It was not the distance of walking the worried her. It was just the uncertainty of the future. She had always known what to expect, but everything had been turned around. Suzanne had been feeling wonderful, until reality hit as she stepped off the boat. This was not France, this was England. How would they survive. Letting a soft sigh pass her lips, Suzanne kept her hand in Andrew's and reached over and took her brother's hand. Between the two of them she did not feel so small.
Sir Andrew had been correct it was not far from where they had
gotten off the boat. Not a long walk compared to the other things she
had been through. Soon the building he had been referring to came into
view, a soft pool of light fell around the door. Light poured from the
windows, it looked inviting and Suzanne looked forward to standing
before the fire. During the walk she had let Pierre do most of the
talking, she simply listened.. looking up to watch them ocassionally.
Entering the warm and inviting building, Suzanne took off the light
coat she had been wearing.. Though she could not remember where she
had gotten it.. and handed it to the man who greeted them. The fire
caught her eye and silently, with her eyes wide taking in her
surroundings, Suzanne walked to the fire to warm her hands.
Moving quickly to his sister's side, Pierre De Tournay looked around
at the tall Englishmen around him. His brown eyes grew round and he
took hold of her hand. "I do not wish to-ah get more comfortable in
place here, you think mon cheri?"
Never before had he set foot in any city outside his own, much less
out of the country of France. Very protective of his sister, the
only one he tolerated near Suz was Andrew.
Looking over to her brother, uncertainty in her eyes. She smiled
softly. "Everything will be fine. Though I want to go home, we can't.
At least we are together." Holding his hand, Suzanne looked over to
the fire. "I miss father, he always seemed to know what to do... You
and I will both learn to enjoy England, but it will never be home."
Pulling his sister near their mother, Pierre gave a look at Andrew
and then quizically at his sister. In French, he whispered, "How do
you know and trust this man so easily my Suzannie?"
The distrustful brown orbs watched the other men in the room like a
watch dog on its post.
Glancing at Andrew as Pierre spoke, a slight smile came to her face.
Erasing it, she turned back to her brothers face who was seeking out
the answers so it seemed. Replying in French for his benifit, "How do
you distrust him. Pierre I met him before the previous day, I have
grown to trust him over time. Because he trusts the others, I do
also."
"You can be quick to trust because it seems to me you are smitten
with this man." There, his jealous and overprotectiveness of his
sister was out. "Besides, these men did not get you the first time
and refused to let me help." He recieved a few looks from the
Englishmen that were near, hearing his rapid French tongue.
Squeezing his sister's hand, Pierre stared back at them hard.
"You are right, I trust them because of him." Suzanne wondered why he
worried so. "And your right.. there is one I do not trust. The one I
owe the most to is the one I almost fear." she started speaking
softly, not matching Pierre's rushed voice.
His rushed voice hurried even more in curiousity of this recent
news. They were alone and their mother napped in her chair. Pierre
was relieved to see her rest. "What my Suzannie? Who is the bastard
who scares you? I will seek him out and gut him proper, I swear!"
"I don't know who he is. Pierre, please don't worry. He didn't hurt
me... I owe this man my life, I have to excuse the things he said."
Why was Andrew so far away. Why did she have to tell her brother about
this. At least she had not told Andrew, there was not telling what he
would do. He knew the man.
Now he was more worried for his sister. She was beautiful and kind.
For a man to be mean to her, he would have to be the most wicked of
men. She feared one of the Englishmen. "Mon cheri! You tell me
what this man said to you anon!"
Taking both her hands, Pierre looked at her as his eyes flashed in
rage.
There was no way she could tell him what was said. The horrible
desriptions that had been given to her, that she had tried to place
out of mind.. why did he want to know. "I can't tell you. I would
rather not remember. Please don't ask."
"Who is this man!" Pierre pulled her hands close to his heart. "No
man speaks to my sister and causes her such woe! Tell me!"
"I don't know I told you I don't know." To have angered Pierre to such
an extent, oh it hurt to see him like this. " It was the man who came
to get me.. the one who took me from the prison." Suzanne's head hung
down a little. "Please, don't say anything.. he brought me back to you
and mother. I can't speak against him as such."
"The smelly one with the missing teeth? I'll kill him! What did he
do with you alone from the city to that dreadful barn?! No wonder he
insisted on going alone! I'll kill the bastard!" Pierre pulled his
sister close to him in a hug and glanced with anger at Andrew now
from across the room.
Not a soul would harm his family.
Seeing the way he shot evil glares across the room. "Please, don't
blame Andrew for this. Andrew just wanted to help me." Hugging her
brother she looked across the room with a blank stare, looking at
nothing inparticular. "He did not do anything after we got out of the
city, the guards started chasing us and he threw me down, he kept them
from finding us... " she should stop speaking, but it festered inside
her, she had told that man that she had forgiven him for what he had
said because it had freed her, that was true. It still had frightened
her.
The brother to Suzanne De Tournay nearly split his seams in anger
when hearing that the toothless man was on top of his sister! "How
did he touch you INSIDE the city?!" Keeping his voice low, out of
respect for his sister and those who could be in earshot, his blood
boiled and his eyes narrowed more at Andrew. Andrew was one of them.
"He didn't touch me, please Pierre, please. Calm down. You just don't
understand. I was scared before he came.. you don't know what it was
like. I was so afraid and I didn't know what had happened to you." She
made things worse every time she tired to explain, and he was angry
with all the men in the room now. How would she ever get him to trust
them again. "Please, it's ok. He didn't touch me." It wouldn't help if
he got any more angry, he would only attract more attention to them.
Looking at his sister, he could see her distress. "Sorry mon cheri,"
he looked to see their mother had awoken at his growing voice and
gave him a disciplinary look. Settling down, he looked at his sister
alone. "If you like this one, I will try and trust him."
"Thank you." Suzanne calmed slightly feeling better now that his voice
had calmed and was not seeking answers to her behaviour. Hugging him
again she closed her eyes. She had her brother and mother back.
"Please, never mention this again. Don't talk about it." She did not
think she could handle having to explain, not to him, not to anyone.
"You swear to me you are alright? If so, then I promise." He may
not have to speak of it, but Pierre De Tournay had a memory like an
elephant. He would remember the face of the toothless tall man if
they ever met again.
He did not promise to not strike down the man.
"I swear... I'm fine. Now promise. Promise me you will not say
anything else." Suzanne spoke slowly, and quietly. Looking up to her
brother with pleading eyes. "Do this for me. For mother, she has so
much to deal with."
"Of course Suzannie." To show how sincere he was, he replied to her
in English. He was very self concious of his English, for his sister
spoke it better than he ever could. Quieting down, he looked to his
mother and nodded with a shy smile.
When Suzanne was not facing him, he shot the other Englishmen looks.
He really wouldn't mention it again. Somehow, even though he was her
brother - and she said this with a smile - she trusted him and needed
him. Laying her head against his shoulder she tried to once again feel
comfortable in their new surroundings. "Will things ever return to
normal?" she asked softly looking off towards the fire.
"I not know this sister." Pierre De Tournay sat there and felt more
self concious with his English. He had a very hard time pronouncing
the "r"s and a lot of the more commonplace nouns he did not know. He
could ask for food, but not really any specific type.
It was hard to order a drink in an English bar when all the
Aristocrats around you did not recognize you as equal to them.
No one knew the answer to that question. Yet she doubted thing would
ever be normal again. All one could do was hope, hope for a new
happiness. Poor Pierre, she felt bad for him. She had gone to London
to learn her English and could carry on conversations well enough to
fit into their new surroundings. Perhaps, if he let her, she would
help him to learn. He seemed different since this had happened. More
caring, less little brother like. He listened to her, she needed that.
"Everything is going to be fine.." He said speaking to the small group in general. "The fee is already taken care of. . I just need to see the innkeeper about your rooms." Andrew shook slightly. . he wasn't used to being in charge. That was Percy's job. "Mademoiselle, can I speak to you for a moment? Alone?" This, Andrew spoke directly to Suzanne."
Looking back to the main part of the room, the people circled about.
Now and then she would catch sight of Sir Andrew. A familiar face in
seas of uncertainty. Why did he stay so far away. She had spent a good
deal of the trip speaking to him, catching up with what had happened
to the other during the weeks she had gone into hiding with her
family. Why should she think that now, back on his home ground things
would be the same. Who knows what type of life he lived her. Was it
selfish to want to be surrounded by people she knew.
"You just don't understand Pierre.. he feels he needs to look after me
is all. As long as he can see me, I think he will be alright with me
talking to you." Suzanne looked up at Andrew, her fears had been put
out in the open with Pierre now she couldn't get them off her mind.
"Would it be improper for you to speak with me? We were more alone
than this in the park."
The Vicomte glanced down into his water glass, the only thing he knew
how to say and order in this world of English. The water was clearer
in this Inn than in some places in France, but it did not taste any
better. Looking over at Suzanne, he found his eyes narrowing at one
of the Englishmen that talked to her. It took his mother poking his
side with her walking stick to finally draw his burning stare away.
His mother gave him *that* look. The look that told him to leave his
sister in peace for the time being. With a sigh, Pierre swirled the
water in his glass, and thought about his father.
Looking over to Pierre she expected him to grab her and make her stay.
Standing, she looked over to Sir Andrew. For her brother's sake she
would not go far, and not out of sight. She did not think she could
stand seeing him give those evil glares to Andrew as well as the
others. Just a few feet from where her brother sat, Suzanne stood
facing Andrew.
"What is it Sir Andrew? Is something wrong." this would be the first
time she had spoken to anyone besides her brother since they had
entered the inn almost a half an hour ago.
"On the contrary, mademoiselle, I am just nervous." Andrew bit his tongue to keep from laughing at this absurd. "I don't know why. Yes, we were more alone in the park. . maybe that's why I'm more nervous now, because we are surrounded by your family and I am afraid of making some absurd, wrong impression on them. Am I making any sense at all?"
"I don't think you could do that. The only one you need to impress
already dislikes every Englishman, especially the ones in this room. I'm
afraid that is my fault, but I know you can change his mind. Just be
patient with Pierre. No matter what he says to you, stay calm."
Somehow this was the only advice she could offer on how to deal with
her family. Her mother had been very quiet, and had not expressed her
views on any of this yet.
Suzanne was silent, and he had not spoken. Not really needing him to
say anything to be comfortable, Suzanne looked up at him happy to be
near him once again. His hands gently held hers, and perhaps she stood
a little too close... she was no longer paying attention to that. Only
standing near him and letting herself feel that everything would be
alright someday.
When Mother was not looking, Pierre stole another glance across the
room and watched his sister. Why did she enjoy hanging about these
Englishmen anyway? He himself did not understand half of what they
said, no matter how long and drawn out their speech became.
The more liquor they consumed, the slower their odd vowels were
pronounced and Pierre gave up trying to follow. Eyeing his sister,
Pierre wondered why this 'Andrew' seemed to want to protect her so
much.
Like a small darting hawk, the Frenchman's eyes watched his sister
and ran his hand through his short brown hair. He really wished to
chance life back in France and go home.
It was as if she could feel the eyes on her, giving her this horrible
feeling of being watched. Taking a slight step back from Andrew, she
released one of his hands and turned her head to look around. It was
her brother's eyes that she found looking in her direction.
After a few moments of looking back at him, Suzanne gazed back up to
Andrew. Bidding him goodnight, she felt him raise her fingers to his
lips. With a soft smile she once more said good night then turned and
went over to see what Pierre was staring at.
Caught! Looking over to his Mother, he saw she did not catch him as
well. Unsure where to look next, for Andrew seemed to draw his eyes
every time, Pierre stared at his hands which he took to tucking under
each leg. Stealing another peek, he saw his sister coming and
quickly tilted his head back and pretended to nap against the chair.
With a slight frown, Suzanne stood next to Pierre, knowing full well
he was not sleeping. Sitting on the bench next to him she poked her
elbow into his arm. "Why were you watching me?" she whispered low to
him. "I know you were, I saw you. You might as well stop pretending to
be sleeping... " Why could she not even speak to someone without him
watching her now.
"I am too sleeping." Pierre smiled a little and then made his face
scowl. "Leave me alone. I have better things to do then watch you."
"Well I am glad to hear that." Suzanne finally smiled "And if you are
sleeping, why are you talking to me? Should I leave you to sleep?"
Gently Suzanne placed a hand on his shoulder, "are you going to
continue to talk to me?"
Opening his eyes slightly, the fifteen year old glanced to his mother
and found his actions would go by unnoticed. Pierre whispered in a
jealous, tattling sort of way to Suzanne, "Wouldn't my sister rather
be talking with that man?"
With a slight smirk, Suzanne looked back at him. "Not if my little
brother was watching... and why would it matter to you if I would
rather talk to him, hmm. You were sleeping."
Frowning, Pierre muttered, "So maybe I was not?"
"Oh, come now, Pierre we have had enough frowning for one day. Try to
at least pretend you are a happy person. I know you can be." Leaning
her cheek against the hand she still held to his shoulder, Suzanne
looked about the room.
"Why do you keep looking at him?" The young man did not understand
the whole attraction between male and female and found his sister's
antics annoying. "Next you will kiss him like the down city girls in
their tight stocking."
He smiled at his sister.
"I wasn't looking at him." Suzanne looked up, suprised to see the
smile on his face, was he teasing her. "And I will not kiss him like
that.. oh.. why do I bother telling you this." once again she lay her
head back down against his shoulder.
Rolling his eyes, he sighed. "Father said 'your girlish ways' are
going to get you into trouble." Pierre had no idea his father meant
it as a compliment. Only a worried parent can express the coming to
terms with their beautiful daughter in such a way. Pierre tossed it
about like an insult.
"Just like those corner women." Crossing his arms, he wiggled his
shoulder about so Suzanne's head bobbed.
"What do you know of those kind of women? And what would mother say if
she heard you compairing me to them." Suzanne didn't mean to sound
like a tattle, it just came out that way. "I'd never heard father say
anything about my 'girlish ways'. I think you were just upset because
I left you over here alone."
His cheeks bloomed pink and he pulled his shoulder entirly away from
her head. Suzanne knew him too well and he frowned even more and
gave a worried glance over at his Mother.
So far, in the clear.
"I don't care if I'm left alone." The hurtful voice came through as
his ears filled with the English that surrounded him. Just saying it
made him curl into himself a little and he gave a sad and scared look
at Suzanne.
"I care if I'm left alone... so please don't say you don't care." then
in a loving sisterly way she put her arm around his shoulder. "I need
you to be there for me, even if you don't need me." Suzanne's face
seemed to echo his look as she looked up at his young face. Where was
father to keep them all strong.
He nodded and leaned into her, keeping his crossed arms still in
place against his chest. After a few minutes passed, he
whispered, "I need you Suzannie." As he said it, he eyed the other
Englishman across the room.
His words brought a smile to her face. At least they would be there
for each other. Even if he did want to tease her about the way she
looked a the 'Englishman'. Suzanne would never trade him for another
brother, though she had thought about it when they were younger.. oh
how she had then wished he was a sister. Not she was glad he was, who
he was. He would look after her, Suzanne had no doubt.