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Post by Mary Worthington on Mar 14, 2008 15:08:47 GMT -5
Mary felt guilty. She had not been to visit her mother’s grave at all during the past week. There had been so much going on at home and around her that she simply hadn’t found the time. It was difficult to explain to someone who didn’t know her, but it felt as if visiting the grave was a duty that she couldn’t abandon in any way she wished. After all, it was her mother. A mother she had never met because she had died in childbed, but it still felt to Mary as if she was being watched over. The nineteen year old woman bent down in front of the gravestone and brushed away the dust on it and changed flowers. It seemed as if no one else of the Worthington family had been there during the week. The flowers were a bit dry and Mary sighed. At least her brothers had grown up with their mother and knew what she had been like and how she looked. Mary thought that the least they could do was to visit her grave but it seemed as if she was the only one in the family who did it as often.
“I’m sorry. A lot has happened lately. I was out last night. I went to the theatre with a friend. His name is Marc he took me to see a Shakespeare play. Love’s labour’s lost. It was great fun. I like him. We get a long and he wants to see me again. Father doesn’t mind. He’s met him, he thinks Marc seems to be very decent. Matthew doesn’t like him though. He doesn’t think I should see him at all and we had a fight about it yesterday. It was just—“
Mary stopped mid-sentence when she heard the sound of what she thought was a violin playing not too far away from her. But who would play a violin in a cemetery? Curiosity took over and she got up onto her feet again and followed the direction of the sound. Her eyes caught the sight of a young man standing up amongst the oldest and biggest grave monuments playing exactly a violin. He seemed to be very into it and appeared not to notice Mary walking towards him. The music he was playing was sad, but then again it was a cemetery. She didn’t say anything, she just watched the stranger play. He wasn’t very old at all, a bit older than Mary and had dark brown, around shoulder length hair. He was very slim and taller than Mary as well.
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Post by Amadeus Van Delft on Mar 14, 2008 15:43:21 GMT -5
As the sky had begun darkening and the evening crept over London Amadeus had left his rented penthouse with his violin and gone to the old Waldgrave Cemetery, like he often did. It was a clear night and as he walked to the oldest part of the cemetery with the biggest and most elaborate grave monuments the first stars began twinkling in the sky. In the clear crisp air the tones of the violin would be carried through the stillness of the late evening.
He raised the violin and bow and began to play.
The music that flowed softly over the cemetery were the tones of the old funerary piece the Sultry Dance of Death by Hieronymous Gratchenfleiss. It was one of Amadeus’ favourite songs to play, and also very popular when he played at funerals. Making some extra money as a funerary violinist suited him perfectly since he really loved the violin music and the funeral hymns. This one was very sorrowful and beautiful, in a dark way. It was not music written for the rejoicing of a soul gone home to heaven; it was music written for the ones left behind in order to express their deep darkness and pain.
He had his back towards the yet unseen figure who was approaching, and being absorbed by the music and playing with his eyes half closed he did not notice that his company were not all spirits tonight.
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Post by Mary Worthington on Mar 16, 2008 7:17:46 GMT -5
Mary saw that the stranger had noticed her watching him and was a bit embarrassed because apparently she did not have the ability to be discreet. He was rather handsome, no doubt about that but Mary didn’t know if she should greet him or if she should just walk away. He was playing the violin beautifully and it really brought up the mood in the cemetery. Mary couldn’t play any instruments at all, in fact she hadn’t been bothered to learn. She had so much else to do with her time, not to mention that getting lessons were extremely expensive and not something that her family could afford. Or rather, there was hardly anyone who would want to teach a girl from the lower middle classes to play an instrument. That would mean endangering their reputation for some.
“Ahem.” Mary said, in order to get the strangers attention, standing there without saying anything just made it more awkward and she thought that he could at least take the time to greet her. It was a bit rude not to do so.
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Post by Amadeus Van Delft on Mar 16, 2008 11:41:32 GMT -5
It was the subconscious feeling of being watched rather than hearing footsteps that made Amadeus stop playing and turn around to face the stranger. He lowered the violin and bow upon seeing a beautiful young woman. Their likes seemed to roam the cemeteries frequently nowadays… He blinked once, just to get rid of his first impression that perhaps she was a spirit; a fleeting and indeed quite silly impression brought on by the dark evening and the mood conjured up by the surroundings and the funerary violin music. He felt strangely taken aback by her sudden appearance, since he had not expected any company here at this hour. At least not by the living. He stood looking at her in silence, not sure whether he should speak or not. The silence of the night was broken by the woman clearing her throat, and that broke the bond of Amadeus’ tongue as well. He bowed.
“Good evening, Miss. I did not hear you approaching.”
Straightening up again he watched her closer. He did not think that he had seen her before. The doings of women was not exactly his expert subject, but he was quite sure that it was not too usual for a woman to walk outside on her own after dark. And definitely not in cemeteries, or so he had understood, though he had no clue why. In fact, few places are safer than a cemetery.
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Post by Mary Worthington on Mar 27, 2008 3:57:17 GMT -5
"What were you playing?" Mary asked curiously
She had never heard that sort of music before. It was beautiful and at the same time incredibly eerie. She looked around her, expecting to see spirits or something along those lines emerging from the shadows but she shook her head. Such silliness. There was no such thing as ghosts. Of course, the mood at the cemetery could play tricks on your imagination and her brothers had done well in scaring her when she was a little girl.
‘Spirits. What nonsense.’ She thought to herself and decided not to let Amadeus notice that she was a little shaky. Who came out in the middle of the night, playing a violin in the middle of a cemetery anyway? That was a little strange in Mary’s opinion. Then again, it was London and there were all sorts of people.
“I don’t believe I caught your name?” Mary said
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Post by Amadeus Van Delft on Mar 27, 2008 12:14:47 GMT -5
He was still a little surprised by the unexpected human company, and she seemed just as surprised by finding him out here. She also seemed to consider it a bit strange to be out in the middle of the night playing the violin with no other ears to hear the music than your own and the spectral ears of the dead. Well, at least she didn’t run away screaming about vampires, which had actually happened once when he visited a lovely old Sicilian cemetery. He simply stood amongst the grave monuments and crypts playing the Fleeting Panic of Death, and a passer-by had stumbled upon him. Amadeus himself was clueless as to why someone would be frightened by that.
“It was the Sultry Dance of Death, by Hieronymous Gratchenfleiss. It is a funerary piece…”
He smiled apologetically as she discreetly pointed out to him that he had not yet introduced himself.
“Oh, how impolite of me! My name is Amadeus Van Delft.”
He bowed again, a little deeper this time.
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Post by Mary Worthington on Apr 4, 2008 10:29:50 GMT -5
"I'm Mary Worthington. Exactly why are you playing a violin in the middle of the cemetery at night?" Mary knew it sounded rude, but for all she knew, Amadeus could very well be some insane serial killer who would stalk her on the way home and then murder her right on the front porch before anyone could do anything about it. Okay, she was probably just being paranoid but she had heard so many awful stories about what happened to people at night when they were out alone.
The moonshine made the shadows around them appear as if they were moving and an uneasy chill was sent down Mary's spine. It was going to be good to fall asleep when she got home with Lucifer purring on her stomach. The poor cat had been having a bad day and Mary had barely been home. She was probably the only one who would cuddle him and feel sorry for him.
"Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, it's just...I've never seen anyone play a violin in a cemetery at night before." Mary apologized
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Post by Amadeus Van Delft on Apr 5, 2008 13:11:46 GMT -5
Amadeus was not absolutely certain how to explain why he was playing the violin in a cemetery in the darkness of the night. He did not usually have to explain, since there were seldom people there to ask. The few times there were, they usually left in a hurry once the first enchantment of the haunting music had released them.
“I… well… I enjoy playing funerary music, and I work as a funerary violinist now and then. But I guess it is just the atmosphere of this place.”
Even he himself could hear how lame that sounded. Still, what he said was the truth. He just did not know how to better explain it.
“Oh, you are not rude, Miss Worthington. I understand that my little habit is not exactly... widespread, in want for a better word.”
He tilted his head just a little. A peculiar twinkle was in his eye.
“But may I be so rude as to ask why you are out in a cemetery by night, Miss?”
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Post by Mary Worthington on Apr 8, 2008 13:33:05 GMT -5
Mary snorted, "Just visiting someone's grave and I think I'll go, it's getting late anyway." She didn't bother saying goodnight to Amadeus. Honestly she thought he was a bit of an odd character anyway and she felt it would be best if she got home as fast as possible. Not to mention there would be a lot of noise at home if she came in late.
Normally she wouldn't talk to strangers. If she just had ignored Amadeus from the beginning she wouldn't be having that awkward feeling running through her. She shivered, and felt almost as if there were shadows following her on her way to the cemetery ense. stop being such a bloody child Maryshe thought to herself as she quickened up her pace a bit.
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Post by Amadeus Van Delft on Apr 8, 2008 15:25:35 GMT -5
Amadeus raised an eyebrow as Mary spoke. He was not surprised that she was visiting a grave after dark, his personal point of view being that it was completely understandable to enjoy the lovely atmosphere of a cemetery at night. Her sudden change from curiosity to repudiation fascinated him. In fact, Miss Mary Worthington in general fascinated him. He watched as she turned around and started walking away. Putting his dear violin and bow back into their case he hurried after her.
“Miss Worthington, please wait!”
He did not raise his voice above conversation level, as if not wanting to disturb the dead. As he caught up with Mary he asked:
“Where do you live, Miss? I could walk you home if you like. It is indeed getting late, and the streets are not safe.”
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Post by Mary Worthington on Apr 9, 2008 11:18:11 GMT -5
"I know London inside out, I know perfectly well which streets are safe and which are not. I'll be fine on my own." Mary told him "Besides if my brothers would happen to see me with a man...well....I think it would be wise of you to just let me go on my own." especially if you wanna live to see the next day she added in her mind. She remembered the last time Matthew had seen her with a boy. He had gone absolutely beserk and the poor fellow had never visited the Worthington residence again.
She continued walking and she left the cemetery and headed out on the now empty London streets, she noticed that Amadeus was still following her. She sighed and turned around to face him.
"Exactly why are you still following me Mr. Van Delft, I told you I'd be perfectly fine on my own." Mary said, getting a bit irritated
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Post by Amadeus Van Delft on Apr 10, 2008 15:31:00 GMT -5
Amadeus sighed. Apparently she did not wish to be walked home. Miss Mary seemed to be very headstrong. He liked that in a woman, though, so it did not frighten him off. When she accused him of following her towards the exit he stopped just before walking out the cemetery gate and looked at her impatiently. His voice, however, was amiably polite and slightly amused when he spoke.
“Why, Miss, I beg your pardon if I offended you by walking out through the gate. In case it has slipped your mind, may I tell you that this happens to be a very large cemetery? Which means that the gates are actually not all that close to each other. Thus I thought that I would exit through this convenient gate instead of wasting time going to another one or climbing over the wall.”
After this little speech he walked out the gate and shut it behind him, then turned to Mary again.
“However, now I swear that our ways will part. Whichever way you are heading, I will go in the opposite direction. Is that all right with you, Miss Worthington?”
Looking at her the corner of his mouth twitching in a small amused smile. He knew that he was annoying her.
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Post by Mary Worthington on Apr 19, 2008 4:47:39 GMT -5
"Yes. FIne." Mary didn't bother with saying goodbye, she just hurried across the street and hoped she would be home soon. Just to her luck though, raindrops had started pouring down slowly and she groaned irritably. Of course, it was London. Bad weather wasn't exactly very unusual during any season.
Mary caught sight of a silhouette walking in her direction and she sighed. He really can't take a hint she thought, assuming it was Amadeus who didn't really want to leave her alone. It was just like her to get a psychotic stalker after her. She decided to ignore it and kept on walking with a quickened up pace. As she was about to turn a corner a second man walked in front of her and blocked her path. Maybe the other one wasn't Amadeus either.
"Goin' anywhere swee'eart?" the stranger asked
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Post by Amadeus Van Delft on Apr 20, 2008 11:10:32 GMT -5
Shaking his head with a crooked little smile Amadeus turned and walked in the opposite direction. It was a detour, since he would originally have taken the same street Mary did and then turn into another street, but a promise was a promise. Therefore he would take this way and then walk in a semi-circle to get back to his original route. The small smile was still on his lips. He had a feeling that he would soon meet Miss Worthington again…
In other words, Mary had been right that the silhouette she had seen was not Amadeus. If he wanted to follow anyone, he had enough sense to remain unseen. As the first stranger blocked Mary’s path the silhouette quickened its pace and another man appeared from behind her. His breath smelled of whiskey.
“Yeah, lil’ Missy. Why so lonely? Want some comp’ny?”
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