The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR4/CH6-The Search for Abigail, and Auriel's Crowning Glory

Guy was rightly devastated when he heard that his most favoured daughter could not be found.

"Where have you searched?" he asked Auriel, and Aunt Gwyneth replied, "there is not a space in this house we have not sought her out, and she is nowhere to be found, I have just come from the attic, therefore we have searched all floors and rooms. She is not anywhere in this house!"

Where are the twins?" asked Guy, looking about him frantic with fear, "I see the little ones here, but where are my twins?"

"We are here Papa, " said Ghislaine tearfully from the parlour doorway, " Abigail said she was fearful for the cub, and she would go after you, but the door was locked Papa, how could she have got out? She was here one moment and gone the next."

"We believed her to be in her bedchamber playing with her dolls, along with Beatrice, but then we heard Mama calling out, we looked, but Abigail was not anywhere."

"Where is the key?" asked Guy, " show me the damned key! the key that should be on this mantle!"

" 'Tis here Papa,"whispered Gheraint, holding up the missing key, " Mama needed wood from the woodpile, and sent me to fetch it, then Aunt Gwyneth sent me upstairs for her shawl, I truly meant to lock the door Papa, I truly did!"

"Sweet Christ boy, why did you not remember, there are wolves right by the house, yet you did not remember to lock the door!"

"I am sorry Papa, I am sorry," said Gheraint, now tight in the arms of his Mama, who was weeping silently, "but everyone was talking at once, I did as Mama asked, and then Aunt Gwyneth sent me upstairs. Please Papa, tell me I am not to blame, it is so cold outside, and Abigail is so little, please, please tell me I am not to blame!"

"Get from my sight boy! shouted Guy, " fetch Hywell, Gethin and Ewan from the cottage, that is if you can remember where it is with your failing memory. Go! Go now! before I forget myself and beat you for your stupidity!"

"You will not speak to the boy so!" said Aunt Gwyneth, " you think he does not regret his foolishness? he merely sought to help his Mama, and then did a small errand for me, he is a good boy!"

"And because of his foolishness I may soon be looking at my dead daughter!" said Guy, " be silent woman, and let me think! There is but an hour of daylight left, and this is killing cold. Search Abigail's bedchamber, does she have a warm cloak about her? And her boots, where are her boots?"

Auriel came forward and put her arms around him, though she was still weeping, and Guy felt her tremble as she embraced him, " if you have enough light, you will find her, she will have followed your footprints and hidden as you came away. There has been no fresh snow today, her path should be easy to follow, go quickly now, here are the menfolk, go now, and please God you will find her."

As he passed through the doorway and explained the reason for the search to Hywell and the two willing lads, Auriel passed him his sword belt. Her face was so stricken that he could almost not bear to look at her.

"Sweet Christ, help me to find my precious girl," he prayed silently, if you seek a soul this night take mine, but spare my girl!"

"Bear up Guy of Gisborne," said Aunt Gwyneth, " there is a small girl out there somewhere, believing her Papa will come and find her, for pity's sake do not prove her wrong. God speed, there will be a warm fire still burning, no matter how late the hour, and I will make soup against your coming. Pray God you will find her."

They searched for three hours, and walked every known path, Guy so anxious and so far ahead that the other searchers lost sight of him several times, though the dogs accompanying some of those searching soon found his trail.