Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. The plot is based on the novel The Cardoss Luck (1974) by Janet Louise Roberts. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BRAVE

~ III ~

Damon did not return shortly. Instead, days turned to weeks and Elena decided to take it upon herself to see to it that David was properly instructed and hired Jeremy, Mayor Saltzman's wife's nephew. The two boys – Jeremy was a few years younger than Elena – got along nicely and David seemed to be making progress. Every night, David and Elena took turns reading a story, and she could hear his reading skills improving.

When Mr. Saltzman brought old Mr. Flowers to the estate, Elena worried that the vast garden might be too much for him, but when she saw the tears in his eyes as his knotty fingers gently relieved a deep red rose of constraining weeds and whispered, "There, you are free to blossom again," her own eyes brimmed with tears and she hired him on the spot. She appointed him head gardener and gave him permission to hire assistants to fulfill his vision.

One day, they were out walking in the gardens, inspecting the property together. Inside, the new servants were cleaning the entire house in preparation for decisions to be made regarding what could be kept and restored and what would have to be replaced.

"My father was a gardener here many years ago, Mrs. Salvatore. I would very much like to restore it to its former glory."

"I would be most grateful to you," Elena smiled warmly.

Filled with enthusiasm, the old man took her through the garden, describing the origin of each flower and the medicinal use of the plants and herbs.

"Mr. Flowers…" Elena began.

"Yes, Mrs. Salvatore?"

"If you were here when you were young, do you remember the Salvatores? Did you know them?"

"Ah, yes. Davide and Alessandra Salvatore made for a stunning couple. Both had hair as black as the raven's feathers and eyes as blue as the pools of water in the caverns around the falls. They were exotic creatures. They had two young sons. It was odd, though…"

"What was?"

"Oh, I apologize, Mrs. Salvatore. It is not my place…"

"No, please continue. I am of a curious nature," she smiled.

"Well, for the longest time, there were speculations that Mrs. Salvatore could not bear children. But then came the joyous news of a son. Only he did not look like his parents. He had light brown hair and green eyes and they made for quite the peculiar family. Then a second son was born, looking every bit like his parents."

"Was this… Damon's father?"

"Yes. The green-eyed son was named Giuseppe, and the blue-eyed Dante."

"Was there…" Elena was interrupted by David, coming running through the garden with an excited look on his face. The country air was indeed doing wonders for his complexion. He already had rosy cheeks and there was a sparkle in his blue eyes.

"Ah, the young master Salvatore," Mr. Flowers smiled. "He does look every bit like his grandfather. Oh, how the years have gone by…"

"Miss Elena, please come see. I have found bunnies," he exclaimed, unable to restrain his excitement.

"Have you now?" Elena smiled and ruffled his hair. "How fortunate. We will be there shortly, David."

"Oh, but… I apologize for the intrusion," he said politely, realizing he had interrupted the grown-ups.

"I would be delighted to see the bunnies," Mr. Flowers said. "But we must tread lightly as to not scare them off. Perhaps we can even convince them to leave the plants and only eat the weeds," he winked and let David lead the way.

Elena was about to follow when she heard a sound behind her.

"Ma'am," Emily approached her with her usual soft, calm presence. Unlike most servants, who sometimes appeared nervous and skittish approaching their mistress, Emily always carried herself with grace. Something Elena admired greatly about her.

"Yes, Emily?"

"Mr. Gilbert has arrived, ma'am," she said in a tone that said she was equally pleased with this development as her mistress.

Elena, however, was less cool upon receiving the news, and her mouth fell open ever so slightly before she caught herself and brought her hand up to cover it.

"My uncle John?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good heavens," she breathed. "What could he possibly want?" she said to herself, trepidation spreading in her limbs. Then her eyes turned cold and her features hardened. "Did you show him in?"

"No, ma'am. He is waiting on the porch."

Elena's façade almost cracked with amusement. Emily detested John as much as Elena did, and leaving him on the doorstep instead of showing him in was a clear statement of this.

"Well, I suppose I must greet him then," she sighed and headed indoors.

"Would you like me to prepare some tea, ma'am?"

"Yes, please. Make it strong, will you?"

"Certainly, ma'am."

"Uncle," Elena greeted the beady-eyed, narrow-minded blond man that had made her existence difficult. He very much reminded her of a rodent.

"Niece," he greeted her with equal enthusiasm, running his eyes shamelessly along her body. "You look well."

"Married life appeals to me," Elena shrugged.

"How unfortunate that you cannot say the same for your husband," he said and moved past her, entering the house.

"I do not recall inviting you into our home," Elena said coldly, letting the door fall shut behind him.

"Oh, but I am family, Elena. You cannot deny me of your company."

"You do not desire my company, Uncle. You desire my inheritance."

"Pftt," he scoffed. "Your inheritance? You know as well as I do that the Gilbert fortune is rightfully mine."

"You have not been denied your share. And I worked hard for everything I have. You never showed any interest in the Gilberts until Uncle George passed."

"Worked hard, did you?" he raised his eyebrows, circling her like a vulture approaches a fresh carcass. "I wonder what…" he looked her up and down, "… tasks you performed for our late George."

"I do not appreciate your shameful insinuations, Uncle," Elena said coldly. "Why have you come here? To see for yourself that I have fulfilled the conditions of Uncle George's will? If so, I trust that you have seen enough and may be on your way."

"Not at all, niece. I came out of concern for you," he said with a smile and tone that said he was gloating inside, much like a cat that had caught a mouse and is dying to show it off to his master.

Elena said nothing.

"Are you not curious as to what I have seen?"

"No. I am not."

"Well, I shall tell you nonetheless," he smirked. "I worry that your husband has left you so soon after your wedding, all alone in a big empty house, whilst he returns to his former ways."

"I quite enjoy spending time with my husband's nephew and tending to our home. I have great plans for the estate. Damon had business to attend to in Atlanta, and I chose to remain here."

"Business to attend to?" John scoffed. "I suppose, if you call gambling and flirting business…"

Elena felt a knot form in her stomach but did not let her discomfort show. Instead, she put up the façade that had made her known as the Ice Queen in Atlanta.

"Miss Katherine Pierce seems to enjoy your husband's company greatly."

"Damon has many good friends in Atlanta. I am glad he is enjoying himself," she said coolly.

"Are you truly this blind?" John spat out, furious his goading was proving unsuccessful. "Damon Salvatore is a scoundrel. He only married you for your money and he is making a mockery of you!"

"I do not feel mocked," Elena said calmly. "And as for the Gilbert fortune… I'm sure he and I will put it to much better use than you did."

"This marriage will not last the year, mark my words," he said warningly.

"Well, I shall be delighted to prove you wrong."

"Glad to hear it. Because I am moving in."

"What?" Elena's composure crumbled.

"In absence of your current guardian, I, as your only living relative, have no choice but to see to it that you are properly looked after," he said smoothly.

"That is preposterous!"

"Come now, we are family."

"Only by blood."

"And that is what matters, is it not? My luggage will arrive shortly. I may choose any bedroom I like, I presume?"

"There is an available room in the servants' quarters," Elena said coldly. "I trust it will prove to your liking."

"The servants' quarters? Will you have me believe there is not another bedroom available in this house?"

"Of course there is. But the rooms are all undergoing remodeling."

"Remodeling? With my money?"

"With my money," she corrected him. "And as for your living quarters – I believe you will find them far more comfortable than the space I was assigned in my uncle's home." With that, she left him in the care of one of the man servants.

Elena retreated to her bedroom to compose herself before rejoining Mr. Flowers and David in the gardens. Emily brought her her special tea as promised and Elena took deep breaths to calm herself. How dare he? This so-called uncle of hers was only out to destroy her and she feared what he might do to achieve his goal.

She remembered how he had come to the memorial service when uncle George's sons were confirmed deceased – young boys, not much older than her – and she had overheard him lamenting to an acquaintance that the Gilbert name might not be carried on, but that at least he would see to it that the fortune was well looked after once George passed and that he would make sure the Gilberts left a mark behind in this world. He had caught her glaring at him, and since then they had been bitter enemies.

Oh, how it must vex him that the young girl he attempted to seduce in a drunken haze during one of his visits was now in control of his family's fortune.

Elena did not view John Gilbert as family, and she was determined to keep him as far away from her loved ones as possible. Wait… loved ones? Yes, she supposed she had come to love the little boy with the raven hair and eyes as blue as the lake she swum in as a child. She considered him family, as much as she considered Emily and Bonnie as family. The handmaiden and cook had been with her only a short while as well, but the bond she felt with them was strong. How her uncles would laugh if they knew she considered servants her family – or perhaps say it was only natural for her to seek friends among her peers.

Elena looked out her window which overlooked the garden and the gazebo that would need a fresh coat of paint and reupholstered seats. There was so much work to be done, but she was glad to keep busy. Then at least she would not have to dwell on the fact that Damon was spending time with Katherine.

Elena could not deny an iron fist had clutched her heart upon hearing the news. Did he not think being seen with other women could harm her reputation? Did he not care? Was it too much to ask for discretion?

"Miss Elena, where did you go?" David looked up when she approached. "Mr. Flowers told me a story about the rabbits here when he was younger. Do you wish to hear it?"

"Not now, my darling," she said and ruffled his hair. She had recently begun calling him that, and his face lit up each time. "We have a guest. I would like it very much if you would get cleaned up…" she took in his unkempt appearance – he had clearly been crawling around in the flowerbeds, "… and perhaps find a new set of clothes, hm?"

"All right. Who is our guest?"

"My uncle, John Gilbert."

"The mean one?" his eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Um… yes. But let us not refer to him as such while other people are around."

"I'm sorry, miss Elena."

"Do not fret, my darling. But please go ask Emily to help you."

"Yes, miss Elena," he said and scurried off.

Elena walked a little further to find Mr. Flowers pruning a rose bush.

"I'm afraid an unexpected visitor claimed my attention," she apologized. "But now I have returned to hear your suggestions for the north garden."

"My grandsons have already begun trimming the hedges for the maze. May I suggest we put in garden benches for resting one's feet?"

"That sounds lovely," Elena praised. "As is the garden surrounding the gazebo. I see you and your grandsons have been busy."

"My granddaughter's husband is a painter and carpenter. Would you like something to be done about the gazebo?"

"Oh, yes. Please ask him to come over."

The next couple of weeks were spent instructing the painters and seamstresses, the carpenters and gardeners. The stables were reinforced and cleaned, stable boys hired and new horses acquired – a mare for Elena and a pony for David. The gardens were cleared of weeds, the maze perfected, benches and statues set up and the gazebo looked shiny and new.

Inside, four rooms had been completed – hers, David's and Damon's bedrooms and the sitting room. The dining room and kitchen were almost completed and she was eager to get started on the library, the study and the many guest rooms.

Inspired by the blossoming garden outside her window, she had decided to decorate each guestroom in vibrant colors and fabrics.

David had gotten to choose his color scheme – a deep blue like the aconitum in their garden.

Elena had chosen pale lavender for her own room, but she had not dared to be so bold with Damon's bedroom. Instead she had left it much as it was; the four-poster bed in a masculine deep mahogany and crisp, white bed linens. Heavy velvet drapes inspired by chocolate mini calla lilies covered the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The dining room was inspired by calla lilies – airy and fresh with whites and greens, a large white linen-clad dining table placed in the center underneath a crystal chandelier she found in the attic and had repaired and polished.

The kitchen was rustic country styled – large copper pots and pans hanging from the ceiling and earthenware vessels. Bonnie was thrilled with the facilities.

John Gilbert had huffed and puffed and taken to long excursions to neighboring towns where he undoubtedly found the taverns and barmaids to his liking. Elena kept so busy she was able to avoid him for the most part and she often took her supper alone with David.

Late one evening, Emily approached her. "Ma'am? A man servant just arrived with news of Mr. Salvatore."

"Damon?" Elena gasped, suddenly filled with trepidation. What if he had been assaulted in the city? Horrible images flashed before her; Damon lying in a pool of blood, the light

"He is returning to Mystic Falls, ma'am."

Elena let out a sigh of relief. "Good heavens, Emily, you frightened me. Is this not good news? Why do you look so depressed?" Elena frowned.

"He is not coming alone, ma'am…"