Medea cowered in the bathtub and yelped when Maud poured in more hot water. Maud handed the girl a scrub brush and a foul smelling paste before exiting the tiny room. Morrys and Anne were lingering in the common room when Maud shut the door.
"Is Medea all right?" Anne fluttered around Maud. "Mama, what will we do-"
"I don't understand what's happening," Morrys said, talking over Anne.
"Is Medea all right?" Anne fluttered around Maud. "Mama, what will we do-"
"I don't understand what's happening," Morrys said, talking over Anne.
"It's not common in the city, so it has been a while," Maud began. "However, Medea has small biting bugs on her. Likely from being out in the forest, though I've told her repeatedly not to go out there." Maud felt a headache coming on and rubbed her temple. "There are smaller, more dangerous foes than a fearsome bear. I feel these bugs are one of them."
Anne quickly looked away. Whenever they could, Anne, Medea, and Tamora would still creep off to the little clearing and make a pot of stew or roast some fresh venison they could sneak away. Each time, the food tasted better than the last time. The best part was still the privacy, where they could giggle and talk about whatever they wanted. Last time it was about Beatrix's mustard stew, but that was overshadowed when Anne had let it slip that Alistair was looking mighty rugged out in this wilderness. As it turns out, some time in the woods had turned the skinny city boy into somewhat of a competent woodsman.
Anne blinked out of her thoughts when she heard Morrys and Maud snap at each other.
Anne quickly looked away. Whenever they could, Anne, Medea, and Tamora would still creep off to the little clearing and make a pot of stew or roast some fresh venison they could sneak away. Each time, the food tasted better than the last time. The best part was still the privacy, where they could giggle and talk about whatever they wanted. Last time it was about Beatrix's mustard stew, but that was overshadowed when Anne had let it slip that Alistair was looking mighty rugged out in this wilderness. As it turns out, some time in the woods had turned the skinny city boy into somewhat of a competent woodsman.
Anne blinked out of her thoughts when she heard Morrys and Maud snap at each other.
Morrys rolled his eyes at the blonde woman. "It's just some pests. I don't see why you have to put her through such turmoil. It is only a few bites."
"Few bites?," Maud snapped. "If those bites get any rot in them, my Medea may as well be dead now. I will not have some country pest rid me of a child."
"I have had a fair few bites on my family's farm. I have not passed on yet, madam." Morrys scoffing tone infuriated Maud. "Ask my sister Alys. She will tell you about the farm, and our methods for pests." Maud opened her mouth to respond, but Morrys held a hand up to silence her next tirade. "I have to go, Mistress Wrenne. The men need me for a hunting trip today, so I'll leave you to your little baths and scrubs."
"Few bites?," Maud snapped. "If those bites get any rot in them, my Medea may as well be dead now. I will not have some country pest rid me of a child."
"I have had a fair few bites on my family's farm. I have not passed on yet, madam." Morrys scoffing tone infuriated Maud. "Ask my sister Alys. She will tell you about the farm, and our methods for pests." Maud opened her mouth to respond, but Morrys held a hand up to silence her next tirade. "I have to go, Mistress Wrenne. The men need me for a hunting trip today, so I'll leave you to your little baths and scrubs."
Anne and Maud watched the man saunter away. Maud felt her hands clench into fists while Anne's mouth fell open. Never before had she seen her mother been spoken to, not even with Papa. Morrys had seemed pleasant before, but now- Anne's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Mama? I need help with my hair." Medea's voice strained to be heard through the thick wood door to the tub room. Maud took a breath and went to help Medea. She had some thinking to do.
"Mama? I need help with my hair." Medea's voice strained to be heard through the thick wood door to the tub room. Maud took a breath and went to help Medea. She had some thinking to do.