Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Author:Tracy Chevalier [Chevalier, Tracy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: C429, Extratorrents, Kat
ISBN: 9780756904913
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: 2001-01-28T00:00:00+00:00

One Sunday Pieter the son came to services at our church. He must have slipped in after my parents and me, and sat in the back, for I did not see him until afterward when we were outside speaking to our neighbors. He was standing off to one side, watching me. When I caught sight of him I drew in my breath sharply. At least, I thought, he is Protestant. I had not been certain before. Since working in the house at Papists’ Corner I was no longer certain of many things.

My mother followed my gaze. “Who is that?”

“The butcher’s son.”

She gave me a curious look, part surprise, part fear. “Go to him,” she whispered, “and bring him to us.”

I obeyed her and went up to Pieter. “Why are you here?” I asked, knowing I should be more polite.

He smiled. “Hello, Griet. No pleasant words for me?”

“Why are you here?”

“I’m going to services in every church in Delft, to see which I like best. It may take some time.” When he saw my face he dropped his tone—joking was not the way with me. “I came to see you, and to meet your parents.”

I blushed so hot I felt feverish. “I would rather you did not,” I said softly.

“Why not?”

“I’m only seventeen. I don’t—I’m not thinking of such things yet.”

“There’s no rush,” Pieter said.

I looked down at his hands—they were clean, but there were still traces of blood around his nails. I thought of my master’s hand over mine as he showed me how to grind bone, and shivered.

People were staring at us, for he was a stranger to the church. And he was a handsome man—even I could see that, with his long blond curls, bright eyes and ready smile. Several young women were trying to catch his eye.

“Will you introduce me to your parents?”

Reluctantly I led him to them. Pieter nodded to my mother and grasped my father’s hand, who stepped back nervously. Since he had lost his eyes he was shy of meeting strangers. And he had never before met a man who showed interest in me.

“Don’t worry, Father,” I whispered to him while my mother was introducing Pieter to a neighbor, “you aren’t losing me.”

“We’ve already lost you, Griet. We lost you the moment you became a maid.”

I was glad he could not see the tears that pricked my eyes.

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