Without a Trace by Mel Starr

Author:Mel Starr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lion Hudson
Published: 2019-07-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

’Twas a fast day, so my Kate, with Adela’s assistance, had prepared a dish of haddock in balloc broth for our supper. My goings and comings have, of late, been unpredictable, but Kate’s guess that I would return this day was accurate.

When we were first wed Kate and I fell into the habit of drawing a bench to the toft after supper, there to rest from the day’s travail in the fading sunlight and speak of events. We continued the custom after Bessie, then Sybil and John were added to our household, tucking them first into their beds. When Kate’s father came from Oxford to live with us he would often join us. The bench is large enough for three.

After supper Adela took Bessie and John to their beds – not without some protest from Bessie, who has begun to believe herself old enough to participate in adult matters. Why is it, I wonder, that children wish to be older and the aged wish to again be young? We prefer what we have not, and disdain what we have.

This thought occupied me as I placed the bench against the west wall of Galen House. When Kate and her father joined me I spoke of Bessie, whose protest had only moments before ceased.

“’Tis a happy child who is content with her lot,” Caxton said.

“Then many children are unhappy,” Kate said.

“Aye, and their parents also,” her father replied.

“Perhaps this is no bad thing,” I said. “If all men were content with their lot, who would go to Oxford to study and improve themselves? Who would undertake to build a great cathedral, or even improve a village church? Had I been content with my bachelor state I would not have pursued you,” I said to Kate.

“Ah,” she smiled. “And did the capture improve your condition?”

“I am well fed, with two healthy babes, and my bed is warmed on cold winter nights. I would be a dolt to think otherwise.”

“There are dolts among men, then,” Caxton said.

“Aye, and among women, also,” Kate added.

As neither her father nor I took exception to this remark the subject seemed exhausted and we three fell silent, basking in what remained of the sunlight before the oaks of Lord Gilbert’s forest obstructed the light.

Kate sat to my left, her father to my right. Because she was farther from Caxton, Kate likely did not hear his faint sigh. No, ’twas more a gasp, and I saw his hand reach for his belly. In the past weeks I had seen that his appetite was not so hearty, and his belly seemed swollen. I did not like these developments, but had not mentioned them to Kate. Holy Writ tells us the evils of each day are enough. We must not worry about the evils which may attend tomorrow. So I had not spoken to my wife of my concerns lest she fret about her father’s health. But I resolved that some time when Kate was not present to become alarmed I would examine my father-in-law.

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