Author's Note: And as always, Foxfire1 I could not do it without you.  Who else would slog through this and help me smack the punctuation into submission?  Some day you really are going to have to see this flick!

Also, to my dear, dear Mish – thanks sooo much for all the back edits.  I have gone through and reposted all the cleaned up chapters.  It's great to have two anal retentive, I mean focused grammarians on my side.  Did I ever properly thank you for listening to me rave on about wanting to write this fic?  Wish we could have more of those discussions – in person – rather than being glued to our phones for hours.  Gracias! Merci! Danke! Спасибо!

Chapter 10 – A Mantle of Humility

I held that watch, running my fingers over the deep lines of the etching, flipping it through my fingers, all the way back to London. Studying the dark marks on the back of the watch I wondered, Had she killed Bly? Or had she simply persuaded him to make himself scarce?  One thing was certain; I had missed my chance for surrender.  I could only hope I had not irreparably offended the lady – for now she held both my interest and my reputation securely in her power.  While I was greatly enjoying our encounters, it had occurred to me that she did not seem to be as amused.  Even more unusual, I found I was actually concerned about her perception of the game we were playing.  While charmingly talented at wielding words, fashioning them to her purpose, she had given me no reason to doubt her words.  She clearly stated her demands, set consequences, and, unless her gift was a bold bluff, followed through on her threats.  Thus far, I had fiercely countered her every attempt to control the situation, ignoring her warnings and striking a tenuous balance between wooing and actively baiting the woman.  Fool! Brash, prideful fool! Almost every move I had made was a false step.  Somehow I needed to regain control of this situation, but devising a means of reclaiming my power, while subtly presenting a benign front to draw her in, was not proving easy.  Perhaps it would be best to forego direct contact for the moment.  We seemed to unconsciously abrade each other with our very miens.  What was needed was a gesture on my part, a show of robing myself in remorse and humility. A letter would serve, if carefully written. Arriving back at Melmoth, I set about crafting a missive that would both calm and entice this delectably inscrutable femme. 

Discovering her place of residence was easy enough; a simple query sent through the proper channels produced an address.  Staring in frustration at the blank sheet in front of me, I decided to begin with the obvious.

                             21st of April, Eighteen Hundred Ninety-One

                             Mrs. Harker

                             Carfax

                             Piccadilly at Half-Moon

                             Madame,

An hour passed and I was no further along.  Every innate instinct bristled at her threats, a deep part of me craving a blood price.  If she were a man, I would simply call for a duel and meet the provocation directly and honorably, or as honorably as an immortal can truly be in provoking a dual.  Then again, if she were a man, I would not be frustrating myself trying to decipher the serpentine convolutions of the feminine mind or searching for a way to turn this acrimonious vigor into a more ravening fire.  Damnation—this was impossible!  Apologies made me rather nauseous.  All that groveling, the obsequious pandering, and there was the matter of my relative inexperience at making them.  Realizing myself to be somewhat inadequate to the task, I set about doing some research.  Browsing through my collection, I happened upon the perfect source.  Careful review of the text and ample liquid fortification restored my confidence.  Now the only question was how would the Vicomte de Valmont handle this? (1)

Please accept my humblest apologies.  Your orders were charming; your manner of giving them still more amiable (2). And yet I disregarded them, or at least, did not show full confidence in either the sincerity or gravity of your command. The error is entirely mine and I can only hope I have not alienated you by my obstinance.

A little more genuflecting should be sufficient and I carefully considered my next words.

I submit myself entirely to your authority, as you hold all the cards, and await the consequence of my disregard.  Will you be a merciful mistress or I am to go the way of my humble servant before me?  About Mr. Bly, if I may venture an inquiry, should I assume he will not be returning?  He had a sister to whom he occasionally sent funds.  If his departure is of a permanent nature, I should like to settle my debts to him with his kin.

Pleased with my efforts thus far, I endeavored to end with the proper lure.  But first there was the matter of an appropriate reparatory gesture. 

I have taken the liberty of returning that which you left behind during our twilight ride.  I await your response eagerly, that I may be given the opportunity to make recompense for my earlier lapse in manners. 

Dorian Gray

The hour was late when I finally finished and I set the letter aside, intending to review it one last time the next day. 

Sipping my morning tea, I reviewed my handiwork with some measure of satisfaction.  Deciding it to be perfection, I summoned a footman and sent it along immediately.

A young lad arrived just as I was leaving for a late tea with an old friend.  Tipping him generously, I sent him on his way.  After we had gotten well underway, I settled back and opened the letter; a wise course of action as I did not wish to have to explain why I was laughing like a madman.

22nd of April, Eighteen Hundred Ninety-One

Mr. Dorian Gray

Melmoth House

Monsignor,

Believe me when I express the surprise with which I received your epistle.  I must thank you, for  it could not have been more amusing, not even if it had been sincere.  My orders were charming indeed.  Am I to reply "Do you realize your letter is extremely insolent and I ought to be angry with you" (3)?

Your dubious candor aside, I acknowledge the gesture.  As to your inquiry about your servant, you would be correct in making restitution to his sister.  My thanks to you, for the return of my gloves.  I would like to give the matter of acceptable recompense some thought.   Until next we meet, I leave you with a thought by a man I am sure you would have been quite fond of.  He wrote,

"Humility is often merely feigned submissiveness assumed in order to subject others, an artifice of pride which stoops to conquer, and although pride has a thousand ways of transforming itself it is never so well disguised and able to take people in as when masquerading as humility." (4)

Mrs. Wilhelmina Harker

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(1) An interesting choice of guide.  Few others would select 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses' as the authoritative source for crafting a sincere communiqué.

(2) An almost direct quote from Letter IV of the above mentioned work.

(3) A direct quote from Letter V, the Marquise's response to the letter Dorian 'borrowed' from.

(4) Maxim number 254, the source of which will become apparent at a later time.