Guy and Much sat down on a grassy bank by the side of the road.  Much took some bread and a small knob of cheese out of his pack and split it between the two of them.  They ate in silence, both deep in thought.

Much spoke first.  “Which way do you want to go?” he asked.

“I really don’t know,” Guy replied.  “I suppose we should head towards Bristol.”

“You don’t want to, do you?”

“I’m not sure what I want is ever a good indicator of what is the best thing to do.”

“If it’s any help, I don’t see any reason to go to Bristol either.  And I can think of several reasons why it might be a bad idea.”

“But the alternative is to turn back.”

“And?”

“That means we’ve failed.”

Much took Guy’s hand and squeezed it.  “It doesn’t have to. Would you trust me to make the decision?”

“Of course.”

“You sound very sure.”

“I am.  You’ve never let me down.”

Much laughed.  “Not all my decisions have gone well.  We’d have slept a lot better two nights ago if I’d chosen the other path.”

Guy joined in the laughter.  “Very true.  But your original choice was perfectly reasonable, and apart from a disturbed night’s sleep we were none the worse for it.  But I do trust you and have done so, from the moment you told me to send my horse back to the castle and follow you, without any more explanation.  So where are we going?”

“Back to Pershore.”

“What?”

“Where you are going to ask the Lord of the Manor for the job.”

“Sir Roger, who called me a skinny git, and told me to clear off?”

“To be exact, he said you needed more muscle and experience before he’d hire you as his new estate manager.  Both of which you’ve gained over the last few months.”

“He’ll have found someone else by now.”

“When last I heard he hadn’t taken anyone on.  So what do you say?”

“I did say I’d leave the decision up to you.  And you’re right I don’t want to go to Bristol.  North again it is.”

***

It was with some trepidation Guy approached the manor house a week later.  He saw Sir Roger come out of the main door and he slowly approached the man.  Part of him wanted to turn and, if not run, at least walk rapidly away, but he was conscious Much was hidden somewhere watching him, so he pulled his shoulders back and approached a little more confidently.

Sir Roger stopped and looked appraisingly at him.  “I’ve met you before, haven’t I?”

“Yes, sir,” Guy tried not to stammer.  “My name’s Guy and I asked you for work in the spring.”

“I remember.  And you’re back again, presumably with the same request.”  Guy nodded.  “Well, you’re persistent, I’ll give you that.  Okay, I’ll think about it.  Right now, I’m needed on the land.  Follow me.”

Guy spent the better part of the day following Sir Roger as he went from task to task.  The time lost would mean he wouldn’t be able to get any paid work that day, and he hoped Much had managed to find something.  They had a few coins which would cover their night’s lodging somewhere, but they preferred not to use them unless absolutely necessary.

Finally, they were back outside the main door of the manor house.  Sir Roger turned to Guy and said abruptly, “Today I have wasted far too much time on minor issues.  How would you have improved things?”

Guy, taken aback by the suddenness of the question, blurted out various ideas he’d had on the way round.

“Good!”  Sir Roger nodded.  “You can have the job.  I don’t see the man you were travelling with last time.  Is he still with you?”

“Err, yes, he’ll have found day work if he could.”

“Right.  He was good with the horses.  Tell him to go to the stables first thing tomorrow, we need more help there.”

With that Sir Roger turned and went into the house without a further word.

Guy stood still for a moment, stunned by the turn of events.  He then began to walk away from the house, planning on going into the town in the expectation he’d meet Much there.

He hadn’t gone far when Much joined him and asked, “How’d it go?”

“He’s given me the job.  And you can have work in the stables, apparently they need help.”

“Great!  I knew you could do it.”  Much grinned at Guy, who smiled back.  “And I knew about the stables.  I’ve been helping there today – I won’t get paid, but we’ve got a meal and lodgings for tonight.  Unless, of course, the new estate manager is above lodging in a shed.”

“I am perfectly happy with that, thank you.  Just don’t tell them I’m the estate manager, or I’ll be charged for the privilege.”

Much laughed and led the way to where they would be staying.