The two of them talked it over for a while longer, analysing every detail that Harriet was willing to provide.
“There’s something you’re not telling me,” Caroline said. “None of this quite makes sense.”
Harriet insisted that she’d explained it all. “I’m going to take it easy for now, and then try to get on with my essay. You know the Professor wouldn’t take a little thing like a knife attack as an excuse for not getting work done!”
Caroline reluctantly agreed to leave, having made Harriet promise to come to hall that night with her and Ben.
As the afternoon progressed, Harriet began to feel slowly better. She wasn’t in the mood for writing an essay on the causes of the English Civil War, but it was good to have something to focus on and she made surprisingly fast progress. It was one of her favourite periods of history and she enjoyed working out how random events had come together to cause something as unexpected as the execution of the king.
Between chapters, she couldn’t resist researching vampire legends on the internet. It was utterly preposterous of course, but if Tom hadn’t changed his tune the next time their paths crossed, at least she’d have some ammunition of her own to banter back with. There was nothing about the Cavaliers or any tale of vampires being recruited from promising university students. That was what she’d expected but it was surprisingly comforting to have it confirmed.
She twisted the necklace around her fingers as she always did when she was worried. The Piso Balla, Tom had called it, and the reference had certainly got a reaction from George. She wondered again if they’d both been in on the joke. Or whether there’s some truth in it after all, a traitorous part of her brain whispered.
Unable to settle back to work, she looked up ‘Piso Balla.’ She quickly established that a Balla was a type of Roman necklace and the Piso were an ancient Roman family, but couldn’t find any mention of vampires or particularly noteworthy jewellery in connection with them.
Eventually, it was time for dinner. Having got the story off her chest she didn’t want to discuss it with anyone else but reluctantly headed over to Josh’s room. Everyone else was already there and their worried expressions suggested that Caroline had told them something. They managed to skirt around the subject, but conversation was strained. All in all, Harriet was glad when dinner was over.
“Bar at nine?” Caroline suggested to the group as they headed back to their respective rooms.
“Sorry, I’ve got an essay due in tomorrow,” said Olamide.
“Drinks with the rowers,” Ben replied, with the unhappy look he gave every time he had to turn down an evening with Caroline.
Josh nodded however and Harriet felt a degree of relief. Whilst reluctant to tell him anything that had happened, she’d be grateful for the moral support.
Everyone departed for their rooms, leaving her alone with Josh. She tried to make light conversation, asking him how his rehearsals for a concert were going, but he looked at her sternly.
“What is going on with you? Something’s wrong and I don’t think you should keep us all in the dark.”
“I’m fine,” she said, trying to sound convincing.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I see you every day; I can tell when you’re in a bad way.” They were walking into their staircase now, and Josh pointed angrily towards Tom’s door. “Let me guess, it’s got something to do with him. Whenever you’re upset or distracted, it all comes back to Mr Flyte. Will you please just get a grip?”
“Alright, it’s sort of to do with Tom. If you really want to know he saved me from being attacked.” She paused for effect. “And let’s be honest, I didn’t see you helping.”
Josh looked slightly sick and Harriet worried she’d pushed him too far.
“Who attacked you?” he finally managed to ask.
“You wouldn’t know them. A socialite type from Christ Church. I’m sorry Josh but I really don’t want to talk about it.”
Josh looked as though he was about to launch a full-scale inquisition. Instead, he hugged her. “I’m sorry. About whatever exactly happened and about pushing you to tell me. I won’t ask anymore, but if you want to talk, any time of the day or night, you know where I am. In the meantime, I’ll see you in the bar at nine.”
Without another word, he went into his room. Within a moment, all Harriet could hear was him hammering out a furious Shostakovich piece on his piano. She threw herself onto her bed and considered abandoning any attempts to be social and just having a quiet night.
Just before nine however, Caroline appeared and all but dragged her to the bar. “What do you want?” she asked. “I’m buying; I think you need a drink.”
“Thanks. White wine please.” Harriet glanced around her nervously, to make sure Tom wasn’t there. To her relief there was no sign of him.
She took her drink and sat down with Caroline. After a few moments, Josh came in and joined them. He’d calmed down since his earlier outburst and though he gave Harriet a few concerned glances, he was clearly trying hard to be cheerful as he sipped his pint of Strongbow.
They sat and talked for an hour or so, and Harriet had almost managed to convince herself that this was a normal evening in the college bar and pushed the horrors of the night before to the back of her mind. Feeling more relaxed, she went to the bar to buy her round, and suddenly, there was Tom.
“So, have you calmed down enough to thank me for saving you?” he asked lightly.
“I don’t want to talk to you,” Harriet replied. She knew she should just walk away but felt rooted to the spot. “I still don’t understand what happened last night. Maybe you did save me but there was no reason for you to try to scare me with all that nonsense. So tell me, was it a pathetic joke, were you on something, or are you actually slightly insane?”
Tom seemed as conflicted as she felt, glancing around him and refusing to look her in the eye. He ordered a drink before he spoke.
“I meant every word of it, but I got carried away,” he said finally. “I got too close and I told you too much. Remember what I told you about wearing the necklace and not inviting people in, but otherwise forget it.”
Harriet studied his face. His gaze was level and open, with no sign of malice or trickery. He seemed entirely sober and calm.
“You really believe this don’t you?” she finally managed shakily. “It sounds completely crazy to me, but maybe if you try to explain it to me properly I could understand. Maybe I was too harsh last night. I guess you did save me. I can’t imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t turned up when you did.”
“Nothing much,” Tom said nonchalantly. “You’d have lost a little more blood. George would be looking a little healthier tonight. He wouldn’t have been stupid enough to kill you out there. Don’t go around thinking I saved your life. I just protected your honour I suppose.”
Harriet was shocked at his attitude. “Tom, please. I don’t understand. You were all over me on that first day, and then ever since, you’ve done your best to blank me. Last night you saved me but today you’re all dismissive again. I’ve long since given up on anything happening between us, but can’t we be civil? Can’t we be friends?”
“I don’t have human friends,” he snapped. “I have acquaintances who are useful to me and I have people who are a source of regular blood. You’re not useful, you’re downright dangerous and whilst I’d love to, I’d never dare drink from you.
“Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be. Do your best to stay away from me and I’ll continue doing my best to stay away from you. Believe me, if you ever get into trouble again, I’ll be there and I’ll keep you safe, but otherwise we should do our best to pretend we’ve never met.”
Harriet gripped the bar, trying desperately not to cry. She tried to speak but couldn’t form words through her rapidly constricting throat. Besides, she couldn’t think of an answer that would help matters. She still wasn’t sure whether he was crazy or malicious and didn’t know which would be worse.
Tom picked up his drink and strode over to the group of second years who’d been calling him. Harriet dragged herself back to her table where Caroline and Josh were deep in conversation.
“Well?” said Josh sternly.
“Basically he told me never to speak to him again,” Harriet replied, her voice devoid of all emotion.
Caroline looked aghast.
“Right, that is it,” Josh said, scowling. “I’m not having him treat you like shit. I don’t understand it. He’s perfectly nice to everybody else. I’m going to go and tell him exactly what I think of him and all his nonsense.”
“Josh don’t,” Harriet said half-heartedly. In truth she quite liked the idea of someone screaming at Tom on her behalf. Josh was on his feet looking furious, his features twisted into something scary.
“For goodness sake sit down,” Caroline said in her best stern lady of the manor tones.
Josh reluctantly complied. In all the distraction, Harriet had managed not to look back at Tom’s table and was forcing herself to sit with her back to it. Caroline however was staring straight at it and despite her attempts at normal conversation, Harriet could see her expression growing gradually more strained.
“What is it?” she whispered when she could stand it no longer. “What’s he doing?”
“Katie by the looks of it,” said Caroline angrily. “I can’t believe this.”
Turning her head slightly, Harriet saw that this was true. He was sitting, holding the glamorous fresher, who was wearing a tight green cashmere dress and looking absurdly pleased with herself. They were snuggling into each other more by the second.
“He’s doing this on purpose,” Caroline said. “She’s been pursuing him all term and he’s shown zero interest. He’s just trying to prove some idiotic point to you.”
“Well it’s certainly working,” Harriet whimpered. As she spoke, Tom and Katie moved in for a kiss. She could hear the cheers and laughs coming from Katie’s friends and decided she could take no more. Without further explanation, she stood up to leave. For a second, Tom broke off the kiss and glanced in her direction, and then she was out of the door and he was back in Katie’s embrace.
Trying to act as calmly as possible, Harriet walked into the main quad. The cool night air calmed her a little, but she still felt mortified. She just couldn’t understand Tom’s intentions, his wild mood swings. Just tonight, he’d worked so hard to make her warm to him, make her almost listen to his bizarre theories, before publicly humiliating her. She wished she’d managed to slap him before leaving the bar.
She walked round and round the college grounds, hoping that the beauty of the buildings would help to soothe her, but it was no good. She soon decided to give up and go to her room. Even though she still felt weak and tired from the events of the night before she doubted she’d be able to get to sleep, but thought it best to give it a try.
Walking into her staircase, she found several elaborate bouquets of flowers. An envelope, fastened with sealing wax stamped with a crest, had been pinned to her door. She opened it to find a handwritten letter.
Please accept my apologies for last night. I miscalculated the situation and I didn’t realise who you were. I am terribly sorry if I caused you pain, I absolutely didn’t mean to. Don’t worry; I can’t come in your room yet. However I got someone to let me in the staircase and have left the flowers as a further apology. I’d love to see you again. You’ll be perfectly safe – even if I wanted to do anything, I wouldn’t risk it considering what I now know. I’d like you to accompany me to the Cavaliers’ Winter Dinner on Friday night.
Call me.
Yours, George
A mobile number was incongruously scribbled at the bottom. Harriet read the letter several times, her heart pounding. She knew that the sensible thing would be to throw it away and do her best to never think of George again, but she wanted to know why he’d acted in the way he had, and whether it had all been a joke that had gone too far. It was becoming clear that she wasn’t going to get any sensible answers from Tom. Turning up at the Cavaliers’ party would show him she wasn’t going to be frightened by his ridiculous stories, and going as the guest of someone who was even more glamorous than he was would make it all the sweeter.
Nonetheless, Tom’s warnings played on her mind. There was no way she was going to buy his vampire nonsense, but for all their charm and beauty, there was clearly something not quite right about either him or George. Harriet decided to sleep on it and went to bed, but her mind was whirling and the cuts on her neck ached, so she lay awake for hours.
Chapter Six
“I stopped George from having his way with her a few days ago, but now he’s invited her to the Cavaliers’ Winter Dinner, and I’m worried that she’s going to accept. I’m not sure how to stop her. Would you allow me to take her myself so she can meet everyone but stay safe?”
Gripping the phone handset hard, Tom waited nervously for Adelaide’s response. The thought of George and Harriet together made him sick.
“I fail to see what the problem is Tom. You were tasked with keeping away lowlifes and those who sought to take advantage, not with stopping senior Cavaliers with impeccable pedigrees from taking my daughter as their date for prestigious events.”
“So you are in favour of this?” Tom was shocked. “But George has such a reputation. The number of girls. The violence. The endless feuds with Rupert and anyone else who disagrees with him.”
“Do you think I care about any of that? Are you so rusty on your history that you need reminding that George was a founder member? That he fought in the vampire regiment during the Civil War? That he’s extremely powerful and well respected and for what it’s worth very charming and attractive? Do you not understand that I want my daughter to be turned by the best?”
Adelaide was almost shouting now. Her anger was usually cold and calm, but Tom was quickly realising that anything relating to Harriet could make her irrationally furious.
“In that case I won’t make any opposition; I’ll just keep an eye on proceedings.”
“That’s better. You need to take a step back Thomas. You’re getting far too personal. You dislike George because he’s stronger than you are and you’ve clearly still not shaken off your absurd crush on my daughter. I’ve warned you about that before.”
“I’ve stayed away from her all term until I absolutely had to step in, I promise. If you really want to know, she’s furious with me. I don’t think you have to have any concerns on that front.”
“I’m glad to hear it, but I want to be sure. Make sure you have your own date for the Cavaliers. Ideally make it someone my daughter can’t stand and be insanely publicly passionate with her. Sometimes we just have to be cruel to be kind.”
Tom moodily muttered his ascent.
“Excellent. I look forward to the debriefing on Saturday evening. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a gallery launch to attend.”
***
The next morning, whilst still trying to decide how best to respond to George, Harriet found another letter. She recognised the writing immediately from various gift labels over the years. Harriet thought that nothing could have surprised her after the previous night’s revelations, but this was practically as shocking. Her mother never wrote.
Darling,
It’s been far too long since I’ve seen you, and I’m dying to hear all about Oxford. I’m more proud of you than you could possibly know and I can’t stop thinking about all the things you’ll have the chance to achieve. I’ve decided it’s time for me to visit you and have a little chat. I’ll meet you at Gee’s at 8 tomorrow night.
I love you so much and can’t wait to see you,
Mummy
***
The next evening, Harriet picked out a short black and white patterned silk dress and added opaque tights and black heels with ribbons that tied around her legs. The outfit showed off her sylph like figure to perfection. She asked Caroline to help her with her make-up, guardedly telling her th
e story of her mother’s disappearance as her friend carefully used smoky eyeshadow to accentuate Harriet’s bright green eyes and highlighter to show off her cheekbones. She twisted her dark hair up and secured it with a clip decorated with a filigree butterfly.
“So your mother just walked out?” her friend asked in amazement. “You talk about her as though she’s the greatest person ever. Don’t you hate her?”
Harriet found it hard to formulate a reply. It was something she’d struggled to understand herself over the years, but she could honestly say she felt no anger towards her mother. “I never felt abandoned. She left before I was old enough to really know her, so Aunt Kate was basically my real mother for all practical purposes. Mum was just this magical figure who turned up a few times a year looking beautiful and bringing gifts. People forgive their parents far worse than that. Besides, you’d understand if you met her. In fact I should introduce you some time. I think the two of you would get on.”
Just as Caroline left, still looking confused, Harriet’s phone rang.
“Harriet, it’s me, Kate. I’m just calling to see how your week’s been. Did you have a good night at the Halloween party?”
“Yes, it was quite fun,” she replied, not daring to even hint at what had been going on over the last few days. “Anyway, guess what? Mum’s coming to see me tonight.”
“Please don’t meet her alone,” Kate pleaded, sounding shocked at the news. “She just can’t be trusted.”
“She’s my mum, auntie. I’ve got to see her,” Harriet answered cautiously, not wanting to hurt the feelings of the woman who’d brought her up. She never could understand the depths of Kate’s dislike for Adelaide.
“Is the new husband coming? I want you to be careful around him Harriet,” her aunt said firmly. “I’m serious.”
“He’s hardly new auntie, they’ve been married for sixteen years. I know you’re not a fan, but he’s my step-father, not some kind of monster.”
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