With the expulsion of rain, the morning sun drives its way through the cracks in the curtains, finding places it can insert itself, scaring away the darkness within. I preferred the dark. The demons hide in darkness where the light reveals them. There's silence in the night. A peaceful salve where the morning brings nature's song. That tune failed to bring joy to a hardened heart, presenting only the longing for nightfall.
"Ah, good morning, Madam!" Johnson's cheery voice echoed through the foyer; the open area had great acoustics, carrying the sound to the breakfast table where I wait. I shook out the paper in my grasp, took a lingering sip of the lukewarm coffee and grimaced. Our visitor lived through the night and the empty chair across from mine was impending occupancy. The rest of the conversation became muffled, Johnson leading the woman my way. A clearing of my throat was all the acknowledgement I gave while the dutiful butler weighted on her.
After a moment of silence, the clattering of dishes ceased and the man bowed out, leaving myself and the woman alone. I lifted the small mug, sipping the warmed contents before lowering it back to the small, glass plate with a clatter. With a glance over the newspaper, I found the girl staring at me. When our eyes met, she didn't flinch or turn away, she seemed curious. Her brow furrowed, she was trying to read me, understand something. Eventually, I was the one that broke the contact.
Returning my attention to the paper, I allowed the staring to continue for a while longer before commenting, "You'd better eat. You look like you could use it." I nodded in the direction of her filled plate without looking up. I didn't have to. A moment of silence followed, then the scrapping of fork to the ceramic surface was my answer
Johnson allowed himself to return a time or two, doting on the girl, even asking multiple times if she was positive she was full. Eventually, she allowed him to fix a cup of tea and once she assured him she was good, he left the room. The quiet then resumed. Since my most recent girl left, I hadn't shared a meal with anyone. That was part of the reason I kept a girl. I didn't enjoy conversation or a relationship per say, I wanted the silent companionship of sitting across from another being, sating a mutual need.
Naturally, that moment of peace exploded into tiny bits when she cleared her throat. It wasn't the act itself that did it but what followed after. "Thank you. For the room, the food...the shirt…"
My gaze flicked above an article about the weather patterns, noting, as I had not before, that she was still wearing my shirt. I gave a brief, accepting nod in response to her gratitude and took another sip of tea.
"You going to keep me here or am I to leave once my clothes dry?" The words spoken without waver, more curiosity than fear. Most feared me, this was different.
"You are free to go whenever you wish. Dry clothes or otherwise." My stare lingered on the open collar, the shirt fit loosely, "You can keep the shirt." I pointedly shook the paper, straightening it, returning to my reading.
"You're not going to make me repay you for saving my life?" Another question, the tone of her voice unchanged.
I didn't look up, this time, attempting to continue studying the article however, I hadn't understood a thing I had read since she walked in. My attention commanded elsewhere, I gave up; folding the paper and setting it aside, I finished off my tea. "Why would you voice such a question?" I was in a way amused but also annoyed. I knew the rumors about me that circulated, I knew why they feared me. This woman was clearly not afraid but she seemed to believe the rumors, she was even mocking me for it.
"You owe me nothing." I said firmly. "Once you are ready, let Johnson know. He will drive you back to town."
"I don't live in town," The words quipped as she took a long moment, drinking her tea.
"Then he will take you wherever you wish to go." My fuse has always been very short, I have never had much patience.
The ploy to goad me into asking where she did live thwarted, she shrugged, "Alright. I will let him know when I am ready to leave."
Unused to that type of treatment, I eventually excused myself and left the woman to her tea. Headed upstairs with intent of shutting myself in the library the remainder of the morning. With any luck, the girl would have gathered her things and left by the time I emerged for lunch.
Intentions aside, I received about two hours, if that, of peace. Afterward a soft knock came from the other side of the door, one I knew quite well. I cleared my throat before calling, "Come in."
The door handle turned, door opening with the softest of clicks yet that blasted door felt the need to announce its opening. Recalling his forgetfulness, Johnson flushed, "My apologies, Sir. I will care for that presently." He gave a deep bow of his head.
I raised a hand, rotating my wrist in an urging for him to continue. I could only assume he was here to inform me that he would be taking the girl away or to let me know that he completed the task and returned. However, neither of the explanations come.
"The ah, house guest," He looked embarrassed as he hadn't gotten her name, "Would like something to read and requested that I show her to the library. As this is your domain, Sire…"
The mere wave of two fingers was enough to silence the man, "Show her in, but do explain that the library is off limits."
The old man quickly nodded, seemed relieved in fact, I wondered how hard the woman had grilled the poor man.
Settling one leg over the other, I shifted in my chair, raising the book back to my view. It took a moment to find my place and once I did, I resumed my reading. There was only a short walk from the room I had given the guest use of, and within moments Johnson waved her inside, having left the room open, the obnoxious door wasn't an interruption. I glanced up in time to spot the butler giving us both a swift, low bow and disappear down the hall.
My gaze followed the woman. Somewhere she had acquired pants. I tried to recall what she had been wearing the night before. Since I did not recognize the trousers and she clearly fit in them, they must have been her own. Her clothes were dry, yet she still lingered. Elbow perched on the chair's arm, I cradled my face with my fingertips. Watching as her bare feet slapped against the hardwood floor, standing on her tiptoes, grasping a book just out of her grasp otherwise.
The woman did not seem to pay any attention to me yet one hundred percent of my attention was on her and each movement she made. A string connected my eyes to her form, they followed her every move. It became very apparent that she was fully aware of my gaze and even, reveling in it; a scowl crossed my features before forcing my attention back to the book in my grasp. Naturally the moment I did so, I felt her eyes on me. Sounds of her movements halted,apparently my looking at her seemed necessary for movement. I sniffed, more in irritation than actual need of the act, turning the page though I am not at all sure what I had just read. Perhaps I did not even read at all. Staring at the pages but not seeing the written words before me. The female had completely rendered me illiterate.
Unwilling to continue in this manner, I marked the page, set the book aside and rose from my chair. I didn't bother to glance her direction, didn't need to give her the satisfaction of knowing she rattled me.
"Sire!" Johnson exclaimed as I stepped from the library into the hall. The man looked on the verge of a panic attack, "Was there something you required? I can fix your lunch early or bring your tea up…" I said nothing, merely lifting a hand, effectively halting the butler in his garbled tracks.
As I walked around the man, I swear I heard a whimper. That brought the barest hint of a curl to my lips. One amusement I did have in my life was the man's eagerness to serve and the way he fidgets when he feels he has erred and I paused long enough to pat him on the shoulder in a soothing manner before continuing on my way. I did hold a great deal of affection for the old man. He was always a very eager one but he has taken great care of me.
I let myself into the office, long fingers caressing the heavy oak desk, feeling its strength as I round it, lowering myself into the chair. My father had decorated the room to his tastes. Which made it a very elegant but leather heavy room. The top portion of the desk was a leather surface, surrounded by a wooden frame; the rest of the furniture, a couch, two wingbacks, the office chair, all leather. Everything else was oak. A large, 5 shelf bookcase stood as tall as I did and was the width of the wall behind it. Unlike the library shelves, these held legers. It held entirety of my father's empire, my empire. This room had always solved my problems for me before, I wondered if it would be kind enough to assist me in the dilemma I am currently facing.
Problem number one: I am in need of a new girl
Problem number two: I have a houseguest who happens to be a girl and does not seem to be in a hurry to leave.
Possible solution: Have the determined houseguest become said girl.
Possible complication: Will said houseguest be more of a headache than she's worth?
I continued to make the list within my mind, mentally going over each question, every concern. I had always worked out problems like that. Ticking off each issue mentally until I came to a decision I could live with. The woman was already infuriating just in her mannerisms, the way she made herself at home was irksome enough and she wasn't anything like the docile creatures I inclined to deal with previously.
Knowing my own temperament as I did, I doubted it would last very long. I would blow up or the girl would refuse to comply and run. Either ending did not seem profitable, yet as Johnson had no doubt attempted to point out, I was running out of options. The more girls I went through, the less others wanted to take the position. All the perks were not worth what I put them through or at least what they believed I was putting them through. That was the problem. What I actually did wasn't the problem, it was what they think I did.
My decision eventually made. I had a good idea where Johnson had headed to after the meeting in the hall, pressing the intercom button on the landline phone that sat in the corner of the desk, I waited to hear the telling beep, "Bring the girl to my office." I didn't wait for a response before severing the connection. Releasing a breath, I could only hope I am not making a mistake.