Adelé van Soothsbay

by JH Terry

  IV: The Old Lady

  Mary walked in the snow, her feet tired and Adelé as quite as a mouse. Soon the houses on the street were no more as she walked further into the forest where hardly anyone ventured. Concerned that the baby was dead, Mary slightly pinched Adelé who shrieked like a pig.

  “I am sorry,” said Mary to Adelé, who had begun to cry. Mary kissed Adelé on the head. “Soon we will be at the old lady’s house and she will help us.” Soon Mary saw a light and was relieved. “You see, Adelé, there is the house.”

  Mary was soon at the little brick house, on which there read the words on a wooden sign: Helen Heinz, midwife extraordinary. Mary came to the wooden door of the house, and knocked on it three times. Silence. Again Mary knocked on the door when suddenly above she heard a window open, with something rolling on the roof. Looking behind her she saw a blob of white, perhaps the biggest snowflake ever, fall from the roof onto the porch behind her. However with a closer look she saw that it was an old lady with a rifle in her hands, dressed only in her nightgown.

  “Good evening,” said the old lady as she looked to Mary. Then, as she raised her rifle at Mary’s head, “or good night.”

  “Mrs. Heinz, you do not know me, but I am Mary Green. I work at the van Soothsbay home, where Mrs. van Soothsbay just had this little girl, Adelé.”

  Mrs. Heinz looked to Adelé, but said, “So what, the van Soothsbays are no friends of mine.”

  “My mother said that when I was born it was hard for her to feed me milk, so she came to you and I am here today.”

  “Green you say? Never heard of you.”

  “My mother was Marjorie van Steen then.”

  “Oh, of course. Did she remarry?”

  “Yes,” said Mary. “She died five years ago.”

  “I am sorry to hear that, but why did not the family come with the little girl?”

  “They do not want her like the eldest one that they have.”

  “Oh, Higgles the brat?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, I know of her. It was good you brought her here,” said Mrs. Heinz as she lowered her gun to the ground. “Come in for a spot of tea, dear, you look tired.”

  Mary smiled, as Mrs. Heinz remembered. “Oh dear, left the keys upstairs. I have a spare though, in my hair.” With a swift movement, Mrs. Heinz took from her large mass of white hair a golden skeleton key, opening the door to the toasty house inside.

  Adelé looked around with surprise and happiness, as the house was cream colored inside, with cozy chairs, warmth, and a well-lit fire as well. Mrs. Heinz closed the door behind them and gestured for Mary to sit down on a chair. There was already tea set out, as if she was ready for Mary and Adelé to come.

  “Have a spot of tea and some biscuits,” said Mrs. Heinz, to which Mary readily wanted to do, but she remembered poor, hungry Adelé. Seeing this, Mrs. Heinz said, “Give me the baby. I want to take a look at her.”

  Mary gave Mrs. Heinz Adelé as she began to eat the tea, saying all the while, “Thank you, Mrs. Heinz, thank you, thank you.”

  As Mrs. Heinz looked to Adelé there was a frown on her face. “What is the matter?” asked Mary.

  “Matter?” asked Mrs. Heinz with a slight smile. “No matter at all, it is just that I saw another baby born with this birthmark seven years ago, a child of the van Pardoos.”

  “You mean those who live alone in that house on the hill?”

  “Yes,” said Mrs. Heinz. “But they are not alone.” Mary was perplexed at this answer, but continued to listen to Mrs. Heinz. “In any case, she is strong, but with my guidance she will be healthy and wise. Leave her here with me for the next few months.”

  “But…”

  “But nothing,” said Mrs. Heinz. “I know of your sister who cares for nothing, and under her protection the child will die. You must leave the child with me. In case they wish to see the child, use your sister’s child in her stead. They will not notice the difference.”

  “How do you know so much?” thought Mary aloud.

  “Leave that to me. When walking take the longer route back to the van Soothsbay home. Trust me when I say this, it will be immensely to your benefit.” Suspicion clouded Mary’s mind as Mrs. Heinz said, “If I knew that much which I have already said, then at least trust me in what I say now.”

  Mary was still slightly suspicious, but she listened to what Mrs. Heinz said, and left Adelé in her care.

  “Do not worry, Adelé,” said Mary. “You will be safe here, and well fed.”

  “Yes,” said Mrs. Heinz. “Now, Mary, you do as I have told you, and have faith in me, it will reward you well.”

  Mary shook her head to agree and then left the two as she walked the long, forested way home.

  V: A Helping Hand

  Mary walked in the snow, her fingers freezing now and wishing she had stayed at Mrs. Heinz’s house. At least Adelé was safe, she thought to herself. Mary was feeling confused over all that had happened before, unsure of the future, and was not noticing what was around her. She was walking in the Gloomy Forest, a place between the settlement and wilderness. New Netherlands had grown from a little village, that is true, but still the vat amount around them was still filled with those outside the domain of the Dutch government in the colony. Yes, many different people lived there - English, Dutch, and Swedes - but everyone still were able to get along. Everyone was afraid of the Native Americans, or Indians as they called them then by mistake with Christopher Columbus thinking that he had come to India by sailing west and not the Americas. It was a time of great suspicions, lack of trust, and wars between the groups, or just between the Native American tribes.

  Mary knew a lot about these stories, being told from an early age about them, and their horrible result for the people living in New Netherlands who were at the wrong place, at the wrong time.

  These thoughts were largely in Mary’s mind, when suddenly before her, as she walked on a bridge, she saw two black shoes. Looking up she saw they formed long black boots, with above that gray knickers (or the pants of the time), and a short brown coat. Looking to the face Mary was astonished. He had a deep scar on his right cheek that went from his ear to his lips. His eyes were light blue and his appearance like that of a wolf. He was perhaps thirty years old, but his appearance looked as if he were sixty.

  The man smiled at Mary, his teeth yellow, black, and rotten.

  “Good evening,” said the man. “Nice weather we are having this morning. Only too bad you had to come here to see a humble man like myself wandering about with no money or home. I was wondering if you could give me a little bit of money, not much, I just really need some. I am all frozen inside, and it would really be of a big help to me if you would. I’ll pay you back with interest - my word is my bond.”

  “I am sorry,” said Mary. “I do not have any money, and I am going to where I live right now. Perhaps you should go to the church if you need warmth so badly.”

  However, as Mary tried to walk away, the man blocked her pass. “I think I do not want to go to church,” said the man. “Perhaps you can take me to your lodgings.” Mary was silent. She did not like the sound of this.

  “No,” said Mary firmly.

  The man grabbed a hold on Mary’s arm as she screamed into the air. “No, tonight you are going to be a good little girl!” exclaimed the man.

  “Unhand her now,” said a deep noble voice. The man, seeing who it was, threw Mary over the bridge into the icy water below. As Mary sank deeper and deeper, she hardly noticed what was going on above her. She held her breath, and tried to swim, but she did not know how too and her clothing was too heavy for her to rise up. She closed her eyes, preparing for the worst, when suddenly something grabbed her up out of the water and onto the ice. Before her everything seemed fuzzy as she felt herself being moved onto a horse and raced elsewhere.

  Mary felt scared, who was with her? Her hear
t raced as she tried to remember all that happened to her. She screamed out loud, but it was only a murmur, as her lips were frozen together except at a few places.

  Soon the horse stopped and Mary was carried off of it to a place of warmth and light. She couldn’t open her eyes, but she could sense the light through her eyelids. She heard a large commotion near her as people screamed and asked continually, “What happened?”

  Exhausted, Mary fell asleep as she felt her body being tossed here and there.

  VI: Mr. Pickles

  Mary woke up to find that she was in a reasonable bed and room. She could see that now it was daylight, and everything was as usual in New Netherlands. She wondered where she was at and how she got there, when suddenly the door opened and a maid entered.

  “Morning, miss,” said the maid to Mary, to Mary’s astonishment.

  “Morning,” said Mary. “Do not call me miss, though, I am a mere maid like you are. Excuse me, but where am I at?”

  “Oh,” smiled the maid. “You are at the house of Mr. Pickles. He saved your life last night in the woods.”

  “Mr. Pickles?” thought Mary, not knowing who that was.

  “Do you not know who Mr. Pickles is?” asked the maid surprised.

  “No,” said Mary.

  “Why, he is the man who sells all the pickled food in New Netherlands.”

  Yes, thought Mary, she had heard about Mr. Pickles’s Pickles, but thought the owner had a different name.

  “What happened to the man who attacked me?” asked Mary.

  “Oh, Mr. Pickles killed him last night. You see Mr. Pickles, strangely, felt that he should go for a ride last night. And, what do you know; he hears your scream and tries to help you out. You were as cold as ice, and we thought you would die of the cold, but I guess you are very strong so you did not.”

  “Yes, I guess I am very lucky then,” said Mary. “I must return back at once to where I work.”

  “But Mr. Pickles would like just to see how well you are, at least,” said the maid.

  “I am sorry,” said Mary as she got out of bed, “but I must do my job.”

  “At present that is to at least say thank you to the man who saved your life,” said Mr. Pickles at the door.

  Mary took one look at him and felt strange. She felt something she had never felt before, an extreme liking for the man. He was a gentleman in everyway and his deep blue eyes seemed to penetrate her soul with happiness. Mr. Pickles, however, stood at the doorway waiting for what she would say.

  “Thank you,” stammered Mary.

  “Has the chill frozen your tongue as well,” snapped Mr. Pickles.

  Regaining her senses, Mary said coldly, “No.”

  “Good, now you may go back to your job. Your clothes are on the side, and next time I would not walk the dangerous route or else you can count yourself dead.”

  With this Mr. Pickles left with Mary perplexed and angered at the man. As Mary changed her clothes, she asked the maid, “What did I do to him?”

  “Oh,” said the maid. “He thought you were a lady, and not a mere maid miss.”

  “I suppose he would not have saved my life if I were a maid. Just like men.”

  With that Mary left the house of Mr. Pickles and walked briskly to that of the van Soothsbays. She knew that they would be worried about where she was at and Adelé, but she knew that more than worried, they would be angry.

  Soon Mary was there only to see that everything was normal. Mr. and Mrs. van Soothsbay were playing with Higgles as usual, and even they had not noticed that she was gone.

  “Morning, Mary,” said Jan. “Fetch us some tea, we are famished with being with Higgles.”

  Quickly Mary went to the kitchen to find the cook Deborah. “Deborah?” asked Mary.

  “What?” asked Deborah.

  “Did they ask for the child yet?” asked Mary.

  “No, they have not asked for her once since she was born. Shows how rich people can be cruel as well to their children.”

  Oh, thought Mary in surprise. To Deborah she said, “They want some tea.”

  “On the table,” said Deborah.

  Mary took the tea on a silver tray and took it to the van Soothsbays. With that day and the following days the attitude was the same with the bringing of tea, lunch, dinner, and breakfast, but never for Adelé. For eight months the van Soothsbays stayed the same, never once asking for her, and not caring whether or not she was alive or dead. Mary checked up on Adelé always at Mrs. Heinz’s house to make sure that she was all right, all the time not noticing that there was one who watched her every movement to and from the midwife’s house.

  VII: The Dinner

  Eight months after the birth of Adelé the van Soothsbays were having a ball at their home, not because of Adelé, but because they thought it was a good time to show off Higgles at her finest. Mary was still as vexed as ever over this lack of caring for Adelé, but she bit her lip and said nothing.

  That evening it seemed as if everyone in New Amsterdam came to the cozy home, even Mr. Pickles. As he entered there seemed applause for Mr. Pickles from everyone, though Mary did not understand why. As she looked out at him from a crack in the kitchen door, suddenly his eyes rested on hers. Quickly she stopped looking and worked in the kitchen.

  After everyone had come, dinner was served, and Mary, along with her sister, served out the dishes to everyone. Mr. Pickles seemed intrigued at Mary’s job as he looked at her, to Mary’s detest. Once everyone had their bowls and began to eat, Mr. Pickles began to speak.

  “About eight months back,” said Mr. Pickles to them all. “I had the strangest reasoning to ride in the winter snow down to the river along the long path to New Amsterdam.”

  “You mean that route, the dangerous one?” asked Sarie van Soothsbay.

  “Yes,” said Mr. Pickles. “Strangely enough I saw a young woman there being hurt by an ugly, evil man. I killed the man and later saved the young woman’s life.”

  “Very brave of you Pickles,” said Colonel Richard von Struppel, a regular in the New Netherlands army.

  “Yes,” said Pickles. “To my surprise, though, this young woman was only a maid. On further investigation I followed this young woman to see what compelled her at that hour to go to the woods. I thought perhaps she led an evil cause, or was friends with the Indians, so that I must do my job and have her arrested and put in jail.”

  “Here, here,” said Colonel von Struppel.

  “However,” said Pickles as Mary squirmed as she had, in the appropriate setting, to stand next to the wall without saying a word. “I found that she went to the old witch of the forest.”

  “Dear you know what!” exclaimed the colonel.

  “Oh my goodness!” exclaimed Sarie.

  “Anyone for some more soup?” asked Mary out of place, as Pickles looked to her as shocked as the others.

  “Mary,” said Sarie. “Mind your place.”

  Silently Mary put down her head. She was about to leave to check on the kitchen, when she heard behind her.

  “She went to the witch so that it could raise her child with no father!” exclaimed Pickles as faints and body slumping to the ground could be heard. Mary quickly left the room to the kitchen, closing the door as she did so, but she heard the door open again as Mr. Pickles came up from behind her.

  Astonished by this Mary left out of the kitchen to the back door, but Mr. Pickles was still behind, grabbing her by the arm. “Let me go!” exclaimed Mary.

  “Not until you tell them the truth,” said Mr. Pickles. “The man I killed was your husband, was he not?”

  “What!!!!” exclaimed Mary.

  “Of course,” said Mr. Pickles. “Not your husband, but the father of your child.”

  “What!!!!!!!!!!!!!” exclaimed Mary feeling very sick at what Mr. Pickles was saying.

  “So, who is the father?”

  “Mr. van So
othsbay,” said Mary without a thought about what she was saying.

  “Ah, ha!” exclaimed Mr. Pickles. “That horrible man will see the truth of the matter of his bad manner.”

  With that Pickles left Mary outside, who just realized what she said, as she scrambled back to the dining room, hearing again fainting and body slumping to the floor that were before awaken after the first fainting spell.

  Mary opened the door to see Sarie on the ground in a lump, Jan with his mouth open wide, and Higgles screaming for more soup. Pickles looked to Mary and exclaimed, “This is the mother of Mr. van Soothsbay’s child!”

  “What!!!!!!!!!!!” exclaimed Mary in surprise.

  “You said the father of that child was Mr. van Soothsbay.”