Noel did not come back to his senses until a paw bumped into his cheek. The wolf stood over him and whined, licking its lips nervously. Once it saw that he was awake, it nodded curtly and jumped off him. Before it could get away, though, Noel stopped it. “Wait,” he said hoarsely and grabbed its back leg.
The wolf yelped as if it had been hit and stood still, only turning its head to lick at its thigh.
“Oh, sorry,” Noel said belatedly. He took a moment to sit up and collect himself. He buttoned up his coat and picked several dried leaves out of his hair. His pants were in tatters from the waist to the knees and his shirt had another suspicious stain on it, but fortunately the coat covered that and more. When he felt ready, he stood up, wobbling a little as he did so.
The wolf whined and rushed to his side, giving Noel something to lean against. He let out a sharp laugh at the gentlemanly action. “Who’re you fooling?” he asked no one in particular.
Noel ran his hand through the thick blond fur on the wolf’s back. The action reminded him of something Madelaine had said. If she had her way, the wolf would be hunted and skinned and turned into a stole. Hunting, skinning, and tanning were all things he could accomplish. It was easy, even, for him to imagine how everything could be resolved in a neat little bundle of fur, gift bow and silence included.
Noel didn’t want Madelaine to know how nice this wolf’s fur was, however. He was confused about many things, but he was certain he didn’t want her to get her way. As for everything else, if he could not imagine it, he would have to stumble forward blindly instead.
Noel shambled over to the nearest tree and finally unsheathed his knife. With the wolf watching, he cut two X’s into the trunk. He took a breath and sheathed the knife again. He turned to the wolf and said, “Let’s meet here again. Next time we’ll… have a better conversation, okay?”
The wolf scrutinized him for a moment before slowly nodding, then it turned and ran away. Noel, on the other hand, walked back over to Apollo and grabbed his sewing kit. He basted his pants back into one piece before unhooking his gun from the tree branch he’d left it hanging on and carefully remounting his horse.
On the way back to the estate, he left little markings for himself so he could return again as promised. Now that he had established that the monster was a werewolf, Noel was anxious to return to the forest and definitively put an end to the mystery as soon as possible. Whatever his own theory of the situation was, he hated not knowing the definitive truth. No matter how strange or reasonable his speculations seemed, they could never become tangible.
As it was, he didn’t know if he should fear or anticipate the werewolf’s human identity, didn’t know if the knowledge would soothe him or ruin him. The only way to find out was to hear it from the wolf’s own mouth.
By the time Noel returned to the estate, he considered the morning tentatively productive, but he had not been fast. The morning was already over. The frost had long since melted away and soft clouds rolled overhead, passing cold shadows over the green. After returning Apollo to the stable, he quickly went to the laundry and traded his unfortunate breeches for another pair of pants.
Noel needed to prepare for his next attempt at communication with the wolf, so after addressing his most pressing concern, he planned to return to his room and consider his options. As he left the laundry, however, Alcide appeared and stopped him in the hallway.
Before Noel could even greet him, the other folded his arms across his chest and gave him a stern look. “Where were you all morning?” He asked gravely.
“I went for a ride,” Noel replied, feeling a slight pang of guilt. It wouldn’t do any good to confess at this stage, however.
“And you had to change pants after the ride?” Alcide cocked an eye brow.
“Yeah. I fell and got mud on them. My coat’s messed up too,” Noel showed him his coat, which was indeed covered in bits of debris from the forest floor. This was a normal thing that could indeed occur on a normal horseback ride where nothing strange at all happened.
Alcide sighed. “Do you know where Madelaine’s been all morning?” he asked.
“Madelaine?” Noel asked, relieved there were no more questions about his pants, “Why would I know where Madelaine is?”
Alcide stared long and hard at him.
Noel was somewhat confused. He didn’t know how Madelaine had entered the conversation. It didn’t seem to be a good thing. “Just because she wants to hang onto me doesn’t mean she’s my problem,” he defended himself.
“Perfect,” Alcide smiled a little, “then you’ll have no problem packing up and going home this afternoon.”
Noel was even more confused at the sudden turn in the conversation, but he definitely couldn’t afford to go home now when he’d promised the wolf he’d go back. He was so close to working everything out!
“Well – but what about the wolf? What if it’s not safe?” he sputtered.
“You said yourself that we don’t know for sure that it’s a wolf. At any rate, it hasn’t been back in ages. If you’re really so concerned, Manon and I can stay a little longer,” Alcide talked as if it was a fait accompli.
Noel rolled his eyes in frustration. “If you’re staying, why do only I have to go home?” he asked.
Alcide frowned. He squared himself up with Noel in a way that made him look as much like their father as possible. “I’m suggesting you act responsibly,” he said, “I’m not blind. I’ve noticed how you are with Madelaine. You’re being reckless and people are talking about how much time you’re spending in the pretty young widow’s house.”
The meaning of the conversation suddenly clicked into place. “What widow— This was your idea to start with!” Noel raised his voice. He had been so preoccupied with the monster that he was completely blindsided by his brother’s accusation. “You and Madelaine. And how did Madelaine acting clingy become me acting clingy? You’re wrong about whatever you think you’re seeing.”
Alcide frowned more deeply. Before he could speak again, Noel cut him off and offered a deal, “One more week. If I can’t catch the wolf in one more week, I’ll good home, okay?”
“You’re making a mistake, and you’ll only make more,” Alcide replied sternly, “I’m trying to protect you, but if you insist, then whatever happens next will be your cross to bear.” He finally stepped out of Noel’s way.
“Good enough,” Noel said bitterly, passing by him and stalking back to his room.
Despite the ridiculous nature of the accusation, Noel knew he could never prove his brother wrong. In asking for a week, he was gambling on the wolf’s words. If he could unwind the whole werewolf situation and the monster, or the man the monster ought to be, could speak for itself, then maybe he would he be able to take the scrutiny off himself and Madelaine.
The woman certainly didn’t seem interested in helping their case. That evening, she was dressed up in a pretty silk gown and lace shawl, a little too fancy for the occasion. No matter how quiet Noel tried to be, she tittered and smiled at him at the supper table until he couldn’t stand it anymore.
“I’m not feeling well,” he said, abruptly standing up and pushing his plate away. He retreated from the room hoping to leave Madelaine behind, but a few moments later he heard the chatter of her godforsaken chatelaine following behind him.
Noel stopped at his door and turned towards her. “Do you need something?” he asked.
“You said you weren’t feeling well, Vicomte,” Madelaine stood in front of him, the picture of innocent naïveté. She clutched at her gauzy shawl and batted her big, dark eyes at him, continuing, “Is there anything I can do to make you comfortable?” She imbued the last word with a hint of breathiness.
“I’d like some peace and quiet,” Noel stated firmly.
Madelaine stepped closer regardless and tilted her head up to make eye contact with Noel. Her eyes were watery and limpid and glistened in the low light of the hallway. She pursed her lips into a slight frown, her face a perfect feminine sculpture, and reached out a soft hand to touch Noel’s lapel. “You’ve just done so much for me,” she sighed, “I wish there was something more I could do to thank you.”
Noel held onto his decorum and pried Madelaine’s hand off as gently as he could. To prevent her from placing it anywhere else, he kept a firm hold of it as he said, “What I’m doing I’m doing for Gaetan. Or for the memory of him. If you could bring him back, that’s what I’d ask for, but since you can’t—” Noel placed her hand firmly by her side, “—just think of it as a favour to him, not you.”
Madelaine scrutinized him for a minute before finally laughing. It had a birdlike quality to it, mellowing into a beautiful titter. “You’re so chivalrous, Vicomte!” She spoke as if he had just said something wonderful, “I’m lucky to have met you at such an unfortunate time.” Then, she reluctantly turned around and entered her own room.
Noel waited quietly until he was sure she wasn’t coming out again, then turned his head and noticed Alcide watching him from the end of the hallway. He nodded his head in acknowledgement before retreating, at last, into his own room.
