The Promise

Chapter 4

I awake to Winnie pulling back the curtains " good morning ma'am, I hope you slept well" I sat up and stretched my arms above my head, remembering the pure embarrassment of last night. "I have brought tea to ready you for this mornings breakfast and tour" I throw my head back into the pillow "is breakfast with Lord Alexander?" I question, already dreading the answer "yes ma'am, breakfast you eat together, Lord Alexander then disappears into the main study until dinner time when you will once again accompany each other" I sigh, hauling myself out of the bed and seating myself at the vanity, staring at myself in the mirror "forgive me for my intrusiveness ma'am but you seem a little dishevelled and bothered, is everything okay?" Winnie begins to work on my hair as she speaks, I look up at her catching her eyes in the mirror reflection "he hates me" I whisper as my eyes begin to fill with tears.

She chuckles as she responds "Lord Alexander is a complicated man my lady, I can assure you he does not hate you, he actually appears rather fond of you" I snort at her response "fond?" I snort again "the man does not speak to me, he does not want to lay with me and he can't even look in my direction for a mere second, how can he be fond of me?" I stand slipping into my sage green silk dress as Winnie adjusts it for me "you are the only lady he has ever brought here, the only lady he has ever introduced into his life,apart from the help of course. You must be special, Lady Francesca, very special indeed" I smile at her response but I am nothing more than confused.

The dining room was large once again dark panelling framed the base of the walls with a green striped wallpaper coating the top half. The floor was dark wood and along with it the furniture. A large table spread from one end of the room to the other with six seats either side, one at the head of the table and one at the base, meaning this table in just the smaller family dining room has fourteen chairs. I sat at the base of the table where a place was laid out for me and shortly after I seated Alexander appeared with a paper in hand non the wiser to my presence and placed himself at the head of the table. An array of food lay before me, fresh fruit, pastries, bread and meat but I couldn't bring myself to eat,I didn't want to appear rude but my stomach is tied so tightly in a knot, I fear if I eat it will knock me sick or worse, I will choke and embarrass myself even more.

"If nothing is to your fancy, I can request the cook make something else" Alexander speaks, not lifting his eyes away from his paper "it all looks so beautiful my lord, I do apologise if I have offended you, I'm just so awfully tired I cannot bring myself to eat" I sat with my hands on my lap twiddling my thumbs, this man scares me or intimidates me, I haven't figured it out yet.

We spent the rest of breakfast in silence as I sipped slowly at my tea, not wanting to stare at Alexander but wanting to know him more. He was a man who presented himself beyond his years and it aged him. In the comfort of his own home he appears thrown together as if he had just rushed out of bed and hadn't tucked his shirt in properly. His hair loosely tucked behind his ear which would occasionally free itself until he forced it back. He sipped away at his tea as he held it in one hand and a paper in the other, his frown lines prominent as he loses himself in the words spread out in front of him.

After the breakfast hour, I helped clear away the table, despite Winnie's best efforts to stop me, informing me it may be seen as improper. We took a tour of the house and every room appears somewhat the same, dark panelling, dark floors and dark furniture. The only way to tell them apart was by the colour of the textiles and the wallpaper on the walls. The banquet hall and ball room even lacked the feeling of life and I was beginning to feel like this building is closing in on me, it has no reason to be so... glum. For a moment I thought I might like to redecorate, but I quickly removed that thought from my mind when I remembered that Lord Alexander is already unkeen on me, so we should try and avoid adding anymore reasons as to why on to that list.

We came to stop when we reached a corridor "we do not go down there, unless instructed otherwise" Winnie informed me peeking my interest "why?" I questioned "it is the main study ma'am, Lord Alexander likes to be alone, the door to the left is the library, we do not enter there either" I look at her with confusion "this may sound rather silly ma'am but odd things happen in there" her voice began to fill with concern "odd how?" I chuckle "are you trying to tell me you believe in ghosts Winnie?" she paused for a moment "please ma'am, for your safety" she clutches at my hand with eyes of plea "Winnie, if I am to live here, in solitude and silence, I will certainly need a book or two to keep me sane" with that we turned back down the stairs and out into the gardens.

The grounds were large too large for me to lap today but certainly a challenge for another day, maybe when I have had a full nights sleep. The roses were in bloom and butterflies of all colours fluttered around the flower beds. Although bright, the clouds lay over the sun, causing a chill in the air.