Chapt 12
Downstairs Erik and Raoul were also reminiscing over ancient history. After young Erik departed from their company, the older Erik continued their conversation. "Remembering that night that sealed all our fates and watching you sail off with Christine to safety from what I was afraid would come next via the mob, I now can personally say for myself that I greatly appreciated your and Christine's silent admission to follow me out of that darkness that I had known and lived in for so long." Raoul nodded, "After seeing for myself, in what I thought were my last moments of life, that Christine and you had a greater bond than I wanted to realize, I felt defeated but wanted to do the right thing. In my moment of physical weakness and mental empathy, I offered my assistance. I'm ashamed to further admit that after the moment when we reached the exit from the lake to the river, I wanted to go back on my promise."
Erik lowered his head so not to show his emotions through his eyes, "I felt that could happen, so I escaped before the mob was upon my lair. I took nothing with me and hoped that Christine could get you to keep your promise – which you did, grudgingly, but you did and I thank you for that." Looking up at Raoul for his reaction, Erik smiled a half-smile and extended his hand, as he had the rose, once again to Raoul in a truce long time coming. "Friends, cousin?"
"What have we to lose at this part of the game, only to gain the continuance of family ties and a better reunion in the heavens someday . . . soon." Raoul took his cousin's hand in his and tightly squeezed it, as he allowed a tear to slip from his eyes onto the clasped hands.
"Regarding the family ties, you must know that my eldest son is to retain the title and lands here, but my youngest, Gus, has always been a wanderer of sorts," Erik explained.
"Yes, even though I was very elusive in showing myself when your children, my cousins, would come to visit here, I did maintain knowledge of what was going on under my roof," nodded Raoul in reply. "I'm aware that Gus was named after Christine's father and has also become quite good friends with my chauffeur. They were childhood playmates and always running around the estate playing an American game of – now what was it called?" Raoul tried to remember.
"Cowboys and Indians," answered Erik, laughing at the idea. "Gus would come back and tell me all about it. He said something about a pact he and Mauvin had made to someday go out West and become cowboys and tame the wild inhabitants, the Indians, there. Maybe they were destined to go to America and see the real thing for themselves? Could it be possible that is what your father and mother had planned all along?"
"It would assume to be so, as they never specifically said who they had in mind since I had responsibilities here." Raoul finished his drink, sat it down on the table and excitedly got up, saying, "Let's see, that would make the boys in their mid-thirties. Let me call Mauvin in and see what he thinks of this idea." Walking as careful as he could in his excited state, Raoul reached for the bell cord to summon the butler.