Free The Unexpected Occurrence of Thaddeus Hobble by Gareth Wiles Page B

gates. I just knew he was on his way to Agatha. Quickly I wondered what to do to make her mine and not his, for I had lost everything else in life. Yes, I had her father’s factory which brought financial security; but I wanted the love and affection of his daughter too. He had promised it to me, and I wasn’t going to let somebody take it away. Ffoulkes was the one who stood in my way. I decided the only way to deal with him was to fight fire with fire, and I instinctively punched myself in the face. Blood wept from my nose as I repeated the action numerous times, before I made for the ground floor to leave the building and get to the lovely Agatha.
    * * *
    I arrived as he was banging on the door. He hadn’t seen me, so I held back behind the hedge at the bottom of the path for a moment to hear what he had to say to her. She must have been reluctant to open the door, as he was commanded to thrash again at it. Eventually the door did open.
    â€˜I have come straight from the factory,’ the romantic gushed, ‘walked away from my work in order to tell you my true feelings.’
    â€˜Master Ffoulkes, what do you mean by this indecency?’ she replied in haste.
    â€˜I love you, fair Agatha, and I want your hand in marriage so that we can express our passion together.’
    Such drivel nearly emptied my stomach of the morning’s meal. Though, having led almost my entire life so far on scraps of food, now that I was eating well my stomach was often unsettled.
    I peeped around the hedge and saw him bent down on one knee, her hand in his. No more of this hiding, I thought, and showed myself. As I marched to the pair, Ffoulkes got up and turned to face me.
    â€˜Oh Darren, what has happened to you?’ Agatha gasped, dropping her usual decorum and coming to me. She looked up at my bloodied face, placing her hand on my cheek.
    â€˜Is this the man you truly want to marry, Agatha?’ I said, waving my hand over at him.
    â€˜What? No!’ she cried out, ‘never did he do this, surely?’
    â€˜You cannot seriously be accusing me of hitting you,’ Ffoulkes laughed.
    â€˜I am sorry that you find humour in my pain,’ was my reply.
    â€˜Go,’ she shouted at him, ‘leave us.’
    â€˜These are lies, Agatha, lies,’ he shouted back, trying to get to her. I blocked his way, smirking at him when my face was shielded from her gaze. He turned and went as Agatha and I stepped into the house.
    â€˜And don’t come to the factory anymore,’ I called after him, ‘there is no job for you there now.’ I slammed the door shut, locking it.
    * * *
    Later on, after Agatha had cleaned me up, she settled down by the fire to do some sewing. She wasn’t very good at it, having had no mother to teach her, but she got by. I watched her from the doorway for a while, thinking I could not be seen in the dim light. However, she must have sensed my presence as her shoulders stiffened and her hands were shaking.
    â€˜Do you love Ffoulkes?’ I decided to ask her.
    â€˜Come and sit down,’ she responded, her usual reserved, quiet voice returned.
    I did as she had asked, coming to sit across from her by the fire. ‘Do you love Ffoulkes?’ I asked again, more pronounced, determined to get an answer.
    â€˜I do not know what love is,’ was her whispered reply. Nor did I, so I couldn’t very well have accused her of lying. I wanted to, but I thought it best to play for sympathy rather than fear and resentment. I had seen my competitor off, and was stronger for it.
    We sat in silence for a time, she struggling to complete her sewing under the dim light. Eventually she slammed it down on her lap and sighed. ‘Why must it be women who have to sew?’ she huffed. I didn’t reply, instead catching her eye as I pretended to be rather uncomfortable in the armchair. ‘Are you-’
    â€˜I am fine,’ I shot back, holding my chest.