The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR7/CH5 - A Drunken Muddle of Bedchambers

At first Aunt Gwyneth's kindly manner towards Edmund felt strange to those who had lived with her so long, and were used to her strength of speech and deed. Whilst she was affectionate, especially to those she loved and regarded as her family, she could also be sharp tongued if crossed.

To see her softening manner towards the man who wished to eventually wed her, seemed a mite strange, in particular to those that knew her well.

All this Thorin watched, but did not remark upon. He went out several times after dark, and brought home any game he had managed to find, but as Aunt Gwyneth was now firmly in charge of all provender that came into the house, the largest portion went to Edmund, and the family fell behind in the queue.

She cooked, cleaned, changed linens, did laundry, and generally behaved as a dutiful wife should towards the man she was now seeking to court. She saw to it that he got the tastiest morsels from the table, that his bath water was hot, and that his clothes were washed.

She even sought out Ewan or Gethin almost daily, to ensure that Edmund's horse was well cared for.

This she did, to all intents and purposes, for a full fortnight.

"She'll not manage another week of this," said Auriel, " she stifles her very nature, this is not courtship, 'tis a damned penance! The little ones creep about like mice, lest they incur the temper she only lets loose when her man is away from the house, and the twins snigger behind her back."

"I'll not have it. This is our home and we must all be allowed to take comfort in it!"

Guy nodded his head as his wife and his old friend Thorin mirrored his own thoughts on the matter.

" I am unwilling to speak of her actions when she is not here to defend herself," said Guy, " but if he continues to take the food from my mouth, I shall have to speak up, she feeds him as she would favoured pet, the choicest cuts and the largest portions, yet he does nothing to earn it. He seems content to sit there as she panders to his every whim."

"Eleven hours I laboured yesterday, and I came home to a heel of bread and two slices of beef, all bone and gristle, and cold at that! Then I come to bed and you are sleeping, responsive as a corpse to my touch!"

Of course, when he realised the spite of his words, he tried to take them back, as he saw the hurt look in Auriel's eyes. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her gently, and felt her salty tears.

He knew also that he had found fault where it was ill deserved, and in front of his most loyal friend.

" But I left a full plate on the hearth," said Auriel tearfully, " that it may be kept warm for you, I apportioned the food myself, that you should be fulsomely fed after your long day's work. I had washed all the linens yesterday, sixteen bedsheets, and two lines of small-clothes."

"I waited up as long as I was able, but weariness overcame me, I cannot recall when you came to bed. If you had but woken me, I would have welcomed your touch, as I always have."

"I know it," said Guy, " for you have rarely turned from me unless I had fallen from your favour through my own doing. I am a brute to speak to you so. I ask your forgiveness. But the man has incensed me! He ate his own portion, then added mine, and Aunt Gwyneth allowed it! No man who labours as hard as I, should go to his bed hungry!"

"I would not speak ill of anyone my friend," said Thorin, " but the plate your Lady speaks of was there when I went to my bed. I came for a book an hour after, and the plate sat empty on the table. Edmund had passed me on the stairs as I came down."

"I will speak to her on it, there must be changes, or he will be shown the other side of the door." said Guy, " If he eats, then he must at least carry out a few simple tasks about the place, as Thorin does, and it is only right that he should do so."