Who So Beset Her Round? - Episode 5
By philwhiteland
- 375 reads
The young Lady slowly opened her eyes and became aware of a dim, grey light, seeping reluctantly through the skylight above her. She had no idea how long she had been asleep, so this could be dawn breaking or twilight falling. She raised her head, slightly, and noticed her maid sitting in the shadows, in the corner of the room, sewing something. The maid saw her move and put down her sewing.
“You’re awake then, missy” she said, amiably, “I thought I’d let you sleep for a while”
‘Twilight then’ thought the young Lady. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Couldn’t rightly say, miss. You flaked out pretty much as soon as we got in here. I don’t blame you, it’s been a long day”
The young Lady edged herself into a sitting position and took note of her surroundings. They were in an attic room which was very dark and drab but did, at least, have room for two beds, a small table and a couple of chairs. The two beds were a definite advantage, after the dreadful night spent at the inn in the village where they had shared one between them.
“When did we last eat?” She was aware of a gnawing sensation in her tummy.
“Not since that bread and cheese we had on the cart.” The maid confirmed, “there’s an inn across the square, I thought we could get a bite to eat over there, perhaps a drink or two an’ all. Sounds like they’ve got some music goin’ too, so it could be a bit of a laugh. What do yer say, eh?”
The young Lady sighed, deeply, “Well, if we must!”
“Well, it’s that or nothing, m’Lady” The maid said, sharply, “actually, I was thinkin’, while you were sleeping, I can’t go on calling you m’Lady”
“I don’t see why not!” The young Lady snapped.
“Well, it’s going to sound a bit odd, innit? What’s your name?”
“I really don’t think that would be appropriate” the young Lady shook her head, “you’re my maid!”
The maid sighed and walked over to the young Lady’s bed.
“Look, lovey, we’ve ‘ad this talk on the cart, now ‘aven’t we? I was yer maid, right enough, but if that were still the case then I’d be being paid, I’d ‘ave a roof over me head and three square meals a day. Now, can you do that, missy?”
The young Lady sniffed and shook her head, miserably.
“There yer are then! I’m not sayin’ as ‘ow I won’t look our for yer, ‘cause I will, but we can’t be doing with this m’lady malarkey, else people will start askin’ questions”
The young Lady nodded and fiddled with the rough blanket that was covering her.
“Aefelthrith” she said, eventually, in a small voice.
“Yer what, lovey?”
“Aefelthrith. It’s an old family name, passed down the generations”
“Is it?”
“Yeth, I mean, yes”
“I should think they were glad to get rid of it! I can’t call you that, I’ll finish up with me tongue in knots!”
“But…that’s my name” Aefelthrith said, sadly.
“Ethel! I’ll call you Ethel. That won’t raise no eyebrows”
“Ethel!” Aefelthrith said the name with considerable distaste.
“Yeah, sort of sounds the same dunnit?” The maid nodded, “and you can call me Gwladys”
“Gwladys?”
“Well, Glad for short. Everyone calls me Glad” Gwladys beamed.
“I’m not sure I want to” Ethel sulked.
“You’ll come round to it, mark my words. Now, get yerself freshened up and we’ll go and get a bite to eat”
A short while later, Glad ushered them into the crowded inn. Somewhere in the melee, someone was playing a jaunty tune and one or two people were dancing a jig. Smoke from the fire billowed around and it was difficult to see your hand in front of your face, let alone across the room. It was also very hot, what with the press of people, the fire and whatever was cooking on it.
Glad bustled around in a corner and, with the aid of some sharp elbows and a good deal of dark muttering, cleared a space for them both to sit.
“You park yerself ‘ere, Ethel, I’ll go and get us summat to eat and drink”
‘Ethel’ sat miserably on the bench. The noise of the music, the heat and the smoke were all combining to make her feel more than a bit giddy. Hardly having eaten anything all day probably had something to do with it, as well. She was aware of the room swirling around her and she grabbed a wall for support. She was finding it difficult to breathe and her clothing seemed unnaturally tight around her neck. She felt sure that she was going to faint. In the corner of the room, she spotted a doorway and lurched toward it, desperate for fresh air.
Outside, she breathed in the relatively clean air, gratefully. She was standing in a dark passageway to the side of the inn and noticed a number of other girls also standing in the passage, leaning against the damp, cool wall. Perhaps they had been overcome by the heat and noise too?
A large, rough hand was suddenly clamped across her mouth. A face, covered in stubble and framed by wild, black hair, loomed into view, uncomfortably close to hers.
“’Allo deary, you ‘ere for business then?” The face enquired.
Ethel did her best to speak, but found she couldn’t. She shook her head, violently, instead.
“Nah then, don’t be like that” the face said, in a wheedling tone, “no reason why we cant’ get to know each other a bit better now, is there?”
She was aware of a hand groping where no hand should be.
“That’s better, innit darlin’?” The face suggested, improbably.
“’eave me alone! I’ll ‘all a Watchman!” She managed to mumble, from behind the hand.
“I am a Watchman” the face informed her.
She was aware of something hard and long pushing into her leg.
“’t’s that?” She asked, not really wanting to know the answer.
“It’s me nightstick” the apparent Watchman replied. “Now, I just need to adjust meself, if you get my drift, so I’m goin’ to take me ‘and off yer mouth. So, no shoutin’ alright?”
She nodded. He took his hand away.
“GLAD!!!” She screamed at the top of her voice.
You can find the earlier episodes of this tale, here:
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