[Roger the Chapman 06] - The Wicked Winter by Kate Sedley Read Free Book Online Page B

family linen before a passing stranger, as Mistress Lynom now roundly told her.
    'You're a prattling, meddling, evil old shrew who deserves a ducking! How dare you discuss my affairs like this in front of a pedlar! You have a loose tongue, and one day it will get you into serious trouble.' She bent down, breathing hard and short, advancing her congested face to within an inch of the older woman's. 'It could even be the death of you, so be careful.' I must have made an inarticulate sound of protest, for the widow straightened herself abruptly, realising how her words might be interpreted. 'What I mean is,' she floundered, 'you can't gossip about people without making enemies, and sitting by that open window of a morning you see too much of your neighbours' business.'
    It was a lame apology for her threatening attitude and had no relevance to Dame Judith's recent revelations. The old lady looked cowed, however, and seemed anxious to make her peace.
    'I know, I know,' she mumbled. 'My tongue runs away with me at times. But the chapman won't pass on what he's heard, will you, lad? You don't appear to me to be the chattering kind.'
    'Mistress Lynom's affairs are none of mine,' I answered briskly. 'I promise I shan't repeat anything you've said.'  
    'There you are, Ursula,' her mother-in-law pleaded. 'I can recognise a good man when I see one, so you'll let him stop and talk to me for a while, won't you? You know how starved of company and news of the outside world we are during the winter months.'
    I could tell from the expression on Ursula Lynom's face that she would have liked to order me off the manor at once, but she was sensible enough to see that such conduct might antagonise me into breaking my word. So she said, with as much grace as she could muster, 'You're welcome to remain with my mother-in-law for a little, Chapman, and afterwards you may go to the kitchen and tell Jane Cook to give you some dinner.' Her eyes strayed to the goods displayed on the top of the coffer, coming to rest on a set of silver buttons, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. One long, slender hand reached out and fingered them. 'They're beautiful. I'll have them whatever their price. You may go to the counting-house when you've finished here and collect your money.' The door of the solar closed behind her and Dame Judith let out a sigh of relief.
    'She'll give those buttons to Hugh Cederwell,' she mourned, and then, in childlike fashion, clapped a scrawny hand over her mouth. 'There I go again. She's right to be angry with me, you know, although I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of admitting it. My tongue does run away with me, but gossiping's my only pleasure nowadays. It's hard, Chapman, being a dependant in a house where you once wore the keys at your belt and had the running of it all.'  
    I agreed that indeed it must be, and placed several items which I thought she might like immediately in front of her, in order to distract her mind from its woes. In the end, she bought a pair of enamelled girdle tags and a length of fine lace, but that was all, suddenly losing interest in the proceedings. Like all old people she tired swiftly and easily, falling asleep without warning. Quietly, so as not to disturb her, I packed away the rest of my wares, took what had been purchased downstairs to the counting-house, where the household treasurer paid me my dues, and then made my way back to the kitchen.
    'Where do you go from here?' Bet asked as we finished the stewed mutton and apple pasties which made up the lesser servants' dinner. (The chickens had been served in the dining hall, leaving the tantalising smell of onions and sage and cinnamon to linger on in the kitchen.)
    'l hope to get as far as Cederwell Manor, where I shall beg a fireside corner for the night. How far would you reckon it to be from here?'
    'Two mile. Maybe more,' Bet said with a stifled giggle. 'An hour's good walking.'
    The other three kitchen-maids and the pot-boy were also suppressing