Free The True Deceiver by Tove Jansson Page A

practically next door. Not every village has its own transport!” It was nice to hear him laugh. Katri had scrubbed the room above the storekeeper’s shop, scrubbed it with a kind of painstaking rage, the way women clean when they can’t lash out. She scrubbed away the neighbours’ shamefaced talk about envy and petty favours, she scrubbed away all the black night thoughts, and most of all she scrubbed the doorway where the storekeeper used to loiter on some pretext, standing in hungry vigilance, waiting for some sign to tell him if he could go on hating or if there was the tiniest little handhold for his lust. The room became as clinically clean and naked as a wave-washed skerry.
    Liljeberg loaded the suitcases. “Jump in, little witch,” he said. “Cinderella on her way to the castle!” When he started the engine, the storekeeper shouted, “Give my regards to Miss Aemelin! Tell her I’m getting in some rabbit! Fresh, just killed! Just for her...” The village children ran after the van a little way, shrieking and throwing snowballs.
    “This feels right,” Liljeberg said and smiled at Katri. “There ought to be a big fuss when people move up in the world.”
    * * *
     
    Anna phoned her childhood friend Sylvia, who lived in town. She couldn’t think of anyone else to call now at a moment’s notice.
    “It’s been a while,” said Sylvia’s well-modulated voice. “How is everything out there in the big woods?”
    “Fine, everything is fine...” Anna was out of breath. They might be here any moment. Quickly and out of sequence she tried to tell her friend what had happened – Katri, Mats, the dog... Everything was about to change, everything...
    “You don’t mean you’ve taken boarders?” Sylvia said. “Surely you don’t need to. I mean, you’re quite well off, aren’t you? By the way, are you working on anything, a new little tale?”
    Sylvia’s interest in her work had always been very important to Anna, but not right now. Anna replied snappishly that she never worked in the winter, which Sylvia ought to know, and then went headlong into her news about Katri while she tried to see down to the road through the veranda window.
    “But dear Lord,” said Sylvia in a pause. “You sound so agitée . Are you feeling well?”
    “Yes, yes, I feel fine...”
    Anna’s friend began to describe some alterations she’d had done in her apartment and talked about the newly started Wednesday Society for Culture, which Anna really ought to join. And Anna should finally come to visit. It was important to get out and about, she knew that well enough, all the years she’d been a widow. “One shouldn’t be alone, it leads to so much thinking...”
    “But I’m not going to be alone!” Anna said. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you! There are going to be four of us, didn’t you hear me? Four of us, counting the dog...” Liljeberg’s van was coming. “They’re coming,” she whispered. “I have to go...”
    “Well, we’ll talk again. Now take care of yourself and think twice before you do anything hasty. You cannot be too careful with boarders. I’ve heard so many stories. And as I said, drop by my little lair some day when you’ve got the time.”
    “Yes, yes, of course... Goodbye, I’ll say goodbye now, goodbye...”
    “Goodbye, little Anna.”
    They were coming up the hill. Anna stood close to the window and watched them come. Her heart had started pounding in a primitive impulse to get away, to just flee as far as the road would take her. So stupid. Why did she behave this way... and she’d been unpleasant to Sylvia, whom she liked so much and admired, had raised her voice and been impatient, although Sylvia was only being considerate and had even remembered to ask about her work... It had been a mistake to call. But it had felt absolutely necessary that someone she trusted should listen, listen carefully, and ask questions and maybe say, “But that sounds wonderful!” Or, “My dear