Chapter 26 –
"So how long have you liked my aunt?" Amelia asked.
"You talk too much for your own good child." Erik said shaking his head.
"Of course I do, I'm ten." He laughed. He looked up to see his face, she had never heard him laugh, he seemed different from the first time she had met him. Something about him had changed. "Erik, can I ask you a question?"
"Of course, but you just did." He looked forward again and Amelia didn't know what to say. "Ask me another one though."
"Why do you wear a mask?" She asked as she stepped a bit farther away from him hoping he didn't get angry.
"I have my reasons." He replied through clenched teeth. He refused to let himself lash out at the girl; she was harmless.
"I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it, I'm sorry, forget I asked."
"I cannot forget that you asked. If you must know, no one gets to see my face."
"Even Elizabeth? Has she ever seen?"
"That is not your business Amelia." Daniel scolded his sister over his shoulder as he hurried ahead of the other two, although he was just as interested in knowing the truth.
"I'm sorry, let's hurry to the school; I want to see my friend almost as much as my brother." They arrived at the school just as Daniel had gotten inside and took of his boots; Erik made him wait for them. He was nearly shaking in anticipation.
"Where would the students be?"
"In the dining hall, it is time for dinner."
They hurried to the dining hall and Daniel burst inside. He didn't spot Caroline right away, but Amelia did, "Caroline!" The girl called, she hurried over and pulled her friend into a hug, Daniel hurried over after her.
He pulled her into a hug and spun her around. When Caroline was safely planted back on the ground, the two shared a quiet whisper as they spoke leaning their foreheads together. He gave her a quick kiss on the lips that even surprised Caroline. Erik stood by and was given a look from one of the other staff members. He nodded and stepped closer to the students. "I don't believe this is the time or the place for this." He said with a smile. "Go to the hallway. If you must do this, please avoid doing it in front of your five year old classmates."
"Sorry Mr. Erik." Caroline said as a red blush came across her face.
"Don't apologize; just go in the hallway child." Erik said as he hurried them away from the rest of the class.
"Sir!" One of the staff members called to Erik. "What may I ask was that?"
"I'm sorry Madam," Erik said calmingly. "I was not expecting that, I will keep them in line once I get out into the hallway."
"Thank you, and don't let it happen again, or I will be forced to tell Miss Bennet."
"By all means Madam, tell Elizabeth, it is in fact her nephew." He replied as he turned to leave the room. Amelia followed, giggling as she went. When the two got out into the hallway Amelia burst out into a full blown laugh that caused Erik to smile.
"Did you hear her? Could you imagine if she told Elizabeth what just happened? She murder Daniel!" The girl said laughing.
"Yes, she would definitely be somewhat upset, now where did your brother and Caroline go from here?" He looked around and saw them down the hall a ways. He hurried over to them. "Caroline, you for sure know better than that. Daniel, you should know better too. Now, you go get washed up and finish your studies for the night, the three of us are leaving."
"I'm not going anywhere, I just got here." Daniel replied angered.
"You most definitely are coming with us. You are nearly a grown man and you know better than to act like that in front of a room full of children."
"Just because you have been kissing my aunt does not mean you are allowed to tell me what to do."
"Daniel!" Amelia cried. "Just come." The boy looked back to Caroline, said a quick goodbye and then he followed.
Caroline stood in the hallway in a daze. Ay first she was shocked to see Daniel, now she was shocked that he was gone. Soon after though, a huge grin came across her face about what Daniel had said. Erik and Miss Bennet were finally kissing. She made her way back into the dining hall to finish her dinner. She had to tell someone.
"What were you thinking Daniel?" Amelia screamed at her brother. "You cannot just say things like that."
"He cannot tell me what to do!"
"You are still a kid, no matter how much you think you're a grown man you are still in school, and I am pretty sure that I know more about the world than you. Besides, your little show in there is not going to go over well with your mother or father, and especially not Elizabeth; she could get in a lot of trouble with parents of other students if this gets out. You want to be known as a grown man and taken serious, yet you act like a child in that school." Erik snapped at the boy. He then turned around and practically ran back to the house, he was ready to snap, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, especially not the children.
When he arrived at the house he burst into the front door and Elizabeth hurried to the hall to see what the noise was just as Erik rushed up the stairs in a rage. The children walked in a few minutes later, both looking miserable. "I'll be a minute." Elizabeth said to them. "Your parents are in the other room."
She hurried up to go find Erik he wasn't in his room however, she found him playing harshly on her private piano. "Please don't hurt it Erik. I like that piano."
He slammed down as hard as he could on the keys causing Elizabeth to jump backwards. "Calm down Erik." She said afterward. "What happened?" She asked as she sat down next to him on the piano bench.
"Oh, your wonderful nephew caused a huge stir at the school."
"He usually does. What did he do?" Elizabeth recalled a few years ago when he brought a bird into the building and it flew around for the entire day before anyone could get it out.
"Oh well he rushed into the dining hall swept Caroline off her feet then decided to kiss her in front of her five year old classmates. One of your overnight staff of course then blamed me, so I rushed the two out. On top of that, after the four of us were in the hallway I requested that we leave to avoid further trouble and Daniel took that moment to tell everyone about what Amelia saw when she walked into the front room today."
"He told Caroline we were kissing?"
"Yes, he did, and I can assure you that she will most likely tell all of her classmates by tomorrow morning." Elizabeth did not reply; she just sat taking deep breaths. "We can just deny it." He offered, not knowing what else to say.
"No we can't. They are smarter than that, and we cannot lie to them."
"I know."
"I'm really tired all of a sudden." Elizabeth said. "I just want to get some sleep."
"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, then I'll go deal with your family." He helped her to her bed then sat down at the end of it.
"Come closer." She said. "Hold my hand." He moved higher up on the bed and put her small hand inside his.
"Your hand is cold."
"Yours is surprisingly warm."
"Okay, be quiet, go to sleep." He kissed her forehead and then sat silently as she drifted into a sleep.
When she did finally get to sleep Erik stroked her hand lightly for a few minutes longer, then wiped a strand of hair from her face and headed back downstairs.
"Where's Elizabeth?" David asked when Erik returned alone.
"She was tired and decided to get some sleep."
"Oh, alright, maybe we should get you two to sleep too, you had a long day." Jane said looking towards the children.
"Mother it is only 6:30." Amelia complained.
"Alright, one hour more then you can go get ready for bed."
"That is still only 7:30! I'll never be able to fall asleep."
"You can read a book."
"I brought nothing to read." Daniel complained.
"Well had you not caused a scene you would still be visiting with Caroline, so either you stop complaining, or we'll send you to bed right away." The father said forcefully.
"Yes Sir." The replied together.
The two went into the other room to play a short game of cards and Erik was left with David and Jane.
"So Erik, has the relationship with my little sister changed since I last spoke with you? I've heard rumours."
"In other words, you have spoken to your children while I was upstairs."
"Yes, my husband just cannot keep a secret quiet." Jane said happily. "Honestly Erik, we are very happy for you, Elizabeth deserves to be happy, and I am sure you deserve it just as much, I'd love to see the two of you settled down."
"Does your sister, or myself strike you as they type of people who would ever settle down. She is a Lady who runs her own successful business, and I am a forty-year-old drifter that n one knows anything about. We will never be the type to settle down."
"Then that would explain as to why you are perfect for each other." Erik just nodded and excused himself. He went outside for some fresh air. As it got darker, he headed back toward the house. Just as he reached the main door he saw a figure heading away from the house. He eyed whoever it was then dismissed it as a staff member leaving for the evening. He went back into the house and found Amelia sitting by herself with the cards.
"Where is your brother?"
"He left a little while ago saying he had somewhere to go, so I thought I would play alone for a while."
"Would you mind checking if he is in his room?" Erik asked the girl, it would be improper for him to do it himself. She nodded and hurried away. When she came back she told him Daniel was nowhere to be found.
"Do you think he is okay?"
"I'm sure of it, now you should get ready for bed. I have a book that you might enjoy to read before you sleep." She smiled as Erik handed the novel to her.
Erik grabbed his coat and hurried after Daniel, who he was sure was the person leaving the mansion. He also knew where he was heading. He headed toward the school following where he was sure the boy had gone. The streets were dead and it reminded him of the quiet and the darkness he used to live under, it comforted him, but it also worried him because he refused to go back to that life. He was too happy here with the school, his students and Elizabeth.
He turned to final corner to the school and headed toward the front doors. However, he heard a noise in the alley next to it. After looking to the door again, he decided to investigate the alley.
"I'm so glad you were able to sneak away." Said the voice of a boy.
"You too, are you in a lot of trouble, I'm sure Mr. Erik didn't go lightly on you." Said a girl.
"I think he wasn't too upset about you and me, he was just upset about me telling everyone about him kissing Elizabeth."
"I've always wanted them to fall in love, they were so great together."
"Caroline, I do not want to talk about My aunt right now."
This was Erik's cue to move from the darkness and make him seen. He was not however, expecting the sight he saw. Instead of seeing the two in a cautious teenage kiss, he saw Daniel had Caroline against the wall kissing her far too strongly for her age, or his for that matter. "Ahem." He made himself know.
The two stared at him frozen. Both were breathing heavily and Caroline looked terrified. Daniel looked as if he were going to be sick. The two children were still too close for his comfort. "Daniel, move toward the other end of the alley and wipe the lipstick off your mouth. Caroline, close your mouth." The two did as they were told. "Now someone please explain to me the situation I just witnessed. Please explain to me how you got under the impression that this is alright for CHILDREN your age. You are not adults and you are not married. Caroline, you are barely thirteen you have no idea what sort of situations you could get yourself in if this continues. You get back to your room and Daniel come with me."
"Are you going to tell anyone?"
"I should go straight to both of your parents and explain the situation I witnessed." Their faces fell. "However, I will keep my mouth shut for now, but if I witness anything like this again, your family will be the first to know." He motioned for Caroline to go to the school. He followed directly behind Daniel the way home. As the reached the hosue he decided he should talk to the boy. "Daniel, I know I am not family to you, and you do not want to hear this, but I love the girl, she deserves better than being treated like a common whore on the streets of London or Paris. You know this, how would you react to find out that she was with child and you were not able to take care of it. Do not ruin her life, or yours. I know you care for her, but it in the best intentions for you both to avoid that."
"Yes Sir, I just really like her, and my classmates were saying…"
"Do not listen to a group of boys who know nothing about your feelings. Caroline, and you deserve better than that." Daniel nodded. "Now go to bed." He hurried in after the boy.