The usual warning and disclaimer applies, see chapter one.

Chapter Seven
            It was midsummer, and Kenshin was in much higher spirits than he had been in the weeks since he'd ousted Jean from his life.  Kaoru was sitting in the window, reading, when he blew into the flat.  "Kaoru?  I've been asked to join a few of my business partners on a trip, and would like for you to accompany me.  We have to leave in three hours."  With that, he nearly ran into his room while Kaoru, bemused, set the book aside and went to pack; by dusk, they were in a carriage, headed south through the countryside.

            They arrived at a manor a few days later, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea.  It was an old house, triple-storied and built from local stones, ivy climbing the walls and curling around the windows.  It was situated at the end of a long driveway, about a mile from the edge of a cliff that dropped into the water.  Kaoru was the first to alight from the convoy of carriages, and so was the first into the manor.  The interior was even more exquisite than the exterior; lush carpets covered the floors, a sweeping staircase led up to the second floor, where the carpets ended, the floor was made or marble.  Draperies hung on the walls along with gilt sconces, and chandeliers hung from the ceiling throwing the light in such a way as to make the house inviting yet mysterious at the same time.  Kaoru climbed the stairs to throw open the curtains, and then up another flight to the third floor, where their rooms were located.  On the landing she paused, looking outside.  Kenshin followed her, and threw the door open, allowing them access to the balcony from where could be seen grassy hills rolling to the Cliffside and then the sea and sky beyond.  Kaoru smiled; Kenshin made a handsome picture, standing with the wind blowing through his hair, and a cheery smile on his  face.  Shaking her head, she turned and continued down the hall, followed by Kenshin not long after.  He paused as she opened a door which revealed a rather immense room. 

            "Here you are, Mr. Himura."

            Kenshin smiled as he looked around.  "It's a good room."  The bed was immense, surrounded by heavy drapery, and old hardwood furniture filled the rest of the space.  He flopped on the bed, and closed his eyes for a while before going to find Kaoru.  She was in a slightly smaller but equally nice room a few doors down the hall, and had changed into a lighter dress by the time he knocked on the door.  "Would you like to go down to the beach?"  In response to her nod, offered his arm and they walked down the sloping path to the beach below the cliff.  She let go of his arm once they reached the sand in order to remove her shoes and stockings and walk in the surf.  Kenshin chuckled.  "If I knew it would make you so happy, we would have come here a long time ago."

            Kaoru grinned at him over her shoulder.  "Does it make you happy?"

            "Mostly…"

            "Well, I suppose that's better than being utterly miserable, right?"  Kenshin nodded, smiling a bit, at which Kaoru laughed quietly.  "It's good to see you smiling again, Mr. Himura."

            Kenshin blinked, bemused.  "I've not had much to smile about, of late."

            "I know," Kaoru answered, her voice quiet.  She kept walking, the waves lapping around her ankles.  She was still angry at Jean, hurt for Kenshin, and just slightly bitter about the fact that there was little she could do.

            "So…" Kenshin was slightly behind Kaoru, keeping away from the water. 

            "There's a vineyard down the road, yes?"

            "Mm."

            "Shall we go there tomorrow?"

            "I'll see if I can arrange it."  Kaoru nodded, bending to pick up a rather pretty stone, and jumped backwards as a wave broke higher than the others, causing Kenshin to grin.  "You should have known you'd get wet."

            Kaoru gave him a withering look, and kicked the water so that it splashed him in the face, at which he frowned; his suit was expensive!  "Hmph."

            "Oh, only a few drops hit you."

            "Still," he stepped away a bit more.  "You're dangerous."

            "Only when provoked."

            "And I provoke you?"

            "You just did."

            "Oh, how's that?"   Kaoru merely gave him another look, turned, and stalked away.  Never, in his entire life, had Kenshin met someone with her temper, yet, she had a way of making him smile that unnerved him just the slightest bit.  Not that it was a bad thing, however, he had never really been close to women other than his mother…and that was a different case entirely.  "See the docks up there?  That's where Napoleon landed when he came back from Elba." 

            Kaoru turned so that she was walking backwards, and out of the water.  She grinned, watching his hair whip around his face, hands in his pockets…and he was still smiling.  She found a dune on which they could sit, as they were a ways down the beach and she was slightly fatigued.  Kenshin removed his jacket and sat on it.

            "It's nice here."

            Kaoru drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs.  "Thank you for bringing me along."

            "Why wouldn't I?  You're pleasant to be around when you're not kicking sea water at me."

            She laughed lightly.  "Oh, I don't know.  I hate to think of what your opinion of me would have been four years ago."

            "Hmph."

            "I was a horrid person, always thinking about myself, not caring about anyone else…not that I had a reason to care."

            Kenshin nodded.  "I can't honselty say that I understand any of that."

            "There's no reason for you to want to, either.  We all worked for ourselves.  Honestly, I prefer this."

            "I'm glad."

            "What?"

            "That you're happier.
            "I have you to thank for that."

            "I suppose you do."

            Kaoru closed her eyes, listening to the waves.  She'd love to live here one day, as the sound of the waves was incredibly soothing.

            Kenshin looked at her for a minute, and then looked back at the sea.  "Jean and I discussed coming here once.  But he didn't like to be away from the city."

            "Kaoru shook her head, muttering under her breath about how much she'd love to do Jean some bodily harm.  She still found it difficult to believe that he could have led Kenshin on the way he had, and ranted on the subject for a while before catching Kenshin's expression.

            "You really don't know much about me, Kaoru."

            She frowned.  "No, I don't.  And you don't trust me enough to tell me…"

            "Is there any particular reason why I should trust you?  Kaoru, you're an employee.  If I need to confess, I'll go to my priest."

            "Right.  Your employee."  She stood, brushing the sand off of her dress, and walked away.  That remark had stung, because she did care for him even if she wouldn't tell him for that very reason.  "Of course.  It was wishful thinking that we might be able to be friends."

            Kenshin rose, picking up his  jacket, and walked after her.  "That's one mistake I made with Jean that I won't make again.  I'll not be friends or lovers with anyone I pay.  I won't do it again!"

            "Fine!  Fine, that's perfectly fine.  Forget I even mentioned it.  I'm sorry, I won't bring it up again, Mr. Himura," she growled.  "If you'll excuse me, I have to get ready for dinner, and tune the piano," her words were acid-laced, and she stormed off down the beach in a snit, hair whipping around her waist where it had fallen out of its bun.

            "What the hell are you so irritate about, anyway?"

            She turned, glowering at him.  "For the first time in my life, someone gave me the tiniest spark of hope that I meant more than just something to be shown off.  For the first time, you treated me like a human being.  And now it's all gone to hell."

            Kenshin stalked up to her, trying to appear imposing, although he wasn't that much taller than she was at a little over five feet in height.  "What other use would I have for you, exactly?  You are employed, by me, to entertain and to be beautiful.  I did not hire you to be my confidante, do my paperwork, or to give relationship advice."

            "You really know how to hurt a girl, don't you?"  She clenched her jaw, and walked turned away, half to prevent herself from slapping him and half to hide her tears.

            "What makes you think I care about girls?"  He brushed past her and went to the manor.

            "You don't have to care to know how to hurt."  She didn't return until much later, by which time Kenshin had left to pursue his true purpose for the visit: to get Mr. La Roue away from his wife, and did not return for a few days.  In the meanwhile, Kaoru had sequestered herself in her room with a stack of books, which was fine with Kenshin.  He wanted to sleep, and locked himself in his room.