Chapter 2
POISON IVY
-Where have you been all evening? I'll kill you right away when I find you!
BANG ! BANG !
-Stupid apple!
BANG ! BANG !
-Argg! Where the heck are you André?
-Mademoiselle Oscar...
-Eh? Suzie?
-Here's your tea, mademoiselle. And, André, he's…
-André ?
-Yes, he's home now.
-HE IS ! oh I mean he is , good, very good.
Oscar couldn't control her emotions for a second as she was so excited when she finally found André after seeking in vain for him for hours.
She smiled and told Suzie to get out right after she told her that André was in the stable.
" Well well well … Give me some nonsense reasons, André, for being absent when I need … a shooting mate!"
…
-Ahh! What are you doing?
-Don't you like it?
-Put on this jacket!
-What ! Don't be so childish!
-I can't talk with you when you're like that.
-Like what? It's just bare shoulders, André! Or you want bare thighs.
-Stop flirting me!
-Okay! Where's your friend?
-Josh? He's home. I told him that you need a rest.
-A rest. How long did I last take a rest? I cannot remember…
-That's because you have been…working too hard.
-Working? Uh huh! You can call it working if you want.
Look at me, André! Look at my dress! Look at my jewellery! What do you think?
-I…
-They're fake! Oh I don't mean that they're fake, really, if you get me. These are real satin and real gold, real sapphire and real diamond. What I want to say is everything I have is just futility. Face it! We're just prostitutes. Dating with those nobs doesn't make us ladies. Lady Ivy Lesane they always call me. That's so funny. It's so titular. Without those jerks from the toff, we are, I am nothing but a poor wretched whore. The toad had slapped me at the pub. He's just a merchant, a figurehead and he's disgusting. But as you can see, I 've to obey his every demand to earn money to feed Madam Lessane, to feed my mother and to feed myself.
-I don't know…
-Of course you don't. You don't seem to be a playboy.
-Ivy, can I call you Ivy?
-Sure.
-Then, Ivy, I… I think you should give up that job. It doesn't fit you.
-Give it up? And I and my mom will starve to death? You've gotta be kidding me. Don't be a wiseacre! You don't know me at all, André!
-I know you enough to see that you loathe your job and customers.
-Oh I see. That's very touching. My dear André, tell me what else can I do except for seducing men…
-What, what are you doing?
-Oh, it's hot here !
...
-André ! I know where you are, just get out of there before I get ya, André!
-Oscar!
-Oscar ? Who's Oscar? One of de Jarjeyes's servants, too?
-No, it's my master.
-You call your master by his name? Oh whatever! I'm having fun here!
-Let me out of here!
-Oh, come on! I'm irresistable. And nothing's gonna stop you except this invisible chain of love.
-Oh yeah ! Your invisible chain of love is my VISIBLE cord.
-André ! There you are. Oscar was immediately dumbfounded at her first step into the stable.
…
-And?
-She was too close and I … I was stunned and all I knew is that she had already tighted my hands with a cord. We didn't do anything … bad.
-So?
-I'm sorry, Oscar! André was begging in vain as he knew very well how stubborn Oscar was.
-Well, there's no need for you to say sorry to me. I'm nobody but … your friend, your shooting mate and your fencing mate, and especially your master. But I'm not the one who needs your apology for BEING ABSENT WHEN I NEED YOU ! Get out of my room, André!
Our poor André was in misery. He didn't know how to explain the whole situation had happened last night. He was … innocently guilty.
" Argg I'm in big trouble. Now Oscar is seething with frustration. But what? Is she angry because I was absent yesterday? I think it's not worth being that … I'm sorry, Oscar !"
…
" Why didn't I bring along my gun? If I had, I would have been very delighted to point the gun straight at his head and squeeze the trigger. She's his friend's cousin. So that's it! Fifteen years in de Jarjeyes family now our boy has grown up, huh? What did he say? She was too close and he was stunned…Oh, what a whopper! It must have been because he couldn't resist himself, why am I feeling so bad?"
-Mademoiselle Oscar, breakfast is served.
…
-Mmm… that's weird.
-What's weird?
-Hey, don't you scold me! It wasn't not my fault that your master got mad at you.
-Okay, that's my fault, my fault to let you get too close to me and make me a jerk in front of Oscar.
-What's the big deal? Your master will understand. Men !
-No, she won't.
-She? Okay… interesting…I see.
-What's so funny? André became so hot-tempered since Oscar had stared at him with astonishment and disappointment and ran away of the stable just few minutes ago.
-I guess, no, I'm sure that she's jealous, André?
-Jealous? I told you she's not a man.
-Of course she's not. She's jealous of me not you.
-Stop that! You've just met her for some seconds.
-Some seconds are enough. It's so obvious to see jealousy and disappointment in her eyes! It's just laddie and lass. Who do you think I am? Now, I'm an expert here.
-Okay! Nuf said. You'd better go to sleep. Use my bed, I'll sleep on the straw-mat.
-That's very kind of you, sweetie André!
…
" Mmm .. morning? … Oh he must be begging his master for a pardon, his MADEMOISELLE, actually. That's strange. I haven't seen any mademoiselles dressing like her before. Is it a new trend in court? I've gotta get out there. Well, the whole last night was like an adventure."
-There you are, André ! Look at you. Your mademoiselle has poured a cup of hot tea on you or something?
-It's not funny. I'm in big trouble now.
-It's all right. I can handle it.
-No, you can't. You have no idea about Oscar.
-Then you tell me.
…
"André, André, André, you are carrying a torch for her. Oh love, the dumbest but sweetest in this world. In your heart, she's like a goddess. The way you talk about her tells me that you adore her, you worship her, you love her. Oh! I used to be that passionate, my Baljee … André, though this is an impossible love, you still love her. I'm sorry, André. You saved me once, I cannot let you suffer the pain that I had experienced. Your love, that's unacceptable. I'll ruin it so as to challenge it, to see how strong your love is, yours and your mademoiselle's. I'm sorry, André!"
…
-Okay! She can stay for a couple of days as you want.
-Thank you, Oscar! I thought you wouldn't allow.
-I wouldn't ! How wouldn't I? Miss Ivy Lessane is very welcome here. She'll be MY guest now.
-Oh okay! That's very kind of you to say so, very very kind.
…
-That's her? So beautiful! She's André's girl friend? Oh, I'm so jealous of her. There's no way we're gonna be in his heart, first mademoiselle, now her.
-That's her? So attractive! She's André's girl friend? Lucky man! I thought that his heart was filled with mademoiselle's image.
-That's her? MY GRANDSON'S FIANCÉ ? No way! He told me that's she's just a friend.
-That's her? ANDRÉ'S WIFE-TO-BE ? It's enough for "my friend's cousin". Why didn't he tell me that she's was his woman?
-That's her? MY WIFE-TO-BE! Such nonsense things!
And you all know where these rumours came from, right?
…
-Suzie, where's André? Tell him to meet me at the backyard! I need to pratise fencing.
-Mmm … mademoiselle, André, he's out … with his fiancé.
-Oh, I see then I shall practise shooting , Oscar flashed her sword in the air, alone!
…
-André! Where are you? Oscar was yelling with anger, We're late. We should have been at the barrack hours ago.
-Oscar! Hey! What are you doing here? Get Oliver to practise horse riding, her? Innocent André didn't know a tornado was coming.
-What ! Have you lost you mind? I told you yesterday that we're going to the barrack TODAY!
-Oh! Gosh! I'm sorry, Oscar. I've forgot. I'm kinda busy helping Ivy with .. something …
A smile touched the corners of Oscar's mouth, "Okay, André. I'm going alone cuz I'M LATE. Have fun with Ivy!"
…
-Mademoiselle Oscar, what do you think about this IVY pattern? Can we embroider it on your blanket?
-I don't like it, change it into butterflies or ladybugs or whatsoever.
…
-Oscar, what do you think about this IVY jewelry collection? It's the latest for autumn. Look at this golden IVY wreath tiara. And that golden IVY and pearl haircomb and golden small IVY leaf and diamond pendant. Oh yes, those lovely silver IVY dangly earings. It's IVY leaf the new trend, Oscar!
-Yes, your highness, it's … beautiful.
…
-Oscar dear, tell me what do you think about this IVY dress. It's dark green like IVY leaves.
-Oh mother, it's very very nice.
-You don't look so good. Are you all right, Oscar?
-Just a bit tired. I'll be fine after a short rest.
-Then take a rest, darling!
" What's wrong with everyone? IVY, IVY and IVY … too much IVY for a day! Stupid IVY! Stupid André!..."
…
-Auntie, wakey wakey!
-Mmm…What's up, Loulou?
-Andréa told me that she loves ivy.
-What ! ANDRÉ SAID THAT HE LOVED IVY.
-No, It's Andréa, auntie, my friend. She said she loved ivy. Why doesn't she love roses like me?
-Oh, it's Andréa, good, Andréa. Then, Loulou, you know, different likes and dislikes make yourself unique. You need friends to share interests together. That's why you make friends. Otherwise, you can play with yourself.
-Oh, I see, auntie. I'll tell Andréa that I like ivy and I love her, too.
-Good, Loulou. Tell Andréa that you like IVY and love André …too…
Happy-go-lucky Loulou was singing all her way out of Oscar's room, didn't know that she had left her auntie there, stunned and tongue-tied.
"What have I just said? What's wrong with me all day long? I just feel mad at anything that involes ivy.I .. I don't know. Maybe I'd better go out."
…