The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR3/CH4-A Woman Scorned and then Loved Again

Though all were grateful for the miracles wrought amongst them when their son regained his legs, and safely delivered Glenys' child, the routine of the farm once more came to the fore. The first batch of twenty calves, consisting of fourteen heifers and six bullocks had been born, and most were faring well. Two failed to thrive at first, but grew in strength daily, due to the skills of the resident animal physician, who, although she carried her newborn daughter with her wherever she went, somehow found the time to encourage them to suckle.

"Tis simple Sir," she said to Guy, "the milk is in the pail, dip your fingers
in it and allow the calf to suck them, then guide them to the mothers teats. Once they get the taste for it, they will be away!"

Twenty one days later, it began again, calves being born so frequently that Guy rarely saw his bed for nigh on a week. One of the cows dropped a stillborn, but was quickly persuaded to suckle a calf whose mother had passed during a difficult birthing. Auriel became concerned at her man's lack of rest, protesting loudly when he struggled to his feet after supper one evening, declaring that he was "back out to the barn," and that she should not sit up for him.

"My darling, this cannot continue," she said, "six nights it has been since you slept fully, why must you oversee each birthing? Hywell is competent, as are Gethin and Ewan. Your little ones forget your face, they see you so rarely, and when you do bless them with your attentions you sleep where you sit!"

"I cannot afford to relax my vigilance," said Guy, " each calf born means profit on our outlay, I must ensure that those born are thriving, or we shall fail in our enterprise."

"Just for an hour or so my darling, come to bed and lie next to me whilst I give little Guy his last feeding, just an hour, and I will wake you.

But of course, she lied, as women will do for their menfolk when it is most required. In the ten hours that he slept, Gethin slumbered likewise in the barn, whilst Hywell and Ewan safely delivered eleven more calves. When she woke him midmorning with a kiss, he opened his eyes with a groan. "How many?" he asked, " how many born living, and how long have you let me lie here?"

"Ten hours, and eleven calves," she said, pressing him back against the pillows, "and no signs of others yet awhile, though Gethin keeps watch,  and says he will fetch you should your presence be required. You have been a stranger to this marital bed, and I am feeling a mite neglected. Little Guy is at the back of the house asleep on a blanket, and Aunt  Gwyneth, watches over Abigail and Beatrice, as she sits by him. Now, must I ask, or are you already willing?"

"I have no time to dispense my attentions," said Guy, "matters of the farm are pressing, have you nothing better to do than distract me?"

When he was halfway to the bottom of the stairs, he regretted his sharp words, and realised that for the first time in their loving relationship, he had refused his wife the solace of his body. He thought for a moment, caught on the threshold of available passion, against the need to tend to his beasts, but then he went on his way, down the stairs and out through the kitchen door.

"She'll not hold it against me," he thought to himself, "tonight will be time enough for loving, and she will receive me more eagerly for the waiting."

"He refused me," said Auriel, as she dropped to the blanket beside her Aunt, " seven days it has been, yet he refused me! I shall not ask again, he can come to me on blended knee, and I shall leave him wanting!"

"Nothing changes," replied her Aunt, "as a girl you always got your way, or there would be hell to pay, and now you have married a man who denies you! Not before time my girl, he is your husband and not your plaything! He has other calls on his time, and works for the benefit of us all, you will bite your tongue, and tend to his needs as a good wife should!"