Noel's black bob like hair had a little more bounce to it, since her natural waves were growing out and her hair almost sparkled in a shimmer of blue against the dull golden lights of the Olmsted restaurant.
A few Little strands of ringlets whirled and curled around her chin and throat, when they were finished they would wave back behind her, leaving her ears bare and exposed.
She wore violet eye shadow and that same plum colored lipstick.
She wore a cheery blossom blush similar to the same color that would be on her skin naturally.
She wore a long sleeved black dress with a ample white collar that covered both her shoulders and silver buttons that down right below her knees.
She had checkered leggings that provided a little modesty for her legs since the dress was way too short.
However the legging were form fitting and they hugged her thighs in a way that did not escape Algernon's attention.
There were times he had to divert his attention to other places around the room.
He knew she was no longer a little girl but seeing how her legs fit into those legging was nearly giving him heat stroke.
It wasn't even that warm inside the restaurant but somehow he kept adjusting his tie because he felt he couldn't breathe properly.
"Are you alright?"
Noel rested her hand on his sleeve in her concern.
"No...what?
Oh yes I'm fine.
I just put my tie on too tight before i left the house.
Silly me".
"Oh well you seem nervous and you've been fiddling with your tie for a good 10 minutes."
"Nervous.
Why would I be nervous?
This tie is driving me crazy.
I might as well take it off".
Algernon's face was gradually shifting to a pale frustrated shade of raspberry.
This wasn't so much because of what she was wearing, he was angry at himself for looking at her like that.
She's not some object.
She's your boss's niece.
You watched this girl grow up.
How dare you look at her like she's some tasteless little tart!
She happens to be a woman of class.
She's sophisticated, she's wise she has curves on her like there's no tomorrow.
Stop it man.
She's practically a child compared to you.
She's like a daughter to you.
She even claimed that you were like an uncle to her.
You're a father figure.
Remember all those times she'd grab onto your sleeves and she'd follow you around, with her hand in yours.
She cried in your arms, she cried on your shoulder.
She talked with you, she trusted you, she confided in you.
You were her one and only friend at time.
Get a grip old man!
Oh suddenly I feel sick.
I need some air and quick!
Algernon's once raspberry complexion was now a sickly shade of cotton chiffon.
"I think I need some air.
Excuse me".
At that he sped outside so swiftly that it took Noel by Surprise.
In fact She was impressed.
Even after all these years he was as fit as ever.
Noel decided to give him a few moments before she ventured outside after him.
"Are you feeling alright?
You look quite flushed".
Noel touched his forehead just to check if he had a temperature.
Algernon brushed her hand away rather abruptly.
"You're quite warm.
Are you ill?"
Noel's face took on a warm motherly quality.
Algernon inhaled sharply.
"No I am not ill.
I thank you for your concern but I'm fine...I'm just fine."
"You don't look fine.
Come now Algee, what's wrong?
You know you can tell me.
You know you can tell me anything, I promise I won't judge you."
"True you were never one to judge but I'm afraid...this is a bit too personal of a matter".
"Does it have something to do with your heart?
You know that thing you take that medication for?"
"No it has nothing to do with that thank goodness.
I actually haven't had a problem with that in a long time.
The medication you speak of, I hardly take anymore.
I take care of myself you know."
"I know I've noticed.
You ran out of there like a bat out of hell.
I must say I'm quite impressed.
I mean if you're that quick on your feet, you'll probably outlive us all.
Come now, Algernon what's bothering you?"
"It's not a bother that is to say I'm not bothered in any way.
It's just... I've always seen you as a little girl...and it just hit me...that you're not a little girl anymore.
Oh my this is awkward.
It's just you look so nice, a little too nice if I might add.
Don't you think that dress is a little too short?"
Noel put her hand over her mouth not in shock but in the hilarity of the situation.
"Oh so this is what this is about.
I knew I shouldn't have consulted my aunt on what to wear.
Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it's embarrassing that's why.
You're my boss's niece for crying out loud and since I'm a gentleman I am not one to stare."
"I'm not really related to your boss.
I just so happen to be related to the lady of the house."
"Still it's embarrassing."
"Well I hope this isn't too much to ask but do you like what you see?"
She fiddled with his left lapel with a sort of whimsical look on her face.
"I don't think i should answer that.
It simply wouldn't be proper".
Algernon said rather stiffly.
"You know there's nothing to be ashamed of.
I mean I'm not embarrassed by it.
You're a man and you have eyes but there is difference between a man who looks and a man who acts.
You were decent enough to divert your gaze from me.
Tell me what did you notice before you looked away so fastidiously?"
"Your...your ...leggings are a tad bit too revealing".
"Now was that so hard to say?
Why are you British so stuffy and so out of touch with their emotions?
Why can't they just admit what they're actually thinking?"
"We British are very much in touch with our emotions we just choose not to let them overcome us.
As For my thoughts would you think me rash if I told you that...I rather like how you look in those leggings... tonight."
"No I wouldn't think you rash at all.
I'd be rather flattered actually.
Look if you had just come out and said what you thought and how you actually felt, I wouldn't have judged you.
Now if you had decided place your hand on my leg then that would be different and I would find that creepy and weird but you didn't.
Instead you chose to look away and keep your hands to yourself and I appreciate that.
So yes you are a true gentleman.
So no I don't think any less of you.
Why as far as I'm concerned you're still my hero".
"I'm your hero?
Since when?"
"Since I first met you at Knightdale house".
"Oh that was awfully long ago.
Why didn't you idolize your Uncle?
He's the big shot producer.
I'm just the Butler.
I clean out ketchup stains and I wash out bidets.
It's not a very romantic job I'm afraid."
"Oh but you clean with such grace and such finesse, you're always so classy and witty.
You know when I first met you I thought you were the man of the house.
You just had this lordly authority, this aristocratic air everywhere you went."
"Yes I remember that day well.
I remember you asking if I was in charge".
"To which you said Yes I am in a matter of speaking."
"Yes I'm the King of the Laundromat.
The Prince of the Porcelain.
The Lord of the Lysol.
The Duke of Bonaville.
I need no introduction.
There's no need to announce my arrival when I enter the room.
Please no applause.
Please whatever you do, don't grovel, I just waxed the floor."
She laughed at this while Ann Hampton Callaway played in the background.
"Yes I remember now Bona was the stuff I used to wax the floor that day, you know that day when I got you in trouble".
There was a painful twinge of guilt on her face.
"Oh you shouldn't feel bad.
It was my fault.
I shouldn't have let you help me that day.
Yet you were so insistent, you really had your heart set on helping me and I didn't want to turn you away.
You were such a sensitive child.
I explained this to your uncle after he apologized to me."
"Yes so I've heard.
I'm rather hard to resist aren't I?"
"No comment".
"You know you aren't very different from my uncle.
I see a lot of him in you at times."
"He's the actual aristocrat.
His grandfather was a Baron, his father eventually took that title and that torch was going to be passed down to your Uncle but he had other plans.
He wanted to star in Day Time soap Operas.
This eventually lead to him becoming a director.
He wrote a few episodes here and there but eventually he gained enough recognition not to mention enough money that he became a big time producer.
He's the one you should be looking up to".
"Yes but you're so much more interesting.
You have this tragic Dickensian back story.
You have that rare and underrated story everyone wants to hear.
You should write a book about your life."
"I know I should.
I heard on 60 minutes there was this Butler that wrote a book about his life as a live in servant and the book was a instant hit.
It was such a big seller that practically overnight he became worth millions.
Imagine that millions of dollars over one measly book.
I was rather mad when I heard that story.
I was mad that I hadn't thought of it.
I was mad that that multimillionaire could have been me.
If I had that kind of money I wouldn't have to work ever again.
I could take a vacation.
I could go on a cruise, buy a yacht alongside a Beverly Hills like Mansion.
I'd have one of those pools that looks like it's going to drop off the face of the earth.
I'd have my own gym with my own live in personal trainer.
I'd be forever thin, healthy and fit and I'd die at 102."
"Where would I be amongst all that wealth?
Surely I could come and visit you."
"Oh You'd be living on the top floor, at the penthouse, the one with the view.
I'd hire you to be my assistant".
"A assistant for what?"
"A assistant for my other books I'll be writing, of course
Think of yourself as my muse".
"I'd like that.
In fact I'd love to be your muse.
I've never been a muse to anyone before."
"Always a first time for everything.
Have we ordered our food yet?"
"No we haven't since we've been talking.
We didn't have a chance to order yet".
"Oh so my memory hasn't failed me yet".
