In many of her night terrors, Eveline found herself looking down at the men, the light of the street lamps adding to their aura of fear and intimidation. How was it that the neighbours and those who walked by didn’t find their presence alarming? Why was it that Mary didn’t care?
“Why don’t we have our own little ball soon?” Eveline replied kindly to Belle, whose eyes enlarged with promise.
“Oh yes!” she smiled clapping her hands together, “that would be lovely.”
“Then we shall indeed have our own ball in honour of you,” Eveline announced looking to her grandmother for permission. Estelle nodded her head lightly and put down her morning paper.
“Well that shall be divine!” she announced getting up. “I am off to see Mary, what shall you be doing today dear?”
“Oh not much really,” groaned Eveline, “I was going to take Belle for a walk around the park, but it seems futile when we are being watched so.”
“Why don’t you try Henriette Park? It’s not too far away?” Estelle said bending down to kiss Belle’s head turning her eyes to Eveline, catching her look of anxiety.
“I will ask Galean, if he thinks it alright, then maybe we should,” Eveline said letting her index finger circle the rim of her tea cup in thought.
“Good, he’s a good man however wild he may look,” Estelle smiled gently, she had grown accustomed to Galean and had noticed how her granddaughter had too grown accustomed to him too, despite her affections towards Theodore, who was madly devoted to her, in fact Estelle would go as far as saying that he was infatuated, a disturbing thought.
“Yes he is but I miss Theodore so,” whispered Eveline, her eyes on the saucer.
“Yes I think you do, love consumes the air and when it withdraws it leaves you bereft,” Estelle smiled, she had witnessed many such love unions, and most of them ended up in disaster. Eveline had always been a logical and well-rounded woman, it was strange to watch her granddaughter struggle so. Worse yet, she was engaged to another man entirely. Estelle found it hard to see happiness in the near future for Eveline, heartbreak lay ahead for she could not have all three.
“Oh no it is just he is such a good friend,” Eveline replied quickly, blushing slightly.
“Off course as is Galean and William,” Estelle murmured. Eveline let her head fall into her hands. Estelle walked to the doorway and turned to her granddaughter, this was a problem she could not fix. As if on cue, Galean entered the parlour bumping into Estelle and asking for forgiveness. “No need to apologise your just on time, I was telling Eveline that she should bring Belle to Henrietta Park, what do you think?”
Galean stopped and set down his packages, looking across at Eveline, her head in her hands pathetically. Frowning he looked back at Estelle who shrugged innocently.
“If you wish? But it is snowing outside,” Galean answered setting his packages down beside Belle and taking her up into his arms, kissing her cheek. “Morning angel.”
“Morning angel,” smiled Belle kissing him on the forehead. “Please can we go out in the snow? I love playing in the snow.”
“Well if you wrap up warmly I don’t see why not?” laughed Galean, his eyes still on the solemn Eveline. Estelle had left the parlour and Galean walked to Eveline’s side sitting down to her left, Belle still in his arms. “Well what do you think?” he asked Eveline quietly.
“If you think it is safe,” Eveline replied quietly, turning her eyes to him shyly. Galean looked at her pale face with worry, was she ill? Her golden iris seemed somewhat dimmed and she seemed far away.
“I do, a walk will do us some good, and did your grandmother tell you about the ball?”
“Yes, she is going to find me a dress to wear, but I think I will only stay for a short while.”
“Are you feeling alright?” Galean quizzed Eveline softly not wanting to distress her.
“I am just a little tired that’s all,” she replied quietly lifting her head up from her hands and smiling weakly at Galean.
“I suppose that is to be expected,” Galean frowned at the pale Eveline but agreed it was best to let her be. “We’ll let us leave in an hour?”
“Yes alright,” Eveline replied kindly, “I think I may go and lie down in the morning room if that is okay?”
“Off course, I will take Belle with me down to Hannah, I think she is going to be making some Christmas puddings for the church fair,” Galean smiled, looking down at Belle, whose rosy cheeks drew wide as she smiled. Getting up again, Galean walked around the table taking one last look at Eveline before leaving with a happy Belle.
Eveline waited several minutes before getting up slowly, the room spinning slightly. Carefully she made her way towards the morning room. As she passed the staircase she found Mary standing at the top, dressed in her nightgown and staring down at Eveline, her face still and passive.
“Good morning,” Eveline smiled up at Mary. Mary stood perfectly still, her mouth closed. Eveline wondered if she was alright but just before she was about to ask Mary’s eyes enlarged rapidly and she lifted her left index finger and pointed down at Eveline, who now felt afraid. Mary wasn’t herself, she seemed different thought Eveline, who now took a step back.
“Death,” Mary announced, her voice reverberating around the reception hall. The light that flowed in through the Georgian glass windows, seemed to dim as Mary spoke, re iterating the word danger. The chandelier above her head began to vibrate as the air grew cold.
“Death!” Mary began to scream violently. Eveline froze, what was happening? What should she do?
“Mary? Are you alright?” she cried up to the forlorn and death like Mary, who had now let her hand fall down to her side roughly, her mouth shutting firmly. Without answering Mary turned and was gone, the air growing warmer and the light brighter. Eveline fell to the floor, losing breathe in her body. Sitting slumped over, she cried silently willing herself to calm down. What was happening to her? Was she going mad? It felt like she was going mad and the world around her had changed, everything felt dark, she felt dark. Eveline’s sobs filled the hall as she tried to find her feet, her body refusing to move. Salted tears fell onto Eveline’s ivory blouse, soaking the fine yellow flowers that fell about her collar. Eveline felt alone, tired and unwell as she held a hand to her heart, feeling it thud gently beneath her chest. Pain, exhaustion and melancholy filled her, she needed Theodore, and she needed someone to take her to safety. Locks of Eveline’s auburn hair fell away from her pins and fell about her face, touching the black and white tiles softly. Gasping for air, her vision blurred slightly, but through the strands of hair she noticed someone approaching. Looking up, her face wet and pale she met a pair of blue eyes, alarmed and anxious.
“Eveline,” Galean cried falling to his knees in front of her placing his hands on either arm. “What happened?”
“Mary,” Eveline stammered, gulping back tears, feeling a sudden vulnerability cover her.
“What did she do?” Galean asked gently bringing her into his arms and settling her head against his shoulder tenderly, wiping away wet strands of hair.
“She was strange, she pointed at me and screamed death,” Eveline cried quietly, thinking that Galean would deem her mad just as she felt.
“Where is she now?” Galean asked concerned, no note of judgement in his voice.
“She went back to her room,” Eveline mumbled, her hands folded in his lap.
“Come I will bring you to the morning room, you can rest there in safety,” Galean assured her, standing up and taking her into his arms. The morning room was next to the music room, and as Galean entered he looked down into Eveline’s face, her eyes were closed and her cheeks painted with tears. He wanted so badly to wipe away those tears, he wanted to save her from all the danger that hunted her every footstep, but he couldn’t, and he wouldn’t. Eveline was not his, she belonged to another; her heart was not his and why should it be. Carefully he lowered Eveline onto the settee, settling a cushion beneath her head.
“Am I mad?” Eveline whispered, her sobs dying away as Galean took off her shoes and placed them beneath the settee.
“Why do you think that?” Galean whispered looking around for a rug. The bright, yellow morning room was beautiful Galean observed as he looked behind a golden chair finding a blue blanket tucked under it.
“I feel it,” Eveline replied quietly opening her dimmed, golden eyes and searching for Galean, who was coming back to her with the tortoise blue blanket. Galean opened the blanket carefully and quietly laid it upon Eveline’s frail body.
“Do you trust me?” Galean whispered, feeling Eveline’s forehead with the back of his hand. She was freezing and beads of sweat dotted her pale forehead. Galean’s eyes fell into her own and she smiled weakly.
“I do,” she whispered gently.
“Then believe me when I say, you are not mad, admittedly strange things are happening, but in time you will understand.”
“I miss him,” Eveline wept, embarrassed by her weakness, never had she felt so pathetic, so unlike herself, she was a far cry from her usual strong, opinionated and independent state. And yet as she looked up into Galean’s strong face, she found refuge, yes she wanted to be looking up into the face of Theodore, but he wasn’t here.
“He will be back soon I promise,” Galean replied tenderly, hoping that his smile shielded the pain he felt at her admission. Those eyes, he observed, those where the eyes of the woman he had dreamt off, long before he had met his wife, yes he thought it strange, dreaming about a woman he had never met, and now here he was with her, she was real and he knew she was meant for him not Theodore. But a deep conflict stirred within him, was he betraying the love he had for his wife? No he thought, no he loved her as he loved the sun, she was like no other. But why, why did he feel so drawn to the young woman before him, who had no feelings of love toward him at all.
“He will,” Eveline murmured closing her eyes tightly and drifting off to sleep.
“Yes.” Galean whispered painfully taking her hand into his own and stroking her fingers gently as she slept with a frown upon her face.
*
Belle watched as Hannah stirred the Christmas pudding mixture in a large bowl, eating her sandwich. Galean sat at the table with a large box of Christmas decorations, pulling them out of their tissue and setting them to the side.
“Hannah, does Mary order a tree? Or should I go and fetch one?” he asked quietly.
“Before the war Mary ordered a tree, this year she hasn’t,” Hannah replied pouring in a glass of brand to the mixture. “It’s hard celebrating at a time like this.”
“Understandably so, but too simply dismiss Christmas would be a shame don’t you think? For those of us at home, waiting. Christmas is a time in which we can come together, a time to pray and a time to give,” Galean replied looking over at Hannah.
“Well I suppose your right, my son loved Christmas, mind you he only got a fair few presents,” laughed Hannah remembering George’s last Christmas in which he attempted to knit her a scarf.
“Exactly, so I think I should go and fetch and tree with Belle, what do you think Belle?” Galean asked warmly watching Belle’s eyes fill up with happiness at the prospect.
“Oh can we? I love Christmas trees! Can we bring Eveline?”
“I think she is resting, but if you go up to the morning room and see if she is awake, then yes you may ask her,” Galean replied stuffing some tissue back into the cardboard box and blowing off the dust from a glass ornament in the shape of a star. Belle put down her sandwich and made for the stairs.
“I will wrap Eveline a sandwich if she decides to join you, poor girl she has hardly eaten in the last two days,” Hannah frowned setting down her bowl and making her way to the bread bin.
“I suppose she is exhausted, it’s been a long week,” Galean replied as he colour co-ordinated the ornaments.
“I hope she will feel better before Christmas Eve,” Hannah went on as she made up a cheese and ham sandwich for Eveline.
“I’m sure she will,” Galean replied hopefully.
“Her grandmother loves to have a small party on Christmas Eve, only a dozen or so friends mind you, but it would be nice for Eveline to join her.”
“I think some rest will put her to rights,” Galean sighed finished with his work. Getting up from the table, Galean made his way to Hannah and stood with his back to the bench looking down at the sandwich. “Hannah I was thinking, Belle is awfully disappointed she cannot go to the fundraising ball tomorrow evening, so I thought, what with us getting the house ready for Christmas, we could hold her a little party this evening, nothing much just a few songs and some cake, would you be able to put something together?”
“Off course I will, poor child needs a good cheering up at this time of year away from her parents at Christmas,” Hannah frowned wrapping the sandwich in paper.
“Well I would like it be a surprise, but if you could bring come cake and milk up to the music room at supper that would be great, and maybe light some candles.” Galean ordered kindly his eyes moving to the stairs were he watched two shadows descend.
“Off course,” Hannah winked before turning back to the kettle. Galean stood, relaxed against the bench as Belle strode into the kitchen clutching at Eveline’s hand. Both were in their coats, scarfs, hats and gloves. Eveline blushed slightly as she found his eyes.
“Are you feeling a little better?” he asked gently turning to procure the sandwich.
“Yes much better thank you, it seems a good sleep was what I needed,” Eveline replied, her face less pale than before and eyes a little sharper.
“Well Hannah has made you a lovely sandwich for the walk,” beamed Galean handing over the wrapped sandwich. “I’ll just fetch my things and be right down in a minute.”
“Would you like a drink?” Hannah asked Eveline, her hands in the bowl of mixture.
“Oh no it is alright Hannah, thank you for the sandwich I am starving,” gushed Eveline unwrapping the bread. As promised Galean returned promptly to the kitchen, coat, scarf and gloves on.
“Right, shall we?” he asked, opening the kitchen door and letting Belle loose upon the snow. Eveline nodded as she made her way past him, keeping her eyes on Belle. Galean winked at Hannah before closing the door behind him and joining Belle and Eveline, who were now jumping about in the snow. “Mind you don’t tire yourself out Eveline,” he announced loudly, putting on his hat and making for the gate, opening it and looking out to his left and right making sure the coast was clear.
“Safe?” Eveline smiled standing beside him.
“Yes, are you sure you will be okay?” Galean asked kindly holding out his arm for her.
“I told you, I feel much better, anyway..,” she curled her arm about his, laying her gloved hand on his wrist, “I’ve forgotten its Christmas, let’s put our woes to the side for a few hours and indulge Belle.”
“I’m more than happy to oblige, but you will tell me if you feel faint?”
“Off course, now were is Belle?” she asked turning behind her to find Belle, who was running up to the pair holding a ball of snow in her right hand aiming it at Galean. “You better watch out.”
“You stay right here, I’ll be back for your arm in two moments,” Galean laughed dropping her arm and bending down to scoop up a tiny ball of snow. Eveline watched as Belle and Galean threw balls of snow at one another, chasing each other around the garden. Eveline found herself smiling, she agreed that her sleep had done her wonders, yes she still felt weak and bit poorly, but watching Belle and Galean enjoying the spirit of Christmas helped her to relax. It was incredible, Eveline had spent so much time over the last week and a half worrying that she had completely forgotten about Christmas, her favourite time of the year. The war had tarnished the festive season slightly and rightly so, many men had died and so it was a time for a family to remember and with that followed a spell of raw grief that she understood.
“Ah! Put me down!” squealed Belle hang
ing over Galean’s shoulders as he made his way to Eveline a huge grin on his face, his cheeks and nose red with the cold.
“Not until you forfeit!” laughed Galean, taking Eveline’s arm into his own and guiding them down the backstreet.
“Okay I for-fit,” squealed Belle, now relaxing her tiny body, her little red shoes dancing about in the air. Galean gently pulled her over his shoulder and set her down letting her skip along in the snow merrily as he and Eveline followed. The walk to the town centre went by happily, Eveline made sure that Belle held on to Galean’s hand as they made their way onto Union Street. The sky was dotted with pink clouds and the sun began to set as Eveline, Galean and Belle dipped in and out of shops. All three of the trio stopped outside Hardy’s sweet shop and simultaneously licked their lips.
“Oh can we go in?” begged Belle dancing on her tip toes, her eyes roaming the window display. Eveline looked at Galean who looked back with a knowing stare.
“I don’t see why not?” he smiled leading them through the door. Belle gasped quietly as she took in the jars and jars of sweets, neatly stacked in shelves. Quickly she let go of Galean’s hand and darted about the shop gazing up into the jars sighing loudly. Eveline, her arm still in Galean’s followed him around fascinated by the different types and varieties of sweets on sale. The shop itself was beautifully decorated considering it was war time and money was short. Christmas bunting hung from the ceiling and tiny decorations dangled from their ends. Behind the counter sat an old lady, wrapped up in a cardigan drinking a cup of tea.
“Good afternoon.” She smiled politely at the couple.
“Afternoon,” they replied in unison much to the ladies delight. Deidre knew a couple in love when she saw one and this couple she thought, would see many Christmas’s together. Sitting back on her high chair, warm and content, Deidre’s eyes followed the trio, what a lovely little family and what strange eyes the wife had she realised. As if reading her thoughts, the young wife and mother turned to Deidre shyly and smiled. Odd, thought Deidre, but then she had seen many oddities in her eighty six years of life. In fact Deidre loved strange things, her poor late husband not long in the ground was deemed odd by many a person in Bath, and surely enough he was, he was not unalike the young wife in her shop. Richard had a green eye and a blue, considered odd by many but they in turn were often fascinated by such an oddity. Richard was not only endowed with physical oddness, but he was odd of character. He loved Jane Austen, which was slightly strange for a man and in turn he liked to dress as a Georgian buck, which was fine to Deidre as she too loved Jane Austen, but many tourists giggled or frowned when they met him, but not Deidre, she loved every odd part of her husband.
One Crown & Two Thrones: The Guardians Page 18