Madeline

Part Seven

    After a silent supper, Arthur and I returned to the study. As he poured himself a glass of wine, I studied his appearance. He looked to be near the point of utter exhaustion, both mentally and physically. His dark hair was wildly unkempt and his eyes darted nervously about him. Even his hands possessed a slight tremor to them. I was beginning to worry not only for his health, but his sanity. I was also beginning to fear for my own.

   As he sat down, I decided that it was time to inform him of my intentions, "Arthur, I think it might be best if you join me in London for a time."

   He stared pointedly at me, not speaking for several seconds. "Why should I do such a thing?" He replied at last in a manner of seeming ease.

  "I think it would do you some good to get away from this house. Spend some time in the city among other people. You could stay with me in..."

   "People," he scoffed, "brother in my life I have met few people that would be of interest to me. Most are sniveling, heartless, indifferent little creatures who would betray you in an instant if they thought it would be worth something."

   "Not all are like that Arthur," I paused as I struggled for the right words, “If not for that, then come for your health. This house is taking a toll on you physically, and do not think I don't see it."

    "It is not the house that is troubling me." In that moment, I saw that he knew what I had been experiencing, for I then realized he had been experiencing the same events.

     "She appears in my dreams nearly every night. They are such awful dreams that I now dread sleep. Every flicker of white, I know it is her. Every time I sense something watching me in the shadows, it is she. She is still here Matthew. She may be dead, but she has not left." For the first time, I heard the fear in his voice and saw it in his eyes as well.

  "Then come with me!" I began to plead and was near to falling on my knees if I thought it would do any good, “Leave this place! Leave her behind! Do it for not just my sake but for Alice's!"

  "For Alice's sake?" His voice grew bitter, "Why should her thoughts matter?"

     "Because she cares for you, as much as I do, and I know you care for her!" I sat on the edge of my seat, praying my words would bring out some sense of reason in him.

   "Care for her? You must be madder than I am, brother." He toyed with the collar of his shirt, his manner so indifferent, that my anger grew.

  "I saw you together!" My voice filled the room as I stood from my chair, my hands clenched at my sides.

  Neither of us spoke for what felt like minutes.

  "What do you mean?" His voice was in a near whisper and I saw that I had struck some cord within him.

   "This afternoon I saw you speaking in the study. Please no longer pretend you do not care for her. She can come away with us if it will get you to leave this house!" I knelt by his chair and clutched his arm tightly.

  "Imagine that, the house maid and the pauper duke gallivanting about London, what would the papers say?" He sneered and moved in his chair, but his expression grew serious once more and his tone softened, “but I suppose you're right. I do care for her, more than I should perhaps. I suppose I always have."

  "Then come to London. Start a new life together Arthur! You can finally find happiness." As I begged, he looked away from me.

   "But what about her? She would follow us I know that she would! I will no longer have you or Alice subjected to her torments!" His eyes looked madly about him as if he feared she was listening even now.