-Chapter Six:

After Melissa's terribly pessimistic comment, it didn't seem worthwhile to try and talk anymore. We sat there in stony silence and the time dragged by.

It was hot. I was thirsty. I was hungry. I was cross. And what was worse...I was in an extremely humiliating situation. This is was not dignified for an old widow! And that dog made me mad...grinning up at me with a satisfied smile! I could see Issac, calmly reading his newspaper in the shade of the orchard. For some reason this aggravated me...how could he sit in the shade -when we were so hot- and calmly read when Melissa and I were distraught trying to goad the other into a forced marriage with him!

I think if he hadn't sat there, looking so nonchalant, I would have given in sooner. We were four obstinate creatures there on Issac Appleby's property: Melissa refusing to talk...waiting for me to sacrifice, Issac Appleby...waiting for one of us to give in...Julius Caesar...pleased with his guard duty, and Myself...set on being just as determined as the other four.

At around four o'clock Issac folded up his newspaper and walked into his house. As he shut the door I gasped. "Surely he doesn't mean to just leave us out here?"

"What does it matter?" answered Melissa crossly.

I saw him through the kitchen windows, preparing something. "How can his conscience let him eat like that when he has two women captive on his shed roof? Surely the priest would condemn this as a sin!"

"If he were your husband," Melissa said sarcastically. "You could make him go to the confessor."

I was getting quite tired of my cousin's cutting remarks.

It was getting unbearably hot...the sun was shining right down on us and the rooftop was beginning to feel warm to the touch. I was glad I had worn my hat...at least it shielded my face...but I worried for the complexion of my arms and hands.

"I really CAN'T stand this heat!" Melissa suddenly burst out...so suddenly that I swiveled towards her and the dog lifted its head with ears perked up. With aggressive gestures my cousin grasped the brim of her bonnet and snatched it from her head. But something caught and so pulled even harder...too frustrated to calmly untie it. But with her last tug she took off her bonnet...and her hair!

I gasped as off came the red-gold tresses I had always envied Melissa! The sun reflected off the balding patches of her real graying hair. On the roof, near her feet, lay the wig and Melissa went purple.

"Your hair..." was all I could say, and poor Melissa really was looking embarrassed.

Silently she put her wig back on and fanned herself with her bonnet. I tried to look away and forget about it...but how thin and gray Melissa's real hair had been!

At this time Issac came back out with a basket in his hand and a ball of yarn.

"I don't intend to starve you ladies," he said. "Catch this yarn and use it to take up this basket. It holds food for you."

"I'm not going to touch that stuff," Melissa said scornfully.

I wished I could be as dignified as my cousin...but I was too thirsty and hungry to be condescending. Besides, the yarn might provide some loophole of escape. I caught the string and hauled up the basket.

Issac waited until I had the basket firmly in my grasp before saying. "I'm going inside to eat my own lunch. I'll be back soon to check to see if one of you has made a decision." He paused. "I don't suppose one of you has agreed yet?" He looked a little uneasy and I hoped his conscience was beginning to worry him.

"Not yet," I answered coldly.

"Ah well," he said. As he turned to leave he patted Julius Caesar on the head.

It annoyed me the way he fondly petted the mutt that was our prison guard.