She died that day, her last worse being "I can never forgive you." How could I live with myself. I had never been filled with more regret or remorse. I was mortified with myself. Sometimes I would think that it wasn't my fault, that it was just one small mistake and she was overreacting. But of it was her dying wish to tell me of my wrongdoings then I had certainly made a serious mistake. I didn't want to wake up in the mornings. I just wanted to fall asleep and never wake up. But I felt even worse for my father, as I said before I had taken away the only light from his life. Somehow he managed to get up in the mornings, he did much more than that. He yelled at me and had me do all the work around the farm. I would plow the fields and take care of all the crops, work that I had never been exposed to because of my gender. When I went to bed at night I had never been more tired in all my life. My hands were becoming calloused and rough, unlike any young lady's hands should be. This went on for months, and the farm was beginning to suffer due to my sloppy work and my mother's absence. My father fed me less and when he did it was out of pity. I became all skin and bones and I was only getting weaker. But how could I complain after everything I had done?
Six months had passed since my mother's death. I didn't cry at night anymore and I felt as if I was used to all the hard work. My father didn't see to be getting better though. Of course he didn't cry anymore but he was still cold, and harsh. He never took me into town anymore so I never got to see Edmond anymore. And I missed him all the time too. I missed how he would bring me flowers whenever I got to see him. I missed seeing him, talking to him and hearing his voice, looking into his dark eyes, I missed the warmth of his skin when I held his hands. I missed everything about him. Sometimes I even thought that I missed him more than I missed my mother. Infatuation will do that to a person, make them forget everyone else. Edmond made it feel as if no one else even existed. Instead of feeling grief over my mother I felt guilt, my grief was over my loss of Edmond. That sounds terrible, doesn't it? I'm sorry to say that it's true.
One day in the middle of the sixth month since my mother's passing, while I was out plowing the field my father and a old, yet man approached me.
"Yes, father?" I asked, trying to act obedient.
"Is this the girl?" The old man asked in his deep voice.
He looked rich. This tall man was wearing a suit with a clean white cravat. And more than anything his man smelled good, like soap. He seemed so cold though, calm and collected.
"This is her." My father nodded at the man.
"Father?" I asked, I was now becoming concerned, "What's this about?"
The tall man finally looked at me, his eyes were dark just like Edmond's.
"My name is Clark Chapeau, you will refer to me as Mr. Chapeau. Starting today you will be working for the master of the castle I tend to."
I didn't process what he said at first so I just stood there.
"Babette, you'll be leaving now." My father told me.
"I'm sorry?"
"You're going with him."
It was finally hitting me what was happening.
"In order to pay for the farm, I've sold you to his master." My father said bluntly.
"What?"
I've been sold? I could hardly fathom what was going on but it was abundantly clear to me that my father had given me up to this strange man.
"How could you do this?" I didn't even realize it but tears were beginning to slide down my face.
He didn't say anything, or look at me for that matter.
All I knew was that I couldn't leave, how could I leave my town, and the last bit of family I had, despite how he despised me.
"Mother wouldn't want you to do this to me! She would want you to keep me and treat me the way she used to treat me!" I shouted with the tears falling harder.
My father grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down, "How would you know what she wanted?!" He was nearly screaming with anger now.
I sat there in shock, he had never laid a hand upon me before.
After a few more moments while the silence hung in the air I stood up and walked over to the tall old man.
"I'll be going with you know, I presume." I sniffed.
He nodded, "Thank you for complying."
I wiped away my tears and the older man lead me off the old field. We left my father behind, this was the last time I would ever see him.