Creature and the Maiden- Chapter 4
-I don't understand Ester! He, she or whatever it is still putting small presents on my doorstep, helping me milk the goats, and cutting wood for me. And no matter how early I get up to get a chance to see who this "admirer" is, he is always faster than me.
Sometimes he doesn't come at all, so I have to go out and milk the goats myself. And this has been going on for three weeks!" Said Laura in a frustrated tone while she helped Mrs. Bovary with her sales.
They were in the nearby town and Laura was helping Ester at the market to sell her sheep's wool and Laura's homemade cheese and herbs. Their shop was small compared with the other shops, but it gave some income.
Laura went with Ester and her husband once a week to sell her cheese and herbs. She was an excellent herbalist; maybe not professional, but she knew how to care for deep injuries, fever and burns, and knew of some herbs that induced deep sleep. She had learned it from her long dead grandmother Isabelle. Every time she entered the village, all the noise of the big market deafened and frightened her, and crowds always made her uncomfortable. She was glad that she had Ester and her husband Toby. After her grandmother's death, Ester has always been kind of second grandmother to her.
-That's very strange, but when I was your age, I too got some very sweet presents by a handsome admirer. Wildflowers tied in crowns, love letters that made me blush, and caramels on the window sill. But of course, I had a slight hunch as to who it was, and It wasn't long before my 'prince' revealed himself.
Ester chuckled and gave her husband Toby a soft smile, and he smiled back and gave her a kiss on the cheek. The Bovarys were old but still had 5 five children to take care of, and were still very much in love -- even if it had grown more down-to-earth.
- It could be be one of the boys here in town who has a crush on you! I bet it's the butcher or the baker's son!" Ester's husband chuckled.
- And how would they know the way to the cottage? The way is hard to find and my cottage lays deep in the woods. And if it is the butcher or the bakers boy, wouldn't I get a steak or a pat on the back, like they always do with the other beautiful ladies? Laura snorted. The presents I get are just berries, mushrooms and sometimes a hare. No love letters nor chocolate!
- You're right!" Ester's face turned very serious. "This has keep going too long, this "admirer" could be a dirty old man, a rapist, a thief or a murderer! He may break in to your cottage in the middle of the night and rape you!!"... Oh my god...
Her normally merry blue eyes now held a glint of concern and suddenly she took Laura's hands in hers and stared straight into Laura green eyes.
-Laura! You may have heard this ten-thousand times but I'm saying it again! I want you to come and live with us in our house! A young girl like you shouldnt live all by herself in a cottage. I'm worried that something will happen to you, and I promised Isabelle to watch over you! You are only 17!"
Laura sighned and shook her head and gave Ester a sad smile.
-And I keep telling you -- I'm doing fine! It's my grandmother's house and I promised to take care of it and the goats. It is my home! Besides, I don't want to burden you, you have five kids to take care of." Laura squeezed Ester's hands in hers and gave her a big hug.
But Ester was not calmed by her words. She saw Laura as a daughter, and when Isabelle, her dearest friend, died and left Laura all alone, she became even more protective of her.
-I understand you're worried but I can defend myself! she took up her small but razor sharp dagger from one of her pockets and showed discreetly to Ester. "I'm not scared! only suspicious and curious! No one is going to scare me away from my home, and I want to know who it is! What I need is a plan!"
The discussion of moving out from the cottage was over. Ester shook her head and continued to take care of her customers. After a while, Laura rose from her seat, placed her straw hat on her head, and pulled her scarf around her shoulders.
-I must go and buy some supplies, I will be back soon. Please look after my things!
Ester gazed after Laura as she walked to the stores. Her clothes were simple and far from the latest fashion, but she was the most beautiful girl in the town.
She outshone even the upper-class ladies with her beauty. Her hat was worn very low so nobody could get a glimpse of her eyes, but the way she walked, with such grace and attitude, it was impossible for people not to notice her. Her walk and dialect betrayed that she hadn't lived all her life as a peasant girl.
"But beauty isn't safety from harm and sorrow. It may give you some advantages, but it can also bring trouble: jealousness, vanity,unwanted attention, covetous glances and lechers. She looks so much like her mother; she's getting more beautiful every day, such a smart and sweet girl...poor thing.
Ester sighed and suddenly with a harsh voice said:
-She needs a husband, Toby! She's 17 years old and a young woman like her shouldn't live all by herself in a small wood cottage in the middle of the forest! Haven't you seen how the boys in the town look at her? Something may happen to her, I'm worried Toby!
-I Agree with you, Toby muttered while he carved a small wood figure. "She needs a good husband! I was in the pub lately and I heard Pierre with his fellows talking about her, and he said with a boastful tone; 'It's such a pity that she lives all alone in the forest after that witch died, such a pretty little flower! Maybe she needs some company, someone to hold her at night!' and that idiot laughed!
-What a pig! Ester grated her teeth and looked like she was going to beat someone. Toby contuined. "I told him to stay away from her, that she was not one of the little bimbettes he's always playing with. But he just laughed and told me I was an old fool.
- What did you do?
- Nothing! I didn't want to cause any fight, even I wanted to, so I left the bar. He's the mayor's son, Ester!
- Mayor's son or not! He deserves a slap on the cheek! You are such a coward, Toby!
- Coward maybe, but I'm not a fool! But don't worry Ester, I know some good boys you can introduce her to.
-Sooner the better! But first we need to figure out who this "admirer" is!
--
-There she is. Pierre whispered as he stood apart from the crowd of the market place with his servant Duncan.
Laura was unaware of his wandering eyes and his lustful hunger as she walked through the market stands and examined some vegetables. She was hiding under her straw hat, but her red hair betrayed her. She had successfully avoided him ever since she ran into him in town at the butcher shop. He had glared at her and rudely stared at every part of her body without any shame and said,
"What a fine piece of meat you are, how much cost a pound?"
He had meant it as a compliment but she didn't like it at all. She had gave him a hard slap on the cheek and rushed out of the shop. No one! No one had ever slapped him on the cheek before! She should have been overwhelmed and given him a kiss, like the others girls. Instead she slapped him and said he "looked like a gorilla in a fine suit." He, a gorilla! He was the handsomest man in the town. Strong, muscular, long dirty-blond hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones and sharp chin. He is every girl's prince charming. No girl has ever insulted him or ignored him.
All the girls in town adore him and would do anything to get his attention, except Laura.
Thats why he wants her.
--
She had moved to the next stand where a salesman sold fine garments in beautiful colors. She hesitated and gently stroked the fine silks. She imaged herself in a beautiful deep green gown with laces. When she was young she'd always wore fine silk dresses, and most of them were green. Green had always been her favorite color-- it was warm and positive and fit perfectly to her green eyes. The salesman in front smiled at her, knowing she couldn't afford such a garment, but let her continue stroking the silks. It is not wrong to dream, even if you cant afford it.
Suddenly, a voice from behind her interrupted her dreaming.
-A beautiful woman like you deserves a beautiful dress like that to make her more marvelous and radiant, don't you think?
She turned her head quickly and saw straight into Pierre's mischievous eyes. He was standing tall and showy with his fancy clothes and his all-too-tight pants, and his companion Duncan by his side. "And maybe a pink silk ribbon to your long red hair."
"Pink ribbon to red hair! Is he colour blind? Yuk!" Laura thought and tryed to get away.
Suddenly he took one of Laura's locks and played with it in his hand.
-"Let me buy this dress for you",he whispered with a seducing tone. "You would look ravishing."
Laura's eyes darkened and smacked away his hand from her hair. "No thank you, a peasant girl doesn't wear fine gowns and jewelry. Where should I wear it? In the garden? Buy this dress for someone else; maybe Catrina, Sofie or Frida!"
She started to walk away as fast she could but Pierre followed her and continued to talk. "It must be very difficult to live all by yourself in that old worn-out cottage, and it must been very lonely after your precious grandmother died. "Tell you what! Why don't you move down here so you don't need to be alone, I have a nice room where you can stay."
If eyes could kill, he would be dead in a second, because Laura saw straight into Pierre's eyes with a burning look that made him back away.
-I can take care of myself, I don't need any charity! If you excuse me, I must go back to Mrs. Bovary, she is waiting for me. she said coldly.
She hated Pierre's arrogance and rude behavior. Ever since the episode at the butcher shop, she had been avoiding him. She heard about his reputation and didn't want to be one of his little "charities"
-By the way! Are you the one giving me all the small presents recently? It had suddenly hit her. Could Pierre be the one placing the small baskets at her doorstep and helping with the goats and her garden?
-What presents? Pierre wondered. "I haven't left any presents, I don't even know the way to the cottage!"
"Thank god!" Laura thought. "If he knew the way to my cottage, he would never leave me alone."
-What sort of gifts? He asked sharply, eyes flashing with jealousy. "Someone had taken a fancy to her, and knew where she lives?"
-Small baskets with berries and mushrooms, she said calmly. She didn't tell him about the goats and her garden; she had seen his face and she didn't like it.
Pierre relaxed and laughed teasingly, "Mushrooms and berries, what sort of gifts are those? No chocolate or flowers?" His companion Duncan joined in the laughing, as he always did, no matter what the laughter was about.
"Mushrooms and berries, pooh! Then I have nothing to worry about, it must be a dumb peasant boy."
-Oh Laura! If you let me visit you, I could give you more than the sour berries your peasant boy gives you. That fool must be very poor, can't afford a single rose for you. You deserve much more!
- Haven't you heard, it is the thought that counts, no matter how big present is! Laura said sharply. "I like my gifts, no matter how small they are! And if I ever see your ugly face again, you will be sorry!
She ran as fast as she could, so she didn't catch a glimpse of Pierre's furious face.
-How dare she! "She has no idea who she is talking with! I will take care of you, but first I must take care of your silly admirer-- he doesn't know who he is playing with. No one can touch my property without paying the price!
--
She didn't tell Ester about how Pierre tried to seduce her, or of his revolting suggestion that she move into the town. She would never move into the town, never! She was laying in the straw halm in the wagon, looking up into the sky while Mr. and Mrs. Bovary drove. They were on their way home and the sun was setting. The sky was colored in red, yellow and pink; it was a lovely autumn dusk. They were talking with her about a nice boy they knew named Johan and how nice it would be if they could meet and talk to each other. But Laura was only half listening. She was thinking about Pierre and the admirer. She didn't want to worry Ester about her problems. The admirer problem was enough. She had at least promised Ester to live in their cottage when the winter came. It was one thing to live alone in the cottage in summer, but in winter she would be completely isolated by the snow, and it would be impossible reach Ester and Toby if she needed help.
She wasn't afraid of the admirer but she couldn't help feeling this had turned a little bit creepy.
"Maybe Ester is right! It could be a rapist or a psycho from the town... but then he wouldn't leave gifts on my doorstep! This is weird. I have tried to spy on him from the window and from the door but it didn't work. I have hid in the barn but that didn't work either. I have stayed awake all night to get a glimpse of him. The only result I got was nothing and the goats and garden untouched. I need more plans. This is getting very annoying!"
When they reached Bovary's home the sun was almost set. Ester asked Laura if she wanted to follow her home a bit.
-Thank you Ester but it's not necessary; the sun is still up and the cottage is not far away, I will reach it before dark. Don't worry! she replied.
Ester gave her a long look as she entered the forest and disappeared in the darkness.
She had seen Laura walking that way many times and it have never worried her much before, but she couldn't help but shiver this time--beacurse she wasent the only one who was watching Laura...
