by Gayla Twist
I took special care dressing that evening. It was possibly the last time I would ever see my darling girl and I wanted to look my best. I put on a dark gray suit and even went so far as to decorate my lapel with a red carnation.
I took my fill of blood and then slipped out of the castle without a word to anyone. I was undecided in my actions, but I didn’t want Mother or Emily to interfere. I was grateful Daniel had left. Just knowing he was in New York made me feel less on edge.
As I flew along, I resolved that I had to confess. I had to explain everything to Colette and then let the cards fall where they may. She deserved to know what I was. She deserved to know the truth.
Chapter 43
Colette
“Colette Gibson,” Jessie said, looking up at me with his fathomless gray eyes. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” I said, as soon as the words had passed through his perfect lips. I probably should have hesitated. I probably should have taken some time to think it over. But I didn’t want to. Every fiber of my being wanted to marry Jessie Vanderlind. I didn’t care that his family was hiding some dark, morbid secret. That had nothing to do with Jessie. That had nothing to do with our love.
Jessie sprang to his feet and swept me up in his arms. Under his long coat, he was wearing some type of dark suit. There was a red flower in his lapel. He had come dressed for the occasion and I wished that I was wearing something besides my nightgown and wrapper. But then he washed all my awkwardness away by saying, “You’ve made the happiest man in the world.” And then he kissed me. It was a kiss that both filled me with heat and made me shiver.
“Should we go to your family? Or should I speak to your father alone?” Jessie asked. “How are things like this handled in your country?”
“I...” I stammered. I had no idea what to tell him. I wanted to be his bride, but I knew my family would insist upon a lengthy engagement and I wanted to be with Jessie that very instant. “I think we should elope.”
It was as if dark clouds filled Jessie’s eyes. “Why?” he asked.
“Because I can’t wait to be your wife,” I explained. “Every second I’m away from you feels like an eternity.”
“But your family...” he began.
“I know,” I told him. “I hate to cause my parents any grief, but once they see how happy I am as Mrs. Jessie Vanderlind, then I know they’ll forgive us for running off.”
Jessie frowned. “It wouldn’t be honorable,” he said. “We’re already starting our life together with too many secrets. And if you would only let me...”
“Don’t,” I said, stopping his lips with a kiss. “I know you have your secrets, but share them with me when we are husband and wife.”
“When?” he asked, burying his face in my hair. “If we are to be wed, then I want it to be this instant.”
“Tomorrow night,” I told him. “We can sneak down the Tiburon to Yontville and wake up the Justice of the Peace. Then I can call my family in the morning and tell them the good news.”
The clouds parted from Jessie’s brow. “I love you Colette Gibson,” he told me. “I can’t believe you want to be my wife.”
“I’ve never wanted anything more in the world,” I assured him. Then I thought of something. “What about your family?” I asked.
He was quiet for a moment. “What about them?”
“Will they approve of us?” I put a hand to my cheek at the thought of how they would react. “I can’t imagine they will.” A rich young man running off with the maid was not something fine families usually found appealing. “I hate to think of your family disliking me. And I don’t want them to think that I’m some kind of...” I fought off the urge to say gold digger.
“My sister already adores you,” Jessie assured me, squeezing me in his arms. “And my mother will love you just as soon as I tell her that you are my bride.”
“What about your brothers?” I asked, with some hesitancy. “What about Arthur and Daniel?”
“Arthur is...” he began. “Arthur is someone we don’t have to worry about.” He shook his head and then continued with, “And Daniel left for New York last evening. We don’t expect him back for at least a month.” And then he kissed me again, a deep, penetrating kiss that I felt all the way down to my toes.
“I don’t think I can wait that long,” I said, my breath catching in my throat with anticipation.
“Tomorrow evening then,” he said, running his fingertips across my cheek, down my neck and to my collarbone. His caress sent shivers through my whole body. “Where shall we rendezvous? Shall I meet you here, by our favorite apple tree?”
“No,” I said, thinking it over. I hated deceiving my family. It would be an emotional challenge for me to sneak off, if only for less than a day. And when I came home again, I would no longer be a girl. I would be a married woman. I wanted to leave the house by myself. I wanted to say goodbye to my present life and step away from childhood all on my own. “I’ll meet you at the castle,” I finally told him. Jessie was about to say something in protest, but I stopped him by adding, “I mean outside the castle, in the woods out there along the river. If you can arrange a boat, then we can row down to the next town.” Jessie probably could have arranged a car, but a boat sounded so much more romantic.
“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Jessie asked. “It will be dark. I would feel better accompanying you.”
“No, this is something I have to do on my own,” I assured him. “And besides, Tiburon is perfectly safe, day or night. We haven’t had so much as a robbery since I can remember.”
“But...” Jessie tried protesting again. “How will you get there? On your bicycle? What kind of bridegroom would I be if I allowed that to happen?”
“Don’t you worry about me,” I said, patting him on the forearm to assure him. “You just focus on finding a boat that doesn’t leak. Our elopement will be a lot less romantic if we ended up getting soaked.”
“Shall we meet at midnight?” he asked.
I nodded. “Midnight,” I repeated. “But shouldn’t we choose an exact spot? Do you know of an old tree or something? How will we find each other?”
Jessie gave it some thought. “There’s that large oak tree by the water’s edge. The one where the boughs hang way out over the water.”
I knew the exact tree. “Sure,” I told him. “It’s got a rope swing. In the summer, kids use it all the time for swimming.”
“Oh.” Jessie frowned a little. “I’m not sure that there’s a rope swing.”
“I think we’re probably talking about the same tree, but maybe we should pick someplace else, just in case.”
“Don’t worry,” Jessie assured me, bending slightly to nuzzle my hair. “No matter where you are, I’ll always be able to find you.”
Chapter 44
Colette
I begged off from work for another day. I needed time alone in the room I shared with Lilly to prepare for my elopement, and I couldn’t exactly pack with my family around. My mother frowned when I told her that I was staying home. “If you’re still in pain, then maybe we really should call the doctor.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” I said. “I’m sure by tomorrow I’ll be right as rain.”
Mama reached up and laid her hand against my cheek, looking into my eyes. “Are you sure that’s all it is?” she asked. “It’s just a sore arm. Nothing else is bothering you?”
“No.” I shook my head back and forth a few times. “Nothing at all.”
I’d always been an obedient daughter and never given my parents much grief. They were good parents and I knew they loved me, so it seemed only fair to show them the same consideration. Not telling them about my engagement to Jessie was one of the most difficult things I’d ever done. But I knew if I told them, then they would want me to wait. They’d insist that I finished high school and get to know Jessie better. But I wouldn’t wait. I couldn’t wait. Being in Jessie’s arms, sharing a life together, was all I could think a
bout.
Papa needed to get out the door bright and early to make sure everything was running smoothly on the town hall project. They were going to pour the foundation soon and he wanted to make sure it was done right. Mama was going to drop him off and then drive over to meet up with a few of her old school friends who live in the next town. They got together for a luncheon a few times a year. This was perfect for my plans because it left me with the house to myself for a few hours until Mama returned. Even though I was still in my nightgown when my parents were about to leave, I ran downstairs to give both of them a hug and a kiss goodbye.
“You’re being awfully affectionate this morning,” Papa remarked as I took a moment to give him a second squeeze.
“Am I?” I asked, putting my arms around Mama and hugging her again, too. “I just wanted to let you know how much I love you.”
Mama gave me a kiss on the head. “We love you too, you silly girl. Are you sure you don’t feel well enough to go to work? You seem to be full of energy and I wouldn’t want you to lose your position.”
Gingerly moving my elbow up and down, I said, “It still hurts a little, but I’m sure I’ll be fine in another day if I just take it easy.”
After they left, pulling the door closed behind them, I turned around to find Lilly sitting on the stairs, watching me. “What are you up to, Lettie?” she asked, suspicion in her eyes.
“Nothing,” I assured her. “I’m just letting my arm heal.”
“Is that all it is?” she asked, getting to her feet. “Because you’re acting awfully funny.”
“No, I’m not,” I insisted.
“If you want to give your notice at the castle, then I’m all for it,” she said. “Papa has his town hall job and then he’ll work on the school. We don’t have to keep working there. Our family’s doing fine now.”
Her comment surprised me. “Don’t you like working at the castle?”
“If I’m being completely honest, no,” she said. “The work is fine, but the family makes me uncomfortable. There’s something about them that’s just not right. You can see it in their eyes.”
“They all have beautiful eyes,” I insisted. I couldn’t bear to hear Jessie criticized.
“No.” Lilly shook her head. “They all have cold eyes. Dead eyes. Like the eyes of a shark.”
“You’re being ridiculous,” I told her. “And you’re only saying that because of the color. The Vanderlinds can’t help it that their eyes are gray.”
“I suppose,” Lilly said. “But I still don’t like it there. I heard that Mrs. Zucker’s cousin isn’t working out at the store. They’re going to be hiring again and I’m thinking of asking for my old job back.”
My first impulse was to tell her not to do it. I couldn’t imagine leaving the castle, even if I wasn’t betrothed to Jessie. But then I thought about how odd it would be if Lilly was still working there as a maid while I was Jessie’s wife. “Maybe you should,” I told her. “That might be a good idea, seeing that you don’t like it.”
“I’ll ask for you, too,” my sister told me. “I think it would be better if we left the castle together.”
“Thank you,” I said, giving her a hug. “I love you, Lilly.”
“I love you, too,” she said, pulling away from me while giving me another suspicious look. “But I wish I understood why you are acting so strangely.”
After Lilly left for work, it didn’t take me long to decide on my wedding trousseau. I wanted to wear my organdy dress as my bridal gown, but it was still torn from my encounter with Lev Wilson. I decided on my green dress with the white flowers. It was of a light fabric, so I knew I’d probably be chilly, but once Jessie and I were together, he could put his arms around me and keep me warm. I positioned the dress and my favorite hat, the straw one with the silk daisies on it, toward the front of the closet. That way it would be easier to retrieve my clothes without disturbing my sister.
After that I pulled a small suitcase down from the closet shelf, flipped it open on the bed, and packed my prettiest nightgown. I knew I would also need something to wear the next morning, so I added a sweater and a wool skirt, along with some warm tights and a few toiletries. There was still my toothbrush and a few other items, but I thought I would slip those things in at the last minute, so that no one in my family would notice anything missing.
Taking a seat at my desk, I pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and found a pen. I didn’t want my family to panic when they found my bed empty in the morning. That wouldn’t be a nice thing to do to them. So I thought I would write a note, just to assure everyone that I was fine and in no danger. It would lessen the surprise when Jessie and I called the next morning as newlyweds, but it was better not to make my parents worry.
Dear Family,
I’m sorry for keeping this secret from you, but Jessie Vanderlind and I have fallen in love. In fact, by the time you read this note, I will already be his wife. I apologize for sneaking off and eloping in this way, but I know you would counsel me to wait to get married until we’re both a little older. I’m afraid I love Jessie too much to delay. I hope you’ll forgive me, once you see how happy he makes me. He truly is the most wonderful man I have ever met.
We’ll call you when we get up. Please don’t worry until then. I’m sure Jessie will take good care of me.
I love you all very much.
Lettie
It was just as I was signing my name when I heard the front door open and close. Snatching the note off my desk, I tossed it into the suitcase, on top of my clothes. Snapping the lid shut, I quickly tucked the whole thing under my bed.
“Lettie,” I heard my mother call as she was climbing the stairs. A moment later she was poking her head in the door.
“Hi, Mama,” I said. “What are you doing back so soon?”
“I don’t know what I was thinking,” she said, pulling the pin from her hat. “After dropping your father off, I drove half way there before I realized the luncheon isn’t until next week.”
Chapter 45
Jessie
I’d already worn my favorite suit when I’d proposed to Colette, so I felt at a bit of a loss for proper wedding attire. I wondered if it would be considered bad manners to wear the suit again for the ceremony. My next choice was to wear my tuxedo, but I decided against that pretty quickly. I sincerely doubted Colette had a wedding dress tucked away in her closet and it wouldn’t do to be dressed fancier than the bride. I did have a blue suit that I’d been told was becoming, but I couldn’t seem to find it anywhere in my closet. After an extensive search, I discovered it crumpled on the floor. It must have not been hung up properly when the household contents were unpacked. It definitely needed a good pressing.
When I’d flown back from Lettie’s, I’d spent the rest of the night searching for a boat. My mother had plans to get a couple of small boats for the castle, but no one had gotten around to ordering them yet. Most people who used the river had already taken their boats out of the water in anticipation of the first big freeze. I had to soar up and down the river for a few hours until a small rowboat, pulled up on the bank and turned over to dry, caught my eye. It wasn’t the most attractive of conveyances, but I hoped that Colette would find it romantic.
By the time I’d towed it back to the castle and hid it in the woods, the sun was preparing to rise. As I hurried inside, the sunlight had already starting to lighten the sky, making my skin ache. I had to laugh at my own stupidity. I didn’t want to be such a distracted bridegroom that I ended up inadvertently roasting myself.
Once I was safe inside the walls of the castle, I found that I was inordinately tired. But there were still so many things that I had to get done. I had to choose my wedding suit. I had to figure out a plan to avoid the sun once we’d been officially wed. I loved Lettie more than I loved my own life, but it would be a terrible shock for her to see her new husband burn to a crisp the morning after her wedding. I also needed to find some type of ring for my darling girl. I intended to have
her real wedding ring specially crafted, but there wasn’t time at the moment. I would just have to go through the family vault and find a temporary ring adequate for the ceremony.
My head throbbed and I realized I was hungry. I hurried to Arthur’s room and helped myself to one of the blood packets in the refrigerator. Packing had to wait, I decided as I finished my meal. I needed time to rest.
The knowledge that Colette would soon be my bride must have put me at ease because I quickly found the repose that was usually so elusive. When I finally opened my eyes again, the sun had set on another day. I immediately leapt to my feet and started packing, which led to the dilemma about which suit to wear.
I rang for a maid and handed her the blue suit. “I need this pressed right away,” I told her. “Bring it to me just as soon as it’s ready.” And then I headed to the vault, where we kept quite a bit of the family jewelry.
The vault was a large room in the dungeon that Grandfather had converted into a walk-in safe. Three of its walls were stone and the fourth was a large, metal door with a combination lock. It would be foolhardy for a mortal to steal from vampires, but we saw no reason to subject the servants to temptation. Especially with so much jewelry around. We could easily lose dozens of pieces and never even notice for a few decades, if ever.
Once I opened the vault, I was faced with a real challenge. What was an appropriate ring for a girl like Lettie? I dug through boxes upon boxes of jewelry, putting rings aside that I thought might be a possibility, but nothing seemed quite right. I knew that Lettie came from a good family, but she wasn’t used to the wealth of a family like the Vanderlinds. I didn’t want to overwhelm her with a giant diamond, but I didn’t want to insult her with a ring of no consequence. It was just impossible to put everything I felt for Miss Gibson into one tiny piece of jewelry.
