Eternal Symphony

15. Marionette

After showering and donning her full attire, Elijah led her to the dining area. Although it was almost noon, she was served coffee and breakfast of fried eggs with tomatoes and mushrooms distributed on top, sizzling bacon, and buttered toast on the side. Yet Alice became inflicted with modesty when he sat with her, not indulging in refreshments.

She gingerly set her fork down, hesitant to finish her meal. When Elijah raised a brow in confusion, Alice asked, "Can you still taste food?"

"Somewhat," he nodded towards her plate, "that's too bland for my preference. It doesn't have the same allure." Elijah grinned when sensing her apprehension. "You, on the other hand, need to eat. Don't worry about me—I'm only enjoying your company."

Alice reluctantly resumed eating, blushing every time she met his gaze between bites, even in the middle of casual conversation. She was grateful for the interruption when Emil and Sophie-Anne walked through the living room, deeply discussing what she could only assume. They met her gaze, smiling and waving before resuming in the opposite direction.

Biting her sore bottom lip, Alice gestured at the twins. "When did they return?"

Elijah shrugged while twiddling his thumbs. "I'm assuming early this morning."

They didn't know what happened, did they? Alice's ears turned pink from the idea, but the twins made no inclination that they had any knowledge; instead, Emil and Sophie-Anne continued with their private conversation. I still can't believe I behaved that way in bed. What is wrong with me?

The moment she finished eating, one of the maids came by and took her dishware away before she could clean up after herself, not accustomed to being waited on.

The cloudy weather continued through the weekend, the grey-lavished heavens hanging over the verdant-rich landscape of San Francisco: the perfect scenery, in Alice's opinion. After what happened yesterday, Elijah wouldn't let her leave the beach house unless he or the twins were with her.

"The odds of that happening were like one in a million," Alice assured, but Elijah didn't want to hear it; Alice settled on strolling the shore with him as her escort, to which he heartily agreed. Wanting to make the most of her time outside, she asked the maids for a small basket and immediately filled it with food and other refreshments suitable for lunch.

When she finished, Alice returned to her room to change into more comfortable attire, looking for one of the sundresses Lia had packed for her. Why have I grown accustomed to wearing cute clothes lately? Camellia isn't helping in that regard, either. When she found and switched into her white crisscrossed sleeveless beach dress, she quickly dressed her neck in gauze to hide the marks before Elijah knocked on her door, asking if she was decent before entering.

Ignoring his blushing cheeks, Alice folded up Sophie-Anne's gown and asked, "Where is the laundry room? I want to wash this before returning it to your sister."

Elijah cleared his throat and impulsively reached up to straighten his collar. "Leave it here. The maids will take care of that."

"That's not necessary—"

"I insist," he smiled when she set it on the bed and escorted her downstairs. Intrigued and bemused, he watched her grab the prepared picnic basket with a dining cloth folded and draped over the top; Elijah only smiled when she declared she was finally ready, and the two ventured outside.

However, Alice's attention was drawn to a gold-chained necklace barely hiding under the collar of his shirt. He's still wearing the timepiece I gave him for Christmas. Her face burned when she remembered he didn't wear it last night, or she had forgotten he did.