Nature or Nurture Ch. 68

The Father nods in acknowledgement, he truly doesn't seem to mind that Paul is a bit short of manners towards him.

'What will you do with them?'

In answer, Paul unwraps the bundle, taking out two silver plaques inscribed with rune-like markings. He studies them for a very short time, then states, 'You chose the right way to protect yourself from the evil contained in these, Father. But should you feel strange desires, like wanting more power, or more knowledge at the cost of principles you hold dear, do not hesitate to set up a meeting for coffee with Vincent, and have him invite one of us, for they can take hold of the talented with little training.

As for your question, look!'

And Paul holds up the first medallion and burns it with a burst of magic even Victor can see. The second one lets out a scream as the magic power from Paul's hand again enters the visible range. 'That was the more powerful one, though it was nearly empty. Yesterday night when it was fully loaded, before Mr Quesnet tried to possess Vincent, I would have used a ritual to destroy it, and I would not have attempted it in my friends' basement, for at full power these can defend themselves up to a certain point and they make a lot of fuss when attacked.'

'Mr Kenwick!' Father Nicholas breathes with admiration, 'you have a lot of power!'

'According to my friends, Father Nicholas, you have quite a bit of power yourself, and know how to use it.'

'Not as much as I'd like to, son, you can imagine how dangerous it would be for me to seek instruction.'

That truly upsets the Father, and apparently, rightfully so, for Paul retorts, 'It may be as dangerous for you not to develop your talent, for predators are always on the lookout for untrained talents, especially powerful ones. Do you have protection against them, being head of the Council? Is there anyone among you who can at least teach you how to recognize someone out to steal your power, and throw up a first-line defence?'

'There is not,' Father Nicholas admits unwisely, or untruthfully, 'I got that depossession spell from a book, I need not elaborate that it is a forbidden book.'

'Learning magic from a book is the first step on the road to becoming a blood-mage,' Paul says with great conviction, 'though I guess with your record of compassion you are not likely to stray. But again, should you feel desires unknown to you before, take care and seek help.

I wish you good luck in your quest to make London a safer place for both benign mages and the innocent populace.'

'Father Nicholas,'Victor now asks, 'will you take this man with you? And then we get Teddy to his parents' home? Since he seems to know Vincent it's probably best for him if he stays with us until he can be taken home.'

'Though I agree it's best for young Teddy, Dr Frankenstein, I wonder what will be best for all of you: I came in with these men, if we want them to look like patients, they should leave with me, I think. I have a carriage waiting, it will be quite easy for me to take him home, maybe Vincent will agree to accompany us? I'll have my driver return him here of course.'

The Father is right, of course, they never keep patients at their own house, Teddy needs to leave with Father Nicholas.

'I'll get Vincent then, to ask the young man's address, and I suppose he'll agree. He has to be at the theatre by four, but there is still time, it's not that far to the neighbourhood where Teddy probably lived. Will you wait here?'

As Victor rushes upstairs, he hopes Adison will be all right, she has been so brave yesterday, saving Mina, acting with great determination to save Vincent from some unknown danger, she does not deserve to be unhappy about her decisions.

Bursting in the sitting-room, he finds the little group comfortably settled in the sofas, Adison looking a lot better already in Vincent's arms.

'I'm sorry Vincent,' he says, 'Father Nicholas had a valid point in that Teddy cannot stay behind when he leaves. We never keep patients in the house. He suggested you might want to take him home straight away with Father Nicholas' carriage, then be taken back home yourself. Do you agree, can you be missed?'

Instead of Vincent, Adison replies.

'Smart man, for a priest. Better do as he proposes, Vincent, if you leave right now you can be back before Catherine arrives. I'm fine again, I don't know what came over me, I must have been tired from the magic. Mina will take care of me.'

'If you say so, love, I will.'

And he kisses her lovingly, lifts her as he gets up, and puts her back on the sofa on her own, then leaves with Victor.

'I'll be back before you know it!'

And so he is. As Victor sees Father Nicholas and his charges out, Vincent accompanies them to the Father's carriage and helps his former colleague Teddy get in, then gets in himself. As the carriage drives off, Victor guesses it will take about an hour to take Teddy back to his parents, for Vincent will need to explain some things before he can come home.

But Vincent manages in three quarters of an hour. When Father Nicholas' carriage halts before their house, George's carriage is already waiting in front, and Vincent takes his leave quickly.

'Father Nicholas, thank you for the ride, I can see my daughter has come back and she has brought some visitors. I'm glad Teddy's parents were happy to see him, I hope your charge will soon remember things of his former life, I regained all my memories in the end without anyone putting in any effort to free them, so I guess there is every hope for Hercules.'

The Father detains him for one more moment, to shake his hand with feeling and to tell Vincent, 'Thank you and your friends, Vincent, they did so very well, yesterday and today. Especially your lovely wife, I can imagine why you've changed so much and for the better, who could have resisted such charm and strength of character? I'll be in contact in a week or two.'

Vincent still cannot but trust the Father, he has been such a good friend to him in his former life, and he seems to care so much for people others would just put out of their minds, like those two possessed men.

As he gets to the door, it opens, and Victor urges him in.

'Catherine asked Lucy to come and see her house, and they were both very disappointed you were out. They're in her room, better hurry there.'

Never has a man been more welcome than Vincent as he enters Catherine's little room.

'Daddy!' his little girl cries, and both herself and Lucy are in his arms in an instant.

'Hello Vincent,' Bertha says quietly, 'they missed you.'

Which is very clear, but he makes up for being away at such an important moment by carrying both girls to the sitting-room, Bertha walking there on her own two feet, where they find Frances talking with the other ladies.

As Vincent drops Lucy on the sofa, he doubts whether he can do the same with Catherine, she's so small compared to the thirteen year old. But her chubby face is so expectant, she really wants to do the same things as her friend, so he drops her on the softest part, and from less high than Lucy. Both girls scream with laughter, and now Bertha wants her share of the fun. So Vincent lifts her as well, and drops her beside the other two.

After that, Catherine takes her friends on a tour of the house, the practice, the cosy little kitchen, the bathroom and her parents' bedroom with the enormous four-poster bed. Of course Catherine saves the armoury in the basement, the library on the first floor, and the exciting machinery in the attic for last.

Their house is very small compared to the number of people living in it, but Catherine is not envious of the large manor-house at all, this is her house, and she is happy here.

'Where will your little brother or sister sleep when you get one?' Lucy wants to know.

'I suppose he or she will have a little crib next to mum and dad's bed, I used to sleep there before I got my own room. And when he or she is old enough for a room of his or her own, I suppose I'll move to the room down the hall, and leave this room to the little one, since I'm older I can be further away from mum and dad. I'll need more space, too, for I'll be bigger then, and that room is a bit larger. Let me show you.'

And off they are, to check out the room that used to be the office, until Victor and Mina moved the patient files to the practice and the research papers to the library. After viewing the only empty room in the house, Bertha remarks, 'Your kitchen is much cosier than ours, Catherine, when I'm grown up I want a kitchen like that. If you move your room, may I come and help you paint?'

And Lucy says, 'I lived in a much smaller house when I was your age, and less nice. I like your house, and your room, and your mum, and Mina and Victor, and your dad best of all. But I could never live in the city anymore. I want to come and help paint, though.'