Chapter 6 Catherine Serves Tea

"Ah! You naughty child, leave it... leave it!" he cried with a laugh. Albert and Catherine also burst into laughter. Catherine took the child from Santa and began to kiss her lovingly. Santa Claus thrust both the hands in his bag like pockets and took out some sweets and chocolates and handed them to Catherine for the child.

"Bye all of you." he said and hurried to his horse-cart. The couple also bid him goodbye. Melissa was still in Catherine's lap, waving her hand in the air till Santa and his cart went out of sight.

***

Lady Marconda was sitting cross legged on a jackal's skin, in the dark room that was attached to the torture room where prisoners were kept and tortured. A human skull was put before her from which smoke was coming out slowly. Her hair was open and was spread out on her shoulders. Her body was covered with animal's skin, with her string of tiny skulls and bones still around her neck. With a bone in her right hand, she would wave her hand around the skull, reciting some charm words. Fire was burning at a little distance. Zomaro, her pet owl, was sitting on a small log that was put vertically on the left of the witch.

Lady Marconda looked so dangerous in the night with her crooked nose and dark skin. She was in great rage. It appeared as if she were ready to engulf everyone who would come in her way.

"Gamora!" she cried and her moving hand came to a stop with a jerk. All of a sudden, the amount of smoke coming out from the skull increased with a loud noise. It seemed if so many people were crying and shouting.

"Zomaro!" she turned to the owl and said, "Go and see what Thomas is going to do."

"As you please!" said Zomaro and flew away in a moment. Lady Marconda was again busy in her witchcraft.

***

It was getting dark. Suzan, one of Catherine's neighbours, was talking to her. She had come with her children to pay a visit to Catherine and her family and wish them on Christmas. She had two children – Jim and Lara. Jim was three years older than Lara. Her husband Mr. Johnson was a teacher in the village school.

"Oh no, we're getting late." Suzan said looking outside. "Jim's father would be waiting at home." She at once stood up apologizing, loved Melissa and turned towards the door catching Jim's hand. Lara was in her lap. "Okay Catherine, goodbye! Goodbye, Melissa!" she said in a hurry and stepped out with her children.

"Goodbye!" Catherine said with a smile. She pulled down the veranda curtain that was made of jute, and was thick enough to prevent the cold wind from entering the house. She went inside the room where Albert was sitting. He was shivering with cold, eagerly waiting for her.

"It's too cold, isn't it?" Albert said, wrapping a blanket around his body.

"Yeah! Wanna take tea?" she asked.

"Why not? If you're to serve, who can refuse, dear?" he said with a grin. She laid the child on the bed and said, "Well, I'm going to prepare tea. You take care of the child." Albert covered the child with an old quilt and he himself sat on the corner of the bed.

Now it was completely dark outside. Wild animals had started howling. Catherine lit two lanterns. She hung one of them to the peg that was firmly fixed into the wall. The second one she carried to the kitchen with her. As she entered the kitchen, a cat mewed and jumped out.

"Oooh...! Shhh..!" Catherine cried making strange sounds. Albert ran to her and asked, "What happened? Are you alright?"

"Oh! I was frightened. It was only a cat." she answered. Her heart was pounding faster.

"Relax Cathy!" he caught her by her shoulders and embraced her.

"Ma... mm... ma" Melissa cried and both of them ran to her. There was no one except Melissa. She was awoken and was crying. Catherine loved her. She took her little hands in hers warmly and kissed her to pacify. "What's going on, Albert? It's really ominous. I'm very much afraid." she said. Her eyes were wet. Albert patted on her back with love and consoled her.

"Why should we be afraid? We're neither cruel nor dishonest. We must trust God and ask Him for help." Albert said with firm faith.

"God save us!" she prayed in a low voice. Her face was a little pale.

After pacifying the child, Catherine again went to the kitchen and prepared tea with little fear in her heart. She was still praying in herself. She returned to Albert with two cup of tea and sat on the bed beside him. He took a cup from her hand and pressed her hand with another hand, looking into her eyes and said, "Come on, don't be afraid. It's only a coincidence."

She raised her head a little, gazed upon his face and put her head on his shoulder shrinking. She didn't speak a single word.

No sooner had they finished their tea than several dogs began to bark and wail outside the house, just in front of the verandah. The couple was in great harassment. Both of them looked at Melissa but she was fast asleep. Albert got up in haste and picked up the bamboo stick standing vertically behind the old wooden door, in his hands. He turned to the verandah asking his wife to accompany him with the lantern. Catherine obeyed him and took the lantern in her hand.