The Gisborne Chronicles

CHR4/CH1-Reminiscences and Intrigue

Auriel stood at the doorway to the farm kitchen as Rebus and Emmie waved their goodbyes, and she remained there until they disappeared from sight, around the bend in the lane. The three months or so that they had spent at the farmhouse since their nuptials, had flown by, or so it seemed to Auriel, and the knowledge that Emmie believed herself to be with child had made the parting all the harder. Rebus had, for the time, chosen not to accept Auriel's 'gifting', but said that he would think on it.

Guy had returned to his work, after saying his own farewells, perhaps not wanting to see her weep, and Aunt Gwyneth was in the kitchen chiding Beatrice and little Guy, who were yet again in dispute over some toy or other.

The twins and Abigail were at their lessons, though they objected strongly every morning to what they saw as the onerous task of escorting their younger sister to the Priory, Gheraint being loudest in his complaints during the first week of his small sister's attendance.

"She drags her feet Mama," he said, " why can she not remain here at home, every day is the same, she cries, and we have to carry her, then she cries again at her lessons, and Ghislaine is called away to comfort her."

"She does, Mama," said Ghislaine, "every day, she cries for you, she is too little for schooling."

"She is of an appropriate age to begin," said Auriel, "I well remember the two of you sobbing bitterly when your Papa accompanied you to your first day of learning. Gheraint, you ran away home at least twice as I recall, and your sister more often. Abigail will settle, but it needs kindness."

The twins eventually accepted their lot, and Abigail bore up well in the weeks that followed, asserting one evening, as she grew in confidence, that now at least she was away from, "the babies,"

Auriel walked slowly into the kitchen, wiping at her eyes with her apron.

"The time passed so quickly," she said to Aunt Gwyneth, " they seemed barely here, before they were gone. I should have liked to see my brother's first child, but now it will likely be born so far distant, it quite breaks my heart."

"Such is the way of things," said Aunt Gwyneth, "It is a good way away that your brother has made his life, but it is not that far distant. What of your plan to return to Camelot to honour your father and mother? The road surely passes through Dorset, you can break your journey there, the child will be born after Christmas she thinks, time enough then for a visit."

Auriel sighed, "It will be too soon, Guy is somewhat reluctant to leave the farm now that the dairy cattle are showing a return on his outlay, and Glenys and I have our work in the dairy. He feels that he has given too little time to the enterprise whilst the building works were carried out, and he seeks to cover the cost by increasing the size of his herds. He'll not be persuaded."

"At times I regret the changes he has wrought, we have a fine home, rooms aplenty, space for the children to play, and Hywell and Glenys are enjoying the same, but what price comfort, when family are so far distant?"

"All well and good girl, but your man works for the good of us all, and I may say, every hour that God sends, would you take him to task for that?"

"How could I hurt the one who is everything to me?" said Auriel, " but there are times when I so long for past memories, our first days here on this farm, his joy on the birth of our twin babes, we had so little, yet we were content. I lie wakeful at times, thinking on our wedding and other happy times. I cannot think what ails me, I am restless for something, but I know not what."

"Could you be with child?" asked Aunt Gwyneth, " has the preventative perhaps failed, you are a mite pale, and you are not prone to such melancholy as a rule."