High Magic's A

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Jane, Sue, Marian, once I come to fetch you you'll rue the day you were born. "
"Every time we see and hear you do we rue it," Sue spat out at her,, not afraid to
speak her mind, and rudely awakened from some delectable dream not unconnected with
her expressed wishes of the night before.
- 145 -
She was in a mood for rebellion.
"Insolent slut; do you dare bandy words with me?"
Sue, by now scrambled into her clothes, advanced to the door insolently swinging
her hips, and Hildegarde, seeing her in this truculent mood, returned up the ladder to her
room, for she wore but a shift, and bundled some clothes on. But her eyes flashed
vengeance, battle and murder.
Morven, still dazed with want of sleep, followed the three girls into the yard,
where they took turns to sluice face, shoulders and hands in a bucket of water set on a
chopping block.
"If war comes not soon, I'll raise rebellion and make it. Lord, what a life,"
grumbled Sue.
"La, mistress, you're all over soot," exclaimed, Marian. Morven suddenly realised
her hands and arms were covered With black streaks where she had climbed through the
smoke hole. Assisted by the girls, she was soon tolerably clean, and they trooped in for a
hasty breakfast.
The Bonders looked glum and sullen, their mother had been at them already.
Hildegarde herself looked furious. Morven softly echoed Sue's words: "Lord, what a
life." She thought: 'Let me get my horse and ride away from here, I have done all I came
to do and but make matters worse by staying. O for somewhere I could really wash me
clean and then sleep."
But Hildegarde had other plans, and Morven found herself again with spade
digging an enormous seed bed. As soon as the mistress had departed Morven sat down to
rest her aching back, but had barely found a comfortable position when old Simon, Wat,
Samkin and Chinnery, stole from behind a stack and gathered round her; she rose to her
feet with a groan.
"Maiden, your orders!" Ere she could answer, Chinnery made a clucking noise of
dismay. He was a tall man and could see over the others' heads. "Drat the day ... There's
na luck in it, here comes mistress and the two maisters. We all be in for a fine tongue
wiping, I lay."
"Why, Mistress Morven, what do you with these men?."
"They have brought me news of my people; good mistress, for which I am
heartily grateful. "
"Thy people indeed," sneered Hildegarde, beside herself with a dozen vexations.
"If the search be an honest one, why did not Thur accompany you? If indeed you are a
niece of his and not some vile strumpet picked up in God knows what vile stews to
corrupt the flesh of him and my boys. "
Jan and Olaf were breathless, their faces flamed, then Jan quietly slipped away.
Morven sprang forward with passionate energy. "Peace,
- 146 -
woman, lay not your lewd tongue on me! " she commanded, her face deadly white with
anger. "Is not Thur the best of men,. has he not befriended you and yours for twenty years
and more? Are you out of your wits, mistress?" The women confronted each other, one
flaming red, the other deadly white.
"She must not harm Maiden's soul," Simon murmured apprehensively.
"Maiden can blast her to hell, an she be so minded," Chinnery whispered in his
ear.
"What are you men muttering about?" Hildegarde demanded, shifting her attack.
"Back to your work." They stood their ground stolidly, staring at her like beasts in a pen.
"Begone, I say!" she cried with an enraged stamp.
"Nay, mistress, we bide," Simon assured her succinctly.
But she was already attacking Morven: "Do I not find you in the midst of my
hinds? Did you not come riding astride rigged in men's clothes against the holy scripture?
Flaunting red garters, so my men nearly lost their senses when they saw them girding thy
shameless legs? If that not be the mark of a strumpet, then I am no judge of one."
"Mother, have done," Olaf interposed. "You shame us by your ugly brawling and
your tongue says monstrous things and evil lies. "
"Hoity-toity, I must not speak? I am a liar to boot and how will you stop me,
pray?"
"I'd like to seal thy mouth with honeyplaster. So you might learn sweetness in
silence."
"Nay, Olaf ..." Morven expostulated, but Hildegarde turned on her... fiercely.
"I'll manage my own oafs without any aid from thee."
As she spoke, Jan returned leading two horses, saddled and bridled, and entered
into the fray. "Mother," began Jan, with a new firmness. "You will manage us no longer. I
am a grown man and Olaf is coming along. Such thraldom is unseemly, and, good
mother, we will have no more of it."
"And, pray, what is your vast age?" she demanded. "Scarce. twenty-three years.
Oh yes, you strut it like any manikin and visit your stews, and bring back your strumpets
for your mother to house."
"Mother, your mind stinks like a midden. Morven is here to help me get my
rights."
"Your rights," she spat, "so we come again to 'your rights'. I thought we would
come to them soon. Your 'rights' are to hide at home and till the land and get a hand's turn
out of these scurvy knaves that batten on us."
- 147 -
"Na, mistress, we be na knaves." "We be honest hard-working folk an' faithful." "We
work hard for 'ee." They all spoke together.
"Mercy on us, what a clamour," she scoffed.
"Night and day we work for 'ee, mistress, and get no thanks but curses and
blows," Simon said with a stolid dignity.
"You speak truth, Simon. No man or woman was better served. I know your
loyalty," said Jan. "Mother knows it in her heart of hearts too." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Archiwum