Garnet or Garnets Curse

Garnet?” he asked, looking at me with piercing eyes.
    “I suppose,” I replied respectfully. Still, I refused to take his arm as we walked up the street. We stopped at the first cafe and my father ordered for both of us. The food was appealing, but I found it hard to swallow for the lump of tears in my throat.
    He tried to engage me in conversation about the weather and how much the city had changed. He was polite to the wait staff and smiled at the people passing. I am sure for all outside purposes, we appeared to be enjoying a normal day’s outing. There was nothing to enjoy and the day was anything but normal. Normal days do not enfold death, curses and the supernatural.
    When we had finished our meal, Father was anxious to leave. To my right I noticed a man staring at me. I lowered my eyes as we walked by, but he called my name. I then realized it was Mr. Bastille, Auntie’s lawyer. He stood up to address me. “Miss Dragos, I am sorry to hear about your aunt’s death. I was quite fond of her.”
    My mouth was ready to speak and my lips parted, but Father stepped out in front of me, “Yes, things like this are hard for all concerned,” he said coldly.
    Mr. Bastille looked confused. He tilted his head to look around my father. When his eyes met mine, I nodded slightly.
    “Good day, sir.” Father said. He then took hold of my arm and quickly directed me out the door. “Who is that man?” he asked, looking at me as if I was guilty of a crime.
    “He was Auntie’s attorney. Am I not even allowed to speak on my own behalf?” I raised my voice, which caused two women passing by to look at us suspiciously.
    “Garnet,” he whispered. “I think you know what is at stake here. The last thing we need is some nosey lawyer snooping around. You must control yourself.”
    He attempted to take hold of my arm, but I jerked quickly away. A man walking into the cafe stopped. “Something wrong, Madame?” he asked.
    Father was quick-witted with his reply. “She is just like her mother, God rest her soul. This one is just as independent, with a mind of her own.”
    The man shook his head and laughed. “Got a daughter like that of my own.”
    Smiling, Father took hold of my arm. “Shall we go, dear?”
    He kept a tight grip on me as we walked quickly back to the carriage. I reluctantly stepped up on the first step, wishing I could break loose, run back and ask Mr. Bastille to help me. He must have recognized the look of flight in my eyes and gave me a light push. “Hurry,” he said, and closed the door behind me.
    Then as before, he drove hard and fast for what seemed like hours. We traveled through village after village. Slowly everything that was once familiar began to fade, replaced by rough roads and hillsides sparsely decorated with thatch-roof houses.
    It was late in the month of October and as the sun went down, I started to tremble. I took out my watch, but between the bouncing and my nervous anticipation, I was unable to read the dial.
    After hours of rough travel and a full bladder, I screamed out as we approached the last village. “We have just got to stop or I will go mad!”
    “Relax darling,” Father said, looking at me almost mockingly. “This is where we will catch the ferry.”
    “Ferry?” I asked.
    “Yes, soon I will tell you the entire plan. Garnet, I know all of this has left you piqued. I appreciate you not getting testy with me. I have gone to great length and expense to protect you from Aurochs’ curse. This is all for you.”
    He said nothing more and turned down a road leading to a small dock. He parked the carriage. “Over there,” he said, and pointed to one of the weather-beaten buildings. “Ask for Nell and tell her your name is Margo. She will take you to freshen up and then you may order us something to eat. I will be in after I make our arrangements.”
    He seemed unconcerned of my welfare and left me sitting alone in the carriage. I sat there until he disappeared inside one of the adjacent buildings. I had little choice but to follow his orders. I climbed out of the carriage on my own, which reminded me of his increasing ill manners. I gathered my skirt up around my knees and treaded across the wet, sandy road.
    I cautiously stepped up on the porch wondering who or what might be inside. I stopped for a moment taking notice of a mother dog lying on a dirty blanket nursing a litter of pups. The flies swarming over the feed bowl of cut-up meat scraps turned my stomach.