By choice or by force Ch. 05

Everyone in the room seemed to freeze for a moment -- other than Mathew and the man who had come in with him.

Laurie's mind flashed back to her father's illness from the year before, and she shot a quick startled look at her sister, and her aunt, to see if their thoughts mirrored hers. Her Aunt Trudy gave her a quick warning shake of her head, almost imperceptible it was so slight and so quick.

She also quickly touched Iris's arm, but Mathew stood up suddenly and strode across to her.

"What?" He demanded as he towered over Trudy.

Trudy flinched at his abrasive tone, but then she glared up at him, and squared her shoulders -- although she remained seated, almost as if in defiance of him, and his overpowering height and build.

"What -- What?" She demanded back in a scathing tone.

Mathew hissed between his teeth. "You already know something about this," he accused her. "What do you know and why do you try to keep it to yourself?"

"What makes you think I know anything -- about anything?" Trudy shot back. "Isn't that why you travelled all the way down here -- to inform everyone here of these things?"

"Will -- you -- stop -- being -- so -- bloody well evasive!" He bit out like bullets. He leaned down towards her, and Laurie felt herself cowering into Michael, indeed several of the men seemed to want to whimper or run. "You will talk!" he growled into Trudy's face.

Trudy folded her arms and sat back, and her jaws clamped together in blatant defiance.

"I can tell you what they know," Bill interrupted almost eagerly. "I was there too, I know all about my neighbour's illness, and how he was cured."

"He was cured?" Mathew spun on his heel and moved towards Bill. "He was sick with the blood, but he was cured and he lives still? When? When did he fall sick?"

Bill cowered under the intense gaze of Mathew, and his shoulders hunched as he eyes fell away from his guest's eyes.

"It was last year, before the older daughter married him over there!" He pointed towards James and Iris and sure enough Mathew's gaze followed.

Laurie watched as Bill gave a low sigh of relief that he was no longer the object of that disturbing look, and it was only then that Laurie realised just how powerful Mathew was -- and how hard it must have been for Trudy to withstand him.

Laurie wondered why her aunt was trying to be so evasive, why was she defying this Mathew?

Mathew's gaze returned to Bill, and he hunkered down again.

"Talk!" Mathew ordered him, and then he stepped back, and Bill began to breathe again.

"As I said it was last year, we had sought alliance with our neighbour -- through his daughters, but it had come to nothing..."

"Yes, I had heard something about that," Mathew cut in impatiently.

"Well anyway a short time later, my neighbour -- their father, was rushed to a London hospital. I didn't hear about it immediately, but of course as soon as I heard, I travelled to London..." He hesitated for a moment, before muttering under his breath. "And what a waste of time and effort that turned out to be!"

"Go on," Mathew snapped when Bill paused for a breath.

"Well, I did not actually speak to a doctor," he began defensively. "I mean as no relation to Greg Beaumont, none of them would talk to me!"

"So, you do not actually know anything for sure," Trudy cut in scornfully.

"I know that your brother was rushed to that hospital -- for sure," Bill glared back at her. "I know that the family -- the blood family were all called there -- for sure!"

"We are his family and we were called there -- that is true, but as I understand things; that is the normal course of events for someone whom they fear -- might not make it." Trudy snapped back. "And you were there for that very same reason -- as I recall."

"What do you mean?" Mathew demanded impatiently. "Explain yourself woman!"

She glanced at him, and her eyes were flinty with hatred. "My name is Ms Rowena Beaumont," she said flatly. "You will not ever refer to me in that derogatory way again -- not if you expect a reply."

He stared at her for several minutes and Aunt Trudy glared right back, and everyone else in the room held their breath.

Finally, it was Mathew who blinked first, and everyone began to breathe again.

He shrugged his shoulders suddenly. "Fine... Ms Beaumont, please will you explain, what you believe Mr Frawning's motive might have been in going to that hospital."

"Why to try to coerce Iris into bonding with one of his sons of course!"

"That is not the first time I have heard that today." Mathew glanced at Iris, and then at Laurie, and he gave Trudy a slightly speculative look. "What is it about you females that heats the blood of our males so?"

"There was no hot blood involved," Trudy snapped back. "They seek power, and for some reason they believe that my brother Greg has it."

"Are you saying then that he does not?"

"Does not -- what?"

"Have this power you speak of... this power these men are so hungry for?"

Trudy shrugged and her arms folded over her chest again. "My brother has some wealth -- as does Bill Frawnings. He has a large home and a large estate -- as does Bill Frawnings... I believe they wish to add his wealth to theirs; I believe that they wished to use my brother's daughters to set up their own... kennels."

"They wished... does that mean then that you believe they no longer wish it?"

Trudy shrugged again. "Iris married and bonded with James, and so she became untouchable... but young Laurie... well we are none of us here on an invite."

"No, I gathered that much from earlier discussions."

"They sought out my niece, and they never gave her the chance to say no!" Trudy glared at Bill and his sons. "They abducted Laurie, and we came here to rescue her... as did your own nephew."

"Yes, yes I get it!" Mathew nodded and Laurie could see that he was growing irritated by her aunt.

She saw the slight narrowing of Trudy's eyes and she realised that her aunt also saw his slow burn to anger.

Aunt Trudy stood up suddenly. "Well since justice is not on the cards, I can see that we will just have to leave, and be satisfied that Laurie was unharmed and is free to come with us."

She glanced at Laurie and then she turned to Iris. "Girls... James -- Michael; it is time for us to go now."

There was a low power in Trudy's tone, which had them all blinking almost sleepily even as they automatically stood.

"It was... useful, meeting you Mr Richards, we shall say our goodbyes now."

She was actually at the door, and the others were hot on her heels, when Mathew let out a low roar.

"You will not leave!"

The raw energy of his tone washed over them all and rooted them to the spot.

Laurie felt Michael's hand tighten briefly on her arm, and they all turned back -- almost in unison to face the power of Mathew's anger.

"You five will all come and sit back down, Bill and his sons may also remain; everyone else will leave this room, and close the doors behind you."

Laurie found herself sitting back down next to Michael without even being aware of walking. James and Iris sat across from them with a similar look of surprise and confusion, but Aunt Trudy!

Even as she sat next to Iris, Laurie could see the rage that flowed through her and the hint of hopelessness as well.

Mathew had been standing in the middle of the room and watching as the rest of Bill's men filed out of it.

Once the door closed, he slowly turned, fixing his molten glare onto everyone who was present.

"Now, we will have only honesty from now on. We shall have complete truth with no evasion." He stopped turning and fixed his eyes on Aunt Trudy. "You will tell me everything about your brother's illness."

Trudy seemed to be struggling with some inner demon, as her shoulders hunched and her eyes glittered, and she clamped her mouth shut in defiance again, apparently fighting him and his compulsions with everything she had.

Mathew stood up and slowly strolled across the room.

His eyes fixed onto Aunt Trudy, and his lips curled with amusement.

He hunkered down in front of her, and though his tone was low, Laurie clearly heard him.

"You can fight all you want, but in the end, you will talk, even if I have to drag each word out of your mouth -- personally."

Finally, her shoulders sagged, and she let out a loud sigh along with a string of verbal abuse that had Laurie, Iris and James all blanching in horror at the foul language she came out with.

"The hospital -- Ms Beaumont," Mathew said in a steely tone, tinged with amusement. "Tell me everything that you know about your brother's illness."

She seemed to be struggling again, but then her eyes glazed, and Laurie was concerned to see a small trickle of blood drip from her aunt's nose. "I don't actually know anything -- for a fact!" she suddenly stated triumphantly, as she put her hand to the bloody nose and wiped it away.

"You were there?" Mathew snapped.

"I was away -- on business -- I came to the hospital much later -- I never actually spoke to a doctor first hand, and so everything I know is second hand, from the girls."

"Very well," Mathew's tone was even again but steely with resolve. "I guess I shall have to ring it out of one of your nieces."

Laurie felt Michael's arm tightened around her, and he leaned forward slightly.

"I do not think your nephew or James would like that very much!" Trudy declared a trifle smugly.

Mathew turned to glare at Michael, and then he turned to look at James.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment.

"I am guessing that you two would not like to be helpful and leave the room right now?" He said with a hint of exasperation and resigned humour.

"No uncle, we would not," Michael said firmly.

"Not even if I say that you can take the two young women with you?"

Michael hesitated, and slowly he began to nod.

"We won't leave," Laurie said loudly.

Mathew looked at her through narrowed eyes.

"No?" He demanded in a soft cajoling tone.

"Not without our Aunt!"

He turned to Iris. "And what say you?"

"I say the same as my sister," she said in a low firm tone.

Mathew continued to stare at her, and Laurie saw her sister tense up, but she kept her eyes on Mathew's, in the same defiance that her aunt had used.

Finally, he gave a little sigh and after shooting Trudy another frustrated glance he turned away from them all.

As Laurie studied him she noticed the thick white streak of hair amongst the thick darkness of his mane, the sign perhaps of a scar at the back of his skull? This was the first hint of weakness or vulnerability that Laurie had seen in him, as she saw suddenly the man rather something to be feared.

Mathew must have been well into his forties, but he was a man in his prime, Laurie thought to herself. Just like her aunt they were neither of them spring chickens, but there was a strength and youthfulness about them both that made them seem younger than their years

Laurie thought that that might be the reason the two of them were reacting to each other with such aggression. Perhaps they saw essences of themselves in each other?

He strolled around the room a little, with his hands clasped behind his back and his whole demeanour was one of a man deep in thought.

"I can see that none of you are going to be helpful, but I fail to see why you would not want to help your own species?" he said suddenly in voice that actually sounded hurt and confused.

He did not look at anyone, and so everyone remained relaxed for once.

"Perhaps it is just that we do not feel like we can help anyone," Trudy muttered in a low tone.

He turned to her and fixed his eyes on her again. "You genuinely believe that?" he asked lightly.

"Yes, I do," she met his gaze and her tone was even this time rather than the belligerent defiance she had used so far on him.

"Perhaps if you explain things to me, I can agree with you and then I will let you all be on your way again." His tone was so reasonable, so civil that Trudy opened her mouth immediately and began to talk.

"His blood was poisoned by some foreign bacteria -- they were not sure how or when, but as his blood relatives they sought the only way they could think of and used our blood to purge his, by giving him a complete transfusion."

The words tumbled out of her mouth, and Trudy sat for a full second afterwards looking happy and confident, and then her face paled and she gasped.

Mathew grinned at her. "Thank you, my dear, you were most helpful."

"You tricked me!" she accused him as the colour rushed back into her face and her blue eyes sparkled with horror and rage.

"I needed answers and you were being difficult." He shrugged indifferently as he turned away from her again.

He resumed his strolling around the room, and Laurie found herself holding her breath as he mulled things over.

Finally, he stopped again.

"I think that we need to err on the side of caution here," he said slowly, almost to himself. "After all we don't know if it was just because they were blood related, but it could possibly be that these three are the only possible cure that there is to this ailment..."

Michael's arm tightened again suddenly, and Laurie glanced at him in surprise and saw him scowl across at his uncle.

"I think that we need to track down this doctor, who treated the father, and find out what he knows, and why he did not report it as he should have done."

He glanced again at Trudy. "In the meantime, though I believe that these women need to be controlled..." he muttered and then he turned to Bill.

"You and your men will hold them here, until I can get my own people brought down, you will keep them secure, but do not let anything happen to any of them." He looked across at his scowling nephew. "And you, Michael, you seriously need to reorder your loyalties my boy!"

After Mathew left the room and apparently the house as well, Bill issued a couple of low-voiced instructions to his sons, who both nodded in understanding and then left the room talking quietly together.

Bill turned to them, and sighed apologetically. "I had no idea what my boys were planning," he began.

"Your boys -- your sons?" Trudy cut in sneeringly. "Those thugs and kidnappers -- you must be so proud!"

He scowled at her irritably. "I appreciate that what they did was -- unfortunate, but I wouldn't go that far?"

"Well I bloody well would!" Trudy glared at him for a moment, and then sat back with her own sigh of frustration and impatience. "I think that we are not going to achieve anything with this discussion, you will never convince us of their 'good' intentions, and we will never get you to see just how wrong you and your boys were, in any of your actions." She paused for a moment, but as he opened his mouth as if to continue arguing, Trudy cut in again. "I think that we should just agree to differ on this subject and leave it like that. Whatever their intentions might have been -- they did not injure my niece in any way and so we shall not pursue this -- if you promise not to pursue her."

Bill gave a deep sigh of pure relief, and Laurie saw how his shoulders sagged as well; that must have really been worrying him.

"Yes, very well then, we shall leave it at that -- I suppose..."

"Good now be a good man and go away for a bit, so that my family and I can talk in peace."

Bill gave a low snarl and he clenched his fists a couple of times. "You know that I cannot do that!"

Trudy raised her eyebrow and her eyes became steely. "You have people outside the door, and outside by the windows by now. Just where do you think we might go in your absence?"

He seemed to think about that rather carefully as he looked around his room as though assessing it.

"Very well," he said after a moment. "I suppose that will be okay for now, just don't try anything stupid!" He looked pointedly at Trudy, who just sniffed disdainfully.

"I have not achieved as much as I have in my life by acting, 'stupid', not now -- not ever."

"Very well then... I have your promise?"

He looked around at all of them, and after a quick glance at each other they all nodded in agreement.

Trudy watched as he left the room, closing the door behind him, and then she waited for a few more seconds before looking across at Michael and Laurie.

"Come closer you two, so that we can talk quietly."

They both obediently moved across to the other three and since there were was only one other seat free in that area, Michael sat down and pulled Laurie onto his lap, where his strong arm wrapped around her loosely.

Iris and James also huddled in closer, so that the five of them could whisper together, and not risk being overheard.

"I for one have no intention of remaining here, to be poked at and prodded; and so I think it time for us to do a little shifting -- even if the moon is not in its fullness." Trudy hissed.

"So, you can do it?" Michael exclaimed in a shocked low tone, as realisation hit.

Trudy looked at him in anger for a moment but was stopped from retorting by James.

"I think that it would be a mistake to flee," he murmured to Trudy, and Michael after a moment nodded in agreement. "Mathew was too quick to show an interest in the possibility that you could do that, and so if we do it and try to escape, then it will just confirm it for him."

"I agree," Michael said in a low voice. "And if we run now -- we will run forever."

"I doubt that," James contradicted thoughtfully, "I suspect that they would find us too quick for comfort, I don't think we could go anywhere -- hide anywhere that they would not find us."

Michael found himself agreeing with James again.

"My uncle has a great deal of influence and power at his disposal, and he is nothing if not determined, if something bothers him."

"So what do you suggest then?" Trudy hissed in frustration.

"We wait it out?" James said thoughtfully. "We face it out and keep our secrets intact."

Michael looked at James and nodded.

"Yes, I believe that would be the best course of action in the long run."

He suddenly frowned at them all. "There is so much here that I am only just learning -- it is all very frustrating and more than a little of it is out and out shocking!" He realised that he was whinging like a school boy -- but he just could not help it.

James chuckled in understanding and sympathy.

"We have a little time to kill it seems, so ask your questions and we will answer them honestly," he promised.

"Very well then," he said as he sat back in the chair. He nudged Laurie gently so that she would turn to look at him. Up until now she had just sat silent and afraid. "Can you shift without the full moon?" he asked her gruffly.

She hesitated for a moment, and pouted. "I wouldn't know -- I have never tried!" she said a little surly.

"So it is just your aunt?" He looked at Trudy, but then he saw Iris move a little and his eyes flew to her. "Or can you do it as well?"

Iris hesitated, and glanced at James.

"Yes she can," James said in a very low voice. "As can I."

"But neither you -- nor they are of the old blood, not an original -- or first born from originals?"

"No."

"They how -- why?"

Trudy shrugged her shoulders. "I have always been able to shift when I chose to, and never felt the force of it on the full moon."

"And you?" He looked at Iris.

She glanced at Laurie who looked less than happy, and smiled at her in reassurance, almost begging her to understand.

"Laurie and me," she said looking at Michael. "Well we never took to the full moon and the pressures that went on inside our bodies, and so daddy never forced us to make the shift... I never embraced any of it at the time of the full moon, and I was certainly not looking to do it at any other time of the month."