She approaches! Goldilocks Sanders, young, available, good birthing hips, and she approaches me.
She left the party, came all the way outside, and stands before me. Or she could be seeking the pizza behind me. That is what Clover wanted, but that doesn't matter, she is spoken for. If Goldilocks wants some of this peasant food I could eat some nearby...if that gypsy didn't eat it all.
She is a pretty girl. Oh no. What is that look on her face? She looks disgusted. I do not understand. We are of the same class, I am the Reeve's son. I have not done a dishonorable deed. What would a widow's daughter hold against me?
"Clover! You are promised to the Malone boy," she scolded.
Oh good, it's not me.
The gypsy laughed.
"This is just the way we gypsies greet one another. I mean no harm to this woman's honor."
"Let us go back inside then."
Was that me? It was.
"Surely your mother misses you by now."
Goldilocks is smiling at me.
Henry walked toward his family's doorway.
They follow! Perhaps I shall someday lead the people as my father does as Reeve. Leading my own family might be better though.
Inside his mother was watching Widow Sanders throw a stick to their family dog - inside. Poor mother, too polite to tell the widow not to.
"Thank you," Goldilocks said softly.
"For what?"
"For getting my sister away from that old man."
Henry knew the gypsy man had been telling the truth. But if a woman sees me heroic, far be it from me to correct her!
"Is it not what any man would do?"
"Not any man."
She lay her wee hand upon his arm.
He hadn't meant to pull away. Henry had been surprised. He'd never been touched by a woman before.
"I have some homework to do."
What just came out of my mouth? Homework? Instead of being company for a woman? And at a party? I have just punished myself.
Where did the quill go? I need to at least pretend to take notes. Did it fall in the crack in the wall again?
***
"Really Chip, I can hardly believe you stayed with the monastery."
"Why? I was the Boy Bishop."
"Yes, but that is a temporary title."
"And now I am Brother Chip. I was invited to stay. I will have more opportunities than I did as a peasant."
"But I remember a certain day after church."
"What day might that be?" Brother Chip asked innocently.
"Oh the day when you decided to play Father."
"Oh no."
"Oh yes! Brethren, I have something important to say to all of you!"
"You were there too!"
"And so was William standing behind you."
"'Amen Brother Chip!' William kept saying. And then weeks later when they picked you to be Boy Bishop I nearly died laughing."
"See, it's all William's fault that I am Brother Chip now. He first put the idea in my head."
Brother Chip grinned.
"At least now you can join Henry and I when we go away to college. You can be our spiritual guide, give us something important to listen to after every meal."
The two laughed good and hearty. Then Brother Chip gave his smile of brotherly love.
"Francis I would be most honored."
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