Laurel spent a long, restless night, tossing and turning in her bed trying to find some peace. She woke early and dress, even though she felt tired, stiff, and sore. She had been spending too many restless night of late and they were taking their toll. She bid her mother adieu, collected herself and left early to to walk to Calais. She was more apprehensive these days than she had ever been in the past, Emilie had been abducted so close to her home, it was possible they they might attack her or her mother. Laurel hurried, watching for any sign of movement, ready to defeat herself at any cost. Halfway to Calais, Laurel saw a piece of cloth and a short ways away a limp, stockinged foot, her heart thumped hard in her chest. Her instincts told her to run, but she approached instead. What if they were alive? Needed help? As she drew nearer she saw the rest of the crumpled figure in the bushes. It was a woman, horribly bruised and bloody, Laurel reached into the bush and felt the woman breathing lightly. Laurel got up, grabbed the woman's ankles and dragging her out, then went back her to side and turned her over. The sight made her gasp, the face was barely recognizable as human and a gruesome red burn was emblazoned upon her face. She was alive, but who could have done this?!
The woman opened her eyes and stared frantically around, Laurel bent beside her. "Who did this to you?" she asked. The woman seemed unable to speak, as her jaw was broken, but tried to grasp at Laurel. "I don't think I can carrying you all the way! I'm sorry!" Laurel apologized. "I'll go get help! I swear I'll return!" Laurel got up and ran as fast as she could to Calais to summon aid, praying all the while that the woman would live.
Chris awoke early that morning and dressed himself in his most dashing apperal, careful to be wearing the pet's necklace. He had to return to the Blakeney to retrieve the hair and to comfort the pet to insure she was all right. He picked out some more flowers, these red roses and some sweets and rode off in his carriage. Along the way, he tried to think of what to say to everyone. He needed to keep out of the Lord's study, he didn't want to end up like Andre. As he looked out the window, he noticed his Laurel. "Mon cher, what happened" he called as he ordered the wagon to stop. A faint tremor rose in his heart. She looked so scared, he wanted to comfort her so badly.
Laurel ran until she caught sight of a carriage approach, and attempted to wave it down. She though perhaps the owner would consend to transporting the injuried woman to safety. As the carriage pulled up, Cristof Lovell's face appeared and asked, "Mon cher, what happened?" Nearly out of breath from her run and frightened, Laurel was happy to see the young vicompte. "Oh, M. Cristof! You must help! There is a girl down the road who has been very beadly beaten and left for dead! I fear she will perish if she does not see a doctor! PLease say you'll help!"
Chris almost chuckled. How ironic. "Well, this seems to be of a recurring event for me, my darling, saving beaten girls. Of course I'll help you, come on, what do you need?" he asked. He was almost beside himself with joy, his plan was working so well and now he had a chance to impress Laurel. He hopped out of the carriage and followed the girl up the road. On the way, Chris shoved the pet's necklace under his shirt. "Where is this poor wretch? Do you think it was the same person who hurt the pe..the poor Lady Emilie? It's strange times, you aren't safe walking around, my dear. I would really prefer being able to protect you. You really are a wonderful person" he said as he walked.
"She's a ways down the road, M. Cristof," Laurel replied, hurrying along side him. "I pray that you might help me transport her to Calais, to a doctor!" She stopped, and lightly placed a halting hand on Cristof's forearm, she recalled that she had been running someways before meeting Christof. "Perhaps, it is best that we use your carriage to expedite our mission, messieur! It is some ways." Was the woman's attacker the same as Emilie's? What sort of beast would do such things? "I don't know, M. Cristof, perhaps it is the same the same! Please do let us hurry! That poor woman is all alone!"
Chris was overjoyed, Laurel was touching his arm. He felt his heart sing. took Laurel's hand and took her into the carriage. "Then we have no time to waste, my darling. I'll pay for the doctor if need be, let's get to this fallen woman, I'll see to everything, don't you worry. I wonder who she is, I am really afraid for you, Laurel. This is the second girl in three days to be attacked. Well, give dircections to the driver, and we'll be off" he said, then remembering the gifts for the pet. Well, no matter, Laurel seemed afraid enough to not notice them.
Laurel accepted Cristof's hand into the carriage, after giving the instructions, Cristof climbing in after her. She was shaking slightly. The events of the last three or four days were taking their toll, the restless nights, the terror of some nemises lurking around the country side, the worry, the pain. This was one of the few times that she was gratefully and actually happy to see Cristof. "May the lord bless you, M. Cristof," Laurel told him looking gratefully into his face. "I trully appreciate your kindness."
Chris took her hand and kissed it. "My duty is but to serve you. Are you all right, my sweet? You seem frightened. Please, I shall protect you, what is the matter?" he asked, so happy to be with his Laurel.
Laurel blushed, "Thank you, my Lord. But I don't want to burden you with my dilemmas."
Chris shook his head. "Please, call me Christof. A burden? No, it would be a burden if I didn't know how to help the most wonderful lady in the world. Why are you sad? I know there must be something I can do to help"
"But you are already helping, M. Cristof!" Laurel said and gave him the best smile she could under the circumstances. She looked around, "Stop here!" She got out of the carriage and ran a few steps up the road to a large bush. "She's gone!" She looked down and saw a bloody piece of cloth and picked it up. "Maybe her attacker came back for her!"
Chris who was feeling heavenly followed her and noted the bloody cloth. He walked out of the carriage after her and put his arm around her and held her. "I don't know, but I imagine so. Laurel, it will be all right. I'll order my servants to keep a watch for her but there is nothing you can do to help her now. If we search further, we may meet this fiend. This is too dangerous. I don't want what happened to these girls to happen to you. Please, stay by me, let me protect you. Would you like to come to my house? You seem very worn and scared" he said and decided he needed to have a talk with Albert.
When Cristof put his arms around her she gasped and stiffened, he had never done such a thing before. The only men to do so were her own father and M. Planchette who was very nearly a father to her. She guessed that he was trying to be comforting, but the act was most uncomfortable to her. "Thank you, M. le vicompte Lovell for your kind offers and for your service, but I must go to work. I grant that I am a bit fatigued and unsettled, however there are others who depend upon me and I cannot let them be disappointed." She waited patiently in his arms for his response.
Chris heard the uncomfort in her voice in her voice. "Allow me to take you to your work then" he said sadly. He helped her into the carriage and ordered the carriage to take them to Calais. He didn't speak in the carriage, his heart was broken. He was so close! When he got to the shop, he bowed to her and let her down. "I shall always be your servant" he said simply and then rode off to the pet's house, he needed to sort things out.
Chris heard the uncomfort in her voice in her voice. "Allow me to take you to your work then" he said sadly. He helped her into the carriage and ordered the carriage to take them to Calais. He didn't speak in the carriage, his heart was broken. He was so close! When he got to the shop, he bowed to her and let her down. "I shall always be your servant" he said simply.
Laurel looked up at Cristof, though she knew he could be cruel, that he could be overbearing and vain, but today he had been truly kind. He had tried to help her and to comfort her and that was something she found herself truly grateful for. "Thank you for your kindness, messieur," she said, took his hand and kissed it. "May the good lord look over you and see you succeed in all your good work."
Chris glowed with joy. He'd treasure the touch of her sweet lips forever and soon he'd have it as often as he needed. He didn't touch her again though. Didn't want to push his love. "As long as you are here, the good lord has blessed me with everything. I'll do anything for you, my dear. I'll go through Hell itself" he said softly.
Laurel blushed. "I dare not keep you any longer, M. le vicompte," Laurel told him. "I see you are going to meet someone, forgive me for delaying you."
Chris laughed. "Any moment with you is wonderful. I shall see you later, cherie" he said, as he rode away, up to the pet's house, glowing with joy. His plans were working so well. He wondered who the girl was, but actually, he didn't care. Laurel had kissed his hand! He leaned back and thought of how to adjust his plans as he rode to Blakeney Manor.
Laurel went into Planchette's shoppe hoping that she hadn't encouraged Cristof's hopes to far. She tried to give Henri a smile in passing, but the attempt was a weak one. She ascended the stairs wondering what had happened to the happy little world she knew, a world that had become more dark and ominous in a matter of days. When she entered the door at the top of the stairs, she saw Planchette fussing over a coat. He looked up at her and smiled, opened his mouth of utter a greeting, but the words died on his lips, Laurel went to him and embraced him weeping.
Planchette's smile had vanished when he saw the expression of abject sorrow upon Laurel's face. It was an expression that she rarely wore, but one that had become more common over the last few days. Laurel had always been such a happy girl until now... and now the saw of her broke Planchette's heart. When she came to him he held her gently in his arms, "What is the matter, my darling? Is yesterday still such a painful memory?"
Laurel continued to cry for the longest time, the pressure had finally become unbearable. At less with M. planchette there she felt safe, if no where else. "Oh my dearest Planchette! What has happened to the world?" she she cried. "I-I found a woman beaten on the road... but when M. Lovell and I returned she was gone! I failed her!"
"How could you have failed her, milove," Planchette asked kindly," you had no way of stopping her attack."
"S-she was alive when I found her!" Laurel cried. "I told her I would return with help... I... I should have carried her... when I returned with Cristof she was gone!"
"But you tried my dearest!" Planchette consoled. "No one could give more, my darling." He thoughts suddenly when back to the previous narrative in which young Cristof Lovell also appeared as the 'hero of the hour'. "You say that the vicompte was there?"
"Not with the woman," Laurel replied shivering. "I met him after I had started to run to Calais to get help." Laurel noted a change in Plachette's tone and looked up at him. "Why? What are you thinking?"
"Come, my girl, use that exquisite brain of yours," Planchette replied. "Isn't it interesting that M. Cristof Lovell would should up so soon after two separate attacks?"
Laurel stared into Planchette's face, understanding dawning on her, her face paled even more. The comments that Cristof had said in the carriage and at her house. "But why?" It made sense, but why?
"You know, my dear, that he's been obsessed with you since you were a little girl. Maybe he's become a bit unbalanced, maybe he feels that this is the best way to win you," Planchette said, and the idea seemed to make more sense.
"You think he may have done this for me?" Laurel asked. She prayed he was wrong, but it made sense, he had boosted that he had come to the rescue of both of those women. "Oh, god. Please don't let it be so! But how can I avoid him, my darling Plachette? He might turn on me or on some other poor girl!" The pieces fit too perfectly, the attack were in fact her fault, Cristof was doing them or having them done for her. "I never thought Cristof capable of such evil!"
"What can we do, my dear Planchette?" Laurel asked. "I don't want to be the cause of another attack."
Planchette paused, there was little they could do if Cristof was behind the attacks since Cristof's family own most of the lands surrounding Calais and most businesses depended on the Lovells. Cristof could attack women and be assured pardon if ever he got caught. "I truly don't know if we can do anything, milove," Planchette finally replied. "You must guard yourself against him as best as possible. Who is to say what he will do if you incur his wrath."
She gave Planchette a hug and dried her tears, "Forgive me, my darling Planchette, for soaking your shirt," Laurel said, making a attempt at levity. "What work might I do for you this morning, dearest?"
Planchette sighed. "There is no need for apology, my dearest! But there is work to be done. I need you to delivery a suit to M. Mazzarini, don't worry his apartments are close by, and after yesterday's incident I don't think Andre should be going anywhere." With Laurel's assistance, Planchette wrapped up the extravagant suit and handed it to Laurel. He walked her to the stable, "Mazzarini is an old friend of mine, but he may be a bit of a cad. If he gets too cheeky, remind him that I've not lost one bit of my skill with a sword!" In the stable, Planchette lifted Laurel onto the horse. "Come back as quickly as possible, I don't want to risk the chance that that vicompte will run into you!"
"I will, sir! I will!" Laurel called as she urged her mount on. The image of the beaten woman kept passing through her mind, each time Laurel when to great efforts to push the thought out. She was never a coward before this, she thought perhaps the events of the past week had unsettled her.
