„You can’t accept life as a gift as long as you are living in shadows”

After leaving Ms. Alice Huntington’s house, Brian ordered Bardain to spur the horse to the center of London, to John Evans’house because he had to talk to Beatrice Evans and he had to do this immediately, being absolutely sure that Beatrice had known about Eva’s pregnancy, but she never told him about this.

Getting there, he found out in amazement that Ms. Evans was out of London and she would turn back in a few weeks only. So, this allowed Brian to finally see the truth: Beatrice Evans had decided to play with him and she did it so well all that time, without Brian noticing anything, being so blind and believing in the cunning of that woman who he considered being as a true lady and a good strategist. But, in the end, everything had been just a beautiful lie.

But his journey till Evans’house hadn’t been a waste of time because while leaving the property, he measured noses with Johns Evans, or better to say he saw his carriage stopped in front of his.

One in front of the other, the two teamsters stared at each other with hatred because it was a very narrow street and two carriages couldn’t pass one by the other. It was necessary for one of them to move back and to leave the other one pass, but none of them was eager to give up and to spur the horses to move back and this happened because Bardain considered that as he’s older Evans’teamster must show him respect, but Evans’teamster, Thomas, considered that while he’s working for the future Prime-Minister of England others must show respect and leave them to pass.

„What’s happening, Thomas? Why did we stop?” Evans asked, opening the window to see what was in front of the carriage, amazed that they stopped. But he had been even more amazed to see Brian coming out of his carriage and waiting for him to come too. And this didn’t give John any other choice than to greet Brian and to come out of the carriage. „Mister Beneath, what a surprise to see you here! To what do we owe the honor to see you here?” Evans said in mockery.

„Let’s say that I came here to pay some old debts, but the Universe today definitely is plotting against me while I’m forced to see your ugly face and not the delicate face of your wife,” Brian said, using a severe tone.

Even if Brian hadn’t been ever gentle with Evans and helped him with the elections only due to that Beatrice had promised him to help him with the divorce, John was sure that he never saw Brian being so aggressive. At that moment instead, Brian’s attitude toward John was clear enough of an enemy and it was a threat to succeed for the post of the Prime Minister or a place in the Government and because of this Evans became alerted.

„Did it seem to me or the tone you used had been a little bit snarky, mister Beneath? To be honest, I don’t get why of your behavior with me while…”

„Let’s not go round and round, Evans. We both know very well what’s going on,” Brian said this time, using an even more severe tone, and approached Evans while his eyes were piercing the rival as if he was able to finish with Evans’life there and at that moment. „May I know since when you know everything, but you preferred to consider me a fool?”

John stared in amazement at Brian because even if he suspected what Brian was talking about, he preferred to act the fool and not to talk more than he should talk. „I’m not that sure that I know what are you…”

„I told you not to go around, Evans.”

„Evans? Not sir… not…”

„Yeah, Evans. Because you don’t deserve my respect to call you „sir” or „mister.” Despite all the differences between us two I decided to do violence to my conscience and to help you to get there where you always dreamt to get, but where you won’t ever be, in the end, due to the fact that you considered me an idiot that won’t ever find out about the game you and your wife have decided to play with me. However, surprise, I know more than you thought: about your game and… about other things about which I preferred to be blind while seeing them because I thought that it shouldn’t be me who should talk about them. But, in the end, I’ll do it.”

„But you also took advantage of this and not only a little, Brian Beneath. Don’t forget that thanks to me you are about to get the divorce and to marry your young mistress who’s not more than a…”

A sudden punch in his face laid him low - he didn’t expect this and … he also didn’t know how to react at that moment because even if he tried to act like an adult person, capable to face the challenges, the truth was that he was just a chicken, who most of the time avoided problems due to Beatrice’s help and a lot of those avoided problems were because of other women.

Touching his bloody lips, Evans understood that things got serious and he stared at Brian who was ready to beat him up. So, John understood that it was a damn good idea to stand up and to look for a shelter while Brian was a few meters away from him, yet. But, while he was still looking for a shelter, he understood that it wasn’t that good idea, anyway, because it could show that he was weak, and because of this he stopped and faced Brian who had decided to approach Evans, in the end.

„I think I understand now that many of the rumors that got around you hadn’t been only rumors, but the truth and one of those rumors is about your relationship with Emily Davis that continues till nowadays.”

Listening to Miss Davis’name, John looked thunder-stricken at Brian, wondering: „How does this idiot know that…,” but Brian didn’t give him enough time to think.

„My late father-in-law, Edward Anderson Bell got to suspect your tricks and your new approach of Miss Davis, who seems that wants to bring back to life „Red Ants,” and to punish Luis Chesterman this way for his betrayal and to do this she didn’t find a better idea than to ask for your help. Or better to say she threw you a tasty bone, like to a dog, and for your help, she promised to help you to get the ruling of the country! Am I right?”

„Watch your tongue, Mister Beneath! I… I…”

„Your stuttering is the perfect hint for that I’m right. That’s why you’ve decided to get rid of Edward: to take his position, dreaming about immortality in front of the country, but you’ve completely forgotten that we still have a king, Evans. And… I can assure you that even with Emily’s Davis help you won’t ever be the Prime Minister of England.”

Brian’s words put the lid on Evans’s expectations. But John quickly chased away the numbness of his mind, despite his chicken character because he wasn’t able to give up on his dreams. So, he squeezed his fists and approached Brian, hissing through the teeth: „are you sure that you won’t regret your words, Brian? Don’t forget that one can die in seconds, no matter how strong he is or how many friends he has.”

„I can say the same.”

„But the difference between us is that I’m not afraid to stain my hands in blood while you won’t do this ever.”

It was a sign that John Evans knew well Brian, but he didn’t know one thing: that Brian also got to his limits: a limit that he decided a long time ago and which he would have preferred not to cross ever, but finding out about Eva and about that everybody tried to separate them, thinking that Brian is a weak person, he decided to show others too that Brian Beneath wasn’t and hadn’t been ever a fool. „There’s a start point for everything in this world,” Brian said, taking Evans by surprise.

„Even for pulling a trigger and taking someone’s life?”

„To defend my country and my family, I’m capable of anything,” Brian whistled the words, showing Evans the fist, a sign that if Evans continues to talk nonsense that he will get what he deserves. „If you don’t believe me then keep going to provoke me.”

Brian turned his back to Evans and went to the carriage, but he stopped, listening to John’s words: „you can lose that happiness you dream of, Beneath, in seconds. So, take care of your young … wife. You don’t know when you can lose her.” These words made Brian turn his face toward Evans, staring at him with a piercing glance, but he said nothing. So, Evans continued: „did you know that highly esteemed Edward Bell himself betrayed you?! And he did this not only once. The first time when he betrayed you was eighteen years ago when your beloved father pulled the trigger and blew his brains out. The last time to betray you was before his death: he knew very well where Eva Stonebridge and Emily Davis were, but he preferred to hide this: for his own sake and for his daughter’s. You had been for him only a good pylon to support on it in stormy times, but he never showed you respect or gave you support. What do you think: why did he do this?”

„Let’s go, Bardain!” Brian told his teamster, being decided not to listen to Evans’nonsense anymore, even if something inside him told him that those words weren’t just told for being told.

„But, mister Beneath… if that idiot doesn't move his carriage back, then we…”

„I don’t care about pride, Bardain. I have better things to do than to think about who has priority and who doesn’t have it. So, be kind and move this carriage, and don’t make me say it once again,” Brian told, using a severe tone and the old Bardain understood that things are worse than at first glance. So, after Brian came into the carriage, he pulled the reins and forced the horses to move back.

Bardain’s movement was considered as a triumph by Thomas, but when he saw Evans’furious glance, he understood that there can’t be any losers or winners there, but only random events. So, he entered quickly the yard, without even waiting for Evans to come into the carriage and this made Evans growl something unpleasant, being afraid of being alone.

He was forced to approach too close of a yard wall when Bardain spurred the horses and passed by in gallop, threatening Evans to trample him under the horse’s hooves if he keeps staying in his way. Only when the carriage was already far away, John had noticed at his feet a small dagger wrapped into paper and he realized that it was thrown from Brian’s carriage when he passed by.

Shuddering, Evans bent and picked up the object and, after unwrapping the paper, he could read it in a shaking half a voice: „such a blade killed Edward. A similar blade can kill you too. Watch your back, Evans!” but it wasn’t Brian’s handwriting and John knew it very well because not only once he saw that beautiful handwriting of Beneath in the reports he wrote for the Government. And yet: who was standing behind Brian Beneath, watching for his death? Does it really… „no, it can’t be! That man died twenty or more years ago. It’s impossible to be him!”

***

Shelby Storm is a true legend of the England of the XVIIIth Century, due to his political activity during his youth age, as due to the power he had in different social and economical areas between 1720-1750. But, after 1750 there couldn’t be found any traces of his activity as if someone ordered to be erased from the history of England, but the real reason for all these was still unknown.

Having reached the respectable age of 75, Shelby remembers with nostalgia about his previous fame and about that he had been betrayed and his enemies, after joining their forces for an unknown reason, they managed, in the end, to remove him from all of the spheres of influence. But what they didn’t know was that Shelby wasn’t easy prey and even if they tried to kill him by throwing him off a sheer cliff while turning back home, he managed to stand up and to lead from the shadows, being known by many as Count Shark.

„Come in, mister Beneath!” Shelby told Brian when he entered the big living room of the mansion, accompanied by one of Shelby’s footmen.

At the moment Brian entered, Shelby was in front of the big window, with his back at the door and staring at the outside world. But even so, his instincts were still awake and he knew very well if next to him was a stranger or an old friend because he got to know this, in time, by smell, by the noise of the footsteps, or by the noise of the breathing, if possible.

He spent a great part of the last twenty years, after the accident, in his mansion, deeply hidden into a wonderful area of the Cambrian Mountains. However, he was well informed about what was happening around and not few had been the cases when he led everything from the shadows, turning everything in his favor as if he was an actor in a puppet theater.

Only after approaching the window, Brian had spotted that Shelby was staring through the window, but he looked as if he didn’t see anything in front of him and Brian’s first thought had been that the old man was blind. But he understood that he was mistaken when Storm’s fox eyes, of a grey pale, had been fixed on his glance and that severe glance, of an old military, who passed through many harsh times in his life, completely disarmed Brian. But he managed to stay to his feet, not being at all a weak man, even if the company in which he spent most of the time and the cases he had been involved in his life hadn’t been the most welcome and happy for him. But it made him stronger and he could face anybody if he was in danger or if one of his dears needed him because Brian knew well that he doesn't have anybody to ask for help, besides his own person.

„I thought that you are as short as it was old Baron, but it seems that I was wrong. You look more like your mother’s family: they were tall and skinny,” Shelby said and this made Brian be curious. „You probably wonder why I know so much when I’m not more than a grumpy old man and probably insane, ready to start to walk onto to path toward the other world,” Shelby added in a playful voice.

„It’s not that. Simply, I’m amazed that there still are people in this world that know me well and I had no idea bout this,” Brian answered in a sure voice while staring into the old man’s eyes.

„But I’m sure that you heard about me.”

„About Shelby Storm? I’m sure that it’s the first time I hear this name. I mean I heard it the first time when you sent that man to call me here.”

„What about Count Shark?”

Brian winced: it couldn’t be that simple. Count Shark was a true legend, but nobody saw his face, and more than this: 99% of those who heard about him thought that he was a ghost. However, this man was alive, of flesh and blood.

He had been even more amazed when the old man pulled the blanket off his feet and he saw that Shelby hadn’t one leg and because of this, he asked one of his men to carry him onto the sofa because when he fell from off the cliff, he broke a lot of bones and the doctor had been forced to amputate a leg, but to keep him alive. And Shelby survived, even if his horse died immediately after hitting the rocks till the bottom of the chasm and Shelby survived due to his small stature because even if the chasm was deep enough and very dangerous when he fell, he got on a rock, that was sticking out of the cliff wall and it attenuated the man’s fall, saving his life.

Shelby’s doctor even started to call him „cat with 9 lives” and not for nothing because despite the multiple wounds, broken bones, and bleeding, Shelby hold tied to the reins of life, and months later the doctor told him that he was out of danger.

Seeing Brian’s curious glance, Shelby smiled and asked his servant to bring some snacks and something to drink. Then, he showed Brian to sit down, covered his one leg, preferring not to see pity in the man’s eyes, and opened the bottle of brandy that the servant gave him.

„May I ask you how this happened and why you lost your leg?” Brian finally asked, after a long time wondering if it was proper to ask and he decided this after drinking some strong liquor the old man served.

Shelby looked at Brian with his eagle eyes who doesn’t lose any detail and then smiled. „But the character is of your father. He used to dig till find out the truth. And this brought him to death.”

„To death? Do you mean that my father…?”

„No. No others killed him. He killed himself, but before this, someone took care to push him a little from behind. You can look through that file that’s on the table. You’ll find out interesting things there,” Shelby said and pointed with the head toward a grey file seen on the dressing table next to the window.

Brian left the brandy glass on the table in front of him, stood up, and approached the dressing table. Before looking through the file he hesitated a little bit, but, in the end, he opened it and read the first document he saw there: „we, the co-founders… Shelby Storm, Baron Beneath, Edward Anderson Bell, and John Evans…”

„John Evans?1” Brian wondered loudly and, confused, he looked at Shelby.

„I see that you met that old fox. Actually, he’s the last of the four co-founders of a Coal Mine who’s still alive, but not the only one who receives money from it. Because I’m a damn good ghost that still loves money,” Shelby said, loudly laughing at his joke about his person.

Brian turned to his place, taking the file with him, to check it closely while the old man continued his story, staring at the brandy from his glass, which he was slowly moving in his hand. „We first met at one of the famous parties in the old Chesterman’s house. Actually, the old George Chesterman had been who brought us together, telling us about his intention to sell one of his profitable Coal mines. According to what he told us, he was already old, tired, and the money… well, he was also tired of it, and while his only son was more interested in politics than businesses, old George decided to give up on some of his businesses. So, he found us: four young men, eager of fame, money, and glory to whom to sell his business and to retire from all this hard work. At first, everything clicked for us. For about ten years nobody had a problem neither about making money nor about who is in charge. But when Miss Greedy shows up at the horizon, problems are inevitable.”

The old man kept silent and drink from his drink. Then, he looked at Brian who was staring at him, waiting for the rest of the story. „I was the first of the four of us who has fallen,” Shelby continued his story. „It happened one morning, at dawn, when I was turning back home from London. I met that group of armed men at a crossroads. Well, I… never loved weapons and neither now do I love them while I prefer to use my brain more, and this means that I was unarmed then.

But, even so, I used my brain and it told me to run. So, I ran then, feeling Miss Death breathing down my neck. So, I pulled the reins, I spurred the horse, and … catch me if you can. I had then a fast horse and probably this saved me. But, while passing through the mountains, due to the speed and of the road covered with fresh snow, fallen over the night, the hooves slipped and we both have been thrown in the chasm: I and my horse and my poor old friend died immediately, hitting the bottom. But I hadn’t the same luck.”

„What you had then, mister Storm was luck. If not: you wouldn't have been here now.”

Shelby smiled. „What others call luck to be still alive after such watershed, it can be a curse for others, Mister Beneath. But you are also right and maybe I’m just too old and too tired to live in the shadows, like a ghost. But… I don’t know. It’s hard to decide this. Not now, after 22 years of living like a ghost.”

„And yet, I can see that you had much more success as a ghost than while you’ve been alive. Even if I can’t deny that while being alive you were also a true legend. But my question is, how did you survive then? I don’t think that you got home on your own feet. Sorry, if I offend you with this question, but…”

„Why to offend me?! No, you are right: someone brought me home then. My good friend, Baron Beneath.”

Brian looked at him, in amazement. „My father?”

„Yes. Actually, he had been the first who felt the danger approaching us and he tried to tell me about this too, but I was too blind then or maybe I just preferred to act the fool. You know, I’ve been always aware that there was someone working with us who had more income than others, but it was still a good income there. So, I just shut my mouth because money wasn’t a problem for me and there were also the approaching elections for the prime minister. I wanted that chair, being tired to work in a Coal Mine and after leaving the army. But your father wasn’t asleep. Even if I told him not to search about that problem he kept searching and, in the end, he found out about those who planned my death, looking for the same chair I wanted in front of the country.”

„Edward Anderson Bell and John Evans were ones of those who looked for your death.”

„Absolutely right. Actually, they’ve been those who planned my falling too by hiring „Dark Minds” to end up with my life. In fact, I found out this much later, after your father’s death… and it really had been too late for us. But, turning back to business: when those hired to kill me saw me there, on that rock, looking like a dead person, they just left because nobody was that idiot to go there and to check if I’m still breathing. It was too dangerous. But it hadn’t been dangerous for your father. He had some men with him: not many and not prepared, but they got me out of that chasm and brought me to die home. But my doctor is a damn good genius: he chased away death and put me back on my feet. Well, only on the one left and this after a year of not being able to move. But when things became better, I found out that a lot happened in that year while I fought with death for my life: Anderson Bell got in front of the country, as the Prime Minister of England, John Evans took the business with Cuban tobacco and I was declared dead.

This with being considered dead, in the end, was my idea and your father helped me with this and I did this not to allow them to take my fortune too because they were about to take it. So, I named your father as my heir because I don’t have kids and I asked him to take care of everything. Later, he changed the documents and my fortune turned back to me. But from what I see it was hard for him too to protect his fortune and you also had to fight a lot for it.

But when Baron signed those papers to turn back my fortune, Count Shark was born and he had to face a hungry pack of wolves. And I’m still on this, but it was much harder than I thought and more after your father’s death when I fell again, understanding that my only friend left died too, in the end.”

„Do you mean that Anderson Bell and John Evans had something to do with my father’s death?”

„I’m not sure about this and I also didn’t find evidence to prove it, but … I didn’t lose my faith yet. That’s why I called you here: it’s time to find a way to kneel the last beast too. I would have liked to also break Anderson Bell’s neck, but others had been even faster than I am.”

„John Evans.”

„No. That idiot is too coward to ask for someone’s death. But even so, he had been smart enough to approach Emily Davis and „Red Ants” and to take advantage of this. But I’m sure that there is another person who gives the orders and he does it also from the shadows.”

„Luis Chesterman?”

„Well, we must find out this and we must do this together. And to succeed we must have an eye on Evans: all the time because I’m sure that he’s the next target.”

„But there is something that keeps me wondering. You said that you and my father have decided to take care of the other’s part of the coal mine. But I never saw documents that prove that my father had part of that mine. No evidence of this.”

„Listen, Brian, you still don’t know a lot about the world we are living in and about the things I and your father had been involved in. But soon you’ll find out about everything. That’s why I’m asking you not to rush or you’ll break your neck before to find out something and the last thing I want is to lose my last left friend: my last hope too.”