Chapter Four:

"So how was your rendezvous with James this afternoon?" Lily asked giving Guinievere her classic "you've been with a guy and I know you liked it" smirk.

"It was absolutely fantastic, he was a real gentlemen." Guinievere said after slumping on the couch. Sneaking out to meet other passengers of different class was much more difficult that she had thought.

"Aren't all men of prestige supposed be gentlemen."

"Not all men, my dearest Lily! Most men are pigs; rude and senseless. And if they are rich they are most likely pompous and arrogant. James is not any of this things. He's caring and sweet, though sometimes a bit out of the ordinary." Guinievere looked down at this thought and got up to move to the corner of the bed. "Its strange he didn't make an appearance this past afternoon."

"Quite strange actually, didn't you say he was going to come by?" Lily asked, with Guinievere's bed clothes in hand.

"Yes, I believe so. Maybe he was just busy."

"Maybe. Well here are your bed clothes, you should sleep, you've have a long day."

"Thank you Lily. You sleep well too." Guinievere took the clothes from her and set them on the bed.

"Would you like me to help you with that?" Lily said, pointing to the clothing.

"No, I think I'll do it myself tonight."

"All right, I wish you the best of luck, Dear."

Guinievere smiled a bit. "I do too."

"It seems like something is bothering you."

"No, just thinking. I'll be fine. You may go if you wish."

"Sleep well Guinievere." Lily said before taking her leave.

Guinievere had nothing else better to do. She wasn't at all fatigued, rather she was very fidgety now. In order to keep her hands busy, she picked up the needlepoint she had been working on. She watched as the red thread slowly weaved in and out of the canvas slowly creating the beautiful bloom to a rose. She smiled a little to herself. "Mother will love this", she thought. While watching the thread seem to magically pull out of the canvas she heard a sudden knock on the door. This startled her causing her to break the thread and her calm mood. The knock was coming from the direction of James' room.

"You may come in." she called from the bed, still a bit exasperated. The door opened and a head of dark hair peaked in.

"Hello Miss, I'm sorry to have interrupted you."

"No it's alright, just working on something for my mother."

James entered the room, quietly closing the door behind him. With careful steps he made his way to where Guinievere sat.

"This is beautiful." he said as he picked up the needlepoint. "Where did you learn to do something so magnificent."

"Most girls learn the craft at finishing school."

James smiled. "Yes, Yes they do don't they." He put down the canvas and got up and grabbed a nearby chair.

"I apologize for not meeting with you this afternoon. I had things to get done. I hope you don't mind."

"No it's fine. You need to get important issues cleared away before engaging in social gatherings. Father would always tell me that when I was young."

"I see, replied James smiling just a little. He seemed a little uneasy and he began to break out into a hot sweat.

"Are you all right?" Guinievere got up from the bed and moved to a chair next to James. "You don't seem well." She put her hand up to his forehead, and felt heat on his face. "You really should go, you don't seem well at all.
"I'm Fine!" James yelled, forcing her hand away. Guinievere was a bit taken aback. "I'm so sorry, I can be short-tempered at times."

"I guess so!" Guinievere said sitting back in her chair. She didn't care much for how she presented herself anymore.

James took the action as one of anger and decided he should probably get going.

"I just came by to apologize for not being present today. But I should be going now, sleep we…"

"No..!" Guinievere said, grabbing his wrist. "Don't leave me, not now at least." She persuaded him back down into the chair. "I don't want to be left alone." James looked around.

"Where's Lily?" he asked.

"I sent her away, I needed time to think, thinking is such a lonely activity. I don't care much to be alone anymore."

Guinievere got up and went to the corner of her room. James watched after her, noticing how the soft curls of her hair fell so perfectly against her back, and instantly tore his eyes from her before she could tell he was staring. "You can't fall in love, you hardly know her! And she's hardly interested in you." James thought to himself as he stared at the ornate designs on the plush carpeting beneath his feet. Guinievere came back to the chair holding what seemed to be journal.

"This is what I usually spend most of my time doing." She handed him the book, looking at him expectantly. "I write poetry."

James opened the bound journal and flipped through it a bit "Wow you have written a lot in here." Guinievere smiled. "Yes, I do I guess." Guinievere took the book from his hands and flipped through it until she found was she was looking for. Handing it back she pointed to the left page, reading "This Life of Mine." "Read that."

Guinievere watched as his eyes read over every word, hoping that this wasn't a mistake to show him something so personal to her. She felt pushed to do it, to show her most private things to a man she hardly knew. But there was something about him that made it okay, or at that particular moment it did.

James closed the book slowly. "Wow, that was absolutely amazing."

Guinievere smiled. She was relieved that he had liked the poem.

"You are a girl of many talents." he said looking down at her with a smile. For the first time that night their eyes had met.

"Yes, I guess I am, everyone tells me so."

James' smile grew brighter. "That's because it's the truth." Guinievere had no idea how James had gotten so close but his imminent presence wasn't at all awkward. He slowly placed his hand on her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin under his fingertips.
"You really are a beautiful young woman. Your beauty surpasses that of your needle points and your poetry combined."

Guinievere blushed and looked down. His hand swiftly moved to her chin and slowly brought her face back up so he could see it once again. He looked into her beautiful brown eyes, for the first time seeing that they had a grayish tint. Moving his hand to the back of her neck he slowly leaned in, smelling the sweet scent of gardenia. Guinievere did the same. She was mesmerized by the man before her, looking upon her with such love. Her eyes flickered shut as he came closer. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin. Soon she their lips would meet, but their lips never met. Instead there was a sudden knock on the door and it opened. Guinievere and James instantly broke apart and looked toward the corridor light as Lily nearly cantered into the room.

"You must come quickly, something has happened."

"What's going on?" Guinievere said, moving away from James smoothing the front of her dress.

"I'll tell you on the way, we must go now." Lily grabbed Guinievere's hand and Guinievere quickly beckoned James to come along.