surprising. When he rode off, your father was glad to see the back of him.’
‘Of course. No man likes to be watched over by his master,’ she said.
It was true. There could never be peace while a man knew that his every movement could be monitored by his lord. Any activity which generated money could – and would – be taxed or all the profits taken without compensation. Some serfs, even here in Gidleigh, had so little for themselves after they had paid their taxes, spent their labour maintaining their lord’s lands, seen to his cattle, helped repair his hedges, ploughed and tilled and sown his fields, that they were constantly close to starvation. Mary was just glad that her father seemed to have a little of Sir Ralph’s respect.
That brought her full circle, to considering a husband. Any man she married must also be respected by Sir Ralph. She couldn’t afford to pay the
merchet
fine for a man outside Sir Ralph’s lands, because she knew he set that very high. He didn’t want to lose good breeding stock, as she had heard him say with a chuckle.
‘It’s not so tough when you’re a freeman,’ Os said with a slight cough.
She was about to open her mouth to speak again, but shut it quickly. Anything she said would be misconstrued by Os, she knew that from long experience. While she wondered what to say to him to make her lack of interest plain, she caught sight of her brother, and this drove all thoughts of Os and marriage from her mind.
Ben saw how her expression changed, but it only served to make him smile. He sauntered over to her and Osbert. ‘Well, sister. How do I find you?’
‘I saw you today, baiting Sampson. He was bleeding when I got to him. Bleeding badly!’ she said, her voice clipped and haughty.
‘So what? He deserves it. They say he’s got a demon in him. You’ve heard the priest talking.’
She had: Mark had spoken about a man in the Bible who had been possessed by demons, and Jesus had made them leave him. It had made many in the congregation think of Sampson because there had to be a reason why he was so slow-witted. His widespread eyes and round face marked him out, and surely he would only look that way if God had meant him to. ‘That’s not for you to decide, is it? A
little
boy with so few brains is hardly the best judge.’
‘I’ve got good enough brains to see a fool. If he wanted, he could defend himself. He doesn’t bother, and that’s his lookout.’
‘What’s all this? What’s he done this time?’
Mary was glad of Osbert’s intervention and looked up at him gratefully. When she turned back to Ben, he had set his jaw.
‘It’s none of your business. I’m talking to my sister.’
‘He was bullying Sampson again,’ she said.
‘You should pick on someone your own size,’ Osbert said with a hint of contempt in his voice.
It was enough to goad Ben. He thrust his head forward, mockingly rolling his eyes. ‘Yeah? Why, do you think you could do better, eh? You! A pathetic worker for my father! You try to harm me, and I’ll see to it that you never work here again. How would you like that, big fellow? Never have a chance of staring at my sister’s bubbies again. Never have a chance of fondling them, either.’
Os growled incoherently, and he stepped a pace toward Ben, but before he could get close, Ben had whipped out a slender eating knife from his belt and held it close to him, ready to strike, his left hand ahead, palm outstretched. ‘Don’t try it, Ossie! My father taught me plenty about fighting when I was a lad. You try something now, I’ll kill you. All because you can’t keep your eyes off my sister.’
‘That’s a lie!’
‘Is it? Maybe it is! Sorry, sis. Perhaps I should leave you and him to talk. He’d like that.’
‘Just leave Sampson alone in future,’ Mary said.
‘Why? What would you do if I didn’t?’ Ben asked. He gave a laugh, thrust his knife back in its sheath, and walked away, still sniggering.
Osbert cleared his
‘Of course. No man likes to be watched over by his master,’ she said.
It was true. There could never be peace while a man knew that his every movement could be monitored by his lord. Any activity which generated money could – and would – be taxed or all the profits taken without compensation. Some serfs, even here in Gidleigh, had so little for themselves after they had paid their taxes, spent their labour maintaining their lord’s lands, seen to his cattle, helped repair his hedges, ploughed and tilled and sown his fields, that they were constantly close to starvation. Mary was just glad that her father seemed to have a little of Sir Ralph’s respect.
That brought her full circle, to considering a husband. Any man she married must also be respected by Sir Ralph. She couldn’t afford to pay the
merchet
fine for a man outside Sir Ralph’s lands, because she knew he set that very high. He didn’t want to lose good breeding stock, as she had heard him say with a chuckle.
‘It’s not so tough when you’re a freeman,’ Os said with a slight cough.
She was about to open her mouth to speak again, but shut it quickly. Anything she said would be misconstrued by Os, she knew that from long experience. While she wondered what to say to him to make her lack of interest plain, she caught sight of her brother, and this drove all thoughts of Os and marriage from her mind.
Ben saw how her expression changed, but it only served to make him smile. He sauntered over to her and Osbert. ‘Well, sister. How do I find you?’
‘I saw you today, baiting Sampson. He was bleeding when I got to him. Bleeding badly!’ she said, her voice clipped and haughty.
‘So what? He deserves it. They say he’s got a demon in him. You’ve heard the priest talking.’
She had: Mark had spoken about a man in the Bible who had been possessed by demons, and Jesus had made them leave him. It had made many in the congregation think of Sampson because there had to be a reason why he was so slow-witted. His widespread eyes and round face marked him out, and surely he would only look that way if God had meant him to. ‘That’s not for you to decide, is it? A
little
boy with so few brains is hardly the best judge.’
‘I’ve got good enough brains to see a fool. If he wanted, he could defend himself. He doesn’t bother, and that’s his lookout.’
‘What’s all this? What’s he done this time?’
Mary was glad of Osbert’s intervention and looked up at him gratefully. When she turned back to Ben, he had set his jaw.
‘It’s none of your business. I’m talking to my sister.’
‘He was bullying Sampson again,’ she said.
‘You should pick on someone your own size,’ Osbert said with a hint of contempt in his voice.
It was enough to goad Ben. He thrust his head forward, mockingly rolling his eyes. ‘Yeah? Why, do you think you could do better, eh? You! A pathetic worker for my father! You try to harm me, and I’ll see to it that you never work here again. How would you like that, big fellow? Never have a chance of staring at my sister’s bubbies again. Never have a chance of fondling them, either.’
Os growled incoherently, and he stepped a pace toward Ben, but before he could get close, Ben had whipped out a slender eating knife from his belt and held it close to him, ready to strike, his left hand ahead, palm outstretched. ‘Don’t try it, Ossie! My father taught me plenty about fighting when I was a lad. You try something now, I’ll kill you. All because you can’t keep your eyes off my sister.’
‘That’s a lie!’
‘Is it? Maybe it is! Sorry, sis. Perhaps I should leave you and him to talk. He’d like that.’
‘Just leave Sampson alone in future,’ Mary said.
‘Why? What would you do if I didn’t?’ Ben asked. He gave a laugh, thrust his knife back in its sheath, and walked away, still sniggering.
Osbert cleared his
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