Maria was walking through the house, packing a few things before they left for France when she heard sniffling coming from the living room. She turned to see Mrs. Todd embracing Andrew and them both sobbing.
"Mrs. Todd?" Maria asked gently.
She pulled away from Andrew and looked at her with teary eyes.
"Yes, dear?"
"What's wrong?" Maria asked as she sat down next to her.
"I received a letter today... I lost my husband in the war." She said and Andrew hugged her again. Maria gasped, tears flooding to her eyes as well. "I'll be going staying with you for sometime if Monsieur Lafayette will let me." Mrs. Todd said.
At the moment, Lafayette walked in.
"Monsieur Lafayette?" Mrs. Todd asked softly.
"Yes?"
She sighed deeply before continuing.
"Mr. Todd died in the war...." When she said that, it seemed to catch his attention. "I'm afraid I won't be able to provide if I don't continue to work for you...."
Lafayette paused for what seemed 10 seconds and finally said,
"Alright...."
Mrs. Todd lit up.
"Thank you, monsieur!"
He turned to Maria and said in a mumble, but loud enough for her to hear,
"I need you to take me into town... I need to gather things before we head back to France."
Maria nodded and went to go fix herself up before heading out.
After a while, she came down with a basket and her wide-brimmed hat.
"There are a few things I need to pick up too." She said and he nodded.
They walked out and Maria made a turn that was a long way there and home.
"Maria, why don't we go this way? It's shorter." Gilbert said in a condescending tone.
Maria stopped in her tracks and all he could see was a shiver in-between her shoulder blades.
"Sir, you don't want to see what happens to me when I go the regular route...." She said slowly.
Maria had learned the hard way when she was constantly harassed by men and slurs were thrown at her like they were rocks. She just continued to walk and Gilbert got the sensation not to use his authority this time.
Once the arrived in town, Maria walked into a bakery and asked for two loaves of bread and the server said,
"We don't sell wenches here," and that's when it clicked in Gilbert's head.
"Sir, the bakery I usually go to is a mile away from here.... Everything else I'm buying is here!" She said and he shrugged.
"Maybe you should have thought about that before you laid with another man." He sneered and Maria sighed, turned, and left.
Gilbert pulled money out of his pocket and said solidly.
"I'll have two loaves of bread." He wasn't going to say anything, but that.
"What? Do you know her?" The man said.
"Thats none of your business. I'll have the bread now."
He huffed and handed him the dang bread.
Maria was outside when Gilbert handed her bread without any words. She looked up at him, shocked.
"Thank you," she said with a fond smile.
He shrugged and turned.
The rest of the day was them buying grocerie. When it was time to leave, they took the old dirt backroad trail. Gilbert couldn't held but feel sorrow for the girl who takes the long way home.