her and gently held her hand and invited her to sit.
'Margaret,' he started with some hesitation, 'do nay lose faith in God. 'e will care for you. Bromley is a gud man, 'e will take care of 'im also.' He realized that the words may not be as comforting as he intended them, but he didn't know what else to say.
Before Richard could offer other words of encouragement and solace, they heard the door of the cottage open again. This time it was the priest. He looked in Margaret's direction and said, 'God rest 'is soul.' Margaret and Richard ran into the house and found Gleda, Geva and Lind holding each other near the fireplace. Margaret went straight to Bromley and knelt by his side, cradled his head and cried. Her loud sobs pained Richard and he could almost not bear it. He thought of Elizabeth and wondered whether she had cried as Margaret did now. He didn't know what to do so he just sat down and didn't say anything. The priest had followed them back into the cottage. He pulled Richard aside and said, 'We will need to bury him tomorrow, will you be digging the grave?'
Richard's first thought was, 'No, I will be leaving for Trowell straight away.' But he realized that his obligation here had intensified.
'Your father is nay able to dig the grave in his sadness,' the priest stated as though he knew Richard's thoughts.
'Aye, I will go and begin the grave now,' said Richard and he left the cottage.
They buried Bromley the next day near to the graves of his grandparents, Ian and Winifred. Richard collected his cloak, blanket, his pouch with his remaining funds and kissed his mother goodbye. He hugged Margaret and Geva and told them that he hoped to see them within a year. He intended to find Elizabeth and return to Boston. When the work there was done, he would return to Easton-on-the-hill to visit.
Lind was waiting for Richard outside. He had been using a yard tool and now leaned on the handle as Richard approached.
Looking at the ground, Lind said, 'Comb back 'ere, Richard, when you find Elizabeth.'
This is exactly what Richard did not want to hear, but expected to hear. He realized that to work the farm at his father's age was going to be difficult. But, Richard was not a farmer.
'I am nay a farmer,' he protested.
'Whot will I do with this farm without Bromley? 'ow will I pay the rent?' questioned Lind with a hint of desperation in his voice.
'Speak with Ralf. He wuld marry Geva if you wuld give 'er to 'im and if 'e 'ad prospects of providing for 'er.'
Still looking at the ground and shifting his weight from the handle of the tool, Lind offered a mild protest, 'I always wanted a sone to work the land with me.'
Richard suspected that Lind was only being polite and replied, 'Ralf can be your sone.' He really wanted to add, 'just as much as I am,' but stopped himself. There was no point in airing his own disappointments at a time like this.
Lind looked directly at Richard and asked, 'Will I be able to luv 'im as I luv you?'
Richard had never heard such words from his father and it caught him by surprise. Richard felt a lump in his throat and moisture in his eyes.
Lind agreed to speak with Ralf and they shook hands. Richard promised to return before spring to see whether Ralf had agreed to farm the land. If not, Richard promised to become a farmer himself.
'God speed, me sone,' said Lind and with that, Richard turned and left his father standing outside the cottage.
He turned and looked back just before he rounded the corner on Church Street. Margaret had come out of the cottage and was speaking with his father. Richard thought how sad it was that she was a widow at such a young age. She looked up just then and waved. 'She is kind and beaut'iful,' he thought. 'Surely she will marry soon.'
Chapter Eleven
November and December 1437
Richard was shocked and bewildered when he arrived at Trowell and found no evidence of Elizabeth or her family. Desperation started to set in as he realized the enormity of the task now before him. Trowell was a very small village and he determined to ask every person in towne whether they had seen Elizabeth and her family. If necessary, he would then fan out to the other nearby villages. He first went