Her Strength The More is? - Episode 9

What was that phrase that Glad used?  Oh yes, ‘time flies when you’re having fun!’  Usually said when they were staggering to work, with the rain lashing down, laden with buckets, brushes and brooms.  Well, it appeared that it flies even when you’re most definitely NOT having fun.  Perhaps a better version would be ‘time flies when you’re busy’ because that would certainly be true. 

Sometimes, Aefelthrith found it difficult to believe she had ever experienced another life, one that was so very different from the one she now led.  She could recall, for example, how the days used to drag, how the highlight of her daylight hours was stitching a sampler.  Now, the highlight of her daylight hours was grabbing a cup of tea between scrubbing floors, and the hours and days just sped past!

It seemed incredible that a whole year had passed since they first arrived at the port.  She remembered that first day very well indeed:

Carter Jim had pulled up by the harbour wall.  The weather had taken a turn for the worse during the last few miles and a storm was now threatening.  The ocean crashed and rumbled against the sea defences as ‘Lady’ Gwladys jumped off the cart and ‘Ethel’ the maid dragged herself from her makeshift bed of old pieces of sacking.

Aefelthrith stared at the wild energy of the sea beyond the wall, her first glimpse of this incredible phenomenon.  A wave crashed over the wall, soaking her from head to foot.  ‘Lady’ Gwladys and Carter Jim found this hugely entertaining and laughed uproariously.  ‘Ethel’ was far from pleased.

“I’m soaked to the skin!” She shrieked.

“Won’t do you no ‘arm, bit of seawater!  Meks yer ‘air come up a treat, so I’m told” Carter Jim said, between chuckles.

“Well, thank you for being so sympathetic!”  Aefelthrith snarled.

“I don’t know why you put up with a maid what’s got a bob on ‘erself like that one” Carter Jim shook his head as he addressed ‘Lady’ Gwladys, “yer wants to get yersel’ a reliable girl, one what ain’t fallin’ asleep all the time!  I’ve got a niece who’d do yer just fine”

“Oh, I do so agree!  But, I promised her parents, you see, so I have an obligation” ‘Lady’ Gwladys counted some coins out for the carter and they said their goodbyes.

Once the cart had rumbled off toward the warehouses beyond.  Gwladys grabbed their bags and set off toward town.

“Now what are we doing?” Aefelthrith asked as she ran to keep up.

“Findin’ oursel’s somewhere to kip, get summat to eat and drink, in that order.  Then, tomorrow, we look for work”

“Work?  But, you said we had money enough to tide us over for a few days!”

“An’ that we do but, once that runs out, then we won’t ‘ave no food, no drink an’ no shelter, so the sooner we find work the better.  The carter reckons I should sack yer, by the way” Gwladys grinned.

And find work they did.  Well, Gwladys did, anyway.  She managed to persuade the Housekeeper of a grand merchant’s house to give them a try as cleaners and Aefelthrith discovered the pain and dubious satisfaction of scrubbing floors from dawn to dusk.  Moreover, they were successful!  Gwladys and Aefelthrith’s work was highly thought of and they soon had other houses to clean, as well.  None of this made it a pleasant experience but, at least they were able to eat well, sleep somewhere dry and relatively clean and put a few coins away for another day.

On this particular day, they had returned to their garret tired and dishevelled.  Aefelthrith collapsed onto her bed and ran her hands through her hair.

“I don’t have a drop of energy left!  My knees and elbows are red raw, not to mention my hands!  All I’m fit for is to drop off to sleep and start the whole damn business again tomorrow morning”

“Yep, we’ve ‘ad a tough week and no mistake,” Gwladys agreed, “which is why I was goin’ to say to yer that we ought take oursel’s out.  We’ve not done so bad this week, we could afford to treat oursel’s to a drink an’ a bite to eat” Gwladys rubbed her knees and toes as she sat on the edge of her bed.

“Oh no, not me!  If I do anything tonight, it will be a little light sewing” Aefelthrith shook her head.

“Sewin’?”

“Yes, the hem of this dress is falling down and I must do something about it” Aefelthrith plucked at her dress and viewed the damage, disconsolately.

“Yer dunna wanna be sewin’ tonight!  We’ve worked ‘ard this week, we deserve a bit of fun”

“I’m excused ‘fun’” Aefelthrith said, miserably.

“Garn with yer!  We can go over to that inn yer like, yer know, the one near the ‘arbour.  Don’t ‘ave to go with the crowds, we can sit up in the gallery like and watch the world go by, whad’yersay? Eh?”

Which is how, despite Aefelthrith’s misgivings, they found themselves in the gallery of the Old Harbour Inn.

“Nah then, this is more the ticket, innit?” Gwladys rubbed her hands with glee and peered over the balcony at the heaving mass, below.

“If you say so” Aefelthrith grumbled.

“Looks like a lively night an’ all.  ‘Ere, d’yer see that bloke with the plumed hat standin’ by the bar?”

“No, I don’t think…Oh yes, I can see him”

“’E looks a right dandy, dunne?  Comin’ in a place like this in all that finery” Gwladys chuckled.

“Not something of which we could ever be accused” Aefelthrith looked miserably at the spare work clothes that constituted her evening wear.

“Nah, that’s right enough” Gwladys grinned, “’ere, I’ll go an’ get the drinks in an’ see about some grub.  You stay there…an’ no slippin’ off to any side alleys to try an’ mek a few extra bob!” She winked at Aefelthrith who raised her eyes to the roof.

“Looking like I do, I’d have to offer them refunds!” She retorted.

Gwladys pottered off, chuckling to herself.  Aefelthrith tried to pass the time by watching the crowds below but she was having great difficulty in keeping her eyes open. 

Presently, Gwladys came back carrying two drinks, with a thoughtful look on her face.

“Yer know as ‘ow I said about that bloke down there, ‘im with the plumed ‘at?”

“Yes, I remember” Aefelthrith nodded as she sipped her drink.

“’Ave another look.  See if ‘e rings any bells?”

Gwladys and Aefelthrith peered over the balcony.  It took some time to spot the man in question, even with his plumed hat, amidst the milling throng.

“No, don’t think so” Aefelthrith said eventually, returning to her drink.

“’Ave a closer look.  Can yer see ‘is left ‘and, fer instance?”

Aefelthrith sighed and peered over the balcony, again.

“No, I don’t think I can make it out, not with all those people…oh, wait a minute, yes, I can now.”  She stared intently, “he hasn’t got one!”

“That’s what I thought” Gwladys nodded.

“Just a hook where a hand should be!”

“Yep, that’s what I saw an’ all.  What about ‘is face, that mean anythin’ to you?”  Gwladys asked, innocently

“Not that I can see.  Mind you, that hat obscures his features.  Ah, he’s turning this way now and…oh!”

“What d’yer think?”

“It’s not, it can’t be!”

“I reckon it is” Gwladys said, confidently.

“It’s him!  It’s my Lord!  I thought you said he was dead?”

“No, I never.  I said as ‘ow I’d found an ‘and with ‘is ring on it but that’s all.  There were bits all over the place, so ‘e could ‘ave been dead, for all I knew but it looks like ‘e ain’t”

“Did he see you?”

“Shouldn’t think so, not with all of them people ‘round him.  Probably wouldn’t remember me, anyways”

“I should go to him” Aefelthrith said, with some hesitation.

“I’d ‘ang fire a minute, lovey, if I were you” Gwladys cautioned.

“What do you mean?  He is still my betrothed, regardless of what has occurred so…oh!”

“Yeah, that’s why I said ‘ang fire”

“Why does he have his arm around that woman?”

“Fair ‘aired piece innit?  Saw ‘im with ‘er when I were down there.  Friendly ain’t they?”

“Perhaps it is his sister?” Aefelthrith suggested, dubiously.

“’As ‘e got a sister?”

“Not that I know of” Aefelthrith responded, miserably.

“’E’s kissin’ ‘er now” Gwladys observed with some relish, “is that ‘ow you’d reckon ‘e might kiss ‘is sister?”

“I would hope not” Aefelthrith groaned, “Oh my goodness!”  She turned to look at Gwladys with a shocked expression.  “She’s great with child!”

“That were the other thing I was goin’ to tell yer”

The crowd below milled around but Gwladys and Aefelthrith’s eyes remained fixed on the man with the plumed hat, and his fair haired companion, locked in a passionate kiss amidst the throng.

You can find the rest of this story so far in the collection -

The Chronicles of a Lady (and her Maid)