The following morning we were at Northgyth’s door as soon as could be considered polite. Ymma answered, and ushered us in. Waelden had written a letter explaining we wanted the house, and had sufficient coin in place to make the purchase as soon as Erbrand’s grandson wished. He was ready to ride back into Edoras immediately, if Northgyth would provide an address.
Now Northgyth had said she would ride in herself, and to that she held.
“Erbrand knows me, Waelden.” she said, looking a little thoughtful. “I think it will please him to know I will have such good neighbours. I will carry the letter, and add my own approval of the sale. You ride in with the payment when it is required.”
Waelden would have escorted her, but she would not have it. For a moment there was steel in her eyes. Older she may be, but she was also a daughter of Rohan and able to defend herself likely better than I. (I knew, I had seen her wield a sword!) It was not that she was unappreciative of his offer, but that this was something she wished to do her own way. I thought she wanted a chance to say her farewells to the man she had tried to care for. This gave her good reason to visit.
So there was nothing for it but that we returned to our half of the house and tried to while away the hours profitably until she returned.
“We have the coin, and not as a promise but an actuality. Even if there is another interested in the house, we are in a good position, aye?” I had said to him as we walked through the door.
I saw the look in his eyes. He hoped so too, but would think nor say overmuch until we knew for certain. “We will know soon enough,” was his reply.
So to prepare breakfast, (it was my turn) and waking Ethel and explaining we had done all we could. She accepted that. She was still more used to her papa’s ways than I was, though I was making progress. Yet she was excited, full of energy that needed an outlet.
Once the table was cleared, I took her and Herne out foraging for mushrooms and hawthorn berries, not that Herne was much help, and I pointed out herbs to make simples with. I had never thought Ethel would wish to be a herbalist or healer, but it didn’t hurt to know a few things to aid oneself or others, if injured. As with all she undertook, she applied herself to learning. Although the herb did not grow in the area, she spoke to me of lavender, which was said to aid the healing of burns. She was right! An oil made from the plant was most helpful in a kitchen, or a forge.
“We can grow some perhaps, in the new yard?” she asked.
On our return we found Waelden had busied himself with giving our horses a good groom, and with checking the goats in the further field. We all tried not to look in the direction of Erbrand’s house. Soon we would know.
In the afternoon Ethel and I settled to do some cooking and preparation. She wanted to make us all some egg custard tarts, to Ymma’s recipe, and I wanted to cook and jar a hawthorn berry sauce. We started the fire in the oven, adding dry kindling, then began our preparations side by side.
“Mama, that sauce will take a year before it’s ready,” Ethel stated.
“You think I am that slow a cook?” I chuckled back at her.
Ethel laughed as she worked on her pastry. “You know what I mean. Hawthorn sauce goes best with venison and other dark meats, but it really needs to stand a full year for the flavour.”
We looked meaningfully at each other. “We will be using it next winter then, in our own home, aye?” she questioned.
“As with medicine, it does not hurt to be prepared, dear one. I am looking for us to be in Bancross for a long time.”
She grinned as she placed the dry bean filled bases into the open oven, and I began boiling the berries in a little cider.
“A proper home again, at last,” she said with a warm smile.
Northgyth was back before the sun set. She came to our door very shortly after, clad still in her riding gear. We were about to sit down for our meal, and Waelden already had one of the egg custard tarts in his hand as he welcomed her in.
“All is well,” she stated. “I spoke with Erbrand himself, though Erstan was also in the room. The older man is looking frail enough, so I gave his grandson ingredients for a posset to make up. That should at least ensure he sleeps well.”
Then she smiled. I think it was the first I saw her smile so openly. “And he has accepted your offer. We can take the payment to him in the next few days and he will have the document of ownership drawn up.”
I think all three of us gasped sighs of relief. Now we could talk of our plans, our dreams. Waelden reached out to take and shake her hand with both of his. Ethel ran over to give her a tart. “Home made by me,” she announced. And I stood back with eyes full of ‘thanks’ for my family, and for the kindest of neighbours. Especially the kindness of Northgyth, which in our regards at least seemed to know no bounds.
We slept well that night.
“I have so many ideas” I whispered to Waelden as we were first abed. “Do not let me run ahead of you and Ethel. I would have all the house cleaned and set up at once otherwise.”
He kissed my hair, as I cuddled against him. “We are all in this together, love. You and I and Ethel, this will be our work, our dreams.”
The following morning should have been wonderful, but Ymma was at our door. Her expression was like thunder. “Northgyth bids you both pay her a visit as soon as possible,” she said. That expression on what was usually one of the most kindly, homely of faces was something of a shock. We followed her straight away.
Northgyth was pacing her room, spindle in one hand, a letter in the other.
“Sit down my dears, I bid you.“
What had happened? I shook my head, I could not sit. Neither could Waelden. Then Ethel came to the door, having seen and followed. She hurried to wrap her arms around Waelden’s waist. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “What has gone wrong?” he asked.
Stopping her pacing, Northgyth faced us with an expression only a little lighter than Ymmas. “A rider came in, at the crack of dawn. He had a letter, sent by Erstan, saying his grandpapa had made a mistake. There was another offer, in cash, for thirty five gold. The house has gone to the second buyer.”
I wanted to wrap my arms around Waelden and Ethel. I wanted to wrap them around myself. Ethel’s expression changed, as she tried not to show her dismay. That hurt. Her disappointment hurt.
“Can he do that? Northgyth, I thought it was ours?” she asked in what, for her, was a small voice.
Waelden had taken a moment to think. Now he stroked Ethel’s hair comfortingly. “Aye. We have no contract as yet. The house is his to do what he wants with.” He looked to Northgyth. “But if we could raise more coin, if we could find more than thirty five gold, may he reconsider?”
There was a faint hope still in his eyes still. A determination that he would not let the house go without making his best effort.
“He may do, Waelden. But I do not know who the new purchaser is, nor how much they can offer…..” She paused a moment. She twirled the spindle.
“How much can we go to?” I ventured, addressing Waelden. “We have twenty eight gold from the sale. You have six coins and I have two.”
“It would take all our coin, Yllfa. We have to live.” He looked at me with sorrow in his eyes. “If only my payment was in.. “
“If only I had taken in my grandpapa’s sword to sell..”
“If only you had a neighbour who could forward you the amount due to you for a week or two?”
At that last we all turned to look to Northgyth. I don’t think I had ever seen her really angry before. She was still twirling the spindle, and for a moment the letter shook in her hand.
“Thank you, Northgyth. But we cannot accept such kindness. You have already done so much for us,” Waelden replied respectfully.
“Kindness, bah! I am making an investment in Bancross, and in those who will live next door to me. Besides which, there is something not quite right here.”
“There is something not quite right?” Ethel spoke up.She disentangled herself from her papa. Her eyes were bright.
Northgyth smiled at her. “Indeed. If your parents will let me explain?”
We both turned to her as she made her case.
“I spoke with Erbrand. There were no other offers then. He was happy to think his house would be in good hands. All was well. For that letter to reach me cancelling our spoken agreement, another buyer must have made an offer immediately I left. That seems unlikely? Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps Erstan is trying his hand at extorting more money, knowing how much you want the house?”
“Genuine buyers or extortioner, it seems we must meet his demand or lose the place,” Walden spoke directly.
“Then give me a chance to speak with Erbrand again.” Northgyth stated firmly. “If this was done with his knowledge I will be surprised. I have enough to offer up to thirty eight gold, and if that secures the house then you may pay me back when your payment arrives. You do not want to lose the house. I do not want to lose you from Bancross. Is it agreed?”
Neither Waelden nor I liked taking money from another, even if we knew it to be a genuine offer. But this was a compromise we needed to make.
“Papa, mama, let Northgyth try? Don’t give up on our dreams, aye?” Ethel spoke up, looking from one of us to the other. “Don’t give up on my dream?”
I moved to hug her, noting how pale of face she had become. Waelden ruffled her hair.
“Alright, pumpkin,” He said. “Let's do it.”
That day was one of the worst I had known. Northgyth rode back to Edoras with the new letter, and Ymma came round with a large plate of stuffed hearts for dinner. Only Waelden managed to eat any of them. Even he looked a little pale afterwards. But it was the situation rather than the cooking to blame.
Ethel took herself outside. “Bow practice”, she said. Waelden and I paced about like trapped animals. Each deep in thought, each not wanting to make matters worse for the other.
Finally there was the sound of a horse arriving and a rider dismounting.
A brisk knock on the door was followed by a tired looking Northgyth entering the room. “I will not stand on ceremony,” she announced. “Both son and grandson tried to bar me from speaking with Erbrand. Then they said he was too old to know what he said. But I can have a way with words… as you know, Yllfa.”
I nodded. Aye, some words had much power in them.
“Erbrand knew nothing of the matter. He was happy with the payment. He was less happy at being thought out of his wits.”
She held up the key ring. The one she had loaned us when first letting us look around.
“These are yours now,” she said. “Sold for the original asking price, so no need to sell anything more of your own. Go claim your prize!”
The past few days had covered so many emotions, of hope and excitement, of struggle and disappointment. It was hard to believe what she said.
“I have told Erbrand I expect the deeds to be delivered to me within the week, and we will have payment ready. But go now and enjoy.”
Waelden took the key from her hands. He bowed his head.
“Thank you,” he said “How can we ever repay you?”
“Stay here, and be good neighbours.” she replied.
We headed for the house immediately, calling over to Ethel, who was then sitting by the river.
“It’s ours! We have the house!”
She came running, Herne at her heels.
So before the end of that grueling day, Waelden handed the keys to me, indicating that, as the woman of the house the keys were in my keeping, and I should unlock the door. He then placed a hand over mine, and called on Ethel to do the same.
"What's this about? What are you doing, papa?" she asked. "The lock can't be that stiff."
"This is a new beginning for all of us. We do this together." he replied.
All three of us turned the key in the lock, and walked in.
