by Lynn McCain
The day finally arrived for the men to come about the job. There were only four of them that Mother had to choose from. I kept my distance but spied on the entire process. They all looked like killers to me, but what did I know? There was one I suppose you could say was handsome. To be perfectly honest, he was positively beautiful. His hair was the color of the blackest night and his eyes like onyx. His skin was like the most beautiful, Italian leather, and he spoke with great eloquence. I knew Mother could get no work done with him around or me for that matter. After asking many questions and having lunch with all the murders, Mother finally made her decision. Of course, she chose the good looking fellow with the beautiful smile.
His name was Humphrey Emsworth. Apparently, he had a son who would be moving in also. I’m sure all the color left my face because Mother led me to a nearby chair to be seated. I did not even know what to think; boy coming to live on Channon Estate. It was all too much. Grandfather had just passed and already all these changes. What was everyone thinking? I had to get away, but there was nowhere to go. I was locked behind those walls like a prisoner. So, I went to the only place I knew I could be alone, the library. I sat in the window looking out over the grounds, watching the trees sway back and forth. I felt like I was in a dream, like I had lived that moment before. It was so strange I had to go lie down. I had chosen the room directly by the library. It was large with a small window facing the forest. My favorite part was the enormous bed that I thought might swallow me whole. It wrapped itself around me like one of Grandfather’s hugs. I slept there the remainder of the day not wanting to face what was going on down stairs.
Mr. Emsworth was actually a splendidly nice gentleman. I had not yet found reason to believe he might kill us, not because I wasn’t looking though. Mother thought it best to turn Grandfather’s shop into living quarters for him and his son. Although I was not at all thrilled with the idea of them living in Grandfather’s shop, I guessed it was better than sharing a home with strangers. Henry, his son, was due to arrive in three days’ time, and I already did not think I would like him. He sounded like every other boy I had ever met, rude and self-absorbed. Though I must admit, I thought if he looked anything like his father I might at least try to be kind. I was, in fact, getting older and the chance of meeting my prince charming was now even farther away than before. Anyway, Mother sure fancied Mr. Emsworth. I had never seen her act so strangely before. And worse yet, she expected me to be on my best behavior at all times. It was lady this and lady that.
Grandmother, on the other hand, was not doing very well at all. She hardly left her room and when she did, she only wandered about not making any sense at all. Mother was worried about her. One evening I saw her wander into the library. I could hear her talking, so I placed my ear against the door to try and make out what she was saying. No sense could be made of any of it, except for one phrase she kept repeating over and over. “Into the night, into the night, the dark winds blow. Into the night, into the night, the girl must never know.” I thought she must be reading, so I cracked the door a bit to see in. To my surprise, she was sitting in the window looking out past the walls and into the trees, waving her arms around in circles over her head.
As I leaned in closer, the door creaked, causing her to turn around. Once our eyes met she began screaming extremely loud. So loud, her maids came running up to see what was the matter. I was terribly frightened. What had she meant by, “The girl must never know?” What girl, and what were the dark winds anyway? I began to think of my adventure with Grandfather. Ever since his funeral I had searched for the jewelry box he had given me, yet without any luck at all. I had actually dreamt of it every night since I had been there. A lot had happened in the last four years. I was no longer a girl playing with imaginary friends, and according to Mother, chasing after fairy tales was, “Immature and also a waste of time,” her words, not mine.
It was finally time for Henry to join his father on the Estate, and I must say I was a bit excited. When he arrived the entire house was waiting to greet him. Well, that is all except for me. I decided to watch from the terrace, so I could get a good look at him before we were properly introduced. Mother made me put on her favorite gown, which was quite heavy. The dark, red fabric had gold braids lined down each section with delicate white flowers randomly placed throughout. It looked as if I were headed to some ball with the king. She had also curled my hair into tiny ringlets all over my head and placed her makeup upon me. I felt ridiculous! What was so special about Henry anyway? None the less, there I was all fancy and dressed up.
Leaning over the terrace, I watched as he stepped out of the car. I must have looked like a desperate widow, putting myself on display for a man to come and rescue me. I wondered, had he brought a cow to trade for my hand? Yet it was apparent, even from the terrace, that he was handsome. His hair, dark like his fathers, was trimmed perfectly with immaculate detail and his dress was like that of a gentleman. As he turned, I saw his suspenders underneath his light jacket and his shoes freshly shined. Probably a ladies’ man, I thought. My judgments were cut short as Mother called for me to come down to meet him. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and I felt something strange within me. Each step I took toward him was labored. I had never been so nervous in all my life.
Walking onto the lawn, my eyes remained glued to the ground the entire time. Finally, as I reached him, I looked up and our eyes rested upon one another. I swear time must have stopped. It felt like an eternity gazing into his dark, mysterious eyes, eyes that were decorated with thick brows. I examined his entire face one piece at a time. His lips were the most beautiful lips I had ever seen; the top only slightly smaller than the bottom. The teeth beneath his smile lay beautifully in all their imperfection.
All at once, Mother nudged me. Apparently, she had called my name more than once, and I snapped out of the trance I had fallen in to.
My voice cracked as I spoke, “My name is Lily. It’s lovely to meet you.”
Smiling, he simply took my hand and placed his lips against my flesh. Without a word, he turned and continued to help his father get their belongings out of the car. I ran to my room and thought I must never wash my hand again. It looked like I might like Henry after all.
Chapter 3
It had been nearly three months since Henry had joined us on the estate, and we had grown quite close already. Every waking moment not already accounted for, we spent together. It was nice having a friend around. Even if at times I caught myself staring at his beautiful lips, just wishing he’d kiss me already! He was indeed too much of a gentleman for that.
Grandmother had officially gone crazy, never making any sense at all. She was constantly talking to herself and then would answer as if someone had asked her a question. It was a bit scary at times, but I had gotten used to it.
Mother and Mr. Emsworth were getting along quite comfortably. It was nice to hear her laughing again. There were times, back in the city that I would catch her crying in the middle of the night. Yes, we all seemed to be adjusting to our new lives, everyone except for Grandmother anyway, and I was so caught up with Henry that I had almost forgotten I was a prisoner behind the brick walls.
Henry was an old soul, almost appeared to be from a different time. A mystery from the start, his secrets guarded. No matter how hard I pressed, he revealed little of his past, only that his mother died when he was a boy. His constraint made me want him all the more. I dreamed of the day we would be together, the day he would trust me. In time, he slowly began to open up, and exactly five months and fourteen days after I had meet Henry, my life changed forever.
The day started out like any other. I completed my studies and he his chores as quickly as possible. We liked to spend our afternoons together on the back lawn. There was a spot, a maze of landscaping, if you will, and in the center was a square with a statue of an enormous horse reared up on his back legs. This was our spot.
We meet there every day of the week except Sundays. On Sundays we went to
church. I could hardly stand to listen to the preacher, the same man who preached Grandfather’s funeral. It always made me picture his lifeless body, besides, the man liked to yell. By the time the service was over, he would be sweating profusely. He always smelt of hard liquor, for it seemed to secrete out of his pores, leaving one to wonder how it was that he even obtained liquor on the Sabbath but that’s neither here nor there.
Having Henry sitting beside me, at least made it worth it. Our bodies would be so close I could feel the hairs on his arms brush against my delicate skin. My favorite part was during prayer time. I endured the horrible displays of deception all for my own thrills. We would be asked to hold hands with the person sitting beside us to join together in praying for whatever dear saint needed help. It was then and only then that Henry would place his hand into mine.
All week long I lived for the moment when our hands would meet again. His eyes remained shut the entire time. I envied how controlled he was, never breaking. I embraced his beautiful fingers, sometimes entwining ours together. My eyes never shut, not even once. I would have been able to pick his hands out of a crowd. Fingernails manicured perfectly, not a speck of dirt underneath them, the skin around, soft and smooth. His knuckles were slightly larger than the rest of his fingers, and the hair on his arms shimmered underneath the light. My heart began to race even before our fingers touched and would continue until he loosened his grasp. Slowly and sensually the tips of his fingers would slide across my palm until they reached the end. Once released, the tightening in my chest would lessen, and I could breathe again.
Although I had dreamt about it since I had first laid eyes on him, nothing could have prepared me for what happened that day in our spot. When I arrived, he was sitting on the stone bench facing the statue, writing his poetry as always. I quietly watched, admiring everything about him. Suddenly, my hand slipped leaving me face down on the ground before him. Racing to my side, he lifted me into his arms. Time officially stopped exactly five months and fourteen days after I meet Henry Emsworth. Holding me in his arms, he brushed the hair out of my eyes and wiped the dirt from my cheek. Smiling, he commented on my clumsiness. I had no words, nothing. I could hardly breathe. His shadowy eyes smoldered underneath the shade of the tree. We remained immersed in one another’s gaze until he leaned over and gently placed his perfect lips, the lips I had dreamt about, softly against my forehead. They remained there briefly, but the imprint they left will last a lifetime. We spent the remainder of the day lounging on the lawn, Henry leaning against the tree, my head resting peacefully upon his lap. I have often revisited that day, for it was then that I knew my heart would never be the same.
After that day something changed between Henry and me. He remained a gentleman, no more kisses, but his hands often found their home in mine. Sunday was no longer the only day I had the pleasure of feeling our skin collide. I had fallen completely and utterly head over heels in love with him. The days turned into weeks and weeks into months, but our love only grew stronger.
*
It was time for my birthday, and Mother had decorated the entire place.
“After all,” she said, “a girl only turns eighteen once.”
The entire week leading up to my birthday she began acting very strangely though. The gardeners and servants were on constant watch at the gates. I was unsure if they were trying to keep us in, or something else out. As a matter of fact, everyone in the house had gone mad. I just assumed they must be planning a surprise or something, for every time I entered the room an awkward hush fell over all those inside. I decided to just save them the trouble and stayed away for the remainder of the week.
I spent all of my free time with Henry. My heart fluttered behind my flesh each time I saw his face. I knew he fancied me also. I had never really liked a boy before, not like that anyway. He was quite a charmer, always complimenting the way I looked, and we laughed together more than I had ever laughed in my entire life. He promised to make my birthday one I would never forget. I don’t think he was expecting it to turn out quite like it did, but it is indeed a day I have never forgotten.
It all started on the afternoon of my birthday. Henry and I spent most of the morning together. He had the entire day planned out; breakfast on the lawn, a picnic for lunch, and Mother had a dinner party planned for the evening. After breakfast, Henry and I walked the grounds admiring Grandmothers beautiful garden. I pictured Grandfather sitting in his rocker having his morning drink. Tears began to form, and I didn’t try to contain them. Oh, how I wished he could have been there for my birthday. Henry was so kind. He comforted me until the moment passed. He promised he had a surprise that would make me feel better. Placing his hands over my eyes, he led me to a gate just at the edge of the lawn. As I opened my eyes, curiosity masked as fear overcame me.
“Trust me,” he whispered into my ear as he pushed back the barrier before us.
Behind the wall, lay a courtyard just quaint enough to be my own secret garden. In the center was a fountain, badly cracked, yet still as beautiful as ever portraying four angry looking fish wrapped around the bottom. A picnic had been set up on the ground just beside the stone wall now covered completely in ivy. Henry knew how badly I hated the stone walls. This place was perfect. Not a soul had been back there for years. It was entirely overgrown leaving no trace of stone anywhere. I could not believe I hadn’t been there before. I had always stayed clear of the gate at the entrance, believing it led into the woods.
Henry had the chefs make us a wonderful lunch and tea cookies, which I loved. Once our stomachs were full, we lay back mesmerized by the tall trees, towering over us like giants, just beyond the fence. One by one their leaves fell softly upon us.
Without a word, Henry pulled a small box from out of his pocket and gently placed my hand into his. Opening the box, he revealed the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. The entire thing was covered in sparkly diamonds surrounding a perfectly delicate stone. It was his mothers. A thousand thoughts raced through my mind all at once. He declared that he had loved me from the first moment he had spotted me peering over the terrace. He spoke of the ridiculous red dress I wore, and the fire that burned within him as his lips touched my skin. I held my hand out toward him, shaky as it was; my entire body in frenzy. The blood raced through my veins, and my heart all but exploded out of my chest. The air in my lungs was heavy, my breathing labored. He slid the tiny ring across my knuckle and rested it perfectly in place. Even in the shade of the trees, it sparkled. I sat motionless, wordless, just glaring at the foreign object now at home upon my finger. Henry’s eyes too focused on the beauty before him. The words formed on my lips without effort.
“Yes, yes Henry, I will marry you.”
His hands now shaking too, found their way around my neck. His lips pressed against my forehead. Tears fell from both our lids. Pulling away, he glared deep into my eyes. His lips pursed; the space between us vanishing. Just as he was about to place his lips against mine, the moment I had dreamt about since first laying eyes upon him, we heard a large cracking sound. There was something moving about in the branches above us. I remembered seeing the squirrel like creatures before, but Henry insisted they were not squirrels at all. Still, somehow he seemed to recognize them.
In the distance I heard someone faintly call my name. Rolling off the trees, it was carried by the wind, echoing as it hit the walls. Wearily, I looked at Henry just hoping he had heard it too. His eyes grew large as he arose to see who was there. The trees began to sway violently beyond the stone walls. Henry grabbed my arm quite bearishly, forcing me out of the garden. A side of him I had not yet seen. He began to race toward Grandfather’s shop, dragging me behind him. Mother was frantically running out toward us. Pulling me away from him, her eyes filled with rage as she reminded Henry of the danger beyond the walls. Once away from Henry, she angrily escorted me to my room where she forbade me from leaving. I, of course, protested the entire way, but she was quite insistent. Once in my room, I lie on the bed w
ondering what had happened. Who had called my name? I knew I had seen those creatures before. My eyes grew heavy, and I drifted in and out of sleep.
When I awoke, it was almost time for my party, and the servants had come to help me dress. This time Mother let me pick out my own gown. It was pure white. I thought it suitable for the occasion, if indeed I had to dress up. I considered it silly, but Mother insisted. It was, in fact, a special night. All of the guests would be admiring my ring. The thought made my heart beat faster. And Mother, I had not even told her yet. As I dressed, I stared out the window. The trees were calm again, softly swaying back and forth. Without even realizing it, I too began to sway in rhythm with them. Mother’s voice startled me as she yelled from downstairs. It was time. The guests had arrived. Cautiously making my way down the stairs, I examined the room below me. There were so many people I did not know.
Henry waited at the bottom, his eyes never leaving my frame. His raven hair parted to the side, and his black suit made it hard to focus on the steps before me. Once at the bottom, he wrapped my arm under his, escorting me into the room. I wished we were alone. The presence of his body next to mine aroused something within me.
Mother had not left one detail untouched, even the hallway looked celebrative. As I entered the dining hall, everyone was staring at me like I had forgotten to dress. I hated parties, especially when they were for me. After meeting countless people and receiving the ridiculous cheek kisses, which always made me feel intruded upon, Henry and I snuck off to the back lawn.
