The Return of the Order - Act 4

It was a few days later when the expected knock at the door came. Louisa answered it to find Peter standing there twiddling an envelope between his fingers. She greeted him with a smile.

“Peter, what brings you to our door?”

"Mrs. Michaelis, I come with an invitation to luncheon at the manor and to apologise once again for the insults of my master."

Louisa took the offered invitation. "Thank you, Peter. There really is no need for further apologies, one cannot be held accountable for the actions of others." She smiled again and prepared to close the door. Peter, however, showed no signs of leaving, and instead stood rooted to the spot his fingers pulling and rubbing at the cuffs of his jacket.

For all his outward signs of nervousness and uncomfortableness, Louisa could still sense something very different beyond the surface. There are a surety and self-importance that he was trying hard to hide. He could have easily been mistaken for a young demon on his first contract, except that he was no demon, at least none that Louisa had ever met. Not wanting to play her hand, she continued with his game, only now with an understanding that there were hidden rules.

“Was there something else, Peter?”

“I, I, erm, wanted to ask, would Lilith care to join me for a walk, with your permission of course?”

“I’m sure she would like that, accompanied by her brother, of course.”

A moment of honest uncertainty flitted across Peter’s face. Had she been human, Louisa would have missed it completely.

"Yes, of course, it is only proper that a young lady is accompanied when in the presence of a stranger."

“Please wait here, I will see if she would like to join you.”

Peter waited patiently, it was of no real consequence to him whether her brother was there or not, he simply needed to spend time in the presence of at least one of the children away from their possibly much more dangerous mother. He was sure that he had the right family, but his masters would not take kindly to him making a mistake, not now.

Louisa soon returned with a beaming Lilith and slightly more sullen Raven.

“Now do not keep them out too long, they still have lessons to attend to, and remember, there are many hidden dangers on these moors, so be careful.”

Peter nodded and offered his arm to Lilith. Smiling happily, she took the offered arm. As soon as she touched him, a cold shiver ran down her spine, and she fought to keep her eyes human. She quickly looked at Raven, knowing that he would have felt it too. Revan nodded, gripping his hands into tight fists to control his own reaction to disgust and distaste that emanated from his sister. Keeping her smile in place they set off with Raven a few steps behind, feigning complete disinterest in being there at all, let alone the conversation that was taking place between his sister and the butler. His mind, however, replayed the words of his mother over and over. "I do not trust him, and neither should you, listen carefully to their conversation and do not let your sister out of your sight, not even for a moment.” He had already decided that he disliked the smiling young butler and his mother’s warning only reinforced that feeling. He had slipped several of his knives into his jacket pocket, a move that was not lost on Louisa. Rather than stopping him, his mother had simply said, “Only if it becomes necessary.”

As they walked the grounds that surrounded the children's home, the conversion was on the surface little to worry about. Peter asked about their family, their father's work, and their time at the house on the moors. Lilith giggled, sighed, and gave well-rehearsed answers that left little space for further questioning. She carefully pried for information from Peter only to receive similarily carefully constructed responses.

“I have been in Lord Dax’s service for several years. He moved from London for his health, hoping that the country air would suit him better. I know how he comes across, but he really isn’t that bad when you get to know him.”

“What made you enter his service?”

“It is better than the alternative for many my age without family or prospects.”

And, so it went on. Raven could have almost grown to like him if it wasn’t for his sister’s initial reaction to Peter’s touch and the unshakeable feeling that there was little truth behind anything that he said.

True to his word, Peter returned the twins to their home in time for them to continue their studies. As he turned to leave, he kissed Lilith’s hand. “I hope to see you at the luncheon next week, maybe we can talk some more when my duties are complete.”

Lilith smiled, fighting the urge to pull her hand away, “I would like that very much.”

Peter bowed and left them to go into the house.

Louisa was waiting for them, and as soon as the door was closed, the twin uttered in unison, "He definitely isn’t human, and he is hiding something.”

“Does he pose a threat to us?”

“I don’t know,” replied Lilith, “but his touch makes my skin crawl and my stomach lurch, there is so much hidden behind his false compliments and dazzling smile.”

Louisa contemplated this for a moment, they had to determine who he was and what he wanted with them. “Then we will attend the luncheon with Margaret and see if we cannot discover his true purpose. Until we do, be guarded in your words and show no signs of your true selves outside of the house.”

The twins readily agreed and made their way to the library to study. Louisa pinched the bridge of her nose and breathed deeply. First the dreams and now this, would it never end. Her only light was the hope that Malphas would return soon.