Escort For The Witch: The Mystery of Psyche's Ruby - стр. 4
"I hope one day you will understand me. And you will forgive me," Blanche whispered through her sobs, kissing her son one last time. She carefully removed the rosary from her wrist and wrapped it around the baby's tiny hand. Then she turned away and gestured for Auguste to leave.
"Leonie! Go get ready, now! It's almost dawn!" Joel boomed. "You must leave immediately! Auguste will stay with you until the end. Trust him. I'll see you off now."
The terrified maid stumbled to her feet and, clutching the box tightly, rushed to her room. Joel sighed, shook his head and knelt beside the grief-stricken mother. Sitting on the bare floor, her face buried in her hands, Blanche could finally let her tears flow. She 5
sobbed, hating herself for the outburst, clawed at her arms until they bled, trying her best to not get up and run after the carriage.
"We knew what we were getting into. It was our choice," Joel said grimly, pulling a small glass vial with dark thick liquid out of his coat pocket. "There's enough here for both of us. In twenty minutes, it will all be over."
"Sir, we're ready," the maid whispered, peeping into room and paling at the sight before her.
The man looked up, mental exhaustion in his faded green eyes, and issued a resigned smile.
"I'll be there in a moment, Leonie. Take my cloak. I won't need it anymore," he said hoarsely.
Without further ado, the maid snatched up the cloak and ran out, leaving the sad room and her old life behind her for good. Joel turned back to Blanche.
"Blanche, my dear, look at me," he gazed into her grief-stricken grey eyes. "Are you ready?"
For a moment, Blanche relaxed, as if comforted by peace of mind, that often comes with full acceptance of the inevitable, and a faint smile appeared on her bloodless lips.
She nodded slowly, casting one last sad glance out the window. With trembling fingers, she took the vial from Joel and, closing her eyes, took a reluctant sip. Before she could take another one, Joel snatched the vial back from her and drained it in one greedy gulp.
"May God protect you," he whispered, kissing Blanche on the forehead, and then hurried out of the house, leaving her alone, consumed by grief.
Joel staggered up to the carriage where the petrified Leonie still sat, holding the sleeping baby close to her chest and rocking softly.
"Now listen to me carefully, Leonie. If something happens, should you be in danger, should you be chased or captured, you must do everything in your power to break the stone! Understand? Break the stone!" Joel half pleaded, half ordered, noticing his voice tremble treacherously, a hot wave rising in his throat and darkness clouding his vision.
"Do you understand me, damn it?!"
"Yes, sir. I understand," the maid whispered.
"Now, Leonie, goodbye. Don't forget the letter! Auguste, my friend! Drive! Drive as fast as you can! Get out of Paris! And don't ever come back! Never! And may God help you!" Joel turned on his heel and staggered back toward the house.
Back in the room, he got to the table, picked up a candle, and moved to the curtain covering the only tiny window. Immediately, the curtain was a ablaze, the flames spreading in every direction. The man smirked, put out the candle nonchalantly, and tossed it into the farthest corner before sinking to the floor beside Blanche's lifeless form. He was relieved to notice that the mark of sorrow that had shadowed his unfortunate sister-in-law's face during their final conversation had now completely 6