I Will Love You

Chapter 3

As we approached the house of Diana, I notice a man sitting on the steps, looking at the horizon, I notice a cigar in his hand and as soon as he sees the carriage enter the road of stones of the garden he gives a smile rising, the cigar before in his hands is thrown between the stones, he assumes a relaxed posture, crossing his arms leaving his arms muscles apparent and taking the attention of his dirty and ragged clothes.

The carriage stops just in front of the staircase, Sipp goes down first, giving his hand to his wife to come down and then to me. For some reason he looks with disappointment at the man on the stairs and then whispers something to Diana, she agrees with a head move and turns to me with one of her annoyingly beautiful and friendly smiles.

- Come on, I want to show you your room before lunch is ready! - Diana desconversa.

Her hand touches my arm pulling me down the staircase, as soon as we walk in I meet a white, black-eyed girl dressed in a standard waitress uniform, she assumes a smile as receptive as Diana’s. I look away at a dark and rustic wooden sideboard, standing out of the completely white room with some paintings, I smile at seeing a white vase on the furniture with lavender.

- Lavender is blue, dear... - Whisper realizing that Diana still remembered.

When we were children, Mother had several flowers in her garden, but the one that caught my attention was the lavender, for its lilac color and its characteristic smell, besides being the main character of the lullaby song that Mom sang to us when we were too excited to sleep.

I turn my gaze back to Diana, who was still smiling at me, and I’m sure she realizes that I remember too.

- Lily, this is Maddie, the housekeeper. - I look back at the woman Diana was talking about. - Anything you need you can ask her...

- It is a pleasure Mrs Meyer.- She makes reference.

- You can call me Lily, Maddie, you’ll see a lot of me around the house!

- Of course ma'am. - Maddie looks away at Diana.- Miss Diana, lunch will be ready in a few minutes, do you have any request for the table position?

- No, Maddie, do as you see fit. - My sister responds politely. - Could you ask someone to pick up Lily’s things from the carriage and take them to her room?

- Of course ma'am.

Maddie bows again before entering a room previously unknown to the house.

Diana quickly pulled me back up the stairs, taking me to the second floor, I look at the great corridor with identical doors, but of course Diana would take me to a specific one. I enter the room looking at the little decoration, just a picture on the bed, an armchair in the corner, the closet and a dresser with another vase with lavender. The neutral painting of the walls and curtains, the arrangement of bed in shades of blue gave a clean touch to the room. I walk to the curtains and drag them to the side, face the garden of the house by the door with glass spaces, the open quietly going to a small external area of the room. As I turn to Diana, I see a beautiful chandelier in the center of the room, the crystals glistening by the sunlight. 

- It is beautiful...

Diana goes to the armchair in the center of the room and sits down without saying anything.

- If you want to change something, or for something inform me or tell Maddie that we will put. - She rests her hands on the dress. - Plus, I’m glad you liked it.

Still enchanted with the chandelier in the center of the room, I walk to the tip of the bed and sit facing my sister.

As much as I found the only two rooms I had the opportunity to meet beautiful, something still surrounded my mind, a doubt...

- Who is the man on the ladder? - I question crossing my legs.

Diana sighs by passing one of her hands on her fringe, fixing some thread that would not be in place. Suddenly she gets up serious.

- Nobody important, only Sipp’s inconsequential brother.- She responds in a tone of indifference. - I will oversee things in the kitchen, please feel free to explore the house, we have an amazing library and you will love the space of our backyard.

Assinto, still curious about the man on the stairs, that I don’t even know his name. Diana withdraws from the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts and doubts about my brother’s mysterious brother.

I got out of bed, once again admiring the room, before leaving it too, ready to meet my new home. I walk down the hall without even imagining where the library that Diana mentioned should be, but as soon as I get to the bottom of the stairs I can hear the voices...

- I hope she doesn’t have the unfortunate opportunity to know who you are...- I hear Sipp’s voice.

- Of course brother... - The voice of his brother still unknown.

And then steps, Since Sipp was introduced to the family, I had never heard him speak that way to anyone, for being an earl he is always polite and formal, never thought that my brother-in-law could be like that with his own family.

I begin to descend the stairs, and soon in its half I see it facing the arch that gives to some of the rooms, I take your distraction to rescue as much detail as I can. The white regatta marking his body, the cinnamon pants and the black shoes. The black hair arranged in a tuft half fallen on his forehead.

- Admiring? - Your voice takes me out of your thoughts.

I finish going down the stairs and give a nice smile extending my hand to him.

- No, rescuing details... - He shakes my hand. - Will one day I need to recognize his dead body somewhere.

The boy looks scared and I watch more closely now. Eyes as dark as night, marked jaws, well-drawn lips, blushing cheeks.

- Nicholas Schimidt.- When I open my mouth to introduce myself, he interrupts me. - I know who you are, Lily...

Nicholas...

He gives me a smile on my side hand. 

- Apparently I’m spoken for here...

Nicholas makes an expression of "maybe" and then walks away with a few steps back.

- Don’t count on it, little princess...

I roll my eyes and turn my back on the same way Sipp probably did. As I pass by the arch, I’m surprised to see so many wildflowers, I’m glad Diana never forgot this childhood habit. Three beige sofas positioned around a wooden table in front of the white fireplace. Just behind the sofa a chess table with two chairs and next to it three large windows, bringing plenty of natural lighting to the place. I notice some paintings with paintings of perhaps important people, considering that Sipp is next to one of them.

I turn my attention to two white doors, trying to imagine if one of them would be the library that Diana mentioned, but I discard the door on the right as soon as I hear the sound of footsteps coming from her. I approach my hand from the golden doorknob and then...

- Miss.- I turn quickly to Maddie.- Glad you’re here, Diana is waiting for you for lunch, I’ll call Mr Schimidt.

I just smile at the woman and walk away, returning to the entrance room, where I stop in front of the other arch, look at the grand piano positioned in the center of the room and some armchairs spread out.

- This way Lily... - I’m scared by Maddie’s voice.

I follow her, passing by the piano room and entering another soon after, the dining room where I find Diana and Nicholas and a very light atmosphere for lunch. As soon as they see me, they try to give me an inviting smile, which makes me want to turn around and eat in my room more than with them.

- Sit here. - My sister calls me, pushing back the chair next to her.

- It’s Lily, sit there... - He says in an ironic tone.

I’m not sure I want to have lunch with them. But I can’t be rude in my own sister’s house. I sit next to her in silence, listening to Maddie deliver Sipp’s message for lunch.