continued
from
Part 3
Angelus
Drusilla walked slowly along the winding path of beaten dirt that wove through
the trees around the pond. The sun was setting and it was almost time to
go home. It had been a long day. But very pleasant. They had eaten the picnic
lunch. Julie and Jake had filled the air with shrieks of delight as they
fed the ducks. Even going so far as to chase the poor creatures wildly all
around the pond. *Was it really a pond? It seemed large enough to be called
a lake,* Drusilla thought absently.
Michael had fallen asleep, so Dru felt it was safe to slip away for a few
minutes and her aunt and uncle agreed. The estate had been crowded a little
while ago, filled with strolling couples, ladies carefully protecting their
white skin from the sun with parasols. The children had swarmed everywhere
just an hour earlier. But now that the sun was going down, the grounds had
quickly emptied. Drusilla had only passed one person during her ambling walk.
She stared into the trees; trying to penetrate their depths with her eyes.
Who knew what the shadows hid? She felt a sudden chill, realizing that it
was almost full dark and the trees could hide anything, anyone. She felt
fear beginning to choke her, as her breath came a little faster. *Don't be
silly!* she berated herself. *There's nothing there, and you are being a
goose.* But her body refused to calm down. She could not lose the feeling
that there was something there. As her fear grew, her walk slowed. Finally
she stopped altogether. Making a sudden decision, she whirled around on the
balls of her feet, prepared to run as fast as she could back the way she
had come. Silly or not. The sun was gone, but as she turned she could see
a tall figure looming in her path.
Before she could stop herself, a shriek escaped her lips. Her feet, prepared
to run just a second earlier, were now rooted to the spot.
"I'm not going to hurt you." The shadow-cloaked figure spoke to her. A man,
she could tell that much from the voice and the build. Her night vision kicked
in once the shock wore off, and Drusilla was able to make out the man's features.
His face was normal, not distorted like the demon that haunted her dreams.
"I'm sorry," she said, embarrassed. "You startled me."
"You shouldn't be here alone in the dark," the man said. "Allow me to escort
you back to your family." Drusilla looked at him warily. He seemed like a
perfectly nice man, well dressed, well-spoken. And handsome. She blushed
a little as she realized that she was staring. She hoped that he did not
guess her thoughts.
"Very well," she spoke finally. "I'll walk with you." She was actually grateful
for the company, it chased some of her fears away. The man tipped his hat
to her, bowing ever so slightly.
"My name is Angelus O'Riley," he told her, with a smile that made her heart
flutter in a way that had nothing to do with fear.
"Drusilla Grey," she introduced herself. "Pleased to make your
acquaintance."
"Likewise," he answered politely.
He offered her his arm, but she refused it with a shake of her head. This
man might not be a monster, but she was still jittery enough to want to keep
her distance from any strangers. Even if this stranger did seem kind. And
he was protecting her from any other strangers that might appear with less
genteel intent. Drusilla glanced at the man's handsome profile as he walked
next to her.
"Who are you here with?" he asked, making polite small talk as they walked
back toward the spot in the grass that Drusilla's aunt and uncle had claimed
with their blanket.
"My aunt, uncle, and cousin,' Drusilla answered. "And my brother and
sister."
"Are you and your brother and sister visiting?" he asked, holding an encroaching
branch out of her way.
"No," she answered. "We just came here recently to live with them."
"What about your mother and father?" Angelus asked. Drusilla paled at the
mention of her parents. Her lips compressed tightly as she fought the memories.
"I'm sorry," the man said quietly. "I did not mean to upset you." Drusilla
looked up at him, concern evident in the set of his jaw. It wasn't his
fault.
"No need to apologize," she said softly. "You couldn't have known. They're
dead," she explained. "Murdered."
"Oh my," Angelus answered, shocked. "How horrible. And you so young."
"I'm not that young," Drusilla said with a touch of irritation. "I take care
of my brother and sister."
"I don't doubt it," he answered soothingly. "I don't doubt it a bit." Drusilla
glared at the strange man who walked beside her, wondering if he was making
fun of her. But his face seemed sincere, and Drusilla let a little more of
her guard down. It wasn't this poor man's fault that she was touchy and
irritable. *He's no doubt regretting his decision to walk with me,* she thought.
*I'm being so unpleasant.*
Within a few minutes, the pair reached the spot where Drusilla's family waited.
Aunt Mabel rushed to her, enfolding her in a hug before she could protest.
"It got dark and we were so worried about you," she exclaimed. "We were afraid
you had fallen or fainted."
"I'm fine," Drusilla assured, taking Mabel's hand in her own. "There was
nothing to worry about," she said, ignoring the fear she herself had felt.
Robert joined them, holding the carriage's lantern in his hand. His gaze
fell on Angelus and he gave Drusilla a questioning look.
"Oh," she said, remembering her manners. "This is Mr. O'Riley. He was kind
enough to walk me back here when it got dark." Angelus tipped his hat to
Mabel and shook the hand that Robert offered.
"Robert Grey," Drusilla's uncle introduced himself. "And this is my wife,
Mabel."
"Thank you for seeing her safely to us," Mabel said.
"Where are the children?" Drusilla asked suddenly.
"They were tired out," he aunt answered. "So we put them in the carriage
to sleep."
"Speaking of which," Robert interjected. "We really must be going. It is
getting late."
"You're right," Drusilla answered. She turned to Angelus with a seldom used
smile. "Thank you again, sir." In answer, he raised her hand gently to meet
his lips. His eyes never leaving hers. She felt herself falling into those
eyes. Dark eyes. *There was something familiar...* But as his lips grazed
her hand, the thought flew from her mind.
She felt her heart melting. It had been a long time since any man had kissed
her hand. Especially such a handsome man. *No, I've never met such a handsome
man,* she decided. She smiled at him again, dazed by his intense stare.
And then the moment was broken and she was being pulled away by her aunt
and uncle. Angelus watched her go, meeting her gaze when she glanced back
over her shoulder at him. He gave her a grin, and she turned away embarrassed
that he had seen her staring. In a moment she was whisked into the carriage
and they were jouncing down the road towards home.
Inside the carriage Drusilla stared out the window, but she could no longer
see him anywhere. *Angelus,* she thought with a sigh. *I wonder if I'll see
him again.* She let herself daydream for a moment, but the baby's cry brought
her back to reality. Soon she was too busy taking care of Michael to give
the handsome stranger another thought.
Angelus watched the carriage as it rolled along the road. He knew where it
was headed. He knew where she lived. He had known the names of her relations
long before he was told them. He thought back to her tight-lipped reaction
to the mention of her parents. The pain she tried so hard to hide. With a
grin he set off down the road at a run. He was hungry, and there was plenty
to eat in the village nearby. A jaunty whistle slipped from between his lips.
It was going perfectly, just as he had planned. He would see her again,
soon.
CONTINUES