by E. C. Hibbs
“Wait,” I said as the man knelt to pick the lock. I held out the key, weaving it through the bars to slide it into the hole. Sure enough, there was a tell-tale click, and the door swung open.
Benjamin frowned. “Where did you get that?”
I faltered. “James gave it to me.”
“What? He was here?”
“I’ll explain later,” I said, hurrying out of the cell.
Casting a fleeting look around us for any signs of alarm, Benjamin seemed to contend that idea, and hurriedly drew me into his arms for a kiss. Then we ran, hand in hand, soon meeting with an officer who he had obviously paid off to help us. The policeman led us to the front door of the station and held it wide. Benjamin nodded at him in gratitude; took me around the corner to where a carriage was waiting. While the second man clambered into the driver’s seat, Benjamin got me inside, and we fled into the night.
CHAPTER XXXIII
Benjamin held me tightly the entire journey, as though trying to pull me inside his body. I noticed his fingers shaking; the way his face had turned deathly pale. He was obviously very aware of all the laws we were breaking in doing this, but I knew the real reason for his distress. I felt it in my own heart like a lump of ice: the prospect that in less than an hour, we would be separated.
“It won’t be forever,” I reminded him quietly, placing my hand on his cheek. “We will be together again by Christmas.”
Benjamin gave a stiff nod. “I know. But I am worried for you.”
“Don’t be. I can look after myself for a month. That is all it will be.”
A few minutes later, we turned onto the dock road and moved through the shadows of the warehouses; their red brick facades black in the darkness. Some of the windows were lit from within, as the workers were already at their posts, preparing to receive and dispatch cargo to the waiting ships.
We passed by the wooden masts of the sailing vessels, and soon arrived beside a moored steamer, its quayside busy with crew members. Hydraulic cranes were loading it with crates, and I looked around one to glimpse the name stamped on the prow: RMS Hesselius. The carriage drew to a halt, the man Benjamin had employed let down the steps; then stood aside so the two of us could exit.
It was windy this close to the river; my hair whipped around my face in wild waves. Benjamin helped the man lower a large bag secured to the roof, and wrenched it open to remove one of my thick winter coats. He flung it around me, buttoning it closed while I slid my arms through the sleeves.
“Sir!” a voice called quietly from nearby.
Benjamin glanced up. “Ah, Captain Hallward!”
My heart leapt and I whirled on the spot. Sure enough, I came face to face with the kindly sailor who had brought me here two winters ago. He looked completely unchanged, in his pressed uniform and cap, and gave me a soft smile, taking my hand to kiss.
“Miss Eva,” he said. “Have you been getting into some trouble?”
I grimaced. “Yes.”
“He mentioned that he knew you,” Benjamin explained quickly. “He is more than happy to take you.”
“And I won’t ask for any papers this time, Miss,” added the Captain. “All I do ask is that you keep yourself below decks as much as possible, at least until we’re clear of Britain. This ship is more dangerous than the Persephone; there will be a lot more going on which could hurt you if something went wrong.”
“Of course,” I nodded.
Captain Hallward shouted for two of his crew to come forward and carry my bag aboard. Then he shook Benjamin’s hand. “I hate to press you, Sir, but we are due to cast off at seven on the dot, and I wish to see her settled as best she can be before then. Do not take long, now.”
Benjamin smiled to show he understood, and with that, the Captain left us alone. I turned to my husband, throwing myself into his arms and kissing him. More tears rolled down my cheeks.
“Listen to me,” Benjamin whispered, taking hold of my hands. “There are twenty thousand pounds in that bag: everything your Grandfather left you. When you get to Buda-Pesth, find lodgings, and write to me as soon as you can so I know where you are. Use an alias, in case the letter is traced back to you. Then I will reply as soon as baby Norman and I leave, and we will find a new home together.”
“Alright.” I swallowed nervously. “Listen, tell me of Christine. How is she?”
“I sent her home to be with her mother,” he replied. “The chamber maids are caring for Norman tonight. Don’t worry, I have given her a good amount of money for upkeep.”
I lowered my eyes. “Does she know I did it?”
“No.” Benjamin pulled me into a gentle embrace. “The police haven’t released a name yet. But I will personally see to it that when they do, it will not be yours.”
“You may not be the only one who does that,” I admitted.
I felt Benjamin move his head so he could glance at me. “You said the Revenant came to you?”
“Yes.”
“What did he do?”
I sighed. “He set me free.”
A muscle twitched in Benjamin’s jaw. “Mark me: I’ll see him in hell for all this!”
“No!” I cried, turning to face him imploringly. “Please, just stop this now. Leave each other be. It’s all gone far enough.”
“How can you still defend him after all he has done?”
“He told me he is going to leave Liverpool, just as we are. And he gave me that key to let me out. I know he will cover both my tracks and his; he has done it flawlessly so many times in the past, it shall be no difficulty for him now. So don’t go after him anymore, please.”
“Éva, he’s a murderer!” Benjamin insisted.
“So am I,” I responded immediately. “But would you do the same to me?”
We looked at each other deeply for a few moments, before Benjamin’s shoulders sagged in defeat and he gave a tiny shake of the head. It was as certain an assurance as I was going to receive, so I gave him a thankful kiss on the lips. He didn’t respond at first, but then tightened his grip on me, lifting his lips to brush them against my forehead.
“You have both understood me; both given me a chance of happiness,” I said. “Thank you so much, my darling.”
He let out a small groan. “If the demon means so much to you, then I will not pursue him.”
The declaration filled me with relief. I knew if the two of them ever did meet again, James would easily overpower Benjamin and not hesitate in killing him. And I was also aware that by allowing James escape, there would be many more corpses to come. But in regard to that, all I could hope was that his time with me had taught him a lesson about his methods. Perhaps he could now try to rediscover the humanity which I was convinced still lay inside him.
Benjamin’s breathing became tense, and his chest shuddered as sobs wracked him. I put one hand behind his head, running my fingers through his hair. For what seemed like forever, we simply held each other that way, wishing we could become one entity and never have to let go. But the sound of a bell chiming half past six drew us from the tormenting reverie, and my heart sped up, knowing the moment was near.
Benjamin slowly walked me to the gangplank. He came halfway along it with me, so we were suspended above the sloshing water. I felt his hands on my shoulders, carefully easing me in so he could lock his lips with mine one final time.
“Have a safe journey,” he muttered, “my dearest wife.”
I wiped tears away on my sleeve. “I’m going to miss you so much.”
“It will be alright,” he promised. “Now, go on. I’ll see you soon.”
“Take care of Norman,” I cried; then let my feet carry me to the deck. My fingertips slipped from Benjamin’s, and I watched forlornly as he descended back onto solid ground.
I looked at him from over the balustrade, barely able to tear myself away. But Captain Hallward quickly approached, arm out for me to take, and led me down the stairs towards the stern.
I was shocked to find he had donated his
quarters to me, and ordered my bag to be placed at the foot of the bed. It was a simple cabin, only a little larger than the one I had been given aboard his past ship, but I appreciated the gesture and bowed in gratitude.
“Thank you so much for all this, Sir,” I said.
“It’s quite alright, Miss,” he replied earnestly. Then he raised a finger and pointed to the starboard porthole behind me. “You should be able to see your hubby from there. Now, stay here while we cast off. Let’s get you home.”
He lit a candle on a nearby table, left me a key to the door, and duly exited. I smiled after him, and wandered over to the little window, peering through the glass. Sure enough, I could make out the cobbled dock below me, and Benjamin was already there, gazing directly into my eyes. I realised the Captain must have told him where he was going to be placing me beforehand, so he would know where to look.
There were the dull thuds of ropes smacking against the ship; the entire vessel shuddered as the engines were started. I heard a horn blow somewhere overhead, and then we began moving.
Biting back more tears, I raised my hand, waving frantically to Benjamin. He responded in kind, one hand pressed firmly over his heart, not moving an inch until the river had carried us too far away to be seen anymore. The cityscape shrank onto the horizon of the Mersey, and was soon lost against the moonless sky.
My mind fired with an image of baby Norman, and I closed my eyes, imagining every feature of his angelic face.
“Be a good boy. I love you so much,” I whispered in Hungarian. “And so does your other Papa.”
*
The voyage seemed to take even longer than the last, even though the first leg was of the exact same route. The Hesselius was larger than the Persephone, which I learned had been retired earlier in the year. But despite the extra space, I kept to Captain Hallward’s request to remain below, only exploring the stern end of the ship so I could not run into any trouble near the cargo holds.
I did, however, go onto the quarterdeck every few nights to drink in the salty sea air. Once again, I would always cast my eyes back, at the white line we were cutting through the water, and imagine it leading directly to Liverpool, to the family I had left behind.
It took me a while once again to find my ‘sea legs’, especially with the constant rumble of the engines. But the main thing I noticed, repulsively, was that my thirst suddenly grew extremely potent. My throat burned terribly; the smallest amount of light felt as though it seared my skin. The last thing I wished for was to feel even more sickened by the harsh winter sun, so it all encouraged me to stay in the sheltered cabin.
However, at the same time, I sensed a surprising amount of power, which had never possessed me in the past when I let myself wait too long. I had the feeling that I could have run to Austria-Hungary across the entire landmass of Europe, and never falter for breath. I paced around the walls agitatedly, hands trembling, eyes roving over everything about me. I could see the tiniest of details: individual grains in the wood, or fibres in the woollen duvet. A barrage of the senses overwhelmed me.
Whilst in the Atlantic, we ran into a storm, and the Captain ushered me to safety while he and the crew rode it out. I flung myself on the bed, terrified at feeling the entire ship being tossed about as though it were nothing more than a toy. Rain lashed at the portholes and shrieking winds swept around the funnels. But in one night, it thankfully blew over, and once the all-clear was given, I wasted no time in running into the open to take some air.
A waning moon greeted me as I stepped onto the deck. The boards were still damp, but I managed to get to the railing without slipping, and leaned over the side. We had turned due east now, and the landscape of the Spanish mainland was silhouetted against the sky. A tiny smirk crossed my lips as I noticed the Rock of Gibraltar.
“I’ll bet it feels funny for you to be here again, doesn’t it, Miss?” Captain Hallward asked, coming to stand beside me.
I jumped a little at his voice. “I thought I was alone.”
“I was just finishing off my watch,” he replied.
I nodded; then heard a characteristic sound: the steady rush of blood being pumped through his body. Desperate to keep control, I turned my head away, gritting my teeth hard. My knuckles went white around the balustrade.
“How did you manage the storm?” he asked, completely oblivious to my struggle.
“I am fine,” I said. Then I heaved a sigh, moving my eyes back to the sea; anything but to look at him. I couldn’t bear it if my eyes turned red and he saw them. “I did not think I would be doing this again so soon.”
The Captain chuckled to himself. “Well, Miss, let me put you at ease. I don’t know what’s happened to bring you to this, and I don’t want to know. I wish for nothing which could be forced and twisted against you. But I can tell enough to know that you need a new start again, and I honestly hope you can find it.”
I thanked him, letting him see me back to the stairs. I descended into the galley, and returned to the cabin, shutting the door quietly behind me. I rested my forehead against the wood for a moment, coming down from the urge to attack him.
“Come on, Éva,” I mumbled. “Control it! You don’t need it; you only drank a week ago!”
That notion made me stop short, as I recalled the circumstances in which I had last quenched my needs. I flung myself away, trying to force my mind not to recall the image of George lying before me in the carriage.
Frantic to distract myself, I set about my usual evening routine. I changed into a nightgown, washed my hands and face in the basin, poured myself a glass of water. Then I took my folded dress over to my bag.
Since we had left the dock, I had tended to keep to the same cycle of clothes, so I would have some clean ones for when we arrived. I placed those near the top so they were within easy reach. But while I was packing down my petticoat, I noticed a wooden corner protruding from the bottom of the luggage. Frowning, I pulled it free.
It was a wooden box, weighted down with something heavy. I carefully lifted the lid. Inside was Grandfather’s revolver, and underneath it laid a thick wad of banknotes.
I observed how the money wasn’t reaching as far down as I knew it should, so I manoeuvred some of it aside, revealing a shiny rectangular object. I eased it into my lap and opened it like a book. My breath caught in my throat.
The two family portraits gazed out at me: Jones on one side, Kálvin on the other, joined in the middle by a pair of tiny hinges. Benjamin had done this on purpose: removed the photographs from their original places and had them reframed so I could take them with me.
I gave a small smile of gratitude as my eyes flickered between the images, the sepia against the silver; the old and new combined.
Finally, I found a small square of paper wedged beneath the handle of the revolver. I unfolded it, and it revealed itself to be an envelope. Puzzlement flashed through me, but then I gasped when I noticed the hand was none other than Zíta’s. I suddenly remembered the horrid afternoon when I had received word of her passing, and the second letter which I’d forgotten about in my grief.
Wild with relish, I tore the paper open and read hurriedly, overjoyed to see my cousin’s writing once more. I chewed my lip when I observed the date: a year and a half ago, and only one week before she died.
24th May, 1895.
My dear Éva,
I am sorry to say that I cannot make this a long letter, as I am unwell. But a few nights ago, I was taken by an intense feeling of guilt. Please know that everything I have ever done has been to protect you from the horrors which so stained your early years. However, you are a woman now, no longer a little girl for me to shield; and you have tasted the shadows in a way which even I shall never know. I think it is time I told you the entire truth.
You are already aware of the outcome of the Final Purge, and that a single dark one managed to escape the exorcism. That was the one responsible for the death of your mother and my father. But do you recall, Éva, the morning when I
sent Erik to paint a crucifix on the door, and I mentioned the demon would never dare return to Hattyúpatak? I was wrong. He did come back. And even though I never saw him with my own eyes, you did – for he was the one who rushed to your defence when the Izcacus attacked you. He is your ‘angel’.
I earnestly hope you understand, my dear, that I meant you no harm by withholding this information from you. After all, you were a four year-old child who witnessed absolute savagery that night. I attempted to defend you from seeing it, but simply the fact that I covered your eyes does not mean you were untouched, and I acknowledge that. You have always been like a daughter me, and I have sought to protect you from all that may have hurt you. In this, I have failed, and I am so dreadfully sorry. However, I hope you may find it in your heart to forgive me, and comprehend the reasons for my actions.
When I am well again, we shall speak with Erik. He and Anette have managed to secure themselves a quaint home in the city, and he may be able to help you. We shall arrange to have you join him, and then find a way to save you. For as long as my will is strong, I will not allow you to become a beast.
Forever with love,
Zíta.
CHAPTER XXXIV
It was at the east of the Mediterranean that our course deviated from that of the Persephone. Instead of turning north into the Adriatic Sea, we rounded Greece, passing more islands than I could count, before squeezing between the Dardanelles. From there, we reached the mouth of the Danube, and began to steam our way upriver via Romania. Finally, after almost four weeks at sea, the Hesselius drew into the port of Csepel.
After Captain Hallward had organised the discharge of the goods on board, he came to me in the cabin. I was already packed and dressed, in the clothes I had worn to bid goodbye to Erik at Fiume.
He laughed softly when he saw me. “You gonna be warm enough in that, Miss? It’s absolutely freezing outside.”
“I shall be fine,” I replied with a small smile, motioning to the coat draped over my arm. I put it on, buttoned it, and pulled my locket so it hung on the outside of the material.
