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Pearl of Great Price  by Lindelea

Chapter 20. Departure

It did not take long for the woodcarver to pack up his and Hally’s belongings. They owned little enough, the clothes on their backs and a change, their precious carving tools. Indeed, it was hardly worth the trouble of driving a waggon, but, as Gundy explained to Adelard, who’d come to see them off, they had come knowing only that the Mistress had a large commission. They had not known what pay might result: sacks of grain, crates of chickens, a load of potatoes? Gundy patted his shirt. ‘I’m well paid,’ he said with a smile. ‘Well paid, indeed.’

Bittersweet had enlisted Ferdibrand to help her escort Hally to the waggon. Hally was so wrapped-up as to be unrecognisable with thick woollen hat and muffler and heavy winter cloak, hood pulled up over his head.

 ‘Ferdi, lad,’ Gundy said in farewell, hugging him and thumping him on the back. ‘We couldn’t have done it without you.’

Hally nodded vigorously, adding his own wordless embrace, then turned to the waggon and climbed aboard.

 ‘You ought to be lying down!’ Bittersweet scolded, but Gundy interceded for his son.

 ‘He’s wrapped warm enough, and he’s eager for the journey,’ the woodcarver said. ‘Don’t worry so, missus! I’ll get scolding enough from the wife when we arrive home.’

 ‘I wouldn’t doubt it,’ Bittersweet said, shaking her head. She stepped back, joining the other Tooks in singing the waggon away.

***

 ‘You must deny your daughter,’ Ferumbras said implacably. ‘Denounce her, disown her. It is the only way to save young Ferdi and yourself.’

 ‘Save us from what?’ Ferdinand said. ‘Is the Mistress about to toss us out in the snow?’ As the Thain’s silence lengthened, his eyes widened. ‘You cannot mean...’

 ‘Not in the snow, exactly,’ Ferumbras said, hating every word. ‘In a pauper’s hole, with barely enough food to keep soul and body together, and hardly enough wood to cook it with, much less keep warm, even if young Ferdi could bring himself to light and tend a fire.’

 ‘She’d do that?’ Ferdinand said. He’d always known the Mistress to be ruthless in her dealings, but he and most other Tooks had excused her whims and ways, speaking of the warm heart that surely must beat beneath the ornate exterior. Fortinbras had been a decent sort, but then he’d always deferred to his wife.

 ‘She’s furious. If Rosemary has truly run away, and if she cannot be fetched back again...’ Ferumbras sighed. ‘I never wanted this marriage in the first place.’

 ‘I was surprised when you asked,’ Ferdinand said, then coming back to the topic of concern, he added, ‘Can you not intercede for us? Use your influence...?’

The Thain snorted. ‘Influence!’ he said. ‘When has anyone ever been able to tell Mother what to do? She told me she was getting tired, wanted to step down and just be a grandmother—but she needed grands if she were to do that. I saw a chance for freedom, and selfishly took it, and now am in a fair way of ruining your life, and Ferdi’s, in addition to Rosemary’s.’

 ‘You didn’t ruin my life,’ Ferdinand said. ‘The fire did that already.’ He sighed. He thought he had been doing the best thing for Rosemary, and Ferdi for that matter, and now... What happened to himself didn’t matter, but he knew that if they were thrown out of the Smials, Ferdi would never survive, not in his present state. What had Rosemary been thinking? ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘If Rosemary is not found and returned, if she does not agree to do her duty, I will,’ he took a deep breath, ‘disown her.’

He turned his face to the wall. ‘Will that be all, Sir?’ he said tonelessly.

Ferumbras’ hand tightened on his shoulder. ‘It’s as much as I can stomach,’ he said.

***

Bittersweet had set Ferdi to scrubbing the floor in the large, pleasant sitting-room some time ago. He was still at the task when Isumbold entered.

 ‘Ferdi,’ he said. ‘Just the hobbit I wanted to see.’ Ferdi kept scrubbing, head down. The head of escort walked across the wet floor to stoop and touch the teen’s shoulder. Ferdi stopped scrubbing but did not look up. ‘Ferdi?’

 ‘What do you want of Ferdi, Isum?’ Viola said from the far doorway.

 ‘The Mistress wants to question him,’ Isumbold said.

 ‘The Mistress--!’ Viola said in outrage. ‘Poor benighted lad, doesn’t even know anything but that his sister’s gone. We just got him calmed down awhile agone and you’re going to frighten him again?’

 ‘I have my orders,’ Isum said.

 ‘Only if a healer goes with him,’ Viola said. ‘I do not know what sort of harm this will do.’

 ‘Bittersweet?’ said the head of escort.

 ‘No, she sought her pillow after seeing the woodcarver off, making sure his son was well-wrapped against the cold. She wanted them to stay, but they were eager to be off home now that their job’s done.’

 ‘The Mistress will not wait,’ Isum said. ‘I am to bring young Ferdi to her now.’

 ‘Very well!’ Viola snapped. While they were talking, Ferdi had begun moving the scrub brush in soapy circles once more. Now the healer’s assistant bent beside him, touching his hand. ‘Ferdi,’ she said, voice all gentleness. ‘Ferdi, you’ve done a fine job. Time to put brush in bucket and take a little walk with me.’

Obediently the brush went into the bucket and Ferdi stood, hands hanging at his sides, dripping soapsuds. Viola clucked like a mother hen and wiped his hands dry on her apron. ‘We really ought to run a brush over his head,’ she said.

 ‘No time,’ Isumbold answered. He forced a smile and tried to speak lightly. ‘Ferdi,’ he said, following Viola’s lead, ‘Come and take a walk with me.’

Though the teen wore no expression, Viola patted his arm. ‘That’s right, laddie,’ she said. When the twain took him between them, he walked when they began to walk, stopping when they stopped, as biddable as a well-trained pony.

Isumbold tapped at the study door and opened the door; Viola spoke gently and led Ferdi into the room.

 ‘There you are!’ Lalia snapped. ‘What took you so long?’

Ferdi’s expression did not change, but he began to breathe more rapidly. ‘Steady, lad,’ Viola said, as if he were a fearful pony. ‘No one here means you any harm.’

Pearl watched from behind the Mistress, her heart wrung with sorrow and pity. From the talk she’d heard, she didn’t blame Rosemary for running away, but—poor Ferdi!

 ‘Where’s your sister?’ Lalia said sharply. ‘Surely she said something to you!’ When Ferdi did not respond, she jerked upright in the heavy chair and signalled Pearl to wheel her forward until she was directly in front of the teen. ‘What’s the matter with you?’ she asked nastily, spitting the words into Ferdi’s face. ‘Why won’t you speak? Don’t you know that you and your father are living on the Thain’s charity? My son in his generosity has seen to it that you are cared for, undeserving as you are, and this is how you show your gratitude?’

 ‘Stop it,’ Pearl said involuntarily, and when the Mistress jerked around in her chair to glare at the girl, she repeated it slowly and deliberately. ‘Stop it! Stop badgering him! Can you not see he doesn’t know?’

 ‘Good for you, girl,’ Viola said under her breath, and the Mistress turned her poisonous glare on the healer’s assistant. ‘He doesn’t know,’ she added defiantly. ‘He was asleep when his sister took herself off.’ Ferdi had begun to tremble violently, and she put her arms about him. ‘Steady, lad,’ she said again. ‘I won’t let anyone hurt you.’

 ‘Mother,’ the Thain said from the doorway. ‘You are overwrought. All of you, please,’ he said, his glance sweeping the room, ‘clear out. I do believe the Mistress needs some peace and quiet. Pearl,’ he said, seeing the girl shaking with emotion, ‘go and make us a pot of tea. Isum, help Viola take the lad back to the infirmary.’

 ‘Very good, Sir,’ Isum said promptly, stepping to Ferdi’s side and moving him quickly to the door with Viola’s help.

 ‘But I’m not finished—‘ Lalia protested.

 ‘O yes,’ Ferumbras said decisively. ‘Quite.’






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