Chapter 12 – Lie

Sasha stopped after only a short distance.

No, something was wrong. Sasha realized the situation was different from what she expected. The pretty woman with honey-blonde hair blushed like a pomegranate, and Mr. Robert was naturally leading the conversation. If Sasha were to intrude between them, she would clearly look like a nuisance.

Sasha saw her own underdeveloped body and messy hair reflected in the puddle at her feet. Embarrassed by her shabby appearance, she also felt shame for almost barging into their conversation.

He acted differently from how he was with Sasha. His every move seemed polite and relaxed. Watching him made Sasha’s heart ache as if stabbed. Her bicycle made a scraping sound—she must have pressed the pedal wrong. At that moment, Mr. Robert glanced back.

Sasha instinctively hid herself. Then, without looking back, she ran off. Only when she reached the place where she could see the blue horizon did she finally catch her breath. She parked her bicycle behind some unnoticed thorn bushes and trudged toward the beach promenade. It was still early, so neither of her grandmothers was out yet.

Now, even without Sasha, many people visited Mr. Robert. That was a good thing for Sasha, too. The villagers had learned what a decent person he was. Now, even if Sasha went to Hawthorn Mansion, people wouldn’t scold or look at her with concern. So she should be happy…

Why did it feel so lonely, as if someone had stolen a friend she alone knew?

Sasha kicked a stone at her feet. The pebble rolled into the sea and was quickly washed away by the waves. She repeated such meaningless actions several times.

Fortunately, after some time, her mood improved. Sasha began picking up seashells and putting them in her pocket. As she crouched, a long shadow fell over her head. A man, squinting in the strong sunlight, stood there.

“You saw me earlier—why did you just leave?”

Mr. Robert, who had been with Mr. Deni’s granddaughter, asked with certainty. Sasha wondered if he had come all the way here to find her.

“No, I just wanted to see the sea today, so I didn’t go to the mansion.”

She lied with ease. Mr. Robert frowned, looking as if he couldn’t understand why she would lie. Did he dislike people who lied?

Sasha brushed the sand off her hands and stood up. Robert followed behind. She walked toward where her bicycle was parked, pretending not to notice, but he followed her there too.

It felt awkward to walk side by side with Mr. Robert, but there was no helping it. To get home, she had to cross the hill, and Hawthorn Mansion was on top of it.

“You can go ahead.”

Breaking the silence, Sasha abruptly spoke to him.

“Because my pace is fast?”

Sasha shook her head at Robert’s question. The bicycle wheels, stuck in the muddy road, dragged like a limp sack. No matter how much she tried to force it, her steps grew slower. Realizing he was matching her pace, she felt guilty.

“No, I just meant you don’t have to wait for me. I can go by myself.”

Sasha replied bravely, but he didn’t bother to hide his displeasure and remained silent. Still, he didn’t move ahead of her. He only walked a bit slower. Thus, their strange summer-day walk lasted longer than expected.

“Actually, I know who you are. I knew from the first time I saw you. I recognized you at first sight.”

After searching for something to say, Sasha whispered secretly. The bicycle bell rang sharply, as if interrogating a suspect, and Robert licked his dry lips nervously.

“Near the train station before. You came by carriage, didn’t you?”

Robert, facing Sasha’s bright smile, felt empty. Yes, what could such a child possibly remember? What had he expected? Did he think she would recognize him? Sasha peeked up from under his shoulder and asked again.

“But you don’t wear that coat anymore?”

“I won’t wear it here.”

He replied firmly.

“That day was a mistake.”

There was regret and embarrassment in his deeply furrowed brow, leaving Sasha puzzled.

“Why? I thought that coat looked great. Especially the purple violet tucked in your front pocket…”

“That’s enough. You can stop now.”

Robert interrupted Sasha. Though he phrased it gently, he clearly wanted her to stop talking. His lowered ear was red. 

Why wasn’t Mr. Robert used to compliments? Poor Laurent people must be stingy with praise.

Lost in thought, Sasha let go of her bicycle. The wheels spun noisily in the mud. 

“I can do it.”

Sasha quickly sat down and struggled to pull out her bike before he could intervene. But if she freed the front wheel, the back wheel got stuck; if she freed the back, the front slipped into the rut again. How much rain had fallen yesterday? Sasha’s face flushed red with frustration.

“Move aside.”

“I’m fine.”

Ignoring Sasha’s refusal, Robert watched with hands behind his back. Eventually, he decided she wasn’t going to succeed.

“Move.”

At his rather firm command, Sasha, discouraged, stepped aside. He grabbed the bike frame and easily pulled it out. Bending over again, he picked up the straw hat floating in the puddle.

“This is no longer usable.”

Robert placed the mud-soaked, ruined hat in the front basket and stepped back. He kept a two-step distance and gestured for Sasha to come retrieve her bike. Hesitantly, she approached and took it back.

The man from Laurent knew how to treat even a country girl like a noble lady. Picking up a straw hat from the mud looked as elegant as retrieving a handkerchief from a ballroom. Sasha was tense, like a scolded child. She wiped her dirty hands on her skirt and kept her mouth shut. He said nothing more. The two walked side by side.

It was too hot for a midday stroll. The grandmothers might not come out for a beach walk until the sun set. After the rain stopped, the sun blazed down. They hadn’t walked that long, but Sasha’s back was already damp with sweat. Robert watched her shake her head to flick sweat from her brow.

“Why are you so nice to me?”

Sasha asked, wrinkling her reddish nose. She was puzzled when he didn’t answer her offhand question. Was he embarrassed? Had she misunderstood his kindness? Her nose grew even redder in the heat.

“What were you saying earlier?”

The Manolie girl’s pointless questions still bothered him, just as they had when she was younger. Robert pondered what moment she meant. Sasha, thinking he was dodging, pressed him impatiently.

“At Hawthorn Mansion. You came out to the door, remember?”

“You said you didn’t come today.”

Robert pointed out Sasha’s slip. The girl, caught in her lie, wasn’t particularly embarrassed. Sasha had already forgotten why she had run from Hawthorn Mansion that morning, why she’d felt loss walking the beach as if she’d lost a friend only she knew. Instead of feeling awkward, she grinned. Robert, seeing her round nose wrinkle, gently changed the subject.

“Why were you late today?”

“I overslept. School’s about to start, so I was finishing all my overdue homework.”

This time, a faint smile spread across Robert’s face. He smiled with folded eyes like a boy. Sasha, not knowing what was funny, just laughed along. Ding ding—the bicycle bell rang in time to her humming. Gradually, Hawthorn Mansion appeared atop the distant hill.

Mr. Robert allowed Sasha to enter and paint if she wanted. Sasha didn’t refuse and hurried into the atelier.

“Why are you following me today?”

“I’m curious how you work. I wanted to watch at least once.”

Sasha, not used to painting in front of someone, wished Robert would leave, but since it was his space, she couldn’t kick him out. That day, Sasha ruined her work. Robert apologized for disturbing her, and after that, never entered the atelier again.

During the day, Sasha went to Hawthorn Mansion to paint, and before sunset, returned to her colorful room under the red roof to finish her vacation homework. Because she’d spent all summer at Hawthorn Mansion, her homework had piled up like a mountain.

As the summer heat waned, Mr. Robert became scarce, and a few days before Sasha’s vacation ended, he disappeared completely. Sasha waited at the mansion gate for him to open the door, but Mr. Robert never appeared. The next day, and the day after that.