by Wolf, Jack
The Dunnock in the Holly ceased his Song and put his Wings to Flight, wisping past mine Head in a shy Flutter. The Aire breathed sweet upon my Face, and Daiseyes shone beneath my Feet. Upon the top Branch of a Rowan across the Lane, a Robin filled his small Breast and began an Aria.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
So my Sister was married, and the cake Crumbs had been showered over her Head, and she had driven away at last with her new Barnaby to Withy Grange. I offered mine Invitation to Sophia and to Katherine Montague, and mine Aunt said loudly how Sophy had always been to me like a second Sister. She did not seem to think it necessary to warn me away from Katherine Montague. I wondered at this. Surely, Miss Montague was exactly the kind of Girl mine Aunt should have feared the most, being young and beautifull with no Dowry whatsoever; but then I realised that Jane must have misinformed her also regarding Katherine’s Age. A Twelve-yeare-old could pose no Threat at all.
I decided to focus mine Attentions over Dinner very firmly upon Sophia. By this Method, I hoped to set mine Aunt and Mrs Ravenscroft about the Ears, and thereby distract all three Women from my true Objective.
I was not, anyway, intending anything beyond the claiming of one small Kiss and some Intelligence. I had no Desire to marry anyone.
I returned to Shirelands in my Father’s Coach. He did not speak thro’out the Journey. This was perfect to my Purpose, for I took full Advantage of the Silence by retrieving from my Coat those Drawings from whose Study I had previously been disturbed, and did not notice the Distance in the least. Mine Aunt, for her Part, had announced that she should join us later; her motherly Devotion to her Son was such that she could not bear to leave him and his new Bride alone even on their Wedding Daye. How I pitied Jane! But she had made her Bed, and now would have to lie in it, however crowded.
We arrived at Shirelands at about two o’ Clock in the Afternoon, and I at once took My Self up-Stairs to my Study where I remained till it was near on dinner Time.
I was very much afraid on entering the front drawing Room, where we were all assembled, for altho’ I saw the Rector and mine Aunt I did not immediately see Katherine. Then I perceived that she had been coerced by Sophia to join her in Play upon the Harpsichord in the Back. After briefly offering my Politenesses to the Rector and his Wife, I proceeded thither, to observe.
Sophia played well, and it was apparent that she knew it. She could, moreover, be in little Doubt of the Fact that the golden evening Light streaming thro’ the western Window displayed her handsome Features to their best extent. She was now dresst up in flaming red Silk, that was stood on end with Lace. Her Figure possesst the womanly Curves of a Titian, her Complexion was fresh, and her Profile very elegant; but she did not attract me and I thought it impossible that she ever would. Sophia was too ordinary; too base; and she seemed so much the more so when I compared her to the scowling Sylph who sate alongside, turning the Pages of her Musick with a thin-fingered Hand. Katherine also had changed her Dress for the Evening, and was now attired in a Gown of pale blue-grey, with white Facings.
“You play enchantingly, Madam,” I said, when Sophia came to a natural Break. “’Twould do mine Heart good to hear you all Night.” Sophia preened. Katherine glowered. “Miss Montague,” I said. “Shall we not hear you play? Or should you rather sing?”
“I am no Songbird,” Katherine said. “And I play badly.”
“Fie, Sir! You must not make her, ’twould be most unkind!” Sophia twittered. “She is better employed as she is.”
“In that case,” I said, “you must play on; and sing, too, if you will.”
I knew that Sophia was no Singer—a Truth which always had appeared somewhat strange to me, as Nathaniel’s Voice could have made the Devil swoon—but tonight I was determined to be seen to give her the fullest Encouragement. So she began, and I sate on a Sopha nearby and affected Rapture; and Katherine threw me furious Looks, and turned the Musick over far too fast. Before long, tho’, my Father’s Butler came in to tell us that Dinner was served, and so the Pace of mine Entertainment met with a brief Caesura.
Tonight’s Dinner at Shirelands was a significant Event, to be marked by the high Seriousness of its Demeanour and the superior Quality of its Food. Mrs H. had ordered several Courses of Quails and other small Fowles Malaret, followed not only by the Beef Alamode upon which my Father insisted almost every Daye, but a roasted Sirloin, with various Sauces. These were followed in their Turn by a delightful Array of iced Creams sculpted into the Shapes of Flowers, red Berries, Bees, and pretty Mice, and then a Syllabub flavoured with the best Nantes Brandy. When I was able, I made light Conversation with Sophia and observed from the Corner of mine Eye that mine Approaches were not passing un-noticed before her Mother and mine Aunt. This gave me Hope that mine Aunt at least would shortly seek to break me off. I stole a sly Look towards Katherine, who was seated next to me at Table, tho’ some Distance away. To my Surprize, I apprehended at once that she had in her Hand one of our silver table-Forks, and was busy secreting it about her Person. I gave no Indication that I had seen her, and carried forward with my pointless Seduction of Sophy. Yet I wondered hugely at the Strangeness of it.
After Dinner we withdrew again all together. After some more Conversation, Mine Aunt called for an Hand of Quadrille, and when I made no Move to join her, called Sophia to sit beside her. The Ravenscrofts were summoned next, and I was left standing in an imagined Dudgeon with only my Father and Miss Montague for Company. This was all as I had intended, so I began to cross the Room towards Miss Montague, who had sate down at the Harpsichord with a Scowl as dark as Thunder.
Then my Father did an unexpected thing. Seating himself before the Fire, he took out his pocket-Book and opened it; but before beginning to read any of it, he looked direct at me, and made as if to speak. Before I had even begun to register my Surprize, however, he lowered his Gaze and began the Perusal of his precious Pages.
“Sir?” I ventured. He did not lift his Head.
There was a loud Crash at the far End of the drawing Room. The Ladies all cried out in Fright; my Father almost droppt his Book, and I came close to jumping from my Skin. Any Thoughts I may have entertained of disturbing my Father were driven quite out of mine Head. Miss Montague had taken violent Hold of the Lid and slammed it down onto the Keys.
“Oh!” cried mine Aunt and hers, with one Voice.
Katherine stared at me, her Teeth bared with the same Ferocity she had shewn me before; yet her Eyes looked wild as a Hare about to leap. Then leap she did, tearing thro’ the drawing Room in a brilliant Storm of blue-grey Silk.
“Oh!” cried Sophia, a little late. “Whatever is wrong now?”
I nodded to the Rector, who was already half upon his Feet, and headed with Alacrity towards the Exit. “I shall discover the Matter,” I said. Inclining mine Head to the three Ladies, I quitted the Room.
Still slightly trembling from the Shock, I stood still with my Back against the Door. There was no Sign without of Miss Montague’s whereabouts, but that was nothing. I had Time to find her, Time a-plenty; and so many of Shirelands’ Rooms were locked when not in use, there were few within which she could hide. I drew in a deep Breath. I had rather to thank her than to be annoyed, I thought. How to get Katherine Montague on her own had been the Evening’s greatest Hurdle. I had not imagined that she would so presciently demolish it by running off into an House she had never before visited; but I was beginning to understand that where Katherine was concerned it was unwise to rely upon mere common Expectation. Still, I thought, where, truly, would she go? Not below Stairs, nor into any unknown Chamber. Perhaps outside; but first I should try the only other Room I knew her to be acquainted with.
My Spine began to sparkle with Anticipation. Smiling quietly to My Self, I proceeded up-Stairs again, to the dining Room. I did not knock.
Katherine Montague, thinking herself alone, in the cleared and empty Room, stood before the high Mantel, where the Light was greatest. As I crosst the Threshold, she startled, eve
ry bit as roughly as I had done when she had crashed the Lid; and mine Attention was at once drawn to her Hand, in which she held the stolen silver Fork.
Her Intention, plainly, had not been to have replaced it. She had rolled back the Sleeve of her blue Gown, and when I had broken in had been upon the Point of piercing the fragile Epidermis on the inside of her Elbow with its Tines. Instantly, she tried to hide it; then, realising that already I had seen too much, she hurried over to the Table, threw down the brutal Implement upon its polished Surface, pulled down her Sleeve, and attempted to push past me into the dark Stairway.
This was her Mistake; or perhaps her Genius. I would not be pushed aside, and feeling that the intimate Nature of the Scene I had just witnessed, in addition to our earlier Flirtations, more than qualified me to act, I caught tight hold of her upper Arm and held her fast.
“Why?” I asked.
“You would not understand.”
“Look me in mine Eyes,” I said. “And tell me then I would not understand.”
“Unhand my Arm, Mr Hart!”
“No.”
She began violently to struggle, and applied her other Hand to my Fingers, which wrappt about her Biceps; but she had not a Fraction of my Strength and the Endeavour was beyond her. She began to twirl and writhe under mine Hand, wriggling within my Grasp like a lively Eel. Immediately, my Loins responded. She set her Teeth and a sharp Hiss escaped her; not of Fear, nor Rage, but of Determination. I do not know what Instinct prompted me, whether that of Monster or of Lover; but I executed upon her the sudden high Twist of the Arm that I had used on Viviane, and perfected upon Polly Smith. That should have been the End of it, but Katherine Montague, instead of crying out in Pain, began to laugh.
“You think that you can hurt me?” she said. “Like that?”
“Can I not?”
“Release me,” she said. “And I shall shew you.”
I let go my Grip, and steppt back, intrigued. Had she then desired it, she could have attempted to leave the Room and I would not have prevented it; but she turned toward me instead, and with the coquettish Smile she had bestowed upon me in the Graveyard, she revealed to me the wicker Pliability of all her upper Joints. Her Wrists she contorted backwards far beyond the Point at which any ordinary Person must have experienced Agony; likewise her Fingers and her Thumbs. Her Arms she could twist about until her Elbows appeared backwards upon her Body. This last Demonstration was too much for my Fascination to withstand. Bidding her remain so poised, I ran mine Hands along her upper Arms until I reached her Shoulders, where the Ball of the Os Humeri was so over-extended within its Socket as to be nigh upon the Point of Dislocation.
“This doth not pain you?” I exclaimed, incredulous.
“No, Mr Hart. It doth not.”
“Wonderfull,” I said.
I did not take mine Hands away, and as she returned her Arms to a more natural Alignment I became acutely sensible of the Rotation of the Humeri beneath my Palms. My Lust for her began to quicken anew; but close upon it came a sorry Sensation of Helplessness. If I cannot easily cause her to scream, I thought, how can I satisfy my Desire, or hers? Then I shook My Self, for the Problem was scarcely moot. Miss Montague was not a Woman with whom things were ever like to come to such a Pitch.
I still did not remove mine Hands. Katherine turned her Face toward me, and once more I experienced that devastating Longing to kiss her. In the flickering Light, I seemed to see again the Face of someone whom I had known long. I lifted my Fingers from her Shoulder, and gently traced the delicate Outline of her Inferior Maxilla from Ear to Chin. The velvet Skin rippled beneath my Touch. Her soft Lips parted slightly.
If I kissed her, I thought, I should be putting things onto such a Footing between us as to make my Life, and perhaps hers, very difficult. I drew back. But the Capacity did not exist in me to quit her intirely. Also, I reminded My Self, by Way of an Excuse, I had still yet to talk with her about Nathaniel, which was not something I could do amongst those who designed to keep him secret.
“Miss Montague,” I said. “Earlier, with the Fork.”
Her Expression darkened, but I did not let her pull away. “I needed to see the Blood,” she said at last.
“Why?”
“Because I did. Because you made a Fool of yourself gawping after Sophy like some country Idiot, and ignored me.”
“If I did,” I said, “there was nothing in it. I have no Interest whatever in Sophia Ravenscroft.”
“Truly? Then you have been doubly cruel, to her as well as me; altho’ she deserves it.”
“When you go back to the Rectory,” I said, “what will you do? Will you steal another Fork?”
“I should not need to steal anything,” she answered with a contemptuous Toss of her Head, by which I gathered that she probably had a Razor hidden underneath her Pillow.
Her Vice was almost the Mirrour of mine own, altho’ I felt certain that she as yet derived no carnal Pleasure from it. Nevertheless, she found what I found, in the dark Heart of the Thing, the Pain: Relief.
“If you will come with me,” I said, “I have within my Study the proper Equipment for Blood-letting.” I spoke quickly, and in a low Tone. The hot Colour rose within my Face.
Then I saw that for the first Time since I had met her, I had Katherine Montague at a clear Disadvantage. My Reaction had so compleatly astonished her that her Mouth droppt open. Her small uneven Teeth glistened with Spittle in the vapid yellow Light, and the round Swell of her Tongue presst speechless against them. Then, with an apparent Effort, she swallowed, and sucked in a Breath.
“Dost do it, too?” she demanded.
“No,” I answered. “’Tis not what I do. But you must believe me when I assure you, on my very Life, that I understand why you do it.”
Katherine drew back at that, and looked at me with her Eyes narrowed, as if she were perceiving me anew. I could see that she did not comprehend the Whole of my Meaning, which was a good thing, I thought; but I could not intirely pretend away my Disappointment, and some of it must have shewn in mine Expression. Katherine put her delicate Hands to my Face. I did not flinch as she explored my Cheeks with curious Fingertips.
“I am studying Anatomy under William Hunter,” I told her. “I shall be more skilled than any country Surgeon within a Yeare or two.”
She put her Fingers softly to my Lips. “And then?”
“Then I shall devote My Self to the Study of Pain.”
“Why?”
“I used to think,” I said, “that I should discover a Means to take it away. Now I know not why; except that it is beautifull.”
“Pain is beautifull?”
I could not resist: I kissed her Fingertip. “Yes,” I said. “And terrible, and vile, and cruel. But beautifull, despiting all of that.”
“In the Moment,” she whispered. “The Moment when I see the Blood, I feel almost as if I were flying.”
Her Gaze locked itself into mine. Again that Fear of what should follow; and then the Understanding, sent from Heaven or from Hell, that she and I were quite beyond such mundane Considerations as Reputation or Rank. We were Monsters, both of us; or perhaps fallen Angels, for I could not look upon her Countenance and see anything but the perfect and pure Creation of Almighty God.
I placed mine Hand beneath her sharp Chin, and tilted her Face upwards. Then before I could lose Courage, or my Reason change my Mind, I bent forward and presst my Lips to hers. Her Mouth was small, and her Lips as gentle as willow Catkins.
For an Instant, I was terrified lest I bruise her; then she twisted her Fingers in the loose Hairs upon the Nape of my Neck, and pulled me closer with a Force that took my Breath away. Mine Heart began to pound and my Desires to rise like Demons out of the encompassing Dark. I did not mind them. I lowered mine other Hand to the Curve of her Back, where her sixth Rib joined with her Spine, and wished her out of her tight Stays. I held her; I kissed her; I cradled the Base of her Cranium upon my Fingertips.
I do not know
how long we remained thus. Time had ceased to matter. But eventually we broke apart, and I realised that she had secured her other Hand high upon my Chest, over mine Heart. “How it drums,” she murmured.
I went to put mine Arms about her again, but she was pushing me away, holding out before me her exposed Forearm. “Do it,” she demanded. “Take away all the Ugliness, all the Filth.”
I took her Hand in mine and led her to my Study.
The Aire within the Room was cool, as I had ordered no Fire to be lit; it was dark, and, since presently the Cages in which I had housed my living Subjects were empty, unusually silent. I carried my Candle to the long Table and lit the Tapers. At once my Laboratory came to life.
Katherine hovered within the open Doorway and looked around with the Expression of one admiring at an aweful Wonder. “What is it all?” she said.
I went back to shut the Door, and taking up her Hand again, I led her into my Sanctum sanctorum, and explained carefully the Purposes to which I put all mine Equipment. This took some considerable Time; Katherine had never seen a good many of the Objects that I took for granted: she had never set Eyes upon an Alembic, or imagined any Use for white Salt other than in the Kitchen. I shewed her, with Pride, my large Collection of articulated Skeletons, and described the Stages of the Process that had manifested those Results. She shrank back from the Human Skull I had brought down from London, and placed proud upon mine Escritoire. I could not understand why this should have upset her. I explained that it was that of a foreign Thief who had been executed in his native Country eighteen Yeares ago, and that I had received it in order that I might closely examine the Pattern of fused Bones in the upper Cranium. I did not tell her that I had a Child’s Skull also in my Possession, for Comparison, which was too delicate to risk travelling. I had left it behind in London.
