The Forest and the Farm

by Vance Huxley

  Billi heaved a sigh of relief when Syman pointed out the man who paid called the tune. Syman set into cutting rock straight away so the youths started digging. By the time the three walls were up to roof height the carpenter had finished cutting and splitting the tree. He’d kept one thick timber from Billi’s share of the tree for the main roof beam and enough long pieces to make a frame for the thatching, then made planks and smaller timbers of the rest, plenty of both for the doors and frames.

  During the ten days of frantic activity Ellibeth stayed away, because Billi allegedly went hunting nearby along the river and came home every night. Timath and Perry supposedly kept an eye on the hut since they were digging Billi’s garden over and helping him by tossing out rocks. By now several people, mainly Hunters, had called round but Billi hadn’t had time to chat. He just told them all that with the extra visitors he needed a bit more room. Perry and Timath were allowed to tell Ellibeth the same when someone in the Village asked her about the construction.

  Fellip nearly fell off his ladder when Billi told him what the extension would really be for. Until he saw the door being put in between the two parts Fellip had thought this really was just an extension, that Billi had found a use for some of his extra silver from the reed. Billi had called Syman back to cut out a doorway in the inside wall and repair the stonework around it, and let him into the secret at the same time. The Stonecutter declared that Billi must crazy, and that he’d be in the alehouse when the news got out. He’d keep quiet until then because, like Fellip, he really did want to see the news breaking and how some folk took it.

  All the planks, boards and timbers became doors and a little table with two chairs. Billi’s new bed, the one he had intended for his second cabin, went into the extension and the carpenter agreed to make another to replace it, a bit bigger but not a proper big bed for a man and his lass. Adalmar kept on about the time, effort and silver going into scotching one small rumour, and in the end Billi lost his temper a little and gave him all of it.

  “I’m not allowing the dirty mouthed scandal mongers in the Village to ruin a decent maid’s reputation. ‘Tis my silver, and my time.” Billi gestured towards the Forest. “I spend a lot of time out there hunting, and I’ve had good fortune this last year. I’ve got no maid, and no littlun to leave it to, so I’ll spend it on ale or beguilers if I want to. If I wish to build an extra bit on my hut to save a maid’s reputation I will. I like coming back from a long wander to fresh bread and pies, and that lot are not telling me what to do any more.” Billi waved an arm towards the Village.

  Adalmar looked a bit shifty by now since he’d been doing some of the bad mouthing, or at least believing some. Billi didn’t care because he’d finally got the bit between his teeth. He gave the carpenter the lot. “If that nasty mouthed manure shovelling Edan had a peck of decency none of it would be needed. He broke my gates and let out my stock.” Billi pointed to Rabbit. “Rabbit followed him home, and his own Da knows ‘tis him. Any Hunter does if a Hound followed him. Edan’s silver paid them as beat on Timath and tried to ruin my stores, my meat, in the middle of winter.”

  Billi threw up an arm. “Nobody with a peck of sense can believe the nonsense about the fever, but Edan and his friends kept it up until folk began to wonder. Then he starts on the reputation of a decent maid. He tried with her Sis and Hektor beat him proper for it, so now he hides behind rumours. Well I ain’t standing for it this time.”

  Billi calmed down because Adalmar looked a bit worried and had backed away a couple of steps. “I won’t set into you or anyone else, Adalmar, unless I can catch Edan or his friends with the lie on their lips. But now you know the why, and now ye know exactly who.” He let out a big breath. “Now I’d better stick my head under the pump and cool off.”

  The Carpenter would talk once the secret came out because that was too good a story to sit on, but Billi had gone past caring. He hoped Edan came to brace him and Rabbit. Billi knew Gordi and Perry, listening nearby, would spread exactly what he’d said among their own age group. They’d make sure that anyone wondering knew just what Billi was doing, and why, now he’d shouted it at the Carpenter. Keeping the secret this long must have been burning the youths but their hefty bonus depended on nobody opening their big mouth, a bonus in claws and teeth and silver.

  Extra pottery cost mere coppers, and Viktor bought that since Billi wouldn’t go near the Potter just now since the Potter had gone from agreeing to repeating the rumours. The bed linens cost silver, because they were better than those Billi usually had. He put up with the stony looks from Sythyl the Seamstress. She took his silver happily enough and she could think what she liked about him buying better quality bedding. Billi smiled as he went through the big bed furs he’d been saving to trade with the Tinkerers. The Tinkerers liked quality, so these were thick and soft and would be warm on a winter night. He put another fur on the stone slabs covering the floor.

  The blacksmith traded skins, silver, and some small stones for a couple of little pans, a small kettle and the ironmongery for a hearth and the doors. He came out to fit the new fireplace, and all the door fittings, but only on the day the rest of the work ended. Kravitt might keep quiet overnight as he promised but the alehouse would be busy on the morrow as the Carpenter and the Stonemason would be there as well. By now a few had to be wondering about the little smiles on some folk when the rumours came up again.

  Finally, Billi sent a message with Perry, asking for Ellibeth to look after the place the following day because Perry and Timath were busy working elsewhere. The pair would be elsewhere all right, spending their bonus and spreading the story no doubt, but they wouldn’t tell Ellibeth tonight.

  * * *

  Billi asked if she would come early so he could get away and the following morning the Ellibeth and Rubyn turned up. When he came to the hut door Ellibeth stood looking at the extra length of wall and stout door with a furrowed brow. Billi smiled. “That’s the new extension.”

  “I realised that, but why has it got a separate door?”

  “Come in, I’ll show you.” Billi opened the new door and Ellibeth came in, followed by Rubyn.

  “You’ve made yourself a proper bedroom, Billi.” Ellibeth looked around at the bed and the little hearth and kettle. “You can even make a herb brew without leaving here on a cold morning. This will be really snug in the winter.” She moved to the connecting door and laughed at the big bar across it. “Are you worried One-shut will break in?”

  “Who knows who might be trying to break it down?” Billi stood behind her so Ellibeth couldn’t see his grin. Rubyn was too busy stroking the big soft bed fur to care.

  Ellibeth lifted the locking bar and opened the door, then stopped. She stared through into the original hut for a long while, then finally spoke. “Your bed is still in here Billi. Why?”

  “Because that is my bed, and this one is yours. I’m not having your reputation ruined by the nasty minds in the Village. Nor am I going to live in a scruffy hut to make them all happy.” Ellibeth had turned open-mouthed and Billi smiled happily and waved an arm around. “If anyone starts again just grab them by the ears and drag them out here, then show them the door and bar. This room is yours, yours and Rubyn’s and I’ll not come in here again, ever.” Then Billi stumped through into his own original hut, sat in his chair, and settled in to ride out the objections.

  He expected the first. “But it must have cost a fortune.”

  Billi sat unmoved and calm. “My fortune. Some would say it’s a better use than beguilers or ale.”

  “That’s not the point. It’s a waste of silver.”

  “How do you know? I found the tree for the timber, I found the reeds for the roof, the rocks came out of the rough grazing, and I even found these to pay for anything else.” Billi tossed her his largest gold nugget, as big as a walnut. “Furs are free, and meat for labour or ironwork is free. Now how much did it cost?”

  Ellibeth waved her arms about. “But you can’t just use them for th
is. It’s, it’s, too much!” For a moment Billi thought Ellibeth would stamp her foot in frustration.

  “But someone is too stubborn to stop coming, so what could I do? Maybe I’m nearly as stubborn.” Billi tried not to grin as he saw her little smile at that. He’d won. “Unless you want me to knock it down again? To make a point?”

  “Don’t be silly.” Ellibeth looked back through the door again, then back at Billi’s bed. Billi just smiled while Ellibeth worked through who was being silly about what. After that it was just a case of sitting there and being stubborn.

  That became easier when Rubyn realised what they were arguing about. “This is my room? For me and Ma and Spots! Ma, our own room. Look at the fur Ma, it’s hooooge. “Rubyn tugged on Ellibeth’s arm. “Come and look. There’s a big fur on the floor as well.”

  “I know, Rubyn, I’m just telling Billi that we can’t….” Ellibeth stopped, because she couldn’t break her littlun’s smile. “Because. Since.” She gave a big sigh. “That isn’t playing fair, Billi, letting Rubyn see it.”

  “Is Edan being fair? Which unfair do you prefer?” Billi let his grin come now.

  “Your sort, you silly man.” She looked down at Rubyn. “I’ll come and look in a minute.” Ellibeth looked at Billi very steadily. “I’d better lock myself in then, and put that bar down. It’ll make the dusting a bit awkward.”

  “You can leave it wide open when I’m not here. You can live in here, and sleep in there with the bar down, so nobody gets confused.” Billi stood. “Now, can I get going?”

  “Get you gone Billi, and thank ye.” Ellibeth giggled as growling sounded behind her and she glanced back. “He’s wearing the bed rug.”

  Billi wore a big smile as he headed into the green with Rabbit for three days. Two nights in that room and no matter what second thoughts Ellibeth might have, Rubyn wouldn’t let her give it up.

  * * *

  When he returned the door between the two rooms stood open, the place was warm and dusted, and he could smell his dinner. “A bit of roast venison, taters and roots. It’ll be ready in a while.” Ellibeth glanced outside at the gathering dusk and smiled. “You’d best walk me home then, to stop all those wagging tongues.”

  “After you’ve barred the door from the other side and go out of your own door. I told you, I’m not going in there. If anyone visits, I’ll make sure they try that door to make the point.” Billi pulled out the three keys on a loop. “Here, you can lock the outside door on the way out.”

  Ellibeth stared. “That really is a waste of money. Iron locks are expensive, really expensive. There’s not more than a score of doors with one on.” Ellibeth was right. Iron locks really were expensive and possibly driving Billi’s point home a bit harder than necessary.

  Though Ellibeth had no answer when Billi told her why. “That’s because there’s very little worth protecting with an iron lock in this Village.” Billi grinned. “Except reputations, and that lock should keep yours safe.”

  Ellibeth came over and bussed Billi gently on the cheek. “You are a very silly, but a very kind man, Billi.” Then while Billi sat in shock she went into her room, barred the door, and Billi heard her close and lock the outside door. He recovered enough to put his coat on by the time Ellibeth came in his own door to pick up her parcel of meat. Rubyn carefully held his eggs, payment for chicken tending duties.

  At her gate Ellibeth paused while Rubyn went ahead. “I’ll be having a long talk with Da about all this.” Da already knew all about it so Billi knew what answer she’d get.

  So he grinned. “It isn’t up to Viktor to tell a Hunter what to do in his own home.”

  Ellibeth shook her head. “You are a very stubborn man, Billi.” Though she smiled as she went up the path.

  Billi walked home with Rabbit’s contented song in his head. He ate his dinner and hoped this time he’d finally knocked Edan back, or at least stopped the man picking on women.

  * * *

  The room accomplished both purposes. The rumours about Billi and Ellibeth stopped completely as Viktor confirmed ten-days later. Perry and Timath were bragging about how much the good reputation of their Sis was worth to a decent man. They were putting the emphasis firmly on the decent, and they were giving Edan’s name as the opposite example. So were the others who knew exactly why the bedroom had been built. No hints or doubt this time, they gave Edan’s name and were more or less daring him to object. When he didn’t, and folk started thinking instead of just listening to rumours, that finally stopped most of the muck-spreading.

  The reprieve wouldn’t last because Edan wouldn’t let it, and some would still see Billi’s stump and believe the worst of him. Stopping any rumours about Ellibeth had been Billi’s main intent and that worked, especially important as one of the farmers showed a bit of interest in the maid despite her littlun. Or perhaps partly because of Rubyn as he’d grown big enough to help out on a farm now and would only grow bigger. Rubyn kept insisting that he would be a Hunter, but so did almost every other littlun his age. Telling him he had the same chance as any other youth would have, about one in four, didn’t deter the littlun one bit.

  Rubyn really enjoyed his time in the hut. He had some space to run and took on total responsibility for the chickens. Billi made a point of giving him a few eggs as his pay every time, and Rubyn seemed just as delighted every time he chose his pay from the bowl. This winter Billi would ask Rubyn to tend a trap line in the winter fields to catch the little hunters in their winter coats.

  The little varmints were encouraged in the summer to keep the rabbits, rats and mice down to a minimum so they wouldn’t eat the crops. In winter the little hunting creatures themselves were tithed to keep their numbers reasonable and to keep them from the poultry, though perhaps the main reason for trapping them was because their winter coats were luxurious. Even if the Farmer caught Ellibeth, he wouldn’t mind Rubyn learning that skill. Setting traplines would be an asset in either Farm or Forest.

  The campaign continued against Billi personally but with less effect. There remained some lingering unrest about the fever, and the occasional mutter about cripples, but Billi didn’t care and neither did Rabbit. They spent most of their time away in the Forest or at the lakes, or at home without going into the Village. As long as the people he liked still talked to him, the tradespeople would welcome him into their premises, and Hunters still dropped by for an ale and a gossip, Billi was satisfied. Not quite happy, the rumours still stung a bit, but happier than a one-legged man ever expected.

  Billi went out to his valley a moon before the Village fish run and took a lot of fish, filling his pack with those he’d dried and salted and storing another pack full in the hut. Once again they sold or traded really well, as did the second pack full. When the Village fish run arrived he worked along with the rest. This year the run finished early on the third day, so the shares were smaller. Once again Billi salted his share to pack away in his store. Ellibeth told him he’d need to dig another soon so Billi traded more meat to the Traders in return for salt.

  He asked, and Ellibeth thought the stored fish would be bought by the Village this year, because there wasn’t as much about. Any Billi had left would sell best in the spring when the Traders arrived for winter meat. That wouldn’t be the season for the fish and few would save some through winter, so Billi traded more meat to make sure he had space to keep the fish. Ellibeth admitted being impressed that Billi always had fresh fish in any season while the rest only had preserved. After that he paid her in fresh fish a few times, over her protests that they were expensive.

  Billi took another bear just before they all disappeared for the winter, one that came after the blackberries festooning his bramble hedge, plump and ripe. The bear was plump as well, the meat rich and fatty and his fur thick and warm, and with a wry smile Billi wondered if a bear a year meant he’d started farming them. Billi salted a good bit of the bear meat and left it for the next trip, then brought the rest and a pack half-filled with blackberri
es back to the Village. Ellibeth made jam and some apple and blackberry pies when Billi traded berries and bear meat, some for apples. He also brought his bag of stones from the valley, and concealed them in the hut. The last Tinkerers of the season, the ones after the first snows just after Harvestfest, would buy the stones. He would also trade his best furs, the ones that weren’t too beautiful to let go.

  The Tinkerers meant he could also trade for Midwinter presents, because this year Billi wanted to give some. Billi hadn’t really had friends before. Was he a good enough friend to give them a Midwinter gift? Were there rules about it, the same as chasing and gifts? This felt akin to traipsing through a swamp in the dark, backwards and being chased by a wounded boar. Gifts that Billi thought were cheap were expensive to others, and led to refusals, confusion and red faces. The rest of the youths learned as they started flirting and maybe chasing but Billi never expected to do that, and had never been at the dances to learn anyway.

  Which meant he’d no idea what might be right. Billi wished he could let Ellibeth have a couple of stones or a pretty pelt for a midwinter present, because he really didn’t have any idea what else to give her. Unfortunately, pretty stones and pelts were right there along with claws and fangs in the list of gifts with significance. Billi could let Bliss have a couple of stones or a pelt since she was already bonded, but what should he get for Ellibeth and her Bros, and Rubyn and Viktor?

  At least the Harvestfest would be straightforward, and maybe he could ask some cautious questions.

  Winter Storms

  Viktor asked Billi to come to the Harvestfest with his family, which Billi did. He felt more comfortable arriving with people he knew rather than alone, especially as he had to leave Rabbit at the door. Edan attended with a small group who all glared at Billi so that had started again. He ignored them except for taking note that these were the ones to look for if trouble started again, more rumours and lies. Looking them over, Billi saw nobody among them whose bad opinion really mattered to him, and many more people in the hall were smiling and calling greetings.