Aristocrat | ✓

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

     "Manfred, do sit down, you might lose your head to a thief if you keep looking out the window." I leaned back into the carriage, turning to look at Lord Manfred who was sitting beside in the carriage. He was dressed in his finest—a gold doublet under a white vest. His breeches were also patterned, and it was one of the few times he wore one of those prominent codpieces.

     "Manfred, is there something on my face?" He laughed, reaching out to poke at my forehead with his finger. I blinked, looking away when I realized I had been staring for too long.

     "Sorry," I mumbled, placing my hands on my lap. "I'm still a bit shocked at how well you're dressed," I commented, feeling a hand on my thigh. I looked down at Lord Evenus' hand as he gave my leg a squeeze.

     "You look very nice yourself," he said, making me look over at him. He was smiling at me, showing off his good teeth. My face became hot, and I looked away, staring out of the window again. I was wearing one of the best set of clothes the Count had sent to be on Lord Evenus' behalf. I was wearing a similar cut to him. A doublet with a high lace collar—though mine was blue.

     We were on our way to Axminster for Lady Agnes' ball. Lord Evenus told me that it would be eventful and that I should hide from the guests if I didn't want to be pulled into any party games or drinking. It seemed that Lady Agnes' parties were less like what I knew from books and secondhand accounts. Balls were held to bring aristocrats together. Often, people used ball season to pair their children up for marriage or to look for new friends to make property arrangements with.

     "Agnes prides herself is holding her beer."

     I remember Lord Evenus telling me the other day as I helped him get into the fitting for his clothes.

     That told me right away that Lady Agnes wasn't interested in appearances and was doing this for her own amusement. For one thing, the aristocracy preferred wine to beer. Beer was for the poor man that couldn't afford brewing alcohol in the length expensive way wine was made. Beers like ale and drinks like mead and cinder were easy to make, but even then, not a lot of people were able to get access to grain, honey, or apples to make them.

     "Are you excited?" the Lord asked me, and I looked up to him, nodding. He squeezed my thigh again.

     "I suppose," I muttered, and the Lord hummed.

     "I would be very upset if other men flirted with you," Lord Evenus said. My face grew warm at the thought of that. That was right, Lady Agnes did speak of these balls as the places the Lord met new lovers. My lips turned down. Wondering if I would be the one getting jealous instead.

     It wasn't something that I wanted to do, but I started to wonder how many people Lord Evenus has been with before he had started to pursue me. I wondered what they looked like, and I wondered if they were all aristocrats like himself. Lady had expressed surprise at him taking interest in a servant like myself when she and her father had come to visit the Lord.

     "Sir," I called out, turning to find that Lord Evenus was resting his head on the window frame and had his eyes closed. He hummed, so I knew he was still awake. "What do you do at these parties?" I asked, watching as his eyes peeled open. His dark eyes stared into mine.

     "I eat." He adjusted his position. "I drink," he added, looking forward towards the back of the driver. "And I take part in activities."

     My curiosity wasn't satisfied. That had been a long-winded way not to tell me anything.

      "Do you perhaps play the piano at these parties?" I asked. The Lord played music, and he sang. He had done those things with his count and his daughter.