The next morning, Glenna awoke after a restless sleep. Many potent emotions kept her mind active most of the night. How shocking that she touched him in such a way, bringing him to completion. Her hand still burned from holding the male part of him. My. Luke’s reaction gave her quite a thrill. When he offered to do the same for her, she had been sorely tempted. In truth, stroking him overwhelmed her, and she needed the time to become used to her own passions. Too bad the night ended on such a sour note. Clearly, he was annoyed with her when he marched from her room.
Once she performed her ablutions and consumed a quick but hearty breakfast of toast, cheese, and oatmeal, she gathered up bits of food, announcing to the servants the repast was for Reed, then headed downstairs. Since Luke was angry when he’d left last night as much as he tried to conceal it, perhaps plying him with food would soften his mood. Couldn’t blame him, as he was well aware she’d lied and his chilly response cut clear to her soul. This charade could not continue much longer. Reed must be made to understand they had to tell Luke the truth. Immediately.
After unlocking the large oak door, she slipped in and secured it. Inside the lab, Reed was peering through a microscope while Luke sat in a chair nearby reading Bleak House. Her heart stuttered in her chest at the sight of him, his legs crossed, holding the book in his right hand, looking every inch the aristocrat he once was. It was then she noticed a small, black cat curled in his lap.
“Who is this?” she asked, surprised. Glenna sat the tray with bread, cheese, and fruit on the table.
“Who indeed?” Reed replied. “Luke brought in a stray. I was not even aware he had been going out at night.”
“I return, do I not?” Luke snapped. “I gave you my word. Besides, did you not bring in a stray…me? What is one more scarred creature to add to this farce?”
“What if you are seen?” Reed hissed through clenched teeth. “What if the servants hear the beast screeching at the moon at all hours?”
Luke scratched the cat under the chin, and it purred in response. “I assume you mean the cat and not I. Noir will not disturb anyone. If by some chance he does, say it is your pet. Just as I am yours.”
Glenna was shocked at the vitriol in Luke’s voice. Creature? Farce? He never spoke in that tone before, well, except when they were alone in the parlor. Though she’d been in the lab several minutes, he had not looked at her yet, and it hurt. Apparently he was angrier than she first believed. She glanced at the small cat. “He’s injured,” she exclaimed
Luke gently rubbed Noir’s ear and said without glancing up, “Reed attended to his cuts. He will heal.” He kissed the feline on the head and placed him on the floor. The cat moved slowly but purposely toward the study, swishing his tail as if wondering where it would explore next. Glenna felt a stab of envy at Noir for receiving such tender, caring affection. Jealous of a cat. Good heavens.
“What is the verdict?” she asked Reed. Luke finally glanced up and gave her a brief look that did not contain much warmth. Oh, blast. He was still annoyed about her rather lame fabrication about the clothes.
“There is an abnormal amount of prothrombin in Luke’s blood; it’s a protein that allows blood to clot. It explains why Luke’s cuts and bruises heal quickly. What is strange is that every time I test the blood, the amounts differ. Sometimes he has less than normal amounts, other times more than the normal amount. It is as if his body spontaneously decides when and where he needs to heal. Some parts are repaired, others are not. I am at a loss.” Reed reached for a piece of cheese and popped it into his mouth and chewed as he paced about the room.
“Then why haven’t my scars disappeared? Or this gaping hole in the side of my head? Or the few abrasions on my chest? Or this wretched hand? Explain that, Professor.”
“I cannot. Perhaps your healing abilities only extend so far. It cannot muster enough to replace missing bone, but fractures or breaks in existing bone are quite doable. As to your facial scars, again, I am at a loss. As for the hand, it is not yours. It is the only explanation I can come up with for why the cuts and calluses on it have not healed. Perhaps it too is beyond your body’s capacities.”
“Or they will stay with me always to remind me of my unnatural state. Perhaps there are more Gothic undertones at work here. I wear the sins of my previous life, and they will mark me for the rest of my days,” Luke stated. His voice was even, the explanation matter-of-fact. Glenna could hear no self-pity in his tone.
“Oh, come now. That’s rather dramatic and farfetched,” Reed scoffed. “The stuff of overwrought novels.”
“This whole situation is farfetched and overwrought,” Luke murmured.
Goodness, had Luke hit upon a grain of truth? Could there be more going on here than the scientific? “The scars have lessened in prominence, though,” Glenna interjected. “Not as red or swollen.”
“True, and who is to say they will not fade more over time? Luke’s body is in a constant state of mutation. Whatever his body needs, it focuses on that particular area. Bone needs to mend? His body works overtime to produce new cartilage or bone tissue. While this process in you or I would take weeks, for Luke, it took a few days at most. So in conclusion, we can surmise repairs are possible, but replacing missing bone is not.”
He turned to face Luke. “Let us review the facts. The injury to your brain was fatal. Even if by some slim chance you managed to recover, you would have been a drooling simpleton. But here you are.” Reed began rubbing his chin. “I believe the metal plate on the side of your head acted as a conduit for the electricity. It repaired your brain. When you first awoke, you could not move or speak, or as you informed me later, even see clearly. But in less than twenty-four hours the paralysis dissipated, your eyesight cleared, and you could begin to form words.”
Luke slammed his book shut. “Logical. But to use your theory, why is my mind still locked in darkness? Why can I not disengage my past memories?”
Reed leaned against the exam table. “The mind is a labyrinth of tangled nerves and synapses that function differently for each individual. The electricity from the generator and the storm altered your body chemistry, that fact has been proven. Perhaps the shock of that change has thrown up a barrier in your mind. It is hard to ascertain if the barrier is temporary or permanent. Sometimes with amnesia victims all it takes is an object to jog the memory, or a location they were at before or even an odor.” Reed shrugged. “I think it best we let it happen naturally.”
Glenna more or less came to the same conclusion, but none of Ravenswood’s clothes or personal items managed to knock the barricade down. Though Luke suspected the clothes may be his. Perhaps he would never remember. Perhaps it was a blessing. How confusing, she did not know what to think.
Reed continued. “I heard you playing the piano several days ago. We have no idea if you were capable of playing it before.” Glenna gave Reed a warning look. She did inform him Luke did not play previous. “For the sake of argument, let us say you did not. Now you play as a proficient. Your head injury is confined to the left side, and according to recent research from both a French and a German physician, the left side of the brain is believed to be responsible for more creative purposes. The electricity running through the metal plate not only repaired your diminished brain function, but stimulated your creative side.”
Luke considered the information as if filing it away, but did not respond. To Glenna, it made perfect sense. What else could he do that he could not accomplish before? Paint portraits or landscapes? Write a sonnet? Sing an aria?
“That is all quite interesting. However, I wish to know this: What has been the result of your inquiries?” Luke asked pointedly. “You said last week you would be questioning how I arrived at the surgeon’s. Where the sawbones acquired me and from whom. Have you received any answers?”
Reed shrugged. “I sent the surgeon a letter. He may not have received it as yet. These things take time.”
Luke’s expression turned dark and ominous. “You should have showed me the letter before you posted it.”
“You do not trust me?” Reed questioned, his eyebrows arched.
“Not entirely, no. While we are at it, Glenna tells me these magnificently tailored and fitted clothes came from the vicar. Perhaps we should include him in our inquiries.”
Reed shot her an annoyed look, and then his face settled into indifference. “I doubt the vicar could cast any light on your identity.”
The atmosphere between the two men turned chilly and foreboding. Luke, who had risen from his chair, took a step toward Reed. Reed’s eyes narrowed in irritation.
“So what of Luke’s future?” she asked a little too brightly.
Both men turned to face her. “Ah. Yes. That is the conundrum. What to do?” Reed began to pace about again, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Glenna exhaled. Her question distracted Reed at least. Luke, however, still appeared cold and distrustful.
Luke threw the book on the table and crossed his arms. “It is my life such as it is, and ultimately my decision. When I have the answers I want, I will depart. It is in my best interest to find a remote corner of the country to hide myself away. The northern tip of Scotland. The southern part of Cornwall. Or perhaps I will leave England and head to the wilds of Canada or to far reaches of the Pacific Ocean in New South Wales.”
The thought of Luke leaving froze Glenna’s insides and a terrible feeling of loss covered her. She did not want him to disappear from her life. The realization of it shocked her right to her bones. In a short period of time, she’d grown to care for him. Even love. Oh, no, I am in love with him. Full-bore, tumbled in love. She wobbled, reaching out for the side of the table to steady herself. Luke rushed to her side, as did Reed.
“What is it? What is the matter?” Luke asked, his voice full of gentle concern. At least he paid attention to her now.
“I say, Cousin. You’re as pale as chalk,” Reed interjected.
Luke helped her to sit in the chair. Hot tears clustered at the back of her eyes, and through sheer determination, she made sure she did not shed them.
“I am all right. Do not fuss,” she managed to say. Exhaling, she clasped Luke’s right hand. “If you leave, how will you live? Think about it. You will need an identity and a logical explanation for your appearance. This will take planning and money. Allow us to make these plans for you. We owe you that much. Stay until we can work this out.”
“See…see here, Glenna…” Reed sputtered.
“No, Reed. We are responsible. You have enough money that surely you can part with some to give Luke a new start where ever he wishes.” Though it hurt to speak the words, deep down she knew they could not keep him here infinitely as much as she may want it. Danger lay perilously close. As much as she selfishly wished to keep him here with her always, he was too well-known as Ravenswood. The viscount’s reputation was recognized far and wide. The sad fact remained: He must leave.
“Well, since you put it like that, then I shall,” Reed said. “I have given this a good deal of thought this week, and I fashioned these for you, Luke.” Reed pulled out a drawer on the exam table and handed Luke a pair of spectacles. “Brown-tinted glass for the lenses. They will hide your eyes and give you the excuse for your manifestation. You can claim to possess a sensitivity to light.”
Luke stepped away from her and put them on. Glenna frowned. “His eyes are quite extraordinary. Why hide them?”
“Because, dear cousin, they are not normal. If Luke wishes to move about in the world he must have logical, even medical and systematic explanations, for his appearance that will appease the masses, judgmental as they are. Tell them, Luke, you suffer from Photophobia Vitium, a combination of light sensitivity and a rare skin pigmentation disorder. The name is a fabrication, but both conditions do exist and would offer enough of an explanation to keep inquiring minds mollified. The scars… You can fashion your own story on those.”
Glenna jumped out of the chair and grabbed Reed’s arm in excitement. “Why, that is perfect. Cousin, you are brilliant!”
Reed puffed out his chest with pride. “I am, rather. Thank you.”
For the first time, Glenna allowed hope to spring inside her. Luke could live as normal a life as possible with the proper planning. Perhaps not here near Charlwood obviously, but a place close enough for her to visit. Her imagination began to run wild. Maybe they could build a life together at some point. As usual, she was getting ahead of herself. One thing at a time. “What do you think, Luke?”
* * * *
What did he think? Regardless of the scientific and rather pat justification for his appearance, he would still be considered a freak. That much he understood. But the more he reflected on it, the more the scheme could possibly work. The only way to be sure would be to test the theory. It would be Sunday in a couple days. When the servants attended services, he could easily slip out and walk toward the village and try out the explanation. In the boxes of clothes in the cellar, he noticed a black wool scarf he could wear about his head to hide the metal plate, and with the glasses… Well, he would keep this little experiment to himself. Better not to involve the cousins. Any trust he felt toward them lessened with each passing day and with good reason.
“The explanation is a rational one. I am not too proud to refuse an offer of capital. I will need it for travel and locating a place to stay. In the meantime, Glenna, if you would be so kind, I have something of a personal nature to discuss with Reed.” He gave her a reassuring half smile, and she turned and exited the laboratory.
Luke removed the spectacles and slipped them into the pocket of his waistcoat. “I wish to discuss--sex.”
Reed started, his brows furrowed in confusion. Then his eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why? What is sex to you?”
“Exactly. I have all the requisite male parts. They did not rot off. They function. I’ve experienced arousal. I am aware of what to do and how to do it. I have brought myself sexual release and more than once. To speak in terms you understand, these facts are irrefutable leading to a decided conclusion. It goes without saying I could have sex.” What would be Reed’s reaction if he disclosed what he and Glenna intimately shared during the past several nights? Or of the erotic dream? He could well imagine.
Reed’s lips curled into a snarl, and he stalked toward Luke until they stood toe-to-toe, though Reed was more than a few inches shorter. “I have already told you in no uncertain terms to stay away from Glenna. Do. Not. Touch. Her. I’ve seen the way she looks at you, and the way you gaze longingly at her in return. As I said, she is infatuated and has romanticized you for some deluded reason. Do not take advantage of her kind nature and passionate heart or you will answer to me.”
“Again with the threats? Ah. I think at last I understand why you act in such a way. You have a tendre for your cousin. It is not unheard of. The Queen married her first cousin if I recall it….”
Reed grabbed a handful of Luke’s shirt and spat, “How dare you? She is a dear girl that I love as a sister. Do not make it sordid.”
“Unhand me or I will not be responsible for my actions.” He sounded rather menacing, but didn’t care. Reed released him and stepped back. “For all your brave talk and scientific explanations, deep down, in here”--he poked Reed in the chest--“you think me inhuman. Unworthy of your cousin’s affections. Or any woman’s attention. The thought of me engaging in physical relations with someone turns your bile. Admit it.”
Reed rubbed his forehead, confusion showing clearly on his face. “I do not know what to think. For all intents and purposes, you are alive. Glenna is convinced you have a soul, separate from what you had before in your previous life. Perhaps she has the right of it. If so, then you are human in every respect. I do not think it wise you form an attachment with her. What kind of life can you give her forever hiding in shadow?” He met Luke’s gaze. “Let us face facts; we both know you will be. You will not be accepted regardless of any explanations we come up with. Victorian society is harsh, condemnatory, and ultimately unforgiving.” Reed shook his head. “Much like I acted a few moments ago. And the other night. I sincerely apologize. But surely you see the difficulties?”
A life with Glenna? He had not considered the possibility seriously for the reason it seemed impossible and beyond his reach. Well, he did consider it briefly, but dismissed it for a mad plan. Yes, there would be multiple complexities to the situation as Reed described. There was no doubt of his desire for her, but it resonated with much more than the physical, though he had tried to deny it this past week with each visit to her room. If he went to her tonight, he would not stop at touching and kissing. He’d make love to her all night long. Regardless of the lies, he could not stay away from her. But perhaps for both their sakes he should endeavor to try.
“You are jumping to conclusions. Baseless ones. What about procreation?” Again, he shocked Reed as his mouth hung open in disbelief. “It stands to reason, since I am human according to you, or a type of one. My parts work. Will I father children?”
“Good God, I had not even considered it. We would have to run tests on your sperm.” Reed rubbed his forehead again, faster as if in agitation. “I assumed…”
“That I would not possess a sex drive? That I would be some androgynous, gelded creature? I assure you that is not the case.” Luke folded his arms. “In fact, my libido seems to run at a breakneck pace, which leads me to believe my stamina would be beyond human endurance. Do not worry, I am not about to terrorize the countryside and ravish every woman in my path. I do possess a modicum of control over my urges.”
Reed stared at him incredulously.
“It seems, Professor Parker, you have created a monster.”