An Improper Courtship

An Improper Dinner

Blake loomed over Rosalie, "You must be the Rosalie, I've had the honor of hearing so much about," Blake volunteered before she could offer anything to say to indicate their previous 'experience'. Rosalie peered up, at the shadow casting above her. He extended an arm to aid her up. For a moment Rosalie contemplated ignoring the hand but she was glad for the steadiness his muscly corded arm offered her body and mind.

"We have to stop meeting like this," Blake murmured, as Rosalie rose to his height, her grip relying on his grounded support.

"What..." she whispered, her heart dropped as she realised Blake had met her twice with her backside planted on the floor, "What on earth are you doing here?!" she gasped. Blake was awfully close to Rosalie and could see the bump forming to the left of her delicate forehead. Aware that Honey was nearby,  he couldn't begin acting familiar with Rosalie just now.

"It seems like you hurt your head, I think that you should perhaps lay down." Blake continued, ignoring her question and gently guided her towards a chair in the corridor.

"I'm fine," Rosalie pulled away perhaps too eagerly causing her to trip slightly. Honey flitted in into the hallway,

"Wonderful! You've met Rosalie, " she said, moving forward with light feet, clapping her gloved hands, her smile soon faltered, "Oh my! Rosalie what happened to your pretty head?"

"Nothing happened," she replied, moving her hand to touch the bruising area but wincing when she realised that the nothing in question was, in fact, something.

"Rosalie bumped into my shoulder," Blake started,

"What?" Rosalie sputtered, involuntarily leaning slightly to her left.  The bruise and the side of her body were pulsating numbly and the confusion at this absorbingly handsome stranger being in her new home was amplifying the ache.

"Your shoulder gave my si-cousin a bruise that huge? Do not be daft Blake!" Honey was wincing at the bruise, her blue eyes sparkling with concern.

"I just fell on the floor," Rosalie murmured almost embarrassingly. Honey waited for more but Rosalie was adamant not to explain her childlike behaviour.

"Honey, don't you think we should get Rosalie checked by someone?" he asked worriedly eyeing the injured girl.

"Well, yes of course. It does look rather terrible. Sorry.." she apologised to Rosalie' 'Should we send for the doctor?"

"Yes, I think we should and whilst you wait" Blake turned to look at Rosalie "you can lie in the drawing-room," Blake decided. His eyes seemed to implore her to do so and a tiny part of her would have fulfilled his wish just to comfort some deep new ache that seemed linked to him but her pride who she had fostered for much longer would not allow it. And anyway why should she listen to him.

"No, I'm fine, it's nothing. I've dealt with worse. I wore a corset for this dinner and I can assure you it is not going to waste," Rosalie protested, "I'm well enough,"

Blake bit back a smile at the corset comment, she looked voluptuous, to say the least, deliciously pliant to say the most, his skin buzzed at the memory of her so close to him, at the feel of her warmth beside him in the chair.

"Do you not normally wear corsets?" Blake questioned, his smile knowing and almost revealing their secret. He knew that she had not been wearing a corset by the river. Honey elbowed him hard.

"Blake! What on earth are you asking?!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes, regretting the action as it further intensified the throbbing, "Let us eat, I'm famished."

"I'm not sure-"Honey started,

"I think eating is the perfect solution" Rosalie believed it as well, nutrition was just the thing she needed to stop the lightheadedness she felt. She was also trying to redirect attention away from her second accident of the day. She'd never been a clumsy person.

"Well," Honey said sighing, looking between Blake and Rosalie, "I'll just arrange the call for a checkup after dinner, just to be safe." Honey hurried off.

"Now, this is bizarre," Rosalie started, chewing her lip and scanning Blake's face. There was a smile lingering in the corner of his eyes. Blake offered his hand and Rosalie hesitated. Oh, what the earth, she had definitely touched him more than that. He guided her up.

The silence between them should have probably felt more strange but instead, it felt almost familiar. Which was ridiculous they barely knew each other.

"Should I be thanking you for not exposing me," Rosalie started,

"Well, if memory serves right, your way of showing gratefulness is very appreciative,"

Rosalie sucked in a breath, how stupid had she been, she searched for the right thing to say. "Whatever notions you have of me, forget them completely! I only... kissed you at the lake because of the rush of energy, I nearly died, I promise I wasn't thinking straight,"

There was no chance he could forget her and her lips.

"Of course, it would be unheroic of me not to do what a lady in distress demands,"

"I don't think I was in distress and yes it would be quite unheroic," Rosalie was glad Blake was providing her with some support her arms, the harshly lit hallway was swaying slightly.

"We can pretend we have never met before tonight," she supplemented weakly. Blake peered down at her, she was averagely slender in height but from his peering angle, his smile awoke an undistinguished feeling in her stomach.

"As you wish, my lady," he obliged, spinning to face her and taking her other hand raising it to his lips and tenderly kissing her knuckles. Rosalie pulled away feeling a warmth crawl at her throat.

"I think you should probably know, I haven't said anything more for my sake than yours, it is rather a lot to explain to my dear aunt and cousins, lying would be silly and I'm almost sure the truth would inevitably come out and we'd be left in a rather awkward predicament," Blake whispered, drawing Rosalie closer.

"Well awkward seems to follow us around," Rosalie could see the pieces falling into place, cousin, aunt and the confusion tore away. Yet, with Blake's presence so near, heat emanating from his sculpted form only more accentuated by his extremely well-tailored evening wear, led to Rosalie sense everything more viscerally, including the throbbing pain and how uncomfortable she felt to the core.

"Well, to rectify this we better get well acquainted and dispel this awkwardness, we will be under the same roof for the following weeks," Blake winked.

Rosalie sighed irritably, her headache and this baritone voice she could feel under her ribs weren't helping.

"Shall we eat?" Rosalie diverted, food seemed a good sidestep away from his open-ended statement. As quickly as she was capable, she walked into the dining room and sat in her seat. Rosalie regretted her fast movements as her head continued to sway despite finding steadiness. 

"Oh my goodness, what happened, dear?" Kate questioned, as soon as she walked in.

"She fell mama," Alyssa replied almost distastefully.

"Accidents happen," Kate wanted to add quite a lot it seems, "why has no ice been applied to the bump?"

"Honey told me of your fall," Alyssa started, Honey walked in smiling trepidly. Rosalie tried to keep her head still, but she was sure they were all moving too much.

"I can give you etiquette lessons, help teach you how to walk." Alyssa continued, it was her version of a joke. Rosalie grimaced, she would have been offended and even retorted if she hadn't been concentrating on keeping her eyes open and her head horizontal. Alyssa noticed the bait for quick repartee had not been taken. Rosalie could barely focus on Alyssa's words, the yellow in her evening gown seemed to mock Rosalie's vision.

The dinner started when Rosalie's Father walked in. Pea and mint soup which Rosalie could hardly put in her mouth without dribbling down her chin, she gave up waiting for the main meal. It consisted of creamy chicken, mince pies, glazed carrots, buttery potatoes and a fresh salad. The conversation mainly consisted of Blake and her Father exchanging male opinions and Honey asking curious questions. Rosalie concentrated on eating what was before her. Halfway through the dinner, Rosalie was starting to realise, that maybe she should see the doctor. She wasn't feeling entirely normal and the pain was not lessening. Her eyes shut, it would only be for a moment, she urged herself, but it was then that darkness enveloped her in a quick swoop.