Chapter 5: The Candy Ma’am and Destitute Evance
IN the first few days after moving into their rented house, Bertine and Dorothée worked hard at weeding both yards. They also cleaned and polished the floors till they shined, leaving the door to the house wide open as they did. On one such day, three children who seemed to be residents of the neighborhood gathered outside their house. There were two boys and one girl.
“Did you just move in?”
“We did. Nice to meet you all,” Bertine greeted them.
“Are you going to open a shop? What sort?”
“Mmm, we still haven’t decided.”
“Whaaat?! You’re weird!”
“Hehe. Now that you mention it, I think you’re right. Oh, I have candy. Would you like some?”
“Hooray! Candy!”
Bertine had purchased the candies during her shopping trip when a sudden craving for something sweet overtook her. She went outside with the whole tin in her hand.
“One for each of you, hm?”
Once she distributed the candies to the children, they looked up at her innocently.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“See you again soon, candy ma’am.”
They left after saying their piece.
“Ma’am…” Bertine repeated.
“You mustn’t take it personally, my lady. From a child’s perspective, every adult woman might as well be an old one.”
Dorothée comforted Bertine as she stood there frozen, eyes blinking rapidly in shock. Devastated by the exchange, she pulled out her portable hand mirror and peered at her reflection. Her tired, unmade face stared back at her.
“Well, I can’t rightly argue with them since this most certainly is the face of an old woman. Henceforth, I should at the very least make my face up when I venture outside, hm?”
A slightly dejected Bertine went back into the house.
“Why don’t we sup at a restaurant tonight?” Bertine suggested. “Dorothée, you’ve been working tirelessly these past few days as well. You need a break too.”
“Are you quite sure you wouldn’t mind my company, my lady?”
“Oh, please, stop that. You’re the only one I can depend on, you know. Besides, I don’t know anyone else here, do I? So please join me.”
“Of course, I’d be happy to.”
✦ ✦ ✦
AND so the two of them chose a restaurant nearby, a type Bertine would never have considered during her life as the daughter of a marquess. A lively place, its tables, chairs, and floor would just barely pass a health inspection. But myriad delectable aromas greeted them the moment they stepped inside.
“Welcome! Please sit wherever you like. I’ll be with you shortly to take your orders!”
The woman’s smile and energetic voice prompted them to occupy an empty table. After they sat down, the two women perused the menu pasted to the wall nearby. They decided to order pork stew, a vegetable medley soup, skewers of grilled shellfish, bread, and ale.
They didn’t have to wait long for their food to arrive. Just as they were about to dig into their meal, a large but feeble-looking man entered the restaurant.
“Pardon me for the intrusion, but might you share some food with me? I have no money, you see. Of course, I’ll repay you in kind. I’ll do anything: clean the floors and wash the dishes! I was robbed of all my belongings, so I have not a coin to my name.”
Silence instantly replaced the cheerful din of noise and conversation inside. Immediately after he finished relating his tale of woe, the proprietress spoke.
“How can you come to a restaurant without money? Absurd. I have plenty of staff, thank you. Now then, would you kindly leave? If you don’t, I shall summon the garrison.”
She’s right. If she gave charity to every person who came begging, her establishment would go out of business very quickly. While Bertine agreed wholeheartedly with the owner, she couldn’t help recalling the awful excuse for food she’d been forced to eat for the three and a half days at His Excellency’s residence. Both her body and soul had been miserable from the hunger she’d experienced then. She swallowed some ale and then acted. It doesn’t hurt to play the virtuous stranger once in a while.
“I’ll pay for his meal,” she said to the proprietress. Then she turned to the man. “Please join us.”
“My lady!”
Dorothée spoke urgently to her in a hushed tone, but Bertine shook her head in response.
“I’ve become quite sensitive to the word ‘hunger’ after practically starving our first few days here.”
“Are you sure, miss?” The proprietress questioned her with a concerned expression.
“Yes, it’s fine.”
The man had been watching their exchange with a hopeful look in his eyes.
“Please, sit.” Bertine indicated the empty chair next to her and he sat down gratefully in it.
“Thank you very much,” he said. “I thought I’d collapse from starvation. I’ve only had water these past two days.”
“You can order whatever you like. Would you care for some ale?”
“Are you certain? Yes, please! My name is Evance and I sincerely thank you for your kindness.”
That was the last thing he said for some time as he ravenously started on the food. Grilled meat, grilled fish, soup, bread, stew, ale. He sampled the dishes in that order then hailed the server for more meat. He finished his flagon of ale and asked for another. Bertine and Dorothée smiled ruefully as they watched him devour the food.