A Land Of Mystery - A Mel, Tab, Mewla & Cathy historical story

Chapter Two


   It took the two kittens about an hour to completely wash all the clothes, and when they had finished, they scooped them all up into a bundle and made their way back to Melania's cottage. Melania had asked Tabitha back for some food, and the kitten had gladly accepted. Melania's mother did wonderful baking.
   They kept their eyes and ears open as they strolled along, but they heard and saw nothing. When they arrived back at the cottage, they found Mewla kneeling on the earth tending the vegetable crop.
   "Where is father?" Melania asked.
   "Gone to the village." Mewla said. "Mother was convinced that I forgot some of the things she asked me to buy, so father said that he would take the cart back into the village and get them, and also see if he could buy some chickens from the market."
   "Come inside." Melania said to Tabitha. The two kittens went into the cottage, where Melania's mother was sitting in her chair mending a bodice.
   "Hello girls." she smiled. "Thankyou for doing the washing, Melania, and Tabitha too, if she helped you. If you want some food, there is freshly baked bread over there. I'm afraid I used all the water though, so if you want a drink you'll have to go to the well and fetch some more."
   "We will." Melania said, putting down the washing and picking up the loaf of bread. "Mother - is it alright if I have the afternoon off, because Tabitha's mother and father have gone out for the day, and she's on her own."
   "Well, when you have had some food, I would like you to take the basket and pick me some blackberries." said her mother. "But after that, you can do as you please. You've worked hard this week, Melania, and I'm pleased with you."
   "Thankyou, mother." Melania said. "Come on Tabitha - we can go and fetch some water."
   The two kittens went out of the cottage and across the soft green grass to the old well. Mewla was still kneeling down, tending the vegetables. Melania gave Tabitha the loaf to hold, then hooked the old bucket onto the rope.
   "It's kind of your mother to let you spend the afternoon with me instead of doing jobs." Tabitha said. "I think I'll pick her some flowers to say thankyou."
   "She would like that." Melania smiled, letting the rope down. "When we've picked the blackberries, shall we go up and see James?"
   "Yes, we could do." Tabitha said. "He gets so lonely up there on his own all the time, doesn't he? All he has are his sheep."
   James was a young shepherd tom-kitten, about a year older than Melania and Tabitha. His mother and father sent him money to live on, but wanted nothing else to do with him. He lived in a little shack on the cliff top, and his mother and father lived in a small cottage in the village. He and Melania were in love with each other, but Melania's parents thought that he was rough and no good, so they banned their daughter from seeing him. Melania, however, couldn't bear the thought of this, so whenever she could, she would sneak off to meet him secretly. Mewla knew of this, but she never let on.
   "He does, yes." Melania wiped the dirt off the bucket onto her skirt. "He is glad of our company."
   "Of your company, you mean." Tabitha smiled.
   "Don't tease so!" Melania laughed, then smiled prettily. She knew that Tabitha was right. She began to wind up the bucket, which was now full of clean, fresh water.
   Tabitha broke off a small piece of bread and began to chew it gracefully. Melania pulled up the bucket, cupped her paws, and scooped up a handful of the water. She drank it and smiled.
   "Lovely and fresh!" she said. "I'll just take it in to mother, and fetch a basket, then we can go and pick blackberries."
   Tabitha wandered over to talk to Mewla while Melania took the water indoors. Mewla was pulling all the little weeds out from around the vegetables.
   "You've got a nice crop there." Tabitha nodded towards the vegetables. "You'll have good stores for winter, if I'm not mistaken."
   "I should think so." Mewla got up and brushed the dirt off her paws. "Though where we're going to put them I don't know. Mother won't have them in the house because she says father's pipe smoke makes them taste dirty."

 

TO BE CONTINUED