"This can't be true, can't!" Agnes walked from one side to the other.
"Stop it. Do you mind? You're making me angry." Harry said. "I hope you're happy, Clarisse. Now, you can stay with that man just for you!" Joseph turned and dealt a violent blow on Harry.
"I'm sick of you! Don't you never, ever talk to Clarisse like that, you clown!" Harry got up and threw himself against Joseph making them fall both in the sand. Clarisse tried to separate them.
"Stop Please."
"Your piece of shit! If we were in Genovia, you lick my feet!" And Harry threw him sand over his eyes. Then got up and while Joseph tried to remove sand from the face, kicked him viciously in the ribs. Paul and Michael threw immediately to him, but not in time to prevent Joseph, one or two broken ribs.
Clarisse knelt beside Joseph.
"I'm fine, Clarisse. Do not worry. I'm getting old!"
"Stop it. Do not say that. We're weak! Can you get up?"
"Yes." Joseph clenched his teeth in pain when he tried to sit up. Michael helped him.
"This isn't over, commoner. She died because of you." Clarisse could not help the tears. Silvia hugged her and Agnes glared at her husband.
"You have awareness of what you say, Harry? She was stung! You said she complained of having been bitten. Probably you don't know but one of the most poisonous animals in the world is a sea snail! How can you be so stupid? Why do I married you? "
"Ha ha ha. Because I felt sorry for you! Have you looked yourself in the mirror? You're one of the ugliest women I know and I only married you because I lost a bet with your father!" Agnes sat on the sand, shrugged his knees and let the tears run freely. Silvia and Clarisse joined her.
"How is it possible for someone to be so cruel, Harry?" Clarisse asked and grabbed Agnes hands.
"Do you really think that someone like me, ever considered married someone like her, unless were forced? I'm a Baron!"
"You're a pathetic old man, who doesn't deserve someone like Lady Agnes!" Said Paul and everyone turned around to look at him.
"Say that again?" Said Harry walking toward Paul but stopping at a safe distance.
"You're a pathetic old man who doesn't deserve the woman he is married."
Joseph smiled. Harry was almost frothing with rage.
"And if you talk to her like that again, you have to answer to me!" And Paul went back and sat at the entrance of the shelter where was the body of Ruth. Clarisse whispered to Agnes's ear:
"I think you have an admirer!" She smiled and also said quietly:
"I thought he was fallen by Ruth!"
"I don't think so. It's the second time he defended you fiercely." Agnes smiled and did not answer.
"Now what do we do? We have to look for a place where we can bury her. And we have to look for shells or anything else to make the hole. "
"Michael, please. She died only five or six hours ago. She's the King's sister!"
"I'm talking about an arrogant woman who made our lives a living hell and I'm being practical. We can't have her here, Harry. Unless you to stay there with her ..."
"You're despicable. You make me sick"
"Whoever ... Paul and Harry, come with me."
"I will not. Take Joseph!"
"I asked you ... If you did not have broken him some ribs, cowardly, I'm pretty sure he's the first here... So, you going, yes! Even if with blow." Harry decided not to respond and followed them.
Silvia put more wood on the fire to cook the mussels they had brought. Agnes joined them, but always sad and quiet. Clarisse turn around the clothing to keep dry and went to sit next to Joseph.
"I still can't believe ... And actually, I feel very badly with her death!"
"You don't have to feel so, Clarisse. Your sister in law, was anything but good person. And it was a fatality her death, of course, but we can't do anything."
Clarisse squeezed the hand of Silvia. Joseph held her by the waist and laid his head on her shoulder.
"I can't stay here. I must do something…" Joseph tried to get up to his feet but the pain made him change his mind.
"Don't be silly, dear. Lie down please. You have to be very careful now. We do not know how are the ribs and is very dangerous ... you can drill a lung. "
"Damn! I am a useless!"
"Joseph, stop!" Clarisse said irritably. "You will rest for a few days and there is no discussion. If anything happens to you ..." Clarisse lowered her voice and stood up. Joseph stared at her without knowing what to say. The pains in the ribs were so strong that even cost him to breathe. Two fights in two days ... and he did not win any of them! Joseph felt old and useless and for the first time in his life doubted his ability to defend Clarisse and a tear rolled down his face. He tried to get up to go after her but failed. If someone or something threatens now, he could do nothing!
Agnes approached him and called Silvia.
"Let us help, Joseph." He nodded and they helped him up, one on each side.
"Go to her but take it easy. Ruth's death is affecting Clarisse too much."
"I wasn't fair to you, Agnes! I'm sorry."
"Go get her. Lunch is almost ready and the rain will start to fall." Silvia said. Clarisse was sitting on the beach with her coat tightly to her. The wind threw her hair forward and backward. She felt him closer and closed her eyes.
"Don't sit down. I'll get up."
"Clarisse. Look at me!"
"Joseph, don't feel like talking. Come on, is beginning to rain and I am very cold." She stood up and walked past him without looking up. He grabbed her arm and turned her to him.
"I know you and I know how much you suffer and I don't understand why you feel guilty!"
"I don't want to talk, Joseph. You come or you stay there?"
"I need you, Clarisse!" These words made her look at him. For the first time in her life, she felt him vulnerable. Without a word, she hugged him around the waist and laid her head under his chin.
"I love you, Joseph!"
"I love you so much, Clarisse!"
They returned slowly to the shelter, interlaced fingers and silently. When they arrived, all the others were sitting by the fire. Harry was the one who was already eating.
"How do you feel, Joseph?" Asked Michael.
"As if I had some broken ribs. Have you found some place?"
"Yes. But even so it will not be easy ... just with shells ... Let's eat and start after."
"Sorry I can't help you."
"That's ok, Joseph. That's not your fault" And Paul looked at Harry angrily.
Everyone ate in silence. And again, just Harry was near Ruth's body, at the shelter. Paul looked at Agnes and smiled but did not approach her. Ten minutes later, the three men returned to the forest. Joseph lay in the shelter and tried to rest to maximum. The faster he recover, the faster he could defend Clarisse.
The three women made a stretcher with two trunks and lianas, in order to transport the body of Ruth. It took two days to dig the grave. The nerves took care of everyone. The first night, they passed all at Joseph's shelter and the second night is approaching. It was impossible to do the funeral today, so it was more than certain they would spend another night together to Joseph's anger. On the third day morning, they transported carefully Ruth's body into the woods. No one wanted to make a funeral eulogy. Everyone thought better to pray in silence. Since they were on the island, it's the first time they all had full awareness of their own mortality. As the simplest thing in the world, here, could be deadly and how life could change in seconds! He returned to take a long time to cover the grave and it gave them time they were alone with their thoughts and their ghosts. Agnes was the first to return to camp and, little by little, they all followed.