Ring (Episode 7 - The Further Chronicles of a Young Lady (and her Maid))

Continued from Episode 6 - Shelved

The story so far:  You can find out how our two heroines came to be where they are today by reading The Chronicles of a Lady (and her Maid) either here on ABCTales or in book form (link is external).  In brief, 'Ethel' and Gwladys ran away from a life of servitude at the Inn, run by Aefelthrith's former Lord, along with his partner (and their baby), to take their chances on the road , much against Gwladys's better judgement.  Entering a new town, they how had to fund their life on the road.  A pawn shop run by 'Anty Marj' seemed to be the short-term answer and a lengthy negotiation secured a good deal on Aefelthrith's ring, until Anty Marj suddently vanished before the deal was completed.  Discovering her lifeless body in the Stock Room, Aeflethrith decided this was a sign that they should take over the business.  With 'Anty Marj' safely stowed in an outhouse, Gwladys and Aefelthrith set about running the pawn shop and all seemed to be going reasonably well, until  Anty Marj's body vanished and an officer of the Watch, appeared:

The Sergeant made an involuntary jump backwards, at the sound of Aefelthrith’s shout.
“I’m sorry, did I startle you?” Aefelthrith looked at him with concern.
“No, ma’am, I thought I saw a…a…mouse.  Yes, that’s it, a mouse!”
“Ain’t Officers of the Watch up to dealing with mice, then?” Gwladys entered, bent down and rummaged under the counter.
“I was just…surprised, that is all” The Sergeant fiddled with his truncheon, nervously.
“And you are Sergeant…?” Aefelthrith asked, trying to change the subject.
“Yes, that is right” The Sergeant nodded.
“No, I meant, your name.  You are Sergeant what?”
“No, not Sergeant Watt” The Sergeant shook his head and drew himself up.
“We’ve gotta guess, is that it?”  Gwladys raised an eyebrow.
“No, of course not” The Sergeant frowned.
“So?”  Gwladys folded her arms.
“Ahem…” The Sergeant cleared his throat and appeared to be steeling himself for something.  “My name is…Sergeant…”  He took a deep breath, screwed up his courage and said, “Argent!”
“I’m sorry” Aefelthrith looked puzzled.  Gwladys giggled.
“You…are…” Gwladys snorted, “Sergeant Argent?”
“That is correct” Sergeant Argent nodded, stiffly.  “Means ‘silver’ don’t you know.  I’m the silver service, me” He said, proudly, lifting himself up onto his toes and back down again.
“Yer mam must be right proud” Gwladys stifled a giggle, “you gettin’ promoted an’ everythin’”
“It was quite remarkable how swiftly I was elevated to this rank” Sergeant Argent nodded, “They obviously spotted my talent for leadership”
“Yeah, summat like that” Gwladys wiped a tear from her eye.
“Be that as it may” Sergeant Argent pulled himself together, “There are matters to be dealt with” He strode to the shop door, opened it and yelled, “CONSTABLE!”
A grubby head, framed by a battered helmet, peered around the door.
“Yeah?”  It said.
“Not ‘yeah’, Constable” Sergeant Argent hissed, “The correct response is ‘Sir!’”
“Oh, right, yeah” The Constable nodded.
“So?” Sergeant Argent raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“How should you respond?”
“Quickly?”
“Constable John, you will be the death of me!” Sergeant Argent mopped his brow.
“Didjer want summat?”  Constable John asked, casually.
“Oddly enough, yes, Constable!” Sergeant Argent snarled, “Bring the woman in”
“Right” Constable John disappeared and then reappeared clutching a small, stooped and wizened woman.
“ANTY MARJ!!” Gwladys yelled, enthusiastically, and vaulted over the counter, launching herself onto the old lady and enfolding her in a hug, to the considerable surprise of both Anty Marj and Aefelthrith.
“You erm, you know this lady then?” Sergeant Argent asked.
“’Course we do!” Gwladys said, holding Anty Marj’s shoulders and beaming at her.
“And you know these ladies, madam?”
“Erm” Anty Marj screwed up her eyes and studied Gwladys, then said, “No!”
“You do know us, Marj” Gwladys insisted, “You know your Sarah, don’tcher?”
“Sarah?” Anty Marj considered, “Ar, I know a Sarah” She nodded, “Cousin o’ mine” She explained to the Sergeant.
“Werl, we’re ‘er cousins”
“Distant!” Aefelthrith added, quickly.
“Yeah, distant cousins” Gwladys nodded.
“That right?” Anty Marj looked at Gwladys, dubiously.
“So, that would explain your presence here?” Sergeant Argent felt that he ought to take control of this exchange.
Aefelthrith swallowed, hard.
“Werl, yeah…” Gwladys began.
“I dunner know what they’re doin’ behind the counter, though” Anty Marj commented.
“Ah!” Aefelthrith blushed bright red.
“’Course yer do, Marj!” Gwladys shook her head and patted Anty Marj on the cheek, which generated a filthy look.
“I do?” She frowned.
“Yeah, yer do!”  Gwladys said, emphatically, “Yer sold it ter us”
“Sold what?” Anty Marj scowled.
“This ‘ere shop” Gwladys explained.
“I never did!” Anty Marj snorted.
“Just to clarify” Sergeant Argent drew himself up and glared at the inhabitants of the shop, “it is your contention that this lady, who you have identified as ‘Anty Marj’, sold this business to yourself and your cousin here, am I correct?”
“Didn’t!” Anty Marj stamped her foot.
“You see, we discovered this lady, wandering aimlessly, along the main road out of town in the early hours of this morning.  When we asked where she lived, she eventually came up with this address”
“Yeah, werl, she would” Gwladys nodded, “on account of this is where she used to live”
“Wotcher mean, ‘used’?”  Anty Marj put her hands on her hips and glared at Gwladys.
“Like I say, we bought it” Gwladys glared back.
“Orl right!” Anty Marj said, with a note of triumph, “If’n I sold this ‘ere ter yer, where’s me money then?”
“Ah!” Aefelthrith bit her lip and started to sidle toward the kitchen.
“That is an excellent point, madam” Sergeant Argent nodded, approvingly.
“Not money, Anty” Gwladys shook her head, “check yer pocket”
“Ha! There ain’t nowt in there” Anty Marj chuckled and rummaged in the capacious pocket running across the front of her skirt.  Then she looked puzzled, plunged her hand further down into the pocket and slowly produced something clutched in her fist.
“Recognise it?”  Gwladys asked.
“Ar, I seen it afore” Anty Marj nodded, slowly, “just canna remember where” Anty Marj studied the large bejewelled ring, carefully.
“Werl, that’s what we bought the shop with” Gwladys said.
“But that’s’…” Aefelthrith began, but was stopped in her tracks by an evil glare from Gwladys.
“Yer paid this, fer me shop?” Anty Marj’s avaricious little eyes, glittered.
“Yep.  We knows it’s more than it’s really worth but yer can’t do yer own family down, now can yer?”
Gwladys went to hug Anty Marj, again, but she stepped back smartly, unfortunately crushing Constable John’s cheap footwear in the process.
“’Owd yer ‘orses” Anty Marj said, clutching the ring like a trophy, “where’s me Bill of Sale then?”
“Bill of Sale?” Gwladys looked at her incredulously, “We’re family Marj, I thought we could do it all on an ‘andshake”
“Werl, yer thought wrong, dincher!” Anty Marj scowled, “I wanter Bill of Sale what says as ‘ow this ‘ere ring is what yer payin’ me for me shop an’ everythin’.  I don’t want no-one comin’ back an’ sayin’ as ‘ow it weren’t worth it, right?”
“A deal’s a deal, as far as we’re concerned, Marj” Gwladys looked at the old lady, sadly, “but if you want a Bill of Sale, I’ll write one out now fer ye”
“Erm, can I just point out…” Aefelthrith tried again.
“No, yer can’t” Gwladys snapped, scribbling out a note. “’Ere yer are, Marj.  This says as ‘ow yer sellin’ us the shop, the ‘ouse an’ grounds, all the contents an’ any monies what’s owin’ ter yer, in return fer that ring, that do yer?”
“Ar, that’ll do me” Anty Marj scanned the note, rapidly folded it and stuffed it into her pocket, along with the ring.
“But, where will you live, madam?” Sergeant Argent asked, with concern.
“Werl, that’s a problem fer another day” Anty Marj said, with a beaming smile, “right nah, I’m orf to the pub, get me’sen a nice meal an’ a room fer the night.  Coming, boys?” She winked, lasciviously at the Sergeant, who blushed.
“GWLADYS!” Aefelthrith hissed.
“Yer mind ‘ow yer go, Marj” Gwladys waved her off, “dunner be a stranger”
“I’m glad this matter has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, ladies” Sergeant Argent nodded to Aefelthrith and Gwladys In turn.  “Come, Constable”
“I thought as ‘ow I might ‘ave a look ‘round, see what they’ve got, style o’ thing” Constable John was gazing around the shop with an acquisitive eye.
“You can do that in your own time, if you don’t mind, Constable.  Come, we have our duties to perform” Sergeant Argent pushed him toward the doorway, gingerly, with the end of his truncheon.  Anty Marj had already scampered out, with a remarkable turn of speed for an old woman.  “Good day, ladies”
Aeflethrith waited until the door had shut behind them, before turning on Gwladys.
“Just WHAT do you think you are doing?”  She yelled, red of face and clearly very angry, “That was my Lord’s ring, it was very valuable indeed!”
“Ar, I know” Gwladys nodded, “an’ it bought yer this ‘ere shop an’ everythin’ didn’t it?”
“This shop! it’s not worth the value of that ring.  She’s walking away with a fortune!”
“Mebbe so, mebbe not, but it were either that or risk ‘er gettin’ ‘er memory back an’ rememberin’ as ‘ow we left ‘er on that there shelf, fer dead.  Is that what yer wanted?”
“Well, no, but…”
“No ‘buts’.  She’s done alright fer ‘erself an’ she knows it.  She’s not gonna stir up any trouble an’ risk losin’ a small fortune.  An’ you an’ me, we’ve got oursen a nice little business, what could do a lot better than it is.  Just what yer wanted, innit?”
“Not at any price!” Aefelthrith sniffed. “How did she get that jewel, that’s what I want to know”
“Slipped it in ‘er pocket when I ‘ugged ‘er.” Gwladys grinned.  “Look, fer now, everyone’s ‘appy” Gwladys patted Aefelthrith’s hand, “werl, mostly ‘appy.  The Watch ‘ave gone off chuffed that they’ve sorted this out, so they won’t be comin’ back ter mess it all up agin.  Anty Marj ‘as gorn off chucklin’ ‘cause she thinks she’s worked one over on us an’ we’ve got a business to run, which is what yer wanted, right?”
“And Anty Marj is a very rich woman” Aefelthrith scowled.
“She’s gotta sell it, first” Gwladys tapped the side of her nose, “An’ I reckon there might be some questions asked about where it come from, in the first place.  There’s nowhere ‘round ‘ere she can shift it, ‘cause she was it, so she’s gonna ‘ave to go somewhere else an’ good luck to ‘er, that’s what I say”
“Hmph!”
“Cheer up," Gwladys gave her a hefty nudge and winked, "at least yer not scrubbin' floors"

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)