World Without End

Then Gwenda was grabbed from behind. Jonah’s arms encircled her, pi

A tall figure appeared in the doorway. Gwenda saw only the shape, then it disappeared again. Gwenda felt herself thrown to the ground. For a moment she was stu

The tall figure reappeared, and Gwenda recognized Wulfric. This time he was carrying a big oak bucket. Swiftly, he emptied the bucket on to the burning straw, putting out the flames. Then he changed his grip, swung the bucket and hit the kneeling Jonah a mighty blow on top of the head.

Jonah’s grip on Gwenda relaxed. She pulled her wrists apart and felt the rope loosen. Wulfric swung the bucket and hit Jonah a second time, even harder. Jonah’s eyes closed and he slumped to the floor.

Joby put out the flames of his burning beard by pressing his sleeve against it, then sank to his knees, moaning in agony.

Wulfric picked up the unconscious Jonah by his tunic front. “Who on earth is this?”

“His name is Jonah. My father wanted to sell me to him.”

Wulfric lifted the man by the belt, carried him to the front door, and threw him out into the road.

Joby groaned. “Help me, my face is burned.”

“Help you?” said Wulfric. “You’ve set fire to my house and attacked my labourer, and you want me to help you? Get out!”

Joby got to his feet, moaning piteously, and staggered to the front door. Gwenda searched her heart and found no compassion. What little love she might have had left for him had been destroyed tonight. As he went out through the door, she hoped he would never speak to her again.

Perkin came to the back door, carrying a rush light. “What happened?” he said. “I thought I heard a scream.” Gwenda saw A

Wulfric answered the question. “Joby came here with another ruffian. They tried to take Gwenda away.”

Perkin grunted. “You seem to have dealt with the problem.”

“Without difficulty.” Wulfric realized he still had the bucket in his hand and he put it down.

A

“Not in the least.”

“Do you need anything?”

“I just want to go to sleep.”

Perkin and A

He looked at Gwenda in the firelight. “How do you feel?”

“Shaky.” She sat on the bench and leaned her elbows on the kitchen table.

He went to the cupboard. “Drink a little wine to steady yourself.” He took out a small barrel, put it on the table and got two cups off the shelf.

Gwenda was suddenly alert. Could this be her chance? She tried to pull herself together. She would have to act quickly.

Wulfric poured wine into the cups, then returned the barrel to the cupboard.

Gwenda had only a second or two. While his back was turned, she reached into her bosom and pulled out the bag that hung around her neck on its leather thong. She fumbled the vial from the bag. With a trembling hand she unstoppered it and emptied it into his cup.

He turned around as she was pushing the bag back into her neckline. She patted herself as if she had merely been straightening her clothing. Typical man, he noticed nothing amiss, and sat opposite her at the table.

She picked up her cup and raised it in a toast. “You saved me,” she said. “Thank you.”

“Your hand is shaking,” he said. “You’ve had a nasty shock.”

They both drank.

Gwenda wondered how long the potion would take to have its effect.

Wulfric said: “You saved me, by helping me in the fields. Thank you.”

They drank again.

“I don’t know what’s worse,” Gwenda said. “To have a father like mine, or to be like you and have no father at all.”

“I feel sorry for you,” Wulfric said thoughtfully. “At least I have good memories of my parents.” He emptied his cup. “I don’t usually drink wine – I don’t like that woozy feeling – but this is great.”

She watched him carefully. Mattie Wise had said that he would become amorous. Gwenda looked for the signs. Sure enough, he soon began to stare as if seeing her for the first time. After a while he said: “You know, you’ve got such a nice face. There’s a lot of kindness in it.”

Now she was supposed to use her feminine wiles to seduce him. But, she realized with a panicky feeling, she had had no practice at this. Women such as A

“You’re kind,” she said, talking to gain time. “But your face shows something else.”

“What?”

“Strength. The kind that comes, not from big muscles, but from determination.”

“I feel strong tonight.” He gri

She put her hand over his on the table. “Enjoy your rest,” she said. “There’s plenty of time for digging.”

He looked at her small hand on his large one. “We’ve got different colour skin,” he said, as if discovering an amazing fact. “Look: yours is brown, mine’s pink.”

“Different skin, different hair, different eyes. I wonder what our babies would be like?”

He smiled at the thought. Then his expression changed as he realized something was wrong with what she had said. Abruptly, his face became grave. The change might have been comical if she had not cared so much about his feelings for her. He said solemnly: “We’re not going to have babies.” He took his hand away.

“Let’s not think about that,” she said desperately.

“Don’t you sometimes wish…” He tailed off.

“What?”

“Don’t you sometimes wish the world could be different from the way it is?”

She got up, walked around the table and sat close to him. “Don’t wish,” she said. “We’re alone, and it’s night. You can do anything you want.” She looked directly into his eyes. “Anything.”

He stared back at her. She saw the yearning in his face, and realized with a thrill of triumph that he desired her. It had required a potion to bring it out, but it was unmistakably genuine. Right now he wanted nothing in the world other than to make love to her.

Still he made no move.

She took his hand. He did not resist as she drew it to her lips. She held the big, rough fingers, then pressed the palm to her mouth. She kissed it, then licked it with the tip of her tongue. Then she pressed his hand to one breast.

His hand closed over it, making it seem very small. His mouth opened a fraction, and she could see that he was breathing hard. She tilted her head back, ready to be kissed, but he did nothing.

She stood up and quickly pulled her dress up over her head and threw it to the floor. She stood naked in front of him in the firelight. He gazed at her, eyes wide, mouth open, as if he were witnessing a miracle.

She took his hand again. This time, she touched it to the soft place between her thighs. It covered the triangle of hair there. She was so wet that his finger slipped inside her, and she gave an involuntary groan of pleasure.

But he did nothing of his own volition, and she understood that he was paralysed by indecision. He wanted her, but he had not forgotten A

She leaned forward, still holding his hand against her groin. “Kiss me,” she said. She moved her face closer to his. “Please,” she said. She was an inch away from his mouth. She would not get nearer: he had to close the gap.