A Birth day

"Pictures," Marcus said quietly to her. "Pictures of the secret room at the Gelding house and the equipment that Suzanne had in there. Pictures of the casket, and pictures of some of Angus's bruises and welts. He didn't identify them as Angus's, but Robert confronted him with hard evidence of what Suzanne has been doing. And I'm sure it didn't help that Angus threatened him within about an inch of his life, and Robert didn't stop him from it. I'm sure that gave Tom the idea that Robert wasn't going to stop Angus from carrying out any of the things he threatened him with."

"I think Tom already knows she's nuts, but I'm not entirely sure why he married her. He clearly didn't do it for love. The man doesn't know the meaning of the word," Angus said.

"Well, you do bring up an interesting question," Marcus said. "You told Tom something interesting. You said that the thugs he has guarding her to keep her out of trouble are some of the same men she used to entertain when she and Reginald worked for your dad. How did you know that?"

"Because I saw those parties more than once," Angus said. "Benjamin and Eileen liked to take advantage of Edward's nights out hunting werewolves, and they'd host parties at the main house while Edward was out when I was a boy. Suzanne doesn't have any idea about the disgusting things I saw her do under Edward's roof. And, quite honestly, if Sam or Victor got a look at them, I'm sure they'd tell me that they clearly saw the same guys at some of Reginald's parties," Angus said. "Sam and Victor have very clear memories about faces, I've learned."

Aria listened to Marcus as he told her what was in the envelope she nodded she had heard up m " hope it give him a hard wake up call about who he's married to" she said " if she can dop that to a grown man , how would she treat a baby" Aria said and looked at Dimond now curled up butt in the air sleeping.

Both woman listened to Marcus and Angus talk about Tom and nodded especially Ruby who moved to the kitchen to avoid the conversation " I guess Ruby could testify to that too" Aria said but saw her return with a coffee for herself .

"yes I could and I will if I'm asked but right now isn't the time, but Angus is right those men he brought were from some of Suzanne's parties with Reginald, I recognised their faces but they didn't recognise me because I was about ten at the time and kept away from them, Angus was right , she'll use them then drop them hard." she added as she sat on the couch and sipped her coffee..

"Tom doesn't think that way," Angus said. "You have to remember what he does for a living. If he cared about kids and babies, he wouldn't do what he does. It takes a complete heartless git to do what he does." He listened to Ruby talk about Gelding's men. "Not only that, Ru, but I think that makes those particular men more resistant to taking orders from Tom because she flirts with them and bats her eyes at them, and brings up memories of sleeping with them, and so they underestimate her and do whatever she asks them to do."

"I'm sure you're right," Marcus said. "Just like I think you're also right that Mickey is a great cook. This is a great roast."

Victor got home, and he went up and freshened up. Then they came down to eat, and they fixed a plate. The girls joined them, and Angus, for one, felt some relief to have all the kids at the table again.

"Hey," Angus said to Sam and Victor," Can I ask you something? Not to make you lose your appetite or anything, but if I showed you a couple sketches, do you think you would recognize any of the men that worked for your dad and came to some of the parties?"

"Yeah. I know I would," Sam said.

"So would I," Victor said. "Is it important?"

"I don't know. Maybe not. Not unless I have to prove it somehow."

"Well, if you ever want us to look at the sketches, let us know," Sam said. "Did she try something again?"

"Don't," Anise told Angus.

"What? What happened?" Sam demanded of Anise.

"I'm not hiding it. You have nothing to be ashamed of," Angus told her. "Priscilla did some of the same things to Anise that she did to me. Robert wants to see you after supper, Anise."

"Can I go over with her?" Sam asked.

"If you let Robert and I handle it, and not any of the four of you. I've been on it already today, and I do not need you mucking in it. You got that?" Angus asked.

"Maybe--if you tell me exactly what you did," Sam said.

"Later. Yes. I will," Angus said.

"Fair enough--for now," Sam agreed.

"is she still able to get to you in your sleep?" Victor asked Angus.

"I don't know for sure. I know Robert's been working on it. We'll have to wait and see," Angus said, "but I believe we'll stop her sooner or later."

"That isn't necessarily very reassuring," Sam frowned.

"Yeah, but we're doing all we can," Angus replied.

Ruby nodded and said no more as she saw Sam and Victor come home smiling now she headed to the table to dish up so they could eat. Hearing Angus talk to sam she paused and listened and nodded she agreed to what Angus was saying " they realy are and I think you'll get a laugh out of what Angus did" she said smirking as she ate.

Aria took her plate and sat next to Marcus she heard them talking but continued to eat glancing over at the babies as she did so to make sure they were okay, she felt Dimond had tired herself out being out and about during her nap time so she wasn't surprised she was sleeping.

When supper was finished, Sam and Anise left to go meet with Robert, and Angus set about putting the leftovers away and clearing the table. He cast a washing up spell, not being particularly fond of doing dishes. Once the kitchen was clean, Angus poured himself a mug of coffee, and he sat down with his sketchpad and his pencils to do a sketch, from memory of the thugs that were assigned to Suzanne.

Marcus set about writing a letter to a decorator that Simone had recommended to him because of her social connections when her first husband worked as an ambassador. She knew one of the leading decorators that was experienced in traditional decor. Marcus explained the purchase of the stone cottage and his desire to use something of a warm and friendly rustic hunting lodge theme that would hold up to having five teenagers mucking around in it. He didn't want anything fussy. He sent the letter off, not expecting to hear from them for a few days.

"Angus, you gonna be here for a bit?" Marcus asked.

"All night, so far as I know," Angus replied.

"I feel like a run. You can go with me, or, if you give me your word that you aren't going out without me, I'll leave you here with Ruby. I know Edward and Simone are next door. You wanna go with me, Aria? I think Robert would let me go that long with as many people here that there are right now."

Aria watched as the supper things ere washed and put away then she smiled reading a book she had found. Hearing Marcus talk to Angus she looked up and saw Ruby chuckle as Marcus asked Aria if she wanted to go for a run with him " I would love to, I never say no to a run" she said and chuckled as she marked her page and stood up walking over to him " so when do you ant to do it?" shea sked .transfiguring her clothing to her running gear as she looked at him.

Ruby chuckled a she took Aria place on the couch by the babies to watch them and be closer to Angus as she saw him sketch " those are pretty close" she said looking at some of the sketches he had made of the men he recognised. " this one has been around to several parties I remember him, I think he was Suzanne's favourite as he was always there. " she said picking up one of there sketches and looking at it.

"You use your medallion if there is even the slightest rumbling of anything. Got me?" Marcus asked.

"Of course," Angus said. "Enjoy your run." Marcus transfigured his clothes, and he got a couple water bottles out of the fridge and handed one to Aria.

"Let's go," he told her, and he whistled for Finn, who loved a chance to join them on a run. Finn raced down from upstairs, ran out the door, heading ahead of him at full tilt. "You know what he'll do. He takes a short cut to run to the end of the track, and then he sits down and waits for me unless I whistle for him at the start of the run. Then he'll come back and run the trail right. When I started training him to run with me, I would give him a large dog biscuit if he finished the run. Well, his little doggie brain said to him if he got to that spot, he got a treat. So now he thinks he can take a short cut and still get the treat."

Angus worked on two sketches, a sketch of each of the two men he was used to seeing with Suzanne. He sketched each one twice--what he remembered them looking like not only now but what he remembered them looking like when he was a boy. As he finished them, he called to Ruby.

"Ru. come look and see if these two look familiar. This is what I remember them looking like when I was little. And this is what I think they both look like now. What do you think?" he asked her, handing her the sketchpad.

Aria chuckled and nodded as Marcus spoke Finn as he changed his clothing and grabbed two bottles . Aria took one and slipped it into the pocket on her pants that held a bottle and walked to the door. " well catch me if you can slow poke, and I won't change to my dove form" she said chuckling as she took off after Finn towards the trail .

Ruby heard Angus and moved to look at the sketches and nodded " yes these two, this one" she pointed to a young man with wispy hair " he had a scar across his cheek" she said and looked at Angus " I gave him it when he cornered me in the kitchen." she told him and placed it back down " these are really good sketches , almost like photo's" she said with a smile.

"That guy doesn't have a scar now," Angus said. "I know his face pretty well. That means he either uses a glamour spell to disguise it, or he's had it removed. That's interesting. It could mean that he did it to make himself look more pleasing to someone--Suzanne or someone else."

"Can I see?" Victor asked.

"Of course," Angus said. Victor looked at the sketches.

"Oh. Those assholes. Yeah. They were around a lot. Mostly when Dad wasn't home, if you get my drift. But that other one--he has a tat. Its on his upper arm on the left. It's a weird looking purple flower. Sort of like an iris, except smaller, and there are a bunch of blossoms on a stem. And he's got a circle around the top part of it.

Angus had an idea of what he thought perhaps Victor was talking about, and he began to rapidly sketch. He worked on it for just about five minutes, and then he turned the sketchpad around to show him what he sketched.

"That's it exactly!" Victor said. "You've seen it, then?"

"Not on him, but yes. The flower is an Aconite flower..."

"Aconite? Should I know that one?"

"Yeah, you should, especially since you're in love with a werewolf. Aconite is also called wolfsbane. He's got a wolfsbane tattoo, and I'm betting that circle is a full moon image behind the wolfsbane. You're sure he's got that specific tattoo?"

"Positive," Victor said.

"Then, I think there's a better than average chance that he is the link that caused Tom and Suzanne to end up hooked up to James." He looked at Ruby. "Moira has the same tat, and if you don't ask me where, I won't have to tell you. That could be something that Jack and Robert would both find very interesting indeed."

Ruby listened and nodded as Angus said he might have had it removed then Victor spoke as he looked at the images " yeah I remember I saw something on him" she said as Victor spoke of it and she sighed " wolfsbane" she said softly and nodded to Angus " was he a member of the pack at some point?" she asked Angus unsure of the man.

Aria paced herself as she ran down the track keeping Marcus close beside her as she ran loving the wind as he blew her hair back off her face as she scanned the area in front of her as she ran dodging branches and ducking under low branches as they ran. As she ran she saw the moon up in the sky and paused for amount" that's lovely" she said smiling.