Sir Arthur

• Forty

Kim's head swirled amidst the loud chatter around her. Her two friends had dolled her up forcing her to even put on a white dress as per her mother's orders. One would think she was getting married. Lily finalized tying up her hair just as Lady Heather streamed into the room.

"Are you done?" She smiled at her daughter through the mirror as Faye nodded enthusiastically. She had been waiting for this day since Kimberly disclosed that Sir Arthur wanted to pursue her.

"Gerald should be here soon." She gently patted her shoulders and asked Lily and Faye to prepare the living room since Madame Paula had not yet returned.

"Is father okay with this?" Kim looked up to meet her mother's eyes an anxious look eating her up. Her mother had promised that she'd talk to him and having not seen him home for the past few days, she was worried.

"Trust me, everything is fine." It had taken two days for her husband to come in terms with what was happening. He had left for the palace soon afterwards perhaps to challenge the knight but he'd finally relented.

Gerald was an easy nut to crack as he'd even become friends with Sir Arthur. The two had met in town to talk over a cup of tea and were occasionally seen together at the palace.

The doorbell rang as Kimberly followed her mother out. That had to be Gerald if not her father. Turned out to be both as Gerald changed his shoes and her father took off his coat smiling at something her mother was saying.

"Dear sister, when is your man coming?" Gerald waltzed towards her a grin present on his mischievous face earning a grunt from his father. Lady Heather silenced him, looping her hand over his arm.

"Hush," Kim embraced Gerald disregarding his previous words. He playfully nudged her side and rushed to his room to put on an appropriate attire. He didn't seem to know that Lily was here. Her mother went into the next room to look at what the girls had been up to.

Kim moved to seat beside her father on the couch where he'd been resting. "Father, how are you?" She smiled brightly turning to face him. His face had started to wrinkle though his radiance still made him young.

"I'm all good, Kimberly." Lord Heather replied a far away look on his face. Even after using all ways possible to shoo men away from her, there still had to be that one persistent man.

"Father, do you not like Sir Arthur?" Kim swallowed uneasily when he went silent. She had seen the two get along quite well. Or perhaps it was only pertaining work.

"Of course not dear," he took hold of her hands shaking his head. He didn't have any issue with the man but the idea of her being taken away from him. He always felt that she was too small to stay away from him.

"He is a good man, I just-" Lord Heather turned away from her a lump forming on his throat. He thought of her ambitions, she'd always wanted to be a vet doctor and he knew of how she secretly sold her medicine in the market. Would the knight really support her and let her continue with her passions? Most young men nowadays liked the fragile and obedient ladies.

All this worried him adding the fact she was new to adulthood and he still saw her as his little girl. "I just wish to keep you longer here, with me." He smiled painfully patting her back.

"Father, I'm not leaving." Kim sighed into his embrace briefly closing her eyes. "I'm still here, I'll still be." She tried to reassure him but they both knew at one point, she would not be living in the house.

"I'll get that," Gerald came running down the stairs to get the door. He was so excited that you'd think he was meeting his wife. "Let's go meet him," Lord Heather rose up tagging along his daughter with him. He could also see his wife rushing towards the door. Everyone was excited so he too joined.