Chapter 11
November 1875
November found the trees almost void of their colorful leaves of red and gold in the cold, gusting wind. Our new stable was nearly complete and it was better than the original. Of course, Erik had designed it. He would supervise from the shadows, passing his instructions to the workers through Antoine or Pierre. After they left for the day, he would go and inspect their work to make sure it was up to his specifications.
This month marked one year since Mouse and Sylvie had been with us, although Mouse had come to us a month before Sylvie, we had decided to celebrate on the same day and we were planning a little party. Just Madeline, the children, and us. Mouse and Sylvie knew nothing about it. Since the babies had taken up so much of our time and attention, we wanted them to know that they were as much a part of the family as the babies were. They were our children as well as far as we were concerned.
From the kitchen window I watched Erik's tall figure stalk up the path to the house, cape flapping in the wind. In the gloom, I could barely make out the mask that he chose to wear when supervising the work. It was the flesh colored one that he chose, one as different from that other persona as possible. I poured a cup of hot coffee for him to help him warm up. Supper would be ready soon and the babies would be waking from their nap. He came in the door, pulling the cape off. He shook it and then hung it on a peg by the door.
"Here love take this and stand by the fire you look positively frozen." I said. He took the cup gratefully in both hands and leaned over to kiss my cheek.
"Thank you angel, it is rather icy. I think it might snow tonight. Where are the children?"
"They are with Madeline doing some schoolwork."
"Is everything ready for tomorrow?" he asked as he gulped down his coffee.
"Yes and they don't suspect a thing." I said. He came over and sat the cup down on the table then held me to him. I put my arm around his waist and rested my cheek against his chest.
"That's what you thought last Christmas remember?" He chuckled as he wrapped his fingers in my hair, lowering his head and brushing his lips across the top of my head.
"Want to go call them to supper? I just have to finish setting the table. Maybe I can get a few bites before the babies wake. It's uncanny how they know just when I'm sitting down to eat." He let me go and gulped down the rest of the coffee, hugged me and then went to find Madeline and the children. I had just finished putting the food on the table when the children, then Madeline trailed in.
"The babes are awake, Jenny. Erik is changing them now. He said for you to eat he'll entertain them for now."Madeline said.I sighed.
"Two squalling babes can rattle anyone. I'll take a tray for us and we can eat in our rooms." I fixed our plates and went on up. I was right, both babies were vocalizing at full blast. Erik had a rather desperate look on his face while rocking one baby in his arms and trying to sing to them at the same time.
"Erik, I know your heart is in the right place but you should know by now that when they want to be fed nothing is going to stop them from letting the world know it. Not even your wonderful voice." I smiled and held my arms out for Nathaniel. Erik, looking somewhat relieved handed him to me and then picked up our daughter. Crooning to her, he wiggled his finger and she grabbed it pulling it to her little mouth. After the babies had their supper, we had ours and then we went to bed.
The next morning dawned cold and bleak. I woke and burrowed myself against the warmth of Erik's body, my head on his shoulder. He rolled over on his side and wrapped his arm around me, his fingers playing gently with my hair.
"Morning angel, sleep well?" He asked softly his hand gently stroking down my back as he kissed the top of my head.
"Mmmm." I mumbled nuzzling his chest. I lifted my face to his searching lips, reaching my hand up to caress his face. I was no longer cold. My mouth opened at his insistence, our hands gently caressing and exploring, heat rising as our bodies joined.
A short time later, the shrill voice of first one, then the other twin set in. Erik stilled and groaned into my shoulder and rolled over. Wiping sweat from his brow and closing his eyes he muttered a few well placed expletives and sat up. Reaching for his robe, he got up and stumbled to Nathaniel's bassinet, stubbing his toe in the process. More colorful expletives flowed from his mouth. Frowning he picked up his son. With a sigh, I got up as well, my body unfulfilled, I felt like uttering a few expletives myself and I wondered if we would ever get a moment of peace.
After breakfast, we sent the children on a series of errands so that we could get things set up. We had bought a pony for each of the children. A chocolate mare with flaxen mane and tail for Sylvie and a dark gray gelding with a wide blaze for Mouse. Madeline had brand new sets of riding clothes. The gifts were wrapped and set at the base of the piano; we had wrapped the ponies' bridles and put them next to Madeline's gifts. They would have to go out to the stables after they opened their gifts.
We were in the kitchen when they finally came in. Sylvie, crutch under one arm was carrying a basket of eggs. Mouse had an armful of firewood. He threw it into the woodbin and turned as he took his cloak off, brushing his sleeves, and met Erik's glare. Mouse gulped, I could tell he was wondering what it was he had done wrong. Sylvie noticed and looked at Erik also meeting his frown.
"Papa Erik, what is it." She said in dismay, glancing at Madeline and myself. I buried my face in my apron, brushing away imaginary flour while hiding my face. Madeline quickly turned her back to hide the corners of her mouth that were twitching.
"Come, I'll show you!" Erik said sternly and led them toward the music room. The children glanced at each other in sudden fear. What had they done do win their beloved Papa Erik's displeasure. We trailed down the hall, across the foyer and to the music room. Eric pulled the doors opened and stood aside gesturing for them to precede him. They looked up at him hesitantly as they trailed passed him. He cleared his throat and glanced at me momentarily. I saw the glint in his eye and the crinkle at the corner of it that was a dead giveaway. The children turned and there before them were the gifts. Their eyes grew round in disbelief and then they looked at Erik who was by now smiling broadly.
"Go ahead open them. The rest of the day is yours to do as you wish." They opened Madeline's gifts first admiring the new clothes, and then unwrapped their new leather bridles, puzzlement growing on their faces with each gift.
"You each have a new pony waiting for you in the stable." I said. The children ran to us and happily gave each of us a hug and a kiss.
"As soon as we have lunch we can go and see your new ponies." I said. We went to the kitchen and had a special lunch with all the children's favorites. For a change, the babies actually waited until after lunch before demanding theirs. When the babies had been taken care of Madeline said she would stay with them so we could take Sylvie and Mouse to see their ponies. We bundled up and stepped out into the frosting of snow. The wind had thankfully stopped blowing. Mouse skipped along in front of us, Sylvie not far behind him, her twisted leg barely hindering her as she swung her crutch in counterbalance. I grabbed Erik's hand and smiled up at him. Laughing I started running pulling Erik along with me. We caught up to the children and slowed to a walk. The children went in looking around for their ponies.
The jarring note of someone singing in a slurring, drunken voice assaulted our ears. We exchanged glances, and ran through the door; no one was supposed to be here today. Up in the loft Henri, one of the workers who had been hired to help rebuild the stable was belting out a song as he precariously walked the edge. Sylvie stood just below looking up with her mouth open in surprise. Just then, Henri lost his balance and fell against a stack of timbers. It seemed that they fell almost in slow motion straight toward Sylvie.
"NO!" Erik shouted as he dove for Sylvie. Covering her body with his as the timbers came crashing down upon them. I found myself screaming.
"ERIK, SYLVIE, oh Lord no!"
I grabbed Mouse's sleeve as he tried to run passed and pulled him to me. We could not do anything until the timbers stopped falling. Tears ran down my face as I clutched Mouse.
"Mouse run to Antoine's house and get help! We'll never be able to get them out ourselves and that... that person..." words failed me as a knot formed in my throat. "Run Mouse, run." He nodded glancing fearfully at the mound of timbers settling as he took off running. That left me alone with my fears. I cautiously approached.
"Erik, Erik can you hear me?" I shouted the lump catching in my throat. There was no answer. I didn't dare try to move anything for fear of making things worse. All I could do was to wait. Time seemed to drag by. I kept calling Erik and Sylvie's names hoping there would be an answer and despairing when there was none.
