So, having reached the tunnels he went not to his chamber but rather toward cobwebby way that would lead him into Peter’s study. Moving the door was no problem from the tunnel side. A key was always left available to anyone that needed access. The only risk was that via the study he would have to walk through part of the house to make his way to the basement, had that of been his intent, but since he wanted to find Catherine he would have to make absolutely certain that there were no other people in the house on his arrival there. His acute hearing helped, he was able to discern sounds from far away, he could at times even hear the whirl of the refrigerator positioned in the kitchen and that was several rooms away. Listening intently he was satisfied when he heard that sound, for it told him that there was no other noise in-between that would signal occupancy. It was possible therefore, that Catherine had gone straight to bed. Strangely, though he didn’t believe that. Walking out into the study the house gave Vincent a foreboding feeling, one that told him it was empty and for a few moments, Vincent was indecisive wondering what he should do next. He had been so sure that Catherine had gone back to Peter’s, so sure in fact that he hadn’t bothered to listen to that other gift open to him that usually told him Catherine’s whereabouts. Now as he listened to that inner little voice, he felt disheartened to know that she was in fact somewhere else.

Grieved by the time he had wasted and frightened for Catherine’s safety he wondered where she had gone at this time of night and something compelled him to return to the tunnels in the slim hope that she may have gone there. He didn’t really believe that she had as something told him that would be the last place she would seek and it worried him greatly that he was the cause of that unease.

Still he returned looking this way and that hoping that his feelings were wrong, that she might just be with Father, or Mary or Rebecca or Lisa and having checked with the three and finding nothing he reluctantly made his way toward Lisa’s chamber pausing before announcing his arrival where she read a book within.

She was surprised to see him but did not deter his entrance as he might have supposed. Though they had made amends Vincent did not seek out her companionship as he might once have done. They had moved on now they both knew and accepted that and to visit with her at such a late hour made Vincent feel awfully uncomfortable, wondering how she might view such a disturbance.

“Vincent?” Lisa put down the book she was reading and beckoned him in. “Come in, sit down, is something wrong?”
Her legs he noticed were covered with a thick woollen blanket but that did not surprise him. A dancer’s best asset was her legs and he knew that Lisa would do everything she could to protect them from the draughty tunnels lest in later years she developed rheumatism in one or either of them. “Have you been above?” Lisa asked noticing he wore his cloak and his hood still covered much of his head.

“Yes, I went looking for Catherine.”

“For Catherine?” Her reply held a thousand questions and a query that Vincent felt fit to explain.

“Lisa can we talk, there’s something that is worrying me, you might be able to help?”

“Of course Vincent. Look do me a favour will you hang the drape at the entrance its awfully cold down here tonight. I would have done it myself only I had just found a gloriously comfortable position and didn’t want to lose it. Would you like some tea?”

“I’ll get it.” Vincent told her smoothing the drape in place. Wryly he grimaced knowing a drape positioned thus over an entrance with two people inside the chamber could be construed that privacy was required. Still without the addition of a strategically placed lamp, several yards from the entrance Vincent knew that the people of his community would know that privacy of the intimate kind had not been the intention of the occupants inside.

“Thanks Vincent.” Lisa told him as he crossed to where the kettle boiled upon the stove, bestowing a couple more chunks of wood onto the fire where he thought it needed it. “I bet it was cold up top tonight wasn’t it? Did you have to go out?”

“Yes to both,” Vincent poured hot water onto a spoonful of herbal tea-leaves inside two cups, added honey to one and passed the other to her. “Here, this should warm you up.” He told her with a grin and looked around for a suitable place to sit.

“Over there.” Lisa beckoned to her bed, “Lounge back on it if you like, only remove your boots first.”

Vincent refrained from doing so, instead sitting on the top corner by the pillows with his back rested against the headboard and his legs crossed one over the other, one foot very firmly on the floor, “Thank you but I don’t think I would fit this bed.” He told Lisa though the real reason for his declining the offer was that rumour thing again, if someone should walk in and find him lounging on Lisa’s bed at this time of night…well he didn’t like to think about what might be assumed.

He’d lowered his hood as he had made the tea and now unfastened his cloak with one hand holding a mug in the other and unable to do as he intended he put the mug onto the bedside table in order to shrug his cloak off. “You might not think it, but it is awfully warm in here.” Vincent announced with a grin, picking up his mug of tea again.

“That’s because you’ve been gallivanting up top. So tell me what’s your problem something to do with the lady Catherine is it?” Lisa asked shrewdly.

His mouth dropped open wide and Vincent almost spilt his mug of tea, “You, Lisa are too astute for your own good.” He told her incredulously, “How could you have possibly known that?”

“Vincent I know you. I might have missed the signs that first time, “Vincent winced, Lisa overlooked it, “But believe me I’d never let myself do that again. So, that’s probably why I notice things like that now. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but you love Catherine don’t you?”

“No! No, no…Lisa you have that wrong.” He protested firmly. “I just care for her, but love her? No, Lisa I don’t love her.”

“I think you do. You might not have recognised it yet or the signs but believe me Vincent you do love Catherine. I’ve seen it in your eyes, that look, the one that tells me that she is all the world to you, that you would do anything for her, go anywhere to be with her…you’re falling in love with her Vincent I’m sure of it.”

Unable to argue Vincent pondered her words. An outside view was often right as one too close to the problem did not see the wood for the trees. But love? Did he really feel that strongly for Catherine? “I don’t know.” He spoke at length, “I thought that I loved you but these feelings that I have for Catherine are different.”

“Mm. I think what you felt for me was misguided infatuation. We grew together and something triggered an instant where you believed that you loved me in the way of an intimate partner and not in the way of a brother. You’ve grown since Vincent, you can recognise the difference now and if I may be permitted to make an observation Vincent I would say that the feelings you have toward Catherine are different because what you feel for her is the real thing. Tell me how you feel?”

“I’d rather tell you what I came here to say.” Vincent told her, “Although one might say that they are one and the same. I’ll start at the beginning.”

“Please do.” Lisa giggled and though her tea was finished, she kept holding the heated mug with her two hands extracting its warmth into her body. Any warmth in the tunnels, no matter how slight was best expelled into the body rather than anywhere else, Father had taught them that.

Inhaling a deep breath Vincent exhaled it slowly deliberately putting off the moment when he had to put his thoughts into words, “You know that Catherine is Devin’s girlfriend?” He almost laughed for everyone knew that Devin and Catherine was a couple.

“Er…yes.” Lisa grinned, “I think someone did say something. Go on.” Her eyes were bright and filled with merriment.

Seriously, Vincent told her, “I think Devin is seeing someone else.”

The smile faded from Lisa’s face, “No! Vincent not Devin, he wouldn’t do a thing like that! You must be mistaken.” The word ‘again’ followed and remained unspoken but Vincent heard it nonetheless.

“I don’t think so, not this time. I wish I were.” Vincent told her glumly. His heart felt heavy, his own brother doing something so horrible to one as beautiful as Catherine, it hurt him deeply.

“And what are your plans if you are right? Do you waltz in there and tell her, for that’s what you intend isn’t it? Is that why you went above tonight, to see her?”

“If I trusted someone and they were abusing that trust I wouldn’t want to be the last to know, Lisa.” Vincent told her.

“Ignorance is bliss though is it not? I mean have you seen the way she looks at Devin? Man, she adores him. And if you go waltzing in there, good intentions or not, she isn’t going to thank you for it Vincent. Sometimes a girl just doesn’t want to see what’s beneath her nose. She may even have sniffed it out and decided to ignore it. Decided to bury her head in the sand, and as I understand it she might even be aware that she can’t hold on to Devin. He wants far more than she is prepared to give, or why else would they ask to be chaperoned?”

“But he shouldn’t see someone else behind her back if he isn’t able to get the things he needs from Catherine. That stinks.”

Lisa laughed, “Vincent you can’t go meddling in this especially if you feel more for Catherine than you are letting yourself believe. All you can do is be there for her when it all falls apart and it will nothing is as sure as that. Devin is about to spread his wings and fly. We’ve all seen it coming, and he was set to go just before he met Catherine. She has set him back a little but the need is still there. And if by holding him back from the things that he needs Devin feels trapped then he is going to rebel and something will give eventually. Catherine will either give in to his needs in the hope that she will secure him to her, or she will see through that veneer and know that he will go anyway even after sleeping with him. Devin has had these dreams all his life and he’s not ready to be held back, not yet. Had he and Catherine met say ten years from now things could have been totally different but sadly that didn’t happen. One of them has to make a decision unfortunately for Catherine whatever she decides she isn’t going to keep him so at some stage Vincent she is going to need a shoulder to cry on and if you truly care for her then let it be yours.”

“That’s if she ever trusts me again. I think I may have frightened her tonight.”

“Why what did you do?”

Vincent explained and Lisa groaned, “Oh dear, well when she has time to think about it she should realise that you would never harm her, but you are going to have to think of a decent reason as to why you wanted to take her from Billy’s, Vincent.”

“Would you help?”

“Me? What you mean say that I wanted to see her, but for what reason? It would have to be something big other wise there would have been no need for you to have gone above there and then to seek her out. I suppose I could say that I wanted her to come and see my rehearsal. I have offered to let her see me dance and I do have an audition next week.” Lisa grinned.

“You do? Lisa that’s marvellous, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I haven’t told anyone, and I’d be grateful if you would keep it to yourself. If I am rejected I’ll want to go away and lick my own wounds and not have anyone else fretting around me, so keep it to yourself will you?”

“I’ll only tell Catherine. If you allow me to use that as the reason for taking her away from Billy’s tonight it will be perfect. Catherine will feel so honoured and it would attest to the cloak and dagger way that I approached her. Please Lisa, let me use that excuse.”

“Only if you promise that you’ll say nothing to her about Devin’s activities?”

Vincent was silent, he still wasn’t too sure about that. How could he pretend to be Catherine’s friend when he knew Devin may be cheating on her?

“Okay, okay look if it makes you feel any better I’ll say something, try to open her eyes to face the facts. And we don’t know for sure that Dev is cheating on her, and until we do know for certain its best we say nothing, but if we find out otherwise I’ll drop the bombshell alright hat way it doesn’t all come crashing down on your shoulders.”

“Thank you, Lisa. How will I ever repay you?”

“By admitting one thing,” she told him with a mischievous grin.

Guarded Vincent replied, “What?”

“That you come tell me the moment you realise that I am right, that you do love Catherine, that you have found the once in a lifetime kind of love that other people search a lifetime for. Because believe me Vincent, I can see it, Catherine is right for you, you get on well and you are great companions, and you know what they say about being best of friends don’t you?” Wordlessly Vincent shook his head.

“That they make the best of lovers.” She told him, then seeing his discomfort and remembering how he had misread their own relationship, Lisa burst into laughter thinking, touché Lisa, touché.

Nothing ever looks the same in the cold light of day, and Catherine’s feelings after a fitful night’s sleep had waned somewhat. How had she ever presumed that Vincent intended to harm her? He had never been anything but gentlemanly toward her before and she had allowed his differences to become more of an issue than she ought to have done. Had it of been any other member of the tunnel community asking her to leave the bar with them she didn’t think she would have hesitated to go. Obviously there had been a reason, some hidden secretive reason as to why Vincent has risked going above to seek her out and insist that she returned with him. Why Devin had not been the one to do it beat her, but then she remembered he had been otherwise detained. She laughed, how could she of been so blind it had probably been some entertainment that they had arranged for her benefit and now she had completely missed it. For it had been probable that Devin had been involved in one of the children’s plays and that Vincent had been springing the surprise on her by leading her down to the tunnels. Although that thought didn’t quite ring true, for had that of been the case why not leave a note saying that Vincent would be collecting her from Peter’s rather than a note that told her that Devin would not be able to meet her as arranged.
Well whatever the reason Vincent was not the sort of person that would willingly set out to frighten her and she owed him an apology big time.

Checking her watch she knew he would be up by then it was nine o’clock but she had an assignment to hand in at college and a tutorial at eleven, so any visit to the tunnels would have to wait. However she decided that she could at least put him out of his misery, for she was certain that Vincent would suffer by her behaviour of the night before. He was a very sensitive person and would so easily put any blame upon his differences and Catherine was saddened by her actions. She should have known he would take them the wrong way, although at the time she had to admit that it had been her intention.

So, there was only one thing for it, she would have to try and find a way of getting a message to him asking him to meet her at lunchtime in the study at Peter’s house, and then she remembered that she had left her car at the college the night before and all her plans came undone. There would be no time to send a message because to do so meant driving across town to the helper she knew would deliver it and for that she would need to take the subway and a bus to get there and still be in time to make her tutorial. Naturally she could take a taxi, but her father had wanted her to know the value of money and had given her an allowance that she had to make last till the end of the month. Already on the twentieth, it was running low, and though she could ask him for more she didn’t want to do. She had become proud of herself for the way she had juggled her finances this past couple of months and last night’s taxi had created a large hole where there ought not to have been one, especially as she still needed gas for her car.

Arriving at college, Catherine went straight to her locker surprised to find an envelope stuck to it with tape. She opened it peering curiously inside lest some practical joker had put something ghastly inside. It had happened before and she had vowed not to be so gullible next time. However, there was nothing more than a slip of paper that when she unfolded it read, ‘Cathy, where are you? I’ve been looking all morning. Are you avoiding me? Mel.’

Of course, she wasn’t avoiding her. Why on earth should Mel assume that she would, and why search for her all morning when Mel knew that she wasn’t exactly noted for punctuality? Dismayed, Catherine collected the books that she would need for that morning and made her way to the cafeteria where she expected Mel would be, handing in her assignment at the correct location on the way.
Sure enough, Mel was there, sitting with a group of friends and laughing at some joke or some person’s misfortune, as was usually the way among this particular group of people.

They looked up as she hovered nearby and Mel exclaimed, “there you are! Cathy I’ve looked all over for you.”

“I’ve only just arrived.” Catherine told her, “You know how I need my beauty sleep.”

“If you ask me you’ve had enough already.” One of the lads commented close by but Catherine ignored him turning instead to Mel who was saying, “But I saw your car. It was here early.”

“I left it here last night, took a cab home.”

“Why has it broken down?”

“No, look is there somewhere else we might talk.” She hated making anything to do with her business available to all and sundry. Mel nodded, “See you guys later.” She told the crowd and followed Catherine out into the corridor, “So what gives,” she asked, “Why did you go home by cab?”

“I went to Billy’s thought you’d be there got spooked for some reason when I decided to leave and couldn’t face the thought of walking across that dark car park for my car.” Mel didn’t accept her reason.

“What spooked you? Come on Cathy you can tell me?”

“Nothing, that is nothing I could put my finger on, just a sound and a sixth sense that told me things were not as they should be, you know how it is?” Mel nodded yes she knew how it was, it had been a similar sort of feeling that had told her not to go to Billy’s the night before with her new boyfriend. Knowing Catherine had been there made her even more thankful that she had heeded it.

“So did you go alone? I take it that hunk of a boyfriend wasn’t with you?”

“Why do you say that?”

“Hello?” Mel tapped Catherine’s forehead with one slim and perfectly manicured finger, “Because had he been with you, dork you wouldn’t have been spooked.”

“Oh yes of course.” Catherine laughed, “Well no he wasn’t, he couldn’t meet me last night.”

“Oh, why was that?”

“I don’t know he never said, just left a note breaking our date. I expect I’ll find out at lunchtime.”

“At lunchtime? Are you meeting him then?” Mel sounded more than mildly interested and Catherine couldn’t understand why.

“I hope to see him yes, why don’t you think that I should?” She asked certain that’s what Mel had been thinking.

“I’m just surprised that you know where to find him in the middle of the day.” Mel’s words trailed away and Catherine had the strangest feeling that this conversation seemed to signal them pussyfooting around each other.

“Just because we have seldom been seen in the daylight doesn’t make Devin a night owl or something. What do you think he is, some kind of vampire?” Catherine laughed but even so, she noticed that Mel put a hand beneath her hair going straight to one side of her neck and replied with an almost nervous laugh, “Of course not!”

“Well anyway, hopefully I’ll see him, so I won’t be joining you for lunch.”

“Can I come with you?” Mel’s question stunned Catherine and she responded quickly, “No, sorry, you can’t,” hoping that the inevitable question would not follow. It did, “Why not? I though we were friends.”

Catherine decided to get out of it the only way she saw fit, “Devin and I want to be alone.” She told her friend with a wink hoping to pacify her. It should have but it didn’t. Mel looked furious.

“Another time maybe. I’ve got to go now, see you later.” Catherine could think of no reason why Mel would be so angry, and it wasn’t as if they took lunch together everyday. In fact, these last few months since she had been seeing Devin she had spent very little time with Melanie and the friendship was wavering.

“How long will you be gone?” Mel seemed intent on keeping Catherine from leaving by following her down the corridor.

“As long as it takes.” Catherine winked again hoping Mel would assume what she hoped she would assume. However Mel retorted, “I know what you’re doing Cathy and believe me it won’t work. I happen to know that you haven’t slept with Devin and you’re not going to do either so you can take that smug look off your face! I’ve got you tapped girl…your insinuations don’t fool me!”

“Mel!” Catherine cried and watched as her so called friend tossed her hair and marched back toward the cafeteria the action serving to highlight the fact that Mel had one very large love bite on one side of her neck. Catherine gasped, what had all that been about? It was almost as if Mel had been jealous of her, and then there was that bit about knowing that she and Devin didn’t do the things she had implied they did, how would Mel know that? Well Catherine intended to find out no matter what but right at that moment she was late for her first tutorial. She would get that over with then head for the tunnels, Mel’s behaviour was the least of her worries. It was her own she was more concerned with, her own and how much she might have upset Vincent by it the night before and the fact that she might bump into Devin was a bonus. Catherine smiled to herself, for during that fitful night past, she had reached a decision and she couldn’t wait to see his face when she told him about it.

The PG rated section of this story will be concluded in part eight.

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