Oh.My.God! Thank you soooo much for the reviews! Every single one of them! This time period is like in the olden times when people used to go to soirees, sorta like the tudor times but waayy after that. On with the show!
Richard Grayson looked up from the London times as the brass knocker banged against his front door. The price of barley was falling again, just two months short of when his own crops would be ripe. He sighed. The losses would probably wipe out the profits he'd managed to wring from the late-spring harvest. The knocker sounded again
"Alfred, the door" Richard called, taking a swallow of the hot, strong coffee.As the rapping sounded once more, he folded the paper and stood. Alfred had better been polishing the silver somewhere and not sleeping in one of the sitting rooms, as the old fellow had the alarming tendency to do. As for the other servants, they no doubt had their hands full with his entire family in residence. Either that, or they had fled without bothering to give notice. With the way his luck had been running lately, there were probably a herd of soliciters out there waiting to take him into custody for unpaid bills
"Yes" he said pulling it open "What-"
"Good morning lord Grayson" lady Kori Anders curtisied, the skirt of her dark green morning dress flowing around her and a matching bonnet framing her arburn hair. Richard snapped his jaw shut. Ordinarily, a woman so lovely standing on his door step would be a good thing, but there was nothing quite ordinary quite however about Kori Anders
"What the devil are you doing here?" he asked, noting that her maid waited a few steps behind her "You're not armed are you?"
"Only with my wits" she returned. He'd been wounded by her wits on more than one occasion
"And I repeat, what are you doing here?"
"Because I wish to call on your aunts. Please stand aside" Gatering her skirt, she brushed past him into the foyer. Her skin smelled of lavendar
"Why don't you come in?" he asked belatedly
"You're a very poor butler you know" she said over her shoulder "Show me to your aunts, if you please" Folding his arms across his chest, Richard leaned against the door frame
"Since I'm a poor butler, I suggest you go and find them yourself" In truth, he blazed with curiosity to discover why she had chosen to call at Wayne Manor. She'd known the location for years, yet this was the first time she'd chosen to darken his doorstep.
"Has anyone told you that you are unbearably rude?" she returned, facing him again
"Why, yes. You have, on several occasions, as I recall. If you care to apologise for that, however, I will be glad to escort you wherever you wiish to go" A flush crept up her cheeks, colouring her delecate skin
"I will never apologise to you" she snapped "And you may go straight to Hades" He hadn't expected her to apologise, yet he couldn't help suggesting it every so often.
"Very well upstairs, first door on the left. I will be in Hades, if you should require my services" Turning on his heel, Richardexcited the hallway for the breakfast room andhis newspaper. As her footsteps receded up the stairs he could hear her cursing him under her breath. he allowed himself a small smile as he sat back, the paper unopened before him. Kori Anders had come across mayfair to call on his aunts, though she'd seen them less than a fortnight ago.
"What the devil is she up to?" Given their past, he couldn't trust her as much as he could throw her. Richard stood again, leaving the remains on of his breakfeast on a table, in case one of his sevants should decide to make an appearance and throw them away. Damnanation, where was everyone this morning?
"Aunt millie?" he called, toppling the stairs and angling to the left "Aunt Edwina?" he pushed into the bright frilly room "Why I hadn't realised we had a visitor this morning, and who might this charming young lady be?"
"Oh shut up" Kori sniffed and turned her back on him. Millie poked her walking cane in his direction
"You know very well who's come to visit us. Why didn't you tell us that she'd sent her regards last night, you evil boy?" Richard dogded her cane and swept in to kiss his aunt on her round pale cheeks.
"Because you were asleep when I returned and you informed Alfred that I shouldn't disturb you this morning" bubbling laughter erupted from her ample chest
"So I did. Fetch me a biscuit, Edwina dear" the shadow in the corner rustled into motion
"Of course sister. And you Kori, have you had your breakfeast yet?"
"I have, Miss Edwina" she replied with such warmth in her honeyed voice that Richard was startled. He, she and warmth didn't often appear together.
"And please stay where you are, I'll see to miss Millie"
"You're a treasure Kori, I've often said that to your aunt Fredrica"
"You're too kind Aunt Edwina, If I were truly a treasure, I would have called on you before now, instead of making you travel all the way to see aunt Fradrica and me" Kori rose, treading hard on Richard's toe
"How do you take your tea, Miss Millie? Miss Edwina?"
"Oh do stop with the mis this and miss that. I feel like I'm and ancient spinster" Millie chuckled
"Nonsense" Richard interrupted with a smile, refraining from bending down and rubbing his foot. Apparantly Kori had taken to walking in iron-heeled shoes for she couldn't weigh more that seven stones. She was tall but slender with rounded hips and full breasts that he was so partial to on a young women. Which was what had gotten him into trouble with her in the first place
"You both are as young and lovely as spring time"
"Lord Grayson" she began, sounding pleasant and polite as she distributed tea and biscuits, though she offered none to him "I was under the impression that you had little wish to join us this morning" So she wanted to be rid of him. All the more reason for him to stay, although he had no intention of allowing her to think that he was the least bit interested about whatever she might be gossiping about
"I was looking for my brothers" he improvised " They are to accompany me to Tattersall's this morning"
"I thought I heard them in the ballroom" Edwina said. In her ever present black clothes and seated in the one corner where the sun didn't shine, she looked like one of shakespear's characters with spectacles. "For some reason all of the footmen were there as well"
"Hm. I hope Bradshaw's not trying to blow something up again. If you'll excuse me ladies?" As Kori walked back to her seat she tried stepping on him again but her was ready this time and backed out the door before she could connect.
Though Kori had long ago made a point of staying as far away from the Grayson's as possible, she'd always had a liking for Millie and Edwina and for her plan to work, she needed to live under their roof, it would have been wonderful living with them, if only he didn't live here. Ironically, he was the reason she needed to live here.
"So with Ryan married" she explained "My aunt has no real need for a companion, she and her daughter in law are getting on splendidly and I don't want to be in their way"
"You don't mean to return back to Tamaran now, not while it's the season"
"Oh no, my parents have three more children waiting for their debuts, they hardly want me dragging along, setting a bad example. Even Komi's a bad example and she's married!" Edwina patted her arm
"You are not a bad example, Kori we never married and we never suffered from lack of husband"
"Not that we lacked beaux, of course. We just never found the right ones" Millie inturrupted "Although I do miss dancing" she said sending a pointed glance at Edwina, although Kori had no idea why.
"That's why I'm here really" Kori said, taking a deep breath. This was it, this was the first move on the chessboard "I thought you'd like someone here to help you get about-"
"Oh yes!" Edwina interruped with the most enthusiasm she had ever heard from her mouth "Another female in the house would be splendid. There are too many boys in this house by far. And it would be a relief to have a civilised conversation for once" Kori smiled, taking Millie's hand
"So what do you say Aunt Millie?"
"Oh I'm sure you have other things to do than stay with a boring old spinster" Millie smiled
"Nosense! I will make it my duty to see you walking again" Kori declared
"Say yes! Millie! say yes!" Edwina interjected
"Then, I say yes" Millie smiled, color touching her pale cheeks. Edwina stood
"I'll send for Alfred to bring all your stuff here. I'm afraid that all the rooms in the west wing are occupied, with all the brothers here, do you mind the morning sun?"
"Of course not. I rise early" How could she sleep knowing that Richard Grayson was under the same roof? She must be insane to do this, but if she didn't, who would?
"But I was under the impression that you and Richard didn't get on well" Edwina said, her dark eyes regarding her from over the table
"We have had our differences, yes" Kori started, choosing her words carefully. Richard would no doubt be after his aunts for information about her visits and he neede to know as little as possible about her plan "But I don't see why I should avoid spending time with you"
"Well, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into" Millie glanced sideways at Edwina "Indeed I do"
So guys what do you think? The next chapter would be with Kori living in the Grayson's house with Richard and his 3 brothers (which I haven't introduced yet) and of course Aunt Millie and Aunt Edwina. I hope you like it!