To say I wer' not in despair after seeing Bethyn would be a lie, I did not know what I would do, she'd been my only 'ope, my only friend, and she'd turned her back on me. Now I 'ad no one, no one and nothin'.
Fer a few days I found no work, and eeked out the few copper I 'ad made fetching and carrying water from the well fer the washer women. My 'ands wer sore and me back ached from the weight of the wooden bucket.
Then quite suddenly when I thought life couldn't put me any lower everything changed.
I was walking back from the well one day, when I stopped to rest by the side of the road, I sank wearily to the ground, feeling the cool grass under me aching feet, I closed me eyes and began thinking on my Wil. How sad he would 'ave been to see me brought so low. “Oh Wil,” I breathed.
All at once I 'eard a voice.. “Allo there! You a'right there me dear?” I opened me eyes and there walking towards me was a tall, ill dressed man, but his face seemed kindly enough.
I pulled me self up, “I'm quite well thankee”. I began to straighten me hair and smooth me skirts.
“Igerne?” said the voice all sudden like, well me 'ead shoot up at this and I peered at the old mans face.. sure enough, there was something familiar about un.
“Igerne Nettle? Well as I live and breathe! What yew doing 'ere old girl?” I could feel tears start up in me eyes. As I regarded the face before me, yes... there it was, behind the beard and long scruffy hair,.. Bernger! Bernger Wil's old best mate! We 'adn't seen him fer years! And 'ere 'e was smiling away as he strode over to me. I could feel me legs giving way again, he reached over ad caught 'old of me with his old,spindly but strong arms.
I tried not to cry, but it twer too much, the relief at findin' a friendly face, after all me troubles wer too much and I cried like a babe, “there there old thing,” he said patting my hair.
And slowly I told 'im everythin' of Archet and Wil's death of the fire and of me terrible life in Bree, of Bethyn and me despairing.
Oh it wer good ter cry and tell 'im all and he listened and nodded and shed a tear too at the news of wil. We sat there most of the afternoon, bein' silent just looking across the fields.
And as dusk fell he 'elped me up and took me bucket and we made our way back ter Bree.
We sat outside the Prancing Pony, and had a half and some cheese and bread. Then he saw me safe to my lodgings before promising ter call on me again soon.
