Chapter Dix

          Satine had been chopping vegetables when she realized Christian had been gone for a long time. She put down the chef's knife she was cutting with and walked slowly towards the entrance hall. Murmured voices meet her as she stepped into the room. Both Christian and another man had their backs turned away from her.

          "Why are you here?" Christian whispered, the words barely reaching her.

          "What? No hug for your older brother?" Came the voice of the second man. The man snorted, the sound greasy and revolting, like his yellow hair. The voice was familiar, but she didn't know from where she'd heard it.

          He was probably a friend of one of her previous employers, she told herself.

          "Why are you here?" Christian repeated, and she saw the muscles in his back tense, even through his shirt.

          "I'm here because I thought it'd be nice to come home," The man said, his nasal voice becoming as revolting as the rest of him. She shivered, making a soft noise inadvertently.

          Christian turned and smiled when she saw her. She smiled back and stepped forward, almost crossing the room, before the other man turned around.

          She felt dizzy and suddenly knew she'd be sick. Greasy blonde hair, cold, black eyes…

          It was him.

          "What's the matter?" He asked as Satine turned paler then usual. She opened her mouth, tears welling in her eyes, but no words escaped her lips. He felt his brow furrow.

          "Darling?" He muttered, stepping closer. Richard followed him closer to Satine. 

          She backed farther away.

          He took her hand and saw tears flowing down her cheeks. Her eyes were boring into his, as though she was trying to tell him something, but he didn't understand.

          "Is the lady alright?" Richard asked, his voice making Christian want to punch him in the face.

          Satine whimpered quietly, pulling her hands from his, and then she ran.

          It took him a while to run after her. Richard didn't follow, much to his relief. Something about him frightened Satine.

          It took him a few minutes before he realized where she was.

          He could hear her sobs before he actually saw her, and he knew she was in the garden.

          When he found her, she was sitting in a bed of roses, her tears pouring out hard and watering the flowers.

          "Satine?" He asked slowly, his voice low so he wouldn't frighten her.

          Upon hearing his voice, she looked up, her eyes swimming in a sea of salty tears.

          "He's here," She whispered.

          He took a seat by her side, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. He smiled when she buried her face in his shirt. At least she wasn't afraid of him.

          "I know my brother's here, darling," He whispered, kissing the top of Satine's head.

          "He's here," She sobbed, "He's the one!"

          He inhaled deeply, trying to understand what his lover was saying. Did she really believe that Richard had tried to rape her?? Yes, his brother was a slimy, despicable man, much like his father, but to attack and attempt to rape a little girl…was it possible?

          He brought Satine back to her room before he went searching for his brother.

          "Richard!!" He yelled, his voice echoing through the hallway. His brother popped his head out of the door opening into the library.

          "What?" He asked, glaring at Christian. He bit down on his tongue so he wouldn't curse.

          "Can I speak with you?" He asked slowly.

          "I suppose," Richard said, his greasy voice making him want to throw up.

          He walked into the library and waited for his brother to look at him.

          "Where have you been for the past twelve years?" He asked sharply, his anger building as his brother looked at him like he was a mere child.

          "America."

          "And you haven't been to the Moulin Rouge??"

          "The Moulin Rouge…why would I go there, brother?" Richard asked reticently.

          "When Sa…Miss Bertram was in France, a man tried to rape her. She thinks that man is you," He said slowly, watching his brother's face for any sign that it was him who had done this.

          "Well…I believe I should be offended. Accusing me of raping a young girl!!" Richard stormed out of the library and, a moment later, he heard the front door slam.

          He sat down on a chair and sighed. Suddenly, he realized something…

          He never told Richard that Satine had been a little girl.