They Have Always Lived In The Castle

Chapter Six

♪ You're my love 
You're my angel 
Rat-a-tat 
You're the girl
of my dreams...

 Daddy's home... ♪

"Is that John's suit?" You look at him, trying not to give away how gorgeous you thought he looked. 

"Gingerbread in July is my favourite thing." He takes a biscuit from the plate you offer out to him. You just raise your brows. "It looks good on me, yeah?" He gives you a cocky grin as you blush a little, it did indeed. It was just the two of you, dinner having been very short, it seemed Constance was more disturbed than usual, Merricat had gone into the garden and Julian was more than happy to be put to bed. Stretching a hand out, Charles brings you closer as the music continues. He places one hand on your hip, the other holding yours as you sway rhythmically to the music. "There is nothing like the sunset over Florence from the top of the Duomo."

"Four hundred and sixty-three steps to the most exquisite sight. A picture couldn't capture the magic. You have to go." 

"You know your stuff" He marvels, smiling at you, drinking you in as you continue to dance. 

"Not as well as you I think..." You tilt your head. "How do you say....take me away?"

Charles repeats the sentence back in Italian beautifully. 

"How do you say..." You look and see Merricat though the window... and decide to prolong the conversation you want to have until you know she's back upstairs and out of ear shot. "...I want roast lamb for dinner?" 

Charles again speaks perfect Italian as you spin round. 

"Cooked by someone other than myself." You both chuckles, the crinkles by his eyes melting your heart as the looks at you with an expression that seems almost adoring before replying again in Italian. 

"You're so lovely." He says, genuine for the first time since he'd got here. You relax as you see Merricat disappear. 

"I hate to admit it Charles Blackwood, but I think you quite handsome too..." You say as he spins you out slowly before drawing you back in again. "I've been here since before John and the others died..." you say quietly, Charles nods for you to continue. "I was sent away, from my rather high class family after my parents found out I was raped.... they decided that although no one knew, I was spoiled and they couldn't look at me, they would be too ashamed to marry me off to their dearest friends son so....so they offered my sister instead and told me I shall be allowed to stay in the house until I could find my own way...." Charles listened with deep interest as you told the story, for probably the very first time. "unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately,  wedding day came and my parent, my sister and the groom were all killed in a road accident quite suddenly." 

"Y/N, I'm so sorry" Charles shudders, pulling you closer. 

"They were beastly people, but they were my family..." you sigh a little as Charles nods understandingly. "When out lawyer came to visit, he had said the house was left to my uncle but the money was left to me..." you smile wickedly "that was, I was to receive it the moment I was married..." you raise a brow and gently shrug your shoulders. "My father had not yet changed the will...it was then that I decided I would but a plan into action... I would be more powerful than my father, and that I would be queen of my own manor... " 

"So you came here..?" Charles looked at you, a hint of an impressed smile on his face. 

"I knew that, both John and Julian were having affairs, some of which they were too drunk to remember I'm sure..." you roll your eyes, you had friends in all the right places. "So I came here, it was an attempt to seduce one of them, but when John opened the door, I couldn't do it, I knew if I was going to marry it would be for love... so I had another idea." 

"A romantic and a sly lair, I think I like you more" Charles joins your enthusiasm and happiness at how genius you thought your plan was. 

"I decided to pretend I was his bastard child and that I had information that would ruin his reputation if he did not let me in.... it took no time for him to take me under his wing and welcome me into the family, deciding to make up a story about me being a dear friends daughter, orphaned... and slowly I became the family friend not one of them could live without... other than John." 

"So what was in it for you, to do that?" 

"I wanted his money, I couldn't access what was rightlfully mine so I decided to extort it from somewhere else... in the paperwork in John's office you will find I am to receive his money should he die and or if his daughters die or be incapable of looking after themselves. Which he knew would be likely as they're both insane. Julian also has left me a large sum of money on his deathbed, that and the rights to his notes and whatever of the book he completes." You shrug pretended not to be pleased with your self but the triumphant. 

"But you didn't kill off the Blackwoods all those years ago..." Charles looks at you knowingly. 

"No but I know who did, and it plays into my plan very well, it's a long game but I'm happy to do it for the reward at the end, plus I have nothing else to do." You add the last bit a little sadly, picking up on your drop in mood Charles stoops, cups his hands on your face and stroked a thumb across your face. 

"We have many plans to make." He say, looking at you with an almost aggressive passion before kissing you, gently at first but as you melt into it, it becomes more passionate... slowly you move to the wall where his body pins you against it leaving no room for you to move, not that you ever wanted to. You run your hands though his hair, allowing his tongue to make its way around your mouth possessively before you both break for air. 

"Lets take this upstairs.." He lets out a horse whisper, but its still commanding and dominant. 

"Lead the way..." You reply back looking at him, your pupils dilated with passion and lust. You both did indeed have plans to make, but they could wait till after this. 

♪ Daddy's home, Daddy's home.To stay ♪