"Howell, wait." Megan's voice held a trace of uncertainty, and Howl stopped in his tracks, although he didn't turn round. "Gwen's back" Howl wheeled round "Gareth didn't want you to know, but she asked me.." Megan trailed off, but then rallied "she's got the little house opposite the tea shop. "Howell she's.. changed from when you, when we all last saw her."
Sophie saw his expression flicker, but he just nodded. Glancing at her and Michael, he fired of a series of what seemed to be questions at his sister in the same strange language he had used with Mari. Megan answered them in the same language and Howls expression became undisguisedly concerned. Abruptly he swung round, opened the door and shooed Sophie and Michael out of the door, throwing a brief "Thanks Meg" over his shoulder.
Sophie did not wish to remember the next bit. The rode in a horseless carriage at terrifying speed. tearing up and down hills staggeringly steep. She shut her eyes and clung on, and simply hoped it would be over soon.
Luckily it was. They arrived at a place with houses jammed in tight next to each other, flanking on both sides of the road. Although the buildings appeared to be deserted, Sophie had a feeling that they were not and that the occupants were watching with keen interest. Howl glanced over the road at a building sporting a large window with a lace curtain and a sign tucked in stating 'shop closed', and turned instead to face a house beside him. Sophie and Michael exchanged a look, and Michael shrugged, and the followed Howl up the path to the door of the house.
The door was cracked open almost the same moment Howls knuckles met the shabby wood door. A bright blue eye peered at them suspiciously and, once it had taken in Howl, the door was flung wide open.
"Howl!" the occupant exclaimed, before flinging herself into his open arms with a laugh. "Come in, come in!" She untangled herself from Howl and ushered them into the building. As Sophie passed the young woman on the way in, she noticed how nervously Gwen, for this must surely be who Megan referred to, looked into the street over Sophie's shoulder, and how the door was bolted closed behind her.
"Please, do sit down" the young woman gestured for Sophie to take a seat in the chair she had clearly just been occupying. She grasped up a bundle of wool and shoved it onto a small table set in front of a sofa, which she now gestured Michael and Howl to take.
As the woman now hurried around clearing up and muttering distracted apologies for the mess, Sophie idly looked round. The small room was sparsely furnished, and what little furniture present was shabby and worn, though deftly patched and repaired. It did not look like there was a lot of money to spare. As Sophie's gaze landed on Howl, she realized that he was also taking in the room. Concern was in his eyes although he kept it off his face.
The woman offered tea to them all and, at their acceptance, disappeared into another room to make it. On her return, Howl stood up to help her with the tray and appeared to remember Sophie and Michael's presence.
"Michael, Sophie, this is Gwen Parry, Megan's Sister in Law and my dearest friend. Gwen, this is Michael Fisher, my apprentice and Sophie Hatter, my Cleaner"
If Gwen thought it strange that Howl was bringing his apprentice and cleaning lady with him to visit friends, she didn't show it. She was blushing furiously at his reference to her as his dearest friend. Howl glanced at her face and then did a double take. He reached and turned Gwen's face to him. Her smile had frozen on her face and she defiantly held his gaze for a moment, then looked away.
"If I'd have know you would suddenly turn up I'd have made better attempts with make up" she muttered. She met Sophie and Michael's curious gaze. They couldn't see what had caught his attention. "You must forgive him his manners, his eye for attention has noticed my make up is rather thick over a bruise. I fell over and it doesn't do to give the locals more to talk about" She smiled at them. Howl sat down again, frowning, and addressed Gwen rapidly in the foreign language. Sophie took this opportunity to study Howl's 'dearest friend'. She was younger then Howl, but a little older then Sophie should have been. She was nearly as tall as Michael, and held herself rigidly upright. Her hair mink brown hair was tied back from her face in a severe bun, and sported several gold hoops in each lobe, and a 2 more in the cartilage of her left. She was very thin in a way that suggested too little food and too much work.
By the time the conversation in the foreign tongue was finished the tea was half drunk and Howl was looking concerned.
"Where are your manners though Howl, using Welsh when your companions do not" Gwen seemed quite glad to change the subject. She spoke with a the same lilt Megan had, though her voice was more gentle. Howl had the same lilt, Sophie realized, though his was so slight as to be un-noticed. "Howl and Megan grew up with Gareth and I, we were children together. We were quite the double act until Howl went off to university"
Howl smiled at the recollection. "I was your excuse to get in trouble I recall"
Gwen chuckled. "The last I saw you was Mari's christening. What have you been doing in that time since? An apprentice, a cleaner.. Megan doesn't seem to think you have any job at all, least all one that can carry an apprentice too."
Howl looked distinctly uncomfortable. "It's not something she'd find respectable, so I haven't told her about it" He said slowly.
Gwen looked keenly at him and shot a quick glance to Michael. "I'll wager I could name your trade in one guess, but I shan't if you're trying to protect Meg's sensibilities. You've quite the reputation now, far worse then last I saw you" Howl was positively squirming now, but Gwen seemed amused. "Gareth kept saying it was such a good think I blossomed after you'd left" She laughed as she said this. Sophie got the distinct impression that Gwen didn't believe she'd blossomed at all.
"Megan said he'd told her not to tell me you'd come back" he said sadly. Gwen frowned. "We'll he'll answer for that. For all the you did to Myfanwy, you shielded me from some right lollocks" "I didn't do anything to her!" Howl protested "She thought-"
"I know what she thought, Howl, you don't need to explain it to me" Gwen forestalled him and glanced at Sophie, who realized that she was leaning forwards to hear what Howl had done to Myfanwy. Michael was also listening raptly. "My sister" Gwen explained "Took a.. fancy to Howl, some years ago-" Howl interrupted Gwen in panicked Welsh, but just Gwen laughed and replied in the same, then asked "So what brings you to the valleys today?" She looked at Michael and Sophie. "Neils homework" Howl answered "I ended up with it and he ended up with a paper of mine, which he's given to his teacher"
"Miss Angorian? I bet that went down well. That woman is a demon in disguise, I'm sure. Never had the misfortune to have to deal with such a mare as that one" Gwen grimaced.
A clock started to toll from somewhere else in the building and Gwen jumped up looking striken. "Damn! I'm sorry, I've got to be at work in half an hour"
Howl stood up, Sophie and Michael following suit. "That's ok, we had best be getting on anyway"
They all made their way to the door and when outside Gwen turned to Howl "Are you staying locally or will you be flitting off again? I finish at the stable around 8, we could go to the pub?" Howl grinned, "Sounds a plan"
"Excellent" She hugged him and then strode off up the road. Howl watched her until she was out of sight, and sighed, shaking his head at some thought.
"Let's get this teacher dealt with then"
