Christine and William had been traveling a good two hours when he announced from the driver's bench "We're here, my darling" he said in mock-caring.
Leaning back, he took Christine's blindfold, mouth-cloth, and leg-binds off. Leaving the hand bindings there. Pushing her out of the carriage, she got her first glimpse at Mr. Patrick's estate. It was big, 3 stories tall by the look of it, in an old gothic cathedral style, there where iron wrought gates surrounding the whole estate, and guards at the front door.
"Good Evening Sir Patrick" Said one of the guards as William dragged Christine through the gate and towards the door. "Quite a catch I've got tonight" he said towards the guards, "a feisty one, is she not?"
The guards slightly laughed as they opened the door for William and his "catch". The doors revealed a beautiful marble entrance hall, and a spiral staircase leading up to the 2nd and 3rd stories, everything glittered because it was so spectacularly clean. A few maids bustled about, carrying tea trays, and mopping floors. A butler walked out of another room, greeting William.
"Why good evening, William" the old man said, over-politely, "Who is this ravishing beauty you have with you tonight."
"Her...she is the one earning me the ransom money."
"I see," replied the elderly butler, "Will you be having dinner with everyone tonight, or will you be taking it in your room as the night before?"
"Oh, I think we shall all have dinner together...including this one," as he said this he prodded Christine it the ribs with his elbow, Christine felt like snapping back at him with some rude remark, but none came to her mind, she only gave him the dirtiest, meanest look she could muster upon her otherwise flawless and beautiful face.
Christine's attention was turned away from Mr. Patrick, when two young women entered the room, they couldn't have been any more than 20.
"Mary and Victoria," said Mr. Patrick fondly, "Will you please show Ms. DaaƩ to her room?"
"Certainly, Father" replied the younger one, Mary
The two girls lead Christine up the spiral staircase. Christine expected these girls to be wicked, and sharp-tongued like their father, but was surprised when the taller one said,
"Oh, I'm sorry about this. The kidnapping and all."
The younger girl, Mary, then cut in, "Yes, he's desperate for some way to regain his fortune. He just wants the ransom money."
Victoria finished Mary's sentence: "He won't harm you in any way unless you do something that greatly displeases him. He'll just hold you here until the ransom is paid."
"I see," said Christine, clearly taken aback at their kindness, "So...you are his daughters?"
"Well...technically yes." replied Victoria.
"We're adopted." said Mary plainly, "I'm Mary" she said, introducing herself, "Mary Deshurei."
"And I'm Victoria Dupre" said the older girl, "You see, he adopted us when I was 10, and Mary was 8. We lived in an orphanage."
"We where delighted when we where adopted" said Mary, once again finishing Victoria's thought, "Little did we know that we'd be more like servants to him than daughters."
"Servants?" Christine said confused.
"Well, he treats us nicely and all." said the taller (and older) girl, Victoria, "But he's more like our master than our father."
"Yes," said Mary, "We're not even sure why he adopted us. We're thinking it has something to do with his bad childhood, you see, he had two sisters."
"Yeah," Victoria said, "His mother left when he was young, his childhood wasn't the best, we think that he insisted on 'reliving' it when he adopted us."
"He hardly even knows who we really are, but he always has us dress up for dinner, and from what we can tell, that's what he did as a child." Mary said.
They had reached Christine's room by now, opening the door she was shocked at how beautiful it was. There was a large canopy bed, a white armoire, and when she opened it there where lovely dresses inside.
Before leaving Victoria said, "Oh, and he'd like you to dress for dinner tonight, it's in an hour. Don't be late." She said with a smile, closing the door.
Christine was still surprised how kind these people where treating her. He had kidnapped her, and here he is presenting her with beautiful gowns and a lavish room. But she was still confused about Mary and Victoria.
