She had a maid with a younger brother by the name of Andre who had become seriously ill back in the summertime. She had given the maid permission to bring him out of the servant’s quarters upstairs. The chalet was so big that Ian had seen him for the first time only recently, although his vampire hearing had informed him that the maid and a boy lived on the 3rd floor.
Anna’s doctor had privately told her that the boy had ‘Wasting Disease’. He was literally wasting away, having lost a third of his body weight. His skin was as pale as death and he was listless. His eyes had dark circles beneath them. The doctor didn’t give the boy until springtime to live.
Ian had taken to the boy and had read to him often. At times when he was not with him, Anna would see him pacing about the big country Chalet lost in thought. One night long after Anna had drifted asleep, Ian rose and silently glided out of the room. He went to where he had stored a package. It was a knife, the two Pascal syringes, a knitting needle, and a towel. He had boiled all four items thoroughly for a half hour in the barn in a kettle. They were wrapped in another towel that was clean and tied up neatly with a cord.
He stole silently to Andre’s room and entered it like a shadow, coming to the boy’s bed and sitting down. Just as he did, the boy opened his eyes. “Ian, have you come to read?”
“No, Andre.”
The boy smiled weakly at him, his eyes large in his wasted face. “Andre, I’d like to try something that might make you well again, or make you feel better.”
The boy nodded trustingly
“I don’t know if it will work, and it will hurt a little bit for a short time.”
Andre nodded.
“Andre?”
“Yes?”
“This must be our secret.”
He nodded. Then he said “I won’t have long to keep a secret, will I?”
“You’re very ill, Andre. You are near death.”
“I know. Yes, this is our secret.”
He rose and produced a bottle of vodka, laying his package on the bed. He took the vodka and washed his hands with it, allowing them to dry in the air for a minute or two. Then he tore a scrap from the towel he had boiled, and poured a bit of vodka on it. He gently took the boy’s arm and washed the inside of it. “This will hurt. You must be brave now.”
“I will.”
“Here it goes.”
Ian gently but firmly cut the skin and drew a bit of blood in one the syringes. He then cut himself and took the other syringe and drew his blood and transferred it slowly to Andre via the incision.
“Andre?”
“Yes?”
“That was very brave.”
He nodded; tears of pain in his eyes.
“Now you must drink the rest of this.”
The boy’s eyes widened. Ian smiled gently. “I had to do this once or I would have died.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It is a bit salty and warm. That is all, Andre. The worst part of it is over already. Trust me.”
The boy nodded and Ian discharged the contents of the syringe in his mouth slowly allowing him time to swallow it. He held out his right hand to the boy. Andre took it. Ian pressed his hand gently and shook it saying “Our secret.”
“Our secret, Ian. I’m feeling a bit warmer now.”
“If this works for us, you’ll start to feel better this day. We haven’t got long to wait, do we? Would you like for me to read to you until you sleep?” The boy nodded so Ian went to retrieve the book he’d been reading to Andre and began reading to him in a low voice. In twenty minutes, the boy was asleep, so he picked up all of his equipment and glided out of the room like a shadow.
Taking the syringe with the blood sample he was soon viewing it on a slide under his microscope. He noticed that it didn’t look healthy based on how blood from a healthy goat looked. Soon he was viewing his blood mixed with Andre’s. He watched for several minutes, then he noticed that the blood sample began to slowly transform to one which looked healthier. It seemed to have more red cells than before. He watched a while longer to confirm what he was seeing; then he sat back from the microscope and closed his eyes. My God, what’s happening here? Can vampire blood be a universal blood cleanser? Can it be a universal disease-healer?
After everyone had awakened Ian asked Anna what fruits and vegetables she had in her root cellar. She named the ones she could think of, and the only fruit was apples. He nodded and asked for a flour sifter, a bowl, and a place to work in the barn. She got him what he wanted and looked at him questioningly. “It’s for Andre.” is all that he said.
Ian washed his hands in the kitchen. Then he took the sifter and the produce to the barn and he began to crush the apples, beets, carrots, turnips, potatoes, and a bit of garlic. He would simply crush them in his powerful hands and allow the juice to run through the strainer. Then he would take a board and hammer the pulp on a sheet of copper to get more juice. He worked until he had a half gallon of juice in the large bowl. Feeding the pulp to his goats, he took the juice to the kitchen and instructed the maid to keep it covered and cool. He took a small cup of it to Andre and gently supported him while he drank it. “You will drink this four times a day, Andre.” Anna and the maid watched from the doorway.
The boy nodded and smiled. He looked at Liridona, the maid and said “Three more of these today Liri, understood?” She looked at Anna who nodded, and then said “Yes Monsieur. But where will I get it?
“From me, of course. And you may call me Ian.” The maid curtsied. “And one more thing.”
“Yes, Monsieur…. Ian?”
“Take him to the big south window and let him lie in the sun as long as there is sunshine at that window. He is to wear only his underwear. This is to be done every day that there is sunshine until he’s well.”
“Yes, Ian.”
“Anna?”
“Yes.”
“I think the roads are passable. Shall we go skating today?”
***
Celeste finished practicing her musical scales and her instructor left. She had been depressed somewhat at learning that Ian was not coming due to being in the Swiss Confederation No longer did she know anything new about Ian. In fact, since her body began to change, she no longer had her intuitive powers. Her Aunt Caryn explained it by telling Celeste that she was ‘becoming a young woman’.
She was going to sing in an event planned for springtime and had sent a note back to Marie telling her that and just a few things about some of her lessons in mathematics and general science.
The Lafayettes ran a bi-weekly courier service to the banks and businesses that Marie and Henri owned, and they used that to communicate with Caryn Rochelle and Celeste. Marie had generously furnished private tutors for her who came to the Rochelle home at regular appointed intervals. Her time was well filled with top quality instruction and she was learning fast. Her instructors all said that she was an exceptionally bright student. She wondered if her gift of prescience would ever return.
***
Within three days of Ian’s clandestine blood transfer, everyone in the Chalet now could see that Andre was getting better. The speed of his recovery was simply miraculous. The spirits of everyone in the chalet were lifted measurably. Andre’s sister Liridona noticed the tiny wound on the inside of his arm and queried him. He said that Ian took a blood sample and that was the end of it.
The winter passed in no time it seemed and Ian felt far better than he had last autumn. Andre healed completely and had nearly gained back all of his weight. Ian had become a local ice-skating legend by now and Anna was skilled enough that by now she could skate backwards herself. They always attracted a sizeable crowd now when they skated. Ian had worked all winter long on an oil portrait of Anna and it was now complete. She was more than pleased with it and hung it in her bedroom.
A few days later he was with Anna and saw a musical instrument that he had never seen before. I
t looked like a harpsichord. The proprietor told him it was a piano, and had been made in Italy. The name on the piano was Silbermann. Ian asked to play it for a short while, and did so. He really liked the tonal quality of the music it produced. One thing led to another and within the hour, Ian had purchased a Silbermann piano to be sent from Italy to Marseille in care of Marie and Henri Lafayette.
It was springtime and the passes were open, so Ian announced that he was going to Paris to meet with the Lafayette’s bank manager there and to see Celeste. He intended to go to Scotland after that and asked Anna if she wanted to accompany him. She was enthusiastic and agreed to go. Andre and Liridona were especially loving and emotional towards Ian in their farewell.
It was an enjoyable trip, but quite cool until they got down from the mountain passes nearer to Lyon. Ian stayed silent for a good while after they passed the site of the former Francoise mansion.
They arrived in Paris in the middle to later spring time. It was magnificent and Anna just loved it. She had been there as a younger woman. They spent two weeks there with Celeste and Anna couldn’t help but notice the bond between the two. They spent every day touring the city and taking in the sights. Celeste knew her city better than Ian did by far and took them somewhere different every day. Ian got permission to take her to Scotland to meet his parents and they departed three days later.
Going to the Netherlands first they both met Ian’s grandparents. They offered their condolences when informed that Ian had lost Cosette due to a tragic accident. Anna liked them very well and they really liked her, in spite of their surprise that the two weren’t married. They were especially impressed with Celeste.
Staying a week in Amsterdam they said their goodbyes and departed for Scotland then and the crossing was not real bad for the North Sea. Anna thought it was frightening at times, but she noticed how Ian perked up once they were out to sea. Celeste was fearless no matter the situation as long as Ian was there. Anna grew to love the child greatly, and Celeste loved her more every day. This was pleasing to Ian and he had to admit that he was healing well from the cruel way in which Cosette was taken from him
In Scotland introductions were made and the family was pleased to meet Anna and Celeste. Ian filled everyone in on Celeste’s background the first evening, omitting any reference to vampires. No one in the family but Angus knew about that.
Anna was asked to tell how she met Ian and she related the whole incident of him appearing at dusk to help repair the carriage and right on through the shooting of the two highwaymen.
The visit was spent with Anna and Celeste being introduced to many of Ian’s’ friends and there were several delightful evenings of merrymaking what with Ian playing the violin and Celeste’s singing.
After the first evening Anna was especially intense with her lovemaking. Afterward Ian said “Anna, I will play that fiddle after supper every night from now on if you like it this much.” She pillowed her head on his breast afterward and began to cry tears of happiness. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead and just held her until she quit crying. “I’m so happy Ian, and I do so love your family and friends. Coming with you has been one of the best times of my life. Thank you for asking me.”
Celeste sang in the church the next day, and like in Amsterdam everyone was spellbound by her clear angelic voice. People came to her when the service was over and said they had wept. All too soon the visit ended and emotional farewells were said all around.
They sailed to Dover. From there they took a packet boat across on a nice day and within five more days were in Paris.
Chapter 54
Anna was going to leave early for Lausanne so they picked up Celeste and went to Marie and Henri’s place, bathing and changing out of their travel clothes. They decided to just let Celeste determine the course of their last day together.
At a sidewalk café, Ian suddenly felt a cold prickling at the base of his neck. Casually he looked about, his sun glasses hiding the subject of his gaze. He froze when he spied a man with an artificial foot clomping along. The man had just passed their table. Ian felt a deep chill that went to his very soul, replaced by a cold hatred. His mind flashed back to that horrible night when he had lost Cosette in the fire at the Francoise chateau. Only too well he recalled that he had cut the foot off of a big vampire, and had seen him limp and leap, screaming through the fire to escape.
Turning to Anna and Celeste he said “I’m very sorry, but I just recalled that I need to see someone at the Banque de Lafayette. Could you both please excuse me? I promise to meet you both at Caryn’s house in an hour or two. Is that all right with both of you?”
Anna nodded and Celeste tipped her head to one side and said “We can meet you there Ian. I have something from my studies that I want to ask Anna about.”
He kissed Anna warmly and then as he kissed Celeste’s forehead he slipped his hand around to the back of her neck and lightly pulled on a few hairs at the base of her skull. She nodded her understanding and said “Come Anna, I want to show you now.”
They left and Ian trotted across the broad street to follow his subject from the other side. The vampire had on a broad-brimmed hat, gloves, and a lightweight coat with an extra high collar. They walked nearly three-fourths of a mile before he turned down a street that led to a posh district. He went three blocks, and then turned into a gray stucco three-story building. Ian noted the address and continued to walk along the opposite side of the street as if he had a destination further along. Never turning his head toward the house once he walked past, feeling a prickling on the back of his neck briefly. There was either more than one vampire in that building, or the one he followed had looked back one time to see if he had himself been followed. Ian took a bank document from his pocket and made as if he was examining it as he walked. He felt another prickling and he looked at a door across the street and stepped closer to read the numbers and made a show of reading the document in his hand as if he was searching for an address. The prickling stopped quickly then. Ian felt that there was more than one vampire in the building, and that they were quite observant of people in their vicinity.
He would have to return some night and explore this place in depth. Tonight was out of the question because Anna was leaving in the morning. He settled into a mood of cold hatred; one of deadly resolve. If that is a coven, I won’t leave one of them in that house alive.
Back at Caryn’s place he found that she had come home early, so they visited until nearly bed time.
They left then, Ian promising to return for Celeste tomorrow after seeing Anna off. That night Anna was passionate beyond anything Ian had ever experienced with her. She clung to him all night and awoke to make love three more times before dawn.
The dreaded time came for parting and Anna promised to come to the Chateau that summer. She got a commitment from Ian to come to Nice when she came through to see her Uncle Jacques. Both agreed to use the bank’s courier service to communicate. They kissed long and passionately before she got into her carriage. She leaned out the window and waved to him once after it pulled away.
He picked up Celeste for the day, wanting to take another boat ride to which she happily agreed. They took a longer excursion this time which would leave Paris and would return in midafternoon. Celeste was happy, humming a tune that he didn’t know. They chatted about her studies and her voice lessons and she mentioned that she had met Alyssa. Ian said nothing. She said that Alyssa wanted Celeste to introduce her to Ian when he was in town sometime. Ian was puzzled for a few seconds, and then he remembered that Marie had introduced him using a different name so Alyssa didn’t know his real name. He thought it was best to leave well enough alone, not needing the complications of an ex-lover added to his relationship with Anna.
Celeste said “Alyssa spoke of a man she knew named Adam. She looked kind of … different when she spoke of him. I think she loves this Adam, Ian. She works too hard and she
has met a man that she likes. It seems that he comes to her place of work a lot to see her. She said that he always brings her flowers or a gift.”
“Well it may be that she will take up with this fellow now and forget about Adam.”
“I don’t know, Ian. She looks dreamy and kind of far away when she talks about Adam. I think she met him in Marseille. She doesn’t look that way when she speaks of this other man. I think that her head is turned too easily by a man’s attention though. She’s impulsive that way it seems.”
“You’re quite observant, young lady. I’m impressed.”
She turned to him and fastened her eyes on his. “My gift has left me.”
“I know. It may return some day. You’re going through a profound change now and your body is making more adjustments than you can realize.”
“Yes. Aunt Caryn told me all about it.”
“By Heaven, that’s a relief to me!”
She giggled and squirmed closer to him and stretching up she pecked him on his cheek and then put her head against his shoulder.
***
It was near to midnight and the neighborhood of the vampire house was quiet. Ian watched the place through keen eyes from his perch on a rooftop across the street. He had been watching patiently for over an hour, motionless. Seeing no activity he decided to get closer to be able to possibly hear something from inside the house. He leaped across the street and landed on a rooftop adjacent to his target. Then he glided to the edge of it and soundlessly flitted across the gap to land on top of the chimney. He stealthily left that perch and like a fly crawled down a side wall until coming to a window. Using the ornamentation of the elaborate stucco exterior, he moved from window to window, gliding like a shadow, soundless, searching patiently. Finishing one wall all the way down to the first level he merely seemed to glide up to the rooftop again and re-appear on another wall to begin methodically to move from one window to the next.