His Black Wings (37 page)

“I think I recognize that chap.” Dekker said watching Kurten’s retreating form.

“I wonder what he was doing here.” Dekker said mostly to himself because Horace was having a hard time standing up. He had drank a whole hard cider before their trip on the horse and it had made him sleepy. Dekker kicked out at Horace’s boot.

“Come on man, we are missing the party! You can’t be seriously drunk from one cider.” Horace stood up and rubbed his head.

“Please refrain from speaking so loudly Dekker. You are the one that suggested the cider.”

“Have you not a single willed thought of your own in that big brain of yours? No one forced you to drink it and now we both fell asleep and we may have missed the action.”

“Well no one told you to drink the other eleven bottles!” Dekker stepped out from behind the bushes to make his way to the front door.

“May I remind you I am over twenty one and only drink responsibly?”

“You passed out.” Horace said irritably as he followed Dekker to the front door.

“Yes, I passed out responsibly in the bushes. Now put a muzzle on yourself, I am knocking.”

The door flew open before Dekker was finished with the second knock. Naza came bounding down the stairs to greet the two young men. Etrigan looked up towards the staircase and wondered if Claren was all right. She probably did not want to come down now.

“Wait here one moment gentlemen.” Etrigan said.

He led Naza out the back door and waited for her to finish her business. When she began to wander off he whistled for her to come back which she did.

“Is everything all right?” Horace asked in a conspiratorial tone. Etrigan nodded and brought them in to the dining room where Fredrick was sitting drinking a brandy to calm his nerves. Etrigan stood moodily by the fireplace.

“What are these two doing here now?” Fredrick said exasperated.

“Please Father, these are my friends and they have only wished to help.” Etrigan wanted to remind his father of the very thing that he himself had been overjoyed with. Etrigan had friends.

Fredrick closed his eyes and rubbed his head.

“You are right, please forgive me gentlemen, I am not in the best mood tonight.”

“That’s quite all right Sir. We do apologize for barging in at this hour but we wanted to make sure everyone in the household was all right and in good health?” Dekker said looking at Etrigan. Etrigan sighed heavily and smiled down at the dog that was laying near his feet.

“Aside from a scene that the two of you just missed, everyone is all right and in good health.” Etrigan said. Fredrick looked at the two young men and sensed that they knew something.

“All right, what is going on here, Etrigan?” Father looked to his son.

“Father, do not be upset but I must tell you that these two know of our family’s past, and of you, and they were the ones that asked why Claren was here. Knowing her family history and ours, they were quite concerned for her.” Fredrick felt his face burn with shame, sure that now these two young men knew him for the scoundrel he had been playing at. Etrigan instinctively knew his father’s fears and wished to allay them as best that he could so he went on speaking.

“Gentlemen, let me assure you both, my father harbors no ill feelings towards Claren, in fact he brought her here to save her from a man that would hurt her. Yes, I know it looks suspect and my own father has said he did have negative thoughts about Claren’s family, but he has realized that carrying out revenge is pointless. He wishes to makes amends with Claren and if Claren wants to leave she can.”

“This is true Mr. Lowood?” Horace asked hesitantly. Fredrick nodded.

Claren was not as disturbed by the voices she heard coming from downstairs as Naza was. Naza paced the bedroom restlessly, walking from Claren’s side to the bedroom door. She could mostly hear Etrigan’s voice and that reassured her in an odd way.

Well perhaps not in an odd way, a comfortable way
. Claren thought and smiled sadly to herself. It was not too long ago that Etrigan’s childish pranks tested her nerves. Now his presence, his voice and calm conversation comforted Claren. Naza came over to her and lay her head on Claren’s hand roughly.

“What is it girl? You want to be nosey and go downstairs? The men are talking, there are many decisions to be made.”

I have to make my own decisions as well, but can I? Shall I leave here now that I know Mr. Lowood’s real intentions? Or how Etrigan’s own feelings must have changed towards me?

Claren placed her head in her hands.

“I don’t blame him if he hates me. He was so quiet when his father spilled out all that nasty business. How can I remain here knowing what I do.” Claren whispered with a pain in her heart. Naza gave a low woof trying to get Claren’s attention again.

“I’m sorry Naza, you’ve been cooped up in this room all day. If I let you out I am sure someone will take you outside. I can’t bear to face anyone again.” Claren opened the door to let Naza out. She shut the door and walked to the bathroom herself. Looking at her face in the mirror she noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the paleness of her skin. Bending over the sink Claren turned on both water spigots full blast and began washing her face. The water was just the right temperature and made her consider a bath. As she reached with closed eyes for her face towel she felt one placed in her hand. She brought the towel to her face quickly and wiped the water from her eyes.

“Hello love.” Kurten said with a smile. Claren held the towel to her face willing herself not to scream even though it seemed like this was a nightmare come true. Kurten was in her bedroom.

“Kurten.” She managed hoarsely.

“I knew you remembered me, but please do not scream, I do not want to deal with the riff raff you have been living with. I do not want to make a scene, so I will tell you your options plainly, understood?”

Claren nodded silently.

“Good girl. Now you can come with me tonight, but we have to be quick and quiet about it. I have arranged passage for us back to St.Marhen where we will be married tomorrow. Or you can refuse, and I will let the world know that a monster lives here and he will be thrown into the pits of a laboratory somewhere.”

“What makes you think that I care if you tell anyone about Etrigan?” Claren said thinking quickly. Kurten studied her face for a moment before breaking out in to a slow grin.

“Have you ever heard the old expression,
you cannot bluff a bluffer
? The day I came here and you called out for him like he was your long lost hero. I know you harbor some sort of sentiment for that freak. Out of the goodness of your heart or love of animals, I do not know which.”

“Why do you wish to hurt him, me?” Claren said defeated lowering her head.

“I do not care about that thing at all, I am only using that as leverage. I want you my pet, that is it. Well, you and your wealth and other aesthetic charms.” He said looking at her exposed throat and the top of her nightgown.

Oh Etrigan why didn’t I tell you when I had the chance? I deserve only this, why should I deserve someone kind hearted when I come from such a wicked person? I deserve to be with a wicked man like Kurten nothing more.

“I will go with you Kurten. I will marry you and you can have any fortune that I am entitled too. I will not fight you. I just ask that you leave the Lowoods alone.” Kurten seemed astonished and for a moment was silent wondering if this was a trick she was playing with him.

“No trick? I know you can be a crafty vixen.” He said fingering the scar on his cheek.

“No, there is nothing for me here. I have no family, no life, nothing. I do not want to spend the rest of my life hiding from you because I feel your determination, I know that I could never beat you.” Claren knew there was no truth in these words, she did believe that there was something for her at Westwind.

“You feel my determination do you?” He grinned lasciviously and gripped her upper arm. She nodded and looked away disgusted.

“So you agree to marry me?” He said urgently.

“Yes.”

“Then come with me now, no time for packing. Put on your slippers and make haste.”

With Kurten’s arms around her as he spurred his horse to full speed, Claren looked back at Westwind standing coldly in the moonlight. She saw the clouds gathering in the distance and knew she would never see Etrigan again.

I love you Etrigan, I love you…

***

“Do you mind if we go up and say hello to Claren?” Horace asked Etrigan. Naza had begun growling and tugged at Etrigan’s pants.

“Yes, I’ll go with you. She may be in bed.” Fredrick raised a glass to the three young men who left the room.

“I’ll stay here and do my damndest to get drunk.”

“Here, here.” Dekker said to Fredrick who offered him a lopsided grin.

Etrigan was knocking on Claren’s door and received no reply.

“Perhaps she is asleep?” Horace asked after he called out to Claren through the door himself. Etrigan shrugged.

“She is a light sleeper, she would always wake up when I was outside…I mean when I would make noise.” Dekker raised his eyebrows.

“What do we have here? A winged peeping tom?” Etrigan blushed hard in the darkened hallway when Naza jumped up with both her paws and barked at the door.

“No, there is something wrong…Claren, we’re coming in.”

The room was dark but the window was open with a curtain moving wildly in the wind that had picked up.

“Claren!” Etrigan shouted in a panic, moving to throw the covers from her bed. He then strode to the dressing room to find it empty but the bathroom light was on and the water faucet was on.

“She’s gone!” Etrigan called out in anguish.

“She has left me.” He sank to his knees and bowed his head, shamed that the other two young men should see his pain. Fredrick was heard dashing up the stairs.

“What’s happened?” He asked alarmed.

“No, she was taken! Why would she leave the faucet on? And no note? That hardly seems like Claren, she would at least explain her feelings.” Dekker said turning off the water. Fredrick ran to the window.

“No, she did not go on her own, she was taken. This ladder does not belong to us.” Fredrick said pointing to the ladder which lay against the house. Etrigan turned his head slowly to look at the three men in the room with him and for the first time his eyes were completely black. No pupils or iris, just black sclera. His beauty was devastatingly terrible and for the first time in his life Fredrick did not know Etrigan. This was not his son, but a beast. The three men took a step backwards unintentionally.

“Was she taken by
him
?” Etrigan said and rose to his full height. His voice had changed to that of a creature that only knew how to growl. Dekker moved out of Etrigan’s path. Etrigan walked to the window and looked out across the lawns.

“I will kill anything that stands in my way in order to find her.” Etrigan said, his voice so low it sounded like a growl.

“No, no need for that. I know where he has taken her, a fellow booked passage with me the other day, said he was taking his fiancée back with him…” Etrigan turned slowly and looked at Dekker. Dekker knew that this creature before him was not human and it made his skin crawl.

“Where is he?”

“The docks, he has taken her to the docks.” Etrigan, without a word broke through the bedroom’s glass windows as he soared out into the night looking for Claren.

As soon as Claren heard the loud thump of Kurten’s riding boots on the wood dock she knew she was making a mistake. All her life Claren felt as though she was a leaf being pulled along by the wind. It was always others actions that made her react and choose.

Was she forever going to be weak willed?

She never forcefully exerted her own will, until it came to Kurten. He tried the first time to claim her, but she resisted. Now she was meekly letting him take her by the hand into a life of uncertainty. The wind had picked up and was whipping her hair in her face while the sea air left a thin film of salty moisture on her skin. She was shivering not so much from the cold, but from what she was going to have to do.