Heart of Stone

33. Intersecting Threads

For the next three hours Mary tried to be still, but she couldn't quite manage it. She helped Maureen see to the grocery order, but beyond that she had nothing else to occupy her mind. She knew that the answers she was looking for wasn't upstairs. She walked slowly down the narrow steps to the downstairs library. The stairway had been challenging before, but since the dramatic change in her shape, they had become a bit frightening. She knew Aiden didn't like her going down there, but at that moment she didn't feel like she had a choice. She had been mired in inaction for too long.

Mary wasn't sure how long she had been down there, but it wasn't long enough for her to even figure out where to look.

“Miss? Are you down there?” Joanna called. Yelling wasn't entirely civilized, but the downstairs library was off limits to everyone but herself and Aiden. The magical protections someone put in place centuries before made sure of that.

“Yes.” Mary walked back to the doorway. “Is Mr. Barnaby on the phone?”

“No, Miss. There's a Mr. And Mrs. Bennett here.” Joanna looked surprised.

“Alright. Have them wait in the the library. I'll be right up.” The name Bennett was familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place it. On the long trip up the stairs, she wondered what the two visitors thought of her crowd. She also wondered how she was going to explain it. By the time she got to the top of the stairs, the phone was ringing. She answered it before Joanna got there.

“Beeson Hall.”

“It's Robbie. You sound winded, are you alright?” She could hear concern in his voice again.

“I'm fine. I was in the magic library and those stairs are pretty steep. Sometimes I think they're getting steeper.” She managed a short laugh, so did he. “I hate to rush you, but I have guests-”

“A Mr. and Mrs. Bennett.” He supplied.

“How did you know?” She sat down on one of chairs in the entry way. Instantly she knew why they were out there, no human being could be comfortable actually sitting on them for an extended period of time.

“I sent them. Actually, you met them both at that first gathering at Pemberley Court. They're my housekeeper and butler.” Mary was starting to regain her breath, and she was noticing the background sounds. It sounded as though he was driving.

“Alright, I remember who they are now, but why are they here?”

“I hate to do this, I don't think there's any other alternative though. What's going on outside your gates is something akin to a siege. Their numbers of those gathered will increase and they'll prevent anyone from entering or leaving. I have a few loitering around my gates, so do the others. You have the most because of the gargoyles and the fact that you're the most powerful of all of us.”

“They aren't being very sneaky about it. If this was meant to prevent a gathering wouldn't it be more covert?”

“Our friend is counting on our inaction. I sent the Bennetts to you because you're about to have a number of long-term guests and I know you don't maintain a staff large enough to see to all of us for more than a night. If there was some other way-”

“Wouldn't it be better if the gargoyles and I went to someone else? Someone's who more prepared?” The thought of having everyone for more than just the night or a weekend was overwhelming.

“Our protections aren't as strong as yours, but beyond that I'm certain they wouldn't let you out if you tried going by ground.” She could tell that he was trying not to scare her.

“Aiden-”

“The promise of getting to you and the gargoyles would mean any of our defenses would be breeched as soon as the sun came up tomorrow. I truly believe this is the only way.”

“Maybe you're right.” Mary sighed.

“I'm about an hour away. The others are getting themselves together and will arrive as soon as they can. Everyone's been instructed to bring supplies, some will probably bring servants too. We'll talk more when I get there. Will you be alright until then?” He sounded genuinely worried about here. Mary was worried about herself.

“The sun should be down in a half hour or so. I think I'll feel better when Aiden's awake.” She sighed.

“Get some rest. If we start arriving before you get up, I'm sure we can amuse ourselves.” They said goodbye to each other, and Mary found Bennett in the library.

“Where's Mrs. Bennett?” She asked.

“With your Mrs. March.” He smiled. “I simply wanted to tell you that we are here to help and to support your staff in any way you might need.”

“Thank you.” She looked at him uncertainly. “What did Robbie tell you about all this?” Mary knew that he and his wife knew about Aiden. She had no idea what they knew beyond that.

“Please, sit down, Miss.” She sat down and he sat across from her.

“My family has been servants to Mr. Barnaby's family for as far back as we can trace, even in the lean times. An unusual arrangement today, but it used to be relatively common. My family never had a role in the magical happenings, but we certainly knew the extent of what was going on. Mr. Barnaby wouldn't have sent us here if we needed to be protected from it..” His smile was reassuring. Mary tried to smile back, but she couldn't quite manage it with any sincerity.

“Everyone seemed so awed by Aiden at first. I just assumed it was because of the shock.”

“There's a rather large difference between knowing and seeing.” He smiled again. “You'll forgive me for saying so, Miss, but you look exhausted.”

His eyes were filled with concern.

“All of this has been so stressful, and now with everyone coming here...” Mary sighed.

“Miss, it's not my place to tell you what to do in your own house, but making yourself ill won't do anyone any good.”

She shook her head. “I can't just be absent when everyone starts to arrive.”

“Why not? Surely they all know that you're in a delicate condition. Mr. Barnaby will be arriving soon and I know he'll keep the others entertained. Mrs. Bennett and I are here to make sure that everything is prepared for their comfort.” He got up and offered her his arm. “May I?”

“Thanks.” She used his arm to steady herself as she rose. “Maybe just a nap before dinner.”

“Shall I have Joanna bring you some hot tea?” He walked with her to the stairs.

“No, thanks. I appreciate you and Mrs. Bennett being here.” Her smile was more sincere now.

“It's our pleasure, Miss.” He smiled back.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Mary had every intention of going to bed, but when she saw that the sun was almost down she wrapped an afghan around her shoulders and went out onto the balcony. She tried to climb into Aiden's lap, the need to be close to him was almost a physical ache. If the baby had been quiet, she might have been able to manage it, but the child was probably reacting to her anxiety. She felt as though he was shifting from one side of her womb to the other, throwing her balance just enough to make climbing seem risky. Somewhere in the midst of all the false starts, she missed the sun slipping below the horizon. She braced herself on Aiden's thighs for one more try, but his arms wrapped around her. She pressed against him.

“What are you doing out here, child?” He murmured close to her ear. “It's far too cold for you to be out here for long.”

Mary tried to tell him the few details that Robbie had shared with her, the words came out in a sob instead. Once it was out, Mary lost control of the tears that had been building for days. She wrapped her arms around him tightly. He wrapped his arms and wings around her, sheltering her from everything outside of his body. She knew he was murmuring something in her ear, but whatever it was, it was lost to her sobs. When she started to calm, he picked her up and carried her inside and put her on the edge of the bed. She knew he was moving around, but she wasn't paying attention to what he was doing. She wiped at her eyes with tissues. Eventually he crawled onto the bed behind her. The closed bedcurtains dimmed the light in the room.

“Undress.” He murmured against her ear.

“Aiden, I'm not in the mood to-”

“I know, child. My only intention is to comfort you.” He stroked her shoulders, before taking the afghan away.

Mary turned and realized that he was naked already, but he wasn't aroused. She let him help her out of her clothes. He guided her to lay on her side with her back to him. He released the other curtain, closing out the world. He sat behind her, and for a moment, didn't touch her. Mary was confused, but she was starting to relax. Finally, his hand drifted up from the small of her back to the her shoulder and down her arm. Mary trembled as a little more of the tension left her body. She started to turn, but he gently held her in place.

“Not yet.” His voice was soft. His hand drifted down over her side, to her hip and then down to her ankle. The back of his hand moved up her leg and down over her arm.

Mary wasn't sure how long she lay there, or how many times his hand made its lazy way down her back, over her legs and arm and finally around her swollen tummy. She knew that while he was touching her, the rest of the world seemed to fade and grow softer. The child had calmed as well. Aiden turned her, gathering her into his arms and laying back against the pillows. His lips brushed her forehead, his hands continued to drift unhurriedly over her body.

“Tell me what had you so upset.” He said. His fingertips barely touched the stretched skin of her abdomen. Mary sighed softly.

“There were more people by the gate today, so I called Robbie.” She murmured.

“A wise idea.” The cool backs of his talons traced down her left thigh and then up the right. “What did he say?”

“Nothing much at first. The way he said it didn't sound good though.”

“And that inspired such upset?” The back of his hand moved over her breasts, but she could tell that the touch wasn't calculated to arouse. The intimate sensation added to her relaxation.

“No. I didn't like it, but I wasn't so upset until just a few minutes ago.” She told him about the arrival of the Bennetts and the impending arrival of the rest of the group. “Robbie said it was some kind of a siege.”

“Siege? For what purpose?” Even though his voice was calm, his hand hesitated for just a second.

“From what I could gather it was something about keeping the group from meeting, or to separate me from you and the others.” She sighed. “I'm hoping that he'll give me a better explanation later tonight. It sounded like he didn't want to say much on the phone.”

“Maybe that is a wise thing.” His hand came to rest on her tummy. A little smile touched his lips. “He is sleeping.”

Mary smiled and put her hand over his. “I think he was reacting to me being so upset. I was trying so hard to stay calm.” She sighed.

“Your upset is still there. If it is expressed it can be managed.” His head rested against hers.

Her fingertips traced lightly over the back of his hand. Mary began to hear the sounds of people moving around in the upstairs hall.

“I should go.” She didn't move.

“You should rest.” Aiden countered, in the same subdued tone.

“It feels wrong to just leave them to get themselves settled.” Her eyes were closed.

“They are adults, they have Maureen and the others. I an certain that Robbie will assist in any way he can as well.”

“It's not really his job.” Mary snuggled closer.

“You have not slept well in the past few nights.” Aiden reached for the afghan and put it over her. Sleep for a little while.”

“Will you stay?” Mary held onto him. She could feel him smile against her forehead.

“Of course, child.” He brushed his lips over hers.

Mary closed her eyes and let the rest of the world fade away for awhile.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Mrs. Bennett woke Mary a few hours later. She dressed, kissed Aiden one more time, and waded out into a sea of chaos. There were several servants she had never seen before moving between rooms on the upper floor carrying linens, towels and luggage. They looked at her curiously, but no one spoke. Robbie met her at the bottom of the stairs, Calvus stood next to him.

“You're looking more rested than you sounded earlier.” Robbie kissed her cheek.

“I did manage to get a nap.” She said.

“Z'tavick.” Calvus smiled and inclined his head. “You are looking well this evening.”

The title had surprised Mary at first, but she had grown used to it over the past few days. Calvus didn't feel comfortable simply calling her by name, and 'child' was a far too intimate pet name to be proper coming from anyone but a mate. Loosely translated, Z'tavick meant “leader's honored mate”.

“Thank you.” She smiled. “Was your hunt successful?”

“It was, thank you. Z'avi has asked me to remain with you this evening, until he and the others join you later.” He smiled.

Z'avi was his honorific for Aiden. Mary didn't think that she could pronounce the growls and clicks that either of them were composed of, but at least she could recognize them.

“Would you like to join us for dinner?” Robbie asked. He and Calvus had become fast friends in the little time they had spent together. That made Mary feel even better about the new arrangement with the massive, wingless gargoyle.

“I will join you, but I will not eat.” Calvus answered.

“How did Maureen ever pull a meal together in the midst of everything else?” Mary walked with Robbie and Calvus to the dining room.

“She delegated to Joanna and Mrs. Bennett. They put together a cold buffet, though if you would prefer something hot, I'm sure one of them would make it for you.” Robbie said.

Nigel and his nurse, Jenna were there, as well as Veronica, Caroline, Ramona, Quentin and Andy. She assumed everyone else was getting settled. As soon as she entered, Andy approached her. Calvus stepped forward, putting himself in front of Mary. His advance stopped, the accusation didn't.

“Just how long do you intend to keep us here? Some of us have businesses to run.” He said.

“Would you sit down.” Quentin sounded annoyed. Calvus stepped back again. “Honestly, I don't know why you insist on making an ass of yourself.”

“Because he's so good at it, and talent is a terrible thing to waste.” Veronica appeared at Mary's side. “Come on, you need something to eat.”

“I'm so sorry for all of this.” Mary murmured to the older woman.

“Nonsense. At my age, you tend to look at things like this as a grand adventure.” She handed Mary a plate. “Besides, what else could you do?”

“I don't know.” Mary started to fill the plate with sliced cold cuts, and green salad. “I'm not even sure what's going on really.”

“Robbie didn't telly you?” She sounded shocked.

“He said it was some sort of siege, but that's all.” She glanced at Jenna, unsure of how much could be discussed in front of the nurse.

“Robbie!” Veronica turned to look at Robbie. Robbie, who was deep in conversation with Calvus, looked up at the mention of his name. “You lead us all to descend upon this poor girl and you don't even tell her the whole story?”

“I thought that was best done when we were all gathered.” He said.

“Not everything has to be the height of drama.” Ramona laughed. “Honestly, you would think we were all in an Agatha Christie novel and you were about the reveal the murderer.”

A soft current of laughter went through the room. Robbie smiled.

“That wasn't my intent really, but I think there are surrounding issues that need to be discussed.” He said.

“I agree.” Veronica said. “But the 'why' of the situation isn't something open for debate. It just IS.”

“Speak for yourself.” Andy snorted.

“Alright, anyone who is thinking rationally knows that the 'why' of the situation isn't open for debate.” Ramona amended.

“Try some of the fruit salad.” Veronica spooned some of the mandarin orange, pineapple, strawberry and coconut mixture into a bowl. “It's wonderful.”

“It looks good, but fruit and other sweet things don't really agree with me lately.” Mary took some salmon salad instead.

“The little one has a diet like his father?” Veronica smiled.

Mary laughed softly. “Well, he seems to, at least for now.” She sat down. “So tell me what's going on.”

“Do you trust us to explain, Inspector?” Ramona smirked.

“If you go off the track I'll jump in.” He said.

“Such confidence.” Ramona laughed. “Anyway, siege is a good way to describe it. Our friend's group is practically non-existent anymore. He's strong, but he certainly doesn't have the power to defeat all of us. He doesn't even have the ability to break through your defenses on his own.”

“So he sent me a crowd instead?” None of this was making sense to Mary.

“In a way.” Veronica said. “Have you looked at any of those people?”

“No. I can see them through a telescope, but that's as close as Aiden will let me get.”

“It is a wise prohibition, Z'tavick.” Calvus said. “We do not know what they would do to you.”

“I know.” Mary smiled.

“Well, I had to come in through them today.” Veronica said. “I can tell you they all look like street people.”

“They very likely are, or very close to it.” Nigel said. “One thing you can be relatively certain of is that they all suffer from some sort of delusions or hallucinations. Our friend might not be capable of a frontal assault, but those whose grip on reality is tenuous at best tend to be very easy to manipulate. He creates a delusion that fits the inner life of the person he wants to manipulate, and then allow things to take their course naturally. To them, whatever idea he's planted is the absolute truth.”

“And now that they're here, they'll stay until he releases them.” Veronica finished. Mary's fork paused halfway to her mouth.

“So they're just going to stand there? Indefinitely?” She asked.

“Oh no.” Ramona said. “Just until he thinks he's strong enough to risk a confrontation. Right now, he knows he has no chance. If we were separated, that confrontation would have come sooner, and he would have had more of a chance of winning.”

“Gathering bought us time to strengthen your defenses and to plan.” Robbie said.

“Do you know how many he'll need to make that possible?” Andy scoffed. “It's a tactic meant to make us run around like scared rabbits, and we took the bait.”

“How does he draw power from them?” Mary asked.

“It's similar to aggregation.” Quentin said. “The difference is, we make an effort to transfer our energy to you. When he draws their energy to supplement his own he does so without their consent. Their abilities are extremely limited at best and when you add in the natural resistance to the loss of energy, it takes quite a number of them to equal what we're able to do.”

“Unless someone close to you comes under his control, then the story changes.” Veronica said.

“How?” Mary asked quickly. All eyes in the room turned to her.

“It works rather like a Trojan horse.” Robbie said. “The traitor acts like a conduit between the one who sent him or her, and the one being spied on. He knows knows what's going on and can, in a limited way, inject his venom into the life of the victim. Such spies have limited usefulness, but they can give the one who sends them more of an 'in' than they would normally have.”

“Meaning what exactly?” Mary could feel her heart pounding.

“In you case, meaning that it would take less to get through your defenses and he would have more of an idea of your abilities and where your weaknesses lie. Are you alright?” Robbie asked.

“You remember the first time you came here? I told you my maid had gone missing?” Mary put her fork down and clasped her hands in her lap, hoping no one saw them shaking.

“Yes.” Robbie moved forward in his seat.

“I saw her with him. The day I first went to see you, Nigel.” Mary said. A gasp went through the room.

“Why the hell didn't you say something before?” Andy yelled.

“I did! You knew that she disappeared. You said that your servants disappeared all the time.” Mary was visibly shaking. Her arms were crossed over her tummy.

“I wasn't there when you saw her again, was I?” He shot back.

“Why didn't you say something?” Robbie asked. She could hear the shock in his voice, but there was no anger or accusation.

“I don't know, there was so much going on that day.” Mary said. Calvus moved behind her and laid one hand on her shoulder. “I'd just found out I was pregnant, I was still trying to process that. I wasn't even sure that it was really her. There seemed to be no reason that she would be with him, I thought I was imagining things because of the shock. If I had know that it meant anything-” Mary was near tears. Calvus squeezed gently, Veronica patted her hand.

“I know.” Robbie said. “That does mean our time is more limited.”

“I'll gather everyone else.” Quentin said.

“Shall I fetch Z'avi?” Calvus asked.

“Please.” Mary said. “And ask him to bring the others.”