Rose and the Thorn (Fallen Tales series)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21
Rose
I leaned on the ladder, trying to scrub the dust off the stain glass window. After a day with sunlight, I didn't understand why Patrick had ever decided to close them. Natural light covered every corner of the room. I could see everything so clearly. Including Patrick's face.
We hadn't had a chance to talk about the kiss. I wasn't sure if he wanted to. I could still remember the feel of his tongue against mine.
I turned my head with the feel of eyes on me. I spotted Patrick on the stairs.
"Enjoying the view," I groaned trying to reach the higher part of the glass.
"I'm trying, the ladlers in the road."
I laughed when he thought I meant the view from the window.
"You don't look too bad yourself."
A cheeky grin spread on my face as I tried not to turn around and see his. I heard other footsteps and I knew it was Jenson.
"I found this downstairs, Sir."
"What the hell?"
I turned at the sound of Patrick's confused voice. I spotted Curious in Jenson's. I quickly connected the dots.
"Damn it, Curious!" I whined coming down the ladder, "You were supposed to stay in my room."
Both of them gave me confused looks.
"You know this, beast?" Jenson asked.
"He's sort of my dog," I said admitting it to myself. I have a dog now.
"You have a dog?" Patrick asked.
"You didn't have a dog when you came here," Jenson stated.
I sighed, "I found him the morning after the storm."
"That was weeks ago!" Patrick yelled, "Is this what you wouldn't tell me about?"
I turned to him, "Would you have let me keep him?"
He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I groaned.
"Please can I keep him? He has no collar and doesn't look like he belongs to anyone," I whined like a little child.
"Sir?" Jenson asked him, "She clearly knows how to look after him."
He signed, defeated, "Fine, but if I see one dog shite he's out, are we clear?"
"Crystal."
He groaned retreating to the stairs.
I sighed and took Curious in my arms.
"Still no luck with him?" Jenson asked me.
I frowned. He had guessed it.
"Apparently not."
"Be patient with him, Rose. For the past five years he has lived with an easy life. Only worrying about himself and not carrying about anything else, not even himself. Now he has a new life. Getting up in the morning, eating by himself, opening the curtains. It's a big step for him."
"Look, I don't even know how I feel about him. I'm just trying to carry my head."
He smiled and went on his way.
I sighed heading to the Servant's Hall.
"You were in my room for a reason."

Chapter 22
Patrick
Now that we knew about Curious, Rose relented to leave him in the Servants' Hall.Or he was relented to be left behind.
He followed her everywhere she went. Like a little stalker. Every so often I would hear her yell, "Curious, get under my feet again and I will lock you in my room!"
Her threats made me laugh.
Seeing the house as it used to be was easier than I thought. My reasons for closing the curtains seemed small when I woke up to sunshine.
Growing up, I had always loved the stain glass windows. They told a story that had always festinated me. And the enormous size. The two front ones reach to the gallery. When the ones in the Ball room covered the dome wall.
The light made everything worth so much more. The marble floors, grand stair case and the crystal chandelier seemed more special. Or was it the fact that Rose had touch everything in here.
Every time I was near her, I wanted to kiss her. I had waited long enough without another's lips on mine that I wanted it more than ever. But I was scared of what she thought of me. She did want me to kiss her after all.
What made her so different? Out of all the girls in the world, why was she the one that could see me as a man and not the person with horrible scars?
Was it because she wore ones of her own? As far as I could tell she was flawless. Yes a little baggage but everyone had baggage. I was the king of baggage.
I stood at where the stair case broke into two. I stared up at the large painting of my parents. They had it done on their first wedding anniversary. My mother sat on a chair with her body side on but her face looking at the painter. Father stood behind her with his hand rested on her shoulder. He hadn't grown his beard and his hair hadn't turned grey yet. Mother looked the same. Less tired from having to look after six children. Her blonde curls matched the ones the girls once had. And her blue eyes matched the ones I wore.
They looked so happy. Had they been? I remember from the time I was four till the time Adelaide was born they weren't. I remember one fight I had walked in on.
"You're always working! Why can't we go for a walk like we use to?" my mother had asked.
"Darling we've been through this," Father had argued.
"I'm looking for my loving husband, is he around here?"
"I'm here Rebecca."
"Are you? Because all I see is a tired old man that won't look up from his work. Do you even remember me and Patrick anymore?"
"Rebecca, I thought we've talked about this. The estate needs full focus right now."
His voice was calm throughout the whole argument. Probably an attempt to lower hers.
"It always needs focus. Come on John, we had always talked about having more children. Where did that go?" she had asked.
"I don't understand why we need more children now. Why not in a couple of years?"
"Because we are not going to be young forever. Patrick will not be four in a couple of years. Do you not see him? The way he just wonders around the house."
"I do."
"He's lonely. I saw him talking to one of the maids yesterday."
"Next year, he will start school. Have friends, then he won't be lonely."
She groaned, "You don't get it John. You just don't get it."
"Patrick!" I jumped at the sound of Rose's voice bringing me back to the present.
She hurried down the stairs from the East Wing down to me. Curious following her every step.
"Can you watch Curious? I have to go to the village for like, half an hour."
I frowned, "He's your dog; you have to deal with him."
Her eyes narrowed to my smug look, "don't give me that. Please," she begged.
"Why don't you ask Jenson? Or better yet, put him in your room."
"I would, but he knows how to get out. And Jenson's busy with paperwork."
I frowned, "Paperwork? What paperwork?"
She shrugged, "I don't know, please, he won't be trouble. I promise."
I sighed, "Fine."
Her face immediately lit up and I knew that I had made the right choice.
"Thank you. Just make sure he follows you, okay," she looked down at the beagle, "Curious, you be good okay. I'll know if you don't."
She smiled up at me and headed towards the door.
I looked down at the big brown eyes and sighed.
"Come on, Curious."
I found Jenson in his office. Rose, was right, he was covered in papers. I leaned on the doorframe as Curious sat at my feet.
"I see Rose has got you doing dog duty already."
I laughed, "She just had to go into the village. What are you doing?" I asked.
Without looking up from the papers, he said, "Finance."
"The estate's?" I was shocked. Had he been doing this for five years?
"Of course."
"Why?"
His reading glasses sat at the bottom of his nose making him look up to look at me.
"Someone had to do them," he stated. That was another thing I had to add to the list. List of what Jenson does for me.
"Thank you."
"It's no problem," He reassured.
He flicked through a couple more pages before I asked, "Would you teach me? If it's not too much trouble."
He smiled, "Of course. You were supposed to take over for you father. I guess it would be right for you to do them. How about tomorrow? I was just about finish up anyway."
I smiled and nodded, "sounds great."
I went to leave when he stopped me, "Oh and Patrick. You might want this."
He handed me a book. I flicked through the pages and noticed my father's handwriting.
"It's your father's journal. If you want to learn how to run the estate. I suggest that you read it. There are more in his office."
I nodded and left with Curious not far behind.