Where did the creature live during the time he spent watching the cottage family?

The creature moves because he must search for food. He finds a stay in a small kennel next to a family in a cottage.  Because of the family he is watching he learns of music for the first time, as well as words and language. He feels a mixture of pain and pleasure. The creature continues watching the family and studies their daily routines. He thinks they have all luxuries of life, but then realizes that they are very poor so creature then clears the snow from their walk and leaves supplies of wood for the family. But later of the chapter, the creature never sees the family again because they left, as a respond the creature burns the cottage to the ground.