( december 2nd )

[firegap]

In the village, rumour has it, Erik Becker moved here, to rural Jutland from urban Copenhagen, because his wife suffers from melancholia and needs plenty of fresh air which is the only thing that truly thrives in these parts. Harvests are meagre, people are poor. It takes two years to renovate the buildings, another year for the couple to fully relocate. Caroline Becker's first walk around the Rosengaard gardens doesn't happen until late October, the year of grace 1885.

Autumn becomes the place. The branches of the trees are weighed down by fruit, apples like gemstones in the low-hanging sun. She takes a deep breath.