The third day

"Where are you going Miss Dunn?" Asked a deep voice from behind her.
"Oh hell" Thought Charlotte. "I can't elude this man." She turned around and forced a smile on her face.
"I was going to pick some fruits."
"Alone?"
"It's just a short distance..."
"I'm glad, cause I'm coming too."
"Oh, I'm sure that's not necessary."
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go alone," answered Lord Roxton as he began putting on his gun belt.
"In that case I will stay. We still have enough fruit." She hesitated. "I will start dinner."
Roxton arched his eyebrows. This girl really was a funny one. Yesterday she went to bed early and didn't come out of her room until the others left. She didn't speak too much, and she always found a reason to be quite a distance away from him. Now she had gone into the kitchen. Although he wasn't in the mood to argue, his sense of adventure wouldn't let him stay away from her either and he decided that for once he would listen to Ned's and Marguerite's advice.
"Someone might think you're afraid of me" He leaned on the kitchen table.
Charlotte dropped the frying pan in surprise.
"I'll take that as a yes" He smirked.
"Really Lord Roxton..." She started.
"But I can assure you that you don't have to be. Well, I must admit that I wasn't very nice to you from the beginning. You can name it as an instinct, but I just felt that something wasn't right around you."
The girl turned around. The man in front of her was nerve-racking calm. Without an unnatural or forced line on his face, he said all this just like he was speaking about the weather. It made her nervous.
"I always thought, that except for me, you were the only one who could reveal me. I failed. I had not counted on the surroundings." She turned away again. "Is this what you shot yesterday?" She held up a sack, and the man nodded yes. Charlotte opened it, but the minute she saw what was inside, she paled and ran into her room. When the Lord found her, she was writhing above her washbasin.
"All right. Calm down." He smoothed her hair back. The girl wiped her mouth. " Here, drink some water." He gave her a glass, and she started to drink the water slowly.
"I'm sorry."
"You don´t have to be ashamed. It´s normal. I guess you don´t see everyday dead birds."
"I have, but I just can't bear the smell and...uh, I don't feel well." She paled again.
"My mother would have a similar reaction, but she didn't have to be in a situation like this. Our cook advised her to think about something else as she held the animal."
"For example?"
"An enemy?" He grinned." Or...think about how delicious it will be. Are you better now?"
She nodded yes.
"Then lets start cooking. I'm as hungry as a wolf..."
He stood up, but she didn't move.
"Come on, I´ll help you" He reached for her hand.
Charlotte smiled, took his outstretched hand and they headed toward the kitchen.

"Dinner was perfect" Challenger wiped his mouth and leaned back in his seat.
"Yes, it was heavenly!" Agreed Malone.
"A little bit dry in my opinion," murmured Richard under his breath
"Last time you complained it was not dry enough!" Laughed Roxton at his cousin.
"Really. I wouldn't have been able to prepare this if not for Lord Roxton´s help..."
"Please call me John!" He smiled widely.
"Thank you. So without the help of John and Mr. Summerlee´s wonderful recipe..."
"Summerlee?" Asked Challenger.
"Yes. Last week, as I organized the books, I found a collection of Prof. Arthur Summerlee´s recipes."
"A recipe-book? I didn't know, he wrote one," said Malone.
"I found it behind the bookshelf. It's really detailed, he wrote down everything, like he knew my own thoughts..."
"Good old Summerlee!" Smiled Challenger. " He still can surprise us..."
"Please, tell me about him!" asked the girl. She was like a little child waiting for a fairy tale
"Well, let's see..." began the professor.

The evening went on perfectly. Charlotte and Richard learning more about the explorers years on the Plateau and Mr. Summerlee.

I'm so sad that I still didn't get any review. Please! If you like it, or if you not, just write a few line and I'll be happy :)))))