by Amy Cross
“Thank you,” Kate said. “I promise, I won't tell Edgar you helped me.”
“Oh, he'll work that out in the morning when he finds we're both gone. I mean, who else could it have been?”
“Both?” Kate paused. “Madeleine, I'm going to the mainland.”
“I know. I heard all about it on the grapevine.”
“You're weak,” she continued. “You need to rest.”
“No, I need to get out of that bed before I go stir crazy,” Madeleine replied. “Seriously, I fully understand why Benjamin's doting over me like this, but it's driving me out of my mind. All he talks about is how I need to rest, and how I should take it easy, and how I mustn't rush anything. I mean, it's like he thinks I'm going to fall over next time there's a stiff breeze!”
“You can't see!” Kate pointed out.
“A technicality.”
“No. You can't come. I appreciate the offer, Madeleine, but you're in no fit state to leave the house, let alone leave the island. Thank you for the offer, but this time I can't accept.”
Turning to go, she suddenly felt Madeleine's hand on her arm, holding her back.
“And where exactly are you going, Kate?”
“I told you. I'm going into town to find Jennifer, and then we'll get a boat, and then -”
“Yeah, yeah, you'll go to Raven's Briar and rescue the little girl and so on, all that stuff that Edgar thinks you can't possibly do. Sounds like a lovely little adventure, the kind of thing you read about in picture books when you're young. Tell me though, genius, once you get to Parios, how the hell are you going to find Raven's Briar? There sure won't be any signposts, and I doubt it's on any map.”
“Then we'll ask around.”
“That won't get you very far.”
“Someone has to know!”
“Yeah,” Madeleine replied, tapping the side of her head. “Me. I know.”
“Then tell me.”
“What would be the fun in that? If you want my help, you have to take me with you.”
“Madeleine -”
“And how are you going to deal with the delightful Ms. Eversham?”
“I don't know, we -”
“She'll cut you down and eat the meat right off your bones.”
Kate paused.
“That's not even an exaggeration,” Madeleine continued. “I've heard plenty of stories about her.”
“We'll find a way,” Kate replied, not sounding particularly convincing.
“I won't be a liability,” Madeleine said firmly, “and I won't slow you down. Think about it. Me, like this, weakened and blind, is still more useful than any human at the height of her abilities. Your species is weak and pathetic, and this kind of chutzpah, admirable though it might be, can only get you so far before you end up dead. No offense intended, obviously.”
“Madeleine, I can't accept. You're too sick to come!”
“Fine. Then good luck desperately roaming the mainland, looking for a needle in a haystack. There's a reason Raven's Briar has lasted this long, Kate. The place is pretty well-hidden to human eyes, and pretty well-guarded in case anyone gets close. You need someone who can sniff it out, or you'll end up wondering the countryside for months without a hope in hell. You also need someone who knows how to deal with certain obstacles that will be put in your way.”
“Madeleine -”
“I'm on your side,” she added. “Believe me, after everything that's happened, I feel like that little girl should be with her mother. Besides, I'm going to lose even more of my sanity if I have to spend another day in this place, listening to Benjamin and Edgar fussing over me. They're treating me like I'm some kind of delicate flower.” She took a step toward Kate. “I'm not a delicate flower.”
“I never suggested you were,” Kate replied, swallowing hard.
***
With cries still ringing out across the town, Estella reached the door to her father's house and reached for the handle. There was a part of her that wished she'd stayed, that would have liked to have forced her way into Emma's bedroom and seen the damage for herself. It wasn't that she wanted to kill the woman; far from it, she simply wanted to punish her, to make her feel physical pain that would take some of the smugness from her eyes.
Suddenly, she heard someone clapping nearby.
“Well done,” Joshua Wood said with a broad grin on his face. “Very, very well done, Ms. Graves. I saw the whole thing, and I've gotta say, you're a force to be reckoned with. Everyone on this island should be very afraid of you.”
“I don't know what you're talking about,” she replied.
“Oh, I think you do.” He stopped clapping and took a step closer. “Very impressive. I definitely wouldn't want to get on your wrong side.”
“You're surprisingly close now,” she said firmly.
“It didn't get you what you want, though, did it?” he asked, conspicuously glancing down at her waist as if he was checking her out. “Not really. You're still just a barmaid working in a crumby little cantina on a dusty little island, far from anywhere interesting. How many lovers have you lost now, Estella? Two, by my reckoning. Are you just gonna spend the rest of your life pulling off little magic tricks like this?”
“What exactly would you suggest?” she replied.
“I know someone who can help you,” he continued. “Someone who has already taken a deep interest in your development, and who very much thinks that your needs could be aligned with his. He can help you, you can help him, and everyone comes out a winner.”
“If you're talking about that horrible Quill man -”
“How do you know he's horrible?” Joshua asked. “Because Edgar told you so? Because the Le Compte propaganda machine swung into action and brainwashed you?”
“I've seen his actions for myself,” she replied.
“He's done some dark things,” Joshua admitted, “but he's not a psychopath. Quill's a man who wants revenge, and I'm sure you know how that feels. He burns with anger at the injustice he's witnessed, and he truly believes that his victims deserve their fates. Now, he's not exactly human, I'll grant you that, but he's not averse to a fair trade and he always keeps his word. If you give him what he wants, he'll give you something in return.”
“I don't want anything from him.”
“Not even knowledge?” He paused. “He's already told me a few juicy little secrets about Edgar and Kate.”
“Such as?”
“Not my place to share.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
“He told me to come and tempt you. He told me to start luring you out to see him. He knows things, you see, about Edgar and Kate, and about how things are gonna end up between them. Let's just say that there's gonna be a few ups and downs before it's all over, and not just in the bedroom department.”
“You're sick,” Estella replied.
He smiled.
“You're a foul, disgusting man,” she continued, “and I'm not remotely surprised that you've chosen to ally yourself with that horrific creature so easily. I for one would never stoop so low.”
“But if Edgar -”
“Edgar Le Compte is a good man!” she snapped, before she could stop herself. “He's far better than anyone else on this foul island.”
“Dumped you pretty fast, though.”
“That was because -” She paused, as she realized she had no easy answer.
“Because of Kate Langley?”
“She turned his head,” she replied, trying to stay calm. “He made a mistake.”
“So the question is, would you give him a second chance?”
“I...” Her voice trailed off.
“Quill wants to make a deal,” Joshua told her. “He's willing to compromise, if you are.”
“He wants Edgar dead,” she pointed out.
“Like I said, he's willing to compromise. He doesn't just want your help, Estella. He needs it.”
“He won't get it.”
“Just think about it,�
� he continued. “That's all I'm saying. He wants to talk to you, but he's a proud man. You're going to have to go to him, not the other way around. He's close, so if you decide you're willing to at least hear him out, let me know and I'll take you to him. There's no commitment, no obligation, he just wants to tell you what he has in mind.” Taking a step back, he smiled. “If you ever get to the stage where that sounds like a good deal, you know where to find me. I promise you, good things could happen.”
As Joshua walked away, Estella paused for a moment. She had to admit that there was a part of her that was curious, that thought maybe she should at least listen to Quill. As Joshua got further along the dark street, she realized she had to make a decision, but although she opened her mouth to call out to him, she finally held back and let him go. Heading into the house, she told herself that she'd made the right choice. Aligning herself with Quill, she knew, would be a step too far.
There were other, better ways to get Edgar back.
***
“We'll go tonight,” Kate replied, as she followed Jennifer across the store's darkened main room. “There's no point waiting, plus I really don't want to just sit around and give Edgar a chance to find out that we're disobeying him. Lately his mood has been... Well, let's just say that he doesn't seem open to reason.”
“And you're sure you know where we can find her?” Jennifer asked, already stuffing some cash and supplies into a bag. “I've been trying to find a clue, but so far there's been nothing.”
“I'm sure,” Madeleine said firmly, standing in the doorway. “You don't seriously doubt me, do you? I'm a Le Compte, and Edgar doesn't have a monopoly on the family's general coolness. Come on. Let's go.”
Reaching under the counter, Jennifer pulled out the old pistol she'd acquired a while ago to keep herself safe. “Do you think we might need this?” she asked.
“Definitely,” Madeleine replied.
“So bullets work on...” She paused. “Well, on whatever we might find at the orphanage?”
“Probably not, but there's something kinda sexy about a girl with a gun, don't you think? Can't hurt to bring it along.”
“Can she see anything through that bandage?” Jennifer whispered, turning to Kate.
“No,” Madeleine said, before Kate could reply, “but I can hear pretty damn well. Like a bat.” She smiled. “I heard the click of the gun as you picked it up, and the gentle thud as you dropped it into your bag, so I took an educated guess. Even with one sense temporarily out of action, I'm far from helpless.” She paused for a moment. “If you doubt that, then why don't you come at me and see how it goes?”
Kate and Jennifer both stared at her.
“Thought not,” she added with a grin.
“I know where we can get a boat,” Jennifer continued, heading to the door. “Everything else we can figure out on the way.” She stopped suddenly as she got closer to Madeleine, and for a moment she seemed a little more cautious. “Are you sure you -”
“Yes,” Madeleine said firmly, “I'm sure. Now come on, this'll be fun. The three of us, heading out on an adventure, ignoring the orders of my brother. I for one find it very amusing to think of him stamping his little feet in the morning when he realizes what we've done. I bet you he throws all his toys out of his pram.”
“This isn't a joke,” Jennifer reminded her. “We're going to the mainland for one reason and one reason only, and that's to save my daughter.”
“And we will save the little brat,” Madeleine replied. “Relax, I know how to find Raven's Briar.”
“And do you know what to do when we get there?” Kate asked. “Nixon said the place is dangerous.”
“We'll size the situation up and figure something out,” Madeleine explained, turning and heading out into the courtyard. “A healthy dose of careful planning mixed with spontaneity, that's what we need. Fortunately, you guys have got me to help you, which is a relief 'cause frankly you'd be dead by morning otherwise. Someone'd shove those crutches in a very painful place.”
“Are you sure we should let her come?” Jennifer asked, turning to Kate.
Kate paused for a moment. “To be honest, I don't think we have a choice.”
***
“Let me through!” Doctor Lassiter shouted, hurrying into Emma's bedroom but stopping as soon as he saw the bloodied, screaming figure on the bed.
“What happened to her?” Maria Lowndes sobbed, turning to him. “What could have caused this?”
***
“We should reach the mainland pretty damn fast,” Jennifer explained as she powered up the ferry's Evinrude outboard motor. “No rowing required.”
“Does the owner know we're taking this?” Kate asked.
“Sure,” Jennifer replied, with a hint of doubt in her eyes. “I mean, he will, in the morning, once he gets the note I left in his workshop. Besides, he's got another one, and I'm sure he'll understand when I explain the whole thing to him. He owes me a few favors.”
“Less nattering,” Madeleine told them, as she joined them onboard, “and more motoring. I think you're under-estimating how uncomfortable things could get if we haven't left by the time Edgar notices we're gone.” She sniffed the air for a moment. “I think there's a storm in the distance, maybe on the mainland. We should try not to get caught up in it while we're still at sea.”
“It's hard to believe we've made it this far,” Kate replied, turning and looking up at the dark mansion on top of the hill. “I'd have thought Edgar would have sensed that we're up to something by now.”
“My brother's thinking about Quillian all the time,” Madeleine explained. “He can barely even recognize anything or anyone else, it's consuming him completely. He'll notice in the morning, and I wouldn't like to be in Nixon's shoes when he does, or Jacob's, but...” She paused for a moment. “Well, we can deal with Edgar when we get back. If we get back. This is going to be a dangerous trip, and there's always a chance that one or all of us -” She paused for a moment. “Well, let's be realistic. I'm a vampire, which means I can survive most things. You two, on the other hand, are only human. Bits of you might come off rather easily.”
“We'll be just fine,” Kate muttered, wincing as she felt a sharp pain in her damaged ankles.
“Look at you,” Madeleine said with a laugh. “You're in agony, Kate, but you won't admit it.”
“I'm not in agony.”
“Liar.”
Kate sighed. “It hurts a little, but I can manage.”
“You're stubborn too,” Madeleine continued. “You won't listen to reason, you've set your course and nothing can make you rethink what you're doing.” She paused, watching Kate carefully and finally allowing a faint smile to cross her lips. “You remind me of someone.”
“And who's that?”
“Oh, it doesn't really matter.” Glancing up at the dark mansion, she thought of Edgar's inevitable anger in a few hours' time, when he discovered that they were gone. “It's kinda funny, really.”
“We have to come up with a plan,” Jennifer told them, as she counted the bullets she'd managed to find earlier in the store's back room. “We can't just go blazing into this place and expect them to fold easily. We need to work something out, and we need to try to find out what we're up against. All we know so far is that there's an orphanage and it's run by some crazy woman with a big scar on her face.”
“We'll be fine,” Madeleine told her. “Come on, just try to relax. For God's sake, look at us. A terrified single mother, a cripple, and a blind vampire. I mean, hell, what could go wrong?”
***
“You called, M'am?”
Standing in the doorway, Constant watched for a moment as Ms. Eversham wrote at her desk. He knew from bitter experience and several whippings that he should never, ever interrupt her when she was working. At the same time, he'd heard the bell ringing a moment ago, while he'd been scrubbing bones down in the basement, so he knew she wanted something. All he could do was wait for her to acknowledge him, and he was sure
she'd do that eventually, at a convenient moment.
Finally, after setting her pen down, she turned to him just as a flash of lightning lit the room, casting a burst of light across her smiling, scarred face.
“Something,” she said calmly, “is headed this way.”
“You mean the storm, M'am?”
She shook her head.
“Then what?”
“I'm not quite certain, but Quillian warned me that our latest acquisition might attract attention. I think we might shortly receive some visitors. There's just something in the air tonight, something that seems to be warning me.”
“Visitors?” He paused. “I didn't think we allowed visitors, M'am?”
“We don't,” she said firmly. “Not unless they've made a prior arrangement, anyway. I'm sure you remember what happened to the last people who came to Raven's Briar and tried to get past the main gate without permission?”
He smiled. “That was a good meal, that was. I was picking bits from between my teeth for days.”
“Bring the Kazakos girl to me,” she replied. “And tell the other girls that there might be fresh meat for dinner soon. Very fresh meat.”
As Constant turned and headed back to the wards, Ms. Eversham looked down at the letter she had been writing. She read over the words, smiling a little as she imagined the impact the letter would have when it reached its target. In quiet moments, once the girls were settled in bed and the day's work was done, she always found herself thinking about the past, and in particular about poor Gareth. Folding the letter, she slipped it into an envelope and then wrote an address on the front, before kissing the paper gently. Finally, hearing footsteps approaching the door, she turned and saw the silhouette of a little girl in the corridor outside, as if she was scared to enter.
“Hello, Anna,” she said with a smile.