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“YOU REASON WELL, AND your wit is bold, but you are too prejudiced”
Bram Stoker, Dracula
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ROSE AND LEO HELD HANDS secretly under the kitchen table and faced her parents together.
Her father had come into the family den a few moments earlier, found them kissing, and had unfortunately recognised Leo instantly. All hell had broken loose.
He had practically frogmarched the two of them into the kitchen where his wife was clearing up and shut the door behind him.
Her father paced up and down in front of them, while her mother made them all a cup of tea.
“I just don’t believe this!” Paul Falcon stormed, glaring at Rose and Leo. “Of all the people to invite to this house, let alone be found canoodling with! How could you be so stupid, Rose? Don’t you realise who he is?”
“Yes, Daddy, I know exactly who he is.” Rose clung to Leo’s hand a little tighter.
“What I want to know,” Paul Falcon’s voice got louder, “is exactly how long it’s been going on?”
“Stop it, darling,” her mother, Helen, broke in, “Shouting won’t help the situation.”
“And you, young man.” He pointed his finger at Leo, ignoring his wife. “I suppose your father knows all about this?
Leo shook his head. “No, he knows I’m here for Alex’s party, he hasn’t realised the connection to Rose.”
“Well, I think he should damn well know!” Paul strode across the kitchen and grabbed the house phone off the wall. “I want his number and I want it now.”
Leo raised his chin and reeled off the number calmly.
Paul punched in the numbers and then, apparently hearing it ringing, he went out the door in to the hallway for his conversation.
The three of them in the kitchen sat in silence listening. Vague snatches of angry phrases came through the door.
“Your son...my daughter...plot to insinuate into my house...too right...I thought so too...good, thank you...”
He came back still looking angry, but slightly less so.
“Your father is just as outraged as me.” He addressed Leo, who looked unfazed. “He’s on his way, he’ll be here in about forty-five minutes. I want you to go back to the party for now. Not you, Rose, your mother and I have a few words to say to you first.”
Leo daringly gave Rose a peck on the cheek. “I’ll see you shortly,” he said.
She nodded, then looked worriedly at her parents as the three were left alone.
“You can’t stop me seeing him. I love him,” she said defiantly.
Her father huffed loudly. Her mother put her hand on his arm and spoke seriously to Rose.
“We always said we would take you away from Compass Court if it looked like the Flanagans could get to you there. We will do whatever we have to, to protect you, Rose.”
“You can’t make me leave!” Rose was aghast.
Her father took a calming breath. “There’s so much you don’t know Rose. How dangerous Leo’s family is. They are like the Mafia, for goodness’ sake, and they hate us. They will come after our whole family if given any more reason to and they are all of them just the same. Even Leo.”
“He’s not! He’s just as much an innocent in all this as I am.”
“It doesn’t matter, Rose, you and Toby were threatened and for all we know, it was Leo’s father who made those threats.”
“Hang on a minute! You’re telling me that someone threatened your children and you still blithely went off abroad for six months, just leaving us here?” Rose began to yell.
“Don’t you dare speak to me that way, young lady!” her father shouted back.
“Rose,” her mother spoke softly, “the threats were a very long time ago and we would never have gone if we didn’t think you were safe at Compass Court. As safe as you could be anywhere, at least. Still, we were always concerned about you developing any kind of friendship with Leo Flanagan, but it didn’t seem as though you were. It isn’t a good idea and we have to put a stop to it.”
“By moving me to another school?” Rose was horrified. “You can’t. I’m in the middle of my A-levels.”
“I don’t care! Your safety is far more important.” Her father refused to calm down.
“Paul, please,” her mother tugged on his arm again, forcing him to sit at the table. “Rose has a point, her A-levels are important. I don’t think this conversation is helping. Why don’t we wait until Mr Flanagan arrives and then we can all discuss it rationally.”
“Fine.” Her father blew out a long breath. “Go back to the party. But stay away from that boy!” he shouted after her as she ran out the door.
It only took the Flanagans half an hour to get there. Mr Flanagan knocked on the front door and he and his wife cautiously entered the kitchen.
“Where’s Leo?” Mrs Flanagan asked straight away.
“I’ll get them both now.” Helen Falcon went into the hall and, finding Ellie, sent her to fetch Leo and Rose, explaining that it was urgent they come straight away.
“Please sit down,” Helen gestured towards the table, “can I get you a cup of tea, or maybe something a little stronger?”
“We won’t be staying long enough to drink tea. If you don’t mind, we’ll just take our son and leave your house.”
“This isn’t our house,” Paul said in surprise, “I thought you knew that? This is my brother-in-law’s house.”
“Why would we know that?” Mr Flanagan looked at him with narrowed eyes.
Paul glared back at him, “Because you sent us threatening letters when your brother’s case went to court. The old I know where you live number. You Irish are all the same.”
“Paul!” His wife looked shocked, “How could you speak to them like that? We don’t know who sent those letters.”
Paul Falcon had the grace to look a bit shame-faced. “Sorry,” he apologised, “it’s all been something of a worry. It might be a few years ago now, but finding Leo here understandably concerned us. It seems that he and our daughter are actually in a relationship.”
“Not for long,” Mrs Flanagan said flatly, “We don’t want anything to do with any of you either.” Her Dublin accent was pronounced and she was clearly furious.
“Sit down, Harriet,” Mr Flanagan looked round at them all. “We’ll take that tea now if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.” Helen put the kettle on and they all sat in silence waiting for it to boil.
After what seemed like several long minutes, Leo and Rose came through the door, both looking apprehensive. Mrs Flanagan jumped to her feet and hugged Leo.
“Are you alright, my darling?” She asked.
“Of course he’s alright. Why wouldn’t he be?” her husband asked moodily. “How could you be so stupid, son? You must have known we would never allow you to come here if you’d been honest with us. We’re extremely disappointed in you.”
Leo hung his head. “Sorry, Pa, but I didn’t think you’d understand.”
“Too right we don’t understand!” His mother cuffed him round the head. “Of all the bleeding daft things to do, get involved with this girl! We wont have it, do you hear?”
“I’m sorry, Ma, but you can’t stop me. I love Rose.”
“I am stopping you, no two ways about it. Go and get in the car, we’re leaving.”
“Oh, please.” Helen put out her hand. “Can’t we talk about all this?”
Mrs Flanagan shook her head. “We don’t want nothing further to do with you. You deal with your child and I’ll deal with mine.” She turned to address Rose and Leo, who were both looking mutinous. “’Tis the end of the matter. You children are forbidden to speak again.”
“No,” said Leo clearly. “We’re not children anymore. In a year from now, Rose and I could leave school and disappear together if we want to and there’s nothing you can do to stop us.”
His mother looked as if she might faint.
“Not now, son.” His father put his hand on Leo’s shoulder. “Get in the car, please.”
Leo looked over at Rose. “I guess this didn’t go so well,” he said sadly.
She blinked back some tears. “I don’t care.” She looked defiantly at her parents, “I don’t care what any of you say, or if you take me away from Compass Court, you can’t stop me seeing Leo.” She burst into tears and Leo went forward to hug her.
Paul Falcon stepped in the way. “Goodbye, Leo,” he said pointedly.
“I’ll call you,” Leo called over his shoulder to Rose, as his father led him firmly out of the house.