and the stranger grabbed her from behind and held her more tightly than before.
'You can nay get away from me, lass,' he exclaimed directly into her ear through clenched teeth.
Margaret again screamed and struggled to free herself and the stranger again muffled her cries with his hand. To ensure that she couldn't break free again, the stranger grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled on it tightly.
Again he pulled her off the road and into the trees. Suddenly, a large stick cracked near Margaret's head and she realized that someone had hit the stranger with it. The stranger relaxed his grip on her and she ran back up the road without looking back. She stopped as she entered the trees on the other side and looked back to see who had beaten the stranger. She watched ever so briefly as the two men struggled. She was sure that she saw the flash of steel in the stranger's hand, but he fell when the other person struck him again with the stick. Margaret turned and ran through the trees back toward the open field. Just as she broke through the trees and into the field, she heard her name called from behind her.
'Margaret!'
She was very frightened and would not stop.
'Margaret!' the person behind her yelled again. 'It is Richard!'
Margaret stopped and turned to see Richard running through the trees and coming toward her in the field. Margaret was so scared that she nearly ran away from him, but then recognition finally overtook her fears.
'Richard!' she exclaimed and ran to him and fell into his arms. She had lost her strength to stand and he lowered her to a sitting position and kneeled beside her. He held her close, all the while keeping an eye on the edge of the trees should the stranger pursue them.
'Richard,' she exclaimed again, 'you 'ave comb back!'
'Yes, me luv,' replied Richard softly as he kissed her forehead, 'I 'ave comb back for you. I 'ave thought aboot you every dee and 'ave longed to be with you.'
Margaret was crying now because of the scare that she had experienced and also because Richard had come back to her.
Richard explained that he had left the road and was walking through the fields from Stamford to Easton-on-the-hill when he saw a woman run into the woods toward the road.
'It appeared to be you, me luv and I called oot your name,' said Richard. 'When you did nay stop, I ran after you. I 'eard you call me name and I knew that it was you. I called back, boot you did nay 'ear me.'
'Oh, Richard,' Margaret spoke between sobs, 'I am grateful that you comb back. Praise be to God that you are 'ere.'
Richard helped Margaret up and they walked hand in hand back to the Easton's cottage where the family received them joyously.
The next day, Richard suggested that they go straight away to the All Saints' Church in Stamford and be married.
'We 'ave a perfectly gud church right across the lane, Richard,' suggested Gleda. 'Why wuld you go into Stamford?'
'Aye, boot I 'ave always intended to be married in the All Saints' Church, mum,' replied Richard.
'Did you nay marry Elizabeth in the All Saints' Church?' asked Geva.
'Aye,' replied Richard.
'Margaret does nay wish to be married in the same church,' stated Geva.
Gleda looked at Geva as if to scold her for raising painful memories.
'I wuld luv to marry you in the All Saints' Church, Richard,' said Margaret as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Richard smiled and said, 'It is set'eld then. Let us be off now. Who will go with us?'
'We can nay go todee, Richard. There is much work in the fields,' replied Gleda. 'Lind is already gone.'
'I will nay be put off another dee,' stated Richard emphatically. 'Margaret, shall we go alone?'
Margaret smiled and her eyes sparkled. 'Aye, me luv, let us be off,' she replied.
Margaret put on her best dress, it was her only other dress. Richard thought that she looked lovely. The dress was made of wool that had been dyed blue. The bodice fit Margaret's form well and the skirt hung long from the waist. The sleeves reached her wrists and were close to her arms the entire length. She wore a dark blue rope as a belt around her waist. The rope was tied loosely and it hung slightly in front. Her hair was braided and wrapped tightly in the back of her head. Her head was covered with a