Chapter 2

Charles Fyrmont stared out of the carriage window, bored. Miss Silksome sat across from him, next to Wesley, with a book in her hands.

"How can you read all the time?" Wesley inquired. Rose smiled slightly before closing the novel.

"Well I can't expect that you would want to enter into conversation with me. I find I am quite dull, Wes- I mean Mr. Carter." Mr. Fyrmont fidgeted grumpily.

"Why should we not want to converse Miss Silksome? You are a new person to us. I for one, don't know about Wesley here, but I would like to at least know something about you other than your name and that you read." he almost snapped. Miss Silksome looked slightly taken aback.

"I'm sorry Sir, if I upset you. I will gladly answer any question you put forth," she quickly replied. Mr. Fyrmont ran his hand over his eyes, groggy and tired.

"I'm sorry Miss Silksome, I am tired and agitated. Please do tell us about yourself."

"I'm afraid I don't know what would interest you sir. I fear that I would prattle on and say nothing useful." She studied the cover of her book intently. Fyrmont chuckled.

"You are a scholar through and through, aren't you? Alright then, you said you played. What is your favorite piece of music?"

"Oh. Um," she stuttered, "I hardly know. I only know those songs of which have come from my own head. I have never heard any of the pieces by the masters."

"Really? Well, that is surprising. Well then, what is yo- oh look! There's Lorebury."

Out of a light morning mist and from behind a green, tree laden hill appeared a massive specter of a house. The dark stone turrets rose ominously in the light, while hundreds of glassed windows reflected the sun. Lush gardens of tulips and roses littered the grounds and a magnificent fountain with sculpted angels graced the front of the mansion.

"It's beautiful," she stared out of the window, "Never have I seen such a mansion." Mr. Fyrmont smiled as his new employee was in awe of his estate. Once they were at the main door, Mr. Fyrmont helped Miss Silksome out of the carriage, noticing for the first time that her hands were spotted with ink.

"Wesley, please show Miss Silksome to her quarters,"

"Yes, Sir." Wesley picked up the one trunk that Miss Silksome had brought.

"And Miss Silksome," Fyrmont called as they began to turn down a hallway. She turned back. "I would have you join me in my study for dinner this evening to acquaint you with the estate and give you the previous scholar's books." Rose bowed her head, and then followed Wesley, who was currently giving Fyrmont a look that conveyed surprise and a slight hint of mocking.

Rose walked into her new room. It was just off of the massive library. It was plain and barren, but it suited her. Wesley set her trunk down at the foot of the small bed.

"Thank you Mr. Carter." She said as he left.

"Please ma'am, just Wesley will do," he smiled as he shut the door. Rose walked over to her small window and beheld the luscious rose garden.

"Oh mother," she sighed quietly, "Why couldn't I have been normal." She sat down on the thin mattress and looked about the room. A dusty rug lay on the floor, tattered with holes, dyed with what was probably once a deep red. A wardrobe was nestled into the corner and an old desk sat in front of the door. She stood and opened her trunk. She swiftly hung up her three dresses then began to stack her books on the desk. When she was finished, she sunk into the cushioned chair at the desk. The book she had picked up, paired with the sunlight that warmed her, induced her into sleep with her book still in hand.

Rose awoke to laughing. She blinked and cleared her vision to find Wesley in the doorway.

"You've been here but a few hours and you're already bored into sleep!" Rose tried to reply but it all came out in a jumbled mess. Wesley laughed again.

"Really now? I think that has probably been the most interesting thing a lovely woman has said to me," He smiled. Rose blushed and put her face in her hand.

"What do you want Wesley?" she asked with a drowsy smile.

"It's time for dinner Miss Silksome with Mr. Fyrmont." He indicated for her to leave her room. She stared at him blankly, then started.

"Oh! right right," she fiddled with her skirts again. "And Wesley, I think, seeing as I just made myself a babbling fool, and I have a feeling we will be good friends, please call me Rose." She blinked heavily and then exited, Wesley closing the door behind her.

"So then Miss Rose, how does your room suit you? If I had known we would be hiring a woman I would have made the room more suitable."

"Oh don't fuss about it Wesley. It suits me just fine. " she smiled as they reached Mr. Fyrmont's study.

"Now don't you worry. Mr. Fyrmont's a good man. And you seem to know your business. You'll be fine!" Wesley assured her as he noticed she wore an uneasy smile. She beamed at his words and confidently entered the study. Mr. Fyrmont stood upon her entering.

"Right so Miss Silksome, I have here what our former scholar had on the estate's affairs and such. I don't understand a bit of it but I'm sure you will get it." He gestured for her to sit. She took a seat in front of the large desk he stood at. Two plates heaped with food sat there warming the wood. Rose raised her eyebrow in that customary little quirk.

"I told you there would be dinner Miss Silksome," he reminded her. He pulled his chair up to the desk, and began eating. Rose lightly picked up one of the account books and opened it, laying it open on the desk. Charles watched with a bemused smile as she absent-mindedly ate the meal in front of her. He had to withhold an ungentlemanly amount of laughter as she continued to read, but reached for her water glass. Her hand was about six inches from where it actually was. He chuckled quietly as he grabbed her wrist and directed it to the glass. At the contact, her green eyes shot up from the book, and she stopped mid-bite. Her eyes flicked back and forth between his face and his hand on her wrist. He hid a smile as he released her. Her face flushed with a deep red as she realized what he had been doing.

"That is not fair sir," she spoke quietly. Charles scowled.

"What do you mean?"

"Here I am, planning how to increase your crop production within months," she tried desperately to hide an unladylike smirk, "and you humiliate me." Mr. Fyrmont looked stunned. He hadn't realized that that was how she would feel about his action. He began to stutter profusely.

"Your former scholar seemed to have no clue how to properly run your estate. There is about 5,000 pounds that could be gained simply by increasing the amount of seed you plant." She continued as though her employer were not making a fool of himself. He thanked her silently for relieving him of his embarrassment. "Now sir, I think it would be appropriate to talk about my salary." she muttered grudgingly.

"What? Is the original salary for the scholar not enough?" Charles almost choked on his water.

" What? No! I was going to say you paid him far too much. 20 pounds a year will be perfectly sufficient! The 70 you were paying is absolutely ridiculous!" She quickly made clearer her statement. Charles gave her a strange look. She glanced around awkwardly.

"What?"

"You are a strange woman Miss Silksome." She looked at him, quite confused, before standing and gathering the mound of books into her arms.

"If you'll excuse me sir, I will continue going over these in my own room," She offered a quick smile that did not reach her eyes.

"Please," Charles quickly stood, moving around the desk, "let me help." He reached out his arms to relieve her of some of the books. She took a calculated step backwards.

"I am fine sir, I can manage." She turned from him, carefully making her way to the door. He rushed ahead of her, opening and holding the door for her. She gave a slight head nod before heading down the hall. Charles watched as Wesley ran up the stairs to meet her.

"Please allow me to help you Miss Rose," he smiled, holding out his arms to receive her burden. She smiled and relinquished the books into his waiting arms. Charles scowled profusely.

"Thank you Wesley, I'm afraid my arms will be quite bruised with their weight." She laughed lightly. Charles watched from his study's doorway as his best friend and his new employee laughed and smiled as they joked. Charles felt an unfamiliar pang in his stomach. He closed the door and flopped into his chair. His thoughts wandered and he found himself staring at the water glass.