Caring (Episode 32 - The Further Chronicles of a Young Lady (and her Maid)

Continued from Episode 31 - Morning

The story so far:  Gwladys and Aefelthrith have started a new life, running a pawn shop, formerly owned by 'Anty Marj',   Gwladys engaged a young urchin, 'Arry, to help clear the back garden of weeds.  Unfortunately, his digging produced a skull, about which  Gwladys swore him to secrecy and quiickly buried the evidence, which gave them a breathing space, until Sergeant Argent of the Watch appeared in the shop.  Fortunately, he was not pursuing his enquiries but was, to her extreme shock and horror, pursuing Aefelthrith, romantically.  Meanwhile, 'Arry revealed that his Mam said the place had always been a shop BUT Anty Marj had originally had a partner, thought to be her sister, whose name was Sarah, who had disappeared.   With this news, Gwladys tried  to persuade Aefelthrith to go out with Sergeant Argent so that they could find out more, to which she eventually agreed but only with the proviso that Gwladys should serve as chaperone.  On their 'date', Sergeant Argent regaled Aefelthrith with tales of t - he town, much to Gwladys's frustration but he knew nothing about the history of the shop, then Constable John confirmed that there had been a 'Sarah' but that she had disappeared.  Eager to show off his skills of detection, Sergeant Argent insisted on mounting an investigation.  The following day, the Sergeant and his Constable began their search of the premises and were only diverted from digging up the garden by some quick thinking on the part of Aefelthrith.  Meanwhile, Gwladys was surprised to find a rather familiar, and flamboyant, 'sea captain' in the shop, just at the same time that Aefelthrith was dealing with a street urchin with a message for the 'sossij', which turned out to be the Sergeant.  The message revealed that the Watch were needed to apprehend ' a fraud, a trickster and a mountebank', so it was perhaps just as well the the 'Captain' had made himself scarce!  Aefelthrith and Gwladys fell out about the 'Captain' and the torch that Aefelthrith obviously still held for him.  Would he come back, that evening?  When a beggar turned up at the back door, it turned out he had. 'John Thomas' explained that things had not gone well for him, since they left.  Dolly had run off with the Squire's son, the pub had shut as it wasn't commercially viable and their son was now being raised by Dolly's parents, leaving 'John Thomas' to try his hand at fraud again, albeit on his own this time.  And then, just as he was telling them all of this, there came a knock at the door.  It turned out to be the Watch, acting on a tip-off that a beggar had been seen going into the building.  As Gwladys tried to stall them, Aefelthrith tried to get 'John Thomas' to leave but, on discovering he had nowhere to go, smuggled him up to the loft just as the Watch made their entrance.  Gwladys managed to restrict their search to downstairs, by sheer force of character, but she was dumbstruck to learn that Aefelthrith had offered to shelter 'John Thomas' in their loft!  Out of the blue, Dolly showed up, trying to pawn a jet necklace.  It soon became apparent that her version of events was somewhat different to that of 'John Thomas', who seemed to have run away from the loft when he heard Dolly's voice.  Gwladys, much to Aefelthrith's annoyance, decides to offer Dolly and her child a room.  Aefelthrith could not believe that 'John Thomas' had abandoned Dolly and his son and was even more annoyed when Sergeant Argent turned up and asked her and Dolly to go out for a walk.  Whilst Gwladys was trying to amuse young Henry, the baby, she was surprised to hear a voice yelling "YER'VE CHEATED ME!", which was Anty Marj, returned (with Constable John in tow) to accuse Gwladys and Aefelthrith of fraud.  Fortunately, Sergeant Argent arrived on the scene and decreed that Gwladys had no case to answer, which didn't satisfy Anty Marj, who vowed revenge.  That night, Gwladys and Aefelthrith were sharing a bed (again) to give Dolly a room, much to Aefelthrith's annoyance, but it did give them a chance to share their thoughts and memories, ending with the surprise admission that Gwladys had a child that she had been forced to give up.  The following day, with Gwlaldys refusing to talk about her nightime admission, Aefelthrith was coerced into scrubbing the shop doorstep.  Noticing a pile of rags on the street, she shouted to Gwladys who told her to go and get them.   When she bent down to check the 'rags', a hand grabbed her and pulled her into the alleyway, which turned out to be a familiar face.  Clarence asked her to run away with him that night and she went away to think about it.  In the dead of night, Gwladys was woken by the sound of Aefelthrith opening drawers and packing her bag.  She tried to talk her out of it, but to no avail.  Aefelthrith sneaked out and hurried toward her assignation, only to be apprehended by the Watch for being abroad after the curfew.  She gave them a cock and bull story about having been to a sewing circle and lost track of time.  Returned safely to her home, Constable John  pointed out that, if she was going home, why had she walked past the shop when they caught her?  The following morning, Dolly complained to Gwladys about the noise in the night, then realised what had been going on.  'Arry turned up and asked Gwladys if she could come and help his mother who was very ill.  Gwladys reluctantly left Dolly and Aefelthrith together and made her way through a series of slums, to the hovel that 'Arry called home:

Aefelthrith eased her way down the stairs, through the hall and into the kitchen.  She was tired, she had a headache and her hopes and dreams were decidedly dashed.  Last night had seemed like the beginning of an exciting adventure, full of promise and potential.  This morning felt empty and depressing.

Opening the kitchen door, she found Dolly at the table, playing with young Henry.  There was no sign of Gwladys.

“Good morning” Aefelthrith ventured, weakly.

There was an answering grunt from Dolly but no eye contact.

Aefelthrith sat down, heavily, at the table and held her head in her hands.

“I think I might manage a little porridge” She volunteered, plainly hoping that Dolly would take the hint and serve her, “I had a particularly bad night”

“Did you now?” Dolly looked at her for the first time and raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, it was somewhat…disturbed”

“Disturbed, eh?” Dolly put Henry down on a cushion and walked around the table to Aefelthrith, “Disturbed, was it?  Not half as disturbed as mine was, I can tell you!”

Aefelthrith was aware, for the first time, that Dolly was clearly unhappy about something.  The menacing tone was a clue, that and the fact that her face was now just inches from Aefelthrith’s.

“You…you had a bad night, too?” Aefelthrith stammered.

“Too right I did, and do you know why?”

“H…H…Henry?” Aefelthrith suggested, trying to back away from the menacing visage.

“NO!  Not Henry” Dolly shook her head, furiously, “I had a bad night ‘cause someone decided it would be a good night for doing a moonlight flit!”

“A moonlight…?” Aefelthrith looked puzzled.

“DON’T PLAY THE INNOCENT WITH ME, MISSY!” Dolly bellowed, causing Aefelthrith to jump back, involuntarily.  “I know what you were up to”

“I erm…up to?  I’m sure I don’t know what you mean?”

“Having trouble remembering, are you?  All a bit of a blur, is it?”

“I remember perfectly well, thank you!” Aefelthrith tried to restore a little bit of dignity, “Have you been talking to Gwladys?  What has she told you?”

“Gwladys didn’t have to tell me anything, I figured it out for myself”

“I think you may have the wrong end of the …”

“DON’T TRY AND TELL ME I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!”  Dolly screamed, “You were legging it with my bloke, weren’t you?”

Aefelthrith swallowed hard and thought, furiously.

* * * *

Gwladys followed ‘Arry through the ramshackle dwelling, toward a single candle that was guttering at the far end.  She picked her way, carefully, trying hard not to trip on the planks of wood and spare bits of timber that were shoring the ‘walls’ up and also avoiding the various unspeakable items littering the floor.  ‘Arry was standing by a bed containing a very frail creature who was partly illuminated by the flickering candle.

“This is me mam” He said, proudly.  “Mam, this is the missus from the shop what I tole yer about”

“I’m sorry, I can’t get up” The woman gestured, weakly, at her situation, “only, I ain’t too good jest now”

“Dunner fret yersen” Gwladys shook her head and moved a little closer, “I’m sorry to ‘ear as ‘ow yer none too good”

“Thanks fer comn’” The woman nodded, “’Arry’s tole me a lot about yer” She smiled at her son, who blushed.

“’E worries about yer” Gwladys explained, “is there owt I can do?  Get yer a doctor or summat?”

“What’re they gonna do?” The woman shrugged, “Frown, shake their ‘eads, take a bit of blood an’ then charge a fortune!”

“It wouldner cost yer nowt” Gwladys shook her head, “I’d be glad to ‘elp, if I could”

“It’s kind of yer” The woman sighed, “’Arry, take yersen outside fer a bit, will yer?”

“Aw, mam!” ‘Arry complained.

“Less of it, jest take yersen off fer a bit while I ‘ave a chat with the missus, ‘ere”

‘Arry, grumbling all the time, threaded his way back out.  Once she was sure he was out of earshot, the woman, with considerable effort, hauled herself up in the bed.

“Nah then,” She began, each word was clearly an effort, “I wanter thank yer fer all yer’ve done fer our ‘Arry”

“Yer dunner ‘ave to thank me, e’s a good worker”

“Aye, ‘e is that” The woman smiled and nodded, “but yer’ve been good to ‘im, all the same.  So, I ‘ope yer won’t tek it the wrong way if I ask yer fer a favour”

“’Course, what can I do fer yer?”

“Werl, yer can see ‘ow it is with me” The woman indicated her frail frame.

“Oh, yer’ll be alright” Gwladys waved the idea away.

“I wunner yer know” The woman shook her head, sadly, “I ain’t long fer this world an’ I know it.  Now, dunner argue about it, I’ve made me peace with it an’ that’s all there is to it”

“Where’s yer ‘usband?”

“Dahn the pub, more’n likely, else with ‘is fancy woman” The woman shrugged, “I mean, who can blame ‘im, eh?  There’s nowt ‘ere fer ‘im”

“What about yer kiddies?” Gwladys looked around at the empty dwelling.

“They’re with my sister an’ ‘is, they’ll be alright” The woman coughed and wheezed, “Burrit’s ‘Arry what I fret about”

“Why’s that?”

“I’ll tell yer summat I ain’t tole no-one else” The woman eased herself up in the bed, “when we first got ‘itched, I thought as ‘ow we would ‘ave kiddies straight off.  Only, nowt ‘appened, not fer ages.  I thought as ‘ow that were it, p’raps I couldner ‘ave ‘em?”  She looked thoughtful and pulled at her straight, limp hair.  “I ‘ad a word with this midwife, an’ she said as ‘ow she knew a couple what ‘ad ‘ad a babby they couldn’t keep an’ would we take care on it fer ‘em?  Werl, what with it lookin’ like we weren’t goin’ to ‘ave none of our own, plus there were some money put by fer this babby, so we said ‘yes please’” She coughed again, great wracking coughs that shook her slender frame.

“An’ that was ‘Arry?”  Gwladys asked.

“Ar” She nodded, between coughs, “there were money to keep ‘im fer a few years, which came in ‘andy.  Then I fell pregnant, an’ again, an’ again an’ so on.  The money ran out, times got ‘ard an’ we fetched up ‘ere” She looked around at her miserable abode.

“Why’re yer worried about ‘Arry?”

“’Cause ‘e ain’t our’n, y’see?  Not prop’ly.  ‘Is dad, ‘e ain’t got no time fer ‘im.  Wants ‘im out earnin’ if ‘e’s gonna stay.  I worry what’ll ‘appen to ‘im when I’m gone, an’ that won’t be long”

“’Ow can I ‘elp?”  Gwladys frowned.

“I ain’t got no right to ask yer this” The woman coughed again, specks of blood spattered the grey, ragged bedclothes.  “Could yer find it in yer ‘eart to take ‘im on?  Give ‘im a roof over ‘is ‘ead?  Put ‘im to work if yer can?  It’s either that or ‘e’lll be down the pit, up a chimlee or out on the street, an’ e’s better’n that”

* * * *

“You have got to understand, I was trying to do the right thing by you and…and Henry” Aefelthrith was now standing and backing away from the threatening presence of Dolly.

“DO THE RIGHT THING?  How the hell is running away with my bloke ‘doing the right thing’?”

“He said…he promised…that he would take care of you both”

“By running off with you, is that it?” Dolly folded her arms and glared at Aefelthrith.  “I’ll tell you how he can ‘do the right thing’, shall I?  He can get himself back here and provide for his son and me, that’s how”

“I’m sure, when he’s found a new position…” Aefelthrith began, miserably.

“A new position?  Listen, missy, let me tell you a bit about your lord and master, shall I?”  Aefelthrith was now backed against the far wall and Dolly was leaning against the wall, one hand either side of Aeflethrith, with a decidedly menacing attitude.

You can find the previous adventures of Gwladys and Aefelthrith in both Kindle and paperback formats at The Chronicles of a Young Lady (and her Maid (link is external)