by Ben Hammott
The rider directed his gaze upon the carriage it quickly gained upon.
When the horse drew closer, the rider noticed the thick velvet curtains drawn across the carriage windows to keep the cold wind and snow at bay; it gave the rider's plan an even greater chance of success. The rider steered the horse alongside the moving carriage, matched its speed, stood on the saddle and stepped from the horse to the carriage.
The horse, glad to be free of its cruel master, slowed and for a moment watched the carriage drive away. It turned its head to look at the town before turning around and heading back the way it had come.
The intruder on the carriage climbed onto the top, drew a sharp dagger from its sheath and crept toward the unsuspecting driver.
Butler, unaware that death approached, blew warm breath on his cold hands in the hope of chasing away the chill. A dog barking in the town below caused him to glance in that direction. He noticed the carriage's shadow cast on the blanket of snow and the silhouette of a figure behind him with a raised dagger in its hand. He spun around to face the hooded figure. A gust of wind blew the attacker's hood from his head. "Sebastian!"
The man smiled cruelly. "Merry Christmas, Butler." The dagger fell toward Butler's chest.
Suddenly, a dark form appeared and before Butler could blink, Sebastian was gone. He stared at the black clad figure and immediately realized who it was. "Shadow!"
Shadow raised a hand and waved, before moving toward the front and dropping into the seat beside Butler.
Totally shocked by what had just happened and so quickly, Butler stared at his unexpected travelling companion and watched as a hand reached for the black mask and pulled it off. A shake of the head released the long dark hair from its forced gathering.
"You're a woman?"
"I certainly am and a very pretty one at that," she held out a hand. "Hello, Butler. This greeting has been a long time coming."
Butler took the hand. "Hello, Shadow." He released her hand. "But what are you doing here?"
"I thought that was obvious, saving your life."
"But why and where did you come from?"
"Why is difficult to answer because I am not sure myself. Where I come from I can answer. I have been following your exploits all day and climbed aboard the top of the carriage when you left Castle Drooge. I saw the rider approaching a couple of miles back and jumped off when he got close. I ran ahead and when I saw him climb onto the carriage and his intention was to kill you, I climbed a tree, jumped off when the carriage passed beneath and knocked him off while reclaiming my space atop the carriage."
Butler caught a whiff of lilac, bringing to mind when he had smelt it last. "This is the second time you have saved my life. You killed Crakett!"
Shadow shrugged. "I'm not one for keeping score."
"I don't understand why when you were working for Sebastian, just as Crakett was."
"Crakett Murdersin was a not a good man. He had no honour and had killed many when there was no reason for him to do so." She turned her head to look at Butler. "You, though, are a good man. I've been observing you and seen the way you look after the old man and the way he treats you."
"Ebenezer's alright, it's just his way." He turned to Shadow. "What do you mean observing me?"
"When Sebastian contacted me and I accepted the job, I came to the Drooge estate to work out a plan. I spent a few days checking everything out and the people involved, including you, Ebenezer, Lurch, Sebastian and his castle."
"You were in the manor?"
"Of course, I watched you for a few days. It's what I do before every job, get to know my enemy."
"You watched me all the time you were in the manor?"
"It's okay Butler, I left the room during your Busty Maid moments."
Butler's face glowed red.
"Anyway, the result of this reconnoiter was that I kind of got to like the band of misfits that is you, Ebenezer, Lurch and even the foul breath Furtive. You are like a family who look out for each other. I like that, not having one of my own. As soon as I saw Sebastian I knew he was not a good man and one only a fool would trust. Because of these factors I decided I wanted no part in his scheme, but when I learnt of the missing inheritance you were all trying to find, I'd thought I'd hang around to see if I could persuade some of it to come my way so my time here was not a complete waste of effort."
"That's why you are here is it, to steal it?"
She shook her head. "No, you can keep it. I thought Sebastian might try something so I thought I'd tag along for a while, Lucky for you I did. Though I don't know what he had planned for the others, I doubt it would have been anything good for their health. If I was in his position with Lurch, the wolf and Furtive guarding the treasure, I would have killed you and turned the carriage around gently so as not to alert those asleep inside, headed back to the quarry and sent it over the cliff. If everyone had not been killed, they would be injured and easy to finish off. I could then collect up the treasure, set fire to the carriage to burn the bodies and forget it ever happened."
"You really think Sebastian would kill his own brother?"
"I'm certain he would, but you know him better than me, what do you think?"
Butler thought for a few moments. "Yes, I think he might if the end result was he had the inheritance."
"That's probably why he suggested you take his carriage, so everyone could fit inside. I'm sure even at that moment he was forming a plan to get his hands on it."
Though Butler found it hard to accept, he did believe Sebastian was capable of such a terrible thing. "By the way, thanks for saving my life, twice."
"You are welcome."
"It doesn't seem fair that everyone has profited by this treasure hunt except you. I'm sure Ebenezer will pay the fee you arranged with Sebastian for not going through his plan to steal his painting, which I am certain you could have done at any time."
She pushed the offer away with a wave of her hand. "No need, I don't do it for the money. I like the adventure and the excitement. The thrill of not knowing what will happen next or if I will survive the encounter. Anyway I have something better than money, I have some new friends."
Butler smiled. "How old are you?"
"Though I don't see what that's got to do with anything, I am twenty-two years young."
"How and why did you become a thief-assassin?"
"That, Butler, is a story for another day." She smiled and put her arm through his. "So, where are we going?"
"I didn't realize we were going anywhere."
"I've got nothing else to do, so I thought I'd hang around for a bit."
"Em, okay, it is Christmas."
"Exactly, a time to spend with family and friends."
"Are you talking to yourself again, Butler?" shouted Ebenezer.
"Yes, Sir."
"Well stop it, it's annoying and I'm trying to get some sleep. And try to avoid the bumps; I get a pain in my back with every jolt."
"Sorry, Sir, I'll try."
"And one more thing, Butler."
"Yes, Sir, what would that be?"
"Merry Christmas."
Butler smiled. "Merry Christmas, Sir."
After a few moments silence, Shadow asked, "Are you going to tell him what his brother tried to do?"
"No, well not yet anyway. I'm not sure how he will take it."
Butler steered the carriage onto the road that led to Havasham Hall and they sat in silence for a while.
"Do you think Sebastian is still alive?" Butler asked.
Shadow shrugged. "If he isn't that fall would not have done him much good. I'd be surprised if he didn't break his neck or if he didn't break something."
"I can still here you talking."
"Sorry, Sir, stopping now."
Sebastian slowly recovered consciousness and when he felt the pain shooting through his body he regretted doing so. Something pressed against his lips and forced something cold and disgusting into his mouth. He opened his eyes to stare into the
face of a small grinning girl sitting on his painful chest. In one hand she held a spoon and in the other a bowl of grey runny goo. He watched the girl scoop out another disgusting spoonful of the grey slop and stab it toward his mouth, narrowly missing his eye. She maneuvered the spoon down his face leaving behind a trail of sticky grey slime until she forced it between his clamped tight lips and emptied its contents. He tried to protest but found he could not speak or open his mouth. The little girl giggled sweetly at his mumbling sounds.
He had no idea where he was or who this strange child was. He suspected it might be Hell. The last thing he remembered was when he was about to kill Butler. Something slammed into him and he was flying through the air, which was followed by a very painful landing. He thought he remembered hearing a loud crack, but he couldn't be sure. He did though remember the world spinning and more pain. A stinging sensation as he rolled through something green and prickly. More pain followed by more pain, a crash of wood, more pain and then something struck his head and that was the last thing he remembered before waking up a moment ago.
A small dog barked nearby.
Sebastian tried to turn his head toward the sound but found it as immovable as his mouth and the rest of his body.
"Hello, Frisky, are you hungry?" enquired a man's voice.
The dog barked he was.
"Where's your bowl of pulverized offal?"
Sebastian stared at the bowl held by the little girl and knew exactly where it was. He watched helplessly when the spoon scooped out another helping.
"Oh, Katie, what are you doing? That's the dog's food."
Footsteps approached and the bowl was taken from the girl's hands. A man's face, which he vaguely recognized, appeared and stared at him.
Sebastian flicked his eyes frantically at the dog food laden spoon the small girl hid from her father, but the man failed to recognize the message.
"Gertrude, I think he's awake."
"About time, he's been out for three days."
A woman appeared to look at him. "Well, his eyes are open, so I suppose that means his awake. Hello, Mr. Sebastian. Blink if you can hear me."
Sebastian blinked.
"You have had a nasty accident, Mr. Sebastian," said the vaguely familiar man "I went into the back garden to put out the garbage and I found you there. You were in a right state, all shattered and broken, very similar to my fence you ruined when you smashed through it."
The woman shook her head. "You didn't look good, Sir, what with yer limbs pointing every which way. I thought yer were ready fer yer grave I did. We weren't sure whether to call the doctor or the undertaker."
The man took over. "So I dragged you indoors and went and fetched them both. The doctor, who's more of a vet really, patched you up as best he could, which really won't win any awards or nothing, but it is what it is."
For some reason the woman smiled. "The doctor…"
"…vet, dear."
"Oh, yeah, the vet said yer 'ave two broken legs, a broken arm, a dislocated shoulder, a dislocated jaw, probably a few cracked ribs―he weren't sure about that but he wrapped yer chest in bandage anyway."
"He charges extra per foot of bandage," explained the man with a wink.
"You also rolled through a patch of particularly vicious nettles― we calls 'em the devil's kiss around 'ere we do, so all yer skin that weren't covered is a right mess of sores and blisters." She looked at her husband. "Was that everything, dear?"
The husband thought for a moment. It was painful to watch. "I think so, but the vet did say yer insides might not all be in the places they're meant to be after that tumble you had."
The woman smiled at Sebastian. "What this means is you ain't gonner be able to move about much."
"Not at all, in fact," added the husband a little too cheerily for Sebastian's liking.
Sebastian tried to talk again, but only a mumble passed his lips.
"Oh, yer won't be able to talk for a while yet, Sir," the man informed him. "Yer jaws all tied up, the vet left just enough slack so we can force some food in to keep yer alive."
"But don't you worry none about that, Mr. Sebastian, we'll look after yer, won't we dear."
The man nodded enthusiastically. "It will be our pleasure. However long it takes before yer are back on your feet."
"Could be weeks, months even," said the woman with a smile.
"And no need to worry about the cost either," said the man. "I found that money tucked in yer coat, so there's plenty to pay all yer bills while yer here. Food, lodging, the vet, creams and ointments fer yer skin, all those sorts of things. I also took some to pay for my fence yer destroyed; almost new it was so it weren't cheap. I also found some broken glass in yer pocket. Thought yer might have had a bottle of something to keep out the chill. Maybe that's how come yer fell off yer horse that was found wandering about outside the village. Took a too few many sips did yer, Mr. Sebastian? I ain't judging though, so don't think I am. Anyway, I threw the glass away. Didn't want yer cutting yerself, did we dear?"
"That's right. Safety first that's what I always say. I'm just about to cook dinner so yer'll be able to eat soon. We have succulent pork, roast potatoes and vegetables, but of course yer can't 'ave any of that."
"You have gruel, Mr. Sebastian, all yer can eat until yer jaw starts working again."
"Vet said that might be months also," added the woman.
"It don't taste right nice, but there's nothink we can do about that."
The woman screwed her face up in a grimace. "That be true, the dog won't even go near it and that damn frisky thing will eat anything."
"But it has everything yer need to keep yer strong and breathing."
Sebastian felt like crying. This was worst than Hell.
"Look, Mr. Sebastian," said the man. "We are having some guests round for dinner tonight and I thought I'd better warn yer we'll be addressing you as uncle Seb, 'cause, em, yer ain't got a good reputation around these parts, but we ain't judging."
"No, we don't judge," agreed the woman. "Yer might be a right old angry miser that no one would waste their spit on if yer were on fire, but that don't mean nothing to us, dose it dear?"
"Not at all," he said firmly. "Yer could be the devil himself…"
"Which some around these parts believe you are," said the woman.
"…and we would still show him the same kindness like we are you."
"Well, I can't stand around here gossiping all day, dinner to prepare," declared the woman. A baby began crying. "Okay, Timmy, I'm coming."
"And don't worry about all your toilet workings, Mr. Sebastian. There's a hole in the seat you can let it drop through in ter a bucket and me and the wife will take turns with the liquid side of things. Just blink furiously when yer want to pee and one of us will grab a jug and aim yer toger in it."
The crying baby grew louder when the woman appeared with it in her arms. She laid the blanket she carried in the crook of Sebastian's well bandaged and splinted arm, scrunched it up and laid the baby in it, which immediately stopped crying. "I hope you don't mind Uncle Seb, but he loves it there he does, it's just the right shape to make him feel all snugly and secure." Without waiting for the answer that would never arrive, she walked away.
"Yeah, I have things to do as well, so if yer want anything, Mr. Sebastian, just blink. It might take a while for us to notice, but likely sooner or later we will." He walked off whistling a merry tune. It was the family's best Christmas ever.
The dog strolled over and sniffed one of Sebastian's legs.
The girl smiled mischievously. Pulled the spoon from around her back and plunged it toward his mouth. Unable to prevent her from doing so, Sebastian felt its foul contents slide down his throat and gagged.
The dog started rubbing itself friskily on his leg.
The baby squirmed, its face turned red and a satisfied smile followed a long wet rasping squelch. The girl quickly jumped onto his cracked ribs and leapt to the floor. "Pooh, baby stinks, ma."
Sebastian wrinkled his nose as the smell began its first wave of attack. He glanced at the baby responsible, the frisky dog latched onto his leg, his broken, bandaged body and raised his eyes in despair. They focused on the painting on the wall directly opposite, a view impossible for him to turn away from. Shock and disgust fought for a place on the man's face. Sebastian now recognized the man he had thought familiar. It was the art lover he had given the painting, the one the man had first thought was an elephant and which now assaulted his eyes.
Sebastian sobbed and inside screamed for a very long time.
REST AND RELAXATION
Though Agnes Havasham had been surprised when Ebenezer knocked on her door, she had welcomed him and his odd band of companions inside. They had spent Christmas at Havasham Hall and stayed for a few days. Mrs. Havasham had one of her staff go to Drooge Manor to collect the horses from the stable and said she would have them cared for. Ebenezer entertained Mrs. Havasham in his unique style and she loved every moment. She said it was the best Christmas she had ever had. Though at first Butler, as a guest, found it strange and a little uncomfortable to be waited on by the staff, including Havasham's butler, he soon began to enjoy it. When it was time for them to leave a few days later, Mrs. Havasham was sorry to see them leave and invited them all to come back next Christmas or whenever they liked. No one was sure if the invitation included Furtive, except for Furtive of course, but as they didn't plan on returning any time soon it wasn't really a problem.
Butler found an ideal house for Ebenezer in Devon. It overlooked the sea, had a nice garden and enough room for him and Lurch to live as well as guests. It also had a separate annex for the two staff Butler had arranged to take care of Ebenezer, a butler and a nurse. Though Ebenezer wasn't keen on the idea, he accepted it was necessary as Butler was insistent on leaving.