: : Summary : : Jonathan takes deliberate and secretive steps in an attempt tofind peace of mind, but he learns he can't control the fate of others. Parts of this story relate directly to 'Sins of the Brother' so you might feel like reading that first to save any confusion with this.
Evelyn paced the drawing room occassionaly peering through the window shoping to see her brother returning home. "You still in here?" said Rick poking his head around the door.
"Where is he?" she answered her husband but still kept her pace "It's eleven O'Clock in the morning and there's no sign of him."
Rick walked over to her and attempted to make her sit down "I wouldn't panic just yet, it's not the first time he's disappeared." he reasoned "He's been gone for days before."
"Yes, well that was before he was brutalised in the street." her anxiety was growing "Who's to say they haven't got at him again and he's been left for dead?"
"I don't think so." Knowing she wouldn't react favourably to the news that he'd paid off Jonathan's debts, Rick was searching for other ways to reassure her "It's just him, Evie, he'll show up sooner or later."
"You seem sure of that." quizzed Evelyn.
"Look, if you're so worried, why not go wait at the gate, at least you'll be able to see him from a distance." His joke fell completely flat. He watched his wife become exasperated, turn half circles on the spot with her eyes and mouth wide open. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." he said putting his arms about her shoulders trying to calm her down. "You want me to go look for him, don't ya?"
"Would you?" How could he refuse her when she looked up at him with those eyes.
"Yeah sure, why not?." he sighed "But I can't promise I won't hurt him myself when I find him. Any ideas where you'd like me to start?" he added waving his arms wide.
"You could begin at those places he likes in the East End." she offered softly.
Rick closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, thinking to himself that Jonathan was dead man. "East End? You're sure about that?" He gave his best longing look to his wife, hoping she would change her mind and allow her wayward brother come home by himself, but all he saw in her face was relief and gratitude. "Oookay then."
"Rick!" she called as he turned to leave. He turned, hopefully, but she only reached up to put her hands around his neck. "Thank you, Darling." she said kissing him lightly.
"Doesn't the rescuer get a better reward than that?"
"You haven't found him yet?" she teased
"Yeah, well when I do, he's gonna seriously consider moving out." Touching one finger to her nose, he continued "And then you, my dear, are gonna pay up."
"With pleasure. Just please find him." she kissed him again. He never was able to resist her and as usual, he'd do anything for her.
This time, however, he didn't have to travel to the ends of the earth, he only got as far as the driveway when he saw Jonathan walking towards him. "Home at last, I see." He called sardoncially. "Just where in hell have you been?"
"Well, this is a turn up for the books!" Jonathan called back with surprise "Didn't know you cared so much O'Connell."
"I don't"
"Ahh, so it's Evie who's sent you out to look for me then."
"You could say that."
"Yes I can...and I will." chirped Jonathan as he slapped his astonished brother- in-law across the shoulders. "Where is my baby sister this morning?"
"Drawing room." was all Rick could manage as he watched a half crippled Jonathan attempt to skip up the front steps. For one thing, he was surprised he had arrived home sober, and secondly, he was trying to remember if he had ever seen Jonathan skip before.
"Morning Evie!" he called out as he entered the house. "Morning Alex" and patted his nephew on the head as he passed him on the stairs.
"Now just wait a minute!" Evelyn shouted as hurried to the foot of the stairs "Jonathan!" He stopped, looked at her and waited for her to speak. For a moment Evelyn was speechless "Well, where have you been, Jonathan? I was worried. Are you alright?"
"Yes, perfectly. Thank you Evie." he continued up the stairs "Just going for a lie down now, if that's alright with the rest of you." and he disappeared into the landing.
For the second time that morning Evelyn was left with her mouth gaping. Looking around she saw Rick leaning against the doorway, his arms folded across his chest and the most ridiculous grin on his face "I found him!"
"That doesn't count."
"Oooh yes it does!" Rick laughed at her "I went out the door and I came back with Jonathan." she pretened to scowl at him "You never said how long I had to be gone."
"You're impossible Rick O'Connell." She turned and went back into the drawing room.
"No, I believe that's you, Mrs O'Connell." as he followed her.
"I might as well be invisible sometimes!" murmered Alex as he rolled his eyes and headed towards the kitchen.
****
Dinner that evening was a strained affair, for Evelyn at least. Rick had no interest where Jonathan had been and was consumed in conversaton with his son. Evelyn tried everything to get Jonathan to confess but each inroad was a dead end. Jonathan had always delighted in his sister's uncontrollable curiosity, especially when he held the final say on whether or not to put her out of her misery. It had been a while since he had the upper hand and he was enjoying himself immensly. "Why such intense interest, Evie?' asked Jonathan "You've never been so facinated in my social life before."
"You've never been left bleeding at the front door before, either." she snapped "I'm just concerned Jonathan, that's all."
"So now each time I leave the house you'd like to know where I'm going. Is that it?"
"Well, maybe for a while."
"Good God, Evie!" laughed Jonathan "You're not my mother."
"That's not what I meant and you know it." she almost shouted. Rick was surprised how agitated this was making her. "And somehow...Ooooohhh, you just look different, that's all."
"Evie, he looks the same as he always does." Rick put his hand on her arm, calming her. "Whatever it is he's teasing you with he's obviously not going to tell you tonight." He saw the delight in Jonathan's face but pretended not to. He'd learnt long ago not to step between these two when they were arguing, they always found their common ground in the end. The nexus between them often went too deep for his understanding.
"Hhmm." she said, defeated and slightly embarrassed. "Well, as I said, I'm just concerned."
"Just nosey, little sister."
"JONATHAN! THAT'S IT!" shouted Rick, silencing the arguement. He might not want to interfere but he sure as hell didn't have to listen to it all night. He turned to his wife and said quietly "Honey, stop taking the bait, just leave it for now, hey."
"He's just so infuriating." she whispered as Rick looked back and forth between them, then at Alex who just shook his head at him. Rick nodded.
******
Later in the evening, Jonathan was almost out of the house when Rick walked up behind him. "Leaving so soon, Jonathan?" he said putting his hand to Jonathan's shoulder making him jump.
"Bloody hell O'Connell! Don't sneak up on a man like that."
"Tell me, Jonathan." Rick queried "What are you playing at with Evelyn? I mean, unless it's gonna drag me out in the middle of the night, I usually don't care what you get up to, but seeing as you're leaving now and I'm the one left with a very upset wife, you could at least tell me what this is all about."
"Nothing really. Just a bit of fun at my sister's expense. She always did bite easily." He could tell by the expression on Rick's face that this wasn't what he wanted to hear, but Jonathan had at last become bold and was relishing it. "Rest assured, all will be revealed soon enough."
"Not soon enough for your sister." Rick answered, beginning to show the same irritaton that Evelyn displayed at dinner. "If it's anything illegal, this time you dig yourself out of the hole, got it!
"No no no!" Jonathan laughed "It's nothing like that. In fact, it's rather nice actually." he was still smiling as he turned and walked out the door. Rick watched him leave and began to suspect what Jonathan was up to.
"How big was the last hole you dug him out of?" Rick turned and saw Evelyn on the landing. He pushed the door shut and walked up to her.
"Eavesdropping isn't very nice." he said cautiously.
"Neither is keeping little secrets, especially from your wife. How big?"
"Pretty big." he answered putting his arm around her, making her walk with him. "Eight thousand."
"POUNDS!" Evelyn almost shrieked. "I had no idea he was in so much debt."
"Not anymore." he kissed the top of head, but she was still speaking with disbelief.
"That explains the windows. My God, they could have easily killed us all in our beds for that sort of money."
"Not quite, what they did was pretty much routine." He squeezed her closer as they kept walking up the stairs. He had wanted to spare her this, she had been emotionally wrought since returning from Egypt, then the surprise of falling pregnant followed by the ordeal of the birth all being nicely topped with Jonathan's beating had made his normally sagacious Evelyn a little melancholy. "I think I can take your mind off it though, I have a feeling I know what he's hiding."
"It's not more debts, is it?"
"No...I have a sneaking suspicion he's got a woman." and waited for her reaction.
"Oh, not another one!" she moaned "I swear, Rick, if he brings home one more trollop..."
"No, I mean a girlfriend." he laughed.
Her face lit up for the first time that day "Really! Do you really think....how can you tell?"
"He's got that dumb smile plastered all over his face." he said standing aside to let her enter the bedroom first. Evelyn smiled up at him,
"Anything like the one you had?"
"Cute" He stood behind her and put his arms about her waist. "If I remember, Mrs. O'Connell, you owe me a debt of your own."
END CHAPTER 2