The Might of Evil Dreams (A Novel of the Elemental Chronicles)

Eighteen - To Thy Rest

Emmeline

Things seemed to settle a bit around the holidays. We attended Georgianna's christening on Christmas Eve, and spent the evening at the Radford manor. Since I couldn't bear the thought of our son spending his first Christmas at home alone, I brought him along to meet his new neighbour. Tom was in relatively good spirits, although as the night wore on, I never saw him without a glass of brandy in his hand. Recent events were stressful, and I couldn't blame him.

"Every time I see them together, I wonder how they became so close," Lady Violet said to me as we sat next to each other near the fireplace, the flames warming our backs and our children on our laps. "They are complete opposites."

"They do say opposites are attracted to one another." Eddie squirmed on my knee, but I didn't let him down. He was still quite an adventurous crawler, possibly soon to be walking, and I feared he could be trampled underfoot.

"I do see how that could be possible." Her gaze drifted across the room, and I followed it. Our husbands were standing together with a third man I didn't recognise, speaking in low voices. "What do you suppose they're discussing? Besides official business, as Ray calls it?"

"God only knows," I said. Tom and I were leading separate lives these days, between his being away all the time for the newly-formed Order and my opening up to Dr Braithwaite. He was a courteous listener, quiet and attentive and never interrupting. In fact, I even fancied I shared a bond with him, having told him all these things that even my husband had never heard.

"You must know that you are welcome here at any time," Lady Violet said, taking my free hand and giving it a squeeze. "I do appreciate some female companionship once in a while, and I am afraid our old housekeeper is not much company."

I smiled. "Perhaps I will take you up on that offer. Tom is gone so often lately."

"As is Ray," she said, sighing. "Whatever possessed us to marry such impetuous men?"

I glanced over at Tom again, and this time our eyes met. A smile flickered across his lips and I returned it, and every time he did I knew why I agreed to marry him in the first place. But to Lady Violet, I said, "I don't rightly know."

Little Georgianna began to squall, and Lady Violet stood, handing her off to a maid and telling her she must be tired; she'd been awake for much longer than usual today. I felt my own exhaustion dragging on me, from my nearly sleepless nights. I wished for the dreamless oblivion of deep sleep, and for once to wake refreshed. Yet as long as my memories kept resurfacing, that could never be.

||

A few days after the new year, a blizzard blew in. It buffeted the windows, making the glass rattle in its frame, and whistled under the doors. When I wasn't carrying him, I made sure Eddie was wrapped up in at least two blankets. This cold could prove disastrous for a child as young as he was. I was alone again, Tom having left hours before the storm hit. As a result, I insisted that Mrs Shute and Lucian have supper with me, so I would not have to dine by myself.

It was that evening that changed everything. I fed Eddie, and afterward it was time for our own supper. Then I took him into the drawing room and read to him, and he would reach out and help me turn pages. Sometimes he would point and say 'Dat?', which was when I stopped and sounded the word out for him.

Then as Mrs Shute took him upstairs for bed, I lingered at the window and gazed across the moonlit snow. It was clear tonight, but occasionally the wind would whip up a cloud of snow and give it a shape, like a ghost appearing, disappearing, and re-forming in another place.

Sometime during the night, a clatter from the front hall woke me. I sat up in bed, barely breathing and listening hard. For a moment, I almost believed I had imagined it until there was a metallic bang, the sound of an extremely heavy object dropping to the floor.