Red Wolfe (6 page)

It sounded like a good idea until several hours later when she could no longer stand lying across her bed, staring into the ceiling anymore. She had long ago finished exploring the bedroom, looking through what few books
that were scattered about and admiring the fine craftsmanship of the hand carved furniture. Once she had even tried to pry the window open and look outside, but the cursed thing would not budge from the buildup of snow.  Her patience had long ago dissolved, leaving behind only a nagging temptation to go and explore. It was a temptation that was too strong to resist.

Not a soul was around as Ellena slithered into the hall. Torches and candle stands filled with burning tapers lit the way, no doubt to also add more warmth to the bare, cold air. A vibrant green rug ran along the floor, leading her past door after door. She finally summoned enough courage to open one to discover an elegant music chamber. The lone grand piano was what really caught her eye, standing on a lavish Persian rug as a few beams of light cascaded in through a tall, foggy window. On every wall were shelves and shelves of music books.

Ellena had always wanted to learn how to play the piano. She carefully sat down on its soft, black seat and rested her fingers on the ivory keys. Her hands bobbed along, striking the cords and filling the room with an atrocious, fowl melody. The door slowly crept open and Ellena stopped. It was only Gregor.

“You are quite knowledgeable on the piano, I see.”

Ellena laughed, “Obviously not, but I have always wanted to learn.”

“It’s tea time. I’ve prepared for us to partake of it in the drawing room if you don’t mind following me.”

Gregor lead her only a few doors down where he very graciously escorted her inside. Lord Wolfe was already waiting.

Ellena felt the blood rush from her face as piercing blue eyes found her. A small, white bandage covered his left temple, light
ly soaked in blood.  She wanted to turn and leave, but Lord Wolfe would not allow it.

“Where are you going?” he asked, shifting in his seat to better stare at her. “You have the audacity to attack me in my home and destroy my belongings, not to mention cruelly torture my piano, but not even join me for a cup of tea?”

“I apologize for last night,” she boldly said. “But I felt the need to protect myself.”

“And what have I done to earn such distrust?” he asked.

“You have done nothing,
monsieur
, nothing but criticize, belittle, and insult me from the moment that we have met. Those reasons alone are enough for me to slap you in the head with a plate of meat!” She turned to fully face him, her green eyes flaming with rage. “You’ve never even bothered to ask my name.”

“I thought you were someone of no importance? Did you not say so yourself? I never waste time learning the names of those who have little significance,” he answered in a low voice.

“Then forgive me for wasting your precious time.”

Ellena stormed from the room with Gregor barely able to move out of the way in time. She didn’t know where she was going and she didn’t care, as lon
g as it was away from that man.

It was still snowing when she
came upon some sort of green house in the far right wing. For a moment Ellena was afraid that she had stumbled outside, but no snow covered the green trees or the vibrant colored tulips that filled the enormous corridor. She looked up to see a glass ceiling, completely covered in a layer of ice.

“
The inside gardens,” Ellena whispered. A little beaten path weaved into the green landscape covered in yellow and red flowers as bright maple and oak trees with dazzling orange leaves stood hovering above the blossom beds.

A particularly irresistible patch of green grass caught her attention and she carefully stepped past the tulips and made herself comfortable. Her cape was the perfect blanket as she laid back to watch, through the glass ceiling, as the white flakes rage. The
sky was still an obscure gray and it was hard to believe that this time yesterday she was scouring the town in search of Danielle.

Ellena
softly dozed, coming in and out of sleep as the afternoon passed. At one point she thought that she had heard soft, slow footsteps and she rolled over, but not seeing anyone she quickly fell back into a light sleep.

The gardens were cast in shadows when she finally sat up. It had also gotten much colder, a sign that it was time for Ellena to exit the darkening gardens. She was slightly surprised that Gregor had not come to retrieve her.

She fled back to warm house and continued to explore. Turning down another hallway to her left she began toward what she believed was the washroom, but was disappointed to see only another drawing room.

“
Monsieur
Gregor?” Ellena called. She desperately needed the bathroom.

“He’s busy
with other matters.”

She whipped around to see an unfriendly sight. Lord Wolfe appeared just around the corner with a
bow and arrow in his hands. He walked past, making sure to slightly brush her as he did so and continued down the hall.

“
Le toilette
,” she released with a strangled cry. “I need the toilet.”

“Well then,” he wickedly grinned. “I hope you find it.”

And then he was gone.

“That horrible man!” she spat. Her footsteps were growing frantic as she paced around the house. She opened another door to see
a small gallery, another door was a sitting room, another was an extra guest room. After the seventh door she found a library. Under other circumstances she would have been delighted to find such a treasure, but at the moment she had to attend to more pressing matters. She would return to explore it later. Finally, Gregor appeared with a pile of fluffy, white towels in his hand.

“
I hear you are looking for the washroom,” he greeted.

“Did
Monsieur
Wolfe send you?” she surprisingly asked.

“I’ve prepared a bath for you also.”

“Oh, I don’t have any clothes—”

“Don’t you worry, my dear. I believe we have a few articles of clothing you can use and
have already gotten them for you.”

“I didn’t know you had a library,” Ellena said as
the two walked along the hall.

“We have several throughout the estate.
Madame
Wolfe was a great lover of reading.”

“Lord Wolfe’s wife?”

“No, his mother. Needless to say her son did not inherit her affection for the written word. Do you like to read?”

“Very much so.”

“Then please feel free to use any library you find.
Madame
Wolfe would be happy to know that they were bringing joy to someone.”

A
regal flight of stairs appeared and Gregor lead her up the dark, wooden steps. A golden chandelier hung from the ceiling, softly glowing with hundreds of candles. As she rose higher with each step, Ellena could more clearly see it covered in golden vines and red gems. So entranced, she didn’t even notice they had reached the top of the stairs and she lifted her left foot to take another step, but only found air. She tripped and fell, barely missing Gregor.

“I’m so sorry,” she softly laughed. “Are you all right?”

“I am fine,” Gregor grinned. “But I’m not the one who fell.”

He bent
down to help her stand, both were still laughing. Ellena looked down over the banister to see cold, blue eyes watching them. Once he realized she had spotted him, the man quietly turned and disappeared down another passage.

“It’s been some time since
any laughter sounded in this place,” Gregor solemnly said. “It feels good to smile again.”

They approached the washroom and Gregor opened the door.
Antique vases and beautifully painted tables and shelves filled the room. A porcelain tub was already full and steaming. Next to it was what Ellena guessed was the toilet.

“I’ve placed your clothes there,” Gregor pointe
d to a small table. “I’ll leave these here also. Simply ring for me when you are done.”

He
slipped away, leaving her alone and Ellena’s first action was to properly lock the door. The room smelt heavenly which Ellena soon discovered was due to a white bowl full of an assortment of soaps by the tub.

She had nearly forgotten why she had so badly needed the washroom and she marched over to the
toilette
. It was clearly as old as the house. It was a lone circular basin with a long chain that hung from above her head. Once she finished Ellena grabbed the wooden handle of the chain and pulled. She was surprised, but also relieved to see that it worked.

Now she could focus on relaxing. Well, relax as much as a young woman could trapped within a strange house isolated
in a looming forest. She may not have cared for
Monsieur
Wolfe personally, but she at least knew he wasn’t going to try and hurt her, not to mention sweet, kind Gregor. She had grown quite fond of the old man.

She disrobed
and slipped into the warm water, grabbing one of the yellow bars of soap. The young woman took her time washing as she scrubbed her skin, but found that leaning against the hard metal tub seemed to send a dull pain throughout her back.

Her stomach began growling, letting her know that it was time to dress and head down for dinner. She didn’t know what time it was and Ellena suddenly realized that she had not se
en one clock in the whole house since she had arrived.

She stepped from the
water and dried herself with the white towels that Gregor had been so kind to provide, before wrapping it around her body. The clothes were right were Gregor said they’d be, gently folded by a mirror hanging on the wall. She picked the green material up and watched the fabric fall along the floor. It was a dress, a stunning satin dress with white lace and beautifully embroidered golden stitching along the neck and sleeves.

Suddenly a slightly unnerving question dawned on her. Had this dress belong to
that man’s mother? Ellena felt uncomfortable at the thought of wearing his dead mother’s clothing, but she did not want to insult Gregor. Not only that, but her old clothes were absolutely filthy. She found a brush next to the dress, guessing that Gregor had put it there she picked it up and began to comb her hair.

She was pulling
the dress over her head when she caught sight of her stomach in the mirror. A horrid purple bruise had appeared on her ribcage, already turning green. Her fingers gently touched her discolored skin and she winched.  It would take some time for that to heal. She turned around to inspect the rest of her body when she released a cry of disbelief. Her entire back was green and purple. At least it matched her dress, she mused, grateful that ugly bruising was the only result of her nasty fall.

The green fa
bric tightly clung to her body and she stared at her reflection in the mirror. It did fit her well and accented her features in the most flattering way. Her skin had always been a little on the pale side, thanks to her Irish roots, and lightly sprinkled with freckles. Ellena had always hated her freckles, but in this dress even she couldn’t deny how lovely she looked. She quickly braided her hair and let it fall to the side over her shoulder.

“You look very nice,
mademoiselle
,” he sincerely complimented when Ellena called for him. “If you don’t mind I will take your dirty clothes and have them cleaned.”

“Oh, Gregor, I will take of that. I’m sure you have enough to do.”

“No, please, allow me. Lord Wolfe is waiting for you in the dining room. Do you remember how to get there?

“I believe so,” Ellena replied, picking up her dress and taking a step onto the bare wooden floor.

“Oh, my shoes!”

But Gregor was already
gone with her boots in tow.

In all honesty, she was dreading eating another
dinner with
Monsieur
John Wolfe. She lingered in the corridors, admiring the grand chandelier and portraits. She made a note to ask Gregor about the odd pictures when she saw him again.

When her bare feet could no longer endure the cold, drafty air, Ellena
made her way to the great dining table. The grand lord was already waiting for her and impatiently swiveling his cup. He did not say anything as she took her place by the fireside and Ellena could not bring herself to look at him.

He was
watching her. Ellena could feel it. “Why are you dressed in such a manner?” he asked with only a slight tone of interest.

“Gregor brought these for me.” She still had not looked him, but Ellena did notice his empty plate. “Were you waiting for me?”

“I wait for no one,” he answered. “Don’t assume that just because you have changed clothes that I have changed my opinion of you.”

“Perhaps,” Ellena quickly replied, “tonight we could enjoy this lovely meal with as little talking as possible, since we only say things that seem to upset the other.”
She picked up her spoon and began to eat. “I do want to say one thing, though.”