“You’re not in my debt Roberto; I did the world a favor. For ours and your sakes, it is best forgotten.”
“You two must come to Almeria. I won’t take no for an answer.”
“We will, but only if you and your wife will visit us in Barcelona. We live there now.” They parted company then, but only until the evening when Roberto had them over to his place in Madrid. The rest of the evening was just spent by Roberto asking about Scotland and in particular about the time when Alandra was rescued from the pirates.
Chapter 77
Ian and Alandra stood near the bow of the Xebet as she came into the harbor of Marseille. Soon they were in a carriage going to the chateau. That afternoon they arrived, surprising Marie and Henri completely. Introductions were made and hugs and kisses were exchanged all around. Mustafa ran to greet Alandra and she was astonished at how he had grown. He was maybe a bit taller than Ian now and was only twenty. Louis was introduced to her and Ian reminded Alandra that Cosette had been his sister.
They had a pleasant evening visiting then and later Ian played his violin to accompany Marie on her piano. The next day they went riding and they took a change of clothing and went to the waterfall to swim for several hours. Ian caught a mess of fish downstream from there and they had roast fish that night for supper. Alandra got to meet Sophia when Li and she came over for supper. The two women seemed to take to each other right away. Alandra hugged Li and complimented him on having such a lovely wife.
Over the next few days, she truly came to know why Ian loved these people so much. It took time for her to adjust her mind to being in the presence of five vampires as one of only three humans not counting the staff
The personal library of the Lafayettes was impressive and Alandra soon could understand how it was that Mustafa and Louis were so well-educated. There was an impromptu firearms exhibition one afternoon and she could see for herself the level of marksmanship that all of the family had. It was explained to her why Ian had been the one to get everyone interested in practicing with firearms as well as swordsmanship and unarmed combat.
She got to see Angel’s Care Orphanage and was impressed at the efficiency of the place and how the children learned skills which would enable them to take their place as responsible French citizens. Alandra resolved to expand Barcelona House to include remedial education at first and later maybe animal husbandry and agriculture using some of the land at their home in Barcelona. She wanted to build a dormitory of sorts there for a select group of older children to stay while learning practical things. The sewing facilities at Angels’ Care and the fact that all of Marie’s facilities even made their own clothes impressed her greatly. Ian was delighted to see her so animated and pledged his entire support for anything she wanted to try at Barcelona House. He promised her that they would hire more workers as soon as they returned.
When they said their goodbyes, Marie and Henri each held Alandra and told her that she was their daughter now, just as Ian was their son. The two women cried a bit and a promise was made that Marie and Henri would bring Louis and Mustafa to Barcelona when Celeste came to Madrid to sing. They would make it a special event and spend some real quality time in Spain with the two of them. There was also talk of meeting in Paris, and maybe traveling to London together as well.
***
In a few days, they arrived in Barcelona and set to work expanding the staff at Barcelona House and making plans to add a classroom to the place. Ian had already drawn plans for a basic playground of sorts and a way to utilize the creek that passed through the property for watering a sizable garden. The time flew by and in three weeks they departed for Scotland by way of Paris. Alandra had never seen the southwest region of France so Ian took her that way. They took three weeks to reach Paris.
In Paris they went to see Caryn and Celeste at Caryn’s home. Even though she knew the story of Celeste’s rescue, Alandra was surprised to see the love that Celeste had for Ian. She was nineteen now and yet she greeted him with the unrestrained joy of a little girl. When Ian introduced Alandra to her as his wife, Celeste’s eyes widened and she put her hands to her cheeks and jumped up and down like a little girl and then hugged Alandra and kissed her cheeks. Alandra took an immediate liking to her as well. They stayed at Marie and Henri’s spacious suite on the Champs Elysees. Celeste took them all over Paris and showed them things that Ian had never even seen himself.
When the three of them were alone, Alandra questioned Celeste about the kidnapping and was fascinated to hear of her visions of their rescue before it happened. She realized that this vivacious young lady had had a nightmarish life as a child and with love and help from Ian and the Lafayettes had become this wonderful person. There was a kinship with Celeste being as they were both young human ladies who knew and loved several vampires. There can’t be too many like us around, after all she thought. They soon became fast friends. Celeste was excited at the prospect of singing in Madrid and promised a performance in Barcelona as well while there. She now had standing invitations in London, Vienna, Berne, Lausanne, Brussels, and Paris. They decided to stay in Paris and go to one since she could appear there in a week if she chose to. The arrangements were made.
The eve of the performance, Caryn, Ian and Alandra sat in the box seat reserved for Marie, Henri and the senior officers of their bank in Paris. Celeste stood on stage in her signature formal white gown as the curtain rose. She gave a short testimony for those who had not heard before about her being an orphaned girl and about her life being saved by a man in the audience tonight. She asked the audience to welcome Ian McCloud and his wife Alandra. They both stood to a warm round of applause. She also introduced her aunt Caryn and had her stand to applause as well
Her performance was stellar. At the end, she blew her signature kiss toward Ian and the others in that box, and another to the crowd. She stood as always then, head bowed towards the audience as the curtain dropped. Ian and Alandra stood in applause and shouted “Viva Celeste!” with the entire audience. The applause was deafening.
Afterward they toasted her success with champagne at Caryn’s home. As the group talked happily, congratulating her, Ian was taken back to the first time he had ever seen her in a filthy cell under a dilapidated house in Marseille. He shook his head in amazement at how far she had come from that unlikely beginning.
***
Roberto Rodriquez was finishing his last day at his bank in Madrid. He would be departing for Almeria the next morning. Suddenly there was an outburst in his outer offices. He got up to see what was the cause of it and his doors burst open. In came four of the King’s men and laid hold of him. A tall middle-aged man with cruel eyes then stalked into the room and said “Senor Rodriquez?”
“Yes, I am he.”
“You’re under arrest for sedition and for plotting against the King.”
“What. Who are you to arrest me anyway?”
“I’m Lord Enrique Chavez, prosecutor for the Crown.”
Roberto stared at him speechless. This was maybe the most feared man in all of Spain. He was the father of the man who had killed his son in a duel in Barcelona some years earlier. More than one pillar of Spanish society had gone to the hangman on the directive of this man. Roberto thought what can he possibly know?
“I’ve done no such thing. I’ve been a loyal subject of the King all of my life and am known to be so by everyone in my community.”
“You’ve grown to be quite wealthy being so…loyal, have you not, Senor?”
“Is that a crime then? To become wealthy in one’s later years after a life of hard work is sedition against the crown?”
“There is the question of whether or not you’ve paid all of the taxes due to the crown all of those years.”
“I’ve always paid my taxes when due every year. I can prove that too, even though I have since sold all of those business interests.”
“Yes. Well, a full investigation will be m
ade, Senor. Of course these things take time and we will want to be thorough on behalf of His Majesty.”
“So I’m to be held in Madrid while you investigate my business dealings for the past thirty years?”
“You do live in Almeria and there is the danger of you leaving by ship to go somewhere, perhaps to France where you are known to have…friends.”
“Run away to France penniless with my wife, at my age?”
“Your wife will be arrested and jailed in Almeria no later than tomorrow. And you’re hardly to be considered penniless when you’ve just made a partnership with the Banque de Lafayette. That is a very convenient friendship you have suddenly made, Senor. As chief prosecutor for the crown, one cannot be too cautious in these matters. Rest assured Senor, we will be thorough.” And here he smiled coldly, continuing “no matter how long that takes.” Turning to the guards he said “Take him to the prison now.” He thought now I’ll have plenty of time to see if you hired that man who killed my son in a duel. Perhaps you’ll admit it if I promise to let your wife out of prison.
Chapter 78
The packet ship neared Dover as Ian and Alandra stood near the bow, watching the great chalk cliffs draw nearer. Ian stood with his arms around Alandra, and had been telling her some things about the British Isles and about Scotland. She gazed with wonder at the sight of the great cliffs stretching off to the north in a white line all the way to the horizon. They caught another packet northbound for Edinburg, and spent the night in it in their private cabin. She found that she had missed the sounds and the feel of sleeping in a ship at sea. She had to admit that she loved it as long as the weather was fair, and it didn’t hurt one bit that Ian was there, holding her.
They arrived in Edinburg the next night on a strong southerly wind. Ian prevailed on a merchant who he knew from childhood to allow him to take his horse drawn wagon to the McCloud home. They arrived just before bed time and completely surprised the family. Elsie and Mary greeted her like a long lost daughter and fussed over her so that she felt like their daughter. She was introduced to Ian’s younger brother, Stuart. He was nearly now as big as Ian was, yet Ian grabbed him and ran out the back door with him over his shoulder, both of them laughing.
“Oh, Alandra, pay him no mind. Ian’s been doing that since Stuart was a toddler.”
“Yes, I’ve seen him do that in France with Louis and Mustafa. He tells them the same thing, that they’ll never be too big for him not to toss them over his shoulder like a sack of beans.”
“There must be something about living in the southern lands, Alandra. Ian just doesn’t seem to age. He’s very polished and his English now sounds more like that spoken in England or France than that spoken here. We’re amazed at his musical talent. He’s really done a lot of his growing up at sea with Angus. Those two know what each is thinking, I would swear it!”
Alandra thought a mother always sees things. Be careful here now. “Well, he does seem to age well. I’d never guess him to be near thirty now. He looks younger.”
“There’s something else there. I just can’t put my finger on it.” Alandra thought I can still hardly believe it myself!
“I want to say that I’m honored to meet both of you and now I can say that I have met the namesake of Elsie’s Cloud as well.” She then asked if she could go to their room since she was tired from all of the traveling.
The next day they all sat down in the parlor and Alandra related everything that had happened to her from the day she’d met Ian. The two ladies hung on every word and Mary said “Why Ian, I had no idea that you were such a dashing romantic one!”
“Nor did I Aunt Mary. Of a truth, nor did I!’ he said, laughing.
“Oh I thought he was a pirate at first what with him wearing that bloody shirt and kicking my cabin door in and everything.” The two ladies laughed at that and other recollections of hers.
That afternoon they went sightseeing around Edinburg. Ian showed her the college and other sights including the bank which he had brought into partnership with the Lafayettes. They went to church with his mother and aunt and the sermon was on the baptism of Jesus by John the baptist. Alandra listened intently to it and when they were home, she asked to see their family Bible so she could look it up. Mary found it for her and she read the gospel accounts several times. She announced at the supper table that she wanted to be baptized while she was in Scotland. Everyone was surprised and supportive. Elsie finally asked her why and she said “I was christened when I was a baby in the custom of my country. It seems that few people have Bibles in the Spanish language in their homes. I want to be baptized exactly as was done in the time of Christ.”
Three days later she was baptized in a small river nearby and was exceedingly happy. Several members of the congregation witnessed it including Ian and his aunt, his mother, and his brother, Stuart. Ian confided in her that he and his brother had been baptized in the same place.
That night she asked him if Cosette had been baptized. He replied “Yes. Cosette was a Huguenot. They baptize as we do. They are very secretive for fear of persecution in France. Henri and Marie are both believers in the ways of the Swiss and Italian Waldensians and of Calvin, so they are Huguenots at heart themselves.”
All too soon they were saying their goodbyes and regrets for having missed Angus. They sailed for Amsterdam with a fair westerly wind and made it in two days. Again Alandra was warmly received, this time at the Vandenoever home. She loved his grandparents and bonded warmly with them. They privately told Ian how glad they were to see that he had such a wonderful wife after losing Cosette and how fortunate he was to have found love like that again in his life.
The two stayed there for nearly a week before departing. They traveled by way of Brussels to Reims and then to Paris. Ian had an urgent message awaiting him at Banque de Lafayette. When he had opened it, Alandra noticed the frown on his face and how his jaw muscle clenched. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the letter tightly.
“Ian, what is it?”
“That damned Chavez has locked Roberto and his wife in prison on some trumped up charges. We need to find out more if we can. I’ll send a courier to Henri to see if there’s more information. We’ll depart for Barcelona tomorrow. Let’s go and see Caryn and Celeste today at least.”
They did see Celeste and Caryn and stayed that evening until bed time. Celeste knew something was bothering Ian and finally when Caryn was out of the room she asked him what was wrong.
“A friend of ours has been locked up for no real reason in Spain. We’re leaving tomorrow because of that.”
“Can you help him?”
“I’m getting an idea.” He fastened his icy gaze on the two of them, allowing his eyes to glow briefly and said “The one responsible for this had best enjoy himself while he can.”
Celeste shivered inwardly. Even though she loved Ian and knew the depth of his love toward her, she still was struck at times like this. His eyes took on an icy coldness when he was focused on something unpleasant, and it was unnerving even to her.
“Can the matter be settled in court?”
“Yes, but it could take months or even a year or two. What I have in mind will only take one night.”
Chapter 79
Departing from Paris, Ian and Alandra had stopped at a nondescript shop and bought a black pair of trousers and a black long sleeved shirt. They made another stop to buy a small quantity of black cloth and some heavy black lace of the type used for funeral veils at the same shop where he had bought it before.
Ian did a bit of sewing during the afternoon while they were traveling. In ten days they were at the Gulf of Lion on the Mediterranean, and took a packet ship from Port-Bou to Barcelona.
Six days later a sealed package arrived via a Banque de Lafayette courier. In it Henri had included everything that his people could find on Enrique Chavez, chief prosecutor for the Spanish crown. Included were the locations of his t
wo homes and the location of his brother. He sent a return message to inform Henri that he had arrived and was going to handle the matter quietly.
That very evening as he packed his rucksack he said “I have to go to Madrid, and you can’t come with me.”
“I know. You can get there a lot faster on foot. Go, Ian. Roberto is a fine man and has seen enough grief. Just come back to me as soon as this is over.”
They walked arm in arm to their veranda and Ian pulled her to him gently saying “Chavez will know the meaning of fear when I’m through with him. He’s about to find out that not everyone is afraid of him.” Kissing her then he held her close for a minute. “Good bye, love.” She watched him pick up his ruck sack and an extra-long empty bag and trot off towards the darkened hills as night fell.
Soon he was at the home of Ernesto Chavez, brother of Enrique, the chief prosecutor, and in minutes he was inside. Gliding to a large room he slipped over to a large portrait above the fireplace and at vampire speed cut it from its frame, leaving the frame hanging in its place. He rolled it up and stuffed it in the long bag he had brought and departed noiselessly.
The next day he stopped in Guadalajara and visited a ranch owned by Chavez. It was an hour before dark so he just waited awhile, idly observing the place from a forested hilltop nearby. He counted four dogs, likely Alsatians or Great Pyrenees breed he thought. At dusk he slipped into the area and soon the dogs came to investigate. He caught them one at a time and slipped their collars off, not harming them. They squirmed and snapped at him to no avail as he held them easily while taking each one’s collar. Then he bounded away to sit awhile until the noise died down. In an hour he approached again and tossed a bloodied rabbit’s body near for them to fight over.