Chapter 9: Friends and Evil Plans
Once again Erik was in his study, but this time he wasn't tearing it up or brooding. He was searching. Searching for records. He had to dig deep into his archives, and it wasn't until six in the morning that he found them. Upon reading them, his heart soared and dropped. He felt like crying and laughing at the same time. If only he didn't stop following Christine even after she had married the Vicomte he could have found out what happened to her line. Where her descendents are or if the line died out. The line didn't. The old papers didn't say why but the name had changed over the years. It went from de Changy to de Cangy to….DeCanty.
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Celeste sat in the study just staring into the dark fireplace. It had now been a week and a half since her father passed away. She should have known this would happen. The men on her great great grandmother's side seemed to die young. But when she turned sixteen, and though he was weaker then he should have been, she believed that he would live to a ripe old age. But at 48 he died. Still young. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"Miss? You have a guest." Robert's concerned voice made her jump.
"Yes? Who is it?" she cleared her dulled voice.
"I believe it is Erik De Loire. He demanded to see you but I can tell you that you are in no condition to see guests." Robert said, as he looked her over.
Celeste growled, "Let him in." Oh, she was going to give him an ear full.
"Celeste?" his voice echoed thought the room.
"Erik De Loire. I told you at you that you have no need to butt in, but here you are. What more do you want?" she snarled but didn't bother turning around.
Erik walked around to the front of the chair and stared down at her. In the past week she had changed. Her pale skin was shallow and she was much thinner. She sat there dejected and in pain.
"I came to talk. Celeste," the use of her name made her look up at him, " I know nether of our first impressions was not the best. I came to offer a truce. If we are to be co-owners of your father's school, we need to work together." Erik said surprising even his self at the sincerity in his voice.
She heard it too. Her dull gray eyes dropped. She signed then stood, walking over to the bar, beckoning Erik to follow. She didn't say anything as she poured him a glass of scotch. She pushed it over to him. She poured herself some but less then him. She took a sip then met Erik's yellow eyes. "You have yellow eyes." She said it as a statement. "Mr. De Loire-"
"Call me Erik." He interrupted.
She sighed, "Erik. Yes, I know we have gotten off on the wrong foot. It wasn't truly your fault, it was mine. I don't know what my father said but it was due to what happened when I was younger."
Erik sat down on the stool at the bar. "Your father did mention that there had been a accident when you was younger." If he could get her talking he could find out about her past and use it against her.
"Yes. Even though we were rich I hated the rich. But it wasn't always so. When I was ten my beautiful mother left my father and me for a very wealthy very power hungry man. He seduced her and she left. It wasn't a year later that they were in a car crash. He died right away but she lingered on for two months then passed away without a word. She had left with out a good by or an 'I love you'. Nothing." Tears gathered in her gray eyes. Wiping them away she looked across at Erik. "That is why I hated you. I was very protective of him and his school though I held no true interest in it."
"Celeste. I can't bring them back, but I can be a friend if you let me." Erik said as he hesitantly took her hand.
"A friend? I do need a friend right now." Celeste smiled faintly.
Inside Erik smirked. It was just what he wanted. He stood and placed the glass down on the bar. "And now as a friend, I suggest that you get out of this house for awhile. I know of a small but elegant restaurant. Have dinner with me?" he purred entrancingly.
Celeste hesitated. She wanted to try. She didn't like to hate anyone, and even though Erik could be an ass at times, he didn't deserve all the hateful things she had said. "Ok. But just dinner. Nothing else. Can you give me an half hour?"
Erik nodded. Celeste bit her lip and went to get ready. When she was gone, his deformed lips twisted into a grin. So, she thought it was going to be just a friendship and just dinner? He could be very charming if he wanted to be. And if he could get a hateful little girl to give in and go to dinner…then imagine what he could do if her really turned on the charm.
