Richard looked at the window that the new apprentice was working. The cuts were fairly basic, but it reminded Richard how he felt when he was the new apprentice. He had been afraid to make unsupervised cuts also.
Soon work was completed for the day at the Glazier shoppe and since it was a market day, Richard headed for the market to meet Elizabeth. They had been meeting at the market at least a couple of times each week for the last few weeks and Richard had found opportunity to return to Burghley on a couple of occasions. Richard and Elizabeth were growing very close already and were developing a sincere love for each other.
At the market, Richard went straight to Elizabeth's stall.
'Richard,' called out Elizabeth's father, ''ow are you todee? It is gud to see you.' Elizabeth's father liked Richard and treated him like a son.
'I am well,' said Richard. 'We made great progress on our windows todee and we 'ave received the glass shipment that we were expecting.'
''ello, Richard,' Elizabeth said in a quiet voice as she embraced Richard. She was wearing a red dress that Richard hadn't seen before.
'You luk luvly, Elizabeth,' observed Richard. 'Your dress is very nice, did you make it?'
'I did, do you like it then?' she asked as she spun around for Richard.
They chatted easily about the events of the day and Richard helped them to load the wagon. It was Richard's custom now to walk along with Elizabeth as far as the Barnack road while her father rode the wagon and drove the ox.
It was nearly dark when John, Peter and John's father left the All Saints' church and gathered their horses and rode down St. John's street toward the bridge gate. Their progress was slowed on Saint Mary's street by a commoner's wagon being pulled by an ox. The wagon driver yielded to the horsemen and they continued on their way.
Richard left Elizabeth and her father at the Barnack road and then followed the Kettering road to Easton-on-the-hill.
The visit to Stamford ended much too soon for John and Peter, but they had to get back to their studies. Despite good intentions, John did not make it to Easton-on-the-hill or to the Glazier's shoppe and didn't see Richard before he left for Oxford. Richard did not know that John had been in Stamford.
1436 - Stamford
With the help of a new apprentice, Richard lifted the section of the window that he had just finished and admired it. The light poured through the glass for the first time and the scene that it contained seemed to come to life. This work was not made simply of colored glass, but was a painted masterpiece set in glass. An artist had painstakingly painted the glass and then the glass had been heated in an oven to seal the colors. Richard had been told that glass treated in this way may last for hundreds of years. He wasn't sure that he believed that, but he was pleased that in the near future this window would inspire the observer to praise God.
This window wasn't a large window, but would serve nicely in its intended location in the Saint Leonard's Priory. The priory building was already an old building, built during a time before large window openings were possible. This window would be in a section that was being repaired.
Richard's apprenticeship would be complete within the year and he was looking forward to being free to seek other employment and to earn a better wage. Returning the window to a safe resting place, Richard thought about that better wage and the opportunities that it might bring. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pendant that he had made for Elizabeth using a piece of blue glass, the same glass that he had broken when he saw her from the Glazier's shoppe. Right now it was attached to a strip of leather, but with the better wage of a journeyman, he hoped to eventually add a nice chain. He had decided that he would give it to her tonight.
After closing for the day, Richard walked quickly to Burghley. The family had not been expecting him and they had just finished their evening meal.
'Comb in Richard. Whot a surprise!' exclaimed Elizabeth's mother when she saw him approach the house. Elizabeth ran to his arms and he held her tightly. 'Rune Lass, and get 'im sume bread and but'er,' said Elizabeth's mother.
Later, after Richard finished the bread and butter,