She painted the wall while I painted the ceiling. Constance was delicately painting a mess of ballerinas on one side of the stage.
"What are were going to do for a chandelier, love?" I asked her, she turned and faced me blowing her not-so-choppy-anymore bangs out of her eyes.
"I think a chandelier in a nursery is a bit much. But maybe we can put candelabras in the places where lights are in the real auditorium." I returned to my work, painting the ceiling sky blue.
"Have you worked on your new opera any? You need to have that done before the season starts. Rumor has it if you get it finished in time the opera will be the opening performance for this season." Constance told me. I was in the final act, about half way through.
"It'll get done, Constance. Don't worry; after I get done with this layer I'll do a few pages and such. But we have guests coming over at seven for dinner. I'll have to get started on the meal soon." I told her. She clearly fought a groan and I couldn't help but smile.
"Technically our honeymoon isn't over." Constance grumbled.
"And why not, Constance?" I asked her laughingly.
"Because I haven't said it is, that's why." She told me sassily. I laughed a little more.
"But you wanted to paint the nursery?" I replied.
"Yes, but if you want to take a break and work on someone to put in the nursery we can." Constance tempted.
"What happened to me working on the opera, hmm?" She was quiet for a moment.
"What do you find more important." She replied.
"Do not lay a trap for me, Madame Destler." I told her, stepping off the ladder and making my way over to her. She turned, meeting eyes with me, that mischievous sparkle in her usually soothing green eyes.
"Oh do you honestly think I would do that? You wound me Monsieur." She said as I took her in my arms. I placed a kiss on her lips. Remembering fondly the striking red of her lips on our wedding day. Her lips had seemed fuller ever since
She was a striking beauty to begin with, she just didn't know it. But now she did, and Madame Constance O'Rally Destler turned heads everywhere she went.
I smiled and kissed her again. She replied, clearly intent on 'working on someone to put in the nursery.' I pulled away, leading her to our bedroom.
I returned to the nursery, picking up my paint bucket and brush and went up the ladder to apply another coat of paint. It was quiet until I heard the yowl of Calean and Ayesha coming from downstairs. I rolled my eyes and went down stairs. I walked into the room, seeing Ayesha spitting and growling. Miss Calean was bowed up to the best of her ability. That pregnant belly of hers was getting in the way.
I picked up Ayesha and left. Calean was in no condition to scrap with Ayesha. I took the Siamese into the nursery and closed the door behind me. I watched as she gave a small growl and curled up into a ball. She was sassy even to me. To be honest I believe that she liked Constance better than me now.
But after about twenty more minutes of painting I went and cleaned up a bit, and then started dinner. The neighbors I had met in the market about a week ago were a couple who had been married for only a little longer than Constance and I. Monsieur and Madame Thomas and Madeleine Demirax lived closer to the town than Constance and I. She was a short brunette with chocolate brown eyes. He was a little taller than his wife with golden hair and dark blue eyes. The two were kind and accepting, so I took the chance to make a couple of companions without meeting them through Constance first, who was much more a social butterfly than she thought.
Speaking of the Irish butterfly, she swept into the kitchen, her waist length red hair black with water. Droplets of water clung to her long eyelashes like jewels and her dark green eyes demanded attention. I smiled at her as she poured herself a cup of tea. She brought the porcelain cup to her full pink lips and drank. I returned my attention to dinner even though I wanted to just take her in my arms.
It was truly amazing how simply enrapt with her she could make me. She knew it as well as I did.
"When are the guests going to arrive, love?" She asked as she sat down on the window seat, the white bedroom robe she wore fell away from her legs as she brought them to her chest. I was able to keep myself from staring.
"They'll be here somewhere between six forty-five and seven. You might want to start getting dressed." I told her, looking back at her. She brought the cup back to her lips and she drank again. She gazed at me over the rim of the cup raising her perfectly arched eyebrow seductively.
"You can wait until tonight." I told her with a smile as I checked on the main dish in the oven. I didn't have to look at her to know those eyes of hers were sparkling mischievously. I knew she continued to watch me as well. She often did, sitting or standing quietly in the door way of the room I was in.
"What should I wear?" She asked. I smiled, remembering how ravishing she looked in that cyan blue dress she bought before the Masquerade.
"Whatever you like; maybe one of your dresses. You can choose your dress. You can dress yourself, dearest." I told her. She gave me a quiet hum and slid off the seat, vanishing through the kitchen door. She never dressed as she should. If Constance had dressed as a woman should I would have never been able to get within ten feet of her. She would've been married before she even got the idea to stay in Paris.
I was glad I was the one to marry her. I had definitely met my match in this Irish beauty. Constance returned as I was pulling out the last dish. She wore her emerald green dress. She sat down at the table, crossing her legs and drinking her tea again. She wore her hair in a tastefully messy up-do, held up with a black comb with small rubies encrusting the black porcelain. She was wearing the red lipstick she wore on the wedding day.
Calean waddled into the kitchen and rubbed against her master's ankles.
"When does she give birth?" I asked.
"Sometime soon, dear. Felines are pregnant for eight weeks." She told me.
"Can you help me set the dinner table, Constance?" I asked she stood, trying to avoid stepping on Calean as she made her way to me.
"What do you need me to do?" She asked, placing her hand on my upper back. I nearly shivered, I looked at her. She looked fantastic. Christine had been teaching Constance how to present herself like the striking woman she was. My young student was actually quite the teacher.
As I was placing the rolls on the table I heard knocks at the door. Thomas and Madeleine had arrived. I didn't even have my vest and jacket on. I turned, nearly running into Constance. She had my jacket and vest on.
"Go ahead and put those on, I'll keep them occupied until you can get what you call decent. Which is actually overkill." She told me, going to the main hall and opened the door. She chirpily greeted them, expertly catching them in idle chat as I put on my apparel. I walked into the hall just as I finished buttoned my vest. I smiled at Thomas and Madeleine, offering Thomas my hand in a shake. He took it with a smile.
"How are you this evening?" Thomas asked.
"I'm wonderful. This is my wife, Constance. Constance, this is Thomas and Madeleine." I introduced them. Constance gave forth possibly the sweetest smile I had ever seen on her face. How perfectly deceiving. We went into the dining room and had a charming dinner.
I was seeing the two out. I closed the door and Constance was there. I jumped then laughed a little at her obviously false innocent demeanor.
"You're getting better at sneaking around, my dear." I told her. She smiled, grabbing my hand. She started walking towards the steps, leading me.
"I learn from the best, Erik. But it's nighttime, love. I've waited, and like I said, our honeymoon isn't technically over until I say… " She trailed off with a devious smile on those perfect lips of hers.
I laughed slightly and allowed her to lead me to the bedroom.
