Algernon Black

(Chapter 143) The Black Manor

Lucy packed the very few things she owned into her borrowed suitcase from Aloysius and no sooner had she before Algernon was at her dorm's door. He guided her to a forsaken section of one of Attwood's streets to where his family's carriage was waiting. Lucy thought it must have been what prince's road during their reigns in Emora with its lavish dark red velvet interior and expertly embellished wrought iron decors melded over a flawless glossy black veneer. But its extravagant luxury padding only made Lucy more uncomfortable as she sat for hours of silence across Algernon, distressing over how long it would be before they arrived at his family's home. She hoped it would be a good few more hours, but still didn't think it would be enough time to relax.

They drove past endless banal land, where Lucy spotted young children playing in the field of a quaint country home with a mother calling them back for supper. It made Lucy smile for the first time since getting into the carriage and mindlessly ask Algernon. "Are you excited to be going home?"

"Not particularly," Algernon answered though his attention didn't move from the list of things he had to be sure to do when he was back in his province.

"Why?" Lucy pressed, gazing out the frosting window as the children skipped to their mother. "Do you not get along with your parents?"

"I get along fine with my mother," Algernon replied, eyes still glued to his checklist. "My father, even better." And barely glancing over the tops of his paper to make sudden eye contact with Lucy added, "Since he isn't much one for idle conversation."

Lucy grasped the subtle jab but figured if he didn't like idle conversation, it would be the perfect thing to annoy him with. "So, you take after him then?"

"I suppose," Algernon replied, happy to see she rose up to the banter thinking it might help ease her very evident nerves.

"I can't imagine how." Lucy drawled, sarcasm laced into every syllable. "When you yourself are such a stimulating conversationalist."

Algernon's gaze remained focused on his notes but couldn't help a smile while cocking his head at the guile of the girl. He placed his pen between his latest memos, directing his full attention to Lucy. "If you were hoping for stimulating conversation you might have found better accommodations elsewhere."

"It's a good thing I had my hopes set elsewhere."

"Oh?" Algernon asked, his eyelids half-closing as they trained on her, "So you had some hopes for this trip?"

Lucy recognized the dangerous edge of flirting his teasing teetered on as the very annoying and ill-timed flutters bombarded her already restless chest.

"I hoped." She said, stumbling to think of something witty to say, though she knew her face showed red and whatever she tried to taunt would come off unsuccessful.

Algernon closely monitored Lucy struggling to come up with a reply and smiled before coaxing her with a drawn-out, "Go on."

"I hoped we could have peace." Lucy conceded, settling on honesty if she couldn't be witty.

Algernon examined Lucy in the tapered light trickling in that all landed upon her like she was a beacon for sunshine. Her grown-out blonde hair was tied in a ponytail with frills falling unpurposelessly down either side of her face to frame her beauty like a painting. But to Algernon that was too simple a thing to diminish her too. He averted his eyes as she soon became too overwhelming to behold.

"I don't think the possibility of peace is a fathomable notion when it comes to me and you." He confessed, dropping back into his seat and feeling that somehow, he had been the one defeated in their verbal battle.