The Girl Who Came to Bedlaam

XII. Amusements

Lower Gordorf was vibrantly alive, with children running about the narrow streets with colourful paper sails on sticks. Old women chatted amongst each other at the same time scolding their grans when they were caught throwing stones at the stray dogs that sniffed about for scraps. Gay women lingered near doors of lady houses showing as much skin as they dared in their tightly fitted dresses with low cut necklines flashing seductive smiles at the men who whistled approvingly. Lads jostled one another in the street for sport while a group of barefooted little girls played ring around the posy, near a dark skinned woman nursing her baby. A group of old men played a quiet game of chess while cheering on some younger men who delightfully filled the air with the jangling of tambourines, strumming of guitars, peal of fiddles, whistling pipes and every whatnot their hands were capable of playing.

"Oh, how delightful it all is, Lia! You are a true darling for persuading Ms. Cotts to let us join you in your fun, don't you agree, Marge?"

"It was nice of her," was her uninterested reply.

"And I sewed up my skirt just in time for this," said Ammie, twirling her skirt handsomely about her. "Who would have known?"

"Eres is a dear, Ammie, no matter what you think. He's actually gone out of his way to change my candied apple for salted nut and popcorn all because he knew I preferred it."

"It wasn't for you, Harriet, it was to please Lia. She likes nothing better than a respectful and thoughtful gentleman. Isn't that so, sweet girl?" She nudged me with her elbow.

Marge taking a look over her shoulder hurried at my side, whispering fiercely in my ear,

"Whatever you do don't get too close to the mountain wench. I don't know what possessed Cotts to send her along as if she were invited! "

"Shh! You mustn't be so rude with your tongue Marge! I'd asked her first, you know, and she deserves an outing as well as everybody else."

"I would've been able to bear Mr. Henfield and his noisy sisters happily if she hadn't come along," she muttered, surveying the trio with an air of disapproval as the girls tried to throw their rings on the poles while their brother cheered them on encouragingly. Quistelle stood aloof looking very pretty in her well mended dress watching them with shy delight.

"She's a no good thief!" Marge said crashing the tranquility of my thoughts then.

"Upon my word, Marge Finnicktoff!"

"You think too well of people, Lia, you always have. From the moment I heard a mountain wench was to come here, I knew something would be amiss, but no! 'Treat her as kindly as ever ' said the great Mrs. Ivanhallow, only to have our wicked Halstung steal from the pantry and boldly lie about it!"

This was like a bitter slap in the face and I bore it bravely until those four negative words installed themselves in one progressive statement.

"She didn't steal anything." I said simply.

Marge stared as though she were face to face with the most idiotic person in Gordorf, if not the world!

"She has admitted to being in the pantry after everyone had gone to bed and has stolen—for I cannot believe she had eaten it—three days worth of food! And Ms. Cotts, to my mortification, was firm in her belief that 'the dear must have been unbelievably hungry'! and only gave her a mild scolding saying she needn't fib about such things. By Gordorf's beard! It was a disgrace to Bedlaam and she ought to be severely punished!"

I shrugged. "Perhaps you may think so, but others obviously don't. And from what I've seen it wouldn't hurt her to have extra meals since she is, as Mrs. Satcher states, merely skin and bones."