Chapter 17

Alex chuckled giving Laurel a hug "no wonder I could never find you if you blink in and out all the time, that will take some getting used to, now let's go have some breakfast and you can tell me what it was you wanted to say about the cave." Laurel who was still frowning at the front of Alex's shirt nodded "let me pull on a dress, I'm really sorry about Mar, Alex" Alex looked down at the front of his singed shirt "at least it wasn't a good ruffled one, with a starched neck cloth now that would of annoyed me a bit." Laurel laughed as she pulled on a blouse, skirt, her stockings and shoes "just don't grow a long beard they are Mar's toasting specialty, when you meet Trink you'll understand better."

Cook gave Alex an odd look when she brought out breakfast but didn't say a word, just tisked at the two of them eating such a late breakfast when it was almost lunch. Alex helped himself to a big plate of eggs, bacon and toast, Laurel fixed herself a bowl of porridge laughing at Alex who shuddered at the sight of it "I ate so much of that when I was a boy I think it's still stuck to my insides" Laurel grinned "I usually get busy and forget to eat and porridge keeps me filled up until dinner" Alex buttered himself another piece of toast "you were going to tell me about the cave" Laurel stirred her porridge thoughtfully "lair, it's a lair, anyway it's a good place to live, safe, easy to come and go with an extra exit through the stone cottage. I'm so used to being outside, out in the open I find the lair difficult to stay in for long, I miss windows to look out of, I plan on looking the old manor house over, I've never gotten very close to it, just from a distance but it looks like it's in livable condition. Virlane and Kat, Rav and Natalie all live in houses with a lair to go to when they want or need to get away and be dragon for awhile."

Alex started to laugh, Laurel frowned at him, "don't mind me, just that I've known Collin of Virlane since I was a little boy and his son Ravlyr, my Grandfather usually invites them to dinner whenever they're in town and here you're telling me they are all dragons." Laurel frowned again "well Natalie isn't a dragon she is a Cairin, what I was trying to explain about Zinmer, I will more than likely be very busy and not able to get back here often."

Alex scowled at Laurel "you aren't trying to tell me that you don't want my company are you? because if you are it won't work." Laurel sighed "I'm not explaining myself well, no I'm not saying that at all, let me try again. I'm used to being alone, on my own, since I moved into the lair it seems like I am always tripping over elves, fairies, dragons, I have no peace, Alex, I have no place for myself unless I lock myself in the bookroom and even then they come knocking on the door. The old manor house, if I can fix it up, it's much bigger more room maybe there I won't feel so confined. I know come spring and summer the fairies will be able to find their own homes in the forest, the elves now that the wolf problem is gone will more than likely spread out a little more, make themselves a real elf village I hope." Laurel shrugged "maybe it's just the feeling of being so closed in that bothers me the most."

Alex gave Laurel a kiss in her forehead "take it one step at a time, sweetheart, when you return go look over the house, make a detailed list of what needs to be done, starting with the most important first such as the roof. Once you've done that check with the local tenants find out if any of them can do the repair work, from what I've heard of Zinmer they would probably appreciate the extra funds such work would provide. You're going to have to be prepared for a lot of noise, disruptions and people coming and going while the work is done." Alex saw the worried look on Laurel's face "you can handle it, you just have to stand firm and remember always YOU ARE Zinmer, the tenants take their lead from the property owner, if the owner doesn't care neither will the tenants, if the owner takes pride in his or her property so will good tenants."

Laurel smiled at Alex "thank you" Alex smiled back getting up from the table "I need to go home change, talk to Kirk about the herbs for his eye's that the cat woman gave me and you sweetheart should take a nice long nap, no tears allowed at the opera" Laurel getting up and giving Alex a kiss "no tears I promise" Alex chuckled kissing her back "later tonight we can talk about little urchins" he was laughing at the look on her face all the way home.

Alex walked into the house to hear Rachel who rarely raised her voice yelling at Grace, Grace shrieking back, his youngest brother Joseph sitting on the stairs in the foyer with a disgusted look on his face. Alex was surprised to see Joe who should have been at school, raised an eyebrow at him "get tossed out again?" Joe nodded, Alex frowned "we'll talk about that later, what's going on in the parlor? Joe with an angry look on his face glared at the parlor door "Kirk wanted to go with everyone to the opera tonight, Grace said she thought it would be bad idea, he might stumble on the steps and fall or in a dozen other ways hurt himself, Kirk got upset and is in his room, Aunt Rachel called Grace on the carpet for hurting his feelings and so the cat fight goes."

Alex walked into the parlor banging the door louder than necessary, Grace turned "Alex! tell Aunt Rachel I am not being hurtful and rude, I am just concerned for Kirk's welfare." Alex sighed "you can be concerned and at the same time rude and hurtful Grace, there is no reason why Kirk can't attend the opera, certainly we can insure that he doesn't walk into any walls or doors, he is not an invalid tied to his bed, he is having problems with his eyesight that's all." Grace shrieked "that's all? he is almost blind and all your wishing won't change that Alex, why can't you face facts" Alex turned to his Aunt Rachel "will you leave us alone for a short while I have a few things to say to Grace" as Rachel with a small smile on her face started to leave Alex stopped her, handing her the packet of herbs he asked her to prepare them as he told her how then asked her when she was done to take it to Kirk's room. Seeing the question on her face Alex said he would explain later, for now he needed to talk to Grace.

Grace sat down with in a huff, seeing Alex shirt she sneered "get to close to the fireplace this time?" Alex sighed "Grace, you've had a long hard year no one will deny you that, but it's time now to go home to your husband. I'm going to turn over the running of that estate to him, he will be good at it and it will give him some purpose in his life right now. John is a good man Grace but London is not the place for him, to many temptations, he knows it, it's about time you admitted it also. Go home Grace and fill the nursery again, you were a good Mother and a good wife once you can be again, don't let the loss of your son ruin the chance for a happy life. This may sound crude to your sensitive ears but I don't care at this point, go home and take your husband to bed and make love until your too tired and worn out to get up, maybe then you won't be so concerned with others sex lives, unsatisfied women turn mean and cruel and that's what's happening to you Grace." Alex chuckled saying silently to himself, see Nedra I was listening. Alex gave a start to hear a purring in his ear "but of course my delectable one, Nedra knew." Alex sighed as Grace ran out of the room with a sob, ah well he thought I gave it a try. "do not worry soooo my sweet one, she took to heart your words, she knew them to be true" Nedra purred softly.

Alex knocked lightly then went into Kirk's room, he had passed his Aunt Rachel in the hallway and knew the steeping herbs had been taken up. Kirk stood stiff and angry at the window his back to Alex. "I understand Grace got under your skin again today." Kirk only nodded abruptly, Alex walked over to the window looking out at the gray sky "I want you to try something for me, don't scoff at it out of hand, I have some cloths soaking in herbs, I'd like to put them over your eye's for about an hour, I've been told doing that twice a day will help your vision greatly." Kirk shrugged "taken up alchemy have you Alex? you can try, it won't work as we both know but if it will make you feel better go ahead."

Alex didn't help Kirk over to the bed, he let him make his own way, the two had almost come to blows once because Kirk thought he was being lead around like a baby, once Kirk had settled himself Alex carefully did as Nedra had told him, frowning to see Kirk flinch as the warm cloth was put over each eye, Alex checked his pocket watch as he sat down in a chair next to the bed "I think it would be best to take two carriages to the opera tonight, no use crowding the ladies and crushing their dresses, we also need to stop and pick up Laurel which would be easier that way. I'm not sure if Grace will attend or not but just in case I would rather have the two of them separated as much as possible, you want to ride with Laurel and I?" Kirk snapped "leave me out of it, I'm not going, wouldn't want to do anything to embarrass the family now would I" Alex chuckled "what is it with this embarrassment business, you and Laurel been comparing notes or something? she wasn't going to go either for the very same reason, if you fall down or run into a door I will just announce to one and all that you are drunk as a loon." Kirk snorted "that's as good an excuse as any" Alex noticed Kirk didn't say again that he wasn't going. Alex changed the cloth over Kirk's eyes twice before the hour was up. Taking the kettle Alex suggested Kirk rest up before Ruckle came in to help him dress for the evening.

Kirk lay on the bed his arm thrown over his eye's tears slowly trickling down his cheeks, I'm only twentytwo years old what am I going to do for the rest of my life? hang on Alex coat tails stumbling along behind, no matter how kind Alex is it will get tiresome quick enough, then what? do I shuffle off to family member after family member until I end up just sitting in some corner for the rest of my life? Kirk choked back a sob. I wanted to go see the world, I wanted to see the mountains of Germany, the canals of Venice and dance a waltz in Vienna, I wanted to ride a sleigh through the streets of St.Petersburg's while it was snowing Kirk cried silently. Kirk's body jerked with a start, he reached up on his chest and felt the warm soft body of a cat, he gently petted his hand down the cat's back feeling it stretch out a deep purring seemed to sink right into his chest, the more he listened the calmer he became, his eye's closing, his body slowly relaxing into sleep, he didn't feel the cats tongue lick the tears from his cheeks or the corners of his eyes as he slept.

Alex took off his singed shirt with a chuckle tossing it on a chair he laid down with a sigh telling himself he would just rest for a minute, than he would go talk to Joe about school. Alex woke when Ruckle came in the room "yes?" Ruckle picked up Alex's singed shirt "it's almost time to dress for the evening sir, your bath is waiting. I do believe we can dispense with this shirt it looks a little worse for wear." Alex got up with a frown "I had not meant to sleep this long, go help Kirk, I can dress myself as you well know, you just like to raise your bushy eyebrows at me to make me think I'm still ten years old." Ruckle raised his eyebrow and left without a word said.

Ruckle gently shook Kirk's shoulder "sir, it's time to awaken and prepare for the evening" Kirk grumbled "I hear you " rubbing his chest Kirk frowned "when did we get a cat? Ruckle" Ruckle turned from the wardrobe "a cat sir? we never have had a cat that I can recall." Kirk chuckled "odd maybe I was just dreaming" reaching up to brush a lock of hair off his forehead Kirk frowned holding his hand up to his face "Ruckle, bring a candle here please" Ruckle heard the tremor in Kirk's voice and rushed over with a candle "are you ill, Master Kirk, shall I call Master Alex or his Grace" with a worried look on his face Ruckle held the candle by Kirk watching him wave his hand in front of his face "let me get Master Alex" jerking the bell pull hard then turning he started to rush out of the room. "Ruckle! don't take the candle, light a couple more candles" Kirk called you looking right at Ruckle.

When the maid knocked on the door, Ruckle jerked it open "get Master Alex" the maid stood staring at the door that had just closed in her face, running down the hall she burst into Alex's room, gasping she quickly turned her back "Ruckle say's your to come to Master Kirk's room right away, he seems upset" Alex frowned and quickly pulled on his breeches as the maid rushed back out of the room. Striding down the hall Alex walked into Kirk's room "what's wrong?" Kirk grinned at Alex "I can see you Alex, not well but I can see you, I fell asleep petting the cat then Ruckle woke me, I could see, those herb's Alex they really are working." Kirk's words were almost running over themselves he was talking so quickly, Alex gave him a tight hug "give it some more time and you will have all your vision back, in your prayers you can thank a woman named Nedra." Kirk nodded "for the rest of my life" then grinned "let's surprise everyone once we are all downstairs, if we're lucky Grace will faint and be unable to attend the opera." Alex laughed giving Kirk another hug "then you better get yourself dressed and watch Ruckle wiggle his eyebrows while you do it all by yourself." Ruckle coughed "do you think sir that you should be prancing about the hallways bare chested, it sets a rather bad example for the younger generation" Alex laughed "I took the time to pull on my britches didn't I, now that was consideration."