Giedd and Gudryn alone
Gudryn looked from Giedd to Eodwine, and Giedd could see the girl’s mind working. She looked from Giedd to Eodwine. Giedd could sense that Gudryn was torn between getting to know this new woman or staying with her father.
Selfishly, Giedd found herself hoping that the girl would stay. Giedd always enjoyed doing her chores more if she had someone to talk to. Chores, she discovered, were lonely – even when her feeble parents were alive, it was a comfort to have them to at least speak to while she bustled around the house. Even in the stages when they could not respond, just having another body watching her was nice.
Guedryn bit her bottom lip as she seemed to make up her mind. It was clear she knew time was vital and that she could not waste her father’s time pondering what she wanted to do.
“I will stay with Giedd,” she said in a firm voice. “I suppose if you cannot accept her invitation, it would be good of me to.”
Eodwine nodded without asking for further explanation. “I will return as soon as it is possible, daughter,” he said. After a brief farewell and a few words of apology to Giedd, Eodwine took his leave.
“Will you now come in?” Giedd asked Gudryn after a pause.
“I would like that,” the girl’s voice held a little apprehension in it.
As she opened the door and allowed Gudryn to enter before her, Giedd added, “Though I am sure you would like to be with your father as much as possible, I am glad that at this juncture you chose to spend time with me. I would most certainly enjoy your company, Gudryn.”
The girl managed a small smile up at Giedd. Giedd hoped the girl was not already regretting her decision to remain with a woman she had just met today.
“I hope you will pardon the slightly cluttered state of things,” Giedd apologized, “I was going to tidy up a bit this afternoon. You do not mind, I hope?”
“Would you like me to assist you?” Gudryn asked, looking at the tiny bits of chores lying here and there around the house.
“Well, you can assist me by staying and speaking with me,” Giedd said, smiling as she went over to the small pile of dishes that still needed washing. At this Gudryn did grin, and, displaying a bit more comfort with her situation, went and sat on a chair while Giedd began doing her tasks.
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