Honestly, this story! Grr… I love the book but it’s so hard to write! *Wails* I love the anime too!
Started 4/21/05
Chapter 24 – Toxicity 2
Sabrina was furious.
Her father was selling her off like some piece of property! She wouldn’t stand for it; that was for sure…
Her eyes glittered with a plan as she began packing.
Erika shook her head. “You can’t just…”
“Yes I can. We’ve been planning this for years. We’ve got almost two million francs saved up, and that’s quite enough to sustain us for several years. Besides, soon we shall have doubled it with my voice and your music.”
“Your father…”
“Will not care, soon enough I suspect. I already have a letter of introduction to two of the leading operas in Rome.”
“If you insist… I have fifty thousand francs in jewels as well to add.”
Sabrina smiled at her maestro. “Very well… we shall wait and see how this turns out…” Running away was still decided. She didn’t want to marry!
Stupid father…
“Ah, Monsieur Koga… I am honored by your visit.” The Count said as he stood, welcoming the man into his home.
Koga was blushing. “I was wondering if it were possible for me to speak to Mistress Lorelei?”
“Be at ease friend, we shall visit her presently.” He said, as he led the way to her room. Silver followed with a tray of tea and biscuits.
Lorelei’s eyes lit up, not visibly, but enough for a practiced eye to catch, and Lance had quite good eyes.
“I would be honored by his presence.”
Koga blushed as he nervously sat down on a divan. Woah… how expensive was this place? Well, the Count was rumored to be quite rich….
Well, now he knew how rich!
He left them alone, as he exited the house soundlessly. It was time to put another part of the plan into action.
It was quite convenient to be living so close to the de Villefort family… only a few streets away…
“I am afraid my husband is away at the justice courts again,” Violet said as she welcomed him in, calling a manservant to prepare tea.
“Tis nothing, Madame. I am honored by your company.”
Charming man. She smiled, remembering… ah, their last dalliance had gone rather well…
She didn’t need eyes to see that her husband was still infatuated with Daisy Danglars. That slut…. Well, no matter.
She had to stay here and protect her son.
She had to…
Edward was busy exclaiming over the miniature ivory elephant the Count had brought for him. Gifts did wonders, when one wanted to worm one’s way into another’s affections… and the weakest link in Violet’s armor was her son.
On her little finger she wore the ring he had given her. Villefort hadn’t noticed. Gold was still dense when it came to emotions, apparently…
Had she discovered its secret?
The ruby was hollow, and inside, poison could be so easily concealed…
Violet had figured out the secret to this particular piece of jewelry. Perhaps he hadn’t known, but… now deadly Chin poison from the Far East, special mail-order delivery rested in the cavity.
No sign of poison anywhere… if she hadn’t known about the secret spring in the base; she would not have discovered the cavity for herself…
Well, now things were moving, speeding up… with her fangs concealed, the serpent would strike… and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Violet hadn’t missed the private meetings between Gold and Daisy, and she knew only two well what would be happening…
Despicable man.
He sipped at his tea, waiting for it to cool. “I see that your daughter’s engagement is soon to be concluded.”
“Yes, I am afraid it is.” That stung. Janine was her stepdaughter, not her daughter! Oh… would the shadow of Gold’s former wife hang over their marriage forever?
He caught the subtle tightening of the lips as he took another sip of tea. “I apologize if my words have offended you, Madame.”
“Oh, nothing of that sort, Count. I am simply... feeling unwell.”
“Madame, perhaps…” He withdrew a vial of red liquid from his jacket. “You are quite pale!” He dropped three drops of the medicine on her lips and immediately, she felt much more awake.
“What was that?” Violet asked. “It did not seem to be a salt of a brand I recognize…”
“It is an infallible remedy for nervous shocks, but one must take care not to overdose – up to five drops heal, ten kill…”
She nodded. Hmm…
“Count… I am afraid I often suffer from those symptoms… could you perhaps teach me the recipe?”
“But of course…” He smiled as they entered the greenhouse and she produced her distillery, tiny test tubes of poison sparkling underneath the sunlight…
Perfect…
“Belladonna… yes, two drops of that… and then the brucine…”
This could prove quite excellent.
After an hour, Violet had a small vial of the same red liquid the Count carried around. She thanked him, and then espied the late hour.
“Would you do me the honor of supping with me tonight?”
“My dear lady, nothing would give me more pleasure.”
She smiled brilliantly as they passed into the dining room. Gold had still not returned, but Janine and Edward joined them for the meal.
Janine was quite a pretty young woman, with dark hair drawn back in a severe braid. However, the softness of her face showed her true beauty. Lavender silk clung to her womanly curves. Truly, her fiancé was a lucky man.
He ate sparingly, ignoring the magistrate’s wife urging him to eat more, and barely touched the wine.
“Are you ill as well?” She asked in distress.
“I am afraid so, Madame. Quite ill…”
“Oh how terrible.” Poor man…
“I pray you please not concern yourself with my health, Madame, I did not wish to distress you.”
But it was horrible, and after desert, she bade him farewell and tried not to think about the fact that she was falling for him.
End Chapter
Started 4/1/05
Completed 4/28/05
Heh, just finished registering next year’s classes…