"Why are we heading towards the stables?" Matilda sighed. Her light blue calf length dress was in no way of being threatened of touching the ground, but she dramatically held it up above her knees. "This dress is new for the summer, I don't want to get it dirty with animal poop. And what about you? You never go to the stables not in your habit or costume. I still don't know why you made your costume red when you're favorite color is green."
Charlotte balled her hands into fists but kept walking, "Are you going to talk the whole time?"
"You promised me fairy floss and testing the rigged games. If you wanted to come to the stables why didn't you just tell Mama and Dada that?"
"Because I hurt my wrist at the last show and they don't want me handling the animals."
Matilda looked down at the ground skipping around the piles of manure as they were now by the stables, "So you want me to lie and say we weren't here?"
The older sister stopped mid-step. Her doe eyes widen and she gasped at the site in front of her. In the field behind stables Belle was working her routine exactly as she always did. Leading her with a small whip was Rasputin; jacket and vest missing, buttons on his shirt undone to mid chest. Sweat matted his chest hair to what was exposed of his pectorals.
"Why are you blushing?" Matilda walked up to her sister. "We weren't walking that fast."
"I…I don't know what you're…I'm not blushing!" Charlotte moved to take a step but found she couldn't. What is this? This ache pooling by my legs that won't let me move?
Belle performed ever gallop perfectly meeting Rasputin, where he cheered and gave her a treat. He looked up and his smile turned to shock, "Charlotte!" He dropped the whip and started buttoning up his shirt. "I…I…sorry…I out here a while and it's hot…"
Charlotte ran up to the man and the zebra, "Rasputin, you have her doing her routine perfectly! She doesn't usually respond to other people."
The man stopped buttoning up his shirt, "She doesn't?"
"No. I was worried about having to do so much rehearsal again before going back to do the show…but now…thank you." She smiled, reached up and touched his hands, showing off her wrapped up wrist.
Rasputin closed his eyes, thinking of his cousin's words hard. Not the boss' daughter. She's spoiled and socially retarded. But her smile and warm hands… Blood started to rush to below his waist.
"Your wrist?" Rasputin brushed a few of his fingers over the bandage. "You fine?"
"The doctor says it's just a light sprain. I placed it wrong. I knew I did but I didn't want to spook Belle."
"I take care of Belle, so you can heal."
"Charlotte, are you done?" Matilda looked up from the grey barn cat she was petting. She giggled, "So this is why you wanted to come to the stables." She skipped over to them. "You're sweet on the stable boy!"
Rasputin dropped his hands and picked up Belle's reins, "She need break. Let me put her back."
"Why didn't you just tell me, Lotte?" Matida held out her hand. "Give me the money for the candy and games and you can stay here."
Charlotte removed her hands from Rasptuin's chest to open her pocketbook when the man spoke.
"No let me ruin your day. Go have fun, I see you again, Lotte," Rasputin smiled at the girls before turning away with Belle.
The knock on the office door was so soft, Rasputin wasn't sure it was a knock or just vibrations from the animals. When it happened again louder, he looked up from his paperwork. Through the window all he saw was pair of blue eyes and white blonde hair. He sighed as he got up and opened the door.
"Charlotte, why are you here? Where sister?"
"She found some of her ballet friends. As they were talking, I walked away," She hung her sun hat on the pegs on the office wall. She leaned up against the desk as he sat back down. "What are you working on?"
"The feed order."
Charlotte looked around the small room as he went back to writing. The walls were empty, the desk and table basic pine and only held the necessities.
"You should let me help decorate in here. My Dada's offices are so cozy. We can make this cozy; add things you like."
"I not in here much; it don't need much."
Charlotte looked down at the paper, "So how do you do the food order?"
"Feed order."
Charlotte smiled as she inched closer to him, "Feed order."
"I almost done with this one. I can show you next one if you want."
"Do you have anything else to do this afternoon, Rasputin? I wanted to know if you wanted to get ice cream and do the hall of mirrors?"
Rasputin sighed and ran his fingers through his light brown hair, "I not know. I still need to clean…don't you know mirror house well? Be bored?"
A light pink tint came to Charlotte's cheeks, "There's actually a secret part. Only certain people know about it…I could show you." She took a deep breath and walked up between the man's legs. She bent to be face to face with him, bracing herself by gripping the chair's arms.
Wide eyed, Rasputin sat straight up in his chair and gripped the seat arms tight, "Charlotte, what are you doing?"
"I want to kiss you," Charlotte pushed her lips into the young man's, his moustache tickling her nose. She didn't let that stop her; she pushed in harder.
Rasputin pulled away. He turned his head and looked down at the floor, "Charlotte, please. I can't."
"What do you mean you can't? You want to kiss me too."
She pushed her lips back into his and this time he did return it. He tilted his head so his handlebar moustache was not as obtrusive.
His cousin's voice was swiftly in his head. You're going to let a fourteen-year-old girl kiss you? You a nineteen, almost, twenty-year-old man? The boss' inept daughter? A girl of our social status wouldn't have time for such games.
Rasputin pulled away, he breath heavy, his pants a little tighter in the groin.
"No, Charlotte."
"Yes!" She reached her hands up and cupped his cheeks.
"No, Charlotte, we can't!" His large hands and the additional fingers made him stronger than the average man. He peeled the owner's daughter off of him and pushed her away as he stood up.
Charlotte stumbled into the desk. When she turned back around, her blue eyes were filled with tears. Her hair was tousled and revealed more of the deformity on her scalp than Rasputin had ever seen.
"What do you mean we can't?" She balled her hands in to fists and hit her thighs. "Of course, we can! Do you not like me?" Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her voice grew higher in pitch as she yelled.
The strong and tall man backed up against the wall, like an elephant seeing a mouse, "You boss' daughter. I don't want trouble."
Charlotte giggled at the response, "Oh Rasputin, is that it?" She unclenched her hands and wiped her tears away. "Oh Rasputin, there's nothing to worry about. I will talk to him and next time I see you, there will be no concerns. Dada always lets me have what I want." She smiled at the man before leaving the office.
Rasputin locked the door. Oh dear God what do I do now?