Of Night and Dark Obscurity

“Those women. You know. Your sister is one of them.” He said.

“My sister was one of them?” Caroline shivered a little.

“The primrose strangler’s victims. He asked about the victims,” he said angrily. “But why me? Sure. I knew Irene maybe in passing, and that spinster friend of yours, but that doesn’t make me a killer,” he admitted.

“Of course it doesn’t,” Caroline said trying to keep him calm.

“But he doesn’t know anything, Caroline,” he said suddenly looking grim. “He doesn’t know anything.”

Caroline trembled as she gazed into his wide eyes. She was frightened for herself and knew that if she tried to run from him, she would never make it. Her skirts were long and she would be tangled in them and he would easily overtake her.

“I gave him a lingering memento though,” he laughed. “A nice lingering memento. A black eye to go with his fine manners.”

“Charles. You struck him?” She asked but she already knew the answer.

“He deserved it. He’s too full of himself.” He nodded. “Much too full of himself. He’s a second son after all. He has no money, no title. Who does he think he is?”

“What does it matter who he is?” Caroline said softly. “Let’s return to the townhouse. I could make you a nice cup of—“

“But he’s going to get what’s coming to him, I guarantee it Caroline,” Charles said coldly.

“Charles—“ Caroline said.

“No Caroline. Listen to me.” He turned to her again and when he grabbed her shoulders it was with an intensity and fervor that she had not seen before. “He’s going to get what’s coming to him. You’ll see. It will make sense and then you’ll understand.”

“Charles, I don’t understand any of this,” she shook her head.

“You of all people should. You lost your sister, your friend. Perhaps you’ll be next,” he said lowly.

Caroline blinked in the dimming lights of the sunset. “W-what did you say?”

He gazed at her coldly. “You’re like Pierce. You think too highly of yourself, Caroline Derry. I’m not good enough for you. No one is good enough for you. But Valentine Pierce is? Would you marry him?”

“Charles. You could never hurt me. Why would you say such a thing?” She said trying to keep him calm.

“Me? Of course, I would never harm you,” he smiled, releasing her once more. “Why would you think that? I couldn’t harm anyone. That’s the problem. That’s always been the problem.” His face was once more stoic.

“The problem?” She asked. “What’s the problem?”

Her heart was beating heavy inside her chest and when she looked at Charles Lyttleton, he seemed to be a stranger speaking a foreign tongue. She didn’t understand his words and many of them were frightening.

The drizzle turned to a light rain and a slight wind had picked up. Suddenly he put his arm about her waist and instead of pulling her deeper into the dark wooded area, he helped move her along the path until they were back on the street. She saw the carriages and people and sagged with relief.

“It’s getting late,” he said softly. “You should not be out so late. I’ll hail you a cab.”

Caroline nodded weary from the encounter, and the rain and cold seemed to seep into her very bones.

She glanced up into his face and then looked away. He seemed distant and remote. He was an absolute stranger to her. She closed her eyes briefly and then opened them.

“T-thank you, Charles. You should get home as well. Your mother will be worried about you in the rain,” she resisted the urge to shudder from the cold and the odd exchange with him.

“I intend to,” he said as he hailed the cab and she breathed a sigh of relief when it was on its way.

???

Damp and cold, Caroline settled into the hansom cab and replayed the interaction she had with Charles. She had never seen him like that. He seemed to be in his own world, angry at Val and threatening him. She was shocked to learn that Charles had actually struck Val and caused the black eye she had seen for herself.

She contemplated returning to Val’s home to tell him of the incident but she didn’t want to alarm him. Charles was obviously unbalanced. She had seen it before with his rash marriage proposal but this afternoon was different.