[This is the second chapter of the Lady's manor, I will continue to try and update in a timely manner. But forgive me if I make a few mistakes. please leave reviews so I may better my writing for the future. Thank you again]
The double doors made no sound as they swung open simultaneously, revealing the beauty of the room within. A spectacular crystal chandelier adorned the room with a spectrum of colors, a wall of lanterns created a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The table was beautifully decorated with the most lavish and expensive of tableware; an arrangements of roses from the gardens sat in a porcelain vase which created an astounding center piece for the table.
Standing off to the side, a figure caught Catherine's eye as she recognized the male to be Claude, his condescending look glistening behind a pair of spectacles. To Catherine, Claude was like glass; transparent, smooth, flawless and COLD. Claude wasn't the kindest of people in the estate, in fact out of everyone who was in the building at the moment he was probably the lowest on her list of people she liked. Unfortunately he's was deadly efficient as his job, almost too good though it must have been from years of working as a butler that this perfection came from. Catherine had no doubts in her mind that Claude had most likely created the rose center piece, since everything was so perfectly aligned and there wasn't one spot that seemed over or underwhelmed of roses, the perfect balance.
On the other side of the room HE was there, his attire as usual was on point, all the way down to the button up tailcoat. Not a single hair on his crimson head was out of place; she couldn't help but admire the way it fell in the most perfect way, it was done in a way that it could look sloppy if one strand was out of place. She swallowed hard and tore her gaze away from Charles to focus back on those seated around the table; her mother and father waiting patiently for her to take a seat and dinner be presented to them.
"Apologies for my tardiness, my mind is elsewhere today" she spoke her apology with a nod of her head in an apologetic way. Her mother cocked a brow as her father gave a deft nod before indicating for her to take a seat, which she gladly obliged. The moment she was seated Claude cleared his throat and announced the nights meal. When the announcement was done Catherine looked down at the beef carpaccio and did her best not to make a face; she wasn't too fond of raw beef, so ignored the protein and went to picking at the steamed vegetables. She ate at a slow rate, putting her fork down between bites to truly taste the food; when she'd had her fill of vegetables she looked to the glass of tea that sat next to her plate and smiled as the scent of Jasmine wafted around the topaz liquid. She brought the edge of the glass to her lips and took a sip of the steeped tea and felt warmth blossom in her. She couldn't help but smile since she knew Charles had made the tea due to the fact that he always made the tea while Claude prepared the table arrangements; he always made the tea perfect to her tastes, never too strong and never too sweet, allowing the herbal drink to linger on the tongue that was most pleasing to her senses. Catherine found there to be a subtle hint of acai berry in the tea, which in her mind was a wonderful accompaniment to the flavour.
The conversation around the table revolved around her father's work, finding herself drifting in and out of the conversation since she really found no reason to take interest in the trades across the sea since her father never expected her to precede him. She knit her fingers together and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and leaning her chin on the intertwined fingers as her mind slowly tiptoed back to the thought of those golden irises, framed by silky crimson locks. Catherine and Charles were the only ones in the estate with crimson hair, she wondered if it was a rare quality to get but still found him to be very attractive with the redness in his hair.
"Catherine… Catherine!" her father's voice calling her name broke her from her thoughts as she blinked to focus her mind on the present situation. Both Lady Adelaide and Lord Henry were looking at her intently, to the point where her cheek warmed as a rosey blush coated her cheeks.
"I-I'm sorry…" she stuttered softly and looked down at the tea that she still clasped in both hands.
"You've hardly touched your food Catherine…" Lady Adelaide stated in a concerned tone as Catherine looked down at her half eaten plate of food and nodded softly "Do you not enjoy the Carpaccio?"
"No. It's nothing to do with that, I just don't quite like the idea of eating raw meat" Catherine's soft spoken voice making her seem like a little mouse in her personality. Her eyes darting over to Claude, and as she expected, a condescending look stared at her; the frown that was etched on his lips was enough to make her regret having voiced her opinion.
"Either way… Catherine" her father began, using his serious tone which made the next subject blatantly obvious to her. The Lord Henry was a very predictable man, his tone alone could alert someone of the upcoming subjects that would be discussed during the conversation. "You need to start looking into what your mother is suggesting"
"And I assume mother brought up the subject of suitors again" she spoke exasperatedly and her father's eyes narrowed at the attitude he received from her. From the corner of her eyes Catherine noted the slight shift in Charles' posture at the mention of suitors; her mind thinking up one hundred reasons as to why it would bother him.
"Look… I will be honest with you. I don't wish to be married off. At least not to someone I barely know. And if I do marry, I want it to be someone who I love and that can love me back." she spoke in a firm tone, the little barn mouse from before gone as she stood her ground, not wanting to have to put up with being told how to live her life.
"That is why I suggested the suitors spend a week here to try and win your hand Catherine." Lady Adelaide added in as Catherine's eyes went to her mother, trying to think of an argument against it but coming up short as she clearly couldn't fight the unstoppable. Her shoulders slumped in defeat as she gave a slight nod, unable to argue with such an offer.
"If I may… I would like to make one more request" her tone was pensive, clearly thinking out a way to at least delay the inevitable as both her parents looked to her with studious looks. "If I may visit our vacation home out by the lake before meeting the suitors"
"Very well then." Lord Henry chided softly and Catherine's smile grew "but I suggest you leave as soon as possible, since we will be trying to get the suitors to come by the end of the month" he informed her and she stiffened briefly. That was a little under three weeks away, was this life changing decision being pushed onto her so quickly..? She nodded gratefully to her father and mother and stood, excusing herself from the table to begin packing, horror creeping through her veins that her life was about to change drastically in less than a year's time. She got back to her room and began packing, little to her knowledge, that back in the dining hall, Lord Henry was asking Charles to accompany Catherine on her trip as her personal butler since all their servants were at the estate not the vacation manor.