It was early afternoon the next day and we needed water from the village well. I could see Clarice Malison and Sussana Beckworth there already, girls about my own age. They knew yesterday’s walk was going to happen. They were taking their time getting their own buckets full, hoping I would show up and tell the story. Clarice I knew well. Her father was a fisherman. Sussana was a couple of years older than I. She had been apprenticed to Old Mother Burgess, the village healer, until she died two years ago.

Obviously my tale would not include Anthracyda.

“So, what happened?” Clarice and Sussana blurted out almost together.

“We know you returned home with your escorts and Alastair came back later, so it did not go well” added Clarice.

“Actually it went about as you might expect. It would have been a match made in Hell.”

“Then why did your parents agree to let him court you?” Sussana wondered.

“Maybe to start me off with something they knew was easy to see would not work? Someone very handsome, so maybe I would be thinking past good looks when there is someone I like? They do things like that.”

“He is not only good looking. He has a trade and a house!” Sussana objected.

“Yes, and is twice as old as I am and one of us would be dead within a year. Alastair is likely to be a wife beater and he has to sleep sometime.”

“Umm.” Both Clarice and Sussana looked down at that.

“Yes.” I set my bucket down on the ground and rotated the lever pole and well bucket over the middle of the well, then released the bolt on the windlass. The bucket disappeared and a few seconds later smacked into the water far below.

All three of us grabbed the windlass handle and started to winch back up the heavy well bucket, with its iron ball and chain to make it sink. In our village, the unspoken toll for gossip at the well was helping with the winch.

Once we got the well bucket up and used it to fill my bucket, they both turned back to me expectantly.

“And so…” began Sussana.

“So he is an idiot and only concerned with looks. I fear his buckets will be pretty and leak. ”

“Pretty boy, empty head?” offered Clarice.

“Yes. He wants to give me guidance on baking and sewing and running a household because he is the man. A wife must be beautiful, silent and obedient.”

Clarice snickered, but Sussana twisted her hands. “That is normally how it is done.”

“Maybe in your house. Both your parents sew clothes and weave cloth. You do all the gardening and cooking. My parents both bake and cook. They understand each other. I’m not going to be a cooper and won’t pretend to give him guidance in his craft. Alastair will never know what I already know about cooking or baking or sewing. I don’t care that he is the man. ”

“Besides, you only meet one requirement. Can’t you just bask in his beauty? Or maybe he should just bask in your beauty. I’m sure a journeyman cooper can afford servants to do all your household work.” said Clarice.

She and I laughed.

Sussana looked away. “Maybe I would feel different if I had finished my apprenticeship with Old Mother Burgess. I just don’t know.”

She looked back at us. “I know you two think you can talk back and have your own opinions, but I’ve seen the black eyes and broken bones of wives who aren’t obedient.”

“You don’t have to settle for a wife beater. Choose someone who values you.” offered Clarice. “I wonder who Alastair will set his cap for next?”

“I have the impression he thinks he is too pretty for our village. He mentioned something about going to Carlisle where he would be more appreciated.”

“Oh no! We will all swoon from our loss!” Clarice put the back of her hand against her forehead and pretended to faint. Sussana pretended to catch her and eased her to the ground.

Clarice looked up, shading her face from the sun. “Did Mr. Valcar or Mr. Hume have to threaten him?”

“No. I think Alastair got tired of me after awhile and stopped trying to convince me that all other men were mere shadows compared to him.”

Sussana changed the subject “Is it true that you went to the Stones?”

“Yes.”

“So no demon!”

“None that I saw.” This wasn’t a lie. I don’t think Anthracyda is a demon and I certainly didn’t see him.

“Another childhood nightmare broken. Are the Stones as big as they say?”

“They are huge. Half again as tall as my father and almost as wide as he is tall.”

Clarice chimed in “Hannah (her sister) and Duncane (Hannah’s husband) said the same thing. They said it is peaceful up there.”

“Yes. They’re in a small meadow. But it is an long walk and I do have duties in the bakery and at home.”

“Don’t we all.” grimaced Clarice. “I have some fish traps to mend before they can be used again. I will see you later.”

Susanna added "And I have weeding to do. Actually, I always have weeding to do. When I get to heaven, Saint Peter had better not hand me a rake.

We picked up our water buckets and started towards our respective homes.

Next - The Vicar’s Tale (June 1642)

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