Sir Arthur

• Twenty-seven

Lord Heather laughed at his daughter's messiness and ruffled through her messy hair. He had come to wonder when it was ever tidy.

"Everything is good?" He asked noticing that she appeared tired and her body was exhausted.

"It is now good, father." She moved into his arms again feeling content that he was back.

"Your brother isn't troubling you, is he?" He asked teasingly knowing the two children could get into small fights every now and then.

"He's really fine, I saw him a few days back." Kim assured him just as her mother came out of the house.

"Girls, you are already back." she exclaimed loudly as she spotted them in the yard and Kimberly talking to her father.

She also noticed the quiet man still settled on the bench where she had asked him to rest onto after he walked in the manor with her husband.

He had one of his legs stretched out and leaned back into the wood of the bench with one arm along it. He was unnoticeable with all the talking going on so she called her daughter.

"Kimberly dear, let your father rest he is tired." Lady Heather rushed towards them to bring them back inside. It was getting darker by the time.

"Take our guest in," she whispered to her daughter just before she went in with the girls. Madame Paula could have done that but she wanted to push things forward between the two.

Faye and Lily smiled warmly and walked ahead as Lady Heather linked her arms with her husband pulling him in just after the girls.

A guest. It was uncommon for them to host one so she turned back to ask her mother where the guest was but then she was already gone.

Kim mumbled under breath about how she was left out alone as she scratched her back looking around. It was getting itchy, perhaps because of laying on the grass.

"Hey," a hoarse voice came from beyond the lawn a few feet from where she stood. Screaming would have been an option but since she was in the safety of their compound, she jumped slightly in panic slowly turning around.

"Sir Arthur?" She slowly called, carefully walking towards him on the bench. His eyes were on her till she stood before him. He gestured a spot on the bench moving slightly to make room.

Kim sat down then faced him again. She was surprised that he was here. Here in their home this late yet a large part of her was ecstatic. Her heart didn't also stay calm. It throbbed excitedly in her chest.

"What are you doing here?" She quickly asked flicking her eyes over his attire. Sir Arthur stared at her face relaxing further into the bench.

"I mean - I'm surprised to see you here." She rephrased her words when he didn't answer. She added a small smile to dilute her rudeness.

"It was a surprise," he spoke the words so softly and quietly that Kim wasn't sure if he had said them. His gaze still remained on her face, warmth radiating through his dark eyes.

She opened her mouth dazed, with her throat again dry after all the water she had drank that afternoon. Kim briefly glanced into his eyes then shyly dropped hers to her lap.

"How are you?" Sir Arthur asked after a short pause his eyes drifting to her elbow once she looked up. She didn't have the gauze on though it had been a few days.

"I'm well, it doesn't even hurt." Kim twisted her hand around for him to see that she was fully okay. His eyes twinkled at her actions as he nodded at her.

"This is for you," he stretched out a purple box-like item in his hands. He watched the surprised look on her face as she took it then looked back at him.