Author's Notes: *Gets all wide-eyed* WOW! I think last chapter was the chapter that earned the most number of reviews. Thank you, guys! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! *starts handing lollypops* This chapter is dedicated to my friend, TLC, because I've committed her into helping me work out the wrinkles of my CoTB. Hehe ;)
Anyways, I'm sorry again for leaving you all… baah, its been too long, I know. I mean, seven or so weeks? *weeps* I'm really, really sorry, guys! I'll make it up to you, just tell me how and maybe we can work something out… ;)
Behold the Façade
Chapter Seventeen
"Marguerite?" John repeated faintly. He stopped walking and looked down on the child, his eyes suddenly wide. "Did you just say Marguerite?"
Evelyn nodded, her own eyes large at the uproar her answer seemed to have unleashed upon John's face. "Why?" she asked him. "Do you know my mommy?"
But John was not hearing anything else that time; there was the sound of blood rushing to his brain as he tried to process what Evelyn was telling him. Her mother's name is Marguerite… but… could it be? No… of course not… maybe there's another Marguerite, there has to be… He placed both his hands on the child's shoulders and kneeled in front of her, until he was looking straight at her eyes. "Evelyn," he started undecidedly, not knowing how to bring up the question, "Evelyn, tell me. Is Marguerite Krux your mother?"
She bit her lip, before she nodded.
A thousand thoughts streamed through his consciousness at once; thoughts that were too fast and too incoherent that he had trouble going through each of them all. This child… Evelyn is Marguerite's daughter? A daughter! So it seemed as though his earlier suspicions about the enigmatic Ms. Krux were indeed correct… she wasn't meant to be trusted, because look… here was something, someone, she had conveniently forgotten to introduce to his family. What else did that woman keep from them? What other dirty little secrets is she hiding? John's eyes hardened as he stared at Evelyn. Did William know of her existence? Did their mother know that her beautiful daughter-in-law already had a daughter outside her supposed marriage?
Evelyn's lips quivered. "You know my mommy, don't you?" she asked. "Do you know where she is? I've been looking for her everywhere… they told me she was here, but she's not! I want to see my mommy… I swear, I'll be good if I could just… see… her…" She brought her hands to her face and covered her eyes as her tears came tumbling from them.
The sobs coming from her roused John from his seemingly frozen state. Quickly shoving his thoughts to one side, he lifted his hands off her shoulders and took hers off of her face. Using his thumbs, he wiped away her tears. "Evelyn," he said, punctuating her name with a slight smile on his face, "don't cry. I promise you that we will find your mother."
She gave another sob, before she muttered, "Really?"
John tapped her nose lightly with his finger. "Yes, really." He stood up, and then took her hand again. "You must have a thousand questions for her," he mused out loud.
Then, his eyes darkened once again. "I know I do."
*
"You seem quiet, Jerome," George muttered as he opened a bottle of alcohol he had taken from his bar. "Brandy?" he offered.
Jerome looked at him, and shook his head. "No, thank you," he answered.
George Challenger was never a man who took no for an answer; he poured the brandy onto two glasses and, despite his guest's refusal, deposited the full glass on the table in front of Lord Duncan. He cocked his head to one side and took a sip. "What brings you here, my good friend?" he asked. "The last time I saw you inside my house, you could barely say a word to me, and now you dare summon the courage to intrude my rest?"
The other man did not miss the deadly sarcasm that coated each of the older man's words. "I'm sorry, sir," Jerome began. "But I am here because of a very serious matter. You do realize that our plans took a very wrong turn… do you?"
George's lips curled up into a nasty sneer. "Unfortunately, I am aware of such a fact," he replied. He downed the rest of his brandy. "Sad, isn't it? I'm sure the Roxtons would only be too cautious from now on. Imagine how difficult planning their deaths would be when they have guards guarding their every move."
Jerome exhaled the breath he was holding… surely this man was only joking, isn't he? "George… sir," he amended when the older man glared at him, "I've heard that John is already contacting his sources to know who is behind that… incident. Sooner or later he is going to find out—"
"Find out what, exactly?" George refilled his glass. "There is no possible way he can find out that the… accident… is somehow linked to us. Unless, of course, you tell them otherwise."
"I would never do such a thing!" Jerome replied vehemently. He seethed at the implication… no, accusation, that he would be the one to rat on them both.
"No," the older man said in a placating tone, "of course you wouldn't. However, I am under the impression that someone else would."
Jerome's eyes widened as realization struck him. "Marguerite," he breathed.
"Kill the woman," George told him simply, "and you can rest your fears along with her."
*
"John… what a pleasant surprise." Lady Roxton smiled at her son as he entered quietly into her room. Her eyes then shifted over to the child he had with him. "Ah, I see you brought a guest with you."
"Hello, mother," John greeted her as he dropped a kiss on her cheek. "I trust that you are feeling well?"
"Well enough to tell the doctors how bored I am of their décor," she said cheekily. Victoria chuckled at her own candor. "But enough of that. Haven't I taught you any lessons on courtesy, young man? Aren't you going to introduce me with the beautiful young lady you have there?"
The child looked at her uncertainly, then shuffled her feet as she bowed her head low.
"I am getting to that," John said, a tad defensively. "Evelyn," he said to the child, "I would like you to meet my mother, Lady Victoria Roxton."
Evelyn did a little curtsy. "Madame," she said politely.
Victoria looked pleased. "Such perfect manners," she said, smiling down on the child. "Your parents must be proud of you."
The comment seemed to have a bad effect on her son as his face tightened almost immediately. "Mother," he said, "this is Miss Evelyn Krux."
Lady Roxton's eyes flew towards John's face. "Krux?" she repeated.
"Yes, Mother." John affirmed. "This is Miss Evelyn Krux, your beloved daughter's very own daughter."
*
"Kill Marguerite?" Jerome muttered as he stared, bewildered, at Challenger. "You're not serious."
"Aren't I?" George asked him. "Our plans have gone mad because of you, Jerome. You were the one who hired her. You were the one who made her our bait. If there's anyone of us to correct these matters, it's you."
Jerome attempted to say something, but gave up. He slumped back onto his chair. "You're talking about murdering a person," he said low. "I cannot do that. I will not."
"Now there's irony if I ever heard one!" George bellowed. He gestured at the younger man with the hand he used to hold his glass. "You, Lord Jerome Duncan, hesitant to kill one useless woman when you have all but killed fourteen innocent others with your own hands? Isn't it a bit late to cower behind all your morals, young man?"
"That's different!" Jerome insisted.
"Oh?" George asked silkily. "How is it different, then? A rose is a rose is a rose, my friend. Or have you forgotten that?"
The younger man stared indignantly at him. "I will not kill her," he insisted.
"Fine then." George walked behind his bar and stopped as he rummaged for something in its drawers. "But I have a proposition for you. Kill the woman, or…"
Jerome then found himself face to face with a gun, with death, as he heard George finish, "I kill you."
To be continued…
To those who reviewed: (And can't you just hear me sing 'I love you, I love you, I love you' in the background?)
Michi17 – Thank you! Oh, and did you receive the e-mail I sent you? *Grins* going to California, eh? You lucky girl you, I'd love to travel like that! It's just typical that *others* can go around and travel while *I* get to be stuck at home. *whines* it sucks! *wails*
Wishes – Yes, I a very happy that the last chapter got you out of your seat… ;) I wonder what song and dance number you did… care to share? *winks*
Enchanter – Thank you for two reasons: 1) You reviewed this story! Yay! And, 2) Thank you also for reviewing my other fics. It is really wonderful to receive reviews, so thank you very much! *Oh, I'm being nice! Weird, I tell 'ya…*
Galxychld – Thank you for the compliment! I hope you'll be around to find out what's going to happen next ;) And I'm glad you found the end notes to be funny… heehee, I'm nutters, I know ;)
A. Windsor – Oh, A. Windsor. I said it before and I'll say it again: I just love you! Thank you for editing my fic, you were great! Oh, and I haven't written anything more to that, so you can breathe a sigh of relief *for the moment, wahehehe*
Agentsteph – Yes, Evelyn is really smart, isn't she? Hmm… *winks* thank you for the reviews, I appreciate it much!
Fab - *gets all cryptic* maybe… though to be honest I haven't thought of interpreting Ned and Veronica's looks that way. Thank you for the brilliant suggestion, my friend!
TheChosenOne3 – Hey! I've enjoyed our talks and exchange of ideas… *grins* thank you for the words of encouragement, TLC! Hope to hear more from you!
Spirita – Woohoo! A new reviewer! Hey, you! Glad to know you enjoy this story of mine… thanks!
Cara18 – Thanks, Cara! You know I always look forward to your reviews! I love them, and thank you very much!
Veggie5 - *claps wildly* you're back! Yay! You're back! Yay! And now you don't have any reason to put that writing of yours off… post a new fic, pronto! I *demand* that you do! Quickly! Now! Immediately! Ngayon na! (Okay, did I just speak a different language in there? Hmm… Ngayon na basically means NOW!)
LadySammyMRoxton – Aw, Sammy! *embarrassedly wipes away a tear from my eye* I LOVE YOU! *sniff, sniff* Look what you've done! I'm not usually this emotional, but… but… *lip quivers, then I finally break down and wail*
Brainfear – *gains composure after that dramatic display* Hello there! Thank you for this review, I appreciate it much!
AerinBrown – Ah-ha! *glares menacingly* ENEMY! *snorts* Nah, just joking. I like you too much to dislike you… *grin* So you're a lurking HP fan too, huh? And a Draco/Ginny supporter! At least we agree that Draco's one hot dad-day! Woohoo! And William… yours? Ask him, I dare you, ask him to whom does he belong to. ASK HIM!!!
Angel LeeAnn – Thank you! I appreciate your reviews every chance I get them. And don't worry about that! Just the fact that you reviewed the last one makes everything alright again, so… thanks a lot!
Gilly – Hey! Thanks! I was wondering where you were…
Smiley – Yes, yes, reunion scene coming right up! Thank you for the review!
Margie - *smiles* you know I love you, Margie, right? Yeah, yeah you do… *grin*
Challengerspet – Oh, hey! I'm your kind of a sadistic person? Ha! Thanks!
Mags968 – Hmm… I didn't take a course on cliffhangers, it's something of mine that's… innate. Hehe… and I've developed it well for the past years… *insane laughter*
Barbiedahl – ooh, a new reviewer! Hey! *waves gaily* thank you for the review! And I hope you stick around for more!
Scarlet Dimonds – thank you for the review, and as requested, here's chapter seven :) Hope you liked it!
Prin69 – hey there! Thank you for the review. Anyways, I hope this new chapter helps you with your fanfic withdrawal…