The Vineyard Tavern

[Bêthberry]

Bethberry watched the man with disguised contempt, for she did not want to anger him. Not yet.

The boy Andhun was ill, seriously ill. He was weak, almost feverish, and would soon have festering wounds on his back if the burns were not treated, for they were weeping still. He was hungry and haunted by abuse. He was not alone in this condition, for there were many orphans about these days who were at the mercy of adults, many of whom felt the only way to get work out of anyone was to threaten and beat them. And Rochadan was ready to take responsibility for the boy.

She though for a bit. What grounds did they have for refusing to allow this Harstan to take the boy? He ran a business, made trade. He could be influential in complaining that the Tavern was interferring in his business. Finian didn't need to anger the town authorities; he had enough on his hands to improve the business of his tavern. They would either have to make Harstan realise he was better off without the boy, or else make him so angry he stepped over a line, here in the Vineyard, clearly, so that everyone here would witness his transgression.

Bethberry decided to begin by making Harstan prove himself. She would quietly and calmly challenge his claims.

"Your boy, Harstan? I did not know you had a son." She looked at him with a face of mild interest, not challenge, indeed, of almost concern. Let him state what his claims are over the boy, she decided. And then she would point out how incapable Andhun was of fulfilling them in his wounded state. If he could be persuaded that he was better off without the boy, perhaps matters could be resolved without ill effects.