be needing a room. A person shuld nay spend the night as wet as you are.'
'Aye, do you 'ave a room for the night?' asked Richard.
'I do 'ave a room, boot you will 'ave to share it.'
'I do nay mind sharing a room.'
'You will nay 'ave a fire in the room, boot you may warm yourself 'ere for as long as you wuld like.'
'I am grateful, kind sir,' said Richard.
''ow aboot a meal?'
'Nay, I 'ave sume bread with me,' stated Richard as he gazed at the food being served to others.
They settled on a price for the room and Richard continued warming himself. When he was somewhat warm and dry, he went upstairs to the room. This reminded him of sharing a room with Bromley for so many years. The room had a wooden floor, one window that over looked the road and one bed. The bed was already occupied. Richard didn't like the idea of sharing a bed, especially with a stranger. He had never shared a bed with anyone other than Elizabeth. Although it was common for travelers to share a single room and bed, Richard didn't like it. Richard could tell that the person in the bed was of ample proportions, but there was still a small slice of bed on the edge that was available, so Richard laid his coat on the floor and crawled into bed quietly. Before doing so, he tied the string of his pouch to the middle finger of his left hand. This was the only money that he had and he didn't wish to 'lose' it. The bed had one thin blanket that was slightly larger than the person already beneath it, so Richard had removed his own woolen blanket out of his satchel to use also. His blanket was still damp, but being wool it would still keep him warm. The mattress of straw felt so good to Richard.
He would have fallen asleep right away, but his mind was on Elizabeth. He had thought of her most of the day. It was the thought of her and his duty to care for her that had kept his feet moving one in front of the other all day long. Now he wondered whether he had done the right thing in leaving her. He realized that he could not have brought her with him, walking in the sort of weather that he had been in all day was no place for a woman he thought. Besides that, he didn't have enough money to purchase food for both of them and also she was needed at home to help care for her father and see that the boys get the wagon and goods to market. Oh, how he missed her. His last thoughts for the evening were of her as he said a silent prayer asking the Lord God to watch over her.
Richard woke with a start the next morning. He was the only one in the bed now. He instinctively checked for the pouch tied to his finger. It was there. Next he checked for his woolen blanket. It too was there. He opened his eyes to check for his coat that he had left on the floor and saw a man of portly appearance standing near the bed putting on the robes of a monk.
'Greetings Traveler,' smiled the monk cheerfully. 'I trust that you slept well. Give thanks for the dee that God 'as given you.'
'Aye, if it is nay raining, it is a beaut'iful dee indeed,' replied Richard as he tried to focus his eyes and clear his head.
'And whot brings you to Grimsthorpe, Traveler?'
'I am on me way to Bourne.'
'Bourne is only two 'ours easy walking 'ence, why did you nay go there last night?' asked the monk.
'After walking in the fog and rain all dee, I culd nay continue,' replied Richard.
'Aye, I am on me way to Bourne meself and culd nay continue walking in the rain. Me knees are nay as strong as they once were,' said the monk as he sat down on the only chair in the room and began to rub his knees. 'So I stopped 'ere last night. God led me to this place,'
Richard was up now and had his coat on and had gathered his satchel.
'Will you be on your way then so airly?' asked the monk. 'Will you nay break your fast before you go?'
'I 'ave lit'le muney for food and whot I do 'ave must be saved. I will eat