Adventure Continues: Episode 23 - Additional Tales of a Young Noblewoman (with her Household Servant)
In the heart of medieval England, a pawn shop run by Gwladys and her assistant Aefelthrith was bustling with unusual activity. The shop, which had always been a shop, according to a new hire named 'Arry, had a mysterious past that was about to be unveiled.
The morning began with the arrival of a small, ragged boy, who tried to catch a glimpse of the shop's contents over the counter. Gwladys, ever kind, asked the boy what he needed, only to learn that he had been a frequent visitor, often accompanied by a man known as 'John Thomas'.
As the day wore on, 'Arry, the new hire, arrived at the shop and was led inside by Gwladys. He revealed that the shop had originally been a partnership between Anty Marj and a woman named Sarah, who had mysteriously disappeared.
Meanwhile, Aefelthrith was dealing with a street urchin delivering a message for the Sergeant. The message revealed that the Watch were needed to apprehend a fraud, a trickster, and a mountebank.
As the breakfast table was set, a heavily draped woman with a toddler entered the shop. She offered a jet necklace for sale, which Aefelthrith valued at thruppence. The woman, revealed to be Dolly, expressed surprise at seeing Gwladys and Aefelthrith in their pawn shop.
The mood at the table was sombre as 'Arry ate his porridge, a silence descending over the group. Gwladys defended 'Arry, stating that he would not say anything about 'John Thomas'.
However, tensions rose as Aefelthrith expressed her disapproval of dealing with such "low life". A prolonged sulk followed, with Aefelthrith refusing to help with washing the breakfast pots.
Later, the small boy returned, selling a timepiece to Gwladys and Aefelthrith. Initially asking for sixpence, he settled for fourpence. Gwladys expressed doubt about the timepiece's authenticity, stating that if it didn't redeem, they might only get a tanner for it, selling it for scrap.
As the day progressed, 'Arry discovered a skull in the back garden and was asked to keep it a secret. This discovery added to the mysterious atmosphere surrounding the shop.
In a surprising turn of events, 'John Thomas' appeared, explaining that things had not gone well for him since he left, and he had been forced to resort to fraud again. Gwladys tried to hide him from the Watch, who had come to the shop on a tip-off. 'John Thomas' was smuggled up to the loft to avoid being caught.
As the sun set, Gwladys tried to persuade Aefelthrith to go out with Sergeant Argent to find out more about the shop's history, but Aefelthrith agreed only with the condition that Gwladys serve as a chaperone.
The day at the pawn shop was filled with mystery, suspense, and intrigue, leaving one to wonder what secrets the shop holds and what the future may bring.
){kind=link}