Chap 19

The comfort they found in each other's presence was mutual. It was as if revealing her dark secret to him had medicated Elaine like a drug. Erik closed his eyes and felt Elaine relax in his arms, long after the crying had ceased. She was so close; his heart pounded within his chest. Her breathing became regular and her body melted onto his. Erik had abolished the brutal thoughts from his head and basked in the warmth of Elaine's sleeping form against his chest, ultimately drifting off to sleep himself for a few moments. He was awoken by a cramp in his leg. He moved his leg to a less painful position and looked down at Elaine, curled up comfortably against him. He ran his hand gently over her hair and pulled it back behind her ear so he could see her face. Her expression was relaxed now, serene. He warmed the exposed fingertips of his splinted hand by touching her arm gently.

One of her small hands lay against his chest, her fingertips caressing him gently with each breath he took. He was still disturbed about what she had told him. He wanted to comfort her wronged, wounded soul, make it all disappear, but that was not possible.

It is difficult to keep such horrifying things inside you, Elaine. They devour you like a cancer until nothing is left. How someone could hurt such a lovely creature infuriates me. How could those four devils have tortured her, and then persecuted her about it? Those are the actions of decrepit souls, their actions were criminal. Those men deserve to be punished.

He was a little disgusted by his internal response; to torture, probably kill her assailants. The thoughts of anger and violence had come out several times before, from a buried place deep in his psyche. What troubled him was that they would pop into his consciousness as if second nature. He felt ashamed to be around her with those thoughts in his mind.

"Elaine, Elaine…" he said, gently stirring her, feeling that she would more comfortable in her warm bed. They had both been through a hard night apart and a difficult morning together. Her sleepy eyes fluttered open, and she stretched and looked at him with a little surprise then embarrassment when she realized whom it was she was using as a pillow.

"Erik, I am sorry, I must have fallen asleep. Was I hurting you?" She touched his chest and placed her hand gently on his thigh.

"I doubt you could ever hurt me, Elaine," he said, smiling as he tried to ignore the sensations her soft hand was sending up his thigh.

You have no idea what your touch does to me, do you Elaine?

"You are still tired; you should return to your bed, where you will be more comfortable." She nodded, stood up and helped him up.

"Maybe you are right. I already feel much better, but few more winks will certainly help." She had a small, apologetic smile on her face. "I am sorry for unloading my burden on you Erik."

"Don't be silly," he cut in. She put a finger on his lips.

"Shhh. No, really. I know you do not need to be bothered by my troubles right now. You have your own. I just want to thank you for being here for me." She leaned forward and gave him a little peck on the cheek, then turned to go back to bed.

He smiled at the sweetness of her kiss, gentle like the touch of a flower petal. As he saw her lying down, he reached up to touch where she had kissed and his heart jumped a little inside. She had kissed the scarred side of his face as if it did not matter at all.

Elaine fell asleep almost before her head hit the pillow. Erik walked out of the room after looking at her sleeping form for a minute, shutting the door gently. He did not notice Angelique looking at him from behind her slightly opened door.

He walked to the stairs and was nearly knocked over by Nate, who had been on a mission to extract Erik from his room. Nate looked at the closed doors of Angelique and Elaine's rooms.

"I wonder if I should wake them up for breakfast." he thought aloud.

"You better had let them rest, they were up quite late," said Erik, not wanting Elaine to be disturbed. He also did not want to have to deal with Angelique again anytime soon.

Nate helped Erik climb down the stairs, a skill Erik was getting adept at.

Breakfast in the manor house was a communal affair. Everyone convened in the huge, bright kitchen rather than the stuffy formal dining room. The massive wooden table was spread with hot food and baked goods, and all the maids, servants, field workers and cooks came together to share in the feast, drink the strong, sweet beverages and plan work for the day. In the place of respect, at the head of the table sat Dr. Dyson, in suspenders and a white shirt, sleeves rolled up. His grandson, Roland was at his side. His pleasant face was laughing and talking with each person in turn, as he had already finished his meal. The place was noisy and alive, filled with a sense of camaraderie. They were talking in their native language, Luxembourgish.

The few people that noticed Erik enter behind Nate gave him quiet nods or a pleasant greeting that was probably "Good morning." He nodded back with a smile and bowed his head, feeling a little self conscious around so many people. Roland smiled widely and waved. Dr Dyson acknowledged Erik with a smile and gave Nate a cross look.

Doesn't he know that Erik may be uncomfortable in this situation?

Nat gave Dr. Dyson a puzzled expression. Marjorie, Dr. Dyson's nurse, noting the silent exchange between the two men, got up from the table and brought Erik in toward the table quietly. She was pleasantly surprised at how well the man looked that they had struggled to keep alive that night not so long ago. She sat him down on the far corner of the table; a good vantage point. Erik listened intently to the language, obviously related to German, and tried to decipher it. A small plate with butter and a cup steaming with a savory hot beverage appeared like magic in front of him.

"Please, tell me what you would like, Monsieur," said Marjorie, standing to his left, in a low voice. She spoke in perfect French, her accent revealing France as her place of birth. Marjorie placed a savory pastry on his plate. After several more minutes, there seemed to be an air of expectation around the table. The discourse at the table took on a more businesslike atmosphere, Nate at the helm. Marjorie sat next to Erik and explained what was happening in a low voice. It was a kind of morning report.

"Nathaniel is relaying important information to the workers of the manor, and schedules for the harvest. Now he is assigning the duties of the manor out to the men and women: tending to the livestock, working the fields, in the dairy barn and the winery, and so on." Without much discussion, small groups of people filed out of the door, off to their assignments.

Marjorie then did a similar thing to a group of maids and cooks that had gathered in the kitchen. They scurried off after some gentle instruction. She turned to Erik.

"It has been a pleasure to see you again, Monsieur Erik. Dr. Dyson, I go to the office to prepare now. Your first patient should be here in about 15 minutes." The good doctor smiled and nodded at Marjorie as he got up from his position to sit next to Erik.

"I am afraid I must go to as well. I will see you later, Erik. Dr. Dyson. " Nate said as he excused himself, throwing on a jacket and leaving via the kitchen door.

"Without those two, the whole place would go to hell, I think." Dr. Dyson said, laughing and sipping his drink. He folded his arms and looked at Erik.

"It seems they have everything well under control," smiled Erik, biting down on a delicate pastry. It melted in his mouth, tasting of butter with almonds and honey. "I hope you do not mind that I have borrowed your clothes, Dr. Dyson."

"Not at all, my boy. You look better today, worlds better." Dr. Dyson's face became more serious. "Now, about your memories; what was it, exactly that you remembered last night…"

Angelique nursed a heavy head and nausea as she dressed in her room. Tired and hung over, she was hoping that she would be able to convey the message she had brought to Dr. Dyson. She folded up a letter and put it in a safe place: her bodice. Last night, there did not seem to be an opportunity for her talk alone at length with Dr. Dyson. Elaine had questioned her incessantly about what she wanted to discuss with her father. Angelique was able to curtail her curiosity with a few shots of scotch.

I really need something warm to drink and some bread to settle my stomach. Angelique thought. Just the idea of another shot of liquor turned her stomach.

Heading down the hall, she heard the familiar voice of Dr. Dyson talking with someone else in the foyer. She inched up to the balcony and saw him with the man with crutches.

Erik? He looks so different than when I saw him early this morning. I wonder what he was doing in Elaine's room?

She had heard Elaine cry earlier, knowing the sound well. She was about to go to her side, except that she heard a man's voice coming from the room soon after. She had checked on Elaine after Erik had left, only to find her fast asleep. It was all very mysterious to Angelique.

Dr. Dyson headed back towards the kitchen as Erik headed towards the parlor. As Erik turned around to shut the doors, he looked up the stairs and saw Angelique, who was at the top of the stairs. It was an awkward moment. His eyes burned with anger. Angelique just lowered her eyes as she walked down the stairs. She heard the French doors of the parlor shut, a little loudly.

I will have to deal with this man sometime soon; I promised Elaine I would smooth things out. I think I will need all my powers of diplomacy to build a bridge over that river. But for right now, I just need to catch Dr. Dyson.

She hurried down the remaining stairs and sprinted to the kitchen.

"Dr. Dyson?" She gasped as she entered the kitchen, seeing him about to leave. He turned around, coat on, stethoscope in hand. He had a fatherly look of disapproval on his face. "Could I please have a word with you before you go?" She queried as she approached him.

"And good morning to you too, my dear. Had a little fun last night, I heard," he said, arms crossed, waiting for an explanation. He loved her like a daughter but definitely did not approve of the fact that she had decided to drink so heavily with Elaine under his roof. Angelique hung her head.

"I am so sorry, Dr. Dyson. In the future I promise not to mistake your upstairs sitting room for a pub. It was disrespectful." She looked at him with those beautiful blue eyes, apologetic.

He shook his head. It was always too hard to remain angry with Angelique. He motioned her down the hall to his office. Once there, he closed the door, took off his coat and sat behind the desk. She sat in front of the desk in one of the armchairs. This part of her visit was business.

"What is it that you need to discuss with me so early this morning?" He asked, his hands clasped loosely. He believed she brought a message from her father, the King.

"Over the last few years, Elaine and I have corresponded via letters and in person. She told me about your tutoring her in medicine; my understanding was that you were continuing to direct her studies as if she were continuing her education at the Clinic. Is that correct?" Elaine stated with an eloquence that was surprising, in light of her post-inebriated state.

"Yes, that is true. Over the past few years, I have given her assignments in texts and journals to mimic the didactics she would have received in the first couple of years of training. We have since started trying to reproduce the practical clinical teachings. She has been doing quite well. But why do you ask?" He said, now sitting back in his chair, intrigued by the line of questioning.

"And why did you do this? To what end?" She asked, in a rhetorical fashion.

"Elaine continues to be greatly interested in becoming a physician, even after leaving Paris."

"You mean after being forced out of Paris by men who deserve to be in jail, Dr. Dyson. Let us speak plainly," said Angelique, her pretty face quite stern.

"We both know the details, Angelique. What is your point?" He said, uncomfortable with discussing his daughter's situation.

"I have been in contact with Doctor, or rather Dean Melan, who is now the head of the Clinic. We have discussed the plight of your daughter at length. And I believe we have come up with a suitable resolution to her problem." She paused.

"Horace Melan. He was a good friend of mine. I knew he was interested in becoming an administrator at the Clinic, but I did not know that he became dean. Go on." He was curious to find out where this would lead.

"Yes, he remembers you. As you are well aware, your name is greatly respected in the medical community in both Luxembourg and France, especially on your work to abolish the Leper Colonies. In any case, I have told him about Elaine continuing her education privately under your direction." She removed the envelope from her bodice and placed it on his desk, then continued.

"We came up with a plan. If Elaine agrees to sit for the final examinations of the didactic coursework and passes them, then she will only need to finish the clinical portion of her training in order to receive her degree in medicine. The particulars are in the letter. That would cut the remaining time for training to about a year or two maximum, rather than making her go through the whole thing."

"Really?" Dr. Dyson said, incredulous as he opened the letter. "He would do that for her? Angelique, how did you get him to agree to this?"

"I can be very persuasive, Dr. Dyson." She said, pushing her hair back over her shoulders. "Very persuasive."

"Spare me the details." He said. Another disapproving look flashed from his eyes.

"I will have you know that…most... of our discussions were outside the bedchambers. Horace, I mean, Dr. Melan did admit that her situation is unique. He and some of the other professors were deeply disturbed by what had happened to her and believed that an exception should be granted." She paused, looking at him questioningly as he got up. He read the letter and moved to the window. He looked out sadly at Roland, who was running around outside. The child had no idea what his mother had been through. Angelique stood up and approached him slowly.

"Roland will be going to boarding school soon. He could go to one in or near Paris, where she could see him as often as possible." she said, trying to improve Dr. Dyson's expression. She stood by Dr. Dyson's side.

"I don't know if she would even consider going back there." He whispered.

Dr. Dyson remembered how his daughter was when she had returned from Paris years before. She was scared, depressed, and afraid of her shadow. He endured a whole month of his daughter walking around dazed and silent during the day. Each night, Elaine would wake up screaming, barely consolable. He had thought her disturbed by the death of the child's father, Kurt. Dr. Dyson had grown sick with worry, and finally confronted her. Nothing could have prepared him; he was devastated when she told him the awful truth about the rape. He rubbed at his wrinkled forehead and closed his eyes, trying to rub away his thoughts.

Angelique placed her hand on his back.

"I can't help feeling that I should have protected her, Angelique. How could I have let that happen to her?" He said, a hurt, guilty expression on his face. Angelique hugged him as a daughter would, rubbing his back.

"You had no idea something like that would happen, Dr. Dyson. How could you have known?" They stood there for a few moments in silence. He eventually nodded and backed away from the window and Angelique.

"I thank you for being there for her. You were always a great friend."

"Elaine is like a sister to me. I would do anything for her. I think this particular bit of information should come from you, however. Feel free to leave my name out of it," she said.

"I will discuss it with her, at the appropriate time. She has developed certain phobias, such as being afraid to be outside of Capellen that we have to contend with. I will let you know what she says." He sat heavily in his desk chair, looking like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I will need to get home later today. As you know, my brother has left me with no mode of transportation. I have an engagement in Germany I must prepare for over the next day or two," she said, stopping on her path towards the door.

"I will have Nate or Bruno take you home. Thank you again, Angelique." He looked up at her and smiled.

"Thank you for everything, Dr. Dyson. It has been a pleasure as always." She left the office and breathed a sigh of relief. As she crossed the foyer, she heard music coming from the parlor. It would play for about ten to fifteen seconds, and then it would stop. Then it would start again. The fragmented chords were complex, the melody brisk. She heard Erik humming along with the music and in between. She walked up to listen, putting her ear closer to the door. She lost her balance and banged into the door.

"Hello? Who is it?" said Erik, from within.

Angelique cursed at herself for being so clumsy. The pain in her head boomed. She pursed her lips and placed her hand on the handle to open the door. Her confrontation with Erik would happen sooner than she wanted it to. She had to ignore her good sense to run away, forcing herself to stay and face the music, so to speak.

Now is as good a time as any.

After taking a deep breath, she opened the door.