Charlie praises, "You are a good dancer."
Hanks only smiles.
She doesn't need to know how many times I stumbled down. Dancing with a broom in my room. Hey, it rhymes! Broom, room.
She asks, "You look younger when you smile like this. Did you know?"
"Are you saying I'm old?" asks him sourly.
"Only if you are frowning like this."
She smiles widely. He smiles too.
It feels time has stopped for them.
Until her dance teacher claps his hands.
Time for her dance lesson to start again. Charlie is dancing with her dance teacher right now.
Hanks scowls when he holds her waist. He is no expert in dancing but he feels he is holding her too tight.
He is leaving the dance floor when a Lady mocks, "They are lovely pairs, aren't they? Just like couples in a Renaissance painting."
Hanks stares coldly to his step mother.
He warns, "Don't spread lies in this house. I won't tolerate it."
"What? What would you do to me?" asks her seductively.
"I regretted the night I touched a snake like you."
She hisses like a snake to taunt him even further.
Hanks doesn't take the bait. He just leave that spot. A teenager boy might be interested in making love to a pretty Lady like her. Not a man like him.
She mocks, "When you lost your leg, did you loose your manhood too?"
Hanks tightens his fists but he doesn't stop walking.
His step mother is eyeing the newcomer with devilish intent. That girl is an eyesore. As long as she's here, Hanks wouldn't rekindle their old flame.
*****
Charlie is dancing alone in the empty ballroom. Her lesson has ended for today but she practices alone afterwards.
Hanks smiles today. He really looks different when he isn't moody. A female servant said he used to smile a lot. It's like I saw a glimpse of the old him. Before the world turned it's back on him.
It ain't easy for a war veteran to return back to normal life. Her brother ended up as a gambler.
A Lady has just arrived.
She asks, "How long are you planning to stay here?"
Charlie stares her silently. Hank's stepmother isn't exactly popular among the servants. Now she knows why. The Lady acted as if she's a divine being. Wishing people to worship the ground she has walked upon.
Hanks stepmother says, "The charity act has gone too far. I've arranged a proper marriage for you. The village priest is an old widower and..."
"And you should marry him if you liked him so much. I shall pay for your divorce with father," says Hanks.
He has come to ask Charlie to lunch with him. And he overheard what his evil step mother has in mind for Charlie.
His stepmother protests, "You wasted too much money on her."
"It's my money, not yours. I didn't waste a single dime from father's pocket. I suggest you leave now."
"Or what? You will spank me?" taunts her.
YOU ARE READING
You Are MINE (Trentham#2) (Completed)
Romance"I never wanted you..." protests her weakly. Val says, "Liar. Why deny your heart's desire?" "I'm engaged to another man." "You are mine. No use resisting it," says Val before kissing her again. Valentino always takes what he wanted. He is an Ame...
