I searched for Naza outside of Westwind and all along the great lawns. I ventured through a small portion of the woods but something kept telling me that she was in the house, with him.
I grew angry. He could try to do whatever he wanted to me, but if he hurt Naza, he would be sorry. Anger, hot and quick, flared up within me as I turned and raced towards the house. Gathering my skirts, I raced up the staircase to the door to the tower room and found it unlocked. I quickly but quietly went up those stairs. As I approached the landing I heard chuckling, then the sounds of a dog at play. It was my Naza, making her trademark small “woofs” when she was at play.
I stepped up to the landing to take in the scene. Etrigan was sitting on a chair reclining back with his long legs stretched out before him. He wore similar black slacks and a black long sleeve dress shirt. His hair had fallen slightly into his eyes and he seemed to almost have a pleasant look upon his face. Well, more pleasant than I had ever seen on his face. I realized that even though he was almost constantly scowling at me whenever I saw him, I still thought him handsome. Yet now, with this relaxed posture and slight smile upon his lips he was more than that. I knew that if I ever saw him smile or laugh he would be truly dazzling.
What are you thinking of you silly girl? Have you forgotten how he has tormented you non-stop for the past month? It doesn’t matter if he is handsome. Stop being vapid and do what you came here to do!
I stood up straight and called for the anger I had felt earlier. He was throwing a ball to Naza and she would race to get it then bring it back to him. She was unhurt and not being kept against her will. I was relieved but I was still going to let him have it for everything he had done to me these past few weeks, and for the last straw, taking my dog and making me worry.
I walked in to the room with what I had hoped was my most unpleasant face. Naza immediately dropped the ball she was playing with and looked at me. Etrigan, who was so engrossed in their game, looked at her in a quizzical manner when she stopped playing. He then followed her gaze. He immediately sat up in his chair with eyes wide and his mouth slightly agape. I noticed his wings were pulled in closer to his body. I stepped in closer to him and raised an accusing finger.
“You! You torment me for weeks, the only time you talk to me is to be mean, then you steal my dog? Just because you are beautiful doesn’t mean you can treat other people in this fashion! We have feelings too and to answer your questions, your father brought me here because my own home was taken away from me. Both my parents are dead and your father wants to be my guardian but I do not see how that can be done since you hate me so and will not tolerate me!” I turned on my heel and left with Naza trotting behind me. I went in to my room and laid down.
I was angry but I felt more tired and shaky than anything else. Mrs. Whitby tried to rouse me for dinner but I stayed in my room on my bed not moving. I heard the front bell ring and a carriage drive off, but still I did not move. I heard a low knock on my door, then the door open.
“Miss? Your dress arrived just now. Don’t you want to see it?” Mrs. Whitby stood at my bedside with the large box wrapped with a huge blue bow. She had an anxious perplexed look upon her face. She had no idea that I just went up into the “young Masters” room and gave him the business. I knew she was just trying to cheer me, and I would be behaving selfishly if I did not acknowledge her efforts. I sat up on the bed and smiled at her.
“Yes, please.” She smiled and placed the box on the bed.
“You will be so beautiful in this dress Miss. Why, I expect some dashing young man to fall in love with you Saturday night and come calling for you Sunday!” The room was dark because no fire had been lit yet and I had not turned on any lights. Mrs. Whitby turned on a lamp and for a brief moment before he disappeared, I saw Etrigan’s tall form standing in my doorway listening.
“I just hope I don’t fall asleep like the first Ball I went to.” I said looking in to the darkness where Etrigan had stood.
The Winter Ball
The night of the Ball Mr. Lowood dressed in a white tie tuxedo and looked extremely dashing. Mrs. Whitby insisted that someone be brought in to arrange my hair. I finally relented and was glad that I did. The soft upsweep hair style that was created made me look more mature I thought. Mr. Lowood’s eyes lit up when I came down the stairs.
“Claren! You are a vision! You will have so many suitors after tonight, I think we will have to enlarge the foyer.” He said teasingly as he held my wrap for me. I had to lift and hold my skirts up a little if I wanted to walk quickly, but other than that, I was pleased with the dress.
“Thank you, Mr…I mean to say, Uncle.” He chuckled good naturedly.
“I know it will take a little while to get used to Claren, but the sooner you do the better it will be for both of us. You are a beautiful young woman and I do not want anyone getting the wrong idea.”
Mrs. Whitby joined us in the foyer, hugging Thomas good bye.
“Have a good time Sir, Miss.” Thomas said walking out to the carriage with us. Our carriage was being pulled by the real horses that belonged to Mr. Lowood. As I neared the carriage door, Thomas whispered urgently to me.
“Do not be too vexed with the young Master. He does not have a wicked bone in his body. I should know.” I didn’t know what to reply so I just placed my gloved hand on his arm and smiled at him in what I hoped was a warm manner. I did remember that Mrs. Whitby had said that Thomas was the only one that Etrigan spoke to.
I wanted to have a nice evening and not have any further thoughts of Etrigan, but I did notice that he had not played any tricks on me since I had gone up to his room. I had half expected to find my dress floating in the pond.
Mr. Peterson’s home was as grand as it was lavish. Several majestic white balconies jutted out of its exterior. Sapphire chandeliers, tables made out of solid black onyx, white fur rugs, and huge vases positively stuffed with roses of every color decorated every room.
“What a showy display of one’s means, wouldn’t you say Claren?” Mr. Lowood asked me as we handed our coats and gloves to the maid.
“I admire the flowers. I used to have a small rose garden.” I cut my sentence short since I no longer wanted to even mention St. Marhen.
“Did you now? Then you must have one again at Westwind.” Mr. Lowood stated as he handed his card to a particularly short servant that announced us to the rest of the party.
“Mr. Fredrick Lowood and his niece, Claren Lowood.” The servants booming voice caught me somewhat off guard, or perhaps it was because my last name was changed.
“Please don’t look so startled Claren. I do apologize for not informing you earlier, but I do think it would be wise to have your last name changed. Just to, what is that expression, ‘keep everything on the up and up.’” Why did he choose only now to announce what his intention was? He seemed to delight in my shocked expression.
He raised his arm for me to rest my hand on as he led me into the crowd of people. I was met by a sea of smiling faces that were “ever so curious to meet me” as many of them later said.
“Fredrick, I thought for sure you were going to be a no show once again!” A plump older woman, dripping in diamonds around her throat, said as she leaned on my “Uncle” in a suggestive manner.
“No Beatrice, I was getting quite bored at playing the hermit at Westwind so I decided with the arrival of my niece, I would step out a bit. She is young and I do not wish her to be bored in the countryside.”
“This is your niece then?” Beatrice asked eyeing me suspiciously. She held out a plump hand to me palm down.
“Mrs. Beatrice Walefield, delighted.”
“Let me introduce you to Claren Lowood. My late brothers’ child. I am her guardian now, well, once the legalities have worked themselves out.”
I took her hand lightly and curtsied.
“How do you do Mrs. Walefield.”
“I do very well thank you. You must meet my daughter who is around here somewhere.” She craned her
white neck attempting to look over the heads of the people who had gathered around us to talk to Mr. Lowood.
“Well never mind, I am sure that you will run in to her some time tonight.”
Mr. Lowood introduced me to several of his acquaintances, telling them I was his niece. After awhile all the new people I was meeting became a blur and I could hardly remember anyone’s name or face. At dinner, I was sat next to Dekker Peterson, a mischievous young man with blond hair that fell in to his green eyes. He seemed to have a scruffy look about him as though he needed a shave and haircut. I was surprised to find out that he was older than me by a few years. By his manner, I thought he was closer to fifteen. He spoke nonstop throughout the meal.
“Hallo there. You must be the new sensation everyone is positively squealing about.” He held out his hand to me over the soup.
“A pleasure to meet you.” I said ignoring his comment about being the new sensation. He shook my hand roughly and smiled impishly.
“I’m sure you know I am Sir Peterson’s son. I live here.” He said it with just a touch of arrogance as though I was one to be impressed by his grand house.
“No, I was not aware of that. My name is Claren.” I couldn’t bring myself to say Lowood after my name since it was not true.
“Yes, yes I know all that already. Who do you think switched the name cards so you could sit by me?” I looked at him feeling perplexed.
“It’s true. I saw you tonight as you entered with your Uncle and knew I had to get to know you. There were far too many people swarming about though to make that a possibility. So I quickly devised a plan! I snuck into the dining room like so,” he raised both his arms and pointed his hands down as if he were some sort of forest creature moving along sneakily, “then I found your dinner card and moved it next to mine.” I stared at him astonished. I had never met such a funny young man.
“If not, you would be sitting over there,” he pointed his breadstick to my left at a youth with bad acne and large teeth “next to old Horace Bitwater. He spits when he speaks to you. I saved you I did.” I felt a chuckle wanting to bubble forth from me.
“I don’t know what to say. If I say thank you then it seems as though I am being rude to Mr. Bitwater. If I say nothing to you then it seems as though I am disregarding your desire to speak to me.” He shoved the last spoonful of his soup in his mouth and squinted at me.
“What are you a saint or something? Never hurt anyone’s feelings in your life?” I was taken aback by his straightforward manner but at the same time I found him refreshing. I seriously pondered his question as the wait staff cleared my soup plate and brought me my next dish.
“You are a disappointment. I might as well as left you sitting next to Horace.” Dekker said suddenly.
“How have I disappointed you Mr. Peterson?” I said slightly offended.
“Call me Dekker, none of this Mr. Peterson business if you please. Well to start off, you are the prettiest girl here but you are as quiet as a church mouse, pardon the expression since the last time I stepped into a church was when I was christened as a baby, so I am not quite sure if churches are the same. They may be rocking and jumping places now a days.”
He flashed the impish smile at me once more. Even though he was rude in many ways I decided to play along with him. It couldn’t hurt and I liked the way he made me feel, lighthearted. Ever since my parents’ death I carried around this heavy stone in my breast where my heart used to be. I closed myself up because I never wanted to be vulnerable again. But tonight, for the first night in a long time, I felt like I wanted to laugh. I smiled back at him.
“I do better at first when you ask me questions. Remember I did not ask for you to move my dinner card by yours. You did that on your own accord.” He moved a lock of blond hair out of his eyes. With a glint in his eye he picked up my plate with one hand and gripped my wrist lightly with the other. Standing up at the table he looked down in to what I am sure was my astonished face.
“I can take you back to old Horace right now if you wish.” He said playfully. The movement and noise his chair made by scraping on the floor drew attention to us from the party goers. I placed my hand on his arm to keep him from leaving.
“No please. Stay.” I whispered urgently. The elder Mr. Peterson looked down to our part of the table and spied his son.
“Dekker, stop messing about and harassing young ladies.” His father called out good naturedly. Dekker placed my plate back in front of me and sat down.
“Yes Father.” He called out in a light tone.
“Now then, you are hereby obligated to listen to me and answer all my questions. At least until the evening is over.” He stated firmly. I felt that a person of his character would quickly grow bored and leave me soon after the meal, so I agreed. I did not know how wrong I was. After dinner, Dekker going against polite society’s norms, quickly monopolized me for every dance. He chatted gaily with me the whole time. He stuck with me the whole night much to the chagrin of my Uncle who pretended not to be perturbed by the whole thing. We drew curious glances from most people at the Ball.
“So my father thinks I will get into the same family business, politics and textiles, but he has no idea that I have gotten it into my head to become a pirate of sorts.”
“A pirate? Do they even exist anymore? I thought they were outlawed by the Grand Council after the great war.” He twirled me around the dance floor gently.
“Exactly my astute one, that is why I need to revive the tradition of drinking, sailing and plundering. With one exception.”
“What is that?”
“I will only plunder the rich and I will give to the poor.”
“Poor? There are no poor since the war. The Grand Council made sure of that.” Dekker gave me the strangest look as the song ended.
“Have you really lived that much of a sheltered life Miss Lowood, that you do not know the world you live in?” This time there was no playful note in his tone. He was serious, and the mischievous look in his eyes was now replaced with a hard glint. It took me by surprise.
“Miss? Your Uncle says you should take some fresh air now. You are looking a little peaked.” Mrs. Whitby had appeared by my side holding my wrap that she had picked out. I looked at Mrs. Whitby who nodded her head over in the direction of my Uncle who stood in the corner of the room with a group of men. He was looking at me with a stern look on his face. Dekker spied my Uncle’s severe look and took my hand briefly before clicking his boot heels together.
“Thank you for the dance Miss Lowood.” I curtsied to him and let myself be led outside by Mrs. Whitby.
Mrs. Whitby chatted on about my dress and how pretty I looked, but I should really give a chance to the other young fellows at the Ball.
“There are many who wanted to dance with you and they kept coming up to the Master asking him for permission, but you never sat down once. That young Mr. Peterson certainly had you occupied.”
“Yes he did. He certainly was a funny fellow.” Mrs. Whitby placed my wrap around my shoulders and whispered.
“I’m going in now.” She scurried away as I saw Mr. Lowood approaching.
“Having a good time Niece?” He said with an unpleasant undertone.
“Yes, I am thank you. I apologize if I caused you any embarrassment with the young Mr. Peterson. He kept talking on and on and would not stop, even when I wished to sit down.” Mr. Lowood walked up to the edge of the balcony and leaned against it looking out into the night as if searching for something.
“Yes I noticed. So did Mr. Peterson to my great disappointment. It seemed like the young Peterson is quite taken with you. He is notorious for ignoring girls. He is not interested in marriage or courting and or even talking to the opposite sex.” He turned towards me and scrutinized me from head to toe. I felt a heat rise from my neck to my face. I did not like being subjected to his stare.
“His father was always afraid that his son was of a different persuasion and was quite worried. Naturally, every pa
rent wants their child to grow up and get married and have children. Carry on the family business, name and all that. So tonight, I dare say that you have brought the elder Mr. Peterson quite some happiness.”
“Why is that?” Claren asked
He smiled bitterly.
“Because he saw his son’s possessive behavior with you tonight. He felt that the two of you should see much more of each other. To be polite I nodded my head and smiled, but of course I am against it.”
“I didn’t think he was quite that fond of me. In fact, I said something just as the dance ended that caused him some displeasure. The whole evening he had been gay and funny, but then his whole demeanor changed in an instant.”
“Really? What was it that you said?” Mr. Lowood asked arching his eyebrow.
“Yoo hoo, Fredrick! They are playing our song. You must take me out!” Mrs. Walefield found her way out to the balcony and put her hand on Mr. Lowood’s arm. She turned towards me and smiled in a slightly drunk manner. I noticed she has lipstick on her teeth.
His Black Wings Page 12
