“Yes, yes, that is true. And I must see that tonight we have a very special meal for your father’s return. Damon… we will speak later.” As Giuseppe motioned to a servant and strode out, Stefan turned to Katherine in delight. It was seldom they could speak to each other without the presence of his father or of Gudren, her stolid German maid.
But what Stefan saw then was like a blow to his stomach. Katherine was smiling — the little secret smile that she had often shared with him.
But she was not looking at him. She was looking at Damon.
Stefan hated his brother at that moment, hated Damon’s dark beauty and grace and the sensuality that drew women to him like moths to a flame. He wanted, in that instant, to strike Damon, to smash that beauty to pieces. Instead he had to stand and watch as Katherine moved slowly toward his brother, step by step, her golden brocade gown whispering on the tiled floor.
And even as he watched, Damon held out a hand to Katherine, and smiled the cruel smile of triumph…
Stefan turned away from the window sharply.
Why was he reopening old wounds? But, even as he thought it, he drew out the slender gold chain he wore under his shirt. His thumb and forefinger caressed the ring that hung from it, then he held it up to the light.
The little circlet was exquisitely worked in gold, and five centuries had not dimmed its luster. It was set with one stone, a lapis the size of his little fingernail. Stefan looked at it, then at the heavy silver ring, also set with lapis, on his own hand. In his chest was a familiar tightness.
He could not forget the past, and he didn’t really wish to. Despite everything that had happened, he cherished Katherine’s memory. But there was one memory he must truly not disturb, one page of the journal he must not turn. If he had to relive that horror, that… abomination, he would go mad. As he had been mad that day, that final day, when he had looked upon his own damnation…
Stefan leaned against the window, his forehead pressed to its coolness. His tutor had had another saying: Evil will never find peace. It may triumph, but it will never find peace.
Why had he even come to Fell’s Church?
He had hoped to find peace here, but that was impossible. He would never be accepted, he would never rest. Because he was evil. He could not change what he was.
Elena was up even earlier than usual that morning. She could hear Aunt Judith pottering about in her room, getting ready for her shower. Margaret was still fast asleep, curled up like a little mouse in her bed. Elena passed her younger sister’s half-open door noiselessly and continued down the hallway to let herself out of the house.
The air was fresh and clear this morning; the quince tree was inhabited only by the usual jays and sparrows. Elena, who had gone to bed with a throbbing headache, lifted her face to the clean blue sky and breathed deeply.
She felt much better than she had yesterday. She’d promised to meet Matt before school, and though she wasn’t looking forward to it she was sure it was going to be all right.
Matt lived only two streets away from the high school. It was a simple frame house, like all the others on that street, except that maybe the swing on the porch was a little shabbier, the paint a little more peeled. Matt was already standing outside, and for a moment her heart picked up at the sight of him as it used to.
He was good-looking. There was no doubt about that. Not in the stunning, almost disturbing way that — that some people were, but in a healthy American way. Matt Honeycutt was all-American. His blond hair was cropped short for the football season, and his skin was sunburnt from working outdoors on his grandparents’ farm. His blue eyes were honest and straightforward. And just today, as he held out his arms to hug her gently, they were a little sad.
“You want to come inside?”
“No. Let’s just walk,” Elena said. They went side by side without touching. Maples and black walnut trees lined this street, and the air still had a morning hush. Elena watched her feet on the wet sidewalk, feeling suddenly uncertain. She didn’t know how to start after all.
“So you still haven’t told me about France,” he said.
“Oh, it was great,” said Elena. She glanced sideways at him. He was looking at the sidewalk, too. “Everything about it was great,” she continued, trying to put some enthusiasm in her voice. “The people, the food, everything. It was really…” Her voice trailed off, and she laughed nervously.
“Yeah, I know. Great,” he finished for her. He stopped and stood looking down at his scuffed tennis shoes. Elena recognized them from last year. Matt’s family barely got by; maybe he hadn’t been able to afford new shoes. She looked up to find those steady blue eyes on her face.
“You know, you look pretty great right now,” he said.
Elena opened her mouth in dismay, but he was speaking again.
“And I guess you have something to tell me.” She stared at him, and he smiled, a crooked, rueful smile. Then he held out his arms again.
“Oh, Matt,” she said, hugging him hard. She stepped back to look into his face. “Matt, you are the nicest guy I’ve ever met. I don’t deserve you.”
“Oh, so that’s why you’re dumping me,” said Matt as they started walking again. “Because I’m too good for you. I should have realized that before.”
She punched him in the arm. “No, that isn’t why, and I am not dumping you. We’re going to be friends, right?”
“Oh, sure. Oh, absolutely.”
“Because that’s what I’ve realized we are.” She stopped, looking up at him again. “Good friends. Be honest, now, Matt, isn’t that how you really feel about me?”
He looked at her, then rolled his eyes heavenward. “Can I take the Fifth on that?” he said. As Elena’s face fell, he added, “It doesn’t have anything to do with that new guy, does it?”
“No,” Elena said after a hesitation, and then added quickly, “I haven’t even met him yet. I don’t know him.”
“But you want to. No, don’t say it.” He put an arm around her and gently turned her. “Come on, let’s head toward school. If we have time, I’ll even buy you a doughnut.”
As they walked, something thrashed in the walnut tree above them. Matt whistled and pointed. “Look at that! Biggest crow I’ve ever seen.”
Elena looked, but it was already gone.
School that day was merely a convenient place for Elena to review her plan.
She had woken up this morning knowing what to do. And today she gathered as much information as she could on the subject of Stefan Salvatore. Which wasn’t hard, because everyone at Robert E. Lee was talking about him.
It was common knowledge that he’d had some sort of run-in with the admissions secretary yesterday. And today he’d been called to the principal’s office. Something about his papers. But the principal had sent him back to class (after, it was rumored, a long-distance call to Rome — or was it Washington?), and everything seemed to be settled now. Officially, at least.
When Elena arrived for Euro History class that afternoon, she was greeted by a low whistle in the hall. Dick Carter and Tyler Smallwood were loitering there. A couple of prize jerks, she thought, ignoring the whistle and their staring. They thought being tackle and safety on the varsity football team made them hot stuff. She kept an eye on them as she loitered in the corridor herself, refreshing her lipstick and fiddling with her compact. She’d given Bonnie her special instructions, and the plan was ready to be put into effect as soon as Stefan showed up. The compact mirror gave her a wonderful view of the hall behind her.