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Falling from Grace

Episode twelve

by Phil Colvin - published on August 13, 2000

"Excuse me," Grace suddenly halted on the staircase, leaving a distance between herself and Sebastian's outstretched hand. "What dietary requirements?" Sebastian appeared nonplussed, as if he'd just brought up the subject of a mutual friend at a dinner party.

"Please don't be alarmed, Grace. Perhaps I forgot to mention my association with our mutual friend, Chadrel Gyasto?" He didn't weight the reply with anything other than his usual smooth curl of voice. Right now, though, it was sending shivers down Grace's spine.

"Yeah, you forgot all right."

"Then I apologise. I forget there is much we have not discussed thus far."

"Actually," Corrected Grace, "We haven't exactly discussed anything. Certainly nothing to do with Chadrel Gyasto or... or Schattenjägers." Why was that word accompanied by a feeling of extreme dread?

"Grace, I don't understand, have I... said something out of place?"

"You're not being honest with me. You tell me to trust you, tell me these things about your past..."

"They are all true." Sebastian tried to meet her eyes but hers were now examining him. Glaring suspiciously over the marks and scars on his hands, searching for understanding and explanation.

"But how can I know that? How can I trust anything you tell me? I mean, I've never even heard of you. This isn't you're not even supposed to be here."

As she spoke, it occurred to Grace just how naive she had been so far. Sebastian had claimed to be a doctor, but had he given her any evidence of it? He told her things about his life so unbelievable she'd been forced to laugh. Even Dominic knew little about him. It went against every inkling of common sense in her body to trust this man. Why hadn't she seen that until now? What was it about him?..

"If you're so important to my... development and Chadrel knows this then why he hasn't he even mentioned you to me?"

"I don't see he would have any reason to. We are merely... acquaintances."

"And do, acquaintances, make it their business to discuss the dietary requirements of young American women they've never met before?"

"Grace," Sebastian's voice was pleading innocence, "I'm sorry to have startled you but there is so much for which you must be prepared. You must believe me when I tell you that Chadrel wants it this way, as does Igor..."

"Then where *is* Igor?" Shouted Grace. "Why isn't he here to tell me himself?"

"Of course I can explain..."

"Then explain it to me. Explain it to me now." She pierced him with a stare of indignation. For the first time, Sebastian's calm exterior appeared to have failed him, as he was to be searching for the right words. Grace realised she'd finally hit a raw nerve, but right now couldn't bring herself to apologise for it. The one thing she'd been trying to get away from, the one reason she was here alone instead of back in Germany and suddenly it had arrived, as ever, like a stalking horse. The silence persisted for uneasy seconds; Sebastian could offer little reply.

"Forgive me, I was simply..." Grace watched him practically try to will the right words into existence, "Reading you... Your concerns and fears."

"That's not an explanation."

"I know it isn't! But you must understand. This situation... There is so much..."

"Well, perhaps you should take some time to think it through. Because until you've given me a straight answer, I'm not staying to listen." As she passed him down the stairs, Sebastian reached out his hand and touched her arm. Grace shook it off, not pausing to even register the gesture as she headed for the door.

"You are right to have concerns," he called after her as she reached for the handle, "But you will soon see, Miss Nakimura, that there are some things which must be taken on simple faith." Grace sighed. How much had she taken on 'simple faith' in the past few years? So much. Too much which she did not understand or comprehend.

But now she needed more. That was why she had left Gabriel in the first place: for assurances. She couldn't bring herself to think how she'd feel if she couldn't find those even here, away from Gabriel who would take her for granted and not give her an honest answer. To her mind, that was exactly what Sebastian was doing right now.


The echo of the front door didn't subside for many moments, as it echoed through the long hallway. Sebastian observed its passing, perhaps hoping before it did so, that Grace would return. To his regret she didn't. Had he not been in a pensive mood, he might have let out a cry of anguish, but he knew he had to be more reserved.

"I heard shouting. Did she just leave?" The question came from the dining room door, where Dominic now stood. Sebastian nodded grimly.

"I feel... I am losing her trust."

"I don't think you'd earned it yet." Dominic knew he was understating the point. Sebastian's manner... his methods, they were all wrong in his eyes. Of course the Doctor was wise and kind, but he never spoke freely. Perhaps he felt his background was enough to make someone believe in him. But when he himself had spoken to Grace, it had been honesty which he'd seen in her. And it was honesty she demanded, not psychoanalysis.

"No, perhaps I hadn't. And I regret it. But you, Dominic, she trusts you..." The younger man shook his head.

"I think she needs to be alone right now."

"What you think she needs, and what is required, are two very different things. We must not lose sight of the bigger picture." Dominic pursed his lips, whatever respect he had for the Doctor he was still not accustomed to taking commands from anyone but Igor. Of course Dominic wanted to speak to her, but it was the thought of his brother which spurred him to do so rather than the wishes of a mystery man he hardly knew and barely trusted.

"All right, I will talk to her... But not for your benefit."

"Just make her see how important this..." Sebastian paused, "How important she is."


It was not a warm evening; the light breeze had come from the mountains and now bit Grace's bare arms painfully. But, then, that was nothing compared to the sensation of immense cold she'd just felt in that house. She shuddered at the memory of the Doctor's scrutiny, just wanting to be away from there. She felt as if in a daze as she wandered down the path, not even noticing she'd gotten near the gates until she was through them. She could easily have continued on autopilot had her thoughts not been broken from the shouts behind her.

"Grace! Hey, Grace!" At first she thought it was Sebastian, come again to try and plead with her. She wondered if she'd regret stopping and turning to face him. Needless to say, her heart leapt a little when she realised the voice belonged not to the Doctor but to Dominic, who was jogging towards her. She sat down on a rugged piece of fencing waiting for him to catch up.

"Has anyone told you," He wheezed, supporting himself to catch his breath, "that you move very fast when you're angry?"

"Sorry," she smiled. "I've had practice." She waited for him to compose himself, seeing quickly that the tone of the discussion was about to get serious.

"I wanted to apologise for Sebastian."

"Please don't. I'm afraid I just have problems with people who aren't honest with me. I've been messed about once too often." Grace also wanted to add something about the way his imposing manner scared her half to death, but she didn't want to appear childish in front of Dominic.

"I don't know him all that well." He paused, absently pushing away some dead leaves with his foot. "Actually, I hardly know him at all. But I'm sure he's a good man. Otherwise, I can't see what Igor would have to do with him."

"Has he been helping you over Victor's death?"

"A little, but I'm not really one for psychiatrists."

"That makes two of us."

"In truth... He claims to be here for you, Grace. I don't know why. Igor will explain, I'm sure of it."

"If he gets back..."

"When he gets back." Affirmed Dominic. The atmosphere between them was calm, good-natured. Maybe it was Grace's imagination but Dominic had become a little brighter on each of their meetings. Dominic was feeling much the same about her own mood. He sat down beside her, offering his coat when he noticed her shiver. Grace appreciated the gesture. He was the first man to offer her so much as a coat in a long time.

"Have you been thinking more about your brother?"

"All the time. I just can't think of anything, or anyone, which could be responsible. To tell you the truth, with you and the Doctor keeping me company and making that house alive... It sometimes almost feels like it hasn't happened. Like it's a dream, or another world, or something..."

"I know that feeling."

"But don't get me wrong... I'm not at peace just yet... I don't suppose you've had any thoughts yet?"

"Me? I'm afraid not. To tell you the truth, I've hardly found anything yet. But I will... We both will. As soon as Igor gets back we can start getting some answers, putting this together."

"What about the Doctor?" Grace sighed as he mentioned the name.

"To tell you the truth, I was just trying to forget about him. He makes things difficult for me in that house... Spooky."

"He scares you?"

"I didn't say that."

"But he does make you uneasy. This is bad news, Grace. I know he was not hoping for such a response."

"Well what does he expect when he doesn't tell me anything?"

"I think you're hard on him. Yes, I know he's a little..."

"Whacked?"

"I was going to say odd... But appearances can be deceiving. I know very little about the spiritual world, but I do feel that it's too easy to be deceived by our senses."

"I'm not sure if I understand the implication..."

"All right, let me put it this way. Do you remember what you told me about the house when we first spoke?" Grace shook her head. "You told me about the smell, you said it was like oranges?"

"Oh yeah, I remember. The potpourri."

"But how did you know it was the potpourri?"

"Excuse me?" Grace raised her eyebrows but Dominic's look of seriousness remained placid.

"How did you know?"

"I just... Well, I guess I just looked around and saw it there. Then I noticed the smell. You know, put two and two together."

"You see, Grace, that's the thing about potpourri. People say they can smell it, but really what they mean is that they see it lying around the house and then sniff it. It's really a con trick. If you hadn't known it was there, you would never have detected the smell."

"Okay... I guess that's interesting. Are you going somewhere with it or just complaining about the great potpourri makers' conspiracy?" Dominic smiled.

"Just bear with me... The point is that your senses are lying to you, telling you that there is something in the air because your eyes make you think that it should be. A blind man would have detected no smell."

"And say you're saying," Grace interjected, "That because I find Doctor Sebastian imposing I'm finding his words and manner more sinister than they really are. I should listen to him, rather than judge?"

"Exactly. You catch on very fast. Now I see why Igor chose you." He stopped smiling, the look of seriousness returning to his eyes. "I know it's hard, Grace, but I feel the Doctor does have many valuable things to share with us, especially with you. And if you can't listen because he wants you to... Could you do it for me?"

She realised it wasn't meant to be emotional blackmail, but the overwhelming sadness of Dominic's loss touched Grace. Even if she couldn't bring herself to trust just yet, she could just as well listen to what the Doctor had to say. She did, in particular, want to know the depths of his association with Chadrel Gyasto.

"Well, I guess I am a little hungrier now," she sighed. "Maybe it's time I went to have that dinner... Fruits, berries and yoghurt. Just what a girl needs after a hard day."

"That is good to hear." Dominic stood up and held his hand out to her, Grace didn't even pause before taking it and together they began the walk back up the path.

"I would not lie to you," Dominic said after a few moments, "I do believe this may be a very challenging time... for all of us."

"I think I guessed that for myself. It's not just your brother. There is something which makes me think things aren't as they should be here... Maybe it's the house itself." Concluded Grace. Perhaps surprisingly, Dominic nodded grimly in reply.

"It seems to have that effect on people."

 

Last update: October 24, 2007


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