Winchester Abbey

Chapter Sixteen

"Boys, boys, boys," Charlotte muttered underneath her breath. She jammed a piano key down forcefully with each contemptible word. The little sitting room was empty save for herself. Madi and Hannah had disappeared with the boys to have some sporting with fishing without a fishing pole. Mcat had decided to write in solitude in her room while she rested her poor little ankle. Charlotte had wandered around the house aimlessly until she had found the piano. It was slightly different than what she was used to, but she kept on plodding through until she wrestled a tune from the keys. It had been years since she had actually sat down to play. She had convinced herself that she was too busy and therefore, had not been near a piano in all that time. Several songs came back to her playing fingers. She was desperately attempting to remember the last line of a song she had played for her second recital when the sound of light footsteps behind her startled her. She turned around abruptly. Since the haunted house, she had not felt entirely safe, but the bright days had made it seem more cheerful. 

  "James!" she began surprised. 

  He watched her for a moment before smiling apologetically. 

  "I can see why Matthew liked you so much," he said. 

 Charlotte was not quite sure how to respond to this but for some reason, the rules came floating to her brain.

  "Man and woman should not be alone unless they are in motion," she recited woodenly. 

  It was the only thing that could come to her brain.

 "I guess we should take a walk then?" offered James, holding out his arm. He looked troubled. It almost made Charlotte feel sorry for him until she could see the same eyes that Matthew had held. Just what was he playing at? She did not want to discuss Matthew and his rudeness. She did not want to discuss anything to do with the Thomas family-if they even were related. She still didn't know what was fact and what was fiction. Actors were difficult creatures. 

 "I don't really want to go on a walk with you," she replied bluntly. She watched James' reaction. He cocked his head to the side and stared at her curiously. His curly blond hair framed his baby like face but the sereneness of his earnest eyes made her see him more than just a little boy. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. It didn't look like he was acting. But then again, isn't that what Mary Catherine had said before?

 "I was hoping to talk about writing with you." he said. "Ms. Loftis offered the information that you both enjoyed writing."

  "I'm sure she did," Charlotte replied candidly. She really doubted if Mcat had offered that information. He was probably given that information before hand or something. Or maybe he had ambushed her like he was doing to Charlotte. She couldn't say that she didn't have an impulse to go with him. He was mysteriously quiet and yet, his face was very open, almost as if he was just waiting for the right moment to speak. Maybe he was really shy, she thought. With Matthew as a brother? Yeah, right. 

  "Please, Ms. Smith, indulge me in this. It is not often that I meet writers here. Much less, fascinatingly beautiful women writers," he said, his face not changing in the slightest at the boldness of his comment.

  Charlotte was taken aback. She didn't know whether to roll her eyes or blush heavily at his comment. Her face turned red in her attempts at being disgusted at him. 

  "Fine," she mumbled, leaving her bench to get up and take his arm. She tried to ignore the fact that he was the perfect height for her.

  "Stupid boys," she thought, feeling slightly irritated but pleased. Is this what she had really come to? She would just cave to the slightest bit of attention?

  "So, would your main character be a better friend or a better child?" asked James. 

  Charlotte looked upwards in curious wonder. A guy writer. The first she had seen since her own brother. This was going to be interesting...