2 BEAUTY OF INNOCENCE

Nilgala estate situated in the fertile Dumbara valley, three hundred acres in extent, was fertile valuable land. Raja Weerasekara's house built on a high point of the property was a three storied granite building. Most people in the area referred to it as the Three Tiered Bungalow. Raja Weerasekara's elder sister Grace was married to Ranaraja who was the owner of Millagoda estate which was about two hundred acres in extent and shared a common boundary with Weerasekara's own property. When Ranaraja passed away the management of his property was the responsibility of his brother-in-law. Grace was very concerned about the future of her husband's property especially after her elder son Victor scuttled her plans by his indiscretion. She decided to promote the union between her daughter Sandra to her brother's son to ensure that Nilgala and Millagoda estates - this valuable real - estate - remain in the possession of the clan. When the suggestion was made Raja Weerasekara was more than pleased at the prospect of extending the family domain. In the meantime his son Bernard was being educated in a foreign land whilst his niece was attending a convent in the capital city.

When Raja Weerasekara met an untimely death from a heart attack the responsibility for the management of the two properties fell on Bernard's shoulders. When he found the management of his tobacco cultivation project and the management of his two properties demanded all his time and it was impossible to manage them efficiently whilst residing in the capital city he moved into the Three -Tiered-Bungalows with his wife Sandra on a permanent basis. It was no easy task to persuade his wife to make the move as she was used to a lifestyle living in the city and was averse to making any changes to her preferred lifestyle of opulence. From the day of her arrival she was constantly busy looking to change the decision made by her husband. Adjusting to a disciplined lifestyle of a plantation manager's bungalow was alien to Sandra's accustomed lackadaisical aimless Colombo drift from one party to another with endless theatrical shows and other lackluster activities to boot. Naturally she rebelled at the change.

Sandra hailed from a quasi-westernized mob which saw everything vernacular like dress, speech, social habits and even religious beliefs, as banal and vulgar. A supercilious unfortunate attitude that prevails in some families up to now even after half a century of time has lapsed since independence of several centuries of colonial subjugation. She saw all locals as from beyond her pace. She was completely overwhelmed by this change of surroundings. A fish out of water indeed. As a result she was not averse to venting her frustration on the domestic staff of her new home. They were at the butt end of her temper tantrums day after day as she tried to persuade her husband to revert to the former style of managing the property from Colombo as an absentee landlord. The food was never right. Too spicy for her liking. Periyavar who had been cook for decades having catered to the palate of his late master and now that of his son altered his recipes to suit the new mistress but she did not relent in her pursuit of the old servant. Eventually when Bernard could not take the pressure any more he relieved Periyavar of his culinary duties and made him his full time butler.

Koinmenika had served the family for as long as the old cook except that she did so in the tobacco curing shed and had never stepped into the Three-Tiered-House. She had a reputation as a good cook and consequently was offered the job which she was only too pleased to accept as the emolument and fringe benefits she stood to gain were of immense benefit to raise her own family. Everything this simple village woman saw in the manager's bungalow was out of this world but none more so than the well-manicured mistress herself. The moment she first set her eyes on Sandra it was not a stylish woman that impressed her. She could hardly believe her eyes. This uncanny physical resemblance of this woman to her even more beautiful grandchild. She stood dumbfounded for a while until she recalled the unfortunate tragic events of a decade and a half ago from where the child inherited the genes before she came into the world. The bizarre resemblance did not end there. Even the timbre of Sandra's voice was something the child shared with her mistress which indicated they were undoubtedly of the same timber.

Sandra killed her time chatting at length with her friends and always went back to the keyboard of her piano to get through her day. Koinmenika found that It was no easy task to earn her approval however hard she labored at her tasks. No recipe was good enough for her palate! She always found a reason to complain regardless of how good the meals she turned up with. She stayed aloof from her domestic aid displaying her hubris but gradually relented little by little as she found her cook was the only company she had during the day. Koinmenika made up her mind never to mention the subject of her granddaughter when dealing with her mistress. Sandra was aware that the reason that led to her brother's departure to a foreign land was his affair with the estate watcher's daughter she was not as yet in on who his wife was.

Periyavar addressed the old woman as Koinmenika Sandra preferred to communicate the same way with the old woman. The trios were out in the bungalow garden getting ready to plant the croton cuttings the lady had fetched from Colombo.

"Koinamma is this village of you was born in?" The lady asked.

"We are from Matikumbura... The village engaged in the craft of pottery."

"Is the village close to here…?" She asked as she was sorting out the cuttings to be planted.

Periyavar was busy planting the cuttings on the bed prepared at her feet.

"No lady... It is at the foot of that mountain range yonder…" She pointed to the hazy blue row of hills in the distance.

"Is this the stuff you want to plant on this bed…?"

"Yes… we picked them up on our way back last week from Colombo..."

Periyavar accepted the cuttings with a smile of sarcasm on his face and Sandra was far from pleased as she addressed him.

"Why...? That silly look on your face...? Where have you people seen these things before...? Definitely not in these village areas..."

"Lady near the watch house… there are thousands of them growing wild out there..." He had correctly identified the endemic plant.

"That just can't be... It is not possible that you would find them in these jungles... you must be referring to something similar... These have come from England and grow in the fields out there."

"No lady... near the canal close to our house, on either side there are row after to row of these plants…"

"Alright then... let us go and have a look... we can go to the Watch-house at the same time and have a look." She gave a quizzical look at Koinmenika as she said this.

The woman looked down at Periyavar pleading for a way out of this situation and he responded promptly when he realized her concern.

"What is there to see in the watch-hut…? It has been more than seven or eight years after it collapsed".

To avoid Sandra's gaze koinmenika looked down and noticed a leech between mistresses' toes.

"Lady... You have a leech on you..."

She pulled off her moccasin to inspect and screamed when she saw a big long black leach clinging on stubbornly. She pulled both moccasins off and flung them away but the leech was as yet not finished and stayed firmly stuck on. She tried to, squeamish though she was, to pull the slippery creature off but to no avail because it had not finished feasting on her blood.

That was when she screamed like a banshee.

Koinmenika sent Periyavar to fetch the cake of soap to coax the leech to let go of its hold and looked up at Sandra with a smile on her face still kneeling with the lady's foot in her hand.

Sandra was far from amused.

"Eeeeeke... They are all over the accursed place... Even in the front yard... Why did I ever come here?"

Both servants were sure she would not step out of the house for quite a while from then on. On an occasion when Sandra had wanted to visit the watcher's quarters Bernard had discouraged her by saying that it was a dilapidated building on the verge of collapse. He suspected she was looking for an excuse to see Yasawathi - her brother's indiscretion of the past.

"Why on earth did you lie to her Periyavar when you knew too well that we were occupying the watcher's old quarters?" Koinmenika questioned the old man.

"When the lady tried to go towards your house I merely trotted out the same excuse the master had uttered to deter her... That was all there was to it."

She sighed deeply to release her long pent up emotion and responded with a profound regret at the sordid incident.

"I can't understand why she needs to dig up the past like this?"

"She is determined to see what your daughter looks like."

"Is that so... I was under the impression she was aiming to meet my lovely grand-girl."

"Oh no... Far from it… All she is interested is in is Yasawathi... Never once has she inquired about your beautiful grand-girl." Koinmenika was perplexed at the continued interest in her daughter on the part of her mistress.

Periyavar suspected that Sandra was under the impression that the woman her brother Victor had cohabited with was an exceptionally beautiful village damsel! He decided not to share his suspicion with Koinmenika and spare his innocent co-worker any pain of mind.

* * *

Nandana Menike who was clad in her faded somewhat battered white school uniform hugged her school books to her chest and was about to leave the house. Her grandmother was lying atop the mat laid on the coir roped framed crude bed placed in the front veranda. The teenager approached the old lady and prostrated in Anjali salutation with palms clasped together in the usual manner when the old lady noticed the dejected look on the child's countenance.

"Why do you look so sad this early in the morning my Child? What is amiss to depress you so much?"

The girl's eyes swelled with tears in a moment and as she wiped away the tears as she stood up. Koinmenika sat up and looked around to make sure no one was around to overhear her. Before she repeated her question.

"What is it? Tell me."

"It is about today's evening classes." She stammered and started to sob.

"So… What about the class?"

"Mother does not want me to stay back for evening classes."

Koinmenika thought she understood the problem. She retrieved her tiny money pouch made of spun reeds from under her pillow and gave the child some money and said.

"Buy something from the school tuck-shop for your lunch and come back safely without getting late."

Nandana Menike was a keen and talented student and Koinmenika had great expectations about her grandchild.

After a while the old woman walked into the kitchen with the intention of giving her daughter some advice.

Grandmother found her daughter squatting near the doorstep staring at the sky, deep in thought, with her chin resting on her cupped hands. The hissing kettle on the hearth had reached boiling point a while ago and was on the verge of going empty. She also noticed the cups were all ready to be poured. As she surveyed this scene her heart missed a beat when she realized that her granddaughter had left for school on an empty stomach.

"What on earth is wrong with you my daughter...? The whole time you are in conflict with the little girl... You don't have to tell me... Once again she has left on an empty stomach... The poor thing... The hunk of bread is still there untouched."

The loaf of bread she brought from the bungalow was still unpacked in the shopping bag lying on the table. The coconut sambal lay where it had been served untouched on the plate.

Finally Yasawathi came out of her melancholy and responded to her mother.

"Have I not got the right to advise my own daughter...? Is that what you are telling me?" She asked this question from her mother with a look of disdain. Her Unkempt disarranged hair and anger only added to the hideous appearance she had due to the malformation at birth.

"Tell me one location when she disobeyed your instruction." The mother queried.

Grandmother's tone rang of her unmistakable displeasure at her daughter's attitude.

"Mother... Since of late..., it is always… Always..., Evening classes... Who knows where she is going and with whom she is hanging out with...? Or what she does…? In the evening of the day… before she was seen in the vicinity off the bathing spout in the company of that boy Samantha."

Grandmother was aware that the child was on the verge of saying adieu to childhood and was on the verge of puberty. It was therefore wise to be alert to her activities.

"Who gave you this information?"

"Sister Jayawathi saw them."

"Did you ask the child about it?" The grandmother's voice was now cool and under control.

"She tells me that he accompanies her up as far as the bathing spout for her safety when she has to get home late on days when evening classes are held."

"Are you referring to Samantha the postman?"

Yasawathi nodded her head to confirm that it was him. Koinmenika sighed deeply indicating a degree of relief at this confirmation and felt more at ease.

"Daughter... He is not a bad boy... I know that for a fact."

"How are you able to say that for sure Mother?"

Yasawathi was entitled to be cautious as the mother of the child. In many ways grandma was glad that her daughter, who ruined her own life at the hands of Victor, was now taking a keen interest to protect her own daughter.

"Daughter it will serve no purpose in getting hackles up and losing your temper like you do... learn to keep an eye quietly on her activities... For my part I will also advise her from time to time."

Yasawathi felt more at ease after the conversation and decided to get breakfast to start the day but she looked lost and forlorn as was usual for this unfortunate human being ever since her birth.

By the way Master Bernard's wife seems to want to see you."

When that was said she was somewhat jolted with shock once more. She looked overcome with fright again. She was aware that Sandra was Victor's brother.

"Periyavar had overheard Master Bernard telling her that she had no idea where you were or what had eventually happened to you..." However Koinmenika had the fear sooner or later through someone or the other Sandra would get to know the whereabouts of her daughter.

"Mother, What if she were to meet my child accidentally in the vicinity by some chance?"

The old suspense had crept in again after a short respite. She asked this question in the fear that should it happen it would become a big problem.

"Don't worry about that Yasawathi... Our lady is most unlikely to be loafing around our local roads... She thinks it is infra dig to be seen around in the less fashionable quarters of the village where we local villagers hang around... By the way Master Bernard has also made enquiries about our precious girl recently... Which is also out of character...? Because as I recall the last time he set eyes on her was seven or eight years ago and he paid little or no attention to the then slip of the little girl she was."

***

Watcher's house is situated on the boundary of Millagala estate Nandana Menike goes to school along the footpath which runs adjacent to the boundary of the estate. After her father passed away Bernard has not visited the watch house except on one occasion when he dropped into the house as he passed by to inspect the waterline installed to supply the labour quarters of the workers which were built at the lower end of the property. He took no notice of the thin wisp off a girl who happened to be there.

Nandana Menike stepped onto the footpath after evening classes to go home and she turned and looked back at her classroom because unlike on other days Samantha did not turn up to escort her home. She noticed that he was still in conversation with some of his classmates. She also noticed that Sirimal, the joker of the class was also in the crowd.

She did not wait for her escort and friend and started to walk homeward somewhat disappointed. The reason for her disappointment was the fact that in the interval between school over-time and the start of evening classes the altercation she had had with Sirimal the annoying joker and sometimes bully he was. She was annoyed that Samantha was in conversation with the boy she had had this last confrontation to the extent that she felt neglected. She forged ahead briskly towards home taking care not to look back.

"Nanda, can you please wait a minute."

Samantha was hurrying along to catch up. She heard her call out to her but decided to ignore him and continued on her way.

"You are so quick to get angry."

He was panting as he caught up with her. All he got was an angry stare for his trouble.

Samantha was keen to find out what the altercation was about.

"Do not get angry like that Nanda... Everyone was crowded around him to find out what happened between the two of you... Tell me what actually took place?"

"Was it not to find out what happened that all of you gave him center stage by crowding round him...? Including you... So you must know the reason by now... Why ask me?" She said that and looked away abruptly showing annoyance.

After that the couple proceeded along the footpath for some distance without talking but stealing a sly look every now and again to assess the mood off each other. Samantha was careful not to get into any debate about the matter knowing that she would soon be on even keel. After a while she gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder to indicate she had cooled off. In next to no time she poured her heart out to him. Samantha was aware that when Nanda got going it was hard to stop her from talking.

The students were accustomed to enjoy a long break after the normal school sessions were over. Everyone including the teachers takes time off to let their hair down and enjoy their lunch and relax before the afternoon classes commence. The Nelly tree in the school garden was heavy with fruit. Persuaded by the other kids Nanda climbed the tree to get at some fruit which were difficult to reach. While she was on the tree she noticed, naughty and talkative Sirimal approach the bevy of girls assembled at the base of the fruit laden tree. She attempted to get off the tree in a hurry and in the process entangled her skirt on a snag and exposed her legs up to her thighs and beyond. Sirimal made a joke of this and his comments that followed were what annoyed Nanda. In one breath she stated this to Samantha as the cause of her anger.

"So is it because of that reason that you pelted him with a stone... Did you see the welt on his forehead as a result of your aggression?" Samantha was trying to show her the gravity of her action. Her response was not one of repentance.

"When unwanted comments are made one is entitled to get angry."

"Had now been no friends around i would have taught him a lesson never to be forgotten."

In saying this he indicated anger had not completely subsided.

"That is his way Nanda. Everything is a joke to him." Samantha spoke up for his classmate in a very gentle tone.

"The facts that are you have not yet reached puberty is none of his business. What is it to do with him?"

"Don't take those things seriously Nanda. It seems that's some girls don't come to that state until they reach their late teens. Can't you remember even the madam teacher said so?"

This was a perennial problem Nandana Menike had to face in recent times. The non-stop taunting from her classmates both male and female. Madam teacher did have to intervene several times to bring about peace in the classroom.

Yasawathie approached her daughter with a cup of tea into her room when in the process of removing her uniform over the top of a head when she noticed the change my daughter's breasts. They were beginning to swell.

"Come hither my child... Finish this cup of tea first. You must be so tired. Give me your uniform I will wash it for you now." She got the dress and balled it up before she spoke again.

"Do you feel any different in your body dear daughter if so do tell me."

She realized at once what the Mother's inquisitiveness was about. She shook her head in the negative. No sooner the mother left the room the girl approached hanging on the wall in her room end kept looking at haha reflected body. She felt that her face was more flushed then before. She stood on tiptoe as the middle body was not visible because the mirror was a small one. Straight away when she saw her slightly swollen breasts she thought of what Samantha head said earlier on broke into a smile.

"Are you admiring your body or drinking your tea?" It was the voice of her Grandmother dripping with affection end love.

She was standing at the doorway tiring and tiles beautiful body and Nandana Menike felt somewhat uncomfortable when she noticed that she was paying attention to her slightly swollen breasts.

"Grandma you have come back early today from work?"

"I went to Gunadasa's house child."

That surprised Nanda no end.

"Samantha's house…? Why grandma…?"

"I carried the message from Master Bernard."

"Uncle at home… Grandma…?"

"No I left a message and came away." Granddaughter continued to look at the Grandmother and did not take her eyes away,

"Good heavens Gunadasa's boy is a handsome young man now."

"You mean Samantha... do you Grandma?"

She wondered why she felt happy when het. Grandmother referred to Samantha NZ glowing terms. Koinmenika recognized the onset of budding teenage love in her granddaughter. That inevitably brought back bitter memories of the past- the tragedy of her own daughter.