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The reeve is a learned man, more learned than his father. It is said he knows how to read and write and that he has spent vast sums to accumulate a small collection of books, in the latin and greek, whose contents he guards like saintly relics. And like saintly relics, he will, on occasion, bring out his erudition to awe the ignorant, to win their adoration and worship--and fear. He does so now, trapping you like one of your fishes in his net of questions. Your attempts at dismissal, even at derision, do not faze him one degree. This morning he was in the wrong and was forced to concede, but this time it is you who have sinned and having no other recourse, you resort to the last argument of the damned: the truth.
The reeve wants to know where Gordon is. You tell him he is waiting by the gate. He wants to know whether the basket represents the total of your ill-gotten gains. You reply that it is. He wants to know the identity of the recipient. You are all to happy to name Mabel ("what Ginny Fishwife's daughter?") as not only a conspirator but the architect of the whole design. And then, to your great surprise, he mumbles something to the effect of "boys will be boys", flushes with embarrassment and excuses himself.
The cellarer, having half dozed off in the course of this interrogation, now seizes the fruit, records their delivery in his account book, and even gives you two sugared plums for your trouble. You scarf one down immediately, and only with the greatest restraint are able to save the second for Gordon, who does likewise when he receives it.
You assure him he has nothing to worry about in the way punishment. All has been settled. You do not tell him of your strange encounter with the reeve, nor its stranger conclusion, for you yourself do not know quite what to make of it.
All that remains now is to confront Mabel.
>You'll do so directly, now, before the day is done
>You have a cousin on your mother's side, a stablehand, that resides in the castle, you should visit with him before you leave, since you come so seldom.
>You're tired and should head home to check on Gran. That was enough excitement for one day
>Write-in
