seeing to only his master and mistress.
They all sat then, with Frevisse on the bailiff’s other side and Dame Claire beyond his wife, and Mistress Avys and Mistress Dionisia at the head of the “lower” table with some of the manor’s other folk and Lady Blaunche’s four men beyond them. The first remove was brought promptly and warm from the kitchen, and Frevisse guessed that meals here did not usually run to more than one remove but Mistress Humphrey had managed this one into two by accompanying fish cooked with a thick pepper sauce with a salad of very young greens, probably the first her garden had given this year, to make the first and created a second by following the gourd pie with apples cooked in wine and cinnamon, so that all in all the meal was both well done and filling and Frevisse more than satisfied to be left alone to enjoy it, which she was because Master Humphrey spent the meal giving almost all his heed to Lady Blaunche.
So did his wife and so did Katherine who hovered at Lady Blaunche’s shoulder even when it put her in the way of the manservant’s serving the rest of them, to the point where Frevisse found herself watching the girl, wondering if it was only chance she seemed most particularly there whenever Lady Blaunche turned to talk with Master Humphrey. But if she was, why?
Nor did the meal’s end bring an end to Katherine’s close attending. Instead, in the little while Lady Blaunche stood in talk with Master and Mistress Humphrey before pleading weariness and withdrawing to her chamber, Katherine was never more than a few paces behind her, still attending though Mistress Avys hovered not far off, more than ready to take her place, and Mistress Dionisia’s occasional look toward her was puzzled.
Lady Blaunche ignored her as if she was not there at all, until talk with Master and Mistress Humphrey was done and thanks again given and good nights said. Then Lady Blaunche led Katherine and the other four of them into the bedchamber with a fine sweep of skirts, Frevisse happening to come last, turning from shutting the door between them and the world in time to see Lady Blaunche across the room turn on Katherine, all graciousness gone as she snapped, “Enough! Back off and leave me alone!”
Katherine flinched from the suddenness, bobbed the slightest of curtsies, and swung sharply away from her without an answering word.
Servants had been in since supper to pull out the truckle bed and make up both it and the other with the fresh sheets and aired blankets Mistress Humphrey had earlier ordered, leaving the room smelling faintly of lavender. The window had been shuttered, too, and two lamps lighted, and with all that and the promise of a comfortable night after a very good supper, things should have been pleasant enough but having started with Katherine, Lady Blaunche went on giving sharp orders she did not need to, impatient when there was no need for impatience, and at the last bursting into tears and flinging herself into the bed, telling everyone to leave her alone.
The two waiting-women exchanged looks with each other, all but saying aloud that this was just how it so often was with childing women, while Dame Claire, standing tight-lipped by the bed with a cup of warmed ale mixed with soothing herbs, had the air of someone making a slow count before saying anything, and Frevisse, before she could think not to, looked across the room to Katherine.
Since Lady Blaunche’s ungraciousness had begun, the girl had kept aside nor made a move now to come near but stood where she was, coldly staring at Lady Blaunche’s sobbing. As if angry at her, Frevisse thought. And afraid. Because there was fear as surely as anger in her look.
Fear of what? Anger at what?
Neither made sense.
But then neither did Lady Blaunche’s flaring out at her for nothing more than keeping close attendance through the evening.
Too close attendance?
Frevisse
They all sat then, with Frevisse on the bailiff’s other side and Dame Claire beyond his wife, and Mistress Avys and Mistress Dionisia at the head of the “lower” table with some of the manor’s other folk and Lady Blaunche’s four men beyond them. The first remove was brought promptly and warm from the kitchen, and Frevisse guessed that meals here did not usually run to more than one remove but Mistress Humphrey had managed this one into two by accompanying fish cooked with a thick pepper sauce with a salad of very young greens, probably the first her garden had given this year, to make the first and created a second by following the gourd pie with apples cooked in wine and cinnamon, so that all in all the meal was both well done and filling and Frevisse more than satisfied to be left alone to enjoy it, which she was because Master Humphrey spent the meal giving almost all his heed to Lady Blaunche.
So did his wife and so did Katherine who hovered at Lady Blaunche’s shoulder even when it put her in the way of the manservant’s serving the rest of them, to the point where Frevisse found herself watching the girl, wondering if it was only chance she seemed most particularly there whenever Lady Blaunche turned to talk with Master Humphrey. But if she was, why?
Nor did the meal’s end bring an end to Katherine’s close attending. Instead, in the little while Lady Blaunche stood in talk with Master and Mistress Humphrey before pleading weariness and withdrawing to her chamber, Katherine was never more than a few paces behind her, still attending though Mistress Avys hovered not far off, more than ready to take her place, and Mistress Dionisia’s occasional look toward her was puzzled.
Lady Blaunche ignored her as if she was not there at all, until talk with Master and Mistress Humphrey was done and thanks again given and good nights said. Then Lady Blaunche led Katherine and the other four of them into the bedchamber with a fine sweep of skirts, Frevisse happening to come last, turning from shutting the door between them and the world in time to see Lady Blaunche across the room turn on Katherine, all graciousness gone as she snapped, “Enough! Back off and leave me alone!”
Katherine flinched from the suddenness, bobbed the slightest of curtsies, and swung sharply away from her without an answering word.
Servants had been in since supper to pull out the truckle bed and make up both it and the other with the fresh sheets and aired blankets Mistress Humphrey had earlier ordered, leaving the room smelling faintly of lavender. The window had been shuttered, too, and two lamps lighted, and with all that and the promise of a comfortable night after a very good supper, things should have been pleasant enough but having started with Katherine, Lady Blaunche went on giving sharp orders she did not need to, impatient when there was no need for impatience, and at the last bursting into tears and flinging herself into the bed, telling everyone to leave her alone.
The two waiting-women exchanged looks with each other, all but saying aloud that this was just how it so often was with childing women, while Dame Claire, standing tight-lipped by the bed with a cup of warmed ale mixed with soothing herbs, had the air of someone making a slow count before saying anything, and Frevisse, before she could think not to, looked across the room to Katherine.
Since Lady Blaunche’s ungraciousness had begun, the girl had kept aside nor made a move now to come near but stood where she was, coldly staring at Lady Blaunche’s sobbing. As if angry at her, Frevisse thought. And afraid. Because there was fear as surely as anger in her look.
Fear of what? Anger at what?
Neither made sense.
But then neither did Lady Blaunche’s flaring out at her for nothing more than keeping close attendance through the evening.
Too close attendance?
Frevisse
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