After Kaldir had left, and hearing no signs of further distress from Benia, Gilly felt she could relax a little with Myrtle. She had wished the ranger and his rope good riddance dismissing the thought of him with a flick of her wrist. Perhaps he had only stopped to refresh himself, she tried to tell herself while with out doubt she knew that it was not so. The lights and the comforting smell of supper easily obscured the shadow the ranger had cast on her heart, but the hobbit had not noticed the departure of Vanwe that had sparked his interest, or ever-vigilant Léspheria follow shortly after….
She found her neighbor settled at a table near the kitchen sampling a plate of Shire cheeses, her reward for helping out Miss Vinca. Before long they were deep into the finer points of cheese making and comparing tips that the old timers had handed down, when a crash was heard down in the cellar along with emphatic yet mercifully garbled shouts. The two hobbits were speculating on the probable cause of such a clamor when Aman darted past followed shortly after by the plump matronly figure of Cook.
By this time Gilly was convinced that an animal had found it’s way into the cellar, but Myrtle disagreed saying that it sounded as though a shelf of preserves had undoubtedly tipped over. They proceeded to analyze the character and qualities of each link in the chain of noises until they got to the oaths at which point Derufin emerged supported by Aman and Cook, his boot in one hand. The man was in obvious pain, with the whole of his foot swollen and discolored. Gilly felt ashamed of her part of the discussion, and vaguely wished that the strange elf maid were there to help ease this discomfort, but the situation seemed well taken care of.
“Beautiful and strong as trees these men are, but uncommonly weak at the root it seems,” Myrtle observed dryly.
“How is Miss Benia coming along?”
“As well as to be expected, I suppose. But it is time that I take my leave to go check on her.” Gilly said excusing herself. “I hope to see you again before you leave, but if not please reassure Carl that I have not become a wayward wife, just needed here at the moment.”
“Yes, I’ll tell him that you’ve spent the day trying to find out about strange men!” she said laughing.
“Perhaps sending a note would be better,” Gilly rejoined smiling and wondering what amount of gossip she was going to have to face when she again returned to her neighborhood.
Going back toward the desert lady’s rooms, she saw that Benia, with the ranger Silvanis’ help, had descended the steps and was now resting at the very table Silvanis had earlier occupied with the scarred man. It was a good choice with access to the outside door and Benia’s rooms, but it was also the one Kaldir had seemed to prefer. Seeing that Silvanis had taken his leave, Gilly approached her friend, “Is this seat taken Miss Benia?” she ventured.
Benia shook her head, “No the seat is not taken, would you care to join me?”
“Yes I would, but grant me one moment.” Gilly dragged away the chair that had been Kaldir’s exchanging it for another at a nearby table, and returned offering no explanation. She plunked down and looked Benia in the eye with a knitted brow, “So tell me, need I be worried about Mr. Silvanis? I have had word that he knows of the other ranger, though they do seem quiet different.”
“Knows of Kaldir?” Benia said softly to herself remembering Silvanis words to her,
'The hooded man I believe seeks you, and I believe for a bounty price somewhere. Be wary m'lady.'
Yet here she sat in defiance, a bird with a broken wing. “Yes, I believe that he might know him, but not closely. He too has given me warning.”
Just then the door opened and Léspheria entered with wild-eyed Vanwe in tow. Léspheria caught the Gilly’s puzzled expression as she guided her charge toward the kitchen, but had more urgent questions of her own that needed to be answered first.
[ July 02, 2003: Message edited by: Hilde Bracegirdle ]
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