Mistress Grinwell

Author: Kyria d'Oreyn

General

Mistress Grinwell is a housewife in a village between Whitebridge and Arien in Andor. She is married to Master Grinwell. Together they have nine children, the eldest of them being Else. She has yellow hair and her smile reminds Rand of Marin al'Vere.

Mat and Rand want to work at her husband's farm for a meal and a place to sleep. Mistress Grinwell offers to wash their travel-stained clothes, because she does not want them to sit at her table in dirty clothes. After supper, she starts sewing and applauds like her children and husband for Rand and Mat's performances. When she notices the looks that her daughter Else casts on Rand, she observes him suspiciously. She offers to have Else sleep with her and let the young men share Else's bed for the night, because they deserve better than the barn. In truth, she wants her daughter under her eyes so she will not sneak out to the boys during the night. The next morning, she is glad to see them leave.

(Reference: The Eye of the World, Chapter 31)

Quotes

"He had picked up the leather case to put the flute away, but under her stare he dropped the case and almost the flute, too. If she accused him of trifling with her daughter... In desperation he put the flute back to his lips and played another song, then another, and another. Mistress Grinwell kept watching him." (Rand; The Eye of the World, Chapter 31)