The Beast at the Door

by Althea Blue

  Ada had the grace to look a little embarrassed. “Did I forget to mention that part?” she asked, innocently.

  Patience bit her lip to keep from laughing at her. “I forgive you. I made sandwiches. I brought up a ham from the cellar.”

  “Oh good. I love ham sandwiches.” Ada wiped her hands off on her skirt and Patience made a mental note to leave a basin and pitcher of water up there, if, as she suspected, there would be more meals in the workroom.

  “There’s a table and chairs in the next room if you’d like to sit while we eat.” Ada suggested. “That’s where I used to drag Father to get him away from here for ten minutes. Otherwise he’d eat with a screwdriver in one hand and continue working as he chewed.”

  Patience giggled at the image, as she could easily picture Ada in the same situation. She picked up the tray again and followed her friend to the promised table and chairs.

  #

  This began a pattern that formed the next several weeks. In the morning Ada would work in the workshop, trying and testing new ways to make the beast move. Most of them didn’t work at all, but small successes were celebrated. Patience learned enough about meal preparation to manage lunch, though Ada prepared dinner, as real cooking was still beyond Patience’s experience. She would do whatever she was assigned, chopping vegetables or stirring soup, happy to be of assistance. She also took over the garden, weeding it regularly, brought in the last of the season’s produce, and then prepared it for winter following Ada’s instructions. She even learned how to do some simple work on the devices, under Ada’s direction, and she grew to comprehend how the simpler systems worked. Ada was still light years ahead in her understanding.

  In the afternoons they tidied the house, which took a surprisingly short amount of time. They kept to a few rooms and Ada’s father had invented all sorts of time-saving devices. The crank that produced hot water was just the beginning. There was a machine, the round one that Patience had seen her first time in the workshop, that went around and around a room sucking up dust and dirt on the floor. She set it going and then left it alone to complete the job. She went back in a while to find the room clean and simply moved it to the next room. It worked on rugs as well as bare floors and Patience guiltily remembered the hours the housemaids spent washing floors and banging dust out of rugs. It was the first time she had ever considered how hard the servants must work. If those women had access to Ada’s father’s inventions, they wouldn’t need to waken so early or go to bed so late. She wished she could send one back for them.

  She did mention to Ada how much it would help though.

  Ada said, “Father already patented this one. He wants to produce more of them. Hundreds. It will require a factory and to do that he’ll need investors. That's the part he isn't terribly good at,” Ada admitted. “He needs a partner who arranges for that sort of thing.”

  Patience noticed that Ada always spoke of her father in the present tense. Ada still believed that he was going to come back some day, and although Patience was skeptical, she made sure never to express that where Ada might see.

  There were other devices to wash clothes and dry them quickly, to suck dust from the air, leaving less to fall upon furniture and knick-knacks, so they didn’t need to do much dusting. There was even something that would chop a bunch of vegetables with the turn of a crank, making meal preparation faster. He really was a brilliant man, whether he came back or not.

  After the house was clean the girls would sit together and read or play cards and talk about anything that came into their minds. That was Patience’s favorite time of day. It wasn’t that the discussions were always riveting, sometimes they were almost silly. But having someone to listen to and connect with, someone who enjoyed when Patience had an idea or an opinion, even one that was contrary to her own, was so novel that Patience couldn’t get enough of it.

  Then there were the times when they tossed the books aside and went to bed before dinner, getting up later to snack only if they were hungry. The physical contact was so new to Patience that she found it overwhelming at times, but she always craved more of it.

  There were no rules in Ada’s house. They got up when they chose, took breaks when they felt like it. Ate meals of whatever they put together and never worried about using the correct forks or sitting properly at table. Eating standing up at the workshop counters could be fun too, as long as Patience could get Ada to put down the tools long enough to get the food into her. It was all so amazing that Patience treasured every day.

  The only thing she worried about was the stock of food, which were getting noticeably lower, and Ada mentioned that she had run out of this gear or that spring and had to take some older devices apart to salvage its bits. Mr. Welsh hadn’t come for several months, and Ada didn’t know why. Usually he was more regular than that.

  “But if he’s having a particularly busy winter, or if Calvin, his son, is being especially nosy, then he might not be able to get away long enough to buy what we need. He can’t do it in the village because people would notice. So he has to take a cart to the bigger market in Eastbourne, and that takes time. We’ll be fine though, there’s still dozens of jars of pickles and jams, flour and oil and dried fruit and a few hams. And I can kill a chicken or two if I have to. Besides, it’s almost time to start planting and then we’ll have so much food we shall have a feast!”

  She didn’t seem to be putting on a brave face for Patience’s comfort; she really did seem to think there was lots of food yet. Patience supposed Ada had a better idea of what was needed than she did so she put it out of her mind.

  The weather did soon start to get warmer, and one day, right after lunch, Ada declared it time to start working on the garden.

  “First we have to go clear away any weeds that have grown through the winter, and then turn the soil and plant seeds.” She showed Patience how to use yet another invention to soften and stir the soil up, with an attachment to poke holes for dropping the seeds into. It certainly looked easier than crawling around on her knees the way her cook had at home. And there was another crank and hose by the well, so watering was a simple task. She was amazed at how fast the first seedlings poked their shoots out of the ground.

  “Does it always go so quickly?” she asked, as she carefully weeded around the proto-vegetables.

  “If the weather is good it only takes a few weeks for the first crops to be ready. Some of them will take a lot longer though, and some we won’t plant until full summer. We’ll have a variety.”

  Patience took a deep breath. “I have been thinking about something. You keep saying there is always extra food. Even with two of us eating, there will be extra.” She paused and Ada waited for her to continue. “What if I took some of the extra to the market to sell? That way we could get a bit of money and I can shop for the things we require.”

  Sugar was long gone, and flour was becoming scarce. There was meat though; once the small animals had seen the shoots growing, they had come back to the garden and the snare traps. Patience had learned how to skin them and cook the meat, and had even learned to preserve the furs so they could be used to fill in bare places on Frank’s body. It wasn’t something she enjoyed though, not like working in the garden. She was surprised to realize that she actually enjoyed getting dirty. Maybe because she hadn’t been allowed to for so long.

  Ada shifted uncomfortably. “We do need a few things, but what if someone sees you and wants to know where you’ve come from?”

  “If I go through the woods, and come out somewhere far from here no one will know. I promise not to talk to anyone about where I live; I can ignore them if they ask. I will not say anything about you or about ever having been here. I can find out where Mr. Welsh is too, why he has not come.”

  Ada nodded slowly. “If you’re sure no one will know. We do need some things. Anyway, it’ll be a little while before we have anything worth selling. There’s a cart down in the cellar that you can use to carry the food, and to bring things back. But j
ust the regular things, flour and sugar and such. There’s nowhere to buy gears and springs in town. We’ll have to wait for Mr. Welsh for all that.”

  They didn’t have to wait long, two days after Patience made her proposal, Mr. Welsh came to the door with bags full of supplies. There were some of the pieces Ada wanted, though not enough of anything. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come earlier,” he explained. “I was ill, and then Calvin was. I couldn’t leave him. I’m terribly sorry. I hope you were okay.”

  Ada smiled and hugged him. “We were just fine.” She gestured for Patience to come forward. The man started, he hadn’t noticed her hanging back in the kitchen doorway. “This is my friend Patience,” she took Patience’s hand and pulled so they were standing next to each other. “And this is my father’s friend, Mr. Welsh. He’s brought some gears for me, and some sugar and things.” Patience smiled at the man, partially because she knew Ada liked him and partially because she knew which supplies Ada considered more important.

  “I am so pleased to meet you,” Patience said, inclining her head slightly.

  Mr. Welsh’s face still registered surprise, and a little worry. Clearly he hadn’t expected anyone but Ada to be there.

  “Patience has been staying here since before winter.” Ada explained. “She helped me with a little problem.” Ada related the story about the men and how they’d scared them off.

  Mr. Welsh listened carefully and seemed displeased. “I do wish you’d come and stay with me, just until your father returns. I don’t like the idea of you here alone.”

  “But I’m not alone, not anymore.” Ada reminded him. “Patience is here, and she’s helping with everything. She’s even going to take some things to market so we can earn some money and I can pay you for all the things you’ve brought for me.” She was so earnest that Patience smiled at her. Mr. Welsh didn’t seem much comforted though.

  “Well, you know the offer is open. I must be getting back. Calvin was asleep but he’s if he wakes he’ll wonder why I’m not there. Goodnight, girls.” He hugged Ada and shook Patience’s hand, quickly ducking through the front door into the moonless night, knowing the hour and the darkness would hide his presence at the beast’s house.

  Ada seemed happy as Patience helped her put things away. “I knew there was a reason he was away so long. I’m so glad he’s alright.”

  “I am not sure he was very happy to find me here.” Patience mentioned.

  Ada hugged her. “Don’t worry, he just doesn’t adapt to change very easily. And he doesn’t know anything about you. Give him a few more visits and he’ll love you too.”

  Patience’s eyes opened wide and she stared at Ada. “You love me?” she whispered, wanting it to be true. She knew how she felt about Ada, but she hadn’t considered that her friend might love her back.

  “Of course I do, silly.” Ada seemed to think that not loving her was a ridiculous idea, but as far as Patience knew, no one except her brother had ever loved her. She guessed her parents and sisters might, but that was from family obligation. And no one had ever said the words to her. Tears streamed silently down her face until Ada turned back from the sack she had been laying on a shelf and gasped.

  “What’s wrong?” Ada demanded, looking close to tears herself. “What happened?”

  Patience tried to swallow her tears but she couldn’t stop them.

  Ada took a step back. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would make you sad,” she wailed.

  Patience shook her head and grabbed onto Ada’s arms, pulling her close and kissing her. She tasted her own tears and Ada’s as well as she tried to show Ada how much it meant to her. It was a few minutes before she broke away. “I love you,” she choked out. “I love you so much that I have no words for it. But I did not know that you felt the same. I was so scared to say anything.”

  “Silly.” Ada whispered again, but this time the word sounded like an endearment. “Of course I love you. You’re so beautiful and you aren’t scared of anything, like I am, and you are so happy to talk to me about anything. Why wouldn’t I love you?”

  Patience gave up trying to explain and took Ada’s hand. Ignoring the rest of the supplies lying on the floor of the pantry, she led the girl to the room they now shared and lay her down on the bed. She kissed every inch of skin she could reach and memorized the little sounds and gasps of breath each touch elicited. She never wanted to go anywhere else; she felt sure she would stay in this house with Ada forever.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The village market occurred on the first Tuesday of each month. Once the garden had produced enough surplus to be worth selling, the girls got up before dawn to prepare. They chose the best-looking vegetables, washed them and tidied leaves and stems so they presented their best face. Patience wore a simple dyed wool dress and left her hair down, as Ada explained that unmarried girls usually didn’t put their hair up until they were officially classified as spinsters by the old biddies who controlled the spread of gossip in town.

  Patience borrowed boots that were in better shape than her own, and finished the outfit off with a light wool cloak. Her goal was to seem like a simple farm girl, and Ada reminded her to speak in a more relaxed manner than she usually did, and to use contractions. It went against everything she had been taught by her mother and deportment tutor, and she relished practicing the transition.

  “Good luck.” Ada said, kissing her goodbye.

  Patience paused with the front door just slightly open so she could make sure there was no one in sight. Quickly, she lifted the sacks containing her vegetables into the cart, which they'd hidden behind a hedge near the front door, and accepted a small bag of sandwiches for her lunch.

  It was still chilly in the morning and she planned to take a very roundabout route and emerge from the woods on the far side of town where no one would trace her back to Ada’s home. The sun was just peeking over the horizon and she clutched the cloak closed as best she could while needing both hands to push the cart. She entered the woods and traveled deep enough inside that no one would be able to see her from the town or the road that ran near it.

  She ought to have practiced pushing the cart in the forest before, as it was a much bumpier walk than she had expected. At times she had to go quite far out of her way to find a gap in the trees that she and the cart could fit between, and roots and debris tripped her up a number of times. She hoped the produce wasn’t getting too bruised and decided to pad the cart better the following month.

  Emerging from the woods right where Ada had suggested, Patience easily found the market square and pulled out a large cloth, which she lay down on the ground before starting to unpack her vegetables. There were a number of other women and girls doing the same, most of them dressed similarly to her. They came from the surrounding countryside, their farms could be as much as five or ten miles away, and some of the girls already looked exhausted as their day had begun many hours before Patience’s.

  “Hello,” a few people greeted her, noticing a newcomer in their midst.

  “Good morning,” she answered. She had a story all planned, about where her farm was and why she hadn't been to town before, but no one asked.

  A harried-looking man planted himself in front of Patience's kneeling form, where she was straightening bunches of herbs. “You ‘aven’t been before, d’you ‘ave your market fee?”

  Patience’s eyes widened. Ada hadn’t told her anything about a fee to sell her products. “Could you explain please, sir?” she knew she sounded too formal and tried to smile lessen the effect.

  “Fee of thruppence for a place in the square, sixpence for a table,” he explained.

  She shifted uncomfortably. “I haven't the money yet. May I pay you at the end of the day? Or even a little later?” She hoped the man was willing to bargain.

  He scrutinized her, and her wares, and nodded. “I’ll allow fer it just this once. Next time bring the fee up front. I’m 'ebbet and I’ll be back for it la'er.”


  Patience nodded, making a note to save the coins out for the next time. “Thank you,” she told the man as he moved on to the next woman. She listened and heard a few others making a bargain like hers and felt better not to be singled out. Patience carried a shopping list in her cloak’s inner pocket. Her plan was to sell as much as she could in the morning, and then ask someone to watch her stall while she bought what she could with the proceeds. Since she had arrived early she had a good place near the crossroads. People would see her offerings before they would see many others and she hoped they’d buy quickly and not spend all day browsing.

  She would like to get home as soon as possible, knowing that Ada was worried.

  A few townsfolk started arriving and then there was a small flood. Patience sold her greens and broad beans quickly, but the herbs were not selling as well. Ada had warned her that most housewives kept an herb garden, but that bachelors would come later in the day and they would be her best customers for those items.

  She was friendly with the townsfolk, but didn’t offer too much information about herself and most of them seemed too polite or otherwise disinclined to ask. Her prices were in line with the other sellers, and a new face was always welcome in a small town, so much of her groundcloth was bare by midday. She sat on one corner to eat her lunch, making sure her skirts were laid properly and ready to jump up if any customers came. A few times she had been asked to keep an eye on neighboring stalls, so she felt safe approaching the woman next to her once she’d finished eating.

  “Could you look after my things while I do a bit of my own marketing?” she asked, working to keep her accent softer.

  The woman nodded, and Patience begun by buying a sack of flour from her stall, without pricing it out. She’d already paid her market fee, and had held back three pence for the next month, but she still needed to be frugal in a way that she never had when shopping in her old life. Of course, she’d never bought flour and sugar before either, the cook took care of that, but she found she enjoyed a bit of bargaining, after listening to other people haggle to see how it was done, and she managed to find most of the things on her list without too much trouble. She even bought a light blue ribbon that she thought would match Ada’s eyes perfectly.