Neko Ai [Black Butler fanfic]

Chapter 2

It may have seemed foolhardy of me to allow myself to be escorted by a man I had only met minutes ago, but as my only other option was to continue to shiver on the cold ground, I chose to trust the man who identified himself as Sebastian Michaelis. Besides, he was one of the few people I had ever met who didn't seem repulsed by me being a neko. After leading me along the streets of the city for a ways, he stopped suddenly.
"I'm sorry, Lady Ailsa, you must be freezing." Sebastian turned to me and slipped off his black jacket. When I realized that he intended to drape it over my shoulders, I put my hands up in a warding-off gesture. "Is something wrong, milady?"
"I don't want to get your jacket dirty..." I explained with obvious shame in my voice.
To my surprise, his lips curved into a slight smile. "Don't be silly. It would be more of an inconvenience if you froze to death before ever reaching the manor." His choice of words made me cringe. I was no stranger to the cold, and he had no idea how close I had come to truly freezing to death last winter. Nevertheless, he had convinced me to accept his offer and I stayed still while he covered me with his jacket. I had to admit, I almost instantly felt much warmer.
As we left the last evidence of the city behind to travel down a beaten dirt road, I grew apprehensive. "I'm sorry, where did you say you were employed again?" I asked him, trying my best not to show too much blatant distrust.
"I'm the personal butler to Earl Ciel of Phantomhive. My master's manor isn't much farther. I do hope the trip hasn't been too taxing for you." My memory clicked into place as I finally recognized the name. Ciel Phantomhive was rather infamous, especially in London. He was a well-known social figure, but I had heard nothing one way or the other about his level of kindness; I couldn't help but wonder if Sebastian's promise of food would be upheld.
Sebastian carried on speaking as I had my silent revelation. "I'll have to ask you to excuse the...eccentricity of the rest of the staff." Eccentricity? What could he mean by that?
In an effort to carry on polite conversation despite my confusion, I asked, "Does Lord Phantomhive have a large staff?"
"The number of people working for him is fairly proportional to the size of the manor," he responded. I wished he had given a more straightforward answer, but I supposed I would find out for myself soon enough. From where we were, a roof was finally coming into view beyond the trees that lined the road.
As the manor slowly came further into view, I wondered what the Earl would be like. Was he handsome? Certainly not more so than his butler; that would be nearly impossible. Could he be persuaded to give me a room for the night? Walking back to London once the sun went down would be a terrible feat.
I was interrupted from my thoughts by the sight of the breathtaking garden that surrounded the manor. "Your gardener must care deeply for these grounds," I remarked to Sebastian.
"The staff here is rather dedicated to the grounds and our master. I take pleasure in knowing that that is evident." His way of speaking formally without being particularly cold was growing on me. Listening to his voice somewhat soothed my previous apprehension.
When he reached the manor's large, elegant double doors, he let himself in and held a door open for me, bowing slightly. "Allow me to be the first to formally welcome you to Phantomhive manor. If you would follow me to my master's study, I should like to announce your presence to him at once."