Sounds of Fire

14

By Nan's frightening insistence, Lady Grace and Anatolia were kept apart whenever possible. She didn't want them to soil their relationship, or at least not soil it any more than she suspected they had. She was around more often than usual, and Anatolia was sure that Nan somehow recruited other members of the staff as buffers. They were present much more often yet had seemingly legitimate reasons for being around when asked why they were where they were. It was disconcerting.

After a few excruciatingly long days, both Anatolia and Lady Grace were growing weary of Nan's 'mom' game- Anatolia becoming more frustrated than tired. The couple was always in the presence of someone else and they had to make sure to do an activity that was considered 'clean', lest one of the staff members report to Nan that something uncouth was happening under her roof. Even when Anatolia and Lady Grace went out of the house, they always somehow managed to acquire a volunteer chaperone. It was rare that they were alone together, and if they were, it was for a short period of time. Nan seemed to have an eye everywhere. Anatolia was suspicious and had a feeling that the cook didn't use devil magic just to make her food tasty. That woman was a force to be reckoned with.

As much respect as Anatolia had for Nan, she had to put her foot down when Nan tried to get her to move to a room down on the first floor near the back of the house to be as far from Lady Grace as possible. Though the fight was heated, it was short lived. Anatolia just couldn't bring herself to go against the woman that had raised her so well. She was forced to go to Lady Grace for help.

Though she hated it, Lady Grace used her status as mistress of the house to get Nan to quit injecting herself into her and Anatolia's relationship. Nan grumbled, knowing better than to try and sway the wants of a determined home owner, an elemental no less, but swore she'd keep an eye out. She wasn't going to let her surrogate children do something regretful under her roof, not when she could prevent such a tragedy.

Anatolia and Lady Grace didn't doubt Nan's words, especially not with how the last few days had gone. They were just glad that Nan had cooled.

"By Gods," Lady Grace sighed. She was finally away from Nan and her harshly whispered words of 'wisdom'. Though work wasn't the ideal place she wanted to be headed to, it was better than being at home at the moment. She sunk into the leather seats of the car, raising her finger to get the driver to start moving. "I thought coming out would make things better for us. Turns out Nan was our real obstacle. The worst trouble is always under your own roof."

Anatolia chuckled and spread her arms over the backs of the seats. Lady Grace fell lazily into her side. "She's only trying to protect your virtue." That much she did understand, even if it was mighty irritating for her. She, too, was glad to be away from Nan. The cook was scary when she wanted to be.

"That's barbaric. Her old way of thinking is getting on my nerves." Lady Grace pushed further into Anatolia's side. "It's only been a few days!"

"Nan has been here the longest out of everyone. She was practically our mother, remember? It's understandable that she feels responsible for us."

"She doesn't need to be. We're adults now." Lady Grace pouted and rubbed her hand softly up and down Anatolia's thigh. "We haven't had any time alone together." She let her eyes fall on Derek, who was trying his hardest to ignore what was happening in front of him. "Besides, who says I have virtue to protect?"

Anatolia raised her eyebrows. She hadn't expected Lady Grace to be a virgin, but she also hadn't expected her to outright admit the opposite. "You probably shouldn't tell Nan that."

"I'm a grown woman. She can't honestly believe I've never had sex."

Derek cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. Lady Grace ignored him.