The Remembered (19 page)

John smile and looked at Agnes. He already knew that Agnes would not have accepted his offer to go riding if there were an agreement, but he enjoyed hearing her state so. 'Is there an agreement between Edmund and your father?' he asked.

'There is no such agreement, me Lord. I can assure you. Edmund is only a friend,' replied Agnes.

Again they rode in silence for a time before John said, 'Agnes, I wish to 'ave your permission to call upon you regularly. May I do so?'

Agnes smiled and blushed a little as she looked straight at John. 'Of course you may. I wuld very much like that.'

1456

Lincoln, England

Richard finished soldering the section of window that he had been working on and stood back to admire the result. The window had taken several days to complete. He thought that it was truly magnificent and was proud that it would serve to praise God for years to come. This section was the last of a large window that told the story of the ministry of the Savior, culminating in his resurrection and empty tomb. The window was made of an accumulation of small pieces, each of which had been painted by an artist and then fired to set the pigment.
Richard would help to set the window in place at the church tomorrow and then his work in Lincoln would be complete. Once again he and Margaret would leave and search for work elsewhere.
Following the death of Bromley, Richard had searched diligently for Elizabeth. But, it seemed that she had disappeared. Margaret had been very supportive. He was working in Boston at the time, and after he asked Margaret to marry him, he returned to Boston with the promise that he would return and marry her if Elizabeth did not return by then.
As he headed for home that evening, Richard thought about his life with Margaret.
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1438
Stamford, England
It had been a long, warm day and Margaret was finishing her work in the fields. She instinctively looked down the hill, across the open fields to where the road to Stamford broke free of the trees as it neared the towne meadow and bridge.
'Luking for Richard again are you, me luv,' Gleda questioned her. 'I see you luking in that direction so much, me luv, that it is a wonder that you get any work dune at'all.'
'I can nay stop meself, mum,' replied Margaret. ''e 'as been gone so long. I expect 'im back every dee.'
'I am sure that 'e will be back soon enuf, luv. You shuld nay worry.'
'I can nay 'elp meself, mum. Whot if 'e is injured, or 'e is ill? Maybe 'e 'as found another woman.'
'That is nay like Richard. 'e is faithful. 'e will return soon,' Gleda tried to assure her.
Margaret wasn't certain whether she was more concerned for Richard or for herself. She also felt guilt because of her relief that Elizabeth hadn't returned. She hesitated to think about the future if Richard didn't return soon. She felt that her welcome in the Easton cottage was not going to last forever and that Geva and Ralf would want to move in soon and push her out. If Richard didn't return, she might be forced to return to her father's house and seek lodging there. She realized that there was no guarantee that her father would welcome another mouth to feed, especially one that he had so recently been relieved of. And if her father would not have her back, her options were very limited. Perhaps she would have to seek refuge in an abbey.
'Gleda, luk,' exclaimed Margaret. 'Is that nay Richard?'
'Where, me luv?' asked Gleda with excitement.
'There, on the bridge,' said Margaret, pointing in the direction of Stamford.
'Oh, Margaret, your imagination has got'en the bet'er of you. That is too far, me luv. You can barely make oot a person on the bridge. You certainly can nay say that it is Richard.'
'Nay, I am sure that it is 'm,' exclaimed Margaret and she started running across the open field.
Gleda yelled for her to come back and wait, but there was no point. Margaret was determined. She ran across the field and into the trees hoping to meet Richard as he walked the road. The bushes and limbs of the trees whipped her face as she hurried through the stand of trees. When she broke through the trees and onto the road, Richard was not in sight, and she called out his name in anticipation. There was a bend in the road at that point and she ran back down the road toward Stamford, assuming that she had reached that point of the road before Richard had. When she rounded the bend she almost ran straight into a traveler.
'Richar...,' she exclaimed and then realized that it was not Richard at all. 'Forgive me, sir,' Margaret said with embarrassment.
'No need, lass,' the stranger said with a smile that bothered Margaret greatly.
The stranger quickly took hold of Margaret's arm and pulled her close to himself.
'And who is this Richard?' he asked. ''e is a luky man, boot nay so luky as meself.'
Margaret struggled to break free of his grasp, but he was too strong. She started hitting him and yelling for help. The stranger forcefully put his hand over her mouth to muffle her cries as he dragged her off the road. Margaret managed to break free of his grasp and she ran for the road. She didn't get but a few steps and the stranger grabbed her from behind and held her more tightly than before.
'You can nay get away from me, lass,' he exclaimed directly into her ear through clenched teeth.
Margaret again screamed and struggled to free herself and the stranger again muffled her cries with his hand. To ensure that she couldn't break free again, the stranger grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled on it tightly.
Again he pulled her off the road and into the trees. Suddenly, a large stick cracked near Margaret's head and she realized that someone had hit the stranger with it. The stranger relaxed his grip on her and she ran back up the road without looking back. She stopped as she entered the trees on the other side and looked back to see who had beaten the stranger. She watched ever so briefly as the two men struggled. She was sure that she saw the flash of steel in the stranger's hand, but he fell when the other person struck him again with the stick. Margaret turned and ran through the trees back toward the open field. Just as she broke through the trees and into the field, she heard her name called from behind her.
'Margaret!'
She was very frightened and would not stop.
'Margaret!' the person behind her yelled again. 'It is Richard!'
Margaret stopped and turned to see Richard running through the trees and coming toward her in the field. Margaret was so scared that she nearly ran away from him, but then recognition finally overtook her fears.
'Richard!' she exclaimed and ran to him and fell into his arms. She had lost her strength to stand and he lowered her to a sitting position and kneeled beside her. He held her close, all the while keeping an eye on the edge of the trees should the stranger pursue them.
'Richard,' she exclaimed again, 'you 'ave comb back!'
'Yes, me luv,' replied Richard softly as he kissed her forehead, 'I 'ave comb back for you. I 'ave thought aboot you every dee and 'ave longed to be with you.'
Margaret was crying now because of the scare that she had experienced and also because Richard had come back to her.
Richard explained that he had left the road and was walking through the fields from Stamford to Easton-on-the-hill when he saw a woman run into the woods toward the road.
'It appeared to be you, me luv and I called oot your name,' said Richard. 'When you did nay stop, I ran after you. I 'eard you call me name and I knew that it was you. I called back, boot you did nay 'ear me.'
'Oh, Richard,' Margaret spoke between sobs, 'I am grateful that you comb back. Praise be to God that you are 'ere.'
Richard helped Margaret up and they walked hand in hand back to the Easton's cottage where the family received them joyously.
The next day, Richard suggested that they go straight away to the All Saints' Church in Stamford and be married.
'We 'ave a perfectly gud church right across the lane, Richard,' suggested Gleda. 'Why wuld you go into Stamford?'
'Aye, boot I 'ave always intended to be married in the All Saints' Church, mum,' replied Richard.
'Did you nay marry Elizabeth in the All Saints' Church?' asked Geva.
'Aye,' replied Richard.
'Margaret does nay wish to be married in the same church,' stated Geva.
Gleda looked at Geva as if to scold her for raising painful memories.
'I wuld luv to marry you in the All Saints' Church, Richard,' said Margaret as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Richard smiled and said, 'It is set'eld then. Let us be off now. Who will go with us?'
'We can nay go todee, Richard. There is much work in the fields,' replied Gleda. 'Lind is already gone.'
'I will nay be put off another dee,' stated Richard emphatically. 'Margaret, shall we go alone?'
Margaret smiled and her eyes sparkled. 'Aye, me luv, let us be off,' she replied.
Margaret put on her best dress, it was her only other dress. Richard thought that she looked lovely. The dress was made of wool that had been dyed blue. The bodice fit Margaret's form well and the skirt hung long from the waist. The sleeves reached her wrists and were close to her arms the entire length. She wore a dark blue rope as a belt around her waist. The rope was tied loosely and it hung slightly in front. Her hair was braided and wrapped tightly in the back of her head. Her head was covered with a cloth cap that covered her head and sides of her face to the chin and also hung to the shoulders in the back.
The priest at the All Saints' Church was happy to perform their marriage and advised them to minimize their time apart, perchance they should get separated. The couple knew too well the significance of that advice in a country that lacked the means for common people to send messages over even relatively short distances.
After their marriage, Richard and Margaret left almost immediately to go to Boston where Richard was still working on the church windows. It was a pleasant time for them, but there was a sadness when children did not come. Year after year, they had hoped and prayed for a child, but had decided that it must be God's will that they remain childless. Margaret carried a silent burden in her heart that perhaps God was punishing Richard for marrying her. Perhaps it was God's will that he continue his search for Elizabeth. If not for herself, she reasoned, Richard may have continued searching.
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1456
Lincoln, England
When Richard reached his house that evening he found that Margaret had finished cleaning in preparation to leave Lincoln the next day. They had sold their few excess belongs and had purchased a wagon for their remaining household items. The wagon was small and would be pulled by their cow. Work in Lincoln had been good and they had prospered rather well for people of their station.
''ello, me luv,' Margaret greeted Richard with a smile and an embrace. 'When will you be removing that beard from your face?'
Richard had grown a beard against the cold of the winter, but he had gotten accustomed to it and didn't know whether he wanted to remove it.
'Aye, do you nay luv me beard? I do nay know that I will remove it,' he said with a smile. Margaret rubbed her hands on his beard and smiled.
'Are you ready to leave this place, me luv,' asked Richard.
'Aye, and I am ready to leave tomorrow, though I do nay wish to leave this place,' Margaret said as she looked about the room. Despite the fact that they had no children, there were many sweet memories of their time in Lincoln. Having grown up in Easton-on-the-hill in a family that had farmed for generations, Margaret hadn't expected to marry a man that was required to move from place to place in search of the next job. The fact that they didn't have children made it easier, but leaving was always difficult. It meant leaving friends, selling excess items, traveling sometimes dangerous roads, finding work, finding new lodgings and hopefully, finding some new friends.
Richard had heard that there was work in Calais, France. England was still at war with France, but Calais was solidly under English control. It had been Richard's intention to leave Margaret with Geva and Ralf at Easton-on-the-hill while he went in search of work in France. With his family and her family both at Easton-on-the-hill, he felt that it would have been safe to leave her there. But, she would not hear of it. She couldn't help but feel that being separated from him would end badly. Richard knew that traveling such a distance could present hazards that he didn't wish to face with his wife, but to please her, he would do so.
The next morning, Richard returned to the Glazier's shoppe and helped to transport and install the window that he had finished the night before in the church. When he looked at the completed window, he knew that he would never seen it again. He felt a sweet, peaceful feeling as he considered the life of the Savior as depicted in the window. He then said a silent prayer of thanks and returned home to Margaret.
It was after midday when Richard and Margaret loaded their remaining household items on the small wagon and hitched the cow to it. This was the first time that the cow had pulled a wagon and she initially balked, but is wasn't long before she was accustomed to the load.
To get to Calais, they would take a boat from Dover, England and since the road to Dover passed through Stamford, Richard decided that they would leave the cow and wagon with Geva and Ralf. If there was substantial work in Calais, Richard would return to Easton-on-the-hill and sell their belongs. If there was not sufficient work, they would return to Easton-on-the-hill and retrieve their belongings. Either way, Geva and Ralf would have use of the cow for some time.
The weather was good and it took them only 5 days to reach Stamford. They chose to sleep by the wagon each night to save their funds. If the weather turned bad, they would then have money to sleep in an inn.
Things change slowly in Stamford and so Richard was shocked to see from a distance the steeple on the All Saints' Church.
'Margaret, luk,' exclaimed Richard as he pointed to the church in the distance. 'The All Saints' Church 'as a steeple.'
'Aye, it is wonderful,' replied Margaret.
'I am sure that the Darby's must 'ave paid for it,' said Richard. 'They luv that church like I do, boot I culd nay buy one stone for the work.'