Githa is warned

Githa sighed and let her sewing fall into her lap. She had only just had a chance to get off her feet, and now there was someone at the door.

“Baby, would you get the door? Maybe it’s just Gunnilda or your Da come to fetch you and Wynnie home again.”

“She wasn’t s’posed to come till later,” Iylaine said, but she went bouncing to the door. “Oh!” she said when she saw who it was.

“Well, mayn’t we come in?” Gyfu smirked.

“Won’t you please come in?” Iylaine said politely, opening the door widely.

“Why, Gyfu! And Gytha!” Githa said, rising from her chair. “I haven’t seen you in weeks, Gyfu, where have you been hiding?”

“My father has been ill, dear. How are you? You look pale.”

“Oh,” Githa laughed, “If I am it isn’t because I’m ill.”

“We heard you were expecting again,” red-​haired Gytha said. “I would even say you’re starting to show.”

“I am!” she said proudly. “I look to be confined after Midsummer. Ethelmund thinks it’s a blessing for the work he did for the church.”

“That’s fine work he did,” Gytha said.

But Gyfu was eyeing Iylaine. “I’m surprised you let that elf child in here,” she said in a low voice.

“Why not? She’s no noisier than my own girls, even if the four of them together make a racket sometimes.”

“That’s not what I mean, dear. Aren’t you afraid she’ll give you the evil eye and cause you to lose your baby, or something?”

“Gyfu! How could you suggest such a thing! She’s only a sweet little girl, she can’t give anybody the evil eye! What nonsense!”

“Well, I don’t know, dear,” Gyfu continued. “Remember what happened to me when she got angry at me at the bonfires last fall, and I got my dress burned. Thank God nothing worse happened to me!”

“Rot! You were at a bonfire and got your dress burned, no mystery there! I don’t doubt you were too busy looking at the men to pay attention to where you swished your skirts, Gyfu Weard! She’s only a sweet little girl, who never meant nobody a lick of harm!”

“Oh, I don’t know but that she doesn’t mean to do harm, but you know one can have the evil eye without knowing it. Besides, what about what happened to you? Didn’t you have her here with that mother of hers when her Da run off, just before your baby boy got sick and died?”

“How dare you?” Githa gasped, stung. “How dare you? Half the babies in the valley got sick and died that winter! You won’t tell me she looked at all of them!”

“Well, I don’t know…” Gyfu said thoughtfully.

“Well, I’ll tell you what I know. I know this little girl real well, and she’s got a good and loving heart such as you never will. And what else! I think you’re just sore you couldn’t catch her Da, that’s what! I saw you ogling after him, but he’s too clever a man to bother himself with the likes of you, that’s what!”

“As if I would want to be yoked to that stuck-​up, sneering son of a Scot and his malicious little elf-​child! I’m just sorry she’s got you under her spell. I’ll be real sorry to see anything happen to your baby, Githa Ashdown. Real sorry for poor Ethelmund, especially!”

“Get out!” Githa shrieked, pointing to the door with a trembling hand. “I’m sorry, Gytha, but I won’t have Gyfu in my house.”

“Come on, Gyfu,” Gytha said, pulling at her friend’s arm. Gyfu glared at Githa for a moment longer, and then followed Gytha out with a sniff.

Githa stared at the door, thinking over all she had said. That Gyfu was a malicious gossip, that was all. She was simply offended that Egelric hadn’t been interested in her. And no wonder!

But then she heard a sniff behind her. The four girls were standing silent and pale, but Iylaine was crying. Of course, she had heard everything—and no doubt was old enough now to understand.

“Oh, don’t you listen to her,” Githa said, embracing her. “She’s just a mean old gossip. She doesn’t even know what she’s talking about, she just likes to say things to hurt people. You know and I know you’re a real good girl.”