„Friend, never forget me because I’ll take our love with me wherever I’ll be”

Tears pour from the sky while the carriage moves away from Brighton. But even so, even if nature around seems to cry with Eva, she doesn’t feel better seeing this because the sadness that took over her was more and more painful, a sadness which was born from betrayal: Emily Davis’ who took her out of London telling her that it is for her own sake, for saving her from Christine, but in the end, the girl understood that Emily can be much crueler than Ms. Bircham was.

The carriage slowly rocks her because of the paths, full of mud because of the rain, in which the wheels were stumbling often and this was a sign that fall was quickly taking over nature, painting it in a bright yellow and taking away its freshness.

„It’s autumn again,” Eva thought with sadness. „And again, I’m running somewhere,” she said in her mind because she realized that it had been one year already since she left her home, chased away from there by fate. And now, one year later, she is forced to run away again.

And again, tears flow on her cheek, understanding that she missed a lot her home, that she missed a lot her friendship with Beth and she had wished that she had that magical power to turn back time and not to leave her home or at least to take Beth with her because even if others thought that Beth was a simple and stupid peasant at least that girl was sincere and she was always on Eva’s side.

„I wish that I had been selfish then, Albert,” she eventually said, after the sea of tears welled up for a while from her beautiful eyes, sinking in cold water her tired soul and calming the fire that was burning inside her. Then, she looked outside, at the rain that was beating in the window while waiting for Albert’s answer that was late to come. „Albert, did you … did you miss somebody or something from time to time?” the girl insisted, but again only silence answered her and calmed her while floating around.

Eventually, she decided to keep silent, thinking that Albert probably didn’t hear her. Actually, the man was fighting with himself at that moment because he heard the girl’s questions and he knew very well the answer, but he couldn’t say it loudly because it meant to betray himself and this was even more painful than the fact that he betrayed Emily: his own and true love when he left that house and took this child with him. So, he kept silent, but after a while, a barely heard sigh was heard coming out of his chest, and, listening to his friend’s sigh, Bachaco neighed, leaving Albert to understand that he was with him.

Albert sadly smiled because he once again understood, for the umpteenth time, that despite his trust in people and in dreams he had related to them, they always betrayed him and only Bachaco had been always on and by his side: unconditionally. Actually, not that unconditionally, because he was always looking for sugar in Albert’s pocket, each time he was approaching him, but the man was sure that even if he stops feeding Bachaco with sugar or to take care of him so much as he took care of him in the past, the horse won't betray him and he’ll be always there for him.

Then, the teamster looked at the sky covered by purple clouds and he understood that rain won’t end soon. And there was the wind too: cold, of a late fall, even if it was only early September, but the coldness of the wind was cutting your flesh till the bones. And he smiled, sadly, realizing the fact that probably at home they already noticed their missing and soon will be sent after them people to catch them. But … he also took care of this, to delay them, because those who could listen to Emily’s orders and to gallop after them, weren’t home after being sent by Albert with business out of the town and they were about to turn back home late next morning. Thus, the man wanted to win some time for them because they ran away from home without plans and without a single idea in mind where to go.

He stopped the carriage at a crossroad when it was already dark and the rain stopped. He turned on the lamp and descended from his place, approaching the carriage door. When he opened it he saw Eva asleep, supporting her head on the overhung wall of the carriage.

She didn’t hear the noise of the open door and didn’t even move when the cold air entered inside. „She probably was so much tired of what happened to her and because of this, she could fall asleep in such moments,” Albert thought.

He decided not to wake her up and pulled the duvet, covering her shoulders. Feeling the warm duvet around her, Eva grabbed it with both hands and made herself comfortable on the rear chair. But she opened her eyes in the end and looked at Albert, but she didn’t wince as before she was doing after she found out that Albert could be a killer, then, after the meeting, she had with Keen in the park and when they were turning back home.

„Something happens, Albert?” she asked in a calm voice, which was something the opposite of her inner mood before leaving Lorenne’s house.

„Well, except the fact that we have no idea where to go to and that the rain stopped, I have nothing to say,” the man said and smiled. „Miss Stonebridge, maybe it will be a good idea to go to London?”

„Do you think Emily won’t think about it? That we are going to London?”

„I’m sure she will, but … mister Beneath is in London too.” Eva winced hearing the name of the man she loves. „Maybe if you ask him for help…”

„No, Albert. I have no intention to beg for his love again,” she said in a half a voice, fighting against the tears.

„And, what will you do then?”

„I don’t know … yet, but … I’ll think about something and … let’s go to London. I’ll think on the way what we should do.”

„But … where to go in London? You have no place to stop there and no person to ask for his help. Except if you decide to ask Ms. Bircham for help.”

„Of course, not. We’ll stop first at an inn. There I’ll think where to move further and … Albert, I have no money. Maybe it will be an idea, in the end, to ask for Christine’s help? At least…”

„Don’t worry about money,” the man said and put a small bag with money on her lap, taking her by surprise. „Think only about yourself. I’ll take care of the rest,” he said and he turned to his place, leaving the lamp to Eva.

When the carriage hurried away, Eva looked at the small light of the candle which was dancing, moved by the light gust of wind that was still felt inside the carriage, despite the fact that Albert closed well the door.

„Its life is also unpredictable,” Eva said melancholically and supported her head on the back of the chair, she fell prey to dreaming while being slowly rocked by the carriage and her eyes were also “dancing” in the rhythm of the small flame of the lamp. And … in front of her eyes showed up a beautiful imaginary painting of one of her nights spent with Brian.

They were in his house, in the countryside, with the fire vividly burning in the chimney. Eva was laying on the floor, on a big white bear fur, and, supporting her head on her palms, she was watching how the flams “swallow” one by one the logs. She smiled feeling Brian leaving his reading and, approaching her. Then, he sat down by her side, put his hands on her shoulders, and also laid his chin on her shoulder, approaching his temple of hers.

„Wonderful, isn’t it?” she said, watching the flames. „Even if their life is so short, I mean the flames’, they still manage to work miracles, in so short time.”

„What kind of miracles?” he asked, falling completely to the flames' spell.

„I mean … miracles … like you and me, hugged and dreaming about love,” Eva said and laid on her back, deeply watching into the man’s eyes, who was smiling at her so happy. Then her palms touched his face and he laid his head on her palm, closing his eyes. „Brian, how will it be if we are like flames?”

„We would probably burn!” he said and smiled. „Even if it seems so easy, it’s difficult to burn like the flames, Eva because the fire, instead of wonderful memories, leaves behind it only ash and destroys us inside. I want to be a bird, instead of being a burning flame, and to fly to the sunrise.”

„A bird? What kind of bird?”

„A swan!” and his answer amazed the girl.

„Swan? Why? They are so sensible and so easy to hurt! I think it will be better to be traveling pigeons, free to fly wherever we want and to love freely wherever we are, not feeling pain or sadness.”

„But … the swans are more trustful, Eva and their love last forever. And … if we have such a possibility, I wish I be a black one, completely charmed by the white shade of your feathers and your song to be the melody which always brings me back home.”

Eva grabbed his neck with her arms and, helped by him, she stood in a sitting position and hugged him, approaching so much her body of his, as if she wanted to send him all her love and to take away his sadness because she understood that he was fighting with his fears at that moment - a fear that Eva always felt at him, but she was so afraid to ask about.

Then, he started to kiss her lips, with closed eyes, and his hot kiss, which was intensifying its rhythm, made Eva close hers too, understanding what he was looking for … a few moments of warm love in her arms. And … she was never against their bodies approach, because it was feeling her inside, was making her slowly trembling of pleasure, feeling that she’s a woman by his side.

When he finally laid her on the fur and laid his body on hers, Eva completely closed her mind and fell prey to his kisses, his touches, his caresses that were undressing her, slowly releasing the cords of her corset … then, with her dress lying on the floor, next to her, when she was almost naked, trembling sweetly in his arms, she felt his hot kiss on the skin of her breast and she simply lifted her body, sticking it on his and fell prey to their movements of deep love.

With the image of them making love, Eva turned back to reality and noticed in amazement that the wick of the lamp was so quickly burning and it was about to fade off. „It's like our love, Brian: transient! A transient light, like our love, that in the end wasn’t like the swans’ - ending our lives when the other wasn’t anymore by our side, but as a traveling pigeon’, betraying us in the end.”

The small flame faded off in the end, sinking the inside of the carriage in darkness, like in a sweet embracement of the night with no moon or stars in the sky, covered by black clouds of heavy rain: clouds that carried painful memories on their shoulders, deep sadness, and an unknown future.

***

Late at night, someone is knocking with a fist at the door of Ms. Alice Huntington’s house. A knock … a second one and a third one, forcing Stan, in the end, to stand up from off his warm bed and to open the door for those travelers that came so late.

„Who the hell is at this late hour?” Stan mumbled unsatisfied, but when he opened the door and saw Albert and Eva standing in front of him, perished by cold and hunger, and especially when he noticed that Eva is pregnant, he quickly moved aside: „Come in! Come in!” he said in a rush. „We have a free room and a tasty meal for late travelers,” he added as Ms. Huntington taught him to receive the clients.

„We are grateful for receiving us!” Albert said in a half a voice, still supporting Eva who was about to fall off her legs.

They were completely tired and hungry because, trying not to be caught by Emily and Lorenne’s men, they chose to move through woods, onto wild and hidden paths, and this meant to keep going without rest and with a little food because he managed to prepare only a few before running away from home and that food wasn’t enough for them both. Actually, they were three, with Eva’s baby, and for this, he allowed her to eat almost everything he brought with them, leaving for him only a few to allow him to stay alive because he knew that if she doesn’t eat and without rest, she and the baby were in danger.

When they entered the living room, Eva first approached the chimney, where the fire was seen because the weather suddenly became cold and Ms. Huntington preferred to pay more from her own pocket than to let someone shudder because of fever. And she also loved to listen to new stories while sitting in front of the ignited fire with a stranger by her side.

„So warm,” Eva murmured, watching the flames and, despite her tiredness and lack of power due to hunger, she forced herself to smile.

„Who’s at this late hour at night, Stan?” Ms. Huntington asked, walking into the room while supporting her body on Beth’s arm. But something drew Beth’s attention and she kept looking at the young lady, who was sitting on the chair in front of the chimney, with her back at her, and was something familiar at her: the blond curled hair and, in the end, like an upset child, Beth whispered: „Miss Stonebridge!”

Ms. Huntington and Stan looked in amazement first at Beth, then at Eva, who was fighting against her tears and she didn’t know what to do: to stand up or to continue to pretend that she doesn’t know Beth. In the end, she stood up and slowly turned to Beth and the old lady. „How are you, Beth? Are you alright?” Eva whispered.

Alice Huntington suddenly clapped her palms and screamed: „Oh, Gosh! Miss Walker?! You here?” but she right away understood that the woman she was seeing now was real and not an illusion and she took a few steps back and sat down on a chair, helped by Stan, who didn’t understand anything from what was happening there. Actually, like the others: nobody understood what Ms. Huntington tried to say.

„Miss Walker? Did you meet my mother?” Eva asked in a whisper and the old lady slowly nodded that she knew her. Beth instead was staring at Eva’s rounded belly and tears were falling on her cheeks while she was murmuring: „Miss Stonebridge, you’ll be a mother soon! How is this possible? And … I wasn’t by your side all this time.”

Eva approached her eventually and hugged her and for a few moments, she forgot about what Ms. Huntington said about Helen Walker, but the old woman didn’t forget it: she continued to stare at this strange woman who’s her Miss Walker’s copy and who so suddenly walked into her house as Helen Walker did 18 years ago and this one is also expecting a baby. And, Ms. Huntington remembered that Helen gave birth to a baby girl then, before her death, and it seems that her daughter shares the same fate as she had. And Ms. Alice suddenly shuddered when she remembered how she closed Helen’s eyes when she stopped breathing and she slowly shook her head: „No, Helen, it won’t happen. I’ll take care of your girl for you, and of her baby, even if fate put her in front of such a difficult way,” the old woman whispered and she wiped her tears.

„Come on, Beth, come back to reality and bring to this poor girl something to eat. Don’t you see how skinny and starving she is? Do you want her to be even skinnier than now? Come on, move to the kitchen and prepare something light for her. Meanwhile, I’ll prepare a room and you, Stan, help this gentleman to move his horse to the stables.”

After giving the instructions, Ms. Alice stood up and exited the room. Passing by Albert’s side she whispered: „don’t even think to leave without telling me what’s going on, mister … or I swear that I’ll be hunting you even after death and even beyond its limits because I’m very good at being a ghost, especially when I have to hunt those who hurt this child so much.”

Albert said nothing. He just slowly nodded and followed Stan because he was also thinking about Bachaco who had been so listener these days and who also suffered hunger and tiredness.

Beth covered Eva with everything she found as being warm while continuing to mumble that it’s only her fault for leaving Eva alone in such hard times. Eva grabbed her hand in the end and forced her to watch her: „it’s not your fault, Elisabeth Alby. It was totally mine for leaving you behind me. So… it’s alright and it’ll be better from now on.”

Listening again to Ms. Alice’s voice, who rebuked her for being so slow with the dinner, Beth ran out of the room, trying also not to be seen by Eva crying. But it wasn’t something surprising for Eva because she knows well Beth, at least it was what she thought: that she knows this girl, but she saw the storm inside of her good friend, a storm caused by her who abandoned her a year ago, but even so, this poor kid waited for her.

And Eva also had a lot of questions for Beth: she was amazed to see her here when she knew her being home, in Image, where she left her. And … she also wanted to ask about her father, but … she decided that it had been enough strong emotions for one day. So, she left the rest for tomorrow, and while waiting she took off the hat and tried to bring her curled hair back in order.

Moon suddenly came into the room. Moving slowly toward the chimney, after being awakened from her sweet dreams, the feline looked upset at the stranger that dared to take her place next to the fireplace.

Feeling someone in the room, Eva turned her head and looked at those small, round and black eyes that were staring at her and she smiled. „Did I steal your place? Well, I’m not leaving it right now. So, should we start to be friends from now on?” she said with a sweet voice and Moon didn’t wait for long: she jumped on Eva’s lap and coiled next to her belly as if she tried to listen to the baby’s heartbeats.

Eva’s hand slowly caressed the black fur of the feline who right away accepted her as being her friend forever.

„Traitor!” Beth’s voice suddenly echoed behind and Eva stared at her in amazement … Beth was entering the room, bringing with her some food that she knows Eva loves: boiled eggs, ham, and … baked apples. „Don’t get me wrong, Miss Stonebridge, I wasn’t talking about you. I’m talking about that black traitor that is now slowly purring on your lap.”

„Are you jealous now?” Eva said while smiling.

„Absolutely not. Actually … you can take her. She’s spoiled enough and cunning. Not something on my taste.”

„And even so… you love her: despite her “black side,” and Eva looked at the black feline, who was sweetly yawning, a sign that she’s not bothered at all and she can live with both of them because both are kind and love her and … their caresses are slowly warming her and making her feel beloved. “What is her name?”

„Moon! Actually, she’s Stan’s cat. That young man you saw when you came here. He opened the door for you.” Seeing Eva’s curious glance, Beth looked elsewhere, because she felt shame for her feelings for Stan and to be discovered by Eva in such unfavorable conditions. „It’s … a long story,” she mumbled in the end. „I’ll tell you later,” and, after chasing away Moon from off Eva’s lap, she put the tray on the lap, but suddenly she grabbed Eva’s hand and stared into her eyes: „I hope we won’t ever separate again, Miss Stonebridge or I swear that my life will be over this time.”

Eva said nothing instead. She looked at Beth with sad eyes because she had no idea what to tell her best friend: she also doesn’t know what will happen tomorrow.

***

Albert caressed for a long time Bachaco’s snout while he was feeding him with sugar he begged from Stan. At first, the boy didn’t understand why Albert needed sugar at that late hour at night, but … the customer’s order is a law, how Ms. Huntington uses to say. So, he just obeyed.

After putting on the horse’s sweaty back a warm duvet and seeing how much love Albert put in his caressing on the horse’s snout, Stan finally understood that those two are tied with a very strong friendship and love in this life.

„Have you had him for a long time already??” the boy asked. „I mean the horse!”

„Yes. It has been for many years already. But even so, I feel as if we met yesterday and our wonderful friendship is just starting.”

„I envy you,” the boy said and his words took the man by surprise.

„Why so?” Albert said and smiled.

„Because … I wish I had someone by my side who loves me and I love him: unconditionally. Don’t get me wrong: I love someone, I think, but … what I see that is between you two… it's even more than I feel for that girl.”

„Do you mean the young lady that knows Miss Stonebridge?”

„What?” Stan practically yelled and a strange echo was heard in Albert’s ears. „Oh, you have my apologies! It’s just … well, the matter is Beth is looking for this Miss Stonebridge for a long time already, but no matter what she did she couldn’t find her. And … in the end, we are where we are. And, even if I was just a beggar when I met her: one that was ragged and filthy, fighting in the street for a loaf of bread, I became a real man while being with them: with Beth and with Moon, our cat. And my life changed completely.”

Albert stared at that young man for a while, seeing in this man dedication and love, something he felt for Emily from the first moment he saw her. „Tell me, Stan, do you think you can take care of Miss Stonebridge too, in my place?”

„What? … Are you leaving? I mean, will you leave her here and…”

„Yes. I have to. Otherwise, her life will be in danger. But … if you promise me to take care of her and that nothing will happen to her, then I promise to help you too. How much I can.”

„But … I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to take care of someone.”

Albert smiled, seeing the innocence and the shyness in the young man’s eyes who wanted to know how to take care of somebody, but who lacked experience. „It’s something that flows naturally in your veins, Stan,” Albert said and this made Stan stare at him. „It’s enough only with wanting this. The rest … are just events. And … I have one more favor to ask you, young man: take care of him too.”

Bachaco pricked up his ears as if he understood what Albert was saying and this made the man smile. „You’ll love him, right from the start because Bachaco also loves and can be very trustful if he wants. He doesn’t ask much: just to caress his snout from time to time and to feed him with sugar. Not much, of course, a cube or two a day, but he will always say thank you for this. Right, my boy?” and Albert looked at the horse, waiting for his answer and Bachaco slowly neighed.

„But … why don’t you take care of him? From what I see you love him and the horse … well, I think he doesn’t want to stay behind.”

„It’s because …” Albert said, becoming suddenly sad and nostalgic. „It’s because I’ll be far away from here and I won’t have the chance to be by his side. However, with you next to him I’ll be much calmer. Well, what do you say? Will you take care of my old friend for me too?”

„If you want this!” the young man carelessly said and, shrugging, he left the stable because he was eager to see once again that miss who made Beth so much suffer and to say something nice to her if he has the chance.

Being only the two of them, Albert stuck his forehead off the horse’s and they stood like this for a long time, rhythmically breathing. In the end, Bachaco shook his mane slightly, a sign that he disliked the feeling that was sneaking between them, but Albert’s hand caress on his snout made him slowly puff from his nostrils. „Oh, my dear old friend, finally came the time when we must split up because our fate was cruel and didn’t allow us to be together till the end. But, don’t be sad, my friend, and don’t cry for me. Be a good friend for this young man too because I see in him my youth and he also will love you a lot… as I did. And … if you can, dear friend, don’t forget me: I won’t and I’ll carry our memories inside my soul, no matter where I’ll be.”

He hugged with both hands the horse’s neck and hid his face in his mane, falling prey to emotions and he cried a lot: slowly and sadly because he was forced to leave his friend behind, seeing him today maybe for the last time, the one who had been always such a good friend and fellow… a brother that stood by his side in good times and in bad times and who Albert will love forever … a love that Bachaco also feels, in that warm embracement of the man, who was crying for the first time in his life and those tears were for everything that happened to him during life.