Plans (Episode 43 - The Further Chronicles of a Young Lady (and her Maid))

Continued from Episode 42 - Investigation

In the last episode, Constable John had discovered 'Arry's coin on the kitchen table and Sargent Argent had clearly recognised its significance.  Fortunately, Aefelthrith and Gwladys managed to convince him that it had turned up in a collection of items that had been pleged but they had no idea who had brought it in.  The Sargent was keen to make further enquiries and took details of possible donators from Gwladys' ledger.  That night, with the treasure safely stowed in their bedroom, Gwladys and Aefelthrith considered what might happen next.  Now read on:

 

“You know, I always thought, if I ever found hidden treasure, I would be dancing around without a care in the world” Aefelthrith looked glumly at the pile of coins and jewels piled in the corner of the bedroom.

“Yeah, me an’ all!” Gwladys nodded, “But it ain’t as easy as that, not by a long chalk”

“I fail to see why it could not be” Aefelthrith sulked.

“It’s folk innit?  If yer’ve fount a fortune, folk’ll think they ought to ‘ave it.  Partic’ly in this town”

“Why?”

“’Cause they’ve spent generations lookin’ fer it, that’s why.  ‘Ow do yer think they’re goin’ to feel if they find a couple of strangers, from out of town, not been ‘ere five minutes an’ they’ve fount the thing they’ve been lookin’ fer, fer ever?”

“Ah, yes, I see” Aefelthrith screwed her face up.

“Then there’s what we’re gonna do with it?”  Gwladys went on, gloomily.

“Do with it?”

“Yeah, what d’yer do with it?” Gwladys looked at her, questioningly.

“Well, spend it, invest it, that sort of thing” Aefelthrith suggested.

“’Ow?  ‘Ow d’yer spend it?”

“Erm, well…”

“Say we went down to the General Store with one of them coins, what d’yer reckon’d ‘appen?”

“Yes, that could be a bit awkward” Aefelthrith nodded.

“They wouldner ‘ave it, ‘an everyone an’ ‘is dog’d know about it before we were back ‘ome”

“Hmm, tricky”

“I reckon…” Gwladys sighed, “I reckon there’s only one thing we can do”

“Tell me” Aefelthrith settled back with a worried look on her face.

* * * *

From the kitchen below, came the sounds and smells of breakfast preparation.  Gwladys and Aefelthrith started to make their way down the stairs.

“Y’alright?”  Gwladys looked at Aefelthrith questioningly.

“Yes, yes, fine”

“An’ yer alright with what we talked about, last night?”

“I suppose so” Aefelthrith looked less than happy.

“If yer can think of owt else…” Gwladys raised an eyebrow.

“No, you are right, of course” Aefelthrith sighed, “but that does not mean that I have to be happy about it”

“Right!” Gwladys nodded and gave a thin smile, “It’ll be alright, dunner worry”

In the kitchen, Dolly was busying herself at the stove whilst Clarence attempted to amuse Baby Henry.  ‘Arry was sitting at the table, clearly ready for his breakfast.

“Ah, there you are!”  Dolly grinned, “we thought you’d done a bunk with the treasure”

“No such luck!” Aefelthrith grumbled.

“’Afore we ‘ave our breakfasts, there’s summat we need to tell yer” Gwladys looked around the room, “An’ yer might not like it”

“Sounds ominous!”  Dolly wiped her hands and sat down at the table.

“It’s like this” Gwladys took a deep breath and screwed up her courage, “Fact is…we canner stay ‘ere”

“What, all of us?”  Dolly looked alarmed.

“No, just me an’ Ethel” Gwladys nodded toward her companion, who looked miserable.

“Why should that be the case?”  Clarence looked puzzled, as he struggled to keep Henry from squirming off his knee.

“Werl, it comes down to this.  If it gets out that we’ve fount the treasure, chances are the townsfolk’d string us up…”

“Oh, surely not!” Clarence looked surprised, as did Dolly.

“They have been digging up everywhere in search of it, for generations” Aefelthrith explained, “I suppose it follows that they would be unhappy”

“How would they know?” Dolly asked.

“It’d gerrout” Gwladys said, “bound to.  Somebody’d say summat, prob’ly wouldner mean to, but that’s all it’d take.  Then there’s Sargent Argent…”

“And his ‘enquiries’” Aefelthrith added.

“’S’right” Gwladys nodded, “’E wunner get far, not with what we’ve told ‘im, but ‘e ain’t daft ‘an ‘e knew what that coin were”

“Sorry ‘bout that” ‘Arry said, miserably.

“Nah, it inner your fault” Gwladys shook her head and ruffled his hair, making sure to wipe her hand on her skirt, afterwards.

“But, if you and Ethel are going to have to go away…?” Dolly mused.

“Dunner fret, we’ve got a plan” Gwladys grinned.

“If it works for you?”  Aeflethrith looked concerned.

“What we were reckoning, if you’re up for it, is that we’d ask you to stay here and keep the shop on, just while we’re away?”

“Keep the shop on?” Dolly looked surprised.

“I know you were thinkin’ of goin’ back to get the pub open, again…”

“Were we?”  Clarence looked surprised.

“Yeah, I thought that’s what we might do” Dolly nodded.

“But, that’s a bit, werl…” Gwladys shrugged.

“Doomed to failure” Clarence suggested.

“Well, you’d know all about that!”  Dolly snapped at him.

“Nah then!” Gwladys frowned at them, “Worrimean is, if yer stayed ‘ere, yer’d ‘ave a thrivin’ business to look after, a roof over yer ‘ead an’ food on the table.  An’ it’s summat yer good at, an’ all”

“I don’t know if we could afford to take it on, though, Glad” Dolly looked dubious.

“It wunner cost yer nowt” Gwladys shook her head, “yer’d be doin’ us a favour.  If yer’ll keep the business runnin’, while we’re away, yer can keep the profits an’ live ‘ere rent free.  Does that suit yer?”

“Oh, that would be wonderful!” Dolly looked close to tears.

“It would make sound sense” Clarence nodded.  “And the treasure?  What happens to that?”

“We’ll be takin’ that with us” Gwladys confirmed, “that’s the one condition.  Yer not to say nowt about that to anyone, an’ yer not to tell no-one where we’ve gone, right?”

“Agreed” Dolly grinned.

“Which just leaves one thing…” Gwladys rubbed her hands, looked around the table and noticed that someone was missing.  “Where’s ‘Arry?”

“He ran off while you were talking” Aefelthrith said, matter-of-factly.

“Oh gawd!  I ‘ope ‘e ain’t got the wrong idea” Gwladys groaned.

This series can be found, in full, starting at Episode 1, right here on ABCTales.

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)