“Well that’s not true,” Johnathon said indignantly. “I didn’t say that. He might have interpreted something I did as meaning that but I didn’t say it.” Now Johnathon was awake it didn’t seem right to perch on the end of the bed and Timonthy took his cup to the window seat. “Anyway Peter is not holding it against you,” he continued in case he had […]
“I’ll try Joseph’s room first,” she said and veered off after passing through the archway. Timonthy pushed his hair from his face and watched her for just a second longer than he would have done if he was not worried. “Who is Joseph?” “He’s a old man, a teacher to some of the younger children,” Gerard explained and then they were silent for a while. […]
“I’ll be there at dinner,” Peter said. “Doing my best to answer any questions that Gerard can’t answer. He’ll be more forthcoming now that he is no longer obliged to keep Stolid’s secrets. I’ve just got something I need to do first.” He disappeared before they realised and they stared at each other across the empty space. “He can travel wherever he wants,” Paris commented […]
“No wait,” Paris said and she put her hand on Peter’s arm as if to restrain him. “Is that who I think it is?” They all followed her gaze to a man sat on the edge of the room at the front. He was dressed in an inconspicuous grey tunic and trousers, watching the child Paris with a tight smile on his face. “Stolid? Can […]
“Is that enough Gerard?” Peter asked. Gerard shrugged his shoulders and Peter presumably took this to mean yes as they found themselves back in the quiet circle of grass surrounded by trees again. There was a silence. It was difficult to break, Timonthy thought awkwardly. ‘What could be said to sum up an experience like that?’ The light wind rustled the leaves of the heavily […]
[Tolerance, tolerance. Although it makes me sick to hear such thoughts….My son….He shouldn’t lounge around like that I suppose, although he thought he was unobserved. I can understand why anyone would notice the improvement in his looks, I wonder what he’s been up to. He seems to be yearning for his youth. Still to think such thoughts about my son… I never had this problem […]
“Would you like me to do that?” Peter said intensely to Gerard, and then receiving a nod, questioningly to Timonthy and Paris. Timonthy did not know what to expect but he allowed himself to be guided by Gerard. If Gerard believed this experiment would be alright he trusted that it would be, although he wasn’t totally sure where his loyalties rested. Was Gerard in on […]
“Don’t tell me, it’s Stolid,” Timonthy said heavily. “Well he didn’t definitely say that. He only once referred to his brother by name. It was something like Dammon. Is there anyone else here with that name, Gerard?” “No,” Gerard shook his head miserably. “No-one else.” Paris looked as though she was going to carry on with her story but she paused as Peter came towards […]
They reached the doors of the great hall and Timonthy tried to voice his concerns before they entered and everyone could hear him. He knew that Gerard was looking at him with an expression of concern but he had to speak. “Stolid is…not himself,” he settled for. “He hasn’t been right since Johnathon died.” “I understand that better than you can imagine,” Peter replied. “Although […]
“I’m hoping you know the way,” he settled for saying. The journey to Scotland, their eventual arrival in a clearing in the woods – it was all settling vaguely in his mind “It was this way,” Gerard said and they began walking along the lake edge again. As they crossed over the grass covered bridge Timonthy pursed his lips and shook his head. He remembered […]