Okay, so, in the interest of checking up on the coherence of my narrative (big words! Yay!) is everybody clear on the tablecloth thing? :) Just checking... how about Simon? Any questions on his place in Tamerlaine's life? Yes? No? Let me know, explaining things gives me this feeling of power that is not to be missed. :) Enjoy.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Dire
No one believes the way I lie
No one can say I'm wrong
Quite apart from missing Carl's good-natured yammering, Van Helsing was not enjoying his one-on-one with Hannah at all. She prattled, gibbered, offered him pillows, offered him tea, offered to stir up the fire, and, to top it all off, seated herself on the couch next to him in what she probably fondly imagined to be a seductive yet innocent pose.
She took off her scarf.
Verrrrry slowly.
Van Helsing leapt to his feet. "Excuse me," he said, "I feel the urgent need to vomit, Mrs. Hampton." A quick bow and he was out the door like a flash. He found his way to the kitchens and entertained himself by getting in the way of the cook.
"Tell me," he began, knocking over a spice rack, "was Mr. Hampton very naughty when he was a child?"
The cook giggled— as she was a large woman, it sounded like a train coming down the tracks. "Oh, he was awful, Mr. Van Helsing."
"Awful?"
"Awful. He and that little Tamerlaine— my, they did get in scrapes sometimes. Amazing what they did, for how undersized they both were. Young Mr. Hampton once blew up the garden shed— blew it to bits, he did."
"I'll bet he did," said Van Helsing. "Unfortunately, that tendency to destruction is with him to this very day."
"The poor boy— Miss Hannah acted as mother to him, as Mrs. Hampton was always very sickly. But Miss Hannah had a kind of a— a sharp way about her, if you know what I mean, even then. And of course her insistence that he eat four squar meals a day only aggravated his problem."
"His— problem?"
"Overweight, he was," the cook confided gingerly. "That little boy could eat more in one sitting than I'd eat in a day. 'Course I was skinnier back then. But young Mr. Hampton was a bookish lad, not much for running around after little Tamerlaine was taken— and though he was stubby to begin with, when he left this house he was downright stout. Part of the reason I was so glad to see him— glad to see he'd grown up a respectable shape."
"Of course," said Van Helsing gravely.
The cook's expression turned worried. "Oh, I do hope we find him soon, Mr. Van Helsing. Wherever he is, I'm sure he's not getting enough to eat."
Van Helsing was a fast runner, but even so, he barely made it out of the kitchens before he began laughing.
B.R.E.A.K.
Carl awoke to some unknown noise. He couldn't figure out what it was, but found that in his sleep he'd shifted round so his arms encircled Tamerlaine, and her head rested on his shoulder. He looked down on her dreamily and for a moment forgot where, exactly, he was.
Then it came to him that the peculiar sounds were caused by the door being unlocked.
Which meant it would be opened.
He let go of Tamerlaine and sat up as the door creaked ajar. Tamerlaine opened her eyes and looked at the figure standing there.
"Hello Simon," she said dully.
"Shh!" said Simon, and slipped inside. He set the door to, but didn't close it, then turned and stared at them, his mouth open.
Time passed. Carl raised his eyebrows. Tamerlaine said, "Yes, Simon, did you have something to say?"
"You're utterly lovely," said Simon abruptly. Carl flicked his eyes down to Tamerlaine and could see red stealing over her cheek.
"And isn't it wonderful," Simon went on, "that after so many years there are still so many mysteries in our marriage?" He took a few steps forward and began to lean over her, but she shrank back— against Carl, incidentally. Carl put a hand on her arm and then dropped it.
Simon laughed, a low chuckle, and sank to his knees. "I know you, Tamerlaine, and I know your loyalties. I gather it was more due to your friend the friar that you remain faithful to me. And for that I thank you—" He swept Carl a mocking half-bow. "But, dear friar, you need do me no favors, for I don't like to owe anyone anything."
"What are you here for, Simon?" asked Tamerlaine wearily.
"Cannot I come to visit my wife in her times of trouble? Even with so attractive a lover—" He broke off and stared at Carl. "Excuse me, sir, but did you just growl?"
"That was me," said Tamerlaine.
"Actually it was both of us," said Carl.
"Stop being so theatrical, Simon, and get to the point."
"Very well, beloved, the point is this. I now see fit to let you free." He stood up and looked at them expectantly. Carl and Tamerlaine exchanged glances.
"I beg your pardon?" said Carl.
Simon sighed. "You—" he said, engaging in over-sized gestures, "leave— now. Go— away." He grinned at Carl, who began to wonder about his sanity. "Understand?"
"You're letting us go?" said Tamerlaine. "You're letting us go."
Simon smiled crookedly and extended a hand to her. She grasped it after some hesitation, and stood. He pulled her towards him, leaving Carl to struggle to his feet on his own. He winced at the hurt and wished he'd taken a look at his leg to ascertain the damage. Pain wracked him and he leant against the wall, gritting his teeth
Not dead yet, he thought, not dead yet.
Simon grasped Tamerlaine by the wrists and held her close to him. She pushed at him and he held her tighter, till she stopped moving and stared in his eyes.
They remained so for a long time, and the expression on their faces made Carl feel like crying.
Then Simon said, "You know I do everything for you, my love."
"On the contrary, I've never once been entirely sure of your motives for anything."
Simon grinned. "Believe nothing," he told her, then bent and kissed her long and hard. Finally he released her and pushed her through the door; only then did he turn to Carl.
His lip curled. "In pain, little holy man?"
"No," lied Carl. With a great effort he levered himself off the wall and stumbled towards the door.
As he reached it, Simon tripped him, reaching out at the same time to grab hold of his shirt. He hoisted Carl upright and whispered a dire promise in his ear.
"Play her false and you regret it. Touch her and you die."