Chapter 28

Miss Anne remained with the brothers until the dawning sun appeared in the parlour window. The prospect of losing the cover of the shadows with which to make her escape back to her home and family caused anxiety and hastened her departure even though she had lost time in the ancient texts of the Winchester collection, and so, as Samuel relinquished custody of the book she was reading, with assurances that they would meet again and she would return it, and in another flash of impropriety she lifted her skirt and stashed the tomb amidst the folds of her petticoats, she fled into the new day.

"She is headstrong," Samuel said as they watched her from the window until she disappeared into a crevice between the buildings and was gone from sight. "She moves much as we would have done, into the shadows."

"There is most definitely something she is not telling us," Dean commented as they turned away from the window. "Or perhaps I am just prepared to accept her claims of the society of men."

"You should, she isn't lying," Samuel stated and took up a place at the table once more. "Accounts of such things can be found, and are found, in many publications, though perhaps not the news papers. The plight of women in society is compounded by the naivety of the gentlemen who choose not to admit it."

"Are you calling me naive in the ways of this world Samuel?" Dean asked. "I know far more than most."

"About monsters and Angels and Demons, but not of women. You are as naive as the next thoughtless man who calls himself a gentleman," Samuel responded.

"Truly Samuel, what you say is distressing."

"It is the truth brother, and many a woman is locked up, or fearful, or tragically dead because of her husband. But there is nothing to protect her, no man to speak against the wrongdoings of the husband, and so they remain innocent of their crimes and the lady is captive in some way until she withers away and dies."

"And that is her fate?" Dean asked as he remained at the window staring out after her though she was long gone. "Not Anne, not this one. She will not be a victim to such a thing."

"I think you like her," Samuel teased.

"I do not," Dean protested vehemently.

"Either way, she could get herself into a lot of trouble being as headstrong as she is," Samuel commented. "She does know this town very well, but should she leave it, she will be at a very great disadvantage. She was very persuasive, very nearly force her way into this parlour. I could not convince her to stay home or return there once she had come."

"Do you have a memory spell we may use on her?" Dean asked as he finally came away from the window. "I do not particularly like using magic but I do not think we convinced her to give up on the life, in fact, we may have convinced her to pursue it."

"She has been relentless and yet, I believe she is convinced that the world is against her. The life she choses will be determined not by the men in her life but on her own. It may not be entirely desirable in a person of the fairer sex, though I think she could do very well."

"Of course you would," Dean scoffed. "And I do agree, she would do very well. Am I bound to her, do you think?" Dean asked. "Or has she such jaded views of humanity that she would set herself up to lower her station and be an outcast of society simply because she is aware and angry with the truth?"

"Man is a monster all its own," Samuel responded thoughtfully. "And we have seen the monstrous in the mundane before. I believe, even though this is her first encounter, that Miss Anne is very nearly a hunter in mentality at least. She will find a way, though perhaps with less protection than most, but no, I do not think you are, at this time, bound by duty to that woman. That is, unless you could be honest with yourself and admit that you like her."

"I do not," Dean repeated himself in defiance.

"Then pray that she may find a good man amongst the monsters," Samuel said. "I believe that she has all the aptitude to do so."

"Thank Charles we don't have to deal with the human business all that often, though perhaps we should to save these poor ladies from their terrible fate. The folly of man is outside our expertise however," Dean said and began to pace. "I have been so preoccupied with the monsters to see that there is evil in even the most polite society. Shall I ever go in among my fellow man again and see them the way I once did?"

"They are not all bad," Samuel said. "And, if it is any consolation, you prefer to move in the society of ladies so it is no wonder you are naive."

"You haven't made me feel better about the situation Samuel," Dean grumbled.

"Indeed, but we do have a very great problem on our hands and now you are distracted by this beautiful woman who seems a mystery in herself," Samuel said and stepped in front of his brother to stop the motion and focus his attention. "Admit that you admire her, and let us get back to the business we've here to avoid."

"I fancied her the moment she told me I wasn't her type," Dean confessed.

"Not her type! When did she say that, and with all your money no less?" Samuel asked and there was teasing in his tone.

"We danced together tonight," Dean answered.

"And she challenged your ideas by being so forward?" Samuel asked. "More and more, she's suited to a man like you! You know that don't you?" He asked cocking his head to the left.

"But what about Joanna?" Dean asked, hesitating, while astutely ignoring his brother's jabs.

"You have no chance with Joanna Elizabeth Harvell, and you know that!" Samuel stated. "But you could very well make Anne Westbrook a grand lady of society, and an asset to the family business. She is just the sort of headstrong girl to put you in your place, keep you on your toes, and to keep up with the business of saving the less knowledgable of our society. I also quite like her conversation. I would have no qualms working along side such a woman, and you would do well to train her. Her skill with the concealment of weapons seems to have intrigued you," he teased.

"With all those garments, and ties, and ornaments, aren't you intrigued by the prospects?" Dean asked.

"Perhaps under different circumstances I would be, but we do have bigger fish at present," Samuel said shaking his head.

"The Vampire king arrives today?" Dean asked, nodding as he knew the answer to the question already. Furthermore he was ready to be free of the conversation that sprang up, making him far too uncomfortable. "Perhaps we should dress and go to the water to await his coming?"

"That is not as pressing as the lady who was just here. Charles is bound to meet the vampire and dealings with that personage are his predicament. Perhaps we should visit with Mrs. Mills and Mrs. Hascum, and the ladies of their wayward party?"

"And what? Pass off Miss. Anne's education to those ladies as we have been apt to do?" Dean asked. "Capital idea bother of mine."

"That was not my idea in the least," Samuel said with a roll of his eyes. His brother had mistaken his meaning all together but perhaps Mrs. Mills would do better to convince Anne to stay out of the life that they lived. "Woman to woman, Mrs. Mills may give insight into the path Anne should choose, and though I agree that this life may not be a place for the gentler sex, Anne Westbrook has something all together different from the regular woman. I am thinking, rather, on your mental state and the distress the idea of such a woman coming into such a profession as ours has caused you. It seems to have given you great cause for alarm."

"She is not the only one brother, you know that, I have many ladies to cause me distress," Dean countered. "But none so singularly as her."

"And would it really be all that terrible, do you think? To take a woman such as Anne? One who has encountered revelations, and risen above them admirably? Someone who, in my humble opinion, would learn a lot, and put up with all that you have to teach her. And in return, perhaps she would not feel so powerless to her station! You could do good for her in more way than just protection." Sam finished his monologue wish a hopeful side long expression.

"You think I should make her one of the lucky ones, in the eyes of society, with my wealth?" Dean scoffed but saw the seriousness in his brother's eyes. "She's pretty, I give her that, but this life is no life for a woman! Not one brought up like Anne Westbrook; though she has bewitched me."

"The idea of being tied down is your true deterrent because you would feel obligated to a wife, and less so to the many you come into contact with now. Miss Anne Westbrook would make you an honest man and run your estate as well as any noble woman, but her views towards men have been sorely distorted by the scoundrels who do not act the as the nobles they feign to be."

"I do not feel a wife would serve a hunter well," Dean confessed.

"But a hunter is in need of a wife, whether they are in want is another question," Samuel countered. "You need a wife to keep up appearances. And before you is a woman who knows the truth. You may lord over her as you please, keep her safe at home with Singer to guide her, forbid her from hunting, but at least you wouldn't have to lie to her."

"Then you should take her, Samuel," Dean said and shook his head.

"She is, though protests on both sides would say otherwise, just your type. I do not believe that she would have me so long as you are alive," he retorted, with a downward glance an a half hearted frown of self depreciation.

"Indeed, I know that!" Dean acknowledged the truth and stormed off, leaving his brother looking bewildered.