Doe (#Wattys2016)

Chapter Nine

The next day all three of them went home. The Christiansens were waiting for them with food and love. Harri and his mother were both crying as they embraced Francis.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Harri cried, holding her close to him.

"I'm fine." Francis laughed, trying to reassure him.

"I don't know what I would have done."

"You would have had some peace and quiet."

He laughed, wiping his tears away embarrassed, "I knew I'd cry."

"You big baby." She teased.

"We've all been so worried." Martha, Mrs Christiansen, told her weeping still, "The pub hasn't been the same."

Later that evening everyone came round to listen to the story of their time spent in the big house. Lucia enthusiastically became storyteller. While they were all captivated downstairs, upstairs Francis told Harrison about meeting her father and her proposed marriage to his stepson. Harri paced up and down in front her, clenching and unclenching his fists in frustration. She watched him noticing how pale and gaunt he looked. All the stress he had to deal with, it made her guilty and for a moment she regretted adding her load.

"I always thought it would be Draco." Harri said through gritted teeth.

"That's what Lord Lurie wants. If I can win my father's favour." Francis admitted.

"You'd want that." Harri stopped pacing and looked at her.

His hazel eyes could have almost been a Lurie's gold or amber but in the dimness of The Lab they only appeared a dull brown. But the candle from the bedside table was throwing such light on his face that he looked fierce. His eyes were never flaming or casting an insincere beauty, he had no charms like the Luries and Francis wondered if he was a true representation of a man.

"I don't know. I don't think I get a choice even if I did. I don't know which one is a better prospect." She told him.

"You've known Draco a long time." He said evenly.

"We're hardly older than children. I've known him as a friend." She picked at the blanket on the bed, "And I'm never sure if he's a good one."

"I hate how you are messed around like this." Harri went back to pacing.

"I wish I'd never met Lord Lurie, sometimes." Francis murmured.

"So do I," He glared at his reflection in the tiny window, "Things here are shit, but you would have been happy."

"We don't know that."

"Yes we do. You were happy before all this." Harri said, "You're happy when you're with us."

"Yes I am." Francis agreed, "But I'm happy at the Luries' too."

"No you're not. I've never heard a good thing about it." He dismissed it with a laugh.

She frowned but wasn't going to argue and hurt his feelings.

"I bet you laugh ten times more here than you do there."

"No I don't." She smiled.

"Oh really?" He laughed at her laughing.

"That's unfair!" she laughed.