The Lies of Appearance, The Appearance of Lies

Elyce surprised me by turning up shortly after my phone call, usually a Dubois will arrive when a Dubois feels like arriving and I was used to her wandering in halfway through discussions. This time she arrived not only promptly but from her face I could see she was set to enjoy any activity that instigated the downfall of our cousin. Although it is hard to feel compassion for a creature that appears to be soulless, I knew that a lifetime of Gervais is enough to crush even the most resilient of spirits. I sat quiet for a minute as so many questions were bubbling through my mind and I still had no great trust of Elyce yet somehow she wound up being crucial to my plans. She gave me a cool stare, so reminiscent of Liselle and I wondered if I also possessed that aloof, superior gaze that made me want to smack my entire family.

I decided to leave Zizi and Jojo alone for now as their affair, while alarming was not my priority. The scrap that Edith Neal dropped before leaving seared through my mind, demanding that I seek out my cousin for elucidation, as the burning question is how Elyce may help me reduce our darling cousin into dust. As I was trying to form a query that allowed us to discuss this delicate subject while in public we were accosted by the formidable, familiar and infamous figure of Ladonna bellowing her way to our table. It appears that my new Aunt in Law is determined to establish domain over my life now that she is responsible for my safety during the first part of my impending family visit. She huffed then puffed her way onto a chair in the corner and proceeded to unload her various layers of furs all around us with cheerful disregard of her lack of invitation.

Ladonna placed her order then decided to gossip about everyone she knew with as much discretion as her booming voice and tactless mind would allow. I gave up trying to appear invisible and Elyce seemed to be enjoying the affect Ladonna was having upon those around us. After venting her opinion upon the stupidity of the general populace, enjoying a bout of schadenfreude over the misfortunes of those who should have known better and a few glimpses of sympathy for those who suffered regardless of their integrity she then turned her bright eyes onto my situation.

“Europe.”

She blurted it out without any preface, leaving me to wonder if she has just discovered it, wanted to know if I have been there or was scorning them for their lack of Ladonna fortitude. Elyce gazed into the distance no doubt immune to Ladonna’s conversational quirks or clever enough to know not to touch something obviously laden with pitfalls. Of course I did not take my cousin’s lead and had to open the door to another Ladonna Opinion.

“What about Europe?”

I queried, hoping the explanation was to be a tirade against their fashion, wit or custom. I was to be disappointed for Ladonna had taken the responsibility for my safety seriously and had formed an opinion what my future action should be.

“You should go to Europe, I know it’s full of foreigners but what it doesn’t have is Gervais. He rarely travels abroad for he finds trying to get local authorities to turn a blind eye to his shenanigans both expensive and tedious. So he tends to send only the help and you could avoid the help easily.”

Here she stopped, giving me a look as if it had all been decided, I was to abscond to Europe and hide from Gervais for the rest of my life. I wondered if she realised that even if he no longer wanted me he would destroy me not just for the sake of honour but also as a lesson to other family members that no one escapes his control. I tried to explain to her the difference from being of interest to Mr. Dubois and being family which made her crease her forehead while her ebony eyes became dark pools of memory and she shook her head to stop me.

“You are young and suffer the foolish whims of one who hasn’t experienced living the reality of life. You think it is better to know truth not because living in ignorance is bad, ignorance is bliss, but because like him you want to control it all. The truth is a burden and Gervais is a lifetime of burdens. You don’t need to be or know anything Dubois, you can leave it all behind, relinquish the money, the power and be free. You stay because you are as much a prisoner of this truth as he.”

I smiled at her assertion that I would leave everything behind that constituted my life or that I would run and hide because Gervais decided I was his to play with. I leaned forward and allowed Ladonna an insight into who I have become.

“Let Gervais take away everything I am because he decides that I am his property? I am finished playing games, I am finished being a victim. I am not going to run and hide, I am going to stay and fight for my life because I am just as much a Dubois as Gervais is and this battle is far from over.”

It was here that Elyce made a statement that did not require explanation, her presence was explanation enough.

"Europe doesn't work."

Ladonna narrowed her eyes at the proof sitting before her then sighed in defeat. She grumbled that she could only keep me safe until the welcoming ball after that Gervais has made it clear I am to grace his bed without interference from anyone. Elyce kept her eyes averted and I knew she was keeping the memory of him at bay for there were times I awoke in the middle of night with the copper taste of hate in the back of my throat, the scent of Gervais clouding my mind and it is not a memory worth keeping intact. I left the ladies to their own devices, as my interlude achieved exactly nothing for I was going to have to reschedule another meeting with Elyce and hope that Ladonna’s run and hide theories have not influenced her.

I walked into the parking lot, my mind a spin of plans and fears, the distress causing my ears to buzz and I could feel the world starting to crush me as panic filled the corners of my thoughts. My car was parked under the shade of a tree and as I stumbled towards it collapsing against the door, my face upon the frame, unable to move, unable to breathe. I knew I could not keep up this façade of relentless vengeance forever, Gervais was going to win because he always won. As my knees buckled, a pair of strong arms caught me and I was pulled against the sturdy frame of a masculine form I did not know. Confused I looked up to see the handsome, serious face of Braith Vanderhaven looking back down at me.

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