Final answer:
Sophie's best friend in Gavaldon, Sylvia, lived at her grandmother's house, in what is described as a small and simple home with a natural setting. It seems that this home was a small farmstead with a closer connection to the outdoors, indicative of a rural and simple lifestyle in Gavaldon.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sophie's best friend in Gavaldon lived in a small husk bed which was empty when the grandmother searched for Sylvia, indicating that Sophie's best friend was Sylvia herself. The setting of this narrative is a humble abode in a place that seems to be remote and close to nature, suggesting a sense of simplicity and perhaps solitude in Gavaldon. Sylvia's connection with the natural environment around her, as well as her grandmother's description of a 'hermitage', paints Gavaldon as a place where life is interwoven with the outdoors.
The passages provided cover different stories and scenarios; however, none of them directly mention 'Gavaldon' or Sophie's best friend. In such a case, a discussion on the narrative setting and character relationships can be inferred based on the descriptions and relationships presented.