P N Elrod - Barrett 1 - Red Death

by Red Death(Lit)

  "She does 'most everything with a purpose," he growled, putting the paper aside.

  "But I don't have to go... do I?"

  Father did not answer right away. Elizabeth's hand, resting on mine, tightened.

  "Father?"

  Always decisive and in control, he hesitated, frowning at the floor. "I'll talk to her," he said.

  "Talk to... ? What does that mean?"

  His chin snapped up and I shrank inside. But his face softened and the rebuke for my insolence went unspoken. "It means that both of you need to know what's really beneath all this so you can understand and make the best of things."

  That didn't sound too terribly hopeful.

  He poured out another swallow of brandy and drained it away, then looked up at his wife's portrait. "First of all, I did marry your mother because I loved her. If her father had realized that, then our lives might have been quite different. Whether for good or for ill, I could not say, but different, perhaps.

  "All this took place in England. You know that I went to Cambridge myself. I was out and working with old Roylston when I met Judge Fonteyn and his family. He was wealthy but always looking to either increase it or raise his status in society. I did not fit his idea of an ideal son-in-law and he saw me not as I was, but as he perceived me to be. He put himself in my place and assumed that I was paying court to his daughter for his money.

  "Admittedly, the money made your mother that much more attractive to me, but it was never my real goal. We might have even eloped, but Marie persuaded him to consent to our marriage. He did so with ill grace but provided her with an allowance. He also drew up a paper for me to sign, stipulating that this allowance was hers and hers alone and I was not to touch it. I signed it readily enough. He was surprised that 1 did, and at the same time contemptuous. There was no pleasing the old devil."

  That sounded familiar, I thought.

  "The marriage took place and we were happy for a time, at least we were when there was sufficient distance between your mother and her family. Her father was a terrible tyrant, couldn't and wouldn't abide me, and it was because of him that I decided to leave England altogether. Marie went along with it, because in those days she still loved me. You both know how we came to settle here, but it was your mother's money that bought this place and it still pays for the servants and the taxes."

  "The paper you signed...," said Elizabeth, beginning to see. It was like crystal to me.

  "Means that I own none of this." He gestured, indicating the house and all the lands around it. "I have Archimedes, Jericho, and whatever I've gleaned from my practice. Now, I have made something of a living for myself, but as a rule, lawyers enjoy far more social status than they do money. When Fonteyn died, he divided his fortune between his daughters. There was quite a sum involved, but I'd promised to touch none of it and have kept to that promise. It... has never bothered me before."

  "So Mother is paying for my education," I said.

  "She always has. It was she who hired Rapelji, for example "And mine, too?" asked Elizabeth.

  Father smiled with affection and satisfaction. "No, that was my idea. It is a sad and stupid thing, but the truth is your mother didn't think it worth trying. She's always had the mistaken idea that an educated woman is socially disadvantaged."

  "And yet she herself-?" Elizabeth was swiftly sputtering her lay toward outrage.

  Father waved a cautioning hand. "I must clarify. She thinks a woman has gained sufficient knowledge if she reads and writes trough to maintain her household and be agreeable in polite company."

  Elizabeth snorted.

  "I never saw it that way, though, so I made sure that Rapelji was well compensated for the time he spent on you. Your mother was under the impression that you were learning no more than the limits she'd set: your numbers, letters, and some French."

  "And my music from Mrs. Hornby?"

  "Yes."

  "Because every girl in polite society must know how to sing and play?" It was not a question so much as a statement of contempt.

  "Yes."

  "On the other hand, being able to reason and think would place me at a severe disadvantage?"

  "In her view, yes."

  Elizabeth rose and threw her arms around him. "Then, thank you. Father!"

  He laughed at the embrace. "There now. I may not have done you any favors, girl."

  "I don't care." She loosened her grip. "But what about Jonathan going away to England?"

  His laugh settled into a sigh. "It is her money that runs this place, puts clothes on your backs, and food in your mouths, and because of that she feels entitled to choose where you are to be educated. She appears.to have entirely made up her mind, but I will talk with her. There are other reasons for you to go to Harvard than the fact that it is closer than England."

  "And if she doesn't listen?" I asked glumly.

  "That possibility exists. You may have to face it."

  "But after tonight... Mother isn't... well."

  "You need not mince your words, Jonathan. We all know she wasn't in her right mind then. Her father was the same. He'd work himself into a ferocious temper until you'd think his brain would burst, then the fit would pass and like as not he'd have forgotten what angered him, even deny he'd been angry. Whatever poisons lurked in his blood are in your mother as well."

  "And us?" Elizabeth's eyebrows were climbing.

  Father shrugged. "It's in God's hands, girl, but I've tried to raise you two with the love old Fonteyn was incapable of giving. I think it has made all the difference."

  "We're nothing like her," she said thankfully.

  He touched her chin lightly with one finger and glanced at me. "Perhaps a little, on the outside. I wish you could have known her in those days." He indicated the portrait. "Everything was so different then, but over the years the poisons began to leech out. She changed, bit by bit. She began to expect things of me that I would not provide. She wanted me to advance on to the bench, but I never had the inclination to become a judge. She became fixed on that as hard and fast as her father was fixed upon his money. I could have done as she wanted, but it would not have been what I wanted. Eventually, I could see myself turning into her own little dancing puppet. I would not have been my own man, but rather something tied to her and, in turn, tied to her dead father. In her lucid moments, she knew this, but could never hold on to it for long."

  "Is that why she moved away?" I asked.

  "In part. After you were born, she got worse. Nothing to do with you, laddie. You were as sweet a child as anyone could ask for, but her nerves were bad. She no longer loved me by then and I... well, there are few things in life so miserable as a marriage gone wrong. I hope you two will make a better job of it than I did. She had some distant cousins in Philadelphia, so off she went. I think she found some happiness there with such friends as she's gathered 'round. I know I have been happy here."

  One of the logs popped noisily. Happiness. I'd taken it for granted until now. Looking at Father, I began to see the heaviness of the burden he'd carried without complaint all these years. He hadn't told us everything, I could sense that, but I wasn't going to presume on him for more. What we'd learned tonight was sufficient. Because of it I suddenly knew I was not yet a man myself, but only a boy of seventeen and frightened.

  I slept poorly for what remained of the night and was up to watch the dawn long before it happened. The house was quiet and I imagined it to be waiting, wondering what was to happen once Mother woke from her own slumber. I dressed warmly and crept outside to the stables to saddle up two horses. Elizabeth and I had not changed our plan to spend time with Rapelji. Father knew and encouraged it. He would have his hands full dealing with Mother and her guests and preferred us out of the way.

  Roily poked his head from his box hopefully, but I passed him by for Belle and Beauty, two mares out of the same dam who shared a calm temperament as well as a smooth gait. Roily vocalized his displeasure, waking the lads who slept over the stable. One
of them came down to investigate and sleepily stayed on to help with the saddling before wandering off to the kitchen in hope of an early meal.

  I led the horses out to wait by one of the side doors, then went to fetch Elizabeth. She was just inside, pulling on her gloves. There was a sodden look about her indicating that she hadn't slept well, either. On her face, where Mother's fist had landed, was a large, evil-looking bruise. She'd made no effort to cover or disguise it.

  "We don't have to go," I said. "It's not likely that you'll be called upon to go visiting the neighbors."

  "No, but I can't bear to be in this house right now. Besides, this was not my fault." She tilted her head to indicate the damage done. "I've nothing at all to be ashamed of; people may think what they like."

  "You don't care if they know about Mother?"

  Elizabeth's face grew hard in a way that I did not like. "Not one whit."

  "But why?"

  "Why not? Sooner or later they'll start their speculations, their gossip about her. They may as well get the truth from us as make it up for themselves."

  "But it's none of their bloody business!"

  "As you say." She shrugged. "But mark me, they shall make it so, whether we like it or not. We have only to be calm and truthful and let Mother rave on as her fancy takes her. Then we shall see how many friends she has about her."

  I was quite confused by this harsh attitude, for it was an alien one in Elizabeth, then I began to see the point of it all. "You're doing this hoping that Mother will... ?"

  "A word here and there and she will be shunned by what passes for polite company in these parts. That's what she craves and lives for, the puerile attention and approval of her so-called peers. She's welcome to it, if she can find any willing to endure her company after this."

  "What if they believe her and not you? What if she repeats her-that awful accusation against us? You know adults are more likely to believe other adults."

  "But they know us here. They do not know her. And we are Father's children, raised to be honest and truthful. I think that favors us, Jonathan, so you needn't worry."

  "Damnation, I will if I want to."

  "Please yourself, then, but support me on this and there's a chance that Mother may move out, bag, baggage, and toad-eaters, and leave us all in peace."

  That silenced me.

  She handed me a leather bundle. "Here, you'd forgotten your books and papers."

  "Thank you," I said faintly, my mind busy with all sorts of things. I couldn't choose whether to approve of her plan or not, but knew that she would go through with it, regardless of my objections.

  She led the way into the yard and I helped her onto Beauty, her favorite. I swung up on Belle and we set off down the lane leading to the main road, turning into the rising sun. It gave no warmth save within the mind, but it was still a cheering sight. Rapelji lived in a fine, solid farmhouse at the eastern edge of our property. The farm was not his-that had been annexed onto our own lands-but he had a good garden plot for himself and found additional support from several other students in the area. Some of them boarded with him for part of the year and helped with the chores to pay for their tutoring.

  As early as we were, Rapelji was already up and about, a short figure in the middle of his troop of students as he led them through a peculiar series of hops and skips for their morning exercise. At a distance, you could only tell him from the boys by his flashing spectacles, which somehow stayed on no matter how vigorous his actions became. As we drew near, he had them all jumping and clapping their hands over their heads in time to shouting the multiplication table at the top of their lungs. It was great fun, and I'd done it myself at their age. He had the idea that if boys were going to make noise anyway, it might as well be for a constructive purpose.

  They got as far as four times twelve when he called a breathless halt. Some of the boys had noticed our approach and had lost the count.

  "Concentration, gentlemen," he admonished. "Concentration, discipline, and courtesy. What is required when you see a lady?" As one, but with grins and playful shoving, the boys pretended to sweep hats from their bare heads and bowed deeply to Elizabeth. She returned their salute gracefully. My turn was next and I doffed my own hat to them. Rapelji said they'd done well and clapped his hands twice. It was time to start the chores. The boys scattered like stirred-up ants. Chores first, then breakfast,

  then studies.

  "Good morning, Miss Elizabeth, Mr. Jonathan. Come in, come in. It's the girls' baking day and the first loaves are just out of the oven." He gestured us inside the house. We left the horses to the care of the boys and joined him. Along with a varying number of students, he shared the big house with his two housekeepers, Rachel and Sarah, two elderly siblings ihat he couldn't tell apart, so he called them "the girls." They weren't much for intellectual conversation, but kindly toward

  the students and doted on the teacher. Their cooking and herb lore were legendary.

  The front room was where he taught. A long table lined with many chairs took up most of the floor. The walls boasted all kinds of books, papers, some stuffed animals, and his prize, a mounted skeleton of some type of small ape. He used it to explain anatomy to us. On another shelf he kept his geological finds, including a rather large specimen of a spiral-shaped sea creature, so old that it had turned to stone. He'd dug it up himself miles inland and delighted in speculating about its origins. The thing had always fascinated me and had sparked many a talk and good-natured argument.

  Elizabeth took off her cloak and hat, hanging them on the pegs next to the door. This was a second home to us, Rapelji our eccentric uncle, but we hadn't been over together for some time, a point he commented upon.

  "Things are a bit hectic at the house," said Elizabeth. "Two of Mother's friends have come to stay with us for a while."

  "Ah, that's good. Company always helps pass the time away." Rapelji, as evident by his huge household, liked having people about him.

  "Have you ever met Mother?" I asked. He'd never before mentioned her and I was curious to have his side of the story.

  He pursed his plump lips to think. "Oh, yes, but it was years ago and only the one time when I answered her advertisement for a tutor. She interviewed me and sent me on to here. I was the only one willing to make the journey, it seemed. Your good father made the rest of the arrangements and that was that. Perhaps since she is here I should stop over and pay my respects."

  "No!" we said in unison.

  "No?" he questioned, interested by our reluctance. Then he noticed Elizabeth's face for the first time. Until now, she'd been keeping to the background. "Good heavens, child, what has happened to you?"

  Though his shock must have been in accordance with Elizabeth's hopes and plans, it was still difficult for her. She bit her lip and dropped her gaze. "We've had some problems at home," she mumbled.

  "Indeed?" Rapelji could see there was more to be learned. "Well, come sit here and rest yourself." He solicitously held a

  chair out for her. He peered closely at me, now, and noted the swollen skin that I'd seen in my shaving mirror earlier. I felt myself going red and not knowing why. As with Elizabeth, I had nothing of which to be ashamed.

  One of the girls came in to set the table-I think it was Rachel-and her sharp eyes suddenly froze onto our faces in that way old women have.

  "Goodness, children, have you been quarreling?" she asked.

  Elizabeth's hand went to her cheek and she began to blush. I kept my hands down, but nodded to the concerned woman. "Yes, ma'am, but not with each other."

  "I'll make you a nice poultice of sugar and yellow soap," Rachel promised.

  Sarah appeared next to her, squinted at us, and shook her head. "No, dear, that's for boils. What you want is some cotton dipped in molasses."

  "That's for earache," said Rachel.

  "Really? I could have sworn..."

  "Please, ladies," Elizabeth interrupted. "It's nothing to trouble over. I am in no distress. We mus
t get back to our studies."

  Dissatisfied as they obviously were and wanting to stay, Rapelji came to her support and the two ladies eventually removed themselves and their good intentions. He waited until the door to the kitchen was shut, then gently asked for an explanation.

  "Mother... felt the need to discipline us, sir," I said stiffly.

  "And your father agreed?" he asked with surprise. "To this?"

  "No, sir. He persuaded her to cease."

  Elizabeth heaved an impatient sigh, told me not to be such a diplomat, and gave Rapelji the bald truth. She did not, however, mention Mother's obscene accusation, only that she'd thrown an unreasonable fit. She went on to relate that Father had interrupted things in time and mentioned that Beldon's services as a doctor had been employed. I found myself listening with surprising interest. It seemed that Elizabeth had a talent for storytelling.