Une Nouvelle Ère [Book 2]

XXII

The next morning, as Alex Crawley pedaled his way back to the House after his usual morning errands, he then saw Jo walking down the path back as well.

With her was his dog Cleo...which was quite a surprise to him. He knows Cleo loves Jo as much as he does, but he didn't know that they were this close until now.

"It seems you two had quite a walk." he then said, making both of them notice him as he hopped off his bike to catch up. Jo smiled at the sight of him, while Cleo barks happily and ran towards her owner.

"We did. She came running to the greenhouse, holding its leash." Jo said "I suppose it was looking for you, but instead it found me."

Alex chuckles softly, and stood back up as his dog ran back to her "Thank you, I suppose." he smiles at her, before looking at the dog again "But suppose that means no walks for you later in the afternoon, then?"

Cleo whined softly, as if it understood what he said. Jo and Alex both looked at one another, and laughed softly.

"Surely hope Cleo didn't cause any chaos." he added.

"Not at all! Cleo was well behaved, and even played with them for a bit."

"Oh by the way," he then said, "I just want to apologize for my...competitive behavior yesterday. I am not annoyed with you at all, just only the fact that Papa won instead of you."

Jo chuckles softly, and smiles back at him "I know you're not, so don't worry too much about that, alright?"

"Alright."

She then quickly gives him a kiss on the cheek before heading home. Alex blushes furiously, and tries to snap out of it and compose himself before entering back inside the House.

***

"Oh, there's the other half!" Richie said as he entered the hall "Where have you been?"

Alex saw the rest of his family and friends, with his mother sitting at the head of the table for the first time "I just...came back from downstairs. You know, the usual." he then replied.

"So, you and Miss Lewis and didn't see each other at the village?"

"No. No, we did not."

Jo then looks at Richie "See? I told you." she said "And besides, Cleo is a better walking companion than Alex, if I say so myself."

"And I will not argue with that." Alex smiles, kissing his mother's cheek and sitting down beside her.

"Are you alright Mama?" he then asked "You seem quite tired today."

Cora seems to snap back to reality, and turns to him with a sweet smile on her face "I am quite alright, dearest." she assured him.

"Where is Papa, by the way?" Edith then inquired "I thought he was down with you together."

"But I thought he was here already." Cora replied "He seemed to be in quite a hurry earlier."

And in God's perfect timing, a familiar echo of footsteps sounded across the hall, to which revealed the Earl of Grantham arriving in the dining hall.

"I do have to go. I have to run an errand somewhere." Robert then announced to them.

"Hey!" Alex then protested as his father quickly swooped his cup of tea and drinks all of it in one straight gulp.

"But you should have breakfast first!" Cora then said to him.

"It's alright. And besides, this is just a quick errand." Robert assured his wife "I'll be back in a jiffy, dearest."