My Crimson Wedding

Chapter 5

Eleanor’s POV:

The bus to Yorkshire was not crowded but the mid way halts had taken a few passengers aboard. The window I was staring out of was now throwing in sunlight and for the first time my cold finger tips felt alive. I touched my cheeks to transfer a little heat to my numb cheeks as well.

“Is this seat taken dear?” asked a woman who was in her mid forties perhaps.

I nodded approvingly and held my bag to my chest to allow her to take the seat. I was a bit awkward around crowd and holding up a conversation was not something I was good at. I stared at my bag as I let the sunlight burn my cheek through the window.

When did I become like this? I felt like a criminal evading from people. I felt a touch on my arm which made me jump in shock. It was the woman sitting next to me.

“Oh dear, are you alright? I didn’t mean to startle you” she said apologetically.

I looked at her expectantly, was she going to ask me something? I tried to keep my eyes away from her face to avoid any kind of interaction but, that was surely not going to happen.

“Do you mind if I take that newspaper?” she asked me, pointing at the newspaper stuffed in the seat pocket before me.

I didn’t know how to respond, she surely could read the newspaper why does she ask too many questions? I nodded approvingly once again and made no eye contact with her. She pulled the newspaper out and soon got immersed into reading it. I tried to look at the head lines that were on the front page.

It was Ethan’s face. The very man whom I loved and married was staring at me with a smile that was mocking my cowardice. I wish I could have done something but I was weak. I am not the kind of a person who can put up any fight against him. I felt a rush of emotions which made me sick and I couldn’t bare to sit next to the lady anymore.

The nausea of my circumstances were haunting me and it felt like there was no way out of this whirlpool of emotions. I looked out of the window but the cold wind rushing through the window was insufficient to let any oxygen into my system. The bus came to a halt and I took that opportunity to rush out of the bus.

Out in this cold winter with the sun shining on my face I gasped for some air and fell to my knees. Was I doing something wrong? I could feel a sharp pain in my chest as I looked at the ground. My knees were covered in dust and my lungs were on fire as I had this immense urge to throw up. Before I knew it, I puked my guts out and saw some greenish fluid on the ground leaving a bitter acidic after taste in my mouth. I’ve had literally nothing since yesterday morning.

The only thing that was keeping me going was my will to never see him again. The past that I thought I had moved on from was the reason behind my plight and I couldn’t bring myself to think of it. There was part of me that died along with my past but my present seemed to carry the trauma of it like a baggage.

I walked aimlessly on the deserted road following the direction my shadow took under the sunlight. After hours of walking, I had come somewhere near a small town which I had no idea of. It felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. I dropped my bag and watched the dust settle over my shoes as I looked at the boards near by. My legs were tired and feet awfully blistered. I could hardly take another step forward.

There was a temple and a narrow road to the top of the hill. I looked at the scenic view of the village I had come to and decided to go up the hill. I carried my bag along and kept searching for a place to stay. The bottom foot of the hill had a few shops and caravans. I made up my mind to check with one of the shops to find a place here but before I could take a step forward, I saw a furry cat kneading at my feet.

“Aww, I didn’t see you there! Pardon me” I said and bent down to take a better look at the fully grown cat.

“She’s Ms. Goldie locks” said a man who emerged from one of those shops and was now standing before me.

“Goldie locks? What a wonderful name for a wonderful cat” I said as I couldn’t help but smile at the striking resemblance. She did have a shiny blonde coat which seemed very smooth and tempting to touch.

“I see that Ms. Goldie Locks is quite impressed with you. How can I help you?” asked the man.

I could never muster the courage to face a human and his voice had already pushed me into my anxious thoughts. I looked at the man standing before me. He was wearing rugged pants torn at the knees and covered in dust, he also had a hat on his head which was quite over sized for his head. He seemed to be someone about my age probably in his late twenties. From the external appearance he looked barbaric and quite unkempt but his eyes were that of a kind person.

He smiled at me as he pointed towards my bag.

“Guess, you must be visiting this place?” he said.

His kind and gentle smile had me think very low of myself for having jumping to such conclusions. Without any further delay I began to collect my thoughts and make a sensible sentence out of them.

“I’m in search of a place to rent. I would require a place with basic needs and cheaper rent to stay” I said as I looked at him.

“Well, we do rent places to tourists but that’s mostly in summer. This place is quite something in summer which is why there are a lot of tourists visiting especially the view from the hill top is extremely beautiful! You see, the real beauty of the hill only shows in the winter under the sunlight. It’s a shame that not many know of it” He said.

He was going on an on about the place and its attractions but I had no interest in them. All I wanted to do was to find a place and shut myself from the world.

“I’m willing to pay a month’s advance. Please find me a place to rent” I said, this time with a tone of desperation.

“Well, I can definitely find you a place miss” He said as he looked at me with a questioning gaze.

I was expecting some mindless questions but none came out. He walked back into his shop and offered me to wait at his shop as he made a few calls.

I was staring blankly at the green shrub which seemed to be shining under the sunlight. The green of it’s leaves looked bright and healthy, I’m sure Ethan would know a lot about it and might as well pick it for his garden…

His memory, his face and his thoughts clouded in my head and before I knew it, the vision of my eyes became blurry as tears spilled through the corner.

“Excuse me, Miss?” my train of thoughts broke as I heard the voice of the shopkeeper man.

I wiped my tears away and looked at him. He must have noticed the redness of my cheeks and nose, the wetness of my eyes but thankfully didn’t ask anything about it. The pity in his eyes was evident though.

“I can offer you a cottage up the hill, it’s not a place where anyone can trouble. Just to your liking” He said with a failed attempt to make me smile.

“I’d take it” I replied. Short and curt reply.

“May I have your name please? And phone number?” he asked as he opened the register.

“Eleanor Grace. As for the phone number, I don’t have one.” I replied.

He raised his head and looked at me in disbelief.

“What? In this day and age?” he asked.

“You can check me, I don’t carry one.” I replied back.

I knew that his curiosity was only going to grow more but, I had no intentions of quenching it. Before he could open his mouth to blurt another senseless and outraging question, I pulled out my ID and put it on the desk. This could prove that I’m a valid citizen and mean no harm.

“I believe this should do. If you can help me get through with this quickly, I’d like to see the cottage please” I said.

His ajar mouth shut instantly upon hearing my words and he averted his eyes from me to write down my details on the register. After a few moments of drifting through the cupboards here and there. He pulled out a bunch of keys which fell to the floor. He cursed under his breath and bent down to pick them back up.

This guy was way too clumsy and was now starting to get on my nerves. I waited patiently for him to pick up the bunch of keys. There was a little rustling here and there when he finally raised his head with his eyes glaring victoriously from the awful task of finding the key to the cottage.

“Here it is. Let’s go to your cottage now, shall we?” He said.

“I almost forgot, I’m Richard Jones. You can call me up if you fall in need of anything” He said as he raised his brow.

I couldn’t help but stare blankly at him. I had just told him how I don’t carry a phone. Was he being dumb on purpose?

“I… I’m sorry but, I don’t own a phone” I said with a hesitant voice.

“Oh shoot! I mean, you can reach out to me, I stay right here” He said pointing to the shop.

I had no intention of talking back and with an awkward silence he lead me towards the cottage.