The Lovely Lady Mannering

Chapter Nine

(Lord Mannering's Bedroom)

After the reception and everyone left Lord Mannering and I stood silently in the corridor of his beautiful Chateau as the fireplace blazed fiercely in front of us. I couldn't help but to think that, that was my old life, the one where I had lived poorly in a vicarage and it was now finally over burning away slowly in this furnace. I was silently filled with the tearful and heart felt goodbyes of my family and a new feeling I that consumed me that I did not yet know or have a name for.

"Clara?" Lord Mannering asked softly causing all my thoughts to dissipate, the softest he ever spoke, despite his tone being deep and raspy. "Is it alright if I call you that?"

"Yes..." I said bleakly, blinking a few times at him. Observing him silently. The blazing firelight nearby reflected off his deep blue eyes causing them to look fiery and he looked somehow more handsome, admittedly. He smirked lightly when he saw my wondering eyes.

"You looked beautiful today, Clara." He stated in an unusual tone that had my attention, as if he could read parts of my mind somehow with those sneaky deep blue eyes of his. One minute they're hot the next cold. It reminded me how I felt all day, silently disappointed at the lack of decor in the church due to his lack of thought, but still utterly pleased overall, and here Lord Mannering was suddenly surprising me causing no words to leave me in response.

"I want to show you to my bedroom." Lord Mannering's deep husky voice boomed throughout the corridor sending chills over me. This is it. I thought to myself. No.. it can't be it. I will try to distract Lord Mannering for as long as possible, perhaps with whiskey.

"Of, course." I said softly not showing confidence in my newfound plan.

Lord Mannering nods taking my hand holding my fingers firmly. The heat from his hand travels up my arm as he leads me up the stairs and down a long hall. At the end there was a door on the right and we entered into darkness.

"Wait here." He said briefly before dashing off into the darkness. A few moments later I heard something click and then light illuminated from one side of the room.

I took in that Lord Mannering's bedroom was just as wooden and hard as his cold exterior but there was a gentle soft warmness that flowed throughout the room mostly in the center. Which was sometimes how I viewed the man, himself. 

"Do you not use candlelight?" I ask curiously intrigued at the newfound source of light. My family could only afford candles, barely.

"No, actually the entire manor has had electricity ran through..." Lord Mannering said placing his coat on a wooden bench near the window with his back slightly turned.

"Well...are you coming in or are you going to continue to stand in the threshold all night?" Lord Mannering asked amusedly as his back was still turnt. Heat rushed to my face in realizing that I hadn't even fully stepped into the room yet, and even more so out of fear of what would eventually take place in this room.

I stepped into the room. My weeding dress was still trailing behind me. I swept up my hem with one hand and found a seat sitting close to the near end of the bed.

"I would like something to drink, please whatever you have is fine, my Lord." I say brushing my skirts over nervously feeling the presence of Lord Mannering somewhere behind me. I was almost too afraid to meet his gaze.

"There is only whiskey here. Would you like for me to fetch you more wine, my Lady?" He asks already pouring himself a glass. Good, the plan was already in motion.