FicWad

Ch. 11 Escape
He killed her! I thought hysterically. He killed her! He’ll kill me!

My throat felt crushed. I couldn’t breath right and I scratched at my neck to try and open it. I had started to scream before I dropped the light but when it went out my voice went with it. I fell suddenly to the floor and crawled back against the wall trying to get as far away as I could from the coffin. I felt my head hit a coffin that was placed in one of the lower shelves. My breathing righted and I scrambled into the corner, not seeing but feeling my way to it. The floor was damp and sticky in places and the spots seemed to pull me to them.

The thick air chocked me even more now and in the dark I thought I could see movement. I could hear a small crunching noise. It got louder and louder each time I heard it. My blood pounded in my ears and my breathing quickened.

I couldn’t see it! I couldn’t see him! Bryant must have heard me in the halls and followed me all the way down so he could do it out of sight. Then all he would have to say is that my friends came for me and took me home. No one there would ask questions—they all hated me anyway. A dim light filtered in from the open staircase at the opposite end. With my mind so unstable there was no way I would be able to defend myself. I couldn’t even see! The light became brighter and his steps crunched louder. He was in the room! The light seemed to burn me and I franticly scratched at the walls trying to dig back into them to get out of its presence.

“Imari,” he said.

“No,” I rasped. “Get away!”

I couldn’t see anything but the light as it came slowly closer.

“Imari.”

“Get away!”

The light settled slowly on the ground. A hand took hold of my arm. I screamed.

“Imari!”

“Get away!” I shrieked. I tore at his arms and tried to shake myself out of his grasp.

“Imari, look at me! It’s me, Jim!”

I stopped my thrashing and finally saw who it was that held me. His troubled face stared into mine, waiting for me to recognize him.

“Jim,” I said, breathless. “Jim!”

I threw my arms around him and buried my face in his chest.

“Don’t leave me, Jim! Don’t leave me!” I clutched at his shirt, afraid that he would suddenly disappear.

“I will not leave you. What is it, Imari?” He held me still and stroked my head like he would a small kitten. “What on earth is the matter?”

I held on to him tighter.

“Don’t look, Jim.” I whispered. I was sure that the slightest noise could penetrate the walls and floors.

“Look at what?” He looked over his shoulder and, releasing me, he walked to the open coffin. I fell back again and pushed myself into the corner.

“Don’t, Jim. Don’t look.” I shook my head and watched him wide-eyed. He paused only for a moment then retrieved the candle he had set on the floor and held it over the corpses. He stood motionless above them and I thought I would go insane waiting for him to speak. I was just about to scream to break the excruciating silence when Jim was suddenly raising me to my dead feet. I had no strength in them and he had to hold me to him to keep me standing. He brought his face close to mine and looking severely into my eyes, began talking in a hushed and hurried voice.

"Imari! You must listen to what I say. I must leave you here for a while. I'll be back as soon as I can-"

"No!" I interrupted. "I can’t stay here! You can’t leave me!" I shrieked. He threw his other hand over my mouth, dropping the candle which fizzled out instantly on the damp floor. The strange hysteria that had taken over me when my light had gone out was taking over me again. I felt suffocated and Jim’s hand over my mouth was not a helping factor. He shook me once.

"Hush, Imari! I can’t take you or Lord Bryant would suspect that we know. You know his temper. Don’t give him a reason to use it.”

I was on the brink of sobbing, yet I had managed to gain my feet and slide Jim’s hand off my mouth.

“But what are you leaving for? Why do I have to wait?”

“I need to assemble Manheim’s crew so that we can leave port immediately when I come and get you. I believe this is the only way that you can be safe from him. Now no more questions!” Both of his hands grasped my arms. “You must do exactly as I say. Wait for me to leave first then go directly to your room, but do not rush! My father is a light sleeper and may hear you if you run. When you get to your room you must bolt your door. I will not be back for some hours at the most so you must try not to come down to breakfast with him. Never be alone with him! Tell him anything so that you can stay in your room until I come for you. But if there is no other way to avoid him, keep a servant with you." He paused here and I searched his eyes.

I couldn’t hold back the fear in my voice but I smiled encouragingly.

"Okay, Jimmy. I'll do what you want. I can look out for myself!" I punched my fists together to give him an idea of what I meant. Before I could again look at his face his arms were wrapped around me. My arms were the only barrier between us. He took my hand and led me back through the passage to the foot of the stairs. He was still for a moment before he brought his mouth close to my ear.

"I'm coming back for you," he whispered.

Before I could catch my breath enough to whisper something back he was up the steps and had silently shut the door behind him. I slowly fumbled my way up the cold stairway and grasped the door handle. It opened just as silently as it had when I had first entered through it. Once I had closed it I had to clench my fists tight to remind myself not to run. Every part of me was protesting the journey back to my room. It was dark and I almost stumbled several times before I finally reached my floor.

My hands flew to cover my nose and mouth to stifle the gasp I made. A soft light fell on the floor in front of me, coming from the slightly ajar door. Low voices conversed in the room and I strained to listen over the pounding pulse in my ears. I recognized the sound of his voice before I could understand the words.

Manheim.

“You’re a fool if you think that she’d take you even if Lady Bryant approved of her.”

“You always presumed too much, Fredrick. Now it seems as if you believe you have the ability to read minds.” This second one was Bryant.

“Yes, I believe I can. People are so simple and you were one of the simplest.”

“I am not so simple as to not see what you’re planning,” Bryant snapped. “I recognized the amount of attention you paid Miss Russel when she first arrived—”

“Indeed, but not much following that, did I?”

“Yes, you played your cards very well. Flirtatious flattery and then when you had got her snared you left her to follow you like a dog. She watched you a great deal after that. She was very conscious of you and do not think that I could not notice it!”

“Really, brother, the things that go through that thick head of yours. You honestly believe that I would set my sights on someone as low Miss Imari Russel? A bit of refuse I pulled out of the water? What nonsense.”

My face burned as I turned away to tiptoe down the hall. I held my breath till the door of my room was closed shut. I had time only for one breath before I heard a door close hard and foot steps head down the hall. Toward my room. I searched the edge of the door frantically only to find that it was completely devoid of any kind of lock or bolt. The feet were almost there. I turned and shoved myself under the covers of my bed, ducking my head under them as well.

There was a moment of silence before the door opened. A few foot steps and then the door shut. I held my breath. He walked to the side of my bed and I heard Bryant speak,

“He thinks I’m a fool. He thinks to marry you first and then take everything from me. Well, Miss Imari Russel, I’ll show him that he’s not the only one who can scheme.” An angry sound escaped his throat and I thought that I could feel him looming over the bed. Just when I thought that he would lash out and attack me, he left the room.

I lay there in astonishment. I was still alive. He hadn’t killed me! But that offered little consolation. Bryant was planning something, a better way to kill me, perhaps. His voice had held a malice that I’d never heard from him before. My stomach twisted in revulsion as my mind reeled over all the horrible ways he might try to rid himself of me.

I heard the door handle twist. I froze on my side and listened. He was back. He decided against waiting until morning and wanted to finish it now. How I wished at that moment that he had been on of the procrastinating type! I couldn’t hear anything. I kept perfectly still but almost cried out when the bed gave way behind me as a weight pressed down on it. The blanket was being pulled down over my head. I wanted desperately to hold them tight over me so as to shield me, even knowing that they offered absolutely no protection. He would realize I was awake if I held on to tightly. I let it down past my ear, where it stopped.

“I’m anxious to see what you’ll do, little fox,” it wasn’t Bryant, “when the hunter has you cornered.” Manheim stayed seated for what seemed like hours on the edge of my bed, sometimes moving a strand of hair from one side of my face to the other. At last, I felt the weight leave the bed and I heard the door close one last time. I was on my feet in an instant and had grabbed the chamber pot that had been placed under my bed just in time to vomit up the very little content of my stomach. I gagged for a long time even after there was nothing left to come out.

The rest of the night I spent in a miserable heap upon the floor, rocking myself on my side. Sleep was entirely impossible. Every creak and scratch made me jump and wretch. The state in which Diana found must have been very disgusting indeed. She gasped when she saw me, or perhaps she smelled me first. I hadn’t even noticed the light pouring in through my window as the morning lagged on. Diana helped me up and over to a chair while she cleaned up the mess. I sat nervously watching the door. People were walking through the halls past my door and expected Bryant to come bursting in and shoot me on the spot. It wouldn’t cause much of a disturbance in the assembled company if he did. They all thought I was insane anyway.

The noise died down after a while. Diana didn’t speak at all as she aided me to the water basin. With trembling hands I washed my face and hands, after which she washed my hair and braided it. Just as she was tying the end of the braid there was a hard knock at the door. My heart leaped into my throat.

“Jim!” I cried. I jumped at the door and threw the door open. I almost fell into the person standing there. My breath caught in my throat and I coughed. Bryant bowed low.

“I’m sorry to have bothered you at such a time, but I assumed that you had already been dressed.” His tone was all politeness and sincerity. “I would be very grateful if you would come down to breakfast soon.”

“If that’s all you wanted to say you could’ve just sent a servant,” I blurted. “You shouldn’t have troubled yourself.”

“No, it was my wish to see you down myself. However, I will leave you to prepare for breakfast and I shall meet you in the dinning hall.” He took my hand and kissed it as he bowed over it. I closed the door once I could no longer hear his footsteps and snatched Diana’s arms.

“Diana! You must go tell him that I can’t come down to breakfast. Please!”

“What?” she said astonished. “And put him into one of his tempers? Not on my life!”

“Please! You don’t have to lie for me. I’m sick, just tell him that!”

“But you’re looking much better now, miss. And he expressly asked you himself. I wouldn’t keep him waiting, dear.”

I moaned and fell back into the chair covering my face with my hands.

“If you’re worried about what happened with the mistress and the company last night, you shouldn’t be. They’ve all—”

“Oh!” I exclaimed, looking up at her. “You’re right!” There was no way he would commit a murder in front of so many witnesses. As long as I wasn’t the last one in the room with Bryant, everything would be fine. I could eat breakfast, or try at least, and then come back and wait for Jim if he didn’t arrive before then.

“So, then miss. Shall I help you into your dress?” She brought over the soft violet gown that she had discarded upon first entering and helped me into it. She deftly braided parts of my hair around my head into a very pretty style and then shooed me out the door. She called after me saying that Bryant was waiting in the second, smaller dining room. This one was located upstairs. It seemed awfully quiet as I stood in front of the door.

I took a moment to compose myself. Even with the thought of so many other people in the room, I couldn’t quell the uneasy feeling in my stomach. But that was understandable. Dining with your intended murderer and his guests wasn’t exactly the type of situation to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The doors were flung open suddenly, revealing a very irritated Bryant who stopped short when he saw me. His chest was heaving and I could see that he had become very impatient waiting for me.

“Oh,” he said roughly. “There you are.”

“Sorry,” I said politely. “I hope you didn’t wait for me to start. I wouldn’t want to keep everyone from their meal.”

“Not at all, Miss Russel. Please.” He stepped back and let me enter first before he shut the doors behind us. The empty room was small. There was absolutely no one else there. Not even a single servant. I stopped dead in my tracks.

“Where is everyone?”

“They are all taking a ride around the grounds. I suggested that they do so this morning before the weather becomes too unsuitable for the outing.”

“Is that the only reason?” I blurted.

“Perhaps not.” He gave a small smile before taking my hand and leading me to the other end of the room to sit in the chair next to him. I sat rigidly straight. The plates were already filled with an array of meats, tarts, and jellies.

“Go on and eat. No need to stand on ceremony with me, my dear one.”

My head shot up to gape at him. Dear one?

“I-I’m not v-very hungry,” I stammered. I tried to clear my throat. “Not much of an appetite.” I tried to smile but I think it came out as a toothy grimace.

“Yes, I understand. Anyone would be apprehensive in your situation.”

“Yeah, well I think this goes just a little bit beyond apprehension,” I said with a little more feeling.

“Yes.” He glanced about the room for a moment before he stood abruptly. “I suppose there’s no way around it. Miss Russel,” he forced a smile here, “I believe that I am in love with you and find that I want you to be my wife.”

Now that was unexpected.

“You what?!”

“Don’t tell me that you haven’t noticed my marked attentions toward you? You must have seen the way I—”

“No, no, no, no, no! I really don’t want to hear this.” I put my hands up defensively. “Please stop.”

“What is it?” Bryant knelt next to me and looked up into my face. He was an amazing actor. “Are you possibly worried about Lady Bryant? No need to feel uneasy there. I’ll make sure that she can not harm you and you in turn can make her life as miserable as you wish. Indeed, I am hoping you will. As my wife, no one will dare to question your birth or behavior again. You can have anything, absolutely anything that you want.”

“What makes you think I want anything you have?” I said angrily. “There is absolutely nothing that you have that I want. I want absolutely nothing to do with you!”

Bryant seized the legs of my chair and flipped it. I hit the side of the table first before I fell to the ground on my side. I watched in shock as he bent over me. I could feel the anger in his voice as he said,

“You see, Miss Russel, I am not a patient man. Nor am I accustomed to having my offers so lightly dismissed. Now is the time to accept before I change my mind.”

I snatched the edge of the tablecloth and yanked it. The tableware flew into Bryant’s side. My dress hindered me as I scrambled to my feet. He had me by the arm in an instant and wrenched me back.

“I could break you like a twig if I so chose!” He spat. “Now marry me or I will!”

“And then what? Kill me like you killed Jim’s mother?” I spat back. He backhanded me across the face sending me again to the floor.

“Who told you that?!” He raged. He stuck his face in front of mine. “Tell me who told you that!”

My open palm shot up against Bryant’s nose. He fell back and I darted for the door. I tore it open and ran like fury down the hallway. He was right on my tail and gaining quickly. There was no way I could outrun him—no way could I escape him. And then I saw it, hanging level with the second floor.

The chandelier.

I had no time to debate the obviously stupid idea so I jumped over the banister with my arms stretched out to grasp the chain that held the fixture suspended. I barely managed to catch hold of it and my weight jerked the chain. It swung wildly out to the large front window and then back to the banister where Bryant waited. He made an attempt to grab my leg as I kicked but as I struggled the chain came loose above me. On the back swing it dropped just enough to send me flying through the glass window. I fell then onto something that made an UMPH! It rolled down the stone steps with me and landed next to me in the dirt. I could feel blood trickling down my face as I pushed myself up. I still wasn’t safe. I had to get far away from Bryant. I glanced at the thing I had hit as I tried to stand. Jim was struggling to recover from the blow and sit upright.

“Jim!” I cried. I fell next to him and embraced him, sobbing. “Thank you!” I kissed his face repeatedly. “Thank you, thank you!”

“Imari!” He pulled my arms off away from his neck and looked me in the face. “What on earth! What happened?”

Just then the doors burst open and Bryant bounded down the steps in pursuit. Jim moved me aside and jumped to his feet. Bryant stopped short at the sight of him.

“Go inside, boy,” he huffed.

Jim looked defiantly back, not moving a muscle. Bryant let out some kind of snarl sound and tried to move around toward me but Jim whipped out a pistol from inside his coat and aimed it at his chest.

“Go back inside, sir, or you may catch something deadly.” He cocked the gun. Bryant looked furious. He tried to stare Jim down then looking over to me, he growled,

“You best think twice if you believe you’ll be able to come back in this house again!” He walked back up the stairs and slammed the great doors behind him. Jim watched the doors closely without glancing back at me.

“I found Manheim’s crew and told them to get to the ship. I also told Manheim everything. He agreed that we should leave immediately and is headed there now. If we go quickly we may arrive just after he does.” He hesitated only another moment. Catching my hand he ran me over to a horse that waited off to the side. He mounted and then heaved me on behind him. He brought my hands to his stomach and said,

“Hold on.” Kicking the horse into run we flew quickly away from the awful Harrington estate. My heart sank.

“Jim!” I yelled. “What about all those kids? What is he going to do to Alice and Anthony?”

“Don’t worry about them!” He shouted back. “They have too many well-known connections; it would ruin his reputation if he touched one of them!”

I held on tighter hopping with all my might that what he said was true.