Chapter 7. Stolen glances
After going though the entire contents of the boxes, Sarah and Riha realized it was a hopeless cause trying to save some of the belongings. Riha boxed the things that were beyond hope and handed them off to Sarah who carried them down to the trash. Most of Riha's bedding had been ruined, and Sarah gave her some of the stuff that Karen had sent up.
While Riha was busy putting together her Altar, Sarah called the emergency number Karen had given her for the weekend. She told her stepmother about the incident and asked to speak with her father. She was grateful that the room she was staying in had its own line, and that she was free to call home whenever she so desired.
"Daddy, I don't trust that man to make good on his promise of restitution." She explained to her father after telling him of the occurrence of vandalism. "Riha is going to be with me, and I know she'll be safe here. But her things were beyond repair. Clothes, books, bedding…everything that belonged to her…"
Robert listened carefully. "Alright Sarah, I'll take care of it. Riha is family, and we take care of our own." He promised. "Karen is already making a list of things that we can supply Riha, and we'll take her shopping for anything else she needs to have replaced. I'll make sure this Courtney pays. I'm also going to issue a complaint with the Headmaster and make sure you two girls don't get harassed again."
"Thank you Daddy." She said quietly. "I knew you'd take care of this for us."
Robert then asked to speak to Riha, she took the phone and spoke quietly to the man she'd had the pleasure of meeting on a few times. "Yes, sir…no… yes…Yes, I understand… what…alright…Uncle Robert….Yes…" she sat nodding and listening to the Lawyer going on and on. "Yes, Uncle Robert, thank you. Alright, Good bye," She hung up the line. Turning to Sarah she had a strange expression on her face. "I hope we did the right thing, telling your father."
"He's a powerful force, and on our side." Sarah smiled, "Now show me our Altar."
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The hours were passing, and Sarah was learning a great deal of her families Pagan past. So much so; that her head was swimming with the information. It was nearly four when Sarah told Riha she needed a break. "Aren't you hungry?"
Riha nodded, "What say we sneak off to town and have a bite in the little café near the train station?"
Sarah laughed, "WE don't have to sneak. We are free to come and go as we please…within reason." She handed Riha her shawl and picked up her own. "Let's go."
The café was small and quiet, and the girls were given a great deal of attention by the one waitress working. They ordered the Saturday special which happened to be meat loaf. After eating their fill, they exited the café and began to stroll toward the Millhouse.
"A nice cup o coffee?" Riha asked quietly.
"Will there be readings tonight?" Sarah asked.
Riha nodded. "The resident poets read on Saturday and Sunday evenings." She linked her arm into her cousin's. "Poets who are published come, and sometimes an author to two that Tommy is acquainted with."
Sarah looked at her watch, "As long as we're back by eleven, it should be alright."
Riha looked at Sarah's wrist, "Well, it's only just six now, so that gives us lots o time."
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Tommy greeted Riha warmly and smiled at Sarah. "Ah so you return with your cousin, do you? It's Sarah, isn't it?"
"Yes, Mr. Miller." Sarah said politely. "I had a lovely time before."
Tommy smiled at the girls. "Well, why don't we just put you two back up in the gallery. We've got some wonderful poets on tonight, and I'd hate for you to miss anything." He motioned a waiter over and gave instructions again as he had before.
Sarah heard a slight commotion behind them and turned to look. Coming in the door was the four leather clad bikes, laughing and talking loudly. The tall lean one was taking off his helmet, as he did his mismatched eyes met Sarah's for a moment. Sarah turned back to look at Riha and follow the waiter to their seats. Sarah was glad of the dim lighting, she didn't want anyone to see that she was blushing bright pink like a spring rose.
As they took their seats, Riha made their order for them both, and the waiter scurried off. Riha looked over the rail down to the main floor. "It's going to be crowded tonight." She said quickly. "I saw the lineup as we came in. Some really big names are reading tonight."
"Big names?" Sarah let her shawl drop off her shoulders.
"Oh big here," Riha explained. "Poets who are popular with the local connoisseurs and enthusiasts. Tommy gets a large crowd on Saturday nights." She looked at Sarah as she was still leaning on the rail. "These are prime seats too; you can see all the action on the main floor from here."
Sarah left her seat and looked over the rail, her eyes made a sweep of the room. It was filling just as Riha said it would. She could see Tommy ushering a few guests to seats himself while the waiters were getting orders. She could see the staff behind the counter where the large coffee urn stood working busily. Turning her head she felt the eyes on her before she really saw him. He was seated with his legs up on the seat of a chair, ankles crossed and lounging. His elbow was on the table and his head rested in his hand. He was just sitting there, quietly watching her. Sarah felt the color flood her cheeks again, and pulled slowly back from the rail, embarrassed.
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Hog was draining his mug, when he noticed the other sitting and staring with a faint dangerous smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "What are you staring at?" He looked up and noticed the girls in the gallery. "Hey…jail bait…remember?"
"I'm just looking." Quipped the blond playfully. "Relax Hog."
Hog frowned. "I've seen that look before."
"Have you?" The blond man turned a lazy gaze on his companion.
Hog nodded, "It always means no good!"
"Does it?" The blond played out the repartee. "Relax, the little girl is up there, and I'm down here."
Hog looked at the girls in the gallery, and frowned. "Let's keep it that way."
The tall lean blond smiled lazily and picked up his mug, "You want more?" He asked before sauntering over to the coffee bar and leaning against it beside the owner. He nodded to Tommy who nodded back, turning so Hog could not see his lips he said. "Tommy, who are the two little girls up in the gallery, are they local girls?"
Tommy as turned so the conversation was not monitored. "No, they are from the girls' school, Briarwood. The one is Rhiannon McMannon, she's from Ireland, and she reads her poems here sometimes. The other is her American Cousin… her name is Sarah…I don't remember her last name."
The lean blond turned and looked up to where the girls were sitting, he repeated the name he'd been given. "Sarah." Even whispered it sounded like a caress.
Tommy gave him a quiet warning. "She's just a kid."
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The Queen of the Night and Air clenched her hands tightly. "Gilgamesh! This is taking too long."
The Babylonian cast a quick glance, "Lilith, I don't make instant soup."
Having been reprimanded, the Queen curled up in the throne to quietly watch. She noticed a few of the Goblins come into gaze at the crystal showing their master. Waving them in they gathered round the throne to watch as well.
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Tommy came up to the gallery to check on the girls, he asked if they were enjoying the readings and smiled as they said they were indeed. He looked at Sarah. "Do you write poetry like your cousin?"
"No." Sarah said.
Tommy looked down at her napkin and the little sketches she had doodled. "Ah, you're an artist." He looked over her shoulder and then looked down at the performer on the stage. "That's really very good."
Sarah shrugged, "I just started doing these of late." She was going to crumple the napkin, but was prevented by Tommy whose hand was picking it up.
"Yes, very good," he inspected it closely. "This is a talent you should pursue."
Riha stood up to look at the napkin. "I had no idea you had such a talent."
"I've never had much interest in art before… must be the studio…working some kind of magic on my soul." Sarah quipped. "Mr. Miller, may I bring a sketch pad with me the next time we come? I've sort of inherited a bunch of canvas that need to be finished… and they are lacking faces and people… the poets have such expressive faces. I'd like to use them."
Tommy handed her back the napkin, "Of course, and you are welcome any time you wish to come in. Our weekday crowd is not as colorful as the week end, but you might find a face or two of interest." He bowed slightly and moved on to another table.
Sarah moved closer to the rail and peered over it, the faces of the four men in leather were faces of interest she concluded, especially the one.
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It was a little past ten when Sarah suggested they being to head back to Bell Hall. Riha sighed and said she wished they didn't have to, but reluctantly stood up to gather her things. Sarah left the table and the gallery first, heading down the stairs that would lead to the main floor. She looked over her shoulder, behind her to make sure Riha was following and lost her footing on the last stair. Hands, strong and firm, quickly gripped her and kept her from falling. She turned her face back and gasped loudly as she stared into mismatched eyes dancing with mischief. A shiver, like a thunder bolt ran wildly though the girl.
"Are you alright?" a foreign accented voice asked.
Sarah nodded, not trusting her voice. Slowly the hands pulled back from her and she was standing on her own. The man with the eyes smiled, revealing canines that looked too long and pointed to be real. Sarah lowered her eyes, and grabbed onto the railing. She moved carefully out toward the lobby of the Millhouse. She had a feeling the man was watching her, but was too unnerved to look back and see.
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Hog witnessed the close call for the girl, and also his friends unwavering observation as the girl exited. "Three to ten." He said at his friend's ear.
"Three to ten what?" Mismatched eyes met blue.
"Years…" Hog said pulling him back to the table.
"Three to ten years?" His friend played dumb.
"For corrupting a minor in this state," Hog finished.
The short man with flaming red hair and long white mustache looked up from his mug. "Who's corrupting a minor?" His accent gave him away as a foreigner.
"No one," Assured the blond. "What was I suppose to do, let the kid fall and get hurt?"
Hog shook his head and exhaled loudly. "Do you have to stare at that girl as if she's a…peach?"
The blond lounged in his seat again. "I happen to be very fond of peaches." He mused while toying with the idea of licking his lips suggestively.
"You are going to get us into such trouble with the authorities! That kid is jail bait; she's probably only about…six teen." Hog complained as he picked up his mug again.
"Oh I'm sure she's older than that…" teased the mismatched eyes. "She must be all of…seventeen."
The two red haired companions groaned as the heavyset Hog spit out his coffee.
The blond picked up his mug, and drained it with a contented steadiness.
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Sarah felt the shiver go though her as she stepped out into the street. She was shaking like a leaf, and could not stop her heart from racing. Something about that man had the hair on her neck standing on end warning her of danger. Yet another part of her wanted to go back and confront the danger.
Riha seemed unaware of the tensions, walked at Sarah's side thinking. "I love the autumn, don't you?"
Sarah looked up at the trees that were already displaying the beginnings of vivid color variations. "Yes…"
"Such a magical time o year," Riha linked her arm into her cousins.
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The pair was observed by eyes that belonged to someone who was most assuredly not a friend. The young man recognized the pair, and followed them at a safe distance to keep their movement under watchful eyes. He knew Megan would be interested in what he had seen. He wondered if she'd allow him to take part in her plans to destroy this pair of nuances.