Chapter Summary: A long carriage ride through a dark night leading to safety, family and home.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Andrew carefully cradled Annalise in his arms as he moved down the stairway in the darkened house; the last thing he needed or wanted was to trip and tumble down the stairs again. Her arms were wrapped tightly about his neck, her head resting against his heart and Andrew could feel Annalise trembling. He was frightened for her for he could feel her ribs even through the cloak in which she was wrapped. Andrew needed to get her back to her home where she would be safe and cared for and then he would allow his fears to claim him; now, though, he needed negotiate the remaining stairs to the door that beckoned so temptingly.
A light suddenly appeared in that doorway; Charles standing there, a lantern held high.
"Over here," Andrew called out.
Charles quickly moved to the bottom of the stairs, the light from the lantern giving Andrew what he needed to move easily through the dark.
"Thank you," Andrew said as he came to the bottom of the stairs.
"Aye," Charles said.
The unknown voice caused Annalise to strengthen her grip on Andrew. "Don't leave me with him," she pleaded her voice hoarse and raspy.
"I am not letting go of you," Andrew whispered back, kissing the top of the head that was trying to burrow into his chest. "I promise. I will not let you go until I give you to your father."
"Want to go home."
"We are on our way," Andrew said as he followed Charles out the door.
"Poor child," Charles said to himself as he stood on the portico lighting the way for Andrew.
Regine sat in the chaise, his hands tight around the reins of the two horses that snorted and tossed their heads in impatience. The horses that Andrew and Erik had ridden were tied to one of the pillars of the portico. Regine turned to look at the house as the light caught his eye. He watched as Andrew walked across the portico and down the few steps, stopping at the side of the chaise.
"Annalise," Andrew started, "I am going to need to let you go for a moment so I can put you in the chaise."
"No," Annalise told him. "You promised."
Andrew felt a hand at his back. He twisted his neck to see Charles behind him.
"Let me help," Charles said as he placed his hands beneath Andrew's elbows.
Regine transferred the reins he held to one hand, extending the other towards Andrew. "I'll not let you falter," he said.
"Hold tight," Andrew told the girl in his arms as he placed a foot on the bottom step of the chaise. He allowed Charles to assist him up the two steps and felt Regine's strong hand on his arm helping him to keep his balance. As Andrew stepped into the chaise, he turned around and sank gratefully into the velvet cushions. He looked at Charles. "Thank you," Andrew said.
"You're welcome," Charles said before returning to the house.
"I'll have you back to your parents before you know it, Mademoiselle," Regine said as he took a blanket from the floor, placing it over Annalise and Andrew.
"Want my mother," Annalise said.
"Soon," Andrew told her as he drew the cloak more tightly around her and adjusted the travelling blanket. He looked at Regine. "We need to draw as little attention as possible to ourselves once day breaks. I do not want her having to cope with anyone but her family."
"Lean back, try to sleep and trust the rest to me," Regine told Andrew. He waited until Andrew had positioned himself in the corner of the chaise and then Regine tapped the reins on the backs of Diana and Mercury; that was all it took for the two powerful horses to spring forward, speeding their way towards Paris and home for Annalise.
The chaise moved swiftly through the dark night, the road lit by the two lanterns on either side. Regine kept a strong, steady hand on the reins, guiding the horses swiftly over country roads and slowly through small villages. He knew when to give the horses their heads, letting them run free and when to pull back giving them respite, allowing them to regain strength and energy. As dawn began to color the sky, Regine slowed the chaise, guiding the horses into the yard of a small inn alongside the road that led to Paris. He laid a hand on Andrew's arm, careful not to disturb Annalise.
"Andrew," Regine whispered.
Andrew's eyes slowly blinked opened; he had fallen asleep once he felt Annalise's breathing slow and even out. "What? Where are we?"
"There are a few more hours until we reach Paris but I must water and feed the horses. We are at an inn I know and trust."
"I cannot take her in there." Andrew shook his head, keeping his voice low, hoping that Annalise would remain asleep.
A man was approaching the chaise; Regine noticed and held up a hand causing the man to stop. "I am not asking you to move but I am going to get some tea. The horses will be attended and you both must have something." He felt relieved as Andrew nodded and turned to the man waiting several meters from the chaise. Regine put a finger to his lips and waved the man over. "Pierre," he said as he extended his hand, his voice barely above a whisper. "I need to have the horses tended to and some tea for my passengers. They sleep, so please, softly."
Pierre looked at the shapes covered by the cloak and the blanket. "I shall get Sophie to bring tea and I will help you tend to the animals. Are you sure they do not wish to come in from the morning?"
The strange new voice startled Annalise awake. She raised her head, looking around in panic. "Andrew promised me," her voice strained and hoarse. "He said he would not leave me."
Andrew raised a hand to rest against Annalise's cheek.
"Don't hit me!" she cried, closing her eyes.
"Annalise, it's Andrew; I would never hurt you. Look at me." Andrew watched as Annalise focused on his face. "I love you. You are going to have something to drink and then I am going to take you home. I love you and I am not letting you go."
"Andrew," Annalise replied, opening her eyes. "Andrew," she sighed and settled back against his chest, "you are real."
Pierre watched the interaction between the two young people and shook his head. "I'll go and get Sophie," he told Regine. "Move the chaise to the stables."
Regine had seen the shake of Pierre's head. "Pierre, you know me. I am asking you to trust me. You and Sophie must not say anything about what you see this morning. I will come back and explain when I can but for now, please, trust me."
"I do trust you," Pierre nodded. "I do not understand but I do trust." He walked back to the small inn and Regine moved the horses towards the stables.
The moment Regine had stopped the chaise by the stables, Pierre was there, reaching out to hold the reins at the horses' heads. Regine hopped down, moving to the well where he pulled up a bucket of water, dumping it into the trough and repeating his actions two more times. Pierre let go of the reins and Diana and Mercury dipped their heads into the trough. As Pierre and Regine stood by the horses' heads, stroking their necks, a slightly round, older woman approached, a tray in her hands, a leather bag on her arm. The two men smiled at her and she cocked her head at them, raising an eyebrow.
"And what is all this mystery about?" Sophie wanted to know as she placed the tray on a barrel, handing the leather bag to her husband.
Pierre reached into the bag and began pulling out carrots and apples for the horses that raised their heads at the smell. He looked at his wife. "Treats for the animals?"
"They work hard," Sophie told him and picked up a steaming mug walking towards the chaise. "Excuse me," she said, "I was told you wanted something warm to drink." Sophie was not used to people who traveled in such expensive equipage hiding like common criminals.
Andrew looked at Sophie, saw the disapproving look and hoped the older woman would see the pleading in his eyes. "Please madam, we are in need of your help."
Another strange voice, another moment of panic for Annalise. "Andrew," she whispered, snaking her arms around his neck, "do not let me go. Please!"
Sophie's eyes widened as she took note of the bruised wrists. "Ah, petite la pauvre." Sophie said as her expression softened. She approached the side of the chaise, extending the mug she held. "This should be of some comfort."
Andrew smiled his thanks as he removed an arm from about Annalise and took the mug from Sophie. "Annalise," he said softly. "I have some tea and I need you to take a sip." He felt Annalise shake her head against his chest. "If I have a sip first and show you that it is fine, will you have a sip then?"
Annalise raised her head, concentrating on Andrew's face and did not see the shocked look that crossed Sophie's face. "It will not make me sick?"
"I promise I will never do anything to hurt you," Andrew said as he raised the steaming mug to his lips and took a sip. "It will be fine. It will make you feel warm and comfortable. Please? For me?"
"Yes," Annalise replied in a trembling voice and took a small sip as Andrew held the mug for her. She closed her eyes as the warm liquid trickled down her sore and swollen throat. As Andrew tilted the mug towards her lips again, Annalise took her hands, placing them over his, giving him a brief, tiny smile.
Andrew sighed in relief.
The next thirty minutes were spent tending to the horses' needs - water, oats, carrots and apples. Pierre stayed close to the horses, checking their harnesses, feeling along their legs and checking their hooves. Sophie hovered near the side of the chaise, keeping a motherly watchful eye on the two young people huddled beneath cloak and blanket. Andrew kept Annalise close, letting her sip from the slowly cooling mug. As the daylight continued to grow stronger, Andrew could see the shape of fingerprints that were forming around Annalise's throat. Finally beginning to see just how mistreated Annalise had been, Andrew was grateful that Erik had extracted the promise from him not to kill Michaud. Andrew knew he would never have been able to look at and comfort Annalise if he had carried with him the guilt and anger for having killed another human being - no matter how evil that person may have been. All the while, Regine had been moving about the chaise, front to back and side to side.
'Thank you," Andrew said as he handed the mug back to Sophie. "I will not forget your kindness."
Sophie tossed her head but managed a smile, none-the-less. "It is what we do but you are welcome."
Andrew felt Annalise wrap her arms about his torso again, laying her head against his heart. He bent over and kissed the top of her head. "We shall be home soon; try and rest," he said, feeling her nod her head. Andrew settled back into the corner of the chaise once more and smiled at Sophie as she settled the travel blanket around his legs. Suddenly the light of the sun began to disappear; Andrew looked up to see a hood beginning to cover his head and Regine smiling at him from the side of the chaise.
"I told you no one would bother us," he said. "I have even covered up the family crest. No one will know to whom the chaise belongs and no one will be able to see you if you stay in the corner."
Andrew nodded, leaning back into the velvet cushions, feeling Annalise sigh. He watched as Regine settled into the seat next to him, taking the reins in his hands.
"I shall come back when I can," Regine said to Pierre and Sophie who stood near the chaise.
"Godspeed," Pierre told him as Sophie smiled.
Regine tapped the reins on the backs of the two horses. Andrew wrapped his arms protectively around Annalise and closed his eyes, knowing that within a few hours Annalise would be home in the arms of her family and he would be with Katherine.
As Regine gave the horses their heads, the coach gathered speed and raced towards Paris and the home where several family members sat in silence around the dining table, food untouched.
Jean-Paul shoved his chair back from the table, throwing his napkin down. "I cannot take this anymore!" he shouted.
Therese looked at her husband before returning her gaze to her plate. "Please, do not shout," she asked.
"What is it you would have me do?" he wondered.
"Not shout," his wife answered in a terse tone of voice.
"I am going to go out of my mind, if I do not do something!"
"Jean-Paul," Richard tried.
"I would appreciate it if you did not start in on me, as well," Jean-Paul addressed his brother.
Leonie leapt to her husband's defense. "Is it truly necessary to speak to your brother like that?"
"Leonie," Richard sighed as he placed hand over hers.
"No!" Leonie said fiercely. "He is not the only one who is angry and frustrated."
Therese looked up. "Do not speak of my husband in such a tone," she warned her sister-in-law.
"Therese," Jean-Paul told her, "I do not need my wife to fight my battles."
Therese whirled on her husband. "What do you need me for then?"
Before the disagreement could escalate into an argument, a stern voice could be heard from the dining room doors.
"What is the meaning of this?" Raoul wanted to know.
There was silence.
"I believe I asked a question. I am still the head of this family and I want an answer." There was still silence, no one able to face the man in the doorway. "Now!" Raoul demanded.
"It was nothing," Jean-Paul told his father. "A little disagreement that was getting out of control."
"Richard?" Raoul addressed his middle son. "Is this true?"
"More or less, sir," Richard replied. "It is the frustration that is wearing upon all of us." He caught his brother's eye and nodded before turning back to look at his father. "Jean-Paul and I would like to go and help again with the search."
"We can do nothing here and feeling utterly useless only adds to our frustration." Jean-Paul smiled at his wife. "We are also taking it out on our wives which is unforgivable." He felt a bit of relief wash over him as Therese smiled before lowering her eyes again.
"Do you truly believe you are the only ones in this household who are feeling useless and frustrated?" Raoul wondered aloud. "Do you?" There was no answer. "You are grown men and you are acting as if you were small children; I expect better from you. The last thing that anyone in this house needs to hear is your voices raised in anger. I expect you to remember who you are and behave accordingly." He turned to go and paused, looking back at the four silent people at the table. "If you wish to go and rejoin the search for your sister, by all means, go. Inspector Berube is to come later this morning with an update. I suspect he will welcome your help." Raoul turned and left the room.
He walked down the hall, stopping at the bottom of the staircase. Raoul ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. "I do not even know what I am doing anymore," he said to himself.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" a familiar female voice asked.
Raoul opened his eyes to see his wife standing on the last step. "I did not even know you were there."
"It seems to be a common occurrence lately," Christine said sadly, "but it is usually me who does not know when anyone else is around. I am sorry."
"No," Raoul replied as he shook his head. "There is nothing for which you must apologize. I, on the other hand, have been asking forgiveness for every real and imagined sin I have ever committed in my entire life. I believe I just added another; I yelled at our grown children."
"Raoul," Christine said as she finished descending the stair case, placing a hand on his arm, "you are the one person I know who has done very little for which you must ask forgiveness. I am the one who has committed great sins and needs to be forgiven."
They stared at each other for a long moment.
"What have we become?" Raoul wondered.
Christine shrugged. "I do not know. I wish I did." She sighed. "As I came down the stairs, you were saying that you did not know what you were doing. Before you corrected our children, what is that you were planning on doing."
"There are still bills that must be paid, correspondence that must be answered." Raoul shook his head in disgust. "The world has not stopped just because our lives have."
Christine took her husband's arm. "Come, I will go with you to your study and perhaps, between the two of us, we can at least resolve a piece of mail or two."
Raoul kissed his wife. "I appreciate you more than you will ever know."
The next two hours were spent as Christine sorted through the mail piled on the desk in Raoul's study, handing him what she considered important, placing the other papers aside to be dealt with when they could both concentrate on what was before them. They walked out of the study at the end of those hours, addressed envelopes in hand, each feeling a comforting sense of normalcy in the simple act of paying debts. Raoul handed the letters to the man who always sat by the front door with instructions to see them delivered to the appropriate merchants.
"Shall we try to breakfast?" Raoul asked his wife.
"I heard voices as we passed," Christine said. "I believe all the children are in there."
"Time to apologize," Raoul sighed.
"And I shall be there to support you," Christine told him with a smile. "I will always be there," she said as she walked with him down the hall to breakfast with their family.
As they walked into the dining room, the missing member of their family was within twenty minutes of the gates to her home, the horses drawing the carriage slowing to a walk. Regine had pulled back on the reins as the chaise approached the populated area south of Paris. He had no desire to draw any attention to himself or his passengers as he encountered other traffic moving about as the population of Paris and its environs woke to a new day. Regine heard a soft sound and turned to see Andrew blinking his eyes.
"Another ten minutes," Regine told him softly.
"Thank God," Andrew sighed and felt the girl in his arms stir.
"Andrew?" Annalise asked, her voice now barely above a whisper.
"Shh, shh, shh," Andrew whispered back. "Just rest quietly."
Annalise settled back into Andrew's protective embrace.
Andrew tried to calm his nerves as familiar scenery moved passed the chaise. He failed as a set of gates came into view, Regine slowing the chaise. Andrew's racing heart fell as the chaise stopped at the closed gates, two men standing behind them. He had been warned that the house was guarded but it only added to Andrew's impatience; they were so close. So very close. Andrew moved his hand up to rest against the back of Annalise's head.
"What business do you have here?" One of the men behind the gates asked.
"My name is Regine Trombley and I am steward of the Vicomte's country estate." Regine answered. "I come on important business."
"Regine?" The other man squinted and moved closer to the gate. "What are you doing here?"
"Gilles," Regine kept his voice low so as not to frighten the girl in the chaise. "I have passengers in the chaise. Please open the gate!"
Andrew's impatience got the better of him and he sat forward, still holding tight to Annalise. "My name is Andrew Cameron and I am bringing Mademoiselle de Chagny home. Open the damn gates!" Andrew felt Annalise stir. "It is all right, rest for a few moments longer." Andrew felt Annalise grow still again.
Gilles looked in shock at Andrew; he had seen him ride through the gates before. He turned to the man next to him. "Quickly, fool! Open the gates!"
Regine kept a tight hand on the reins as the gates were swung open before letting the horses race down the drive. He pulled back to let Diana and Mercury turn the gentle curve in the drive and stop in front of the portico. The double doors to the house opened and a footman came out onto the portico, walking down the stairs. "Quickly!" Regine told him. "Summon the Vicomte."
The footman took one look into the chaise, seeing a familiar face and quickly disappeared into the house. He sprinted down the hallway and entered the dining room without knocking. Raoul and Christine looked up as he entered, unused to their servants behaving in such a manner. "Pardonnez-moi, s'il vous plaît, Monsieur le Vicomte," the breathless footman said. "Monsieur Cameron, Mademoiselle, they are out front."
The footman was nearly run over in the surge of people who rushed to get out the door.
Raoul and Christine were the first ones out the front door, followed quickly by the rest of their family; Gustave supported by Richard. Raoul knew the driver of the chaise.
"Regine, where is she?" he pleaded.
"In here," Andrew called from underneath the hood.
Raoul nearly jumped down the portico stairs. He stopped at the side of the chaise, feeling his wife at his side. "Andrew," he sighed in unbelievable relief, watching as Andrew and Regine removed the travel blanket. "Thank God." Raoul reached out to touch his daughter, drawing back as she flinched from his touch.
"You promised," Raoul heard the hoarse whisper to Andrew. "You promised not to leave me with him. You promised to take me home. Please do not let him take me again!"
Raoul could feel his heart breaking and reached out to cover the hand he felt on his arm, seeking some comfort from Christine.
"Annalise," Andrew said as he gently touched her chin, lifting her head so that she could look at him. "You are home. Your father and mother and brothers, they are all right here."
"They still want me?"
Christine heard her daughter's pained whisper and buried her head in Raoul's shoulder.
"They love you and they want you," Andrew said, leaning in to kiss Annalise's forehead. "I love you and I would never lie to you. You are home and your family is real and they want you. All you need to do is turn around. Yes?"
"Promise?" Annalise wondered.
"On my very life," Andrew reassured her.
Annalise turned her head to look at the man standing by the chaise. "Papa?" she wondered taking a hand to reach out to touch Raoul's chest.
Raoul and Christine both felt their hearts breaking as they saw their child for the first time in seven days, abuse evident in the bruises they could see. Raoul's arms reached out for his daughter. "Annalise," Raoul managed to get out through the tears he choked down.
Christine laid a hand over the one her daughter had placed on her father's chest. "My little baby." Christine did not try to stop her tears. "You have come back to me."
Annalise turned to look at her mother. "Maman?" She closed her eyes for a moment. "Real; you are real," she whispered as she opened her eyes again, letting go of Andrew, reaching for her father. "Papa," Annalise cried.
Andrew gratefully let go of Annalise as Raoul lifted his daughter into his arms, Christine wrapping her arms around both of them. Andrew watched as the rest of her family moved to encircle Annalise and he leaned back, a sigh escaping his lips as he heard a voice he had not expected.
"Andrew!" Katherine exclaimed as she touched his knee.
"Kitt!" He looked at his sister, tears streaming down her cheeks. Andrew reached out to touch her cheek. "Oh, Kitt."