Sad_Girl
Blue Crack Supplier
**Disclaimer – Though inspired in part by people who exist in reality, this story is not meant to represent them in any literal way. No offense is meant to anyone who resembles in any way any of the characters in the story.
On the rising tide Chapter 24
The Audley estate was alive with activity. The guests were arriving in their gaudy carriages, dressed in their ostentatious gowns and suits, feathered and jeweled masks held in hand or hiding their faces. The musicians were playing something by Mozart, though Colleen could not quite recall the name. Something to do with night, anyway.
Night music. That was it. ‘A little night music’. She smiled idly, thinking the creaking of the violins and the honking of clarinets was not what she thought of when she heard the title. Night music. No, when she thought of night music, she thought of him.
She could not help but smile at the memory of Bono’s voice, as thick and sweet as honey, singing her to sleep. She had never slept so well in her life as she had those nights aboard the aingeal. He had called her his angel, but he was the one who stood watch over her by night.
The maid her new husband had hired for her yanked brutally at the straps on her corset, barely noticing when Colleen gasped or flinched in pain. Her comfort was obviously of no consequence what-so-ever. She was a possession, a decoration for Captain Audley’s arm. She was nothing more than a bouquet of flowers which needed to be arranged just so in order to be worthy of display.
The pocket hoops were, in Colleens opinion, the most ridiculous contraption ever devised. Though she’d never been fond of the full, round pannier, she much preferred the hoop skirt to the ridiculous mounds jutting out from her hips. She could practically rest her elbows on them.
She sighed and allowed herself to be draped and dressed in yards and yards of hot, uncomfortable cloth. There was nothing she could do about it, after all. Afterwards, as she stood facing the mirror to admire the result of the maids hard work, she wondered if there was anything left of the real woman underneath.
Her hair had been curled and pinned atop her head, falling back in waves of caramel against her pale, exposed shoulders. She had been beautifully packaged to hide the fact that there was nothing of great importance inside. She wondered if it would have been better if she were at the bottom of the ocean with her uncle and his ship.
“Perfection.” She heard Garvin’s voice say from the doorway behind her. She turned and smiled politely and thanked him for the compliment. This was indeed what he wanted. Her spirit broken, like a powerful horse which no longer tried to buck it’s rider from it’s back, but yielded to the whip and spur dutifully and without complaint.
Garvin looked as ridiculous as a man could look without knowing it. Colleen suppressed the urge to giggle at him, in his powdered wig and his coat which hung heavy with pretentious gold medals he had earned by ordering others around. Though powdered wigs were out of fashion, a few still insisted upon wearing them to such occasions. Colleen was thankful that he had not insisted she don one as well.
The new years eve masquerade ball had been his idea, yet he had expected her to organize the entire thing. It was her role, after all, to be the hostess for his household now. She held her breath as he escorted her down the spiraling staircase into the grand ballroom, hoping it would meet his approval.
She heard their names announced and saw the people turn and watch them descend the stairs, all the while feeling as if she weren’t there at all. She was an observer, present and yet invisible. She was not Colleen, but Mrs. Audley.
Each of the people she greeted addressed her as such, and she knew she would never be anything else to them. They were Garvin’s acquaintances. None were people whom she had known as Colleen O'Niell. None of them saw her as anything other than Garvin’s bride.
“Presenting Lord and Lady Clayton of Huntington.” The page announced, and Colleen’s heart felt like an eager puppy, wagging it’s tail upon sighting its boy. Inviting Adam was her one rebellious act. He represented what remained of the girl she had been. He was her route to knowledge of Bono.
“Lord Clayton.” She greeted him with a broad, honest smile. She felt like a little girl with a secret that only the two of them were privy to. She was glad to note that Adam wore his natural hair, closely cropped as was the latest fashion. No powdered wig for Adam. Indeed, he’d probably been one of the first to toss the laughable fashion aside.
“Colleen.” Adam greeted her, his blue eyes shining with amusement as he bowed to kiss the back of her hand. It was far too familiar of a gesture, for him to address her by her Christian name. Garvin’s back straightened and his chest puffed out like a rooster, preparing to fight.
“Lord Clayton. I don’t believe I’ve had the opportunity to make your acquaintance.” He said, looking down his nose at the slightly shorter, slimmer man.
“Indeed we have not, sir. That, I fear, is by design rather than chance. My father, Commodore Clayton and brother Sebastian are quite ashamed of the fact that I chose not to serve in his majesties military.” Adam explained.
“Ah-ha.” Garvin murmured, obviously siding with Adam’s father and brother.
“I simply do not have the disposition of a soldier. I could not kill another man, I suspect, except in perhaps the most dire of circumstances.” Adam went on to explain.
“Soldiers only kill under the most dire of circumstances, Lord Clayton. We are civilized men, after all.” Garvin sniffed, glancing around to find someone else to talk to. Anyone else would do.
Colleens eyes were drawn to the beautiful young woman standing beside Adam silently, and her lips parted, her jaw falling slack. Finn? It could not be! Finn was a scraggly little boy. He just happened to bear an uncanny resemblance to the beauty standing before her.
“Finn?” Colleen asked, her voice automatically lowering to a whisper and her eyes narrowing suspiciously. Adam laughed out loud and the lady grinned at her, a familiar dimple appearing in her cheek.
“Call me Fiona.” She replied, her green eyes twinkling merrily. “If you have the time to walk with me a bit, I would love the opportunity to fill you in.”
“Of course.” Colleen agreed eagerly. “You’ll excuse me while we get acquainted, won’t you Garvin?” She addressed her husband as if he were her chaperone. “I’d like to show her around the house.”
“Certainly.” He dismissed her with a nod and hurried off toward some of his closer acquaintances.
“May I escort the two most beautiful women on their tour of the house?” Adam asked, offering an arm to each of the women. They accepted quickly and were soon off in search of a more private venue in which they could speak more candidly. Colleen had hundreds of questions swimming in her head, not the least of which was in regard to Finn or Fiona’s true identity.
The first thing she wanted to ask, however, had not been replaced even by this odd turn of events. The first thing she wanted to know, the thing which she needed to know, was how Bono was faring.
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“Go, already! You’ll do nothing but make yourself, and all of us along with you, miserable!” Colleen ordered Bono as she practically pushed him into the dinghy.
“Come, come. I want to see this angel of yours.” Gavin agreed, climbing in beside his old friend. “And I’ll keep my eyes open for trouble, keep him safe.” He told Carra with a wink.
“Maybe I should go along.” Carra sighed, rolling her eyes playfully. At first, she had doubted she would ever be able to tolerate Gavin’s constant presence aboard the aingeal. Now she was even developing something of an affection for the man. He had a great many things in common with Bono, she had discovered.
“We’ll be back before dawn.” Bono told Carra, kissing her on the cheek before sitting down in the small boat as Larry used a pulley system to lower them to the water’s surface.
“Just don’t lead the mob that’s chasing you back here, alright?” Larry joked, grinning at Bono who promised to lose anyone pursuing him, intent on his death or imprisonment, before he returned to the ship.
Carra and Larry watched in silence as the men rowed for the shore. Edge would be angry that he’d gone without him, but Molly needed him, too.
“They’ll be alright.” Larry reassured her, his own thoughts mirroring hers. “He’s a grown man, he doesn’t need an army of baby-sitters.”
“I was that worried about the fact that he was going to try and sneak into the home of the man in charge of hunting down traitors to the crown. I was more concerned with what is going to happen when he finds himself face to face with the woman he loves. The woman who is now married to another man.” Carra replied, wrapping an arm around Larry’s waist and resting her head on his shoulder.
“You care a lot for him, don’t you?”
“Of course. It doesn’t hurt that he’s facing something I thought I would be facing myself. Having to see you with a wife.”
“It doesn’t make much sense. Love.” Larry mused, kissing the top of Carra’s hair.
“No, it doesn’t. Nor will it be denied or ignored. It will break the people whom it touches before it will bend to meet their wishes.” She told him sadly.
“There is no sense worrying over things which are out of our control. Pray that Bono lets his good sense lead him and the God returns him safely to us. Meanwhile, I think I may know a way to keep your mind off of Bono and his Colleen.” Larry replied, one hand lacing into her hair, the other gently under her chin, guiding her to lift her face to meet his kiss.
“Hmmm.” Carra purred under his touch, smiling into his kiss. “I think you missed me while we were apart.” She teased. Larry cupped her face in his hands and rested his forehead against her own.
“I could not sleep one night without you.” He whispered, his thumb stroking her cheek. Carra’s heart skipped a beat in her chest at his words; her chest filling with so much love that it ached. “I’ve grown so accustomed to your snoring that without it my mind would not rest.”
“Eejit.” She cursed him playfully, smacking him on the shoulder, but her blow carried no conviction.
*Ahem*
They turned toward the sound of someone clearing their throat; wanting to announce their presence without interrupting directly. Carra’s cheeks flushed when she saw her father and young Emily standing nearby, looking awkwardly around at anything besides the couple.
“It’s cold up here.” She said, directing her words in their general direction.
“Aye. We were just coming to see that Bono was safely off and to invite the two of you to join us below.” Paul informed them, unable to restrain a smile at the sight of Carra blushing. It was a rare sight. His heart seemed to have grown wings since they had come to ask him to join them on their new mission. Perhaps it was the news of a grandchild, or just the new way they looked at one another which made him so happy. Either way, he could not recall a time since before his own wife had died that he had felt so free from the burden of worry and gloom.
“He is. Gavin accompanied him.” Larry replied solemnly, his back straightening and his shoulders squaring as he returned to his role of captain rather than seducer. His hand rested against the small of Carra’s back, still, a sign that he was not denying her worth to him. He was simply respecting their privacy and being polite to the others. Carra seemed more uncomfortable at having been caught in such an intimate embrace than he appeared to be.
“Well. The galley is warm, and most of the others are gathered there. You’re invited to join us, if you so desire.” Paul told them again, turning toward the galley and guiding Emily to as well. Emily turned and glanced over her shoulder, her blue eyes wide and full of some emotion which Carra could not quite recognize.
“We should join them for awhile.” She told Larry, and he sighed melodramatically, but then flashed that broad, boyish grin in agreement.
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It wasn’t hard for Bono to convince the musicians to let him join them, once they finally took a short break. He’d lay in wait for them in the frozen garden, watching the gaily dressed bluebloods as they posed and preened for one another. They called this dancing, but it was all so orchestrated, it reminded him more of marching. Not that he was particularly graceful as a dancer, but at least he enjoyed himself when the music moved him.
His heart had jumped straight up his throat and nearly fell from his open mouth when he finally saw her. At least, it certainly felt that way to him. He could not speak, nor breathe, nor move a muscle. All he could do for the longest time was stare. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Her dress was of a rich, honey gold and she seemed to shine like a star.
He watched her dance with Adam, the duo moving gracefully across the floor, disappearing from sight behind the throng of guests and then appearing again, like the sun from behind a storm cloud. Fiona was shaking her head and politely refusing the requests of the gentlemen who asked her to dance, and he wished he could go to her aid. Her idea of dancing could not be far from his own, after all.
Gavin had smoked one cigarette after another and kept watch for any passerby who might wonder why they were in the cold, dark night looking in at the celebration. Bono had finally pointed Colleen out to him, but he’d already spotted her. He knew the moment he laid eyes on her that Bono would have fallen in love with her, had they met. Once he saw how Bono watched her, he knew she was the one they’d come here for.
The troupe of musicians had stepped outside for fresh air and to stretch their limbs while one of the guests played piano and another sang. It was a welcome break for them, and the opportunity Bono had been waiting for. There were two men who knew who he was by reputation, and they vouched for his talent. Gavin knew one of them personally, had performed with him on occasion in Dublin.
It was nearly midnight when they returned to the ballroom, two more musicians in their company than when they left. Bono had acquired a shimmery gold silk jacket with red brocade work and an elaborate mask to cover the upper half of his face. The troupe had provided him with make-up to complete the costume, and they were confident that none inside would recognize him.
The mask was porcelain of the purest white, except for the broad black rims around the eyes, which turned upward like hooks on each side. These black painted hooks ran along the side of the mask, upward until they melted into a dark red and then ultimately became two small, round horns protruding from his forehead.
Beneath the mask his face was painted as white as the porcelain, except for his lips which were as black as the rims of his eyes. He was a playful, impish looking creature, with his long black hair tied tightly back and his striking blue eyes shining out from beneath the mask.
He ran through some songs with the troupe before they returned, and they were all excited to perform something new. Nothing they had played this evening had been less than a century old. With Bono leading them, this might just turn into a celebration worthy of the holiday.
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Adam and Fiona had told Colleen of the many things which had happened since they had parted company with her in London, and she had shared with them what she had been through. Not in great detail, of course, for there was neither time nor privacy for such a discussion. Still, they all had a better idea of what the other had been through.
“Of course I will help you.” She told them enthusiastically.
“It will be dangerous.” Fiona warned.
“It will be worth it.” Colleen replied, her eyes coming to life again at the prospect. When they had first met up with her that evening, they had been nothing more than deep, dark pits. Hollow, with no sign left of the woman who had befriended them on the aingeal. Her spirit had been revived by their story, her hope waking at the possibility of being a part of their rebellion.
“I will ask Garvin if I might hire my own servants.” She explained. “I need a maid, and there will be other positions which need to be filled if I am to stay here indeterminately. I can hire on some of the women for whom it will not be safe to stay aboard the ship. Edge’s Molly, for example. If she is nearing the time of childbirth, she will need a safe, warm home.”
“I don’t believe Larry will want Carra to stay aboard in her condition, either.” Fiona added.
“I’d like to see him try and remove her.” Adam laughed, and Colleen could not help but chuckle at the image as well.
“And you and your sister shall be my guests.” Colleen informed Fiona.
“Oh, we couldn’t impose!” She objected, but Colleen shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. “We could hire on as well. We worked as wash women, at home in Dublin.”
“It’s not unusual for families like Garvin’s to take on guests for months at a time. You have been introduced to him as a Lady and as such you will be treated.” She told her. “And in truth, I need a friendly face around here. All of the servants have been with the family for years, and all of the guests have been acquaintances of his. You would be doing me the favor.”
“That’s very generous of you. I still don’t want to risk causing trouble for you.” Fiona told her, chewing her lower lips nervously.
“You will not be making trouble for me. I’m risking it myself. You can consider yourself my victim.” Colleen told her, her smile growing as she thought about this new development. Fiona and Adam thanked her graciously for the offer.
“But we must take it back to the others before we decide for certain.”
“Of course.” Colleen nodded in understanding. “Where is the Aingeal now?””
“Anchored not far from the port in Belfast.”
“There is a small quay, not far from here, where the family has personal deliveries shipped in. Garvin leaves for duty in a few days, after that you should move the ship there. It will ensure your privacy and keep you close by.” She suggested, and Adam took her face in his hands and kissed her chastely but enthusiastically on the lips.
She covered her mouth as the laughter threatened to bubble up from deep inside her and hoped the others mistook her red cheeks as embarrassment at the rather improper gesture. It was Fiona’s laughter which broke the tension, and which caused the righteous crowd to go about their business once more.
“You are truly the angel Bono claims you are.” Adam told her. “You have no idea how vital your assistance is going to be.”
“I’m honored to be included.” She told him honestly as the troupe of musicians re-entered the room. They immediately took note of the two new members, eyeing them curiously as they took the small stage. The man in the demonic mask climbed up to stand on one of the chairs that had been placed there for the performers with large instruments, making himself tall enough that everyone in the room could see him.
“Good evening, good people!” He greeted them loudly and enthusiastically, and when every eye was on him, he bowed at the waist, raising his arms in a flourish. “I hope you’ve been enjoying the music while I was delayed.” He added, smiling mischievously at one of the grandiosely dressed ladies nearest him on the dance floor. There was a murmur of polite applause.
“Allow me to introduce myself.” He continued. “Though many of you and I are already well acquainted.” He said playfully waving to a group of young debutantes who burst into giggles. “I have been called many things. Tempter. Imp. Devil. But I have only one name.”
“Oh my God, Adam! What is he doing?” Fiona whispered, her hand over her mouth in shock and worry as they recognized their friend beneath the costume.
“I haven’t the foggiest.” Adam admitted, sipping his wine calmly and watching as Bono continued to control the attention of everyone in the room.
“You may call me Macphisto.” Bono declared, and a murmur spread through the crowd. “And I am here to entertain you.” He added, leaping down off the chair and kicking it backward into the hands of the musician who was waiting for it. The music began as Bono stepped down off the stage and began weaving through the crowd. As he sang with all the heart of the greatest opera singer, the guests were enchanted.
Colleen closed her eyes and listened to the voice she had missed, both terrified and ecstatic at the same time. She had wanted so desperately to hear him once more. This, however, could turn into the last time he would ever sing. One false step, one person recognizing him, would be result in his capture.
The first song passed without incident, and with the second song, he swept one of the older ladies up into his arms and led her into a lively dance. The crowd soon followed his lead, and the ball was alive again. She laughed at the absurdity of the aristocrats dancing in such a simple manner, after having been forced to learn all of their organized dances.
A few of the older, more traditional guests harrumphed and shook their heads in disapproval, but the majority of the guests seemed to be having an infinitely better time than they had before. Colleen strained to keep an eye on him, not wanting to lose him in the crowd, afraid that he may disappear from her life completely if she lost him.
He worked his way back to the stage and she, too, managed to get through the guests who were now under the enchantment of his voice. As soon as their eyes met, she knew she could not bear it if she could not touch him. She needed to prove to herself that he was real, and not a dream or a spectre.
The music changed into a slow, unfamiliar tune as they stood there, staring at one another. Bono stood on the stage, looking down at her and Colleen stood less than a yard away, her neck tilted back so that their eyes could meet.
When he began to sing, she knew immediately that he was singing to her. No one else in the room knew, but she was certain of it. His words echoed her own emotions, captured perfectly the torment she had known since falling in love with him. Her heart ached to know he’d suffered the same as she had, though knowing it only deepened her love for him.
“See the stone set in your eyes, See the thorn twist in your side. I wait; for you. Sleight of hand and twist of fate, on a bed of nails she makes me wait. And I wait; without you. With or without you With or without you!”
She looked up at the grandfather clock at the top of the stairs. It was nearly midnight. In a matter of moments, it would be the New Year. Just hours earlier, Colleen had foreseen no hope for her future. No happiness. Now, with his voice wrapped around her spirit, lifting her up, she knew that was not true. Her future was not as black and frightening. Not if she could have Bono nearby.
“Through the storm, we reach the shore, You gave it all but I want more. And I'm waiting, for you.
With or without you. With or without you. I can't live with or without you. And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away And you give, and you give And you give yourself away!
“My hands are tied, my body bruised, She got me with nothing to win, And nothing else to lose! And you give yourself away…”
His voice and his words were as bittersweet as their love; as true as the blue in the sky and the salt in the sea. They neither had one another, nor could they be apart. She didn’t realize that tears had spilled from her eyes and wet her cheeks until Adam nudged her to offer his handkerchief. She wiped her face and drew in a breath to steel herself.
They would find a way. She promised herself this, as the clock struck twelve and the New Year arrived at the end of the song. She had fulfilled her families wishes, lived up to her obligations. She needed to allow her heart it’s one true need, and that was Bono. They would find a way.
“With or without you, With or without you! I can't live With or without you, With or without you!”
She smiled at him as the couples around her exchanged chaste kisses to welcome the New Year and as the waiters noisily popped the corks off bottles of champagne which exploded in streams of sticky sweet bubbles. Bono bowed to her gallantly, his eyes never left hers, though he remained in character for the rest of the room. She thrilled at the realization that she was the only one who got to see the man behind the mask.
On the rising tide Chapter 24
The Audley estate was alive with activity. The guests were arriving in their gaudy carriages, dressed in their ostentatious gowns and suits, feathered and jeweled masks held in hand or hiding their faces. The musicians were playing something by Mozart, though Colleen could not quite recall the name. Something to do with night, anyway.
Night music. That was it. ‘A little night music’. She smiled idly, thinking the creaking of the violins and the honking of clarinets was not what she thought of when she heard the title. Night music. No, when she thought of night music, she thought of him.
She could not help but smile at the memory of Bono’s voice, as thick and sweet as honey, singing her to sleep. She had never slept so well in her life as she had those nights aboard the aingeal. He had called her his angel, but he was the one who stood watch over her by night.
The maid her new husband had hired for her yanked brutally at the straps on her corset, barely noticing when Colleen gasped or flinched in pain. Her comfort was obviously of no consequence what-so-ever. She was a possession, a decoration for Captain Audley’s arm. She was nothing more than a bouquet of flowers which needed to be arranged just so in order to be worthy of display.
The pocket hoops were, in Colleens opinion, the most ridiculous contraption ever devised. Though she’d never been fond of the full, round pannier, she much preferred the hoop skirt to the ridiculous mounds jutting out from her hips. She could practically rest her elbows on them.
She sighed and allowed herself to be draped and dressed in yards and yards of hot, uncomfortable cloth. There was nothing she could do about it, after all. Afterwards, as she stood facing the mirror to admire the result of the maids hard work, she wondered if there was anything left of the real woman underneath.
Her hair had been curled and pinned atop her head, falling back in waves of caramel against her pale, exposed shoulders. She had been beautifully packaged to hide the fact that there was nothing of great importance inside. She wondered if it would have been better if she were at the bottom of the ocean with her uncle and his ship.
“Perfection.” She heard Garvin’s voice say from the doorway behind her. She turned and smiled politely and thanked him for the compliment. This was indeed what he wanted. Her spirit broken, like a powerful horse which no longer tried to buck it’s rider from it’s back, but yielded to the whip and spur dutifully and without complaint.
Garvin looked as ridiculous as a man could look without knowing it. Colleen suppressed the urge to giggle at him, in his powdered wig and his coat which hung heavy with pretentious gold medals he had earned by ordering others around. Though powdered wigs were out of fashion, a few still insisted upon wearing them to such occasions. Colleen was thankful that he had not insisted she don one as well.
The new years eve masquerade ball had been his idea, yet he had expected her to organize the entire thing. It was her role, after all, to be the hostess for his household now. She held her breath as he escorted her down the spiraling staircase into the grand ballroom, hoping it would meet his approval.
She heard their names announced and saw the people turn and watch them descend the stairs, all the while feeling as if she weren’t there at all. She was an observer, present and yet invisible. She was not Colleen, but Mrs. Audley.
Each of the people she greeted addressed her as such, and she knew she would never be anything else to them. They were Garvin’s acquaintances. None were people whom she had known as Colleen O'Niell. None of them saw her as anything other than Garvin’s bride.
“Presenting Lord and Lady Clayton of Huntington.” The page announced, and Colleen’s heart felt like an eager puppy, wagging it’s tail upon sighting its boy. Inviting Adam was her one rebellious act. He represented what remained of the girl she had been. He was her route to knowledge of Bono.
“Lord Clayton.” She greeted him with a broad, honest smile. She felt like a little girl with a secret that only the two of them were privy to. She was glad to note that Adam wore his natural hair, closely cropped as was the latest fashion. No powdered wig for Adam. Indeed, he’d probably been one of the first to toss the laughable fashion aside.
“Colleen.” Adam greeted her, his blue eyes shining with amusement as he bowed to kiss the back of her hand. It was far too familiar of a gesture, for him to address her by her Christian name. Garvin’s back straightened and his chest puffed out like a rooster, preparing to fight.
“Lord Clayton. I don’t believe I’ve had the opportunity to make your acquaintance.” He said, looking down his nose at the slightly shorter, slimmer man.
“Indeed we have not, sir. That, I fear, is by design rather than chance. My father, Commodore Clayton and brother Sebastian are quite ashamed of the fact that I chose not to serve in his majesties military.” Adam explained.
“Ah-ha.” Garvin murmured, obviously siding with Adam’s father and brother.
“I simply do not have the disposition of a soldier. I could not kill another man, I suspect, except in perhaps the most dire of circumstances.” Adam went on to explain.
“Soldiers only kill under the most dire of circumstances, Lord Clayton. We are civilized men, after all.” Garvin sniffed, glancing around to find someone else to talk to. Anyone else would do.
Colleens eyes were drawn to the beautiful young woman standing beside Adam silently, and her lips parted, her jaw falling slack. Finn? It could not be! Finn was a scraggly little boy. He just happened to bear an uncanny resemblance to the beauty standing before her.
“Finn?” Colleen asked, her voice automatically lowering to a whisper and her eyes narrowing suspiciously. Adam laughed out loud and the lady grinned at her, a familiar dimple appearing in her cheek.
“Call me Fiona.” She replied, her green eyes twinkling merrily. “If you have the time to walk with me a bit, I would love the opportunity to fill you in.”
“Of course.” Colleen agreed eagerly. “You’ll excuse me while we get acquainted, won’t you Garvin?” She addressed her husband as if he were her chaperone. “I’d like to show her around the house.”
“Certainly.” He dismissed her with a nod and hurried off toward some of his closer acquaintances.
“May I escort the two most beautiful women on their tour of the house?” Adam asked, offering an arm to each of the women. They accepted quickly and were soon off in search of a more private venue in which they could speak more candidly. Colleen had hundreds of questions swimming in her head, not the least of which was in regard to Finn or Fiona’s true identity.
The first thing she wanted to ask, however, had not been replaced even by this odd turn of events. The first thing she wanted to know, the thing which she needed to know, was how Bono was faring.
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“Go, already! You’ll do nothing but make yourself, and all of us along with you, miserable!” Colleen ordered Bono as she practically pushed him into the dinghy.
“Come, come. I want to see this angel of yours.” Gavin agreed, climbing in beside his old friend. “And I’ll keep my eyes open for trouble, keep him safe.” He told Carra with a wink.
“Maybe I should go along.” Carra sighed, rolling her eyes playfully. At first, she had doubted she would ever be able to tolerate Gavin’s constant presence aboard the aingeal. Now she was even developing something of an affection for the man. He had a great many things in common with Bono, she had discovered.
“We’ll be back before dawn.” Bono told Carra, kissing her on the cheek before sitting down in the small boat as Larry used a pulley system to lower them to the water’s surface.
“Just don’t lead the mob that’s chasing you back here, alright?” Larry joked, grinning at Bono who promised to lose anyone pursuing him, intent on his death or imprisonment, before he returned to the ship.
Carra and Larry watched in silence as the men rowed for the shore. Edge would be angry that he’d gone without him, but Molly needed him, too.
“They’ll be alright.” Larry reassured her, his own thoughts mirroring hers. “He’s a grown man, he doesn’t need an army of baby-sitters.”
“I was that worried about the fact that he was going to try and sneak into the home of the man in charge of hunting down traitors to the crown. I was more concerned with what is going to happen when he finds himself face to face with the woman he loves. The woman who is now married to another man.” Carra replied, wrapping an arm around Larry’s waist and resting her head on his shoulder.
“You care a lot for him, don’t you?”
“Of course. It doesn’t hurt that he’s facing something I thought I would be facing myself. Having to see you with a wife.”
“It doesn’t make much sense. Love.” Larry mused, kissing the top of Carra’s hair.
“No, it doesn’t. Nor will it be denied or ignored. It will break the people whom it touches before it will bend to meet their wishes.” She told him sadly.
“There is no sense worrying over things which are out of our control. Pray that Bono lets his good sense lead him and the God returns him safely to us. Meanwhile, I think I may know a way to keep your mind off of Bono and his Colleen.” Larry replied, one hand lacing into her hair, the other gently under her chin, guiding her to lift her face to meet his kiss.
“Hmmm.” Carra purred under his touch, smiling into his kiss. “I think you missed me while we were apart.” She teased. Larry cupped her face in his hands and rested his forehead against her own.
“I could not sleep one night without you.” He whispered, his thumb stroking her cheek. Carra’s heart skipped a beat in her chest at his words; her chest filling with so much love that it ached. “I’ve grown so accustomed to your snoring that without it my mind would not rest.”
“Eejit.” She cursed him playfully, smacking him on the shoulder, but her blow carried no conviction.
*Ahem*
They turned toward the sound of someone clearing their throat; wanting to announce their presence without interrupting directly. Carra’s cheeks flushed when she saw her father and young Emily standing nearby, looking awkwardly around at anything besides the couple.
“It’s cold up here.” She said, directing her words in their general direction.
“Aye. We were just coming to see that Bono was safely off and to invite the two of you to join us below.” Paul informed them, unable to restrain a smile at the sight of Carra blushing. It was a rare sight. His heart seemed to have grown wings since they had come to ask him to join them on their new mission. Perhaps it was the news of a grandchild, or just the new way they looked at one another which made him so happy. Either way, he could not recall a time since before his own wife had died that he had felt so free from the burden of worry and gloom.
“He is. Gavin accompanied him.” Larry replied solemnly, his back straightening and his shoulders squaring as he returned to his role of captain rather than seducer. His hand rested against the small of Carra’s back, still, a sign that he was not denying her worth to him. He was simply respecting their privacy and being polite to the others. Carra seemed more uncomfortable at having been caught in such an intimate embrace than he appeared to be.
“Well. The galley is warm, and most of the others are gathered there. You’re invited to join us, if you so desire.” Paul told them again, turning toward the galley and guiding Emily to as well. Emily turned and glanced over her shoulder, her blue eyes wide and full of some emotion which Carra could not quite recognize.
“We should join them for awhile.” She told Larry, and he sighed melodramatically, but then flashed that broad, boyish grin in agreement.
**************************************************************
It wasn’t hard for Bono to convince the musicians to let him join them, once they finally took a short break. He’d lay in wait for them in the frozen garden, watching the gaily dressed bluebloods as they posed and preened for one another. They called this dancing, but it was all so orchestrated, it reminded him more of marching. Not that he was particularly graceful as a dancer, but at least he enjoyed himself when the music moved him.
His heart had jumped straight up his throat and nearly fell from his open mouth when he finally saw her. At least, it certainly felt that way to him. He could not speak, nor breathe, nor move a muscle. All he could do for the longest time was stare. She was more beautiful than he remembered. Her dress was of a rich, honey gold and she seemed to shine like a star.
He watched her dance with Adam, the duo moving gracefully across the floor, disappearing from sight behind the throng of guests and then appearing again, like the sun from behind a storm cloud. Fiona was shaking her head and politely refusing the requests of the gentlemen who asked her to dance, and he wished he could go to her aid. Her idea of dancing could not be far from his own, after all.
Gavin had smoked one cigarette after another and kept watch for any passerby who might wonder why they were in the cold, dark night looking in at the celebration. Bono had finally pointed Colleen out to him, but he’d already spotted her. He knew the moment he laid eyes on her that Bono would have fallen in love with her, had they met. Once he saw how Bono watched her, he knew she was the one they’d come here for.
The troupe of musicians had stepped outside for fresh air and to stretch their limbs while one of the guests played piano and another sang. It was a welcome break for them, and the opportunity Bono had been waiting for. There were two men who knew who he was by reputation, and they vouched for his talent. Gavin knew one of them personally, had performed with him on occasion in Dublin.
It was nearly midnight when they returned to the ballroom, two more musicians in their company than when they left. Bono had acquired a shimmery gold silk jacket with red brocade work and an elaborate mask to cover the upper half of his face. The troupe had provided him with make-up to complete the costume, and they were confident that none inside would recognize him.
The mask was porcelain of the purest white, except for the broad black rims around the eyes, which turned upward like hooks on each side. These black painted hooks ran along the side of the mask, upward until they melted into a dark red and then ultimately became two small, round horns protruding from his forehead.
Beneath the mask his face was painted as white as the porcelain, except for his lips which were as black as the rims of his eyes. He was a playful, impish looking creature, with his long black hair tied tightly back and his striking blue eyes shining out from beneath the mask.
He ran through some songs with the troupe before they returned, and they were all excited to perform something new. Nothing they had played this evening had been less than a century old. With Bono leading them, this might just turn into a celebration worthy of the holiday.
*****************************************************************
Adam and Fiona had told Colleen of the many things which had happened since they had parted company with her in London, and she had shared with them what she had been through. Not in great detail, of course, for there was neither time nor privacy for such a discussion. Still, they all had a better idea of what the other had been through.
“Of course I will help you.” She told them enthusiastically.
“It will be dangerous.” Fiona warned.
“It will be worth it.” Colleen replied, her eyes coming to life again at the prospect. When they had first met up with her that evening, they had been nothing more than deep, dark pits. Hollow, with no sign left of the woman who had befriended them on the aingeal. Her spirit had been revived by their story, her hope waking at the possibility of being a part of their rebellion.
“I will ask Garvin if I might hire my own servants.” She explained. “I need a maid, and there will be other positions which need to be filled if I am to stay here indeterminately. I can hire on some of the women for whom it will not be safe to stay aboard the ship. Edge’s Molly, for example. If she is nearing the time of childbirth, she will need a safe, warm home.”
“I don’t believe Larry will want Carra to stay aboard in her condition, either.” Fiona added.
“I’d like to see him try and remove her.” Adam laughed, and Colleen could not help but chuckle at the image as well.
“And you and your sister shall be my guests.” Colleen informed Fiona.
“Oh, we couldn’t impose!” She objected, but Colleen shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. “We could hire on as well. We worked as wash women, at home in Dublin.”
“It’s not unusual for families like Garvin’s to take on guests for months at a time. You have been introduced to him as a Lady and as such you will be treated.” She told her. “And in truth, I need a friendly face around here. All of the servants have been with the family for years, and all of the guests have been acquaintances of his. You would be doing me the favor.”
“That’s very generous of you. I still don’t want to risk causing trouble for you.” Fiona told her, chewing her lower lips nervously.
“You will not be making trouble for me. I’m risking it myself. You can consider yourself my victim.” Colleen told her, her smile growing as she thought about this new development. Fiona and Adam thanked her graciously for the offer.
“But we must take it back to the others before we decide for certain.”
“Of course.” Colleen nodded in understanding. “Where is the Aingeal now?””
“Anchored not far from the port in Belfast.”
“There is a small quay, not far from here, where the family has personal deliveries shipped in. Garvin leaves for duty in a few days, after that you should move the ship there. It will ensure your privacy and keep you close by.” She suggested, and Adam took her face in his hands and kissed her chastely but enthusiastically on the lips.
She covered her mouth as the laughter threatened to bubble up from deep inside her and hoped the others mistook her red cheeks as embarrassment at the rather improper gesture. It was Fiona’s laughter which broke the tension, and which caused the righteous crowd to go about their business once more.
“You are truly the angel Bono claims you are.” Adam told her. “You have no idea how vital your assistance is going to be.”
“I’m honored to be included.” She told him honestly as the troupe of musicians re-entered the room. They immediately took note of the two new members, eyeing them curiously as they took the small stage. The man in the demonic mask climbed up to stand on one of the chairs that had been placed there for the performers with large instruments, making himself tall enough that everyone in the room could see him.
“Good evening, good people!” He greeted them loudly and enthusiastically, and when every eye was on him, he bowed at the waist, raising his arms in a flourish. “I hope you’ve been enjoying the music while I was delayed.” He added, smiling mischievously at one of the grandiosely dressed ladies nearest him on the dance floor. There was a murmur of polite applause.
“Allow me to introduce myself.” He continued. “Though many of you and I are already well acquainted.” He said playfully waving to a group of young debutantes who burst into giggles. “I have been called many things. Tempter. Imp. Devil. But I have only one name.”
“Oh my God, Adam! What is he doing?” Fiona whispered, her hand over her mouth in shock and worry as they recognized their friend beneath the costume.
“I haven’t the foggiest.” Adam admitted, sipping his wine calmly and watching as Bono continued to control the attention of everyone in the room.
“You may call me Macphisto.” Bono declared, and a murmur spread through the crowd. “And I am here to entertain you.” He added, leaping down off the chair and kicking it backward into the hands of the musician who was waiting for it. The music began as Bono stepped down off the stage and began weaving through the crowd. As he sang with all the heart of the greatest opera singer, the guests were enchanted.
Colleen closed her eyes and listened to the voice she had missed, both terrified and ecstatic at the same time. She had wanted so desperately to hear him once more. This, however, could turn into the last time he would ever sing. One false step, one person recognizing him, would be result in his capture.
The first song passed without incident, and with the second song, he swept one of the older ladies up into his arms and led her into a lively dance. The crowd soon followed his lead, and the ball was alive again. She laughed at the absurdity of the aristocrats dancing in such a simple manner, after having been forced to learn all of their organized dances.
A few of the older, more traditional guests harrumphed and shook their heads in disapproval, but the majority of the guests seemed to be having an infinitely better time than they had before. Colleen strained to keep an eye on him, not wanting to lose him in the crowd, afraid that he may disappear from her life completely if she lost him.
He worked his way back to the stage and she, too, managed to get through the guests who were now under the enchantment of his voice. As soon as their eyes met, she knew she could not bear it if she could not touch him. She needed to prove to herself that he was real, and not a dream or a spectre.
The music changed into a slow, unfamiliar tune as they stood there, staring at one another. Bono stood on the stage, looking down at her and Colleen stood less than a yard away, her neck tilted back so that their eyes could meet.
When he began to sing, she knew immediately that he was singing to her. No one else in the room knew, but she was certain of it. His words echoed her own emotions, captured perfectly the torment she had known since falling in love with him. Her heart ached to know he’d suffered the same as she had, though knowing it only deepened her love for him.
“See the stone set in your eyes, See the thorn twist in your side. I wait; for you. Sleight of hand and twist of fate, on a bed of nails she makes me wait. And I wait; without you. With or without you With or without you!”
She looked up at the grandfather clock at the top of the stairs. It was nearly midnight. In a matter of moments, it would be the New Year. Just hours earlier, Colleen had foreseen no hope for her future. No happiness. Now, with his voice wrapped around her spirit, lifting her up, she knew that was not true. Her future was not as black and frightening. Not if she could have Bono nearby.
“Through the storm, we reach the shore, You gave it all but I want more. And I'm waiting, for you.
With or without you. With or without you. I can't live with or without you. And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away And you give, and you give And you give yourself away!
“My hands are tied, my body bruised, She got me with nothing to win, And nothing else to lose! And you give yourself away…”
His voice and his words were as bittersweet as their love; as true as the blue in the sky and the salt in the sea. They neither had one another, nor could they be apart. She didn’t realize that tears had spilled from her eyes and wet her cheeks until Adam nudged her to offer his handkerchief. She wiped her face and drew in a breath to steel herself.
They would find a way. She promised herself this, as the clock struck twelve and the New Year arrived at the end of the song. She had fulfilled her families wishes, lived up to her obligations. She needed to allow her heart it’s one true need, and that was Bono. They would find a way.
“With or without you, With or without you! I can't live With or without you, With or without you!”
She smiled at him as the couples around her exchanged chaste kisses to welcome the New Year and as the waiters noisily popped the corks off bottles of champagne which exploded in streams of sticky sweet bubbles. Bono bowed to her gallantly, his eyes never left hers, though he remained in character for the rest of the room. She thrilled at the realization that she was the only one who got to see the man behind the mask.
yea, Macphisto!
