Fear Of The Dark

I didn't want to go see my father or Maurice but I couldn't not return the ring either, which Brian had so kindly fetched for me during the night. I didn't ask questions, just thanked him for retrieving it and accepted that now I had no choice but to see them.

Sucking in a breath I did the buttons of my grey and pale pink coat, before pulling on my gloves. That done, I made sure the ring was in my pocket before heading outside to climb inside the carriage, followed closely by Rose who was finally fed up of Sarah and I going places without a chaperone, on account of the fact it wasn't acceptable, and finally Brian. Did you really think I was going to go alone with just Rose? If they weren't all pre-occupied with other things, or fallen out with each other, I would have brought everyone along.

I was pretty much scared of my father and I didn't know Mr Washington well enough to know how he would react when I gave him back his ring. The carriage rattled along the streets in the direction of my parents home, a home I didn't really have many intentions of moving back into if I could help it.

For the entire ride I remained silent, watching the streets pass by out of the window. Brian was quiet too, keeping a reassuring hold of my hand as he too watched out of the window. Well, he would have held it if we weren't under the careful of eye of Rose, until finally the carriage stopped outside the all too familiar stone house.

The carriage driver opened the door and helped me down with Brian climbing out just behind me. The entire inhabitants of the street stopped to watch as the wealthy couple stepped down with the chaperone, their eyes widening in amazement when they realised that the scrubbed up and well dressed young woman was in fact the De Farrars girl.

I ignored them, holding my chin up as I walked down the garden path to the front door, holding Brian's arm. When we reached it, he held up a hand and confidently knocked on the door, only for it to be answered by my mother. Her eyes widened instantly. "Kirsty?"

"Mother," I smiled, leaning forward to kiss her cheek softly.

"Oh my, you look so radiantly wonderful!"

"May we come in, Madame?" Brian now asked politely, and mum began to nod eagerly, stepping aside to allow the three of us into the house. We were shown into the sitting room, where my grandmother was sitting in her rocking chair and George and Harriet were sitting on the hearth rug, playing some game.

I sat delicately on the edge of one of the seats, placing my hands in my lap as Brian sat beside me, and Rose was offered another seat. Mum was flapping I could tell, because she was mumbling incessantly to herself and only half finishing sentences before starting the next. I glanced at Brian, who looked uneasy but before I could say anything mother spoke.

"So to what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked, her voice slightly higher than usual.

"I actually need to speak with father and Mr Washington."

Just then the sound of the front door opening met our ears and mother turned, almost apprehensively to the sitting room door, as Brian, Rose and I all got to our feet to greet whoever had arrived. Ah, shit. It was my dad and Mr Washington. How lucky of me? I could refuse his hand in marriage now.

That roughly translates into: KILL ME NOW.

"Ahh, my beautiful fiancee!" Maurice smiled, his weird eyes supposedly looking at me, but looking elsewhere instead. I smiled, convinced it came out as more of a grimace, noting how stiff Brian had become where he stood politely at my side. "What a pleasant surprise! Would you care to take a walk with me?"

"That will not be possible, Mr Washington," I answered in a quiet voice.

"And what exactly does that mean young lady?" Father frowned, stepping back from greeting Rose and myself, and shaking Brian's hand.

"Please sit," Mother rushed, flapping her hands and once more we sank into our seats.

"Now, why exactly can you not walk out with Mr Washington?" Father asked, keeping a careful eye Brian more then myself.

"I wish to call off this engagement. I am terribly sorry. I have your ring, Mr Washington," I rushed, pulling said ring from my pocket and holding it out for him to take. Dad held up a hand though, the both of them frowning at me.

"Why?"

"Because I do not wish to marry this man."

"That is not a good enough excuse, young lady. This is your chance to get back what you so rightly deserve!"

"I do not want to marry Mr Washington father, why does everything have to be politics?"

"If you can give me a valid reason, why you do not wish to marry Maurice, then I shall accept that and Mr Washington can take back his ring."

I stared at him, frowning slightly, before opening my mouth and closing it, and repeating the process a few times until Rose and mother both scolded me for imitating a fish rather than a young lady. Ahh damn you Brian, why couldn't you wait until I had a good enough excuse to fetch the ring back?

"Because I could give Kirsty back the life she was always destined to have and more, whereas Mr Washington would not be able to restore that fully," Brian spoke up and I snapped my head round to see him watching my father intently. What the hell?

"And what makes you say that?"

"I am the heir to plenty of gold mining land in my home country; my family is one of the wealthiest in California sir, along with those of my friends," Brian began. "I could offer Kirsty more riches than you once had yourself, sir. She would be able to take her rightful place in society back. Something, I do not believe, would happen if she married Mr Washington."

"How would you know that?" Maurice now spoke, finally his odd eyes eerily staring at Brian from the odd angles they were sat at.

"Believe me when I say it Mr Washington, the fortune I shall inherit from my father far outweighs the money you will earn in your entire life. You ask any of the people who have ever travelled to America, and they will tell you of the Haner business."

"And so what exactly is it that you intend?" Dad frowned and I bit down on my lip, mothers apprehensiveness now overtaking me as I awaited his answer to that.

"As soon as my business in England is dealt with, my friends and I shall be travelling back to California and I wish it that Kirsty comes with me. I love your daughter, very much, Mr de Farrars, and if you permit it, I wish to take her hand in marriage."

The room was silent, waiting for a response.

"Very well," Father flapped his hand. I dropped the ring into Mr Washington's hand, not able to comprehend how Brian had got me out of the situation so easily and so convincingly. And with that Mr Washington left, a sour look consuming his face as mother began to flap again, getting some tea for everyone.

Harriet and George seemed more excited than ever, abandoning their game on the rug and moving over to hug me before standing in front of Brian and watching him carefully. I couldn't help but laugh at that, but then noticed the uneasy look on Brian's face as it returned. I followed his eyes to Harriet's clenched fist. "I'm Harriet," the little girl finally said. "Look, it says so on my necklace."

And with that the little silver chain and locket had been dropped into Brian's had and the look began not one of unease, but that of so much pain it actually hurt me to see him like that. But he was fighting it I could tell and I took the necklace away from his hand, noting the redness of his palm as if he had been burnt.

"Sweetie, I am quite sure Brian believes you, you do not need to show him," I informed her, putting the chain back around her neck.

"Are you going to marry Kirsty?" George then asked.

"Yes, I am young sir," Brian smiled through his pain. "And I shall make it my duty to look after her as well as you have."

"Do you want to go help with the tea?" I said and they nodded, skipping off out of the room and I turned to Brian, pulling his hand towards me to see just how bad it was. I touched my finger to it gently and he flinched, forgetting his company and made that deep growling from his throat. "Sorry," I murmured. "Sarah can have a look at your hand the moment we return."

"I wish we could go sooner," he replied, turning his hand over to hide the burn. "There is so much silver in this house."

"Ahh, yes, I forgot. No wonder Johnny always looked so uncomfortable," I frowned looking away from his dark eyes. "I shouldn't have asked you to come with me."

"I wasn't going to let you go alone; if you had you would still have to marry that man."

"Yes but now you've been burnt by the silver."

"And why would a young man, such as yourself, be burnt by silver?" My grandmother spoke up and the entire room fell silent, watching her. Ahh crap. I knew she faked being fucking deaf. "Werewolves are burnt by silver. You must be a werewolf young man, I sensed your unrest the moment you entered this house, and now you've been burnt by silver."

"Mother, that is ridiculous," Father said, waving his hand to dismiss the notion. "There are no such creatures as werewolves, they are simply stories put together to scare children. And besides, if Mr Haner were a werewolf, do you really think my daughter would want to marry him?"

"They are not stories, young man," Grandmother wagged her finger at her son. "I almost lost you because of a werewolf; he was caught in a battle with a vampire. Evil nasty blood sucking things are those."

"I am sorry Brian, my mother-in-law's mind isn't what it used to be," Mother apologised.

"My mind is perfectly fine, and that man is a werewolf I tell you!"

"Grandmother, Brian burnt his hand at home this morning," I lied, glancing at Brian and seeing the look he held in his eyes; if only they all knew just how true her words were. She pursed her lips and made the most disbelieving look she ever could at the two of us, but I put on a smile, completely ignoring it and looked at Brian. "And if he were anything sinister, I certainly would not want to marry him."

"See mother? Kirsty is a sensible young woman."

"Anyway, I'm afraid we must depart," Brian now said politely, climbing to his feet. "I have business to be attending to."

"Oh, of course," Mother now agreed, with a slight frown. I also came to stand and followed the contingency to the door as mother, once again, began to flap incessantly. I gave a reassuring smile, but it didn't seem to help. "You must visit again sometime."

"We shall don't worry," I said, hugging her.

She smiled and let me go, allowing me to walk down the garden path to the waiting carriage where I was again helped up into it. Brian sat opposite me, and Rose at my side, the three of us silent as we made our way home again. I couldn't help but glance across at Brian every now and then, his words making me more and more curious.

"Did you say that just to help me or did you really mean it?" I spoke up, and Brian's eyes moved away from his hand and up to meet mine. He was nervous I could tell, and his cheeks flushed a little red, though I knew if questioned about it he would never admit it.

"I said it because I meant it," he answered quietly.

An uncontrollable grin split across my face and I looked out the window, whilst thoughts raced through my mind about marrying Brian. Because he wanted to marry me. He hadn't just said all that as some fancy ass speech to help me out, it was a fancy ass speech that he meant with his entire heart and soul.

Finally the carriage came to a stop outside of our home and for a moment I sat there, my eyes gazing up at the building before the door opened and I was helped down. Brian, smiling down at me affectionately, offered me his arm and we headed inside, before walking into the parlour where we were informed the others were.

But the mood was solemn and the guys were wearing frowns, whilst Sarah sat silently by the fire. Away from Zack mind, who was nearest the door. I glanced at Brian who shrugged. "Sarah, would you take a look at Brian's hand? He burnt it."

"How'd you burn your hand?" Jimmy frowned.

"My cousin dropped her silver locket into his hand," I explained.

"Yeah, sure," she smiled.

"So what's with the mood in here?" Brian asked, after flashing her a thankful smile.

"The Ripper has struck again."