Afterthought by M J Marlow (red white royal blue .txt) 📖

let go until she relaxed. “There is not a person here, my little one; who will not stand with you against the danger you sense. You have no reason to run.” He raised her eyes to his. “Do you believe this?” “It is so different from what I’ve known, Father,” Evangeline replied softly. “Sylvie always told me to keep these things to myself. She didn’t think the Sterlings would be happy knowing I could do the same thing my mother had.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t lie to them, though. The uncles all understood and they encouraged me to come to them when I got one of my ‘feelings’.” Stefano kissed her on the forehead and pulled her to her feet. He made their excuses and took her to the family chapel. The quiet as the thick wooden doors closed was quite restful. They sat down in the back and sat quietly for a few moments. Evangeline got the feeling that he needed time to figure out how to speak to her about her mother. “I know she was damaged, Father,” Evangeline assured him. “She loved me as much as she was capable of loving me, but she was cruel and thoughtless when I needed her to be supportive and protective. If Sylvie had not been there, I am afraid to think what life would have been like with only Mama. She got worse as I got older and Sylvie called Uncle Adam. He convinced Mama to go home to Sterling Manor.” “Your uncle Adam,” Stefano told her, “always wanted to believe his sister could change. He could not see that her behavior was set.” “I knew she wasn’t going to stay with me when we went back,” Evangeline sighed. “I knew the signs by the time I was five that meant she was going to run. But she always came back after a few days or weeks.” She was shaking as she remembered. “I knew this time was different. I did everything I could think of to keep her in sight but she slipped away one night while I was sleeping and I was inconsolable.” She could feel the tears and she did nothing to stop them. “She said we would always be together, Father, and then she abandoned me! I was so hurt that I let myself believe all the hateful things Daria said to me: that I wasn’t wanted, that my own mother didn’t love me.” She took the handkerchief he handed to her. “She said that you didn’t want me either; that’s why you let Mother take me away from you.” She started crying for real then and he held her as the storm raged. Stefano could not believe anyone could have been so cruel to his beautiful child. But he had seen the effects of jealousy and insecurity and knew they could cause a lot of damage. Daria was beginning to make up to her cousin for her thoughtlessness and selfishness now. One day his niece would be a wonderful young woman. He stroked Evangeline’s back and murmured endearments to her in Italian. When the crying stopped, he looked down to see that she was sleeping with a happy smile on her face. He picked her up in his arms and carried her to her bed. Several days passed and Evangeline settled into the life of the estate in Italy. She went everywhere with her Grandmother. When she was not with Morgana, she would go riding with Silvano and his men. Her father stayed at the estate, but his days were filled with consultations with his patients. It was all right. She had time to get to know about him from his mother and brothers. She was beginning to relax and forget about the threat of Edward Landry and the strange sightings of the woman she had thought was her mother. She was sitting in the gardens enjoying some quiet time with her Grandmother and uncles after dinner when Stefano came back from a consultation. “We will be going home soon, child,” Stefano smiled as he kissed her cheek. “Your Grandmother had the plans for the new residence sent to Monsieur Torval. He should already have the foundation laid for the new residence and most of the framing done by now.” “So it is to be the same as the main house,” Evangeline nodded, “except for the number of bedrooms.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Do we ever do anything in a small way?” “We are Roza,” The three brothers intoned as one. “We make our presence known to all.” They looked over at Morgana, who was shaking her head. “Is that not so, Mama?” “Disrespectful imps!” the woman laughed. She held her hand out to Evangeline. “I have the sketches I made of what I wished the house to look like, child. I think you might like those. Come with me.” They went into Morgana’s sitting room and she went to the desk and pulled out a small portfolio. She opened it and Evangeline saw the sketches for a small castle set among different types of landscaping. “This is what I wanted your grandfather to build on the property in France,” she explained. “He insisted we needed something grander.” “So all Roza men think on a larger scale than necessary, Grandmother?” “We Roza are a proud lot, child,” Morgana smiled. “We want the world to sit up and take notice of us.” She saw the look in Evangeline’s eyes. “You, I think, would prefer to devote yourself to others and not be noted?” Evangeline nodded. “You can get a lot more accomplished by allowing people to take note, child. Your rank allows you aid that you would not have as a commoner. Think on that.” She kissed Evangeline on the forehead and closed the portfolio to give to her. “Father said you were an architect, Grandmother?” Evangeline was even more enchanted when Morgana nodded affirmation of her guess. She looked at the sketches again. “It is plain to see where Silvano and I get our artistic talent from, Grandmother. These are the loveliest sketches I have ever seen.” “You are definitely Roza,” Morgana laughed and embraced her grandchild. “That was the prettiest compliment I have received in a very long time.” She saw the time. “It is time you went to bed.” Then she returned to the study where she knew her sons would be waiting for her. She sat back with a cup of tea and waited for Stefano to tell them what had been bothering him since the night of the party. She did not have to wait long for him to break. He was far less secretive than his younger brothers. Stefano always preferred to handle things head on. That was one of the characteristics he shared with his father. “She has her mother’s sight,” Stefano told them honestly. He could see they were as worried as he was. “If she says that danger is coming, we need to be prepared for it.” He thought over the past three weeks. “She also has an ability I have never seen in anyone before: she can see past the masks people put on to the truth.” He pulled the canvas out and showed it to them. “This woman came to the residence in France and was all smiles and warmth. But you see what my daughter saw in her?” “I know that smile,” Silvano said tightly. “I have met this woman before.” He thought about it and knew where they had met. “The hair and eyes are a different color, and the nose and jaw are altered, but this is one of Edward Landry’s twin sisters, Elaine or Elinor. I am certain of it.” He heard Stefano’s curse and nodded. “Both of them are nasty customers.” “They had Evangeline in their hands once already,” Stefano told them what had happened and saw their anger and concern mount. “I will not let it happen again.” “The child is not allowed off the estate,” Morgana ordered, “without a guard from this night on. I want at least five people knowing exactly where she is at every moment.” She saw Stefano starting to say something. “I do not care if she likes it or not, my son. We must protect our little angel.” “I was not going to argue, Mama,” Stefano smiled at her. He nodded behind her to the doorway. “I just wanted you to know that Evangeline heard every word you just said.” He watched as his mother held her hand out to his daughter. “What woke you, child?” Morgana asked as Evangeline came to sit on the arm of her chair. “You were sound asleep when I left you.” “I had a nightmare,” she told him as she leaned her cheek against the top of her grandmother’s head, “about Mama. She was in a room with a shackle on her ankle and she was being forced…” She bit her lip and looked down a moment. “A man was forcing her. And I could hear that woman’s voice saying Mama had to make the man happy or they would give her to the shadow men.” She looked at them all and they could see she was serious. “She’s not dead, Father. She’s being held prisoner somewhere by that witch and being used like a whore.” “Evangeline!” “Don’t correct her, Sergio,” Stefano said to his more straight-laced brother. “That is exactly what it sounds like.” He looked at Evangeline. “This room,” he asked gently; “was it in the same place you were being held?” “I don’t know,” Evangeline told him honestly. “It felt more like a hospital room. The man was in white like the orderlies at a hospital.” She got up on her feet and went to the window. “I have to know the truth, Father. This nightmare was too real, too detailed, to be just a dream.” She fell silent for a moment and when she turned they could see she was determined. “I’m going back to France,” she told them. “I know you have patients you need to see here for the next two weeks, Father, but I cannot wait that long. Emilio will watch out for me.” Evangeline watched their expressions and steeled herself for argument. She could see their concern for her, and it made her feel loved and secure. But this was something she needed to do. The last place she had seen this woman was in Paris. If she was still posing as Lenore Otto, then they could trap her and make the woman tell them the truth. If the nightmare was true, Aileen needed help desperately. “My men and I will go with you,” Silvano spoke up. “We haven’t seen Paris in a while.” He saw his mother’s look. “Don’t worry, Mama. Our first priority will be to look out for my darling niece.” “You’ll be ready to leave in the morning then,” Stefano decided. “While you’re there you can check on the new residence.” He smiled briefly as Evangeline threw her arms around him. “I let you go on one condition, daughter.” She nodded. “You are not to go anywhere without at least three men and the Santos women in your company. Is this clear?” She nodded. “Now it is time for you to go back to bed,” Morgan said as she turned Evangeline towards the doors. “I am going to miss you, Eva. I have quite enjoyed having you here.” They arrived back in France the next afternoon and Evangeline could see life was going to be a great deal more interesting with Silvano and his men around. The moment they drove up to the house, Emilio was there. He had a very stern look on his face as he saw Silvano. For a moment, Evangeline was afraid they would come to blows. But then the moment passed and Emilio was embracing the younger man and slapping him on the back. “Princess!” one