Reading Online Novel

The Cost of Sugar(41)



Elza felt a sharp pain in her chest. Oh, how low, how vile; my Rutger, how could he! And she had thought that everything was now all right, that it was all over between him and Sarith. Sarith: she could happily murder her. She felt faint. It was as if her legs could no longer support her, and there she was gliding away. But at the same moment she felt a strong arm around her, supporting her at the waist, and a voice next to her saying, “Come, my little misi, come.”79 It was Maisa.

Elza didn’t know how Maisa had realized that she was there by the door, but the sturdy arm was around her and guided her back to her room. Even before she had reached the bed, Elza was weeping, and sobbed on Maisa’s shoulder. Maisa said little at first, but helped her misi into bed and remained, shaking her head, looking at the little lady weeping in front of her, her head in the pillow.

When the sobs had subsided, Maisa began to speak. “We have brought you up, Ashana and I. We have taught you what we thought was good for a white girl. We have taught you to be a dear, sweet woman, to be kind and gentle towards others, to do good. But we shouldn’t have taught you these things. We should have taught you to be a nasty, mean woman. Look what’s happening now. You’re sweet, you’re good. But others, they aren’t good, they aren’t sweet: they’re mean and they let you weep. Don’t be good any longer, no longer the sweet Misi Elza. Be nasty like they are. Send that woman away. Have her disappear from your house.”80

“How can I send her away, Maisa,” sobbed Elza. “Everyone thinks that we’re like two sisters. I can’t send her away.”81

“You must send her away. Let people know that she isn’t your sister. No, she isn’t your sister. She doesn’t love you, she’s never loved you, I can tell you that. This is no longer the time to think in terms of sisters, Misi Elza. Now you must fight, yes, fight.”82





Maisa looked sternly at Elza. Then she went to the cot where the baby was sleeping, drew aside the curtain and took the child out, who, woken from his sleep, starting crying in protest. With the weeping child in her arms she went back to the bed and said to Elza, “Look: if you won’t fight for yourself, then fight for him. Don’t allow that vampire to suck his father dry.”83

Elza was now silent. She dried her tears with the corner of the sheet. It was good that she could speak about this with Maisa. But it was alright her talking. How could she possibly fight Sarith; how could she expel her? What would Rutger say about it all?

“How shall I fight then, Maisa.”84 Elza looked despairingly at Maisa, who had returned the baby to his cot.

Maisa turned and came back to the bed, saying, “If you say that you want to fight, then I, Maisa, will help you.”85

“But you’re not going to use any wisi86, Maisa?”87

“Never fear; I’m no witch,”88 answered Maisa calmly. She shook Elza’s pillow, picked up a fan and, going to sit next to the bed, said, “Now just get some sleep.”89

Elza didn’t see Rutger again that afternoon. When she awoke later, she heard him talking to Alex downstairs, and he came into the room again only when the first guests had arrived and he was bringing them upstairs to say hello to Elza and see the baby.

A few hours later the party was in full swing. People danced, drank, ate. Upstairs in her room Elza did not get bored, for there were always some guests, mainly the ladies, in her room, sitting with her for a while, chatting and especially wanting to know how everything had gone with the baby. At a certain moment, a silence fell downstairs, and the ladies upstairs heard the Lobo sisters singing. Really sweet voices. And so they sang various songs, each time to loud applause, and shortly afterwards they came upstairs with Rutger, one of the violin players, and some more of the ladies.

Rutger said that they had come to sing for Elza, and they sang song after song. Rutger sat next to Elza on the bed, looking at the girls and at his wife. “Well, Elza, what do you say to that: your own serenade. There are not many women who can say that they have had a serenade in bed just after giving birth.” And he caressed her hair fondly.

After singing, the girls wanted to stay upstairs a while to chat with Elza. They sat in the cane bedroom chairs and Rutger sat on the bed next to Elza. Everyone was laughing and chatting. More and more people came upstairs. The room was full with laughing and chatting guests. Downstairs people went on dancing. Rutger went downstairs to dance with one lady, then another. When he was about to return upstairs with one of the Lobo sisters on his arm, an angry Sarith suddenly appeared in front of him.

“Where have you been? I’ve not seen you at all. You’re neglecting me,” she snapped.