The Dragonlady

Chapter Ten

Rin ran blindly, tears blurring her vision. She was a fool to have even considered that she might mean something to him. He had made her feel special, important. Now she felt used and dirty. How could she tell her father? He would be so hurt and upset. Perhaps she should have returned to the cave, to live the simple life. In fact, that might be the best...she ran and continued to run.

Parmer was indignant. Nobody would have noticed if his mother hadn't yelled. Poor Rin – at least she'd been right. His mother thought the very worst of him; even after he'd battled against the baser thoughts and won. The thought of what Rin might be thinking and feeling was tearing him up inside. He needed to find her, or perhaps Eno could advise him, or even his father.... Eno had said he had had no objections to Rin and himself...Parmer despaired. He turned and went to find his father.

Tobias had just had a pleasant chat with Eno, who was proving to be an excellent groundsman. For all his modesty, the man had a wealth of knowledge and a kindly manner in addition to his skills in a garden. Tobias had found himself discussing his disappointment in Clara and her scheming ways and, in particular, her insistence that they live separate lives when the children were growing up. He missed her embrace and the warmth of their bed now that she had moved into a separate room. It was not close enough to sneak into either. Ever since, he had felt the family divide until there was a chasm between mother and daughter, son and himself. He yearned for the days of their childhood again, to hear their laughter with Clara's and his. Parmer was growing strong and studious, but he seemed more and more withdrawn as Clara stepped up the introductions to 'suitable' candidates for her son's bed. Having seen some of the girls himself, he was not surprised that Parmer had rejected them. Now Clara was insisting on finding 'suitable' suitors for Shella, and he shuddered at the thought. He was a man, and knew only too well how young men thought! The thought of knowing that his darling daughter would be exposed to such men filled him with horror, particularly when being thrown at them by his wife!

He'd had such hopes for Parmer since he'd started to smile recently. With Eno's daughter...and it appeared that Eno did not object to the liaison either. Parmer had promised him an introduction, and he was surprised to discover that it pleased him. That Eno had invited Parmer to eat with him and his daughter had pleased him even more. He would have to urge Parmer into that introduction and then he would begin to persuade Clara into acceptance of the girl.

He almost collided with Parmer as his son ran into the mansion grounds.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?" Tobias chuckled.

"Father!" Parmer exclaimed, throwing his arms around him. Tobias was taken aback. Parmer had not hugged him for years. Clara did not approve of such youthful actions.

"Hey..." Tobias said calmly. "You're a mite big to do this to your father these days."

"It's mother...she's ruined everything." The collar of his father's coat muffled his voice.

Tobias sighed. "What's she done now?" He asked patiently, closing his arms around his son.

Parmer gave his father a brief synopsis of the earlier events. Tobias grew angrier at the end of every sentence, his fury fed by the sadness emanating from his son.

"And she ran away, you say?" Tobias asked, patting Parmer's back. "We should find Eno and inform him."

"Yes." Parmer said sadly. "Eno will not be best pleased with me, and I can't say that I blame him."

"This situation is not your fault, son." Tobias released his son. "It's mine. I should have taken your mother in check years ago. I didn't and now both you and Shella suffer as well as myself. I will not have her ruining more lives in her stupidity. I will remind her of where she began and who she is...it's more than time to do so. Eno is in the garden." Tobias strode off in the direction of the garden where he had last seen Eno, Parmer following at his heels. "Leave me to tell the tale, son."