Hello all! I love you all! I really do! I am astounded at the response to this so far and so have decided to extend the series…either under this name or as a sequel. But that will begin after chapter seven

As my dearest Emily said in a review, 'CAIN NEEDS LOVE! HOT SWEATY STEAMY MAN LOVE! With Riff'. I won't deny this but…it isn't happening here. At least, not yet. Long chapter with…sufficient angst methinks.

Please drop me a line my darlings, it makes my days complete.

Love, Sorryll – a wayward Victorian girl xx

"Ready to go?"

Riff turned away from where he had been gazing out of the window to see Caroline sitting primly in the chair, hands clasped in her lap. The setting sun reflected glden in hr hair. He smiled weakly and inclined his head slightly; he was ready all right. It was strange; Riff felt sad that he would be laving now despite the fact he was coming back later to pick up Caroline's meagre possessions. Maybe it was because without her, the room seemed dull and lifeless, just another tomb for the unwanted. He quickly turned away from the window and walked over to her.

"Cheer up, Riffriff," she said gently, raising a hand to hold his lightly. "I know coming with me means that Cain will not be able to find you, but it also means that I can help you more quickly. You want to understand how you feel, right?"

"Yes." Riff replied simply. "It just feels as though I'm betraying him. Although I've really done that already, haven't I?"

Caroline shook her head. "Don't be silly, Riffriff. Now, shall we go? The cab is waiting."

Riff nodded again and picked her up easily. Her dress caused some awkwardness, mainly due to her constant shifting to 'get it right'.

"I hate these damn things." She muttered, tugging at the yellow fabric until she was satisfied. "If I was wearing trousers, I wouldn't have to worry about modesty. Try and fit in with society and suddenly the whole world can see your garters."

Riff laughed and shook his head. "Now who's being silly? Anyway, this is better for you Caroline. Once we arrive at your house, you can wear whatever you like. It's just safer to-"

"I know, I know." She snapped and prodded him until he carried her out of the door. "I just dislike them intensely is all."

They lapsed into silence as they passed through the main ward, where all of the patients were staring at them. None of them liked Caroline and they were starting to fear Riff too. This silence lasted until they were halfway down the stairs leading to the hospital foyer. Here, Caroline gave a sudden gasp and gripped the front of Riff's shirt tightly.

"Caroline?" He asked, frowning down at her. She shuddered and then went limp,

a single tear falling from her eye. "Caroline, what's wrong?"

"You were worrying about whether we would fall or not." She whispered, her eyes still shut. "And it reminded you of when you fell off of the park bench a few nights ago. Cain found you and…and…"

"Go on." Riff whispered, wondering why on earth she was crying.

"Even though you were worried and scared and still are, you couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful he was in the moonlight. I don't know what he would look like to me but through your eyes he's an angel. He told you that the last thing you should be doing was leaving him and his voice…his voice was heartbreaking. Yet you thought he was lying." She opened her eyes. "You still think he was lying, don't you?"

"He could never have meant what…what I would like it to." Riff murmured.

"Why ever not? Because it's dangerous? Because you're his servant? Why?" Caroline looked angry now. "What I saw through your eyes just now was the most beautifully romantic event that thousands of people dream of…and you wouldn't believe it. What will you do if the chance never arises again?"

Riff just stared down at her and sighed. He then shook his head. He really didn't know what to think anymore but what she had just said…if Cain had really been telling the truth…it was something he shouldn't be thinking about halfway down a flight of stairs. He resumed his walking silently and deposited Caroline in the waiting cab before climbing in himself; he could figure this all out later. It wasn't as though a few hours would make any difference.

Cain climbed the steps of the hospital in the orange light and pushed open the doors. He was not happy to see a young nurse at the desk; in the last hospital, the Catholic one, he had found himself unable to get any information out of the nurse there until he flirted with her. It had been a frustrating and exasperating experience only to be made worse when he found out that Riff had never been there before. Now, in the hospital for disability he didn't want to be faced with the same situation.

"Good afternoon sir," the nurse said cheerfully as he approached. "Or should that be afternoon? The day is wearing on isn't it?"

"Tell me about it," Cain muttered to himself and then plastered on his most charming smile. "I wonder if you can help me?"

"Certainly sir, what would you like help with?" There was just a hint of a smirk around hr lips and Cain silently groaned. It wasn't that he was unhappy with his looks, it was just that once in a while he would like to be taken seriously.

"I'm here to enquire after a friend of mine who may be working here. You see, I heard he recently moved to this area and after so many years I would thoroughly enjoy seeing him again." Cain smiled again, feeling proud of his story. "You see, he was a friend of my fathers and I saw him a lot as I was growing up." That, at least, was true.

"Oh, of course!" The nurse laughed. "It would be wonderful if you found him here, wouldn't it? What is his name?"

"Raffit. Riffael Raffit."

The nurse spent a few moments scanning papers and then shrugged. "His name isn't written down here but that doesn't mean a lot. Doctor Grainham is a wonderful man but not particularly good with paperwork. If you could describe him to me, I might know who he is?"

Cain nodded. "Thank you. He's tall…very tall actually and has pale silver hair. He-"

"Oh!" he nurse clapped hr hands. "He started recently, yes? A quiet man but very kind and polite. A little unusual but…striking. All the nurses have been talking about him. His name is Riffael you say?"

"Yes, yes it is." Cain tried a pleading smile on for size. "If you could just tell me where he is?"

"He should be in ward 3, upstairs. Just follow the signs!" The girl pointed down a corridor and Cain inclined his head in thanks before walking calmly in that direction, trying to ignore the frantic beating of his heart.

In no time at all he had reached the ward and swung the door open to see…nothing but rows upon rows of silent patients. He walked down the aisle silently, aware of the eyes on him. Eventually, he called out.

"Riff? Are you here?"

"If you mean the new doctor," a patient said to Cain's right, "then you're too late."

Cain turned to look into the eyes of a pale old man, his face wrinkled and grey. He was smiling in a nasty way. "What do you mean, too late?"

"He left only a little while ago. Left with that blasted woman. Good riddance to her! Shame that a nice fellow like Doctor Raffit ended up in the clutches of a witch like her."

Before Cain could even process this information, let alone reply, another man entered the ward and scowled at the old man.

"Now now, Terrence," he scolded. "Don't speak ill of those worse off than yourself." He turned to Cain. "Sorry about that, sir. The names Grainham and I run this place. Ignore Terrence here, Riffael was not eloping with Miss Carol-Anne or anything of the sort. He is just going to help her from now on, what with her being disabled and all-

"You mean, he's left?" Cain asked, fighting the urge to yell. "Permanently?"

"Handed in his notice this morning." Grainham shook his head. "Shame, shame. He was a good doctor, young fellow. Why were you looking for him?"

"I just…needed to see him for a while." Cain said hopelessly. "I needed to tell him something…something important."

Grainham smiled at him kindly and pointed towards a small door at the end of the ward. "That was where Carol-Anne was staying. Perhaps he left a contact there. Take as long as you want. I hope you find him soon, sir. Please excuse me, I have work to attend to."

Grainham left the room and Cain quickly entered the little room at the end, as much to avoid the gazes of the patients as in hope of finding something. As he had expected, the room was empty. He sat on the bed and dropped his head into his hands.

So, Riff had left with a woman? Was he trying to prove something to himself or was he just doing it out of his kind heart? A disabled woman who was hated by the other patients… Cain could see Riff helping someone like that. But where would he look now? The situation was hopeless. Unless Riff came back of his own accord, Cain had no idea of how to find him.

Slowly, Cain pulled a folded scrap of paper out of his pocket. It was a letter. He had written in case he had found where Riff was working but had been unable to talk to him face to face. Reading it brought tears to his eyes so he screwed it up and flung it into the corner of the room. It was useless now. Just how Cain felt himself to be.

He silently left the hospital and took the fist turn he could see. He couldn't go home, not yet. He needed to work out what to say to Mary.

As he wandered the streets without really seeing them, night began to fall.

It was dark by the time Riff arrived back at the hospital. Caroline had insisted upon showing him around her home; it was a beautiful home without doubt and Riff had enjoyed her idle chattering but he secretly believed she only kept him so that she could learn something else. He had been careful not to touch her. He needed some time alone before she saw anything else.

Now, however it seemed he would be too busy to work anything out. He had gathered up Caroline's possessions and his own, left reports on each patient for his replacement and said his goodbyes to all of the blushing nurses. Now, he was scanning the room for anything he may have forgotten.

A piece of crumpled up paper was lying in the corner. Riff bent and picked it up, seeing enough to know that it was a handwritten note. He was wary of opening it; what if it was Caroline's? He didn't want to intrude…after a few moments of debate, he decided to see if it was for her or not. If it was, he could take it back with him. If it wasn't, he could discard it now.

He gasped as he unfolded it, and then read in silence several times through. The beating of his heart sounded as loud as gunfire. He could barely believe what he was reading….the note was from Cain. Cain had been here.

Riff,

Words cannot express how angry I am that you wouldn't let me finish what I was trying to say to you and that when I finally did, you denied it entirely. If you do truly…love me…then surely you can trust what I say?

Come back to the estate. Please. I will beg you if I have to. Every moment you are gone is like a bullet to the heart. Whether you believe it or not, I love you and if I cannot say this to your face soon I may go insane. I can't say it any clearer than that.

If you read this and ignore it then I will find you somewhere else. I will not stop searching. Not until you are so close to me that I can see myself reflected in your eyes. I think it is the only place I am meant to be.

Cain.

Riff felt a wrenching in his chest. The note was beautiful. Cain wouldn't waste words like that, he wasn't the sort. But the note had been screwed up in the corner, which meant…what? Cain didn't want him to see it? Someone else had seen it and become angry? What?

Riff could think of nothing to do but pocket the note and leave anyway. Cain wasn't here anymore, that was for certain. The night had swallowed him.

As Riff left the hospital, he imagined Cain waiting at the mansion for him with Mary, worried yet safe. He thought that time wouldn't hurt, at least not for one night.

The reality was very different.

Cain rounded the corner of a dark alleyway, mind still somewhere else. This is why he didn't see the men waiting for him, or the club swinging towards him. After that, he didn't see anything at all.

"We told you that we'd make you pay, rich boy." A deep voice murmured. "Count this as your first instalment."

More soon, my lovelies