Hey peepz!
Guess what! I have a beta-reader for this story now! So it can only get better. ::smiles:: I will send complains directly to her, O.K.? Haha.
Here I have two "links" to my site. It are drawings I made of Maureen. The face on the first one sucks and the second one is just a small sketch I once made when I was bored off by a very *interesting* lecture. But I like them though...
http://de.geocities.com/rubyfrumblefoot/Galerie/MaureenRyan.jpg
http://de.geocities.com/rubyfrumblefoot/Galerie/MaureenRyan2.jpg
@I'mPrinceHarrysGrl: Mind? Why should I? You actually see me dancing merrily around!!!
The Disclaimer-thing is still the same.
Feel free to review.
Enjoy.
~*~
~W...Whe...When! I see ... y...your - When I see your! ... b...bo...be...beauty! ... ffful - oh, it's 'beautiful'!"
Ryan was highly concentrated on the lines Geoffrey had given him to practise his reading skills. He was making surprisingly good progresses.. Ryan was very fast at learning the letters. They would probably soon be able to begin with writing.
Amused Geoffrey observed the boy who had forgotten everything around him. He leaned over the piece of parchment, the head red of exertion, the hair tussled of despair.
"Um ... and the last word ... er ... it begins with 't'..."
"You are not going to tell me you cannot read it, are you? Come on, it is not that difficult! And my handwriting is perfect this time!"
Ryan gave him a crooked grin, then turned back to the paper.
"Erm ... throat! - Throat?? When I see your beautiful THROAT???? Oh hell, how late was it when you wrote THIS?"
Outwardly Geoffrey grinned because of the memories this line awaked, and inwardly he grinned because of Ryan's change. The last five days he had spent much time together with Elana. And Ela's influence could be noticed very easily.
"I just remembered this line last evening when you and Ela were arguing about the right way how a man should approach the woman of his heart. Do not worry that you do not understand it.
Well, that is enough for today. Lesson is over.", and at Ryan's disappointed look he added "All right, here you have a short story, prepare it for tomorrow's lesson. I do not want you to hesitate at any word, understand?" He might have sounded harsh but Geoffrey knew that Ryan knew that he was not.
"Oh, and bring this" he took the small black `House Book' from the nearby rable "to Ela. Tell her that she has done very good work concerning the finances this week, all right?"
Ryan nodded and proudly took the book. He did not know it yet, but Geoffrey planned to teach him book-keeping, too. Or better he planned to make Ela do this. She was very good at accounting and calculation. A born housekeeper. Perhaps he should pay her more money? For her work contented much more than the usual duties of a normal house maiden.
Geoffrey watched Ryan leave the room and again he noticed how much Elana had effected the boy: his hair was cut in a neat way (still a bit longish, but "That's the fashion" as Ela had said), the trousers were shortened and suited now to Ryan's height; he was less reserved and intimidated than before. He still was more on the pale side but there was a permanent slight shade of rosé on his cheeks and his eyes sparkled. His movements had become less nervous and the big bruise on his cheek bone (if Geoffrey only knew who had done that to this poor defenceless boy!) was merely a yellow shade anymore. What an incredible change in only five days! Geoffrey could not quite believe it.
He enjoyed having the two 14-year-olds around him although he had a feeling that there was an unrevealed secret around Ryan, something he was holding back and not willing to tell anybody. Probably it was connected with his past of which Geoffrey still did not know a tiny bit. Well, solutions come with the time, as the saying was.~
*Maureen left the room thinking about the last days and about how lucky she had been to run into Geoffrey. He was very kind to her as was everybody in this house. Maureen especially liked Elana. She was very practical and as outgoing as Maureen always had wanted to be. She was sure she could learn a lot from Ela. James was like a grandfather for everybody of the lively bunch living under this roof. Bob was a friend. And Maureen could barely imagine that anyone could feel different about him.
Concerning Geoffrey Maureen felt uneasy. He was a bit of a riddle. Or better: her own reactions on him were a bit of a riddle. She had a strange urge inside her to tell him just *everything*. As if she wasn't able to reveal anything from him. And that scared her a bit. She really liked him. He was her rescuer, her patron. But still...
There was another thing that worried her even more: she had noticed that there were two men who were standing in turns in front of the house. One of them she had occasionally seen at Harry's. They were observing the house she guessed. She didn't dare telling that Geoffrey for she didn't want to be a nuisance. She knew that Geoffrey had adviced the others to not tell anybody about her and to not let strangers inside the protecting walls of the building. And that calmed Maureen a lot.
Suddenly she heard Ela's firm voice (a sure sign that something annoyed her) coming from the kitchen:
"WHAT do you want? Here is no Ryan!"
Maureen froze in the middle of her movements. Were they already bold enough trying to come into the house? What should she do? Fear was taking hold of her but then a small voice answered:
"PLEASE let me in, I know that he's here. HE is outside, don't you know that? Let me in!" the last words were whined but Maureen already had dropped her paper and the house book. That had been Jaques' voice! And Elana was obviusly about to brush him off. She ran to the kitchen and came just in time to see Ela standing in the back door and struggling with the famished but surprisingly strong figure of little Jaques.
"ELA, NO!" Maureen cried out for it looked sadly bad for the tiny boy "He is a friend of mine. Let him in, please."
Ela looked at her startled, and this short moment of confusion was long enough for Jaques to slip into the kitchen and slam the door shut. He didn't look too good: he was pale and had dark rings under his eyes as if he was lacking sleep and distressed by sorrows, and he had some bruises in his face. Pete seemed to have let the boy suffer for helping Maureen to escape. She shivered. Ela however still looked suspiciously:
"How can you be sure he is true? I have got clear instructions from Geoffrey although I don't know the reasons for them. I'll better go and ask him what to..."
"Not necessary! I am already here." Geoffrey came into the kitchen, holding the scrap of paper and the book Maureen had dropped. "I had heard loud voices and left the study to see what was going on. And, Ryan, I must say, you have given me quite a fright as I found these things" he laid them on the table "I thought something had happened to you."
Maureen felt guilty for frightening Geoffrey although she thought that nothing could ever really frighten this tall and strong man.
"Sorry" she mumbled.
"Never mind." He already smiled again causing her stomach to make a happy leap, then turning to Jaques he asked. "And you are...?"
Jaques was not intimidated or anything like this at all. He made a step forward and answered boldly (Elana had annoyed him):
"I'm Jaques Lacoste and this girl" he pointed at Ela who gave him a grimace "is really stubborn. All I wanted was to see Ryan but she refused to let me in. Not willing to help me getting out of reach of Pete's bully."
So, now it was out finally! But Geoffrey seemed not to be surprised at all (on the opposite to Ela who immediatly dashed to the windows and peeped out of them).
"I knew the house is being observed" Geoffrey said "How does it come you have not been stopped by him?"
"I'm a ragamuffin!" Jaques voice sounded proud at this word "I know paths even Pete does not know! May I now speak to Ryan at last?" He sounded impatient now. Maureen smiled and shook her head about his boldness. Geoffrey smiled, too. He seemed to have taken a liking on this little very direct runt and nodded.
"Thank you very much"
Maureen had to chuckle at that reply for dignified courtesy coming out of Jaques' mouth was seldom. However he went on to Maureen and gave her without any further word one of the bundles he was carrying. Frowning Maureen took it and having a look into it she understood: her blanket, spoon, bowl, small mirror and Geoffrey's neatly embroidened food-bag. Jaques has undertook that dangerous quest to bring her all the precious little things she had left in her room and thought lost. She looked at Jaques and teared him in a dear hug.
"Thank you so much! I thought I would never see these things again!"
"That's why I brought them to you! Pete had been in your room and done a good deal of chaos but he hadn't taken anything with him. And Dirty John said you would have been away five days so he can rent the room to another one. So I went into your room and took everything that looked like yours and brought it to you."
"How did you know I was here?"
"A friend of mine heard Pete talking with Harry about that."
Here Geoffrey meddled inot the talk.
"What are they going to do?"
Jaques shrugged "Dunno. Such a thing never happened." and then to Maureen: "Pete is annoyed! And afraid that you could tell the forces of the city about him and his business."
"But I don't know anything of his business!"
"Neither do I. But inspite of that my mum has sent me away for she says I was too close to him."
"Where will you go?"
"To my sister. She is married and lives in a village north of the town. So, now I have done everything I had planned to, bye."
And with that he took the second rather meager bundle from the table and turned to leave. Even Geoffrey's invitation for lunch couldn't make him stay although Maureen could see the hunger in his eyes. But his answer was merely
"No, thanx. Pete's bullies are less concentrated at lunch time, so I will use that for leaving secretly."
And with that he was gone. Maureen stood in the kitchen, stunned by both, the sudden appearance and also fast vanishing of her small friend. Elana, however looked rather satisfied that her kitchen was cleaner now and began preparing lunch. Maureen didn't know what to do as she noticed that she was still holding the bundle in her hands. She took out the embroidened bag and turned to face the tall man behind her.
"Here you have it back. I didn't think I would ever get the chance to do this"*
~"You do not have to. I gave and not lent it to you."
"Th..thanks."
Ryan looked rather confused, as if something was fighting inside him. The visit of the small boy seemed to have upset him. He needed someone to talk to, Geoffrey guessed.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked carefully, trying not to be pushy. Ryan looked thankfully.
"Yeah, would be fine."
Elana looked up but said nothing. But Geoffrey noticed the hurt glance in her eyes. She was disappointed that Ryan did not speak with her about his problems although they both had taken a strong liking on each other. Geoffrey sighed - it seemed that he would have a second serious talk that day also...
He led Ryan to the comfortable living room which was not used too often during the day. Only in the evenings when all the labour of day was done they all gathered around the fire and did their things. Here Ryan practiced reading, Ela watchig him while sewing and also showing Ryan some sewing tricks (Geoffrey had given up to complain about that), Bob wrote (with support from Geoffrey) letters for his chosen maid and James just sat there and watched the scene with a smile on his old lips. He did not do anything but rest. He was out the whole day although it was winter and there was not much to do in the garden. So he probably spent most of the day in the stable with Troilus.
Now nobody was in the warm room. They both took seats at the table and Geoffrey looked expectingly at Ryan who obviously did not know how to begin. So Geoffrey decided to help him.
"The boy's visit has upset you, has it not?"
"Erm, yes, it has. The last days I was fine with not thinking about Pete. But Jaques' report has reminded me! I'm so afraid of what will happen! What if Pete's men will enter the house at night? Who knows how long it will take till they are bold enough to do this?"
"They will not, I promise! I was not sure if these two were what I thought they were. But now I'm sure and will draw the consequences. I will inform the guards of the city that my house is being watched by them." at Ryan's despaired look he added hastily "I don't have to tell them anything about you or Pete! They will take care that we are save here!"
Ryan answered with a small voice "Are you sure?"
"Of course! I promised, did I not? And promise is debt!"
Ryan still did not look too relieved. Geoffrey suddenly got angry. It had not been Jaques' fault himself but his report had made the boy's change vanish in a heartbeat! He again was the intimidated and nervous young man he had been when he first had brought him here. He had to talk about everything or else it would kill his young soul from the inside!
"This Pete, you have not told me very much abnout him. What kind af man was he?"
"He was the devil himself, I say! I never knew much about his and Harry's business. Nobody told me but everybody expected me being involved in it. And somehow I was, too. Finally I went through the whole city fulfilling their errands. Many people were scared by the contents of the packeages and gave me letters that seemed to satisfy Pete. I never dared peeping into one of the packages they gave me although I was interested! They would have found out and I was too afraid of what would have happened to me then... Even Jane could not have helped me then." He said the last thing with a croaking voice.
"Why did Jane stay with Pete when he was so bad?"
"I don't know myself! She said he was getting her customers, but Jane could have sold the jewellery by herself, too!" was Ryan really not guessing that Jane seemed to have been a whore rather? But Geoffrey did not say anything to not destroy the boy's lovingly picture of Jane "And once she said a strange thing to me. Do you want to know what?"
"Yes, if you are willing to tell."
"She...she said that when he smiled she could see the whole world in his eyes. ... I never saw it."
Geoffrey smiled "Well, that was love, I guess..."
"You mean Jane loved him? Inspite of all the bad things? That is love?"
Geoffrey could see the thoughtful glance in Ryan's eyes and feel that he wanted to be alone with his thoughts about the nature of love. And although he would have liked to speak a bit more with the samll hurt soul he quietly stood up and left the room. Ryan seemed not to even notice it.~
*Maureen didn't know how long she had been sitting at the table thinking as she suddenly felt her stomach grumbling. She looked up and noticed that Geoffrey wasn't on his seat anymore. When did he leave the room? She didn't know the answer. Maureen stood up and left the room, too. Her angry stomach led her to the kitchen to find it empty except of Elana who was cleaning it. She looked up saying
"Oh, there you are at last! Geoffrey had told me not to disturb you at lunch time. Actually I now should not give you anything! I don't like people being late for meal."
Maureen looked down at her feet, feeling guilty. Elana had taught her that lesson already three days before when Maureen was late for dinner for she couldn't tear away from her letter studies. But Elana was already setting the table for her - good nice Ela!
While she was still eating she heard a bang on the entrance door and Ela bustled away to open it. A high slightly affected lisping (so it was surely an exclusive person) voice made Maureen curious, so she stood up and peeped around the corner to see who it was. An imposant looking woman stood in front of a gaping Elana, looked around her and asked for Geoffrey who immediately came out of the study followed by Bob.
"Hullo, Gina!" he seemed surprised but embraced the woman as if she was an old friend. For some reason Maureen felt a sting in her heart at that. The high voice spoke again.
"Oh, Geoffrey, you are surprised to see me here? I have been waiting for you ever since Valentine's. I was expecting you for dinner" and with a mishievious grin that made Maureen frown she added "and perhaps more! After five days I couldn't wait anymore and forgot all the ladylike behaviour to come here. What held you back? And who is THAT?"
Her sharp eyes had spotted the small frowning figure in the kitchen door. Geoffrey gestured Maureen to come nearer and introduced her as Ryan, his new second assistant. Gina looked up and down Maureen who did the same with Gina. She was tall and a bit plump. But her body was round at the right places what could explain the admiring glance in Elana's eyes. The woman had neat read hair and a high forehead. Her green eyes sparkled and her lips curled at the sight of Maureen.
"He's a bit skinny, don't you think? Oh, Geoffrey where did you find him? I didn't know Cheapside offered second assistants for free!"
Maureen felt defiance rising up in her. WHO did that woman think she was? She looked up to Geoffrey who looked at her smiling comfortingly. And abruptly Maureen could see the whole world in his eyes. She was so stunnded by that that she immediately forgot her rage. Mean while Geofrey was defending her.
"Gina! Don't be so snobbish! The people from Cheapside are no worse people than you are! Ryan is as hard working and friendly as one could wish!"
Maureen felt better at that words. Geoffrey now took his hand from her shoulder and placed it on Gina's instead. Then he led her to the living room. Shortly before he closed the door Maureen could catch a glimpse of a special glance in his eyes while he looked at Gina. Suddenly Maureen felt a great urge to see that glance in his eyes when he looked at her, too. That confused her even more. She jumped as Elana spoeke to her.
"Finished your lunch, have you?"
"Erm, no, not yet."
"So, hurry up, I have better things to do than waiting for you to finish eating."
They went to the kitchen and Maureen continued her meal while Elana prepared hot bragot for Geoffrey and Gina. Finally Maureen dared to speak out what she thought.
"You admire Gina, don't you?"
Elana's eyes sparkled and she nodded.
"Why? She wasn't very courtly, was she?"
"Oh, she is so wonderful! Her hair, her clothes! And her exclusive appearance. She is a true lady! I want to be like that when I am grown up! She knows the world! I wish I had a mother like her!"
"What's wrong with your true mother?"
"She is dead."
"Oh, no! I'm so sorry! I didn't want to upset you!"
"It's all right! I can't really miss her for I don't know her at all."
"Did she give you away? You told she was from a village named Corton, right?"
Suddenly Elana looked hurt.
"CORTON is right but she had not given me away. She would never have done that!"
Maureen was eager to excuse her. "I'm sorry. What happened?"
"My mum had left the village when she was pregnant. She had refused to give away the name of the father. She had been only thirteen, you know."
Maureen thought about who in the village could be the father of her. Ela was fourteen so Maureen had been five when her mother had left the village. She could not remember a scandal like that. But it was long ago...
"She worked in the houshold of the richest man in village." Ela continued "He was willing to let her there but she refused. Nobody knows the reason."
At the mention of old Slawn Maureen suddenly got aware of an unconscious similarity in the looks between Ela and Cole. Maureen got a feeling of why Ela's mother didn't stay.
"Do your grandparents still live there?" Maureen thought hard but could think of nobody with the name Russels in Corton.
"I don't know. I never have been there."
"Did your mother never go back there? It were her parents after all!"
"Mum never had the chance to. She went to an aunt she had in London. She died during my birth. My aunt raised me and gave me her surname so that I didn't grow up in disgrace. But she told me everything when I turned 14 and was about to start my hiring at Geoffrey's. She had been very kind to me and had done her best to make me not feel the loss of mum. She was sad to let me leave her household when it came to it."
"She did not tell to you about your guilt?" Maureen was surprised by the reaction of the aunt for it was so very different from her father's.
"Guilt? What guilt?"
"Of your mother's death!"
Elana looked angry. "I wasn't guilty of her death. She had lost too much blood. She had been too young! My aunt told me that even older women die during births. Especially when they had too slim hips. Then they have worse pain than what is normal. And can die, too. That's normal."
"Really?" Maureen was stunned and did not think about what she was saying "My mom was very slim, too." at least Maureen supposed her mum to have had the same hips as she had "Do you think that's why she died?"
Elana's anger vanished immediately, she looked rather pleased now. It was the first time that Maureen told her something private.
"Maybe. Did she died during a birth, too?"
Maureen looked up, unsure. Well, she had begun it so why not finish it, too?
"Er...yes, during MY birth. And my father kept telling me it was my guilt during my whole life."
"Oh, poor one" Elana was pure pity "That wasn't true! You still were a small baby. How could you cause someone's death? She died because of the birth, it just happened to be you she gave birth to..."
"Think so?"
"Not only think - know! And your father, the devil told you it had been your guilt? How I pity you!"
Something in Ela's voice and eyes were unbearable for Maureen. Finally she was much older than her, although Ela thought it to be the opposite. And how could she dare calling her father devil? Pete was a devil, not her father!
"I don't need your pity!" she answered briskly, and out of a sudden urge to hurt Ela as she had hurt her with insulting her father she added "Pity is typical for weak girls as you are!"
But Ela didn't look hurt at all, rather angry.
"If you think so, fine. But pity soon enters the gentle heart° as Geoffrey says. I don't think it to be a character flaw." And with that she left the kitchen to serve Geoffrey and Gina.
When she came back the kitchen was empty. Maureen had grabbed her scrap of paper and gone up to her room where she read it again and again. It was a short story about a poet leaving his small study in dream°°. She refused to go down for dinner for she guessed (rightly) that Geoffrey would eat with Gina in the dining room. And for some reason she didn't feel like being able to endure his empty seat. Additionally there had been the quarrel with Elana. She dearly regretted it! The moment before they had been so close...
And Ela had told Maureen her mother's death wasn't her fault. That it was normal that women can die during such events. Maureen believed her and felt relieved. She was no sinner anymore. At least not concerning that point. There still was Jane… Again Maureen thought about what Pete had said about her causing Jane's death. But meanwhile she did not quite believe him. Would God have led her way to kind Geoffrey and the wonderful people in his house if it had been her fault? Probably not! He would have punished her badly! And being here in this house was no punishment!
But another thing made her staying awake after she had went to bed: the appearance of Gina in the afternoon and everything related to that. Why had she felt that sting when Geoffrey had hugged her? Why couldn't she forget that special glance in his eyes? Why did she so long to see it, when he looked at her, too? Had there really been the whole world in his eyes? Where did all these thoughts come from?
The last thing she thougt before sleep finally took over was
"Well, that's love I guess."*
___
° That's one of Chaucer's great favourite lines. He uses it at different occasions. One variation: "For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte"
°° That's about the story of "The House of Fame"
~*~
So what do you think, eh? Please let me know!
Guess what! I have a beta-reader for this story now! So it can only get better. ::smiles:: I will send complains directly to her, O.K.? Haha.
Here I have two "links" to my site. It are drawings I made of Maureen. The face on the first one sucks and the second one is just a small sketch I once made when I was bored off by a very *interesting* lecture. But I like them though...
http://de.geocities.com/rubyfrumblefoot/Galerie/MaureenRyan.jpg
http://de.geocities.com/rubyfrumblefoot/Galerie/MaureenRyan2.jpg
@I'mPrinceHarrysGrl: Mind? Why should I? You actually see me dancing merrily around!!!
The Disclaimer-thing is still the same.
Feel free to review.
Enjoy.
~*~
~W...Whe...When! I see ... y...your - When I see your! ... b...bo...be...beauty! ... ffful - oh, it's 'beautiful'!"
Ryan was highly concentrated on the lines Geoffrey had given him to practise his reading skills. He was making surprisingly good progresses.. Ryan was very fast at learning the letters. They would probably soon be able to begin with writing.
Amused Geoffrey observed the boy who had forgotten everything around him. He leaned over the piece of parchment, the head red of exertion, the hair tussled of despair.
"Um ... and the last word ... er ... it begins with 't'..."
"You are not going to tell me you cannot read it, are you? Come on, it is not that difficult! And my handwriting is perfect this time!"
Ryan gave him a crooked grin, then turned back to the paper.
"Erm ... throat! - Throat?? When I see your beautiful THROAT???? Oh hell, how late was it when you wrote THIS?"
Outwardly Geoffrey grinned because of the memories this line awaked, and inwardly he grinned because of Ryan's change. The last five days he had spent much time together with Elana. And Ela's influence could be noticed very easily.
"I just remembered this line last evening when you and Ela were arguing about the right way how a man should approach the woman of his heart. Do not worry that you do not understand it.
Well, that is enough for today. Lesson is over.", and at Ryan's disappointed look he added "All right, here you have a short story, prepare it for tomorrow's lesson. I do not want you to hesitate at any word, understand?" He might have sounded harsh but Geoffrey knew that Ryan knew that he was not.
"Oh, and bring this" he took the small black `House Book' from the nearby rable "to Ela. Tell her that she has done very good work concerning the finances this week, all right?"
Ryan nodded and proudly took the book. He did not know it yet, but Geoffrey planned to teach him book-keeping, too. Or better he planned to make Ela do this. She was very good at accounting and calculation. A born housekeeper. Perhaps he should pay her more money? For her work contented much more than the usual duties of a normal house maiden.
Geoffrey watched Ryan leave the room and again he noticed how much Elana had effected the boy: his hair was cut in a neat way (still a bit longish, but "That's the fashion" as Ela had said), the trousers were shortened and suited now to Ryan's height; he was less reserved and intimidated than before. He still was more on the pale side but there was a permanent slight shade of rosé on his cheeks and his eyes sparkled. His movements had become less nervous and the big bruise on his cheek bone (if Geoffrey only knew who had done that to this poor defenceless boy!) was merely a yellow shade anymore. What an incredible change in only five days! Geoffrey could not quite believe it.
He enjoyed having the two 14-year-olds around him although he had a feeling that there was an unrevealed secret around Ryan, something he was holding back and not willing to tell anybody. Probably it was connected with his past of which Geoffrey still did not know a tiny bit. Well, solutions come with the time, as the saying was.~
*Maureen left the room thinking about the last days and about how lucky she had been to run into Geoffrey. He was very kind to her as was everybody in this house. Maureen especially liked Elana. She was very practical and as outgoing as Maureen always had wanted to be. She was sure she could learn a lot from Ela. James was like a grandfather for everybody of the lively bunch living under this roof. Bob was a friend. And Maureen could barely imagine that anyone could feel different about him.
Concerning Geoffrey Maureen felt uneasy. He was a bit of a riddle. Or better: her own reactions on him were a bit of a riddle. She had a strange urge inside her to tell him just *everything*. As if she wasn't able to reveal anything from him. And that scared her a bit. She really liked him. He was her rescuer, her patron. But still...
There was another thing that worried her even more: she had noticed that there were two men who were standing in turns in front of the house. One of them she had occasionally seen at Harry's. They were observing the house she guessed. She didn't dare telling that Geoffrey for she didn't want to be a nuisance. She knew that Geoffrey had adviced the others to not tell anybody about her and to not let strangers inside the protecting walls of the building. And that calmed Maureen a lot.
Suddenly she heard Ela's firm voice (a sure sign that something annoyed her) coming from the kitchen:
"WHAT do you want? Here is no Ryan!"
Maureen froze in the middle of her movements. Were they already bold enough trying to come into the house? What should she do? Fear was taking hold of her but then a small voice answered:
"PLEASE let me in, I know that he's here. HE is outside, don't you know that? Let me in!" the last words were whined but Maureen already had dropped her paper and the house book. That had been Jaques' voice! And Elana was obviusly about to brush him off. She ran to the kitchen and came just in time to see Ela standing in the back door and struggling with the famished but surprisingly strong figure of little Jaques.
"ELA, NO!" Maureen cried out for it looked sadly bad for the tiny boy "He is a friend of mine. Let him in, please."
Ela looked at her startled, and this short moment of confusion was long enough for Jaques to slip into the kitchen and slam the door shut. He didn't look too good: he was pale and had dark rings under his eyes as if he was lacking sleep and distressed by sorrows, and he had some bruises in his face. Pete seemed to have let the boy suffer for helping Maureen to escape. She shivered. Ela however still looked suspiciously:
"How can you be sure he is true? I have got clear instructions from Geoffrey although I don't know the reasons for them. I'll better go and ask him what to..."
"Not necessary! I am already here." Geoffrey came into the kitchen, holding the scrap of paper and the book Maureen had dropped. "I had heard loud voices and left the study to see what was going on. And, Ryan, I must say, you have given me quite a fright as I found these things" he laid them on the table "I thought something had happened to you."
Maureen felt guilty for frightening Geoffrey although she thought that nothing could ever really frighten this tall and strong man.
"Sorry" she mumbled.
"Never mind." He already smiled again causing her stomach to make a happy leap, then turning to Jaques he asked. "And you are...?"
Jaques was not intimidated or anything like this at all. He made a step forward and answered boldly (Elana had annoyed him):
"I'm Jaques Lacoste and this girl" he pointed at Ela who gave him a grimace "is really stubborn. All I wanted was to see Ryan but she refused to let me in. Not willing to help me getting out of reach of Pete's bully."
So, now it was out finally! But Geoffrey seemed not to be surprised at all (on the opposite to Ela who immediatly dashed to the windows and peeped out of them).
"I knew the house is being observed" Geoffrey said "How does it come you have not been stopped by him?"
"I'm a ragamuffin!" Jaques voice sounded proud at this word "I know paths even Pete does not know! May I now speak to Ryan at last?" He sounded impatient now. Maureen smiled and shook her head about his boldness. Geoffrey smiled, too. He seemed to have taken a liking on this little very direct runt and nodded.
"Thank you very much"
Maureen had to chuckle at that reply for dignified courtesy coming out of Jaques' mouth was seldom. However he went on to Maureen and gave her without any further word one of the bundles he was carrying. Frowning Maureen took it and having a look into it she understood: her blanket, spoon, bowl, small mirror and Geoffrey's neatly embroidened food-bag. Jaques has undertook that dangerous quest to bring her all the precious little things she had left in her room and thought lost. She looked at Jaques and teared him in a dear hug.
"Thank you so much! I thought I would never see these things again!"
"That's why I brought them to you! Pete had been in your room and done a good deal of chaos but he hadn't taken anything with him. And Dirty John said you would have been away five days so he can rent the room to another one. So I went into your room and took everything that looked like yours and brought it to you."
"How did you know I was here?"
"A friend of mine heard Pete talking with Harry about that."
Here Geoffrey meddled inot the talk.
"What are they going to do?"
Jaques shrugged "Dunno. Such a thing never happened." and then to Maureen: "Pete is annoyed! And afraid that you could tell the forces of the city about him and his business."
"But I don't know anything of his business!"
"Neither do I. But inspite of that my mum has sent me away for she says I was too close to him."
"Where will you go?"
"To my sister. She is married and lives in a village north of the town. So, now I have done everything I had planned to, bye."
And with that he took the second rather meager bundle from the table and turned to leave. Even Geoffrey's invitation for lunch couldn't make him stay although Maureen could see the hunger in his eyes. But his answer was merely
"No, thanx. Pete's bullies are less concentrated at lunch time, so I will use that for leaving secretly."
And with that he was gone. Maureen stood in the kitchen, stunned by both, the sudden appearance and also fast vanishing of her small friend. Elana, however looked rather satisfied that her kitchen was cleaner now and began preparing lunch. Maureen didn't know what to do as she noticed that she was still holding the bundle in her hands. She took out the embroidened bag and turned to face the tall man behind her.
"Here you have it back. I didn't think I would ever get the chance to do this"*
~"You do not have to. I gave and not lent it to you."
"Th..thanks."
Ryan looked rather confused, as if something was fighting inside him. The visit of the small boy seemed to have upset him. He needed someone to talk to, Geoffrey guessed.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked carefully, trying not to be pushy. Ryan looked thankfully.
"Yeah, would be fine."
Elana looked up but said nothing. But Geoffrey noticed the hurt glance in her eyes. She was disappointed that Ryan did not speak with her about his problems although they both had taken a strong liking on each other. Geoffrey sighed - it seemed that he would have a second serious talk that day also...
He led Ryan to the comfortable living room which was not used too often during the day. Only in the evenings when all the labour of day was done they all gathered around the fire and did their things. Here Ryan practiced reading, Ela watchig him while sewing and also showing Ryan some sewing tricks (Geoffrey had given up to complain about that), Bob wrote (with support from Geoffrey) letters for his chosen maid and James just sat there and watched the scene with a smile on his old lips. He did not do anything but rest. He was out the whole day although it was winter and there was not much to do in the garden. So he probably spent most of the day in the stable with Troilus.
Now nobody was in the warm room. They both took seats at the table and Geoffrey looked expectingly at Ryan who obviously did not know how to begin. So Geoffrey decided to help him.
"The boy's visit has upset you, has it not?"
"Erm, yes, it has. The last days I was fine with not thinking about Pete. But Jaques' report has reminded me! I'm so afraid of what will happen! What if Pete's men will enter the house at night? Who knows how long it will take till they are bold enough to do this?"
"They will not, I promise! I was not sure if these two were what I thought they were. But now I'm sure and will draw the consequences. I will inform the guards of the city that my house is being watched by them." at Ryan's despaired look he added hastily "I don't have to tell them anything about you or Pete! They will take care that we are save here!"
Ryan answered with a small voice "Are you sure?"
"Of course! I promised, did I not? And promise is debt!"
Ryan still did not look too relieved. Geoffrey suddenly got angry. It had not been Jaques' fault himself but his report had made the boy's change vanish in a heartbeat! He again was the intimidated and nervous young man he had been when he first had brought him here. He had to talk about everything or else it would kill his young soul from the inside!
"This Pete, you have not told me very much abnout him. What kind af man was he?"
"He was the devil himself, I say! I never knew much about his and Harry's business. Nobody told me but everybody expected me being involved in it. And somehow I was, too. Finally I went through the whole city fulfilling their errands. Many people were scared by the contents of the packeages and gave me letters that seemed to satisfy Pete. I never dared peeping into one of the packages they gave me although I was interested! They would have found out and I was too afraid of what would have happened to me then... Even Jane could not have helped me then." He said the last thing with a croaking voice.
"Why did Jane stay with Pete when he was so bad?"
"I don't know myself! She said he was getting her customers, but Jane could have sold the jewellery by herself, too!" was Ryan really not guessing that Jane seemed to have been a whore rather? But Geoffrey did not say anything to not destroy the boy's lovingly picture of Jane "And once she said a strange thing to me. Do you want to know what?"
"Yes, if you are willing to tell."
"She...she said that when he smiled she could see the whole world in his eyes. ... I never saw it."
Geoffrey smiled "Well, that was love, I guess..."
"You mean Jane loved him? Inspite of all the bad things? That is love?"
Geoffrey could see the thoughtful glance in Ryan's eyes and feel that he wanted to be alone with his thoughts about the nature of love. And although he would have liked to speak a bit more with the samll hurt soul he quietly stood up and left the room. Ryan seemed not to even notice it.~
*Maureen didn't know how long she had been sitting at the table thinking as she suddenly felt her stomach grumbling. She looked up and noticed that Geoffrey wasn't on his seat anymore. When did he leave the room? She didn't know the answer. Maureen stood up and left the room, too. Her angry stomach led her to the kitchen to find it empty except of Elana who was cleaning it. She looked up saying
"Oh, there you are at last! Geoffrey had told me not to disturb you at lunch time. Actually I now should not give you anything! I don't like people being late for meal."
Maureen looked down at her feet, feeling guilty. Elana had taught her that lesson already three days before when Maureen was late for dinner for she couldn't tear away from her letter studies. But Elana was already setting the table for her - good nice Ela!
While she was still eating she heard a bang on the entrance door and Ela bustled away to open it. A high slightly affected lisping (so it was surely an exclusive person) voice made Maureen curious, so she stood up and peeped around the corner to see who it was. An imposant looking woman stood in front of a gaping Elana, looked around her and asked for Geoffrey who immediately came out of the study followed by Bob.
"Hullo, Gina!" he seemed surprised but embraced the woman as if she was an old friend. For some reason Maureen felt a sting in her heart at that. The high voice spoke again.
"Oh, Geoffrey, you are surprised to see me here? I have been waiting for you ever since Valentine's. I was expecting you for dinner" and with a mishievious grin that made Maureen frown she added "and perhaps more! After five days I couldn't wait anymore and forgot all the ladylike behaviour to come here. What held you back? And who is THAT?"
Her sharp eyes had spotted the small frowning figure in the kitchen door. Geoffrey gestured Maureen to come nearer and introduced her as Ryan, his new second assistant. Gina looked up and down Maureen who did the same with Gina. She was tall and a bit plump. But her body was round at the right places what could explain the admiring glance in Elana's eyes. The woman had neat read hair and a high forehead. Her green eyes sparkled and her lips curled at the sight of Maureen.
"He's a bit skinny, don't you think? Oh, Geoffrey where did you find him? I didn't know Cheapside offered second assistants for free!"
Maureen felt defiance rising up in her. WHO did that woman think she was? She looked up to Geoffrey who looked at her smiling comfortingly. And abruptly Maureen could see the whole world in his eyes. She was so stunnded by that that she immediately forgot her rage. Mean while Geofrey was defending her.
"Gina! Don't be so snobbish! The people from Cheapside are no worse people than you are! Ryan is as hard working and friendly as one could wish!"
Maureen felt better at that words. Geoffrey now took his hand from her shoulder and placed it on Gina's instead. Then he led her to the living room. Shortly before he closed the door Maureen could catch a glimpse of a special glance in his eyes while he looked at Gina. Suddenly Maureen felt a great urge to see that glance in his eyes when he looked at her, too. That confused her even more. She jumped as Elana spoeke to her.
"Finished your lunch, have you?"
"Erm, no, not yet."
"So, hurry up, I have better things to do than waiting for you to finish eating."
They went to the kitchen and Maureen continued her meal while Elana prepared hot bragot for Geoffrey and Gina. Finally Maureen dared to speak out what she thought.
"You admire Gina, don't you?"
Elana's eyes sparkled and she nodded.
"Why? She wasn't very courtly, was she?"
"Oh, she is so wonderful! Her hair, her clothes! And her exclusive appearance. She is a true lady! I want to be like that when I am grown up! She knows the world! I wish I had a mother like her!"
"What's wrong with your true mother?"
"She is dead."
"Oh, no! I'm so sorry! I didn't want to upset you!"
"It's all right! I can't really miss her for I don't know her at all."
"Did she give you away? You told she was from a village named Corton, right?"
Suddenly Elana looked hurt.
"CORTON is right but she had not given me away. She would never have done that!"
Maureen was eager to excuse her. "I'm sorry. What happened?"
"My mum had left the village when she was pregnant. She had refused to give away the name of the father. She had been only thirteen, you know."
Maureen thought about who in the village could be the father of her. Ela was fourteen so Maureen had been five when her mother had left the village. She could not remember a scandal like that. But it was long ago...
"She worked in the houshold of the richest man in village." Ela continued "He was willing to let her there but she refused. Nobody knows the reason."
At the mention of old Slawn Maureen suddenly got aware of an unconscious similarity in the looks between Ela and Cole. Maureen got a feeling of why Ela's mother didn't stay.
"Do your grandparents still live there?" Maureen thought hard but could think of nobody with the name Russels in Corton.
"I don't know. I never have been there."
"Did your mother never go back there? It were her parents after all!"
"Mum never had the chance to. She went to an aunt she had in London. She died during my birth. My aunt raised me and gave me her surname so that I didn't grow up in disgrace. But she told me everything when I turned 14 and was about to start my hiring at Geoffrey's. She had been very kind to me and had done her best to make me not feel the loss of mum. She was sad to let me leave her household when it came to it."
"She did not tell to you about your guilt?" Maureen was surprised by the reaction of the aunt for it was so very different from her father's.
"Guilt? What guilt?"
"Of your mother's death!"
Elana looked angry. "I wasn't guilty of her death. She had lost too much blood. She had been too young! My aunt told me that even older women die during births. Especially when they had too slim hips. Then they have worse pain than what is normal. And can die, too. That's normal."
"Really?" Maureen was stunned and did not think about what she was saying "My mom was very slim, too." at least Maureen supposed her mum to have had the same hips as she had "Do you think that's why she died?"
Elana's anger vanished immediately, she looked rather pleased now. It was the first time that Maureen told her something private.
"Maybe. Did she died during a birth, too?"
Maureen looked up, unsure. Well, she had begun it so why not finish it, too?
"Er...yes, during MY birth. And my father kept telling me it was my guilt during my whole life."
"Oh, poor one" Elana was pure pity "That wasn't true! You still were a small baby. How could you cause someone's death? She died because of the birth, it just happened to be you she gave birth to..."
"Think so?"
"Not only think - know! And your father, the devil told you it had been your guilt? How I pity you!"
Something in Ela's voice and eyes were unbearable for Maureen. Finally she was much older than her, although Ela thought it to be the opposite. And how could she dare calling her father devil? Pete was a devil, not her father!
"I don't need your pity!" she answered briskly, and out of a sudden urge to hurt Ela as she had hurt her with insulting her father she added "Pity is typical for weak girls as you are!"
But Ela didn't look hurt at all, rather angry.
"If you think so, fine. But pity soon enters the gentle heart° as Geoffrey says. I don't think it to be a character flaw." And with that she left the kitchen to serve Geoffrey and Gina.
When she came back the kitchen was empty. Maureen had grabbed her scrap of paper and gone up to her room where she read it again and again. It was a short story about a poet leaving his small study in dream°°. She refused to go down for dinner for she guessed (rightly) that Geoffrey would eat with Gina in the dining room. And for some reason she didn't feel like being able to endure his empty seat. Additionally there had been the quarrel with Elana. She dearly regretted it! The moment before they had been so close...
And Ela had told Maureen her mother's death wasn't her fault. That it was normal that women can die during such events. Maureen believed her and felt relieved. She was no sinner anymore. At least not concerning that point. There still was Jane… Again Maureen thought about what Pete had said about her causing Jane's death. But meanwhile she did not quite believe him. Would God have led her way to kind Geoffrey and the wonderful people in his house if it had been her fault? Probably not! He would have punished her badly! And being here in this house was no punishment!
But another thing made her staying awake after she had went to bed: the appearance of Gina in the afternoon and everything related to that. Why had she felt that sting when Geoffrey had hugged her? Why couldn't she forget that special glance in his eyes? Why did she so long to see it, when he looked at her, too? Had there really been the whole world in his eyes? Where did all these thoughts come from?
The last thing she thougt before sleep finally took over was
"Well, that's love I guess."*
___
° That's one of Chaucer's great favourite lines. He uses it at different occasions. One variation: "For pitee renneth soone in gentil herte"
°° That's about the story of "The House of Fame"
~*~
So what do you think, eh? Please let me know!
