Disclaimer: Highlander and its characters do not belong to me and I'm not making any money off of this, yadda, yadda, yadda. This chapter alludes to rape.
It had been three days since William had left Eleonore to attend to his business. She didn't realize that just a few days could ever feel so long. She watched each afternoon, hoping and praying that William would ride up to the estate and she could feel joy again. But he hadn't and she was worried. She hoped that he'd been sincere about his feelings. As naïve as it may be for her to believe that she'd fallen in love with someone she'd only known less than a week, she knew she loved William Christian and being away from him was agony.
As she sat outside in the springtime afternoon, her pencil and drawing pad resting on her lap, Eleonore watched the trees move lazily in the soft breeze. She wished that she could feel so at ease. Despite being outside among the beauty of the day, Eleonore felt as if she were encased in cage.
She spent her time walking the estate, drawing, reading and riding. She wanted to help in the garden and the kitchen but the servants made it very clear that Lord Huntington would disapprove. He was busy throughout the day and much of the evening and she really only saw him while they dined. He made pleasant conversation, which consisted primarily of recounting his exploits in parliament and divulging secrets of King George II's court. She was appropriately awed during all the key points of his stories and feigned an interest in his business dealings, despite his arrogance and condescending tone. After dinner, her uncle would retire to his study and she to the reading room. The servants, primarily Henry and Mary, attended her well. She was able to draw Mary into a few short conversations and felt comfortable that the people in her uncle's employ were good, decent folk. All in all, the first days had been pleasant enough.
However, yesterday, Lord Arthur's behavior began to change. Wherever she went, he seemed to lurk there, watching her. During dinner, he drank more. His personality shifted from someone reveling in his own arrogance and importance to a man with something to hide. He became more withdrawn and sullen. She tried to initiate conversations, but would receive no response. She had wanted to believe that her initial anxieties about her uncle were just silly nerves. As a general rule, Eleonore wasn't intimidated by men, but this was different. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was afraid.
She was lost in though enough not to hear Mary walk up behind her. "Miss Eleonore?"
Eleonore jumped at the sound of the woman's voice. "Oh! Mary! You startled me!"
"My apologies, Miss." Mary curtsied and looked down at the ground. Almost as if she expected to be reprimanded for her interruption. "I just came to tell you that dinner will be a bit late this evening."
"That's fine, Mary. Thank you for coming to tell me." She smiled and realized that Mary still stood where she was. "Mary? Is there something else?"
Mary looked up and quickly looked about the area to see if anyone else was around. She stepped forward and crouched down, next to Eleonore's chair. Mary looked up and stared into Eleonore's eyes pleadingly. She whispered, "Miss Eleonore...you've got to get yourself away from here. The master's drinkin' again and all of us know what he's like when he gets that way. It's not good for you to stay."
"Mary, what are you saying..."
Before Eleonore could finish, the booming voice of Lord Arthur rose through the doors to the terrace. "Why, Mary, whatever are you doing bothering our Miss Eleonore? I'm sure she has other things to do than listen to you prattle on about the goings on of our household." He strode over to Mary who, as soon as she heard his voice, stood up and backed away from Eleonore.
"Yes, my lord." She took several steps away from where Eleonore sat and had just passed Lord Arthur when his large hand shot out and took her by the arm. He didn't attempt to lower his voice when he said, "And don't let me catch you fraternizing with my niece again, or you know what will happen." Roughly, he released her arm and Mary all but ran up the terrace steps back into the house.
Eleonore sat, not entirely sure how to react. She turned and picked up her drawing pad and pencil in an attempt to distance herself from her uncle.
"Mary can be such a nuisance sometimes. It's a wonder she gets any work done when she's constantly chatting about with someone." Lord Huntington moved closer and stood, looking over Eleonore's shoulder. "That's a very interesting sketch, my dear. Although with such a beautiful day, I wonder why you couldn't find something more attractive to draw than that dead tree in the garden. It's very depressing."
Eleonore shuddered as her uncle put his hand on her shoulder. "You shouldn't be so melancholy, Eleonore. Men like it when their women are pleasant."
She stood up and turned to face him. "Well, uncle, I'm not really concerned about what men think of me. I'll draw what I find interesting – not things to please others."
"Well, there's something to be said for pleasing others, don't you think?" The smile that crept into the corner of her uncle's mouth was akin to a hungry cat gazing upon a fat, little mouse. She moved past him and walked toward the steps to the house when she heard his voice behind her.
"I'll see you at dinner then, Eleonore. I'm sure we can finish our conversation then."
Eleonore's pace quickened as she made her way into the house.
Behind her, watching, Lord Arthur took in the site of her form moving away from him. The corner of his mouth rose again in a crooked smile. "Yes, Eleonore. We'll have so much to talk about."
That evening, as she prepared to go downstairs to face her uncle again, the feeling of dread moved through her spine and made her shudder. She cursed herself for not accepting William's offer to come with him. Why was she so damned stubborn? She shook her head and tried to clear her head and focus on getting through the next few hours. Eleonore was sure William would arrive in the next day or so and then she would leave this place behind. She so hoped that her feelings for William and his feelings for her weren't some childish fantasy.
But as she stood in front of the looking glass in her chamber, she knew they weren't just girlish dreams. He loved her and she loved him more than anyone she'd ever known despite the fact that they'd only met less than a week ago. He was special. Very, very special. This time, she wasn't going to let her pride, stubbornness and concern for propriety dampen her chance for happiness.
Steeling herself, she opened her bedroom door and started downstairs. She hadn't noticed it before, but the house felt still...silent. It was if the air had staled with the negative emotions flowing through the halls. Again, she forced herself to push down the feelings of unrest and crossed the main entryway to the dining room. Her uncle sat perched on his chair like a greedy king waiting for his evening's entertainment.
He held a glass of amber liquid in one hand and a piece of chicken in the other. She wondered if that was what Henry VIII looked like - all gluttony and arrogance rolled into one man.
"Eleonore, my dear, please come and sit. Dinner has arrived and I've taken the liberty of pouring you a glass of our finest wine this evening. I know how you love a nice red wine with your meal. Sit! Enjoy!"
Since her uncle sat at the head of the immense table, she took the seat to his right. As soon as she was in place, the staff prepared her plate and placed the sumptuous meal in front of her. "My, uncle, this looks absolutely wonderful. You have such a gifted cooking staff here." She lifted the fork to her mouth and enjoyed the delicate taste of the potatoes and chicken gravy.
"Yes, they are good. But lazy people in general. I have to do everything short of whipping them to get them to work!" He took another large gulp of his drink and refreshed his glass with the carafe sitting next to him.
Eleonore tried not to look at her uncle as the mere sight of him indulging caused her appetite to wane. She took a sip of the red wine and enjoyed the warm sensation down her throat.
"Good wine, isn't it, my dear. It takes a few sips to appreciate the complexities of the bouquet, I think."
"Yes, Uncle Arthur, it is very good. You have impeccable taste in wine."
His voice boomed, "That I do, girl! I bought it at a right bargain price as well! Nothing like finding aristocrats down on their luck to sell you valuable items far below their worth." He laughed and pounded his fist on the table to signal his approval at his own joke.
She tried to smile, but it was weak and feigned, at best. After a few more bites she took another sip of the wine. This time, she realized that the wine was more potent than usual. Her head began to spin and her face felt flushed. Strange, she never had this reaction to alcohol. She could always safely drink one glass of wine without any ill effects.
She looked up at the walls and tried to focus on the paintings across from her. Eleonore's mind swam and became more and more dizzy as she tried to force herself not to succumb to the waves of lightheadedness pouring over her. Standing up, she tried to steady herself on the back of her chair.
Eleonore hear her uncle's voice from off to her side and tried to understand what he was saying, but it was no use. Her head moved from side to side and her eyes closed as she felt herself moving deeper into darkness. 'Oh God, what's happening...William..Will...' Her thoughts muted as she slumped forward onto the floor.
Lord Arthur moved to Eleonore's side and felt her pulse. "Perfect.", he muttered in a soft voice. He picked her up and began carrying her out of the dining room. The servants were eating in their quarters so the hallways were empty. Not that he was concerned himself with being seen, but he wasn't in the mood to scold one of his servants tonight. He wanted to savor every minute of his time with Eleonore.
He was fortunate that Eleonore was a slight woman, as being out of shape, his breath became labored carrying her up the stairs to her chamber. He entered her room and deposited her on her bed. As she lay there, he took in her beauty. The curve of her dress, the hint of her cleavage at the top of her bodice. He would enjoy their time together. Time that young bastard William Christian wouldn't ever have with her. Eleonore was his now. All his.
Mary had watched as Lord Arthur had carried Eleonore upstairs. Her stomach clenched knowing what was in store for that poor girl. But she didn't know what to do. She couldn't help the others and she didn't know how to help Miss Eleonore either.
Mr. Christian. Mr. Christian could help. Mary ran to the servant's quarters to find the stable boy who could ride to Mr. Christian's estate and fetch him. It would take at least a day to get there and back, but she had to try something to help the poor girl.
Richard, the same stable boy who had held on to William's steed just a few days ago was saddled and on his way within a few minutes. Mary prayed that he would reach Mr. Christian soon. She knew what would happen to her if he didn't come for her within a few days and Mary didn't want that to happen to this girl.
"Hurry Richard, lad. Hurry.", Mary whispered.
