Part 14

Clarisse woke late to a cold empty bed. She turned towards where Joseph should have been and pulled the sheets tight around her body, willing her mind to return to the dreamlike state and not force her to face reality just yet.

But once she was awake that was that, frustrated she turned onto her back and stared up at the decorative ceiling. She couldn't hear any conversations going on in the other room; perhaps Elisa and Rico had already left. A part of her hoped to god they had, she couldn't face looking them in the eye after listening to them argue for most of the night. Add to this Elisa's strange behaviour the night before and her general feeling of being uncomfortable in Rico's presence and she was pretty much left a little lost.

Reluctantly she reached for her dressing gown and climbed out of bed, perhaps a long shower would clear her mind ready to start a new day afresh.

She had just turned the tap on in the bathroom and was staring at her face in the mirror when Joseph came up behind her.

"Morning." He kissed her cheek but as she watched him she knew something was wrong.

"What's happened?"

He sighed wearily leaning forward and turning the tap off before the basin overflowed. "Elisa's gone missing, stormed out about 4:30 this morning."

"Oh. Not at home?"

A drained look crossed his features as he stared at her. "I did already think to try there."

She raised an eyebrow in response but kept calm. "Alright."

"Sorry, just…" he looked down at the floor. "Rico is driving me crazy."

She smiled, leant forward and slid her arms around his waist and pulled him into a hug.

Caught off guard at first he soon relaxed in her warm embrace and closed his eyes.

"We'll find her, everything will be fine."

"I think she's left him."

Clarisse lifted her face to his. "Perhaps it's for the best."

"Perhaps it is." He said solemnly. "But I must find her, I need to know she's safe before we leave."

It was the first time he'd even mentioned them returning 'home' together, as much as she enjoyed Spain she longed to return to her Genovia and resume her part in Christmas celebrations. She allowed herself a smile and kissed his mouth.

"I'll help, let me change."

"No you stay here, in case she returns." He rested his hands on her shoulders. "Take a shower, have some breakfast, read the papers…"

"Yes sir. In that order?"

He smiled. "In that order."

((Change scene))

Joseph left less that ten minutes later with a few hastily scribbled addresses from Rico, possible friends or distant relatives she might have gone to.

Part of Clarisse felt a little selfish and wished the pair of them would disappear and sort their own problems out; it wasn't as if she and Joseph didn't have enough of their own to conquer.

Deciding to kill some time she opted for a bubble bath and a little reading while she soaked, it seemed an age since she'd relaxed with a good book. Later that afternoon she planned to call Charlotte and arrange a flight home, Christmas was coming all too quickly and she longed for these days of mixed emotions and unsettled aura to be over. To be home with her granddaughter, with her friends, comfortable in her surroundings. Enjoying her first real Christmas with her husband, open in her feelings for him, she giggled to herself at the thought of kissing him beneath the mistletoe in front of guests. No guilt, no need to hide away anymore. The anticipation was overwhelming. She closed her eyes and leant her head back allowing the silky water to caress her neck, a smile on her face.

((Change scene))

Joseph drove around for what seemed like hours, up and down streets, calls back and forth to Clarisse and the list of names Rico had given him. Given the state of his sister-in-law and her rather erratic behaviour the night before he was terrified she might have done something completely irrational.

For the fifth time that morning he parked the car outside Rico's home and using the spare key let himself into the house, only this time he found shoes abandoned by the door and a light on in the upstairs hallway.

"Elisa…" He hastily called as he made his way up the stairs. "Eli it's Joe."

"I'm changing, I'll be right down." She answered sounding rather calm and composed.

"Alright." He stopped, turned back down the stairs and went to put a pot of coffee on.

"Sorry if I scared you." Elisa said as she entered the room, her hair was wet and she rubbed at it with a towel.

"You should have called, I didn't know what to think. Rico had no idea where you were…"

"He wouldn't care anyway."

Joe shook his head. "Clarisse said you seemed… upset last night."

She glared at him. "Gossiping about me."

"Why would you think that?"

She shrugged, pushed past him and sat down on the high stool at the table.

"We care about you, about both of you." He sat next to her. "You've been such a comfort to me Elisa these last few weeks, everything being so… so up-in-the-air with Clarisse and I."

"I told her you know."

"Told her what?"

"That she was fool to let you go, that she shouldn't have been so stupid to let a little kiss break you apart."

"It wasn't just that." He said sharply but she hardly noticed.

"What's a kiss anyway, nothing, in the end."

She looked up at him. "It meant nothing to you."

He stared at her trying to figure out her meaning.

"Oh come on Joe, it wasn't that long ago, or maybe it was… I forget."

The realisation hit and he stood from his chair moving across the kitchen. "We agreed never to talk about it, it was nine years ago for goodness sake."

"It doesn't mean I forget."

"A drunken kiss at a party hardly means love and eternity."

"No because you were already wrapped up in her glorified highness who never gave you anything but a passing glance, a tease, so what do you do – you use other women to satisfy that need."

For the first time in his life he felt the urge to hit a woman, he forced it back, pushed the anger down into his stomach and let it melt there.

"You knew then and you know now I've always loved her, it's always been her. We were drunk and it was a small meaningless kiss and we never spoke about it again… I don't understand why the hell you have to bring this up now!" He was shouting watching her calm, impassive face showing no reaction at all to his words.

"For gods sake I'm trying to help save your marriage."

"Oh let it rot in hell, he already knows it's over, he already knows I'm leaving him."

"What?"

"I told him before I left the hotel, that it was over. Your wonderful wife convinced me enough was enough."

"Clarisse… when?" She's never told him about that, as far as he knew Clarisse had listened to Elisa's woes on that balcony not given her marital advice.

"I told him so too, everything's changing for poor little Rico, his brother marries a royal and that self same woman causes his own wife to leave him."

"Why would Rico let me spend hours searching for you when he knew exactly what you'd planned?"

Elisa shrugged. "Who cares? Let him be." She jumped down from her seat and poured herself a coffee.

"I didn't realise how selfish you'd become." He stepped up close behind her his voice dropping low and dripping with anger. "If anything happens to her it's because of you."

She whirled round forcing a smile. "He wouldn't actually do anything, he's not that idiotic…"

Her voice faded as she watched his eyes darken.

He turned from her and almost ran from the house, jumping in the car and racing back towards the hotel.

((Change scene))

Clarisse was feeling lazy and leisurely; she soaked her body for well over an hour in the grand bathtub. Then took her time covering each inch of her skin with luxurious cream, slipping on her simple white lacy underwear and a silk slip then a fluffy dressing gown. She only wished Joseph was there to share in the moment.

Finally she left the bedroom and made her way into the lounge, collecting a pile of letters from the table in the hallway along with the day's papers and glancing at them as she made her way to the fireplace.

"I wondered when you'd show your face."

Clarisse spun round dropping the letters to the floor.

"Rico, I didn't know you were here, I um thought you left with Joseph." She slowly bent to the floor attempting to scoop up the letters.

"Sorry to disappoint you, thought I'd hang around for a little chat with you."

"Oh?" She looked up questioningly watching as he sat on the couch.

"You see, the way I figure things, it could be a straight swap."

"Excuse me?" She rose tightening the belt on her robe as she did so.

"Well now Elisa has left me – on your advice – and Joe has gone running after her, after their little dalliance, all that's left is you and I. Do you see?"

She ignored the comment on Joe and Elisa, choosing to let it slide than argue the point with him.

"I'm not sure what Elisa has told you but there has been no advice from me that involved her leaving you."

"Oh really, well you would say that wouldn't you." He tapped the cushion next to him. "Why don't you sit down."

"I'd prefer it if you left actually Rico."

She suddenly felt very ill at the thought that this man had been right here in the apartment whilst she had laid in the bath relaxing. Anything could have happened.

"I said sit down." His voice wasn't loud, just stern.

She'd had many arguments with Rupert over the years she wasn't about to fold so easily. "And I said get out."

She stepped back from him, around the back of the couch and then quickly moved across the room out of the lounge and into the dining area.

A door slammed behind her and she turned sharply.

"I knew it would bring trouble, him marrying somebody like you. You people are all the same thinking you can do what you like, hurt who you like, screw over who the hell you like."

Lost for words and suddenly realising how much she was shaking Clarisse stepped backwards and felt the cool surface of the door behind her. Her trembling hand reached for the handle but Rico was much younger than her and was in front of her instantaneously, reaching around her, taking her hands and bringing them around the front of her body.

His face softened as he kissed her fingers gently, too gently, it unnerved her. She pulled from his grasp, and dropped her hands to her side standing tall in front of him.

"Look Rico, I'm not sure what's happening here…"

"And I thought you were supposed to be bright, it's a fairly simple concept to grasp try and keep up. You see my dear brother, your new husband, well it seems he likes to play around. I don't know Clarisse first that barmaid now my wife."

She slapped him hard sliding out from where he held her against the door and heading back towards the lounge, if she could get in there at least she could lock the door and call for help.

But he caught her by the table, gripped her upper arm and twisted it behind her. Through reflex she screamed at the pain, he knew he was hurting her and gripped tighter bending her backwards over the table.

"So my thinking was if he can have mine then I can have his."

She squirmed beneath him, but it was to no avail he was an incredibly strong man, taller than Joseph, more physically intimidating.

"And royal too."

Before his mouth could claim hers she suddenly felt a rush of cold air and the weight lift. It took a second for the haze in front of her eyes to clear and se fumbled with her clothing attempting to cover her bare flesh.

It wasn't until she sat up that she finally realised Joseph had knocked his brother to the floor and was pounding his fists into the younger man. Rico was younger and physically in better shape than Joseph but there was no way he was getting the upper hand in this fight.

Clarisse had witnessed her former bodyguard's ire a scarce number of times over the years, only twice had she actually witnessed him in hand to hand confrontation and never, never, had she seen this temper.

"Stop," her voice was weak as she jumped down from the table. She coughed. "Stop it, Joe, please."

He didn't hear her, or was ignoring her. Either way his assault continued.

"Joe please, nothing happened, he didn't do anything. He thinks you… Joe!" Rico's body was becoming limp as his resistance, and energy levels, failed.

"Oh let him finish him off."

Clarisse turned at the sound of the woman's voice.

"You caused this!" Clarisse shouted, she never shouted, she never raised her voice. Her anger was always controlled, channelled, but right then she felt the urge to lunge at that woman and make her see sense.

"Me!! You caused this, you caused all of it."

Clarisse heard Joe's muffled voice saying something and looked down to see Rico's hand covering his brother's mouth.

"Oh god, this is ridiculous, you're killing each other. Joseph… JOSEPH!"

Finally her husband's tirade stopped and he looked up into Clarisse's eyes, full of fear, her face pale and devastated.

"Is this what's its come to?" She whispered only to him.

He looked down at his brother, over to Elisa then back to his wife and gradually stood up. His legs shook a little and Clarisse caught his arm and led him to a chair.

"Get out, both of you. As far as I'm concerned I have no family." His voice was pained. Empty.

"Joseph…" She said gently, sure at some point he would regret that.

"Surely you can't blame me." Elisa said looking down at her broken husband. "None of you can."

Joseph had no more words; he almost fell into the chair gripping onto Clarisse's delicate hand as his eyes closed trying to erase the scene before him.

((Change scene))

Joseph sat in front of the basin and stared down into the water, the steam rose and caressed his face, coating him in a sheen of moisture.

"This will probably sting, are you sure I shouldn't call for first aid?" Clarisse's voice was soft but clear, organised, taking charge of the situation. He needed that right now.

He shook his head, he didn't want anybody to know about this it was hard enough she had been part of it.

"Well I'm not saying I'm going to be any good at it, never could really deal with blood and that kind of thing…"

She lifted one of his battered hands and placed it in the water. He flinched at the contact, then bit down on his bottom lip and plunged his hand into the water.

Clarisse leant over him and bathed his cuts, wiped away the blood and gently soothed his aching fingers.

Soon both hands were clean and she refilled the basin with fresh water and a little oil so he could rest for a few minutes and allow the water to ease his aches and pains.

Slowly she rubbed his fingers, neither had spoken as she completed her task but now Joseph watched her face, still so pale but that fear was gone.

He turned his gaze to where her hands rested on his in the basin, in the water his fingers came to life and reached for hers. He felt the ring on her finger; the plain gold band that she now wore so proudly, and carefully turned it on her finger.

She turned her face to his, bent down so they were level and leant forward kissing his cheek.

He sighed deeply, exhausted. "I'm sorry I brought you into all this."

"I don't blame you."

"I never slept with her, whatever you've been told…"

"I know, I never doubted it." She kissed him again, longer this time reassuring him of her trust with her touch.

"I think it's about time I took you home Joseph."

"Everything that's happened… this year was supposed to be the happiest."

"Shhh, it is, it has been, I have you. Let's go home, together, and enjoy our first Christmas… besides didn't you tell me quite some time ago I was going to get an engagement ring?"

(Can't seem to get the line insert thing to work!!! Could be a good place to stop BUT I think perhaps we should see him giving her the ring don't you.... xx Rhonda)