Posted on Monday, 28 April 2003
One bright sunny day in the little town of Lambton deep in the heart of the county of Derbyshire a dark haired girl of about 8 years old was seen running on the green by the blacksmith shop. She and her family were waiting for the carriage wheel to be repaired. The blacksmith said it wouldn't take too long to fix and so they decided to wait. A small blonde girl of nearly ten sat and waited on the bench with her aunt she was visiting while the dark haired one simply couldn't sit still when there was so much to explore.
She wandered around into the smithy, but the blacksmith said, "This tain't no place for a youngun! Git!"
So she went around through the backdoor and smiled as she spied the biggest tree she'd ever seen, and it was covered with ripe chestnuts. She looked around to make sure none of her family saw her, and she hiked up her dress and began to climb into the lowest branches, continuing on up until she had ascended to a level of about 15 feet before she stopped in the crook of a branch and the bough, swinging her feet. She sat enjoying one of the chestnuts and spying on the people below who didn't know she was there. Her sister walked by several times calling her name, but she covered her mouth to hide her giggles.
After a while she looked up to the higher branches of the tree, and decided to go further up to see how far away she could see past the tree line in the distance. So she stood and began to climb another 10 feet. By this time a tall teenaged boy of about 16 with brown hair that curled on the ends came up to the tree looking for any chestnuts ripe enough to collect and eat. Imagine his surprise to find a small child, a girl no less, climbing in the tall branches.
"You there, girl," he yelled up. She looked down smiling at the older boy.
"What are you doing? Get down from there this instant!"
She frowned at his harsh voice and bit her lip, trying to decide if she had to obey a total stranger who was acting mad. She shook her head and looked up to the next branch above her. The boy was surprised that his cross words seemed to have no effect on her, and he just shook his head at her audacity of trying to climb like a boy. He began to climb the tree and thought of his sister trying such a stunt, and then realized that this girl must be some years older. Just old enough to get into mischief, he thought and decided get her down bodily if need be to keep her from harm.
His long sinewy legs and arms could scale the branches at a faster pace than the girl, and he was up to her level in on time. And in his most grown up voice he said, "I thought I told you to come down, not go up higher."
She looked at him with large brown eyes that were at first slightly afraid, and then he saw her raise her eyebrows.
"You are not my family, and because you are not known to me, and were being so cross, I did not feel obliged to obey you." They both stood on branches holding on to others and stared at each other for a moment, her bonnet ribbon waving in the light breeze.
He began. "Little girl-"
"I am not little! I am eight years old!"
He tried not to smile at her thinking of herself as not little. He didn't believe her height was any taller than up to his waist. She seemed so petite.
"All of eight? I say. You are certainly old!"
She "humphed", and began to climb again, but he touched her arm to quit her action. But decided to use another approach.
"Why are you climbing so high? The chestnuts you seek can be gotten to on much lower branches."
"Chestnuts?"
"You did climb to get the ripened chestnuts, did you not?"
"No."
"Then why are you in this tree?"
"I wanted to see how far away I could see."
"Can you not see much from your present vantage point?"
"Yes, some, but I wished to see beyond the tree line over there," and she pointed. He looked where her small fingers was indicating, and smiled.
"I know what is over there. It is a grand manor house, about 5 miles away."
"And if I go higher, can I see such a grand place?"
The boy looked into the determined face and realized he failed to answer her. She frowned and started up again, and he still held onto her arm to stop her.
"You could fall and harm yourself."
"No, I won't!" she said in a tone that meant that she had experience climbing and would not fall. She stared at him and waited for him to argue back, but he didn't. He simply stared into her face, knowing short of bodily removing her un-cooperating person from the tree, he would not stop her. Then he made the decision to at least keep her from harm.
"You truly wish to see this house?"
"Yes."
"Then we will climb together."
The smile she gave him was dazzling, and she again began to climb, now with his help, showing her the best handholds and keeping his body below her in order to catch her should she misstep or slip. Soon they were over 30 feet high, and the branches became supple and slender, and would not take much weight before bending or breaking.
"This is as high as we can go safely. Can you see the house yet?"
She looked out the way toward the tree line and shook her head, venturing onto one of the slender branches that would only hold her weight.
"If I could just go a little higher-"
"No higher, please," she heard him say, and his tone made her look back. "Go no further."
"But-" she began, but something in the tone of his voice at his request made her halt her ascent. She stayed on the high branch just out of reach of his arms. If she fell now he would not be able to catch her.
"Come back where I can keep you safe."
He reached out his hand, and stared at her with eyes that seemed to plead with her. She looked down at the branch swaying under her weight, and then made the mistake of looking down to the ground realizing how very high up they were. Her face paled and she swallowed.
"Oh!" A gasped escaped her lips, and he knew he had to act fast to keep her from becoming paralyzed with fear.
He challenged, "You're not going go soft now and cry like some little girl, are you?"
That's when he saw a flash of anger enter her eyes and she squared her shoulders, and reached out and grabbed hold of his hand, and he pulled her to his chest, holding her tightly with one strong arm while he held onto the large branch with the other. He could feel her quivering with fright, but heard her defiance in her voice.
"I am not going to cry! I am not! I-"
He felt her panting, and trying to hold back tears, not wishing for him to see any weakness in her, and he smiled and held her tighter.
"Shhhh. It is all right now. I have you. You are safe. Shhhh."
He little arms went around his neck and tears flowed from her soft brown eyes.
"I am sorry," she whispered. "I should have heeded you. I am sorry."
"You are safe now. There is no harm done. Calm yourself."
He sat in the high crook of the tree and held her to him for quite some time to let her fear abate. Finally she wiped her last tear from her face and sniffed back more. He looked into her face and softly asked, "Shall we descend now?" She only nodded, feeling totally beaten by the fear that gripped her.
"I did not get to see the house," she whispered.
He smiled. "Shall I tell you what it looks like?"
"You have seen it?"
"Many times."
"What is it like?"
He stopped climbing down, and helped her make her way to his branch before descending further.
"The stones are of sand color and there are 5 stories with windows all around every floor, so you can view the large park from anywhere in the house."
"With lots of trees?" She asked enthusiastically, forgetting her fear once more
"Yes," he laughed. "There are so many I doubt even you could climb them all."
"Truly?"
"Yes."
"Sounds wonderful. I like trees."
"I can see that," he said smiling as he helped her climb lower.
"And are you allowed to climb any of them?" She asked.
"Yes. I have climbed quite a few of them."
"What do you see when you climb them?"
"I once could look this way and see the town here."
"Yes?"
"Yes, but the tree line must be higher now, so it may not be possible any longer."
"I should like to try," she said.
He jumped from the last branch down to the ground, and then held his hands to encircle her tiny waist to help he at last from the tree. But instead of putting her to the ground to tower over her, he held her in his arms, and she was forced to cling to his neck to prevent her falling backwards. They were eye to eye.
"Promise me," he began. "Promise me you will not climb so high in this tree again. It will not do to have you broken bones beneath my favorite chestnut tree."
He tried to sound severe and stern like an adult, but she somehow knew he was teasing. But she smiled and nodded, and he put her to the ground. She swallowed as she looked up to his towering height over her.
"I still wish to see the grand house you described," she ventured.
He smiled. "Have your parents apply to the housekeeper who will most likely give you a tour."
"And let me look out the windows to see the park and all the trees?"
"Yes, I am sure you will be able to."
Her eyes were sparkling in the sun now, and he could not help but smile as the little face beamed back at him.
"I should find my family now. They are probably wondering where I have got to I am sure."
She turned to go, that was when both realized he was still holding onto her hand.
"You can release me now. I am safe on solid ground again," she said and she curtsied.
"Yes," he agreed, adding, "Good-bye, Miss," and he kissed her little hand, allowing it to slip through his.
He watched her skip off to a group of trades' people who gently admonished her for going from them for such a long time, culminating in both of the adults hugging her tightly. And the boy knew that she must have a loving family for her to be so confident and daring. He watched as they entered a hired carriage to depart the area. He probably would never see her again, and wondered what she would look like when she grew more. One thing was for sure, he thought as he shook his head. She would have the most devastating eyes.