Hummingbird

by Susan C. Gore

  Mr and Mrs Appleton kept an eye open for me; I feel that they somehow felt responsible for my safety as they were my parent’s best friends. They owned a profitable pig farm nearby; they made their living by breeding piglets and selling them at the auctions in the village. Mrs Appleton made the tastiest pork pies in the neighbourhood made from home grown pork, she would insist upon feeding me, and send me homemade pies with Gareth along with vegetables and sometimes a chunk of pork from a fresh kill. In return for this I would supply him with an ointment that soothed the pain of his father’s back which was brought on from the labouring work of a farmer; I also supplied a salve that took away the pain from his mother’s leg ulcers that had plagued her since childbirth. Occasionally Gareth would take me with him to the markets; he would go on a monthly basis as he had the piglets for sale and supplies to purchase for his family. He would have a list of errands that his mother had written out for him and was bidden to treat himself to a pint of ale, but no more! He looked forward to a drink with the villagers at the local ale house. Whilst he was tending to his business it gave me the opportunity to sell my wool and eggs along with my herbs and spices. I was well known in the village and was treated with the respect that was afforded to my parents, this was the life I had chosen and I was happy with my choice. Some of the town folk would comment that it was no life for a young woman alone, that I should take a husband and secure my future. I would smile at their comments but take no notice as I was self-sufficient and wished to remain so for now. Young men would whistle and make lurid remarks, offering me their services if needed? The older men would scoot them off and tell them to mind their business if they heard them, and they would warn me to be careful.

  Chapter 3

  There were days when Gareth would call upon me for no reason in particular, he would bring flowers picked from the meadows and we would walk together along the river banks that led to the canals and sit there with a picnic dreaming of the future and what it may hold for us. I wondered if this was how it was for my parents at our age, sitting beneath their tree. Gareth was two years my senior, yet I felt as though I was the elder, maybe because I had been thrust into a life of solitude and made to fend for myself. We exchanged our ideas and ideals and our friendship gradually developed into much more, we inevitably fell in love. Gareth stated that he had been in love with me since childhood and was waiting for me to catch up, I was amazed at this revelation, I was always in mind that we were best friends; I can be a little slow at times.

  Life was wonderful; I had a man that was madly in love with me, a home that my parents had left me and an income that sustained a life that to me was idyllic, what more could a girl want? Gareth and I saw each other more frequently as we planned our impending wedding, there was so much to plan and Mrs Appleton took full control, she was a God send. I was the daughter that she had always wished for and she was the perfect mother-in-law to be. We were to be married at St Mary’s Church in the village and to have the reception at Mr and Mrs Appleton’s farm; they had a huge barn where we could entertain many friends and dance the night away. We were married just one year post my parents demise, this was considered respectful by all and many attended our wedding. My new In-laws put on a feast of suckling pig that was outlandish, but much appreciated by our guests. The local baker supplied bread and fancy biscuits, my father-in-law made a home brew that went down a treat; everyone contributed in some way to make our day special. We danced the night away and made merry with all our guests and friends; eventually we went home to my cottage which was now our cottage, and Gareth carried me over the threshold.

  Gareth my best friend was now my husband and my lover; we made love the whole night through, we were in our own kind of heaven. I never in my wildest dreams thought that love making was so beautiful and climatic; we finally slept with a slumber of exhaustion and satisfaction. The sun rose beckoning a new day, I looked over and stared into the face of the man I loved as he lay sleeping by my side, this was our first day as man and wife and I pinched myself to make sure I was not dreaming; I was now Mrs Sarah Appleton.

  We decided to live in the house that I had called home since my birth; Gareth would travel the short distance to his parent’s farm to work alongside his father. Eventually the farm would become his as he was an only child, but for now, his father needed his help and he paid him a reasonable wage which was a blessing all around. Our day to day lives ran smoothly, I was kept busy with the herbs and creams which took up most of my time, but I had enough time left over for the wool spinning and my daily farm chores. We were extremely happy with life and settled into a fine routine. I would arise before daybreak, feed and milk the goats, feed the chickens, collect the eggs, clean out the chicken coop and spread fresh hay. Then I would check my stores to make sure I had enough herbs for my daily mix, if not I would then scour the woodlands and hedgerows for my needs. Once all was sorted, I would arrange the orders requested by my clients who would be on their way to pick them up. All in all, life was pretty busy but well organised. My quiet time still came when I was at the spinning wheel and I still used this time to communicate and develop my gift of clairvoyance.

  It was not long before I realised that I was pregnant, we were both very excited and thanked the Lord for this blessing. My mother-in-law was over the moon and began to make baby clothes immediately; she fussed over me like a mother hen. My pregnancy went well, there were no hiccups apart from the early months with morning sickness, but I made myself a remedy for that. Nine months later I gave birth to our beautiful daughter. The birth had been long and difficult and I was bed ridden for several days after. How I longed for my mother at this time, she would have known just what to do to ease my confinement. However, my mother-in-law was there for me, she tended all my needs and lovingly helped me with her granddaughter, who we had named Rose Sylvia Appleton, after both our mother’s. Mrs Appleton not only had me as a daughter but now a beautiful granddaughter; she was over the moon with life and could not do enough to help us. I was told that there would likely be no more children for me, and that Rose was to be our only child. I tried not to dwell on this news as I would have loved many children to fill our house with the laughter and joy that a child brings, besides, if it was God’s will then he would allow me to have more, we were in his hands.

  Rose was the perfect baby, angelic, calm and content at all times; we were truly blessed. She thrived from day one and caused very little for concern. Once I regained my strength and was able to cope, my mother-in-law moved back home to take care of her own household, though she did this with trepidation. I assured her that I was more than capable and promised to call for her help should the need arise and the door was always open for her whenever she felt the need for a visit. Life returned to near normal, I carried on with my every day chores and cared for our baby daughter plus had a hot meal ready for Gareth on his return home from the farm; we made a respectable living and wanted for little. We cared deeply for each other and were in sheer admiration of our daughter as we watched her steadily blossom into a young lady. In the evenings we would sit around the hearth and share stories about our day and laugh at the events that befell Gareth on the farm; this brought back fond memories of my father telling his ghostly stories many years ago in that same chair. Rose literally bloomed, she was our pride and joy, she was healthy, happy and above all she had the most pleasant nature. As she grew older she helped around the home by cleaning, cooking and mending etc., but her passion was reading. She wanted to be a teacher when she grew up and we had no doubt that she would achieve her ambition, sadly she did not hold any interest in apothecary whatsoever.

  Rose and I would sit for a while each day where I would help her with reading and writing; I would teach her arithmetic and history etc.; she was always open to new ways and ideas, gaining necessary skills needed for everyday survival. She was like a sponge and would absorb all that I passed her way. She would rise early with a smile on her face and set about her chores in order to get everything don
e in record time. This way she could start her reading and studies for the day, wasting no time.

  The years passed and I became very close to many of my clients that were in need of their medications and creams to cure various ailments. I gradually allowed myself to give readings for many of them and pass the messages that I had been entrusted with; I felt that now Mother had gone, it freed me from my promise. I knew this was a calling that I could suppress no longer, Grandmother had given me this gift and I would use it wisely and only for the good of the receiver. People were amazed at the clarity of my knowing and connections to their loved ones that had passed, soon the word spread and I was giving more and more readings. This was all kept hush-hush and not broadcasted aloud as word could not reach the authorities or the church as it was strictly frowned upon, though why, I could not comprehend as it was all pure and for the greater good. A word of prayer always preceded a reading and I thanked the Lord for my gift, I was not a Witch and did not dabble in the dark side, ever!

  Gareth was aware of my gift but chose to ignore my service as he thought it was ‘hocus pocus’ and could not understand why people would pay good money for this kind of thing. Until one day, we were travelling along a lane with our horse and wagon, it was just about dusk and we were heading home. Rose was sleeping in the back and we were chatting quietly when a young man stepped out in front of us! He looked directly at us as we ran straight into him; there was no way that we could avoid him. But then we realised, there was no thud, no scream of pain, the horse startled but was soon brought under reign! Gareth quickly jumped to the ground expecting to see a mangled body under the wagon, but no! There was no one to be seen, it was as if we had driven straight through him. We both witnessed the same thing, Gareth was befuddled and realised that he had witnessed his first apparition. We deduced that this young man must have met his end at this point sometime in the past. Later that night he admitted to me that maybe there was something out there other than just everyday people. However, he bade me to keep this from Rose as he did not want her to be influenced in any way that could put her safety in jeopardy. The money that I earned from my readings I put aside for Rose’s future, I told Gareth that it was the main reason I did it, as I knew life was fickle and miss fortune could befall us at any time, the future of our daughter was paramount. But inside I knew the reason I did this was because it was my calling and I could not deny my true vocation.

  Life as I knew it was peaceful and pleasant; Gareth and I had been married now for ten years and all was well with our lot, yet I began to have a feeling of doom hanging over me, something was amiss but I could not put my finger on it. I dismissed it as paranoia because surely I would be forewarned of any tragedy that was to come my way?

  One balmy early morning we arose as per normal, Gareth went off to the markets to sell the piglets for his father. He also took my wares to the village shop for me which he did every month or when the need arose. He would come home with our needs and often a gift of beautiful cloth for me to make new outfits for myself and Rose. I did not travel with him and the piglets as often as I used to after Rose was born, as it became too arduous with a baby in tow, I would only go on the odd occasion. However, Rose was now of an age where she would travel with her father and help with the shopping, she often took my place and enjoyed doing so. Many of my clients would use the excuse to come to me for their wares now and sit with me for their readings; we were not too far from the village.

  Today felt different somehow; I watched Gareth leave for the pig farm with the swagger that he always had when he walked, he then turned and gave a wave from the crest of the hill before he disappeared over the top, I suddenly had a feeling of foreboding, for no reason in particular. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, there was a gentle cooling breeze blowing in from the coast. I still watched him on his way every morning as our love for each other was as strong as the day we married, yet today for some unknown reason I could not settle, my mind was in disarray, but I still could not fathom the cause. Maybe it was because Rose was not well today and I had bid her to stay at home and rest, she could sit and take it easy today.

  I went about my normal chores, baking fresh bread for supper and a huge pot of broth with a meaty pork hock, which filled the house with its aroma. Once my chores were done I sat and read from the bible trying to instil the Christian beliefs I hoped Rose would follow. I knew Rose was not happy about staying home because the annual fair ground was in the village; I assured her that we could go another day as it was here for the week, this settled her and she accepted that it was for her own good. We sat for a while after the reading and chatted about life in general and what she hoped to achieve with her future. The day grew late and darkness began to fall, I started to fear that something had befallen Gareth. He was late returning home, usually he would be home well before dark, starving hungry and ready for a good feed, his pot of ale, his pipe and his huge fireside chair. I heard a horse’s gallop approaching the house and went out to greet the rider, to my surprise it was my father-in-law George; he had ridden over to check whether Gareth had come home before dropping into the farm with their goods, which normally he would never do. The normal routine was to first stop at his parent’s farm before bringing the cart over to our home with the goods he had purchased for us. George was very concerned to find that Gareth was not here, maybe he had befallen misfortune with the cart; maybe a wheel had broken or something, he rode off toward the village to see if Gareth was in need of assistance. He took the route that Gareth would have taken; however, Gareth was not to be seen, so he asked around for information as to Gareth’s whereabouts. Merchants said that the piglets had been sold and he had headed for home after his usual pot of ale, with his wares and the cash from his sales. This caused grave concern, Gareth was not a man to procrastinate; he would have tended his business and headed for home immediately. Without delay, Mr Appleton informed the Constable and gave him all the information that he had gathered; a search party was organised to start the next day as soon as the sun rose. When daylight came the Constable set out with the search party and they followed the route that Gareth would have used for his return home, determined to get to the bottom of this and hopefully find Gareth unharmed.

  Gareth was well known in the village and well respected by all; he was known to be a kind and generous man, a man of his word, villagers and farmers alike admired this trait. The village was exceptionally busy that week as the Fair was in town which drew people from all around the surrounding areas. The Fair came each year for a whole week; it was the highlight of the village entertainment. Unfortunately, it also attracted the shadier type of character, who wanted to make a fast penny by duping unsuspecting souls. Thankfully Rose had not travelled with her father due to a severe cold, normally she would have been with him for this special occasion, but her father had promised her a special treat on his return.

  Approximately half way between the village and home, there were signs of disturbance, the ground was churned up somewhat and just off the beaten track there was a stain which seemed to be like blood, it was found spilled by a large rock, the underbrush was flattened and the only trace of Gareth was his shoe. He was nowhere to be found, the cart had disappeared, tracks led off to the north towards the shore line, so the search party followed them. The tracks led all the way to the cliffs that dropped to the raging ocean below, but there was nothing to be seen here or over the edge, if he had gone over at this point he would have been washed out to sea with no hope of survival; the drop alone would have killed him. The ground in that area was well trodden and had obviously seen action within the past few hours. The wagon tracks led back away from the coastline heading towards the Midlands, then gradually blended in with other tracks heading in different directions.

  It was deduced that Gareth had met with foul play and the marauders had dumped his body over the cliff’s edge and made off with all. After more extensive searching of the area it was clear that Gareth was gone, along with all that he
had possessed. The search was eventually called off and the Constable accompanied my father in law to my home with the grim news. I found myself staring into the flames of the fireplace; my mind was in turmoil yet not focussing on what they were saying. I was numb, this could not be true, I had had no premonition or forewarning! But it was true, and my Gareth would come home no more, the shoe was brought to me for confirmation that it was his; it was the only thing left of him from the day and I treasured that shoe as if he were still wearing it. I wrapped the shoe in a piece of silk left over from last month’s gift and placed it just to one side of the chimney behind a loose stone for safe keeping. That was the year of our Lord 1643. The whole village was in mourning and paid their respects at the memorial service held in his honour, Gareth was well liked and loved. People were now afraid for their own loved ones, as the marauders were still at large and could strike again. Daily life within the village changed that day, people began to distrust and doubt like never before and they became warier of strangers; they were afraid of attracting the wrong type of character. My heart went out to my mother and father-in-law; to lose a child in such a way was devastating and Gareth being an only child made is so much harder for them. At least they had Rose, who afforded them some comfort as she had a lot of her father’s traits. Rose adored her grandparents and made a concerted effort to visit them more, as did I. Whilst I was in deep sorrow, I knew that I had to keep a level head for the wellbeing of us all. There was now a huge gap in our lives, Rose would no longer be able to sit with her father and giggle at his tales and antics, and I was left alone at night feeling so lonely and lost, pondering why life had to be so harsh and death so final. Whilst I was able to connect with others for peace of mind, I could not make a connection for myself; but I knew that there was life in the hereafter and would reunite one day.