The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR2/CH2-John's Continuing Visit and its Aftermath

As supper was placed upon the table, John Proctor appeared, bleary eyed and rumpled at the bottom of the stairs. "Sit! Sit!" Aunt Gwyneth said, "children, slide along, and make room for the man who has brought such good fortune to this house!" Auriel watched as John laughed and talked with her children, placing Beatrice in his arms when he asked if he might hold her.

"Such a good man," she thought to herself. Then a wave of sadness washed over her as she realised he no longer cared for her. But she quickly regained her smile as Beatrice dropped her spoon to the floor and Abigail disappeared swiftly under the chair to retrieve it, tangling her long Gisborne legs around the table leg, and almost dislodging everyone's plate.

Guy came to the rescue, steadying the table and kissing his daughter fondly as she reappeared with Beatrice's spoon, oblivious of the chaos she had almost wrought.

"I pray that you may one day sit round a table such as this John," Auriel said, "a table full of love, and little ones. For I believe there is naught better."

"It is my intention to do just that," he replied, "a man can only bide his own company, and his own cooking, for so long, and horses are not known for their wit or conversation!"

Guy and Aunt Gwyneth sat back as the two old and dear friends talked of times past, and Guy suddenly realised that Auriel had not spoken to him of any of the events and people she described so clearly to John. He knew very little of her childhood or early womanhood, merely that her mother had been a widow and had worked hard to give her a good life after her father's accident, and eventual death. To hear someone talk of her girlhood, and tease her about her first love, was a revelation, and he saw her eyes sparkling with remembrance.

As he lay beside her later, he remarked on her memories, and the joy they so obviously brought her. "It was good to see you so happy in your recollections sweet girl," he said. You have a deep fondness for John, yet you refused him, and the good life you could have had."

"Fondness alone would never have been sufficient for me," she said, turning her head into his neck. My mother said that I would know in an instant when I met the love of my life, and that it would feel like a hammer blow to my heart, and it did. I cannot even imagine loving anyone else as I love you."

"And what of this Boudreaux fellow?" he teased, curling a lock of her hair round his finger, "the one you once so longed for? if he should come now, and attempt to steal you away in his youthful passion, would you abandon me for this lovelorn boy?"

"I might consider it," she laughed, "I confess there are days when I think of the men and boys who have loved me, and I wonder."

"What do you wonder?" he asked.

"Do not make me say it, for you know full well!" she said as she flushed with embarrassment. But then she relented, " You are the only man I have ever seen as nature intended, I am merely curious, and there is an end to it!. Surely husband, you realised this when I first lay with you?"

"I remember your boldness!" he said, "along with your unseemly suggestions as you divested yourself of your clothing, shortly before you very quickly relieved me of mine!"

P" I remember it somewhat differently," she said, laughing out ; loud, "I merely remarked that some removal of clothing might be required, but in your efforts to disrobe me, you appeared to be all fingers and thumbs!"

Then Guy put his fingers over her lips to silence her. "We have a guest lovely girl, " he said, "some discretion is required."

Then a few moments later when the gentle laughter ceased, he asked her quietly, " who were you the more curious about? tell me, that I may sleep more easily." But there was a moment of two of silence before she replied.