An Improper Courtship

An Improper Lunch

Rosalie had fled. Her heart raced in her throat. Her mind yelling to leave now for the mess she had created. Logic had decided to reappear at the last minute, it berated desire and hope. Another shiny feeling told her she could have stayed longer, no she should have. But she'd fled, perhaps like a coward, perhaps showing more strength. She didn't know, in all honesty, her mind was barely stringing a sentence along. It was a cacophony of emotions. She did question herself over and over. Why had she even kissed him? What was she trying to prove?

Quickly walking back to Jameson's country house Rosalie decided she would spend the remainder of the afternoon with her 'sisters'. It was the only way her mind would stop thinking. Thinking of him. Thinking of dual nature when it came to men. Thinking of her mistake?

As soon as she thought of his name, Rosalie groaned as she yet again remembered the shape of his lips, the sight of his golden chest and the way his eyes had sparked ease, intelligence and something safe. She'd never seen that in a man's eyes. She sighed in frustration. She would never see him again. It would be fine. Je pense.

Blake swam back to the other side of the river warmed by his experience and the prospect that he had finally found his way back to his aunt's home. His mother's twin sister had always been welcoming and loving. As much as he tried not to, it was impossible not to think of Rosalie. Rosalie with her lush hair, waving in ringlets and curls. Rosalie with eyes that sparkled a mystery he would dive into.

Blake wasn't a man he frequented brothels, he preferred the pursuit of a woman who wanted him. It would make for sweeter tasting encounters. Of course at university, there were many opportunities to visit brothels full of willing girls but his mother's appraisals would always resonate in his head if one came near him;

"Just remind yourself, child, those girls are somebody's daughter, sister and maybe will be someone's mother one day, would you have liked your mother or aunt or cousins to be treated so discardedly," He had loved his mother and the image she put in his 14-year-old wild mind had revolted him and made him stay well clear away. Blake started his journey in the direction of his country house.

"You wandered off," Honey smiled softly, her eyes twinkling and wiggling her finger, "Did we bore you?"

"No, not at all. I have never been surrounded by so much greenery, I couldn't help myself." Rosalie replied sitting in a wooden chair. The July sun had been generous but Rosalie had crept into the house and changed her clothes, attempting to fix her unruly hair.

"Why did you change?" Alyssa asked pointedly,

"I was too hot in my previous dress,"

"Why does your hair look so..." Alyssa wanted to say deranged, "dishevelled"

"ALYSSA" Honey slapped her sister lightly, offering an apologetic smile to Rosalie.

"Ignore her, she doesn't mean it in that way. I love your hair."

"You mean frizz," Rosalie corrected, patting her head, "I fell when I was in the forest, and branches caught my hair," Alyssa scrutinised the damp hair and shrugged, she didn't care if Rosalie chose to lie but it seemed an odd thing to do.

"Anyway, I understand coming here can be quite overwhelming. Alyssa and I do prefer the city much more but it does no harm to visit here and count our blessings. Nature can be healing." Honey changed the conversation sipping her tea, something seemed to go blank in her face. Alyssa nodded eyeing her sister with an itch of concern crossing her face.

"This house has quite a lot of Fedora history, our great grandparents built this house and our late widowed aunt and her 2 sons used to spend a considerable amount of time here." Alyssa coughed, drawing attention to herself. Honey leaned over to take a cucumber sandwich, her mind still wandering, looking back towards the house, as though expecting someone to come out. Her lack of attention managed to knock an over-filled teacup all over Rosalie's fresh change of clothes.

"Oh! how terribly clumsy of me, I am so sorry," she said frantically standing up, it seemed to snap her out of wherever her mind had travelled to. She grabbed napkins to soak the tea of Rosalie's clothes. With Honey leaning over Rosalie in such an awkward manner to clean the tea splatters of her stomach and lap, anyone walking in would have thought the scene quite startling. It was, of course, the moment Lady Kate Fedora decided to walk out on the verandah.

Rosalie's giggles were soon an unladylike throaty laugh. Honey stepped away her face quite flustered,

"Why do you laugh? Your garments are quite ruined because of me, I am terribly sorry." She looked down, her face twisting in anxiety.

"Butterfingers," Alyssa muttered, shaking her head, covering a small smile while Kate assessed the situation. Rosalie would have loved to tell the girls what was so funny, getting wet from split tea was the least of her worries of the day. She took Honey's hand and smiled reassuringly at her, "It's fine, I'm fine."

Honey looked close to tears but it almost seemed outside of Rosalie's control.

"Should I splash tea over you, tit for tat, that's what you English say, right," Rosalie tried to lighten the mood. Honey gasped but it brought some light back into her eyes,

"How bizarre, a tea party turned into a tea fight," Alyssa inputted.

"I recommend you go change Rosalie and perhaps put a corset on, dear. In London, you can't be seen without one. You can join us in the drawing-room." Lady Kate coaxed. Rosalie decided that maybe she would stay in her chambers instead; she had dealt with enough excitement today.

"I am quite exhausted, I might take a nap and join you for supper," Rosalie said hastily before they had all gone inside.

"Oh, I suppose the country air does that. I will send a servant to wake and dress you at the appropriate time." Kate replied, she put an arm around Honey's waist and Honey leaned in to hide her face. Something else was transpiring here.

When Rosalie passed the grandfather clock she saw it was already 3. Leisurely taking her time up the stairs to her chambers, in the distance the galloping of a horse neared but whatever it may be, it didn't interest Rosalie, it wasn't like she knew anyone here.

Blake arrived at his old home at around three. As soon as he knocked and was allowed in by Fiennes, he inspected his surroundings. Not a thing had changed. The grandfather clock stood tall by the entrance of the office and the marble tables were still at the sides of the wide staircase that led in both directions. The butler went into the drawing-room opposite the office and informed his aunt, who soon ran out into her nephew's arms.

"Oh my dearest Blake, what took you so long, your driver arrived yesterday!?" His adoring aunt Kate said squeezing him tightly and kissed his cheeks. He returned the kisses, holding his aunt in a slightly longer embrace.

"You know I am terrible at finding my way through nature" or anything he should have added. Kate just took him by the hands, "My poor boy, Were you hurt? I'll send for the doctor,"

"No, I am quite well but I am absolutely famished"

"You must be exhausted," Kate said, leading him to the drawing-room, using her nephew as support. He smiled as he looked at his frail aunt. She had always been smaller and thinner than his Mother although they were exact copies of each other. Oval faces, almost translucent skin, large blue eyes and a head of hair streaking grey and black hair. It hurt and warmed his heart to look at his aunt.

"Oh, my dearest nephew when I saw that you hadn't arrived, I assumed that you had stopped at a village longer than necessary which put you behind schedule, never once did I think you could have been in harm's way."

"Do not worry your head, dear aunt, it will hurt me more than any of the journey's tribulations."

"You are too good, my boy," Kate pushed the door to the flowered room open, a feminine haven.

"We have a lot to discuss before we leave for London. We will have to discuss the matter of you and your brother's inherit-."

"Aunt," he sighed "not now, perhaps in a few days when I have eaten my fill for the past few days, I need to replenish for the fasting I've done Kate smiled, the same thin-lipped smile Blake's Mother had and they entered the room.

"I dare say that you are quite wrong on that matter, Mrs Crownsbury is a respectable-" Alyssa was interrupted by Honey's squeal.

"BLAKE!" Honey rushed into his awaiting arms. He crushed his cousin in his embrace, to see her with so much life and energy warmed his heart. She didn't deserve her history.

"Why Rosie, I'm sure your hair has reddened." He said picking a strawberry blonde tress,

"And have you not gotten taller, my oh my does the sun cause growth spurts in males?" Honey was always avoiding the topic of her hair, it was a colour that no one else shared in the family. Alyssa did not rush into his arms but rather walked up to her cousin and stuck her hand out,

"I see you have finally decided to grace us with your presence, cousin"

Blake who was not for formalities tugged at Alyssa's hand and embraced her in a bear crushing hug. It was only when his arms were around her body did he realize how skeletal and undernourished she felt. Alyssa squirmed under his hug and he knew he had discovered something he should not have.

"Alyssa Peach Have you been ea-" Blake started to ask but was quickly interrupted by Alyssa,

"How were your travels?"

Honey gaped from the side, "I clearly remember you scowling at me for interrupting Miss Jonna, yet you just... " she pointed frantically at her cousin "did it to Blake."

"Well, you clearly demonstrated that all manners should be dropped out the window, amongst family" Alyssa flayed her arms in drama. Honey shrugged, running to her cousin was nothing shameful to her.

"So, do tell us all about all your time away from us. I want to know everything." Honey urged, the emphasis on everything hanging in the room.

"In time, cousins. But first I desperately need food and a bed." Blake sighed, just as the God-send servant walked in with sandwiches and rolls of the meaty sort.

"Oh, how incredibly thoughtless of us, you have been travelling for days, of course, you would wish for such simple necessities," Alyssa said grimacing at the food.

"No!" Blake mocked "You, Alyssa could never be thoughtless, it must be the excitement of having me back," Blake winked, "Alyssa would you like to eat?"

"No, thank you we just had lunch," Alyssa replied quickly,

"A very interesting one," Kate spoke up.

"Is that so? In what way?" Blake asked between mouthfuls of the ham rolls.

"Oh, mama why did you have to bring it up!" Honey scowled, her eyebrows knitting in distress.

"Well, it's not every day you walk into a situation like that,"

"I have no idea what you ladies are speaking about," Blake said, being away from his family he had forgotten the way these women spoke in code.

"Honey spilt tea all over Rosalie," Alyssa explained. Blake froze, his throat closing up as he tried to swallow the sausage roll, tears sprung to his eyes as he coughed hysterically. His fist went to his chest. All three ladies started tapping his back and handing him lemonade.

"The story was not worthy of that reaction," Honey cringed,

After the awkward coughing had subsided, Blake blanked his expression as much as possible and ventured into dangerous territory.

"Who is Rosalie?" His heart had stopped beating, he was sure. What were the odds?

"Oh dear me, I'm growing too forgetful, we haven't told you of our new addition to the family." Kate supplemented quickly before any of her daughters told their beloved cousin of their half-sister, "She is the niece of Mr Jameson, her mother died in childbirth and her father died recently abroad. We were her only remaining relatives and so she's to live with us till she is wed."

Kate saw her daughters give her odd looks, were lies necessary even with Blake?

"Oh," was all Blake managed to say, stuffing his mouth.

"You will meet her at supper!" Honey exclaimed, Blake focused on swallowing his food. One thing at a time.

I think I already met her, quite naked and we, unfortunately, or fortunately shared a kiss that would usually seal a marriage.

How do we retrace our steps back to normality?