that didn't stop her from doing it occasionally. Richard usually stood stiffly if she did.
'I will be going to church at All Saints' in Stamford todee,' Richard said, probably a little more energetically than he had intended. He feared now that his tone may rouse suspicions, but his mother didn't seem to react.
'That will be nice sone,' was all that Gleda offered. 'Will you eat before you go?'
Richard sat down and waited for the porridge to boil on the fire. While he waited he ate some rather stale bread with some butter. He didn't notice the staleness of the bread as his mind was on other things.
Geva and the rest of the family were at the table by the time the porridge was offered. Geva had already been outside to feed the chickens.
Richard was the first to finish eating. He stood and announced that he was leaving. Geva of course wanted to know where he was going and he stated that he would be going to church in Stamford. As he did so, Geva also stood and said cheerfully, 'I will go with you.'
Richard gave her an icy stare as Lind stated, 'Take care of your sister, Richard.'
Outside the cottage Richard expressed his displeasure with Geva.
'Why did you say that you wuld go with me? You know that I am going to Barnack!'
'Do nay worry, I will nay be going to Barnack with you. I am going to see Ralf.'
Ralf had been showing interest in Geva recently and she thought that this was a good opportunity to see him without her parents knowledge.
'Nay, you will nay be seeing Ralf. If mum and father learn of it, I will be the one to catch their wrath,' said Richard. 'You will be going to Barnack with me now. Let us go then.'
Geva hadn't anticipated Richard's insistence and she wasn't looking forward to the walk to Barnack. But now she didn't see an alternative.
'Fine,' said Geva with a pout, 'it might be interesting anyway. I 'ave never been to Barnack. Maybe the boys are 'andsume.'
Fortunately, the weather was pleasant and the road wasn't very muddy. Richard figured that if they followed the main roads, it would take them over an hour, but if they were to pass through the fields and take smaller roads instead, it may only take 40 minutes.
On the way to Barnack, Geva had plenty of time to tell Richard all about Ralf. Ralf lived near the village of Tinwell. Richard had been to Tinwell several times with John Darby. The Darby's home lay between Tinwell and Easton-on-the-hill.
Geva had met Ralf at the Stamford market a few weeks earlier when she was there with her mother. While Gleda had been busy looking at candles, Geva had gone ahead to look at some clothe. Ralf had bumped into her and when he excused himself a conversation ensued. Richard asked Geva whether she ever suspected that Ralf had bumped into her purposefully. Geva suspected so, but didn't mind. Since then, she and Ralf have met weekly at the market. Ralf had even walked to Easton-on-the-hill once to see her. She saw him over by some trees near the church when she had been out collecting eggs. Geva was hoping to introduce him to her mother and father soon.
Geva could have spoken at length about Ralf. Richard had done a good job of acting interested, but now he was glad that they were nearing Barnack.
Barnack was a small village, about the size of Easton-on-the-hill. Despite its small size, Barnack had gained some recognition due to the stone that was quarried nearby and used in great cathedrals. Richard had heard that its stone was being used to rebuild part of the Ely Cathedral after a portion of the building had collapsed.
It didn't take long for Richard and Geva to walk through the village. As they neared the church, Richard asked Geva to wait behind the tower while he looked inside the building. Richard noted that the Church of John the Baptist must be very old, because it had very small windows. Windows of that small size would never be able to tell the stories of the bible the way Richard observed in the windows that he was working on.
'I will be going to church at All Saints' in Stamford todee,' Richard said, probably a little more energetically than he had intended. He feared now that his tone may rouse suspicions, but his mother didn't seem to react.
'That will be nice sone,' was all that Gleda offered. 'Will you eat before you go?'
Richard sat down and waited for the porridge to boil on the fire. While he waited he ate some rather stale bread with some butter. He didn't notice the staleness of the bread as his mind was on other things.
Geva and the rest of the family were at the table by the time the porridge was offered. Geva had already been outside to feed the chickens.
Richard was the first to finish eating. He stood and announced that he was leaving. Geva of course wanted to know where he was going and he stated that he would be going to church in Stamford. As he did so, Geva also stood and said cheerfully, 'I will go with you.'
Richard gave her an icy stare as Lind stated, 'Take care of your sister, Richard.'
Outside the cottage Richard expressed his displeasure with Geva.
'Why did you say that you wuld go with me? You know that I am going to Barnack!'
'Do nay worry, I will nay be going to Barnack with you. I am going to see Ralf.'
Ralf had been showing interest in Geva recently and she thought that this was a good opportunity to see him without her parents knowledge.
'Nay, you will nay be seeing Ralf. If mum and father learn of it, I will be the one to catch their wrath,' said Richard. 'You will be going to Barnack with me now. Let us go then.'
Geva hadn't anticipated Richard's insistence and she wasn't looking forward to the walk to Barnack. But now she didn't see an alternative.
'Fine,' said Geva with a pout, 'it might be interesting anyway. I 'ave never been to Barnack. Maybe the boys are 'andsume.'
Fortunately, the weather was pleasant and the road wasn't very muddy. Richard figured that if they followed the main roads, it would take them over an hour, but if they were to pass through the fields and take smaller roads instead, it may only take 40 minutes.
On the way to Barnack, Geva had plenty of time to tell Richard all about Ralf. Ralf lived near the village of Tinwell. Richard had been to Tinwell several times with John Darby. The Darby's home lay between Tinwell and Easton-on-the-hill.
Geva had met Ralf at the Stamford market a few weeks earlier when she was there with her mother. While Gleda had been busy looking at candles, Geva had gone ahead to look at some clothe. Ralf had bumped into her and when he excused himself a conversation ensued. Richard asked Geva whether she ever suspected that Ralf had bumped into her purposefully. Geva suspected so, but didn't mind. Since then, she and Ralf have met weekly at the market. Ralf had even walked to Easton-on-the-hill once to see her. She saw him over by some trees near the church when she had been out collecting eggs. Geva was hoping to introduce him to her mother and father soon.
Geva could have spoken at length about Ralf. Richard had done a good job of acting interested, but now he was glad that they were nearing Barnack.
Barnack was a small village, about the size of Easton-on-the-hill. Despite its small size, Barnack had gained some recognition due to the stone that was quarried nearby and used in great cathedrals. Richard had heard that its stone was being used to rebuild part of the Ely Cathedral after a portion of the building had collapsed.
It didn't take long for Richard and Geva to walk through the village. As they neared the church, Richard asked Geva to wait behind the tower while he looked inside the building. Richard noted that the Church of John the Baptist must be very old, because it had very small windows. Windows of that small size would never be able to tell the stories of the bible the way Richard observed in the windows that he was working on.
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