Chapter Seven ~ The Other Haversham Sibling

The trip to town ended up being quite enjoyable. More than I thought it would be. Though there was a point I thought I would kill myself if the two cackling women didn't shut up, otherwise the day was alright. Much better than the days spent cooped up in Haversham Manor.

Though during the day out, I began to have a strong dislike towards little Elizabeth Haversham. I had rarely spoken to the girl since I had arrived in London, and I thought she was nothing but a 'mummy's girl'. Though it seemed she was more than that. Elizabeth was very much a spoilt little brat. The whole day out she was demanding things from her mother, acting far older than her grand old age of 13 years and even back chatting to both her mother and Mrs Heliotrope. It seemed that the little terror got what she wanted though, her mother giving her everything she asked and not even raising her voice towards her when she was cheeky. I was beginning to become wary of the Haversham children.

One of them was a spoilt little brat and the other apparently didn't like me very much, for some strange and unknown reason. The last of the Haversham siblings hadn't done anything wrong yet, but I was going to be on the look out when around Callum Haversham. Surely if both his sisters were like they were, he wouldn't be any different.

Mrs Haversham had sent my letters earlier on in the day and told me that they would arrive in Moonacre the very same day. She was true to her word. Now I could only wait anxiously for both Loveday's and Robin's replies. Whether I would get them or not.

The day in town had also proven to be useful aswell. I had managed to convince Mrs Heliotrope to let me visit Georgina and Claire during our stay, which I was very proud of myself for. She had been stubborn but when we were wandering the streets of London again, she was very venerable and couldn't resist but agree to letting me see my two friends again. I was to write to them both first to see if a visit was alright, but I didn't care. I would see my friends soon and I couldn't wait.

We returned from town in the early afternoon and Mrs Haversham said the rest of the day until dinner was our own and we were free to do as we pleased. I decided to wander the gardens on my own, as the weather was very warm today.

I couldn't deny that Haversham Manor was beautiful, but it wasn't home. Everything seemed to odd and alien. I had lived in this city for my most of my life but living in Moonacre for the past 3 years had completely changed my views on things. I'd like to hope they were for the better.

I sharp cry caught my attention and I decided to head to the source of it. I ended up finding myself by a large closed off enclosure and inside it was Lord Haversham and his son, riding two huge stallions. The horse Lord Haversham was riding was sleek and black, not a white mark anywhere on it's body. It stood tall and magnificent, just as Lord Haversham did. The one Callum rode was brown, though it's nose was white. The horse was equally as beautiful as the first.

Timidly, I crept up to the wooden fence that enclosed them in and watched them. Neither had noticed my presence, and I hoped it carried on like that.

I wasn't quite sure what the pair of them were doing, but I was too intrigued to leave. They trotted around in circles and I could see Lord Haversham talking, though I couldn't make out what he was saying. After a few minutes, Callum noticed me stood there.

"Maria?" He asked, trotting over to where I was stood. I backed away slightly. I must have outstayed my welcome here.

"I'm sorry." I said quickly. "I was just watching, I didn't mean-"

"It's fine, Maria." Callum told me, smiling. His horse snorted, making me jump. "You want to join us?" He offered. My eyes wandered onto his horse. It looked very terrifying up close.

"I'd rather watch, if I'm honest." I said, jumping as the horse turned it's head in my direction. I couldn't understand why I was so jumpy around the creature. I had been around horses plenty of times in Moonacre. Though Periwinkle was very different to this creature. Not just in sizes.

"Nonsense." Lord Haversham's voice called. He suddenly appeared beside me, not on his horse, though still in his riding outfit. He took off his helmet and smiled down at me. "Jane tells us that you ride quite well." Curse Mrs Heliotrope and her blabbering mouth. "They won't bite, I assure you." I smiled weakly at him. I didn't want to ride, but I could see Lord Haversham wouldn't take no for an answer.

"I don't want to be a bother." I said quickly. Suddenly Lord Haversham had thrust his hat into my hands and his whip.

"You won't be." He smiled. "Callum will take care of you, I promise. Plus you will keep him company. I'm going to go have some rest while I can. I'll see you two at dinner." Lord Haversham gave us both one last smile then headed off towards the house. "Look after my stuff, Maria." He called over his shoulder. I stared down at the helmet and whip he had given me and swallowed hard.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." Callum's voice said. I glanced up his direction. He was off his horse and leaning against the fence. I didn't say anything for a few moments, then smiled pleasantly at the Haversham boy.

"As long as I don't have to ride your father's horse, I think I'll be alright." I said finally. He smiled and held his hand out towards me.

"You're going to have to climb over the fence. Not very elegant, I know. But I don't think you're the type of person to care, are you?" He raised an eyebrow. I frowned slightly at his correct judgement. Had I made that impression already? With a sigh, I took his offered hand and he helped me over the fence.

I was to ride Francesca's horse, as it was the 'least naughty'. It didn't fill me with much comfort that I would be riding the horse of the girl who apparently didn't like me very much, but I also didn't like the idea of riding a horse that was likely to throw me off. I was also to wear Francesca's riding gear as Elizabeth's would be too small.

When slipping into the gear, I couldn't help but notice how much I had changed since I had arrived in Moonacre when I was 13 years old. I was so thin and had no shape to me, now it all seemed to have changed. I had curves and had filled out in all the right places. Loveday would said I had grown into a true little lady, though I didn't feel like I had. At 16 years of age though, I could be married off and that thought terrified me. I didn't feel ready for that.

"Are you ready, Maria?" Callum called. I sighed and put Lord Haversham's riding hat on.

"Ready."

It wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. Callum helped me onto Francesca's white horse, which was apparently called Lucy, and led me around the enclosure to get me used to her. Lucy was a nice enough horse, but nothing to Periwinkle. After he thought I was used to her, Callum let me walk around on my own, whilst he stood back and watched. I began to get used to Lucy and soon began to enjoy myself, even braving to gallop around the enclosure on her.

After an hour or so, Callum suggested we have a ride around the grounds together, which I agreed to. I could only take so much of the same enclosure and it would also give me a look around the grounds, without getting lost of course.

"So, why did you leave London?" Callum asked as we were riding. I stared one of the large flower beds at all the different colours. Loveday would surely love to see it all.

"When my father died, I lost everything we owned. Mrs Heliotrope and I had to move to Moonacre to live with my uncle Benjamin, my father's brother." I explained.

"I'm sorry to hear about your father." Callum said quietly. I glanced at him and gave him a small smile. "I couldn't imagine what it likes to lose a parent." He muttered, staring off ahead of us. I couldn't help but think about the other Mrs Haversham, Francesca's mother, when he said that.

"Well, I lost both." I sighed. "I can tell you it isn't great." Callum turned to me.

"I'm sorry I brought all this up." He apologised. I shrugged. Callum was a pleasant enough boy. Though I thought that with Henry Cunningham. That was a wrong choice to make. "Tell me about Moonacre then. Judging by your eagerness to get back, it must be a nice enough place." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"How come you keep making all these judgements about me?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"Have I offended you?" He asked quickly. I shook my head and he shrugged. "If I was you, I'd want to leave as soon as I could aswell." He told me. I nodded, only a little bit satisfied with his answer, but decided to leave it.

"Moonacre is very different to London." I began. "But in a good way. Everything is so simple in Moonacre." I paused, thinking of Robin for a brief moment. "And beautiful."

"But surely London is beautiful aswell?" Callum asked. "Look at this place." He gestured to the world around us. I couldn't deny the Haversham grounds were beautiful.

"Yes but in Moonacre everything is free and natural." I glanced at Callum to see him watching me, listening to my answer. "And we don't all have such extravagant homes like you." I nodded to the Manor behind us. He chuckled and nodded.

"I've lived in London by entire life, so I don't really understand the love for the country. So, I apologise, I'm not seeing your point." I shrugged.

"I thought the same as you not so long back." I told him.

Suddenly a noise caught my attention. It sounded like a shout and I whipped around in the direction it was heard from. I turned back to Callum to see him unfazed by the noise.

"Did you hear that?" I asked. Callum nodded. "And you don't care?"

"It's nothing worth worrying about." He told me.

"What was it?" I asked. Callum didn't say anything for a few moments, biting his lip in thought.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?" He asked.

"I promise." I said quickly. Callum paused for a while before sighing.

"It's Francesca." He said finally. "She hidden down at the bottom of the garden away from the eyes of mother and father."

"Why?" I asked, confused. I craned my neck to see if I could see Francesca between the trees and bushes. Though it was no use, I could see nothing.

"She likes to practise down there." Callum said. "And our parents don't approve of what she does."

"And what does she do?"

"Practise." Callum repeated. "I'm not quite sure what. I think mostly archery and sword fighting. You see, Mother doesn't want one of her daughters - even if it's her step daughter - to be associated with such male orientated activities. She should be out, socialising," He paused and grimaced slightly. "and finding a husband."

"So Francesca hides it from her?" I guessed. Callum nodded.

"Francesca has no intention of doing anything my mother says." Callum sighed. "The problem is, all my mother's interested in is finding suitable spouses for her three darling children." Callum grinned at me. "She means well, though her goals are a little overly prospected. Francesca refuses to meet any man mother puts in front of her and I guess her little sessions down the garden are her way of expressing her anger out."

"Oh." I nodded, not sure what else to say.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she's practising aiming arrows at my mother's head." I studied Callum's face for a few moments.

"And why don't you seem bothered by that?" I asked. He turned towards me and met my eyes with his guarded and hesitant ones. Finally he shrugged and that was the only answer I got. I frowned when he looked away. Something seemed to be going on with the Haversham siblings. Of course, I didn't have a right to know, but it still intrigued me.

After another half an hour or so, Callum decided for us to head back and put the horses back in the stables. When we were back in the stables, I got out of the riding gear and into my dress. It took me a while but I finally made myself look a little bit respectable then headed out to meet Callum outside the stables. We headed back up to the house and found Lord Haversham in one of the sitting rooms. I gave him back his hat and whip, telling him thank you, then excused myself from both the Haversham men, telling them I would see them at dinner.

ROBIN'S POV

My father stood in front of me, arms crossed tightly across his chest, and was glaring down at me. His dark room didn't help the situation and I prepared myself for a beating.

It was what I had been used to since my mother's death all the way up to the age of 17. Whenever my father was angry with me, he would hit me. Sometimes really bad and sometimes I would cry myself to sleep when I crawled into bed, begging for it all to end. Though no one knew that but me. And I intended to keep it that way. Since Maria saved Moonacre though, everything did end and the beatings ceased. I was thankful, but wary for when it might start again.

"Are you going to tell me why, boy?" Father asked slowly, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Tell you why?" I asked innocently. My father's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't joke with me, Robin." He said. "I'm not in the mood."

"Why what's happened?" I asked, genuinely confused. What had happened to anger him?

"I've got Michael hissing my ear about you hitting him for no apparent reason."

"I did have a reason." I muttered. I saw my father's face soften up slightly.

"Tell me why, son." He urged quietly, untangling his arms from their tight bound.

"He angered me."

"Why?" I paused before answering.

"He just said something - about Maria - that made me angry." Suddenly my father's face dropped with understanding.

"Something about Maria." He repeated, nodding. He chuckled slightly then sighed. "Well I guess an apology is in order."

"I'm not apologising to him." I told him firmly. Father held up his hands.

"I'm not getting involved, I'm just saying an apology is needed." He walked over to the door and opened it. He gestured that I was free to leave. I stood up from my chair slowly.

"Well, he can go first." I muttered. Father grinned.

"I'll see you in the morning, son." He began. "Get some rest and try not to miss Maria too hard." I rolled my eyes and left, muttering my good byes.

I didn't appreciate being summoned from my bedroom to see my father, which I guessed was because Michael had been blabbering to him, but glad for the excuse to leave my bedroom. It had come to the point, where I couldn't stand my bedroom for much longer. I could now wander the castle as I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep.

I wandered through the castle, ignoring everyone who tried to talk to me and just continued walking. I was the De Noir son anyway, I could get away with it. Finally, I found myself stood outside the newest built out house. It was the one that had been burnt down during Cassandra and her boy's attacks. Father had built it all up again and had given it to Mr Gomez for his own use, as he thought he deserved it.

Mr Gomez had moved into it and used it like a home. I knew he was grateful for it, as he was getting sick of his tiny room in the castle. He told me that sometimes he liked to test his ability by changing into different animals, which was proven difficult in a small room.

Cautiously, I knocked on the wooden door of Mr Gomez's home. I couldn't quite be sure what I would find inside, my tutor was very unpredictable. Suddenly though, the door was yanked open and Mr Gomez stood there. He looked truly awful. His eyes were red and sore and I could see him breathing very heavily, wheezing slightly. He looked much the same as he had done recently, so I wasn't phased by him stood there, looking like that in front of me. Though his eyes lit up slightly when he saw me stood there and he looked much his normal Mr Gomez self again.

"Ahh, Robin." He beamed. "And what do I owe the pleasure of your presence this late at night?" I shrugged.

"I have no where else to go." I told him. "I don't want to sleep in my room." Mr Gomez studied me for a few moments before nodding.

"You want to stay here tonight?" He asked. I nodded and he stood aside to let me by. I walked inside and I heard him shut the door. "The back room is still set up for times like this." I nodded again. "You want a drink?" I glanced over my shoulder at him.

"I'm in the mood for getting drunk." I muttered. Mr Gomez grinned and again looked like his usual self.

"We better get to it then."

(A/N) I know these chapter's aren't very interesting at the moment, but I promise you they will get better! Trust me! :)

The title to this chapter is kinda rubbish, but I couldn't think of anything else and it's refering to Callum Haversham, I suppose.

Nothing much else to say really apart from thank you and please review for me!

-Jemlou-