Explained (Episode 20 - The Further Chronicles of a Young Lady (and her Maid))

Continued from Episode 19 - Beggared

The story so far:  Gwladys and Aefelthrith have started a new life, running a pawn shop, formerly owned by 'Anty Marj', who they managed to convince they were distantly related to.  'Anty Marj', after some typical twists and turns, was persuaded to sell by receiving Aefelthrith's precious ring and went away a happy woman.  Meanwhile, Gwladys engaged a young urchin, 'Arry, to help clear the back garden of weeds, as a means of giving him a bit of income to support his poorly mother and avoid him either going down the pit or up the chimney, much to Aefelthrith's displeasure. 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.  Coincidentally, Sarah was the name that Gwladys had told Anty Marj was the name of their shared relative.  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 the 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!:

 

Gwladys pottered back from the hearth, where the kettle had been steaming, carrying three mugs.  At the kitchen table, ‘Captain d’Arbanville’ was leaning back in his chair, waving his arms, well, one and a half arms, in an expansive manner and clearly pontificating about something.  Aefelthrith, seated opposite, was leaning on the table gazing at him, dreamily.

“…so, essentially, it’s about realising their long-held dreams and appealing to their innate greed” The ‘Captain’ explained, as Gwladys drew closer.

“How clever!” Aefelthrith said, breathlessly.

“Oh ar?” Gwladys set the mugs on the table, “’Ow does the Watch view all this ‘dream fulfilling’ then?”

“Ah!” The ‘Captain’ hunched over the table and squirmed a little, “I regret that, that fine and upstanding body of men, have little regard for the small businessman”

“Huh!” Gwladys stifled a titter, “that ‘ow yer style yerself then, is it?”

“I think you should remember, Gwladys, that my Lord…I really cannot keep calling you that, how should I address you?”  Aefelthrith frowned.

“Perhaps my most recent identity should prevail?  John Thomas?”

Gwladys smothered another titter.

“Indeed, quite so” Aefelthrith nodded, seriously, “As I was saying, Gwladlys, you should remember that Mr. Thomas here is a successful licenced victualler in his own right”

“Oh yeah!” Gwladys nodded, “’Ow’s that goin’ these days?” She asked, archly.

“Well…” John Thomas, successful licenced victualler, squirmed quite a bit, “Not as well as one might have hoped” He admitted, eventually.

“Fancy!” Gwladys grinned.

“In point of fact…” John Thomas was sweating a little, now, “our establishment is closed…temporarily, of course!”

“Temporarily, absolutely!” Aefelthrith nodded, sympathetically.

“Worrappened then?” Gwladys persisted, “it were goin’ great when we left”

“Well, of course, your leaving as suddenly as you did, hardly helped matters” John Thomas snapped.

“Oh, I am so sorry!” Aefelthrith looked downcast.

“’Old on!  You an’ ‘er ‘ad us skivvyin’ for yer.  That’s fine with me, it’s all I’ve ever been used ter, but yer woman ‘ere, she was yer betrothed!  Any road, I’d ‘a thought the business would survive a couple of ‘maids’ leavin’” Gwladys observed.

“Well, yes, I suppose so” John Thomas conceded, “To be fair, on the night that you left…”

“The inn was absolutely full, as I recall” Aefelthrith pointed out.

“Indeed, it was,” John Thomas nodded, “however, as you may recall, we were giving our ales away that night, in an effort to restore the inn’s previous custom”

“Yeah, funny ‘ow free ale is allus popular, ain’t it?” Gwladys smirked.

“Regrettably, as the days marched on, the custom that had returned, migrated again, once they had to pay for their drinks.” John Thomas looked perfectly miserable, “The inn was always too far away from any habitation, you see, and passing trade was insufficient to make it a going concern”

“I thought yer woman, Dolly, was the main attraction?” Gwladys raised an eyebrow, “weren’t it ‘er leavin’ afore what caused ‘er mam and dad to shut up shop?”

“Ah, Dolly, yes” John Thomas nodded, “She was very popular and a major reason why some folk continued to frequent our establishment”

“I am sure your sound, business skills and quiet authority also played a part” Aefelthrith said, loyally.

“Sound what?” Gwladys looked at her incredulously, “Yer do remember, ‘e knew all that about there bein’ no-one livin’ nearby and bugger all traffic when we first went there, didner stop ‘im plannin’ to spend a king’s ransom on makin’ the place bigger for all them customers ‘e were goin’ to get, did it?”

“Gwladys has a point” John Thomas nodded, miserably.

“So, Dolly, what ‘appened to ‘er?”  Gwladys looked smug.

“Ah, yes…” John Thomas looked deeply unhappy, “if you recall, I did say that some folk continued to frequent the establishment despite our dwindling trade?”  He looked from one to the other, and they both nodded, “Well, one person in particular was a fixture at every session.  That person was the local Squire’s son…”

“I’m gettin’ a premonition ‘ere” Gwladys held a hand to her forehead and winked at Aefelthrith, “She didner run off with ‘im, did she?”

“Uh, yes, that does about sum up the situation, rather concisely” John Thomas agreed, tersely.

“Oh no!  Poor you!  How could she do that to you?” Aefelthrith patted his hand.

“Knows which side ‘er bread’s buttered, that one” Gwladys folded her arms, “Yer ‘aven’t asked about the babby, Little ‘Enry” She pointed out.

“Clarence” John Thomas interjected, automatically.

“Yeah, ‘im”

“You are quite correct” Aefelthrith nodded, “How is the child?” She asked with studied disinterest.

“To the best of my knowledge, well” John Thomas nodded.

“Not with you, then, is ‘e?” Gwladys raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, be reasonable!” Aefelthrith snapped, “How could my L…Mr. Thomas here, possibly care for an infant whilst attempting to raise some capital”

“Oh, is that worree’s doin’?  Raisin’ capital?  I thought it were fleecin’ mugs of their ‘ard ‘earned savin’s”

“If I can interject?” John Thomas interrupted, “You were enquiring about my son.  He is in the safe and comfortable care of his grandparents”

“Back at the inn?” Gwladys asked.

“Back at, what used to be, ‘the inn’, yes, indeed”

“They were on their uppers when we first got there, ‘ow’re they affordin’ to bring up a nipper?”

“I erm, I understand that Dolly sends a regular allowance, as it were” John Thomas looked down and fidgeted with his sleeves.

“Worrabout you?”

“Gwladys!” Aefelthrith hissed.

“No, it is a fair point that she makes” John Thomas nodded, “I will, of course, do everything in my power to pay for my son’s upkeep.  However, my current financial position is not one which lends itself to …”

“Yer skint, in other words?”

“That would be the nub and the gist of it, yes”

“But, why come here?”  Aefelthrith asked.

“It was the nearest town of any size” John Thomas shrugged.

“And why the ‘Golden Fleece’ racket?”  Gwladys asked.

“It worked well, before” John Thomas shrugged.

“But, that were when yer ‘ad Dolly runnin’ the show” Gwladys pointed out.

“Indeed!” John Thomas agreed, miserably.

“I am sure that my L…Mr. Thomas will be able to turn his hand to any profitable venture that may take his fancy” Aefelthrith sniffed.

“Hmmm” Gwladys looked dubious.

There was a thunderous knocking at the back door.  John Thomas started and made to get up from the table.  Aefelthrith looked at Gwladys, who said:

“Now, I wonder who that might be?” 

“I should go” John Thomas said.

“Sounds like the sort of knock yer might get if’n the Watch were outside” Gwladys said, slyly.

“Oh no!” Aefelthrith gasped.

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)