such momentum that it knocked Richard against the wall and almost off his feet.
'Richard, Richard,' were the only words that they seemed capable of uttering.
Richard had certainly never experienced such a greeting and hadn't expected it now after being gone only a little over a fortnight.
Gleda had regained her strength. She pushed aside the other women and hugged Richard tightly and rested her head on his chest. 'Richard, you are alive,' she said, 'you are nay deed!'
'Deed?' replied Richard. 'Of course, I am nay deed. Why wuld I be deed?'
'Bromley told us that you were deed,' said Lind. Lind explained that they had sent Bromley to find Richard and that he had thought that Richard had died in Bourne.
'I was only in Bourne for one night, then I went to Boston as there was no glazier work being dune in Bourne. Why was Bromley luking for me then?
'I sent Bromley to luk for you to tell you where to find Elizabeth,' said Margaret.
Richard grabbed Margaret's hands and looked intently into her eyes. 'Where is Elizabeth? The cot'age was empty.'
''er father was kicked off the land and they went to Trowell to live with relatives until 'er father is well. I promised Elizabeth that I wuld send Bromley to tell you where to find them,' Margaret said. She then looked down at the floor and took her hands out of Richard's hands and started to cry. 'Boot, Bromley thought that you were deed, Richard.' She hesitated, hoping that Richard would figure out what she was about to say so that she would not have to say it. Richard gently lifted her chin so that he could look into her eyes. Tears were now coursing down her cheeks and her lips were quivering.
'Why the sadness, Margaret? I am grateful to you for sending Bromley,' Richard said in a gently and soothing tone.
Margaret now stated what should have been obvious. 'Richard,' she started with halting speech, 'Bromley told 'er that you were deed!' She couldn't look at Richard any longer and sat down and buried her head in her hands and dress.
Gleda and Geva were now crying also. Richard was shaken to think that his wife thought him dead. He knelt by Margaret and held her close. 'Whot will you do now?' Margaret asked him.
'I will go to Trowell and find me Elizabeth. I will leave tonight.'
'Nay sone,' urged Lind. 'You must nay leave tonight. You are tired and weak and it is dangerous to travel at night. Stay with us.'
'Please me sone,' pled Gleda, 'do stay with us tonight.' Geva and Margaret agreed.
The urgency of finding Elizabeth weighed heavily on Richard, but he also thought of the person that he had met in the wood that night and decided that it was prudent to wait until morning. 'Aye, I will stay tonight.'
Until then Richard had not noticed Bromley laying in the corner. Now that he noticed him, he stepped near him and knelt beside him.
'Whot is wrong with Bromley,' he asked.
They related to Richard how Bromley had been gored by a bull and how he had seemed to be getting better, but that now his leg was swollen and the flesh was raw and smelled badly. He was getting progressively worse. He was in pain most of the time and only received relief when he managed to fall asleep from exhaustion. He also had a fever that would not disperse. They were planning to have the leg amputated, but Bromley refused. He felt that he wouldn't be any good to anyone if he were missing a leg. He would sooner die.
Richard was saddened to hear of Bromley misfortune and now his decision to never run with the bulls was solidified.
Richard kneeled close to Bromley and whispered quietly in his ear. 'I am grateful to you, dear brother, for finding me Elizabeth. I forgive you for telling 'er that I was deed. I will find 'er meself. You 'ave been a gud brother to me. I am soory...' Richard placed a hand on Bromley's head for a moment and then stood. He felt that this was in some way his fault. If he had not gone to Bourne and to Boston when he did, Bromley would yet be well. A guilt swept over him.
His father sensed what he might be thinking and feeling. He stood by Richard and placed a hand on his shoulder and said to him, 'Richard, you must nay blame yourself. It is nay your fault that Bromley ran with