Standing in the doorway of his bedroom, Doctor Laszlo Kreizler's eyes remained fixed on the woman sat on the stool in front of the mirror. He watched as she pulled at her skin, wondering what she was doing as his hip jutted against the doorframe and he folded his arms over his waist, brow arched on his forehead. Her fingertips continued pulling at the skin and she made a range of faces, clearly not knowing that he was behind her. Her hair had been cut to hang just beneath her shoulders, dropping down in soft waves.
She had on an evening gown, the lace detailing intricate and running along the navy skirts and bodice. The gown was relatively low cut, the sleeves ruffled and her white gloves sat on the table in front of her. Laszlo moved into the room after a few moments, his footsteps causing the floorboard to squeak beneath him. She turned around at that, the dress making quite the noise as she completed the movement.
"Where did you come from?" she asked him.
"I've been stood there for quite some time watching you," Laszlo confessed, already dressed in his dinner suit, but his bowtie hanging loose around his neck. "What on earth were you doing?"
"I think I'm getting wrinkles," she said to her husband and turned to look back to the mirror, continuing to pull those faces again as Laszlo's lips arched upwards. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers before moving to settle down on the end of the bed, watching the back of her. "See?" she pointed out to him. "Right there on my forehead."
"I'm not surprised, darling," Laszlo said. "We don't stay young forever."
"So I am looking old?" she asked him.
"I never said that," he defended himself, but he saw that sly smirk she reserved for him in the mirror on her reflection, her eyes meeting his. Laszlo chuckled at the sight of her and shook his head, the deep laughter reverberating through his chest as she spun around on the stool and looked straight at him. "You tease me."
"You are far too easy to tease," she said to him and he nodded. He knew that much. She bent at the waist and reached over to him, squeezing his knee softly.
"Regardless," Laszlo said, his hand going to catch hers before she could retract it. "You might be getting wrinkles…you might even develop grey hairs…but I'll always love you."
"You charmer," Elizabeth Kreizler said, a genuine smile sitting on her face as she moved to her feet and plopped herself down next to him on the end of the bed. He turned to face her, his lips pressing against hers softly for a few moments before she pulled back from him, forehead brushing his. "But don't think that will earn you any favours. I need at least an evening of wooing before considering such things."
"Just an evening?" Laszlo asked her back, his own tone now one of teasing. "Well, I suspect that might be possible, but I would hardly let anyone know such a secret."
"Only my cad of a husband."
"You wound me, my darling," Laszlo said, his finger moving to a soft curl at the back of her head, finding it and curling around it softly. He toyed with it in his fingers before continuing to speak. "My intentions have always been nothing but honourable. I believe it was you who seduced me."
"I believe our memories might differ," Elizabeth responded, still playing along as she moved her fingers to tie up the bowtie around his neck, looping the material slowly and accurately, ensuring that it was even and looked neat. "Besides, do you know the pain your seductions have caused me? Two children…biologically, anyway…that pain does not go away."
"I know. I believe you almost broke my bones from squeezing so hard," Laszlo said to her with a soft chuckle and she scoffed, rolling her eyes at his complaints. He had dared to mention it during the birth of their second child. That had earned him a sharp glare and Elizabeth warning him that he was never to come near her again.
"Try giving birth," she deadpanned with him.
"I believe I am quite fine as I am," Laszlo said. "However, as much as I enjoy our light conversation, I do have to tell you something."
Elizabeth didn't like it when Laszlo turned serious. His gaze had darkened slightly and she saw his jaw clench for a moment before she let her brows furrow together on her forehead. She sat back slightly as he dropped his fingers down her hair and to her bare shoulder, the back of his knuckles moving along her collarbone.
"Charlotte was caught smoking at school today," Laszlo said to her and he saw that familiar look on her face. She groaned audibly and shook her head, disappointment clear on her face before it began to change to anger. "Her teacher, Mrs Daniels, said that she was with two other girls at the back of the school."
"Where is she?" Elizabeth asked and he heard her voice grow tense.
"In her bedroom. Diana is downstairs looking after Lucy and Emily."
"I'll go and talk to her," Elizabeth said and moved to her feet.
Laszlo grabbed hold of her wrist before she could leave and he also stood. Elizabeth didn't get far, Laszlo's grip strong and keeping her from moving from the room. He shook his head as she looked back at him and then pointed to the wall in the direction of Charlotte's room.
"This is the third time in a month, Laszlo," Elizabeth snapped, her cheeks tinting red and her eyes narrowed at him. "This is the third time she's been in trouble at school…smoking…causing disruption in class…even picking on another child. What did I do wrong? What did I do?"
"You did nothing wrong, Elizabeth," Laszlo said, shaking his head back and forth firmly. "I think that there might be something going on at school…she isn't telling me anything that is going on. She is keeping quiet and that is why I think there might be something with her friends…that they are a bad influence on her."
"Then what do we do? Because I raised her not to be like this, Laszlo…we raised her differently…"
"She is a fourteen year old girl now, Elizabeth. She is a young woman who is finding her feet and her voice. Rebellion in girls her age is nothing new, nor will it ever be. However, I do agree that we should try to find a way to try and figure out what is going on. I tried to talk to her tonight but she…" he trailed off and wished that he had kept quiet. But Elizabeth wasn't going to let him stop. She looked to him and waited patiently, head tilted to the side.
"What is it?" she wondered from her husband. "What did she say?"
"Elizabeth, I do not want you to get angry with her. It will do no good."
"What did she say, Laszlo?" Elizabeth repeated, not backing down. And Laszlo knew that he had to tell her. She wasn't going to back down until he did.
"She told me that she wasn't a patient at my Institute anymore…that she didn't need my analysis…and I believe she told me to…well…she used quite a profanity to tell me to go away."
"She did what?" Elizabeth demanded, voice rising an octave and coming out almost in a loud squeak. Shaking her head back and forth, she tugged her wrist from Laszlo's grip and stormed out of the bedroom, moving down the hallway. Laszlo called after her, but she wasn't listening and he groaned to himself.
"Doctor Kreizler, is everything alright?" Diana's voice came up the staircase and he saw that she was stood there, Emily Rose Kreizler in her grip. The little girl was two going on three and already quite the handful. She had her mother's blonde curls on the top of her head, but her father's dark eyes. She was giggling to herself as Diana, their maid, and all around general lifesaver, stood there holding her.
"Everything is fine, Diana," Laszlo promised seeing that Elizabeth had slammed Charlotte's door open. "Can you keep Emily and Charlotte downstairs?"
She nodded and backed away, well aware of the arguments that had gone on in the Kreizler household as of late. They were particularly difficult to ignore.
"What do you think you are doing?" Elizabeth snapped, her voice echoing in Charlotte's bedroom as she remained reclined on her bed, legs stretched in front of her and a book open in her lap. Elizabeth stood in the doorway, hands on her hips and her face one of thunder. "It's bad enough that you feel the need to hide and smoke at school, but to then be so rude to Laszlo…what is going on with you, Charlotte?"
The young woman shrugged her shoulders and her face almost seemed passive. It was like she didn't care for this conversation; that she couldn't be bothered enough to respond. She didn't apologise, nor did she even look remorseful. Her hair had grown down to the small of her back and she had developed a woman's figure, complaining when Elizabeth had introduced her to the joys of wearing a corset for the first time. Her blue dress was simple and her legs were covered in thick, black tights. It was the standard school uniform and she clearly hadn't been bothered to change yet.
"That's it?" Elizabeth demanded from her. "You're just going to shrug your shoulders?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"An apology to Laszlo would be a start." Elizabeth huffed loudly.
"Sorry, Laszlo," Charlotte said, looking at the doctor who didn't respond before Elizabeth was shouting once more.
"You can at least say it like you mean it," she snapped at her. "I don't understand what is going on with you, Charlotte. You don't talk to us…you…the way you're behaving…it isn't you."
"How would you know?" Charlotte snapped back, moving to curl her legs beneath her so she was sat cross-legged on the bed, hands holding onto her kneecaps. "You don't even know me, Elizabeth. You only adopted me because you felt sorry for me."
"What?" Elizabeth asked, wondering where this was coming from. "Charlotte, you know that's not true."
"Do I?" she demanded. "Because now all you care about is Lucy and Emily. You have your own children now…and both of you don't want me."
"Charlotte, that's not the case," Elizabeth said and she had hoped she knew that. Not once had she shown favouritism to her two biological daughters. And until the other month, Charlotte had never felt anything but love towards her sisters. She adored them. She had helped raise the girls, acting the protective big sister all of the time. Laszlo remained mute, observing the situation and knowing that he was more likely to understand what was going on through doing that than joining in on screaming with them.
He could try to intervene, but he had done that before and it had done no good. Charlotte and Elizabeth both wore their hearts on their sleeves, rational conversation unable to come to them when they were like this.
"Admit it," Charlotte said in a low drawl, "you only adopted me to see if you could care for a child after you killed your first one."
"Enough!" Laszlo finally snapped loudly and Charlotte did recoil from his harsh tone. She knew that she had overstepped the mark when Laszlo yelled at her. He had a temper, there was no denying that, but with his daughters they never saw it. They only saw it when he was truly furious with them.
He looked at Charlotte and she did lower her gaze, knowing that she had said too much and gone too far. Laszlo glanced to his wife and saw her lips were parted as she took a shaky breath, gulping hard and nodding once.
"Right," was all she could say before she turned on her heel and left the room, skirts flowing behind her. Laszlo heard their bedroom door slam shut as he shook his head, still stood in Charlotte's room and looking to her as she glanced off to the side, looking at the window, despite the fact the curtains were closed.
"That was unnecessary and untrue, Charlotte," he said to her.
She shrugged again. "I've heard the rumours."
"The rumours that Elizabeth took poison to kill her own son?" Laszlo checked with her. "And you believe them? You believe some foolish, harmful rumours over the woman who has done nothing but love you and look out for you?"
Her silence spoke volumes. She knew who she believed. Why would she not believe Elizabeth?
"I do not know what is going on, Charlotte. I do not know what is happening at school to make you act this way, but you need to apologise to Elizabeth."
"You're not my father," Charlotte snapped at him.
Laszlo knew that. Not once had Elizabeth or him wanted Charlotte to call them her parents. They knew how difficult that must be for her. But to hear her say that was still hurtful.
"Perhaps not, but I still see you as our daughter…and we are still your guardians," Laszlo pushed her. "And regardless, you should apologise because it is the right thing to do. What you said was cruel."
"It's nothing that other people don't say."
"But you're not other people, Charlotte."
She shrugged back at that and Laszlo knew she had no response. He sighed as she continued avoiding his gaze, looking away. He shook his head back and forth. This was his job. His job was to understand children and know how to help them. But how could he help Charlotte if she didn't want to be helped? And this felt different. It was close to home. It was his own child.
"I want you to talk to us," Laszlo said to her. "Elizabeth and I will understand whatever it is you're feeling…if you're feeling left out because of Emily and Lucy then we can talk about that."
"It doesn't matter," Charlotte grunted.
"But-"
"-It doesn't matter," Charlotte interrupted him once more, her voice harsh as she looked at him. "I don't want to talk about it. I want to go to sleep."
"At eight p.m.?" Laszlo checked.
"I'm tired."
And to emphasise her point, she pulled the duvet on the bed back and climbed into it, still dressed in her dress. Laszlo sighed and shook his head, not knowing what more he could say to her on the matter. What could he do that would persuade her to talk to them? If he tried to push her then he would only push her further away, but he knew they didn't have much time to try and rectify whatever was going wrong.
"Fine," Laszlo said. "But we will be talking about this, Charlotte."
"Whatever."
Laszlo backed out of the room and found Elizabeth sat on the end of the bed in their bedroom. She wasn't crying, but her cheeks had turned as white as a sheet. He shook his head and sat down next to her.
"She didn't mean it," he promised her. "Children say things they don't mean…adults do too."
"But she said it," Elizabeth said and her voice was shaking. "What is going on, Laszlo? What do we do? She can't go on like this…we can't go on like this…"
"I know," Laszlo promised his wife. "And we will figure this out, I promise you, my darling. But we will have to do it tomorrow. Tonight, we have to go to John and Violet's anniversary party."
Elizabeth scoffed. "We have to go to a party while Charlotte is here and clearly in distress?" she asked him. "It doesn't feel right."
"I know," Laszlo promised her, reaching for her hand and holding it firmly in his grip. "But nothing is going to change tonight, Elizabeth. If we try and talk to her then things will only escalate. It's Saturday tomorrow and so there is no school. We will try and work out what is happening then…we'll lock ourselves in a room with her if we have to…but tonight she needs to reflect on what she said to you too."
"You're sure?"
Laszlo looked down to his lap, his thumb running over the back of Elizabeth's knuckles. "I confess," he said to her. "At the Institute, I know exactly what I am doing…but I come home…I feel like a fish out of water. It is different."
"I know," Elizabeth said and she could understand that. Things always felt different when they were closer to home. "I just want to work out what is going on with her, Laszlo."
"And we will," Laszlo promised his wife in a low voice. "But, tonight, we need to go to this party. We already responded to the invitation and Diana will be fine with Lucy and Emily tonight."
Elizabeth had to admit that the last thing she wanted was to go and force herself to smile, but she knew that her husband perhaps had a point. Tomorrow. They would deal with this tomorrow. Elizabeth let him haul her up from the bed, handing her the white gloves she often wore. She pulled them onto her fingertips and up her forearm before leaving the bedroom. Laszlo noted her pause at Charlotte's door for a moment, but she continued to walk on by. Moving down the staircase and towards the parlour, he followed her as she went to talk with Diana.
"Diana, are you sure you will be fine tonight?" Elizabeth asked from the young woman.
Diana had been with them ever since Laszlo had gone to Vienna over three year's ago. In that time, he had returned for a few more months, but he had always come back to New York. They had discussed moving out there together, as a family, but that would be when Lucy and Emily were a bit bigger. And so Laszlo had returned home. He worked back at the Institute, but Doctor Jane Martison remained as the head caretaker. He thought it best that way to avoid upsetting things too much if he ever did leave permanently.
At first, Diana had been the maid, but she had become so much more than that. She had eventually moved into the household, taking Cyrus's old room and making it her own. She was studying to become a doctor, Laszlo offering to pay for her college education. She had gratefully accepted and her bedroom was often showered in books. She found conversation with Doctor Kreizler rather stimulating and would often challenge him and hold her own. And she was good with the girls. She was a blessing for the family.
"Mrs Kreizler, I'll be fine," Diana said as Lucy sat on the couch, her legs dangling off the ground and a book in her fingertips. Emily was tugging at Diana's hair, laughing loudly as the woman smiled back to her. "These two are a handful, but I can handle them."
"I don't doubt it," Elizabeth said.
"Daddy, what does this word say?" Lucy suddenly asked and Laszlo looked at his eldest daughter. Her wide eyes were staring straight at him, a blue dress on her body with a white ribbon around her waist. Her hair had a bow in it, courtesy of Diana that morning.
She was almost four year's old and Laszlo couldn't understand how time had gone by so quickly. She was growing so much that it made his chest ache when she looked at him and he knew there would be a day when she no longer needed him and that hurt him inside. But, for the time being, he had to savour their innocence in their youth. Lucy was quite a tall child, her hair dark like her father's, but curly like her mother's. It came just beneath her shoulders. Her nose was pointed and she had thin lips that could form a scowl instantly, almost resembling her mother's face when she was annoyed.
"That would be beautiful," Laszlo said, perching on the couch next to her as Elizabeth took hold of Emily and set her down, watching her as she began to walk forwards. Elizabeth hovered behind her as she moved over to the couch and Laszlo bent at the waist to pick her up.
"And where are you going, Emily Rose?" Laszlo questioned as she squealed in delight and Elizabeth saw Emily grab hold of Laszlo's bowtie, pulling at it and undoing Elizabeth's hard work.
"Dada…no go out," Emily said.
"Ah, but I have to," Laszlo said.
"What is beautiful?" Lucy piped up.
"It means…pretty…someone looks nice…so you say they are beautiful," Laszlo said, not knowing if she would understand. Her little brows furrowed together and her forehead scrunched. Laszlo continued rocking Emily in his grip as Elizabeth looked at the book that Lucy was reading, knowing that her daughter would take after Laszlo in intellect. She was already so inquisitive and Laszlo had even tried to begin teaching her the piano.
"Is mummy beautiful?" Lucy wondered, looking at her mother. "She looks like a princess."
"She does, doesn't she?" Laszlo responded. "But yes, your mother is beautiful."
"And your father is a flatterer, but that is a word you can learn another day," Elizabeth said quickly and Laszlo chuckled as Diana watched the two of them, letting them say their goodnights to their daughters. "Now, you should be going to bed, shouldn't you?"
"Yes, mummy," Lucy said.
"And we will see you in the morning," Elizabeth said, crouching down in front of the two of them and kissing them on the cheeks as Laszlo did the same. They bid their goodnights to the girls, Emily going back to Diana who said that she would take them to bed instantly.
Elizabeth thanked her, squeezing her shoulder fondly as Laszlo offered her a kind nod. They left the house, the evening air still hot and requiring no coat. Elizabeth fixed Laszlo's bowtie once they were in the carriage and they made their way to the party. They talked about Charlotte on the way, Laszlo's hand not once leaving his wife's as they conversed.
They knew they had to change conversation when they were at the party, but they had to admit that it was difficult. Elizabeth held her champagne glass as people moved around them, laughing and talking loudly. There was a string quartet playing soft music and the entire room was decorated in romantic coloured flowers. Waiters moved around carrying trays of drink and canapés, offering them to guests. Elizabeth remained to the side with Laszlo, both of them keeping to themselves. He noted the way his wife's gaze flickered around the room, her fingers going to the locket sat against her chest.
"Come," Laszlo encouraged from her.
"Where?" she questioned from him.
"To dance," he said.
"You don't dance."
"Usually not, but it might distract you because all you've done tonight is chew on your bottom lip and look distracted and anxious…as if you'd rather be anywhere but here."
"You know that I'm no good in social settings…not since Jacob," she said to him and he nodded his head. He was well aware of that. He placed his empty champagne glass down on a table before taking hers from her and putting it next to it. He took hold of her by the hand, holding her fingers inside of his.
"I know, but your husband is here and is able to distract you from that," Laszlo said and he led her to the floor. She said nothing, despite wanting to complain about it. Instead, she let Laszlo take hold of her waist and guide her around the floor.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see John and Violet talking to her godfather. Their baby had been born a couple of years ago and was almost the same age as Emily. But they had a son. Their boy, William Schuyler Moore, was a bonny lad with Violet's eyes and John's dark hair and cheeky smile and dimpled cheeks. Elizabeth had often wondered if Laszlo wanted a son, but he had said that he was content with three girls.
"They're onto their second year of marriage and look at this," Laszlo said, moving around the floor with Elizabeth following his lead, a hand on his shoulder and her other hand clinging to his in mid-air. "I can only imagine the party at ten years."
"I don't want to," Elizabeth scoffed. "Do you think they'll have anymore children?"
"I think so," Laszlo said with a nod, knowing how much John loved being a father.
"Do you?" Elizabeth wondered and Laszlo almost stopped moving after she had asked that question. They hadn't entirely discussed having more children after Emily had been born, knowing that they had enough on their plate. "I know we already have three children, but do you…well…do you want a son? Most men want a son to carry on their name."
"And when have you known me to be like most men?" Laszlo asked from her and her lips arched at that as she shrugged.
"Good point," she admitted to him on that one.
"And, if I have to be honest, we have three children," Laszlo said. "We have enough on our plate and I confess that I am content with three children. I would not mind if we don't have anymore."
Elizabeth nodded her head at that and Laszlo looked down to her, moving to the edge of the floor as the music finished and everyone clapped the quartet. They stepped off the dance floor before the band struck up again and they headed back towards the edge of the room, standing beneath a floral archway.
"And you?" Laszlo asked from his wife. "Have you thought about having anymore children?"
"I…I admit that I am relieved you said you are happy with three because I don't know if I can handle four, Laszlo. Three is enough for me," Elizabeth said and Laszlo's lips arched at hearing her as he bent down closer to her, his breath warm against her skin as he spoke.
"I love it when we're both on the same page," he whispered and kissed her chastely.
"You two still look as in love as you did year's ago."
Elizabeth pulled back from Laszlo, a hand going to sit on his chest as she heard John's voice. The two of them turned to look at him, Laszlo coughing into his fist.
"It's only a façade, you want to see how miserable we are behind closed doors," Elizabeth joked and Laszlo chuckled as he felt her side bump against his front and he moved a hand to the small of her back, running up and down it slowly.
"Living with Laszlo, I imagine you must be," John joined in on the joke and bent to kiss Elizabeth on the cheek before he clasped Laszlo on the shoulder.
"You both are incorrigible," Laszlo complained. "And, despite your insults, I should say congratulations on your anniversary. I am still sorry that I was in Vienna during the wedding, but I am happy to be here tonight."
"And we're happy to have you," John said. "And how are the girls?"
"They're all fine," Elizabeth said quickly.
They hadn't told anyone about the issues they were having with Charlotte. Well, Elizabeth had confided in Sara, but that was because the two of them were constantly together and talking.
"And William?" Laszlo questioned.
"Ah, quite the terrible two year old," John said, but there was a fond look on his face and Laszlo knew that smile. It was contagious because he was certain it was always on his face when he was with his daughters. "He's crawling everywhere and constantly learning new words and copying us…Violet is already trying to teach him how to play piano, though."
"He would be quite the prodigy," Laszlo commented.
"Indeed he would be," John said and finished his lemonade, placing the glass down on the table next to him. "And Sara told me that you are teaching Lucy. Is she trying to follow in your footsteps, Laszlo?"
"No doubt she is," Elizabeth answered for him and Laszlo chuckled again.
"She can create her own path," Laszlo said. "But speaking of Sara, where is she?"
"I haven't seen her yet," Elizabeth said and John nodded his head.
And then, almost as if by magic, she appeared. But she wasn't dressed in an evening gown. She was wearing a black skirt with a white shirt tucked into it, a black hat on the top of her head and wisps of her blonde hair falling down her neck. But the thing they all noticed was the expression on her face. She looked scared. Her cheeks were paler than usual and her lips were parted as she moved towards them. Laszlo felt Elizabeth stiffen under his touch as he kept his hand on the small of her back. All of them looked at her, concern clear on their features.
"Sara, what is it?" Elizabeth was the one to ask, stepping towards her and running her hands up and down her arms, feeling that she was shaking.
"I would not ask if it was not urgent," Sara said, her gaze falling to John, almost as though she was apologising only to him. He shook his head.
"No, tell us what it is."
"I…I didn't know who else could help," Sara confessed, her gaze moving between John and Laszlo, finally settling on the doctor. "I've never seen anything like it, but the police…they're not investigating it."
"What is it?" Laszlo wondered, feeling a chill run up his spine as he reached for his wife once more, hand going to her back again as he tried to keep himself grounded.
"A body…" Sara whispered. "A young girl."
"And what is it about the body?" Laszlo pushed her.
"Laszlo," Elizabeth said to her husband, looking at him and knowing how he could be when it came to his cases. She reached a hand behind her body and squeezed his wrist softly before she wrapped her arm around Sara's shoulders.
"I can only show you," Sara said to them. "I can't describe it."
"Then we'll come with you," John said, not once missing a beat as Elizabeth took a glance at Laszlo, meeting his gaze and wondering just what they were going to find this time.
...
A/N: I'm back! I couldn't stay away for long and I have a few ideas of where to take this story. Do let me know if you're interested in the sequel - set three years after the first story. Love to know your thoughts/comments!