you find oot where she lives?'
'I followed 'er and 'er father as far as the Barnack road,' said Richard. 'I think that she lives in Barnack.'
'Barnack? That is a walk!' exclaimed Geva. 'When will you be going there then?'
'Soondee.'
'Soondee! That is four dees. Wuld you nay like to see her in the market on Saturdee?'
'I do nay wish to approach her in the market,' responded Richard. 'There are too many people there.'
'I will go with you on Soondee then,' offered Geva.
'You will nay go,' Richard shot back straightly.
'If you do nay let me go with you, I will tell mum where you are going.'
'And if you do, I will tell mum aboot a certain boy that you have been seeing,' retorted Richard.
'You 'ad bet'er nay do that. I will nay say anything,' promised Geva.
'gud,' said Richard. 'It is cold oot 'ere, let us go inseed.'
Sunday could not come soon enough for Richard. He hadn't planned to visit the market on Saturday, but he couldn't resist his desire to see her, so he went. He was only in the market briefly to watch her from the corner of the alleyway that he was becoming so accustomed to. He could not stay long, but he enjoyed seeing her again.
Since the time that John Darby had gone away to school, it was Richard's normal practice to go to church at All Saints' in Easton-on-the-hill rather than the All Saints' in Stamford. He had continued for a short time to attend in Stamford after John left, but without John there, it didn't seem worth the walk. But he did occasionally attend in Stamford regardless. But on this Sunday he needed an excuse to leave Easton-on-the-hill. No one would question him if he announced that he was going to go to church in Stamford.
On Sunday, Richard was up a little earlier than normal and set about doing his chores. There was a light rain falling as he walked though the muddy field to bring in the cow for milking. The cow didn't want to cooperate and she managed to kick the bucket over right away. Richard was thankful that there was very little milk lost. His mother would not have been pleased if he had lost the entire bucket. With a little coaxing, the cow settled down and Richard was able to fill the bucket quickly.
When Richard went into the cottage his mother was starting a small fire for cooking.
''ere is the milk, Mum,' said Richard as he placed the bucket on the table.
'Aye, I am grateful, me luv,' offered Gleda as she gently touched Richard's face. For a moment Richard thought that she was going to hug him. He had decided that he was too old for hugs and had told her so. Still, that didn't stop her from doing it occasionally. Richard usually stood stiffly if she did.
'I will be going to church at All Saints' in Stamford todee,' Richard said, probably a little more energetically than he had intended. He feared now that his tone may rouse suspicions, but his mother didn't seem to react.
'That will be nice sone,' was all that Gleda offered. 'Will you eat before you go?'
Richard sat down and waited for the porridge to boil on the fire. While he waited he ate some rather stale bread with some butter. He didn't notice the staleness of the bread as his mind was on other things.
Geva and the rest of the family were at the table by the time the porridge was offered. Geva had already been outside to feed the chickens.
Richard was the first to finish eating. He stood and announced that he was leaving. Geva of course wanted to know where he was going and he stated that he would be going to church in Stamford. As he did so, Geva also stood and said cheerfully, 'I will go with you.'
Richard gave her an icy stare as Lind stated, 'Take care of your sister, Richard.'
Outside the cottage Richard expressed his displeasure with Geva.
'Why did you say that you wuld go with me? You know that I am going to Barnack!'
'Do nay worry, I will nay be going to Barnack with you. I am going to see Ralf.'
Ralf had been showing interest in Geva recently and she thought that this was a good opportunity to see him without her parents knowledge.
'Nay, you will nay be seeing Ralf. If mum and father learn of it, I will be the one to catch their wrath,' said Richard. 'You will be going to Barnack with me now. Let us go then.'
Geva hadn't anticipated Richard's insistence and she wasn't looking forward to the walk to Barnack. But now she didn't see an alternative.
'Fine,' said Geva with a pout, 'it might be interesting anyway. I 'ave never been to Barnack. Maybe the boys are 'andsume.'
Fortunately, the weather was pleasant and the road wasn't very muddy. Richard figured that if they followed the main roads, it would take them over an hour, but if they were to pass through the fields and take smaller roads instead, it may only take 40 minutes.
On the way to Barnack, Geva had plenty of time to tell Richard all about Ralf. Ralf lived near the village of Tinwell. Richard had been to Tinwell several times with John Darby. The Darby's home lay between Tinwell and Easton-on-the-hill.
Geva had met Ralf at the Stamford market a few weeks earlier when she was there with her mother. While Gleda had been busy looking at candles, Geva had gone ahead to look at some clothe. Ralf had bumped into her and when he excused himself a conversation ensued. Richard asked Geva whether she ever suspected that Ralf had bumped into her purposefully. Geva suspected so, but didn't mind. Since then, she and Ralf have met weekly at the market. Ralf had even walked to Easton-on-the-hill once to see her. She saw him over by some trees near the church when she had been out collecting eggs. Geva was hoping to introduce him to her mother and father soon.
Geva could have spoken at length about Ralf. Richard had done a good job of acting interested, but now he was glad that they were nearing Barnack.
Barnack was a small village, about the size of Easton-on-the-hill. Despite its small size, Barnack had gained some recognition due to the stone that was quarried nearby and used in great cathedrals. Richard had heard that its stone was being used to rebuild part of the Ely Cathedral after a portion of the building had collapsed.
It didn't take long for Richard and Geva to walk through the village. As they neared the church, Richard asked Geva to wait behind the tower while he looked inside the building. Richard noted that the Church of John the Baptist must be very old, because it had very small windows. Windows of that small size would never be able to tell the stories of the bible the way Richard observed in the windows that he was working on. Richard also noticed that the tower of the church was different than he had ever seen. He thought this also indicated a building of great age. Richard thought it ironic that a village who supplied the stone used to construct great cathedrals should have such a small church.
Once inside the entry of the church, the familiar musty smell of damp stone greeted Richard. He slowly opened the door of the chapel and it yielded with a slight creak. There was no one inside the chapel, so Richard closed the door behind him and went outside. Richard was very disappointed. He thought that certainly he would find the girl at Barnack. Now he determined to get Geva and head for home.
As Richard rounded the corner of the building he saw two boys about his age, maybe a little younger, standing very close to Geva. One appeared to be holding her shoulder. Instantly, he felt a sense of alarm. 'Whot was the intent of these strangers?' he wondered as his mind raced.
Richard ran to his sister's side and pushed one of the boys away. 'Oy, get away from me sister,' demanded Richard in a voice that even surprised himself. The force of the push landed the boy on the ground and with that his companion jumped on Richard's back and started to strangle Richard with his forearm. The other boy jumped up and started punching Richard. Geva started crying and pulling at the boy on Richard's back.
Richard's adrenaline was so high that he didn't feel the blows, but he was running out of breath. He fell to his hands and knees and just when he thought that he might lose consciousness, he heard a female voice command the boys to stop.