The Good Bear by Sarah Lean

Author:Sarah Lean
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2020-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

A warm light spread around the café where I’d been with Elissa, and where the meeting was being held after opening hours. The windows were steamed up, the room packed. We wriggled our way through elbows in thick jumpers to stand by Henry near the front. While we waited for everyone to arrive, I asked Lars to tell me a few Norwegian words to see if I could get the gist of some of the conversation. It was a great advantage to have most people speak English, but I had no Norwegian language at all. I thought Henry should have taught me.

Lars only had time to teach me that yes was ja, no was nei, and bear was bjørn before Mr Prag came to the front and propped a large map of the area up on the serving counter for everyone to see. His presence brought the room to a hush and he began to speak.

Lars translated that Mr Prag knew for sure there was a bear about because he’d spoken with a Miss Anders who had been tracking it. He was sure the bear was in the area, although the route its tracks had taken was unclear. He said everyone should be aware that this bear was probably within a few miles’ radius of their town and was a great threat to their community.

It had taken repeated visits, food and assurance before the bear had trusted me but I couldn’t entirely be sure that he would be gentle with anyone else. I remembered he had been afraid when he’d heard voices in the woods and it felt so unfair that Mr Prag was stirring everyone up to think the worst.

Lars told me that Mr Prag really didn’t like bears. He’d been chased by one when he was a boy.

‘He nearly died, he says,’ Lars added solemnly.

I imagined Mr Prag might have done something to deserve being chased by a bear but knew it was inappropriate to say that out loud.

Lars paused, then he whispered, ‘You don’t look like you nearly died.’

‘I think the bear trusts me,’ I said. It was the first thoughtful thing I had said to Lars. It seemed enough for him for now and he went back to translating.

‘Mr Prag wants people to come with him and make a search party.’ I had a sudden, horrifying vision of Mr Prag leading an angry mob with nets and chains and sticks taking out their fear on the bear. I hated the thought of him being captured or hurt. Then V made an entrance into our conversation like a movie star demanding we look at her instead.

‘Hello, Thea Whittington. May I have a word with you?’ She smiled at Lars to excuse us. I told Lars I was relying on him to make sure he got all the information we needed before V led me over to a quieter corner. Her make-up was immaculate as usual, her hair (brown again today) was pulled back into a low bun under a trilby hat.

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