Forest of Dreams

Chapter fifteen

When I woke in the morning he was gone. There was no trace of him in the room, not even an indent in the pillow where he'd slept. He'd offered to pay for the room for another few days for me, until the next scheduled carriage to Tarthin, but I'd declined. I wanted to spend a few days here on my own terms. And I didn't want to stay in this room alone, it felt empty without him now.

I left the inn early, wanting to get my home for the next few days sorted so I could make the most of the day. The streets were still coming to life as I traipsed through them with my cumbersome bag. He'd recommended a few inns to me, but none were close by and I wanted to stay in the area I was acquainted with.

I paused on the corner of the street, turning to say a silent goodbye to the inn, to the time I'd had there with him. I clung to the hope that he'd come and find me some day in Tarthin. I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't the end for us.

After a short while I stopped again for more respite. I'd acquired a lot more than was necessary while I'd been here and my arms were paying for it now. I noticed a pretty yellow building down a side street, a warm, pale yellow that reminded me of the cake batter I used to mix with one of my neighbours when I was a girl. I don't know why I hadn't noticed it before. It had a sapphire blue door flanked by two copper flowerpots, with red flowers tumbling out of them wildly. A pair of pastel blue shutters adorned each of the windows and the rooms upstairs had small balconies, enclosed by elaborate cast iron railings. It didn't seem like it belonged here, it was too charming. When I got close enough I could see there was a sign in the window advertising vacancies.

___

The room was just as quaint as the outside of the building, I sat down on the bed to enjoy it when Pattie, the who ran the guesthouse, had finally left. She was a plump middle aged woman who fussed over me endlessly. Did I have enough pillows? Why was I on my own? Should she send up some food? Did I need a chaperone? Did I need my laundry doing? I'd liked her immediately, she radiated kindness even if she was a little overbearing.

I'd taken the only room left. It was small, nestled away in the eaves at the top of the building. I could hear the birds landing on the roof above me. There was only room for a single bed, a small table with one chair and a wooden chest of drawers, but that was all I needed. Pattie clearly took pride in maintaining the rooms. It was spotlessly clean, and there were little touches of care dotted about the room, a small vase of fresh flowers on the table, the blanket on the bed folded back just so.

The window looked onto a small courtyard at the back of the building, I could see a man sitting out there, sketching in a book on his lap and sipping hot tea in the morning sun. This place was like an idyllic little hideaway. Perhaps things wouldn't be so bad here without Ayol.

___

I walked to the cemetery, knowing that I wouldn't be able to enjoy anything else until I'd fixed the memorial. It was a beautiful day, with clear blue skies and a gentle breeze. I enjoyed the walk until I reached the area near the cemetery, treading anxiously through the streets, thinking about the woman with the baby who'd grabbed me before. The poverty I saw shocked me again. It was just as upsetting as the first time I'd seen it, yet no-one else battered an eyelid. I wondered how long it took to become immune to the misery of others.

I hadn't paid much attention to the cemetery the first time I'd come, but now I looked at it from the outside I saw how dismal it was. The walls surrounding it were crumbling, and although there had been attempts at mending them, they were still in disrepair. The headstones were neatly kept, but simple. No amount of care could disguise the fact that this was a pauper's graveyard.

As I approached her grave I could see an old man crouching over it, but I couldn't make out what he was doing. As I grew closer he stood and tugged on the wooden stick, heaving it out of the ground, leaving the grave bare.