The Fancy (33 page)

of these matters? How to be a Lady? How to run an

estate, to be worthy of standing next to the elite!?

Besides that, she is dark – who wil accept her, if

they wil not accept me?”

Quinton stood bewildered, saddened by the

woman who was indeed the reason he existed – and

also the reason he could find no joy in his dark world,

until he discovered light in the bottom of a ship

surrounded by stink and dead rats. He’d been in that

light until that moment when he faced the source of

al the darkness that had been his world.

“Mother, I am sad for you. Truly sad, because

al that you felt was once yours – we found it dead –

my wife and I. And within a few moments of her

stepping into this dark world you made, it has now

come back to life and it shines. You say she is not

worthy? Ask the servants if this is so, ask those in

the vil age – if this is so? One day –
one
day – and

already, they rush about heralding her name, while

cursing yours.” He paused to let that sink in, and

could see she was not happy with his words.

Quinton exhaled and changed the direction of

their discussion, informing her, “I have turned al

authority over to my wife, Lady Sarah. Anything

concerning WhistHirst, must meet with her or my

approval. That includes the hiring or firing of the staff.

You are welcome to remain here, and if you choose

to do so, you wil at al times show the utmost respect

to my wife and to her mother. If you cannot do that,

say so now, and I wil gather enough servants to see

to your care at Wil bourne House – it is sufficient in

size for you and your needs, you need only say the

word. I wil leave you to consider that. Good day to

you mother.” Quinton nodded his head, backed up

and walked out of her door.

The impromptu festival was a winning success.

It had not come together easily, but it had come

together. Repairs were being made, at the same

time fittings were being done, food stuffs sorted and

a great bonfire lit with stew pots and spits of meat

turning to assure al had something to eat to the

ful est. Of course where there is celebration there is

plenty to drink, and many of the men sang out from

their cups praises of their Lady Sarah.

Dancing around the fire, music from pipes,

fiddles and flutes with clapping hands and revelry

galore, late into the night they gloried in the better

days to come.

The next morning, Sarah slept in late because

her husband insisted, but also, the child she carried

made her feel drained and tired, al that they’d been

doing – traveling from one land to the other and on

the road, and then the night before, final y caught up

to her – she slept.

Quinton was up early seeing that al which had

started the day before, continued – he knew that

once his wife caught up on her rest, she would be

right back in the thick of things seeing what had

gotten done, so he could not slack on any of it.

Al around, people were busy.

Al , but Lady Lilith; because she had not gone

to Quinton, he natural y assumed that it was her

decision to stay on at WhistHirst and accept things

as they were. He was right; she would not walk away

from al that she considered hers, even if she must

pass the running of it to his wife.

Strol ing along the vast corridors of the

mansion, she found herself back in the wing she’d

been unceremoniously moved from, keeping her

eyes open for the servants. Final y, at Lady Sarah’s

door, she quietly opened it, peaked in and entered.

The rooms were so vast, that the immediate entry to

one found you in the sitting, breakfast room, at the

opposite end, was the door to their bedrooms,

where she slowly crept, stopping at the door, she

eased it open, peering across the room to see

Sarah lying – sleeping peaceful y. She went to enter

when a low growl alerted her not to take another

step. She looked down, she’d forgotten about the

dog.

His growl was low, his teeth were bared, his

eyes were directly on her, stepping forward – his

movement was a warning not to come any further

into that room.

Lilith sighed, and gently closed the door.

Turning she made her way to the last door, opening

it to find Sarah’s mother standing there.

“My daughter is resting, what do you need?”

Cora asked, with piercing eyes.

Taken by surprise, Lilith reminded herself to

breathe, “I only wish to speak with her, we have not

spoken yet – I feel that we should, we wil be living

here together after al – she is married to my son...”

She rattled off a bit nervous by the other woman’s

penetrating eyes, she found it difficult to match her

stare, it was as if she could see into her very soul, as

wel see al of her dark secrets.

“My daughter wil come to you, when she is

ready – stay from her rooms when she is resting.”

Cora stated simply.

“I beg your pardon? I may freely visit any rooms

I wish – let us be clear of that now.” She tried to

defend herself, but stil could not hold her head stil to

match Cora’s glare, stare for stare, she looked

everywhere, but into her eyes.

“Harm my daughter – and I wil kil you.”

That made her look, with her heart pounding,

“How – how dare you – you – you threaten me?!”

She gasped; her heart was beating so hard she

struggled for her next breath. “I know you – I read

you. You are fil ed, with wicked spirits. Her dog sees

them as wel – he and I – we are not fooled – your

spirit is open to us. You have done evil things, and

you wil do more – but not – to my daughter. Leave –

or die.”

At that point, Lilith could not look away, it was

as if she feared turning her back on the other woman

– for a moment, she struggled to find her tongue, and

when she did, “This is my home! My home! You

threaten me? Now, you shal be the one who wil

leave!” Acting immediately, she rushed away from

Cora in search of Quinton. She felt hot and sweaty al

over, her mind going back over the things she’d

done, as if checking to see if her secrets were stil

with her – stored and hidden; such as the poisoning

of the marquis’ wife – and final y, poisoning him after

he gave Quinton his inheritance – there had been

nothing for her to lose. She’d had to kil him; he was

acting suspicious of her, treating her as if she were

stil his chamber maid instead of the new Countess

of WhistHirst. She’d wanted new clothing, to be

outfitted as was her due – and taken to bal s and

presented to society so al would know her.

His nonchalance and actions were as if he

could not be bothered, unwil ing to attend such

affairs. Stating such nonsense was for the young and

foolish – and that he did not wish to hear of it again.

He was a cranky, stubborn, stingy old man who

had already lived and done those things with no

interest in doing so again – he had wanted to be left

alone – refusing to compromise and do the things

she wanted to do – as far as Lilith was concerned,

he was better off dead, which was one of the

reasons she kil ed him.

She hadn’t gone through al of that, to end up

where she was now, turning over al – to some Moor

with dreams of saving the world – not with her hard

earned means.

The only world Lilith was interested in saving,

was the one she’d made for herself – she would not

go down without a fight.

She final y located Quinton, he was in the

middle of a meeting with his brother, the new man

he’d returned with and others from the vil age, al

were gathered in his study.

Bursting in on the meeting, on the verge of

hysteria and hyperventilating, she charged through

the midst of the men right to her sons desk, “I must

speak with you, at once, immediately – I’ve been

threatened – do you hear!? I am your mother and I

demand your attention, this very second!” Her voice

was a mere octave from being shril .

Quinton was not impressed with her dramatic

entrance, nor did he believe her life was in any

danger; it was that the meeting had been concluded

with the men merely kil ing time with smal talk and

jokes that he stood finishing it for her sake.

The moment the door was closed behind them,

she stood looking from one son to the other, first

Evan and then Quinton, blurting, “She is insane and I

want her gone from here immediately!”

“Who – mother?” Quinton asked.

“That woman! Your wife’s mother! She

threatened to kil me! For no reason at al ! Having

thought over our discussion, I went to your rooms to

speak with your wife, to try and make amends, meet

her half way, welcome her here. She was sleeping; I

left her to try later.”

“Her mother was standing guard and

threatened to kil me if I didn’t stay away from her!”

Evan’s eyes narrowed and then turned to

Quinton, he didn’t believe her – his brother had no

idea how ambitious their mother had become.

“I don’t understand why she would do such a

thing?” Quinton murmured, perplexed by her words.

“She is insane! That is why! What do you know

about these people? Very little I’m beginning to fear

– no – she must go, she cannot be trusted.” She

turned to her youngest son, Evan, “Look at me, look

at my hands, I’m shaking, a trembling I cannot seem

to stop.” She rushed to him, laying her head on his

chest, “Oh Evan, it was horrible, she was cold as ice

to me.” Evan sighed, rubbed her back, but remained

silent.

Quinton stood staring, his mind locked on how

best to handle the situation.

“I think perhaps it is time we al sat down and

spoke to one another – I should not have al owed a

day to go by in bringing the family together.”

“It is far too late for that! You three against me?”

She turned her reddened face up to Evan, “Do you

hear him, can you believe this?”

“Don’t be ridiculous mother, you’re getting

carried away.”

“Carried away? My life has been threatened!

Don’t you see, it’s starting already; they are trying to

frighten me – scare me away! It would not surprise

me if they planned this from the very beginning.” She

went on, gripping Evan’s jacket panels, as if holding

on for dear life - trying to convince them that she was

in danger.

“Why mother, would they need to do such a

thing? As for Sarah, no – it is not her nature. As for

her mother, I have not spoken to her yet, to hear her

side of it – perhaps you are panicking for no

reason.”

“You’re on their side! Against your own mother!

Oh my God, I can’t even trust my own son! What

have they done to you?!”

“Calm down mother, there is no need for such

theatrics!” Evan grumbled, trying to peel her fingers

from him, she was pul ing him down and irritating him

– as it was, he didn’t believe a word of it and to show

that his statement was, “If – indeed she did threaten

you, why? What did you do mother?”

She leapt away from him as if he’d burned her.

She stood with her mouth partial y opened, looking

from one to the other as if she didn’t know either of

them, turning away, she spoke as if alone, “Oh my,

what am I to do? I’m al alone, they’re al against me

– my own sons – have turned against me. Oh my,

what ever am I to do?” She stumbled in her steps as

wel babbling as if everyone was conspiring against

her.

Evan could stand no more, turning to his

brother, “I’l leave her t’thee.” Taking his exit he did

just that.

Quinton sat leaning against his desk, watching

her go through the motions of having hurt feelings, as

if they’d somehow insulted her. He was thinking,

thinking about everything he knew about his mother,

and the misery she’d brought him. Final y he exhaled

stating, “I’l talk to Cora; if indeed she threatened

you, I’l hear why.”

“The question is – wil you believe her, over

your own mother!” Quinton stood, refusing to answer

the question and went looking for Cora. He found her