His Beastly Ways

Chapter 2

Awaking to sound of movement had her bolting up from her bed.Her first thought was of Ara but there were no signs of the little girl either.
A strong wave of panick hit her so acutely that it sent her scrambling out of bed halfway across the door before she remembered what had happened and relaxed.

A muttering little voice reached her from somewhere and she turned to find a small maid in a white apron apologizing to her. Calming a little she sent for Maria and went to wash up as quickly as she could. By the time Maria arrived she was already struggling into a corset.
"Please hurry Maria,I need to find Ara."

Maria paused in reaching for a day dress and looked suddenly worried.

"Well, mi' lady , princess Ara is down below. In the flowers,I mean in the garden. She said she wanted to learn to dig, eh, what did you teach me to call it,to plant flowers ." Said she as she pulled the cream flowing dress above her head.

"To plant?Ara has never planted anything, she only chops off things and I have to...oh my goodness!"

Nalia grabbed her skirts by one hand and sprinted off to the stairs to find Humbert to direct her to the gardens.
Actually she didn't even understand how Ara had found the gardens by herself. Though seeing as Humbert was nowhere to be found,she was sure that Ara had flushed him a smile and looked at him with those wide eyes and he must have run headlong into the garden to please her. Only that if the dowager found what Ara did in the gardens,she would surely have both their heads.

So lost in thought was she,that she didn't see where she was going and collided into someone...who was none too pleased about it. Her head swimming, she released a few choice words that Richard had frequently used when he was offended then heard from somewhere above her head.
"If you are so offended by my presence here,I would be glad to relinquish my residing rights- no need to go butting my jaw into silence."

She chose to give him a glare as her thoughts were not gathered enough to form a sentence.He seemed that he had woken up on the wrong side of the bed and was busily trying to vent his anger on her.

"If you please, my lady,do dress more appropriately. I do have important guests calling every morning and would rather not let them consider the Manor a tavern."

Nalia's anger overcame her drowsiness,she gave him the best look down she could mimick.Looking him up and down,she made sure he noticed it before she spoke again.

"Your grace, savages are dressed now in tailcoats and starched whites going about trying to domineer women ."

The comment seemed to hit home and his eyes which Nalia noticed were so silver they looked polished,narrowed and he gave her a look over.

"Do not worry madam.I would not dare domineer you, it would mean I have you under me, writhing in pleasure but ice really does nothing for me. Tis a pity, your sister...Your excuses"

Nalia waited until she heard the door close behind him,that she took a deep breath. Her heart ached in the familiar way it did when someone compared her to her sister.

When they were younger her parents used to buy ribbons and fancy slippers for Talia and comb her hair until it shone. Nalia was ever neglected until Richard got his inheritance and he started spoiling her. He was her guardian, never allowing his parents to hurt her.He taught her to defend herself and to love herself.

When they made their debuts, Talia was an instant hit she charmed her way into the crowds while Nalia's overbeaten self esteem made her awkward with the ton and earned her the name the ice sculpture. Her beauty was to be admired from afar.

She wished that Richard could be close to her,atleast to give her one of his bear hugs.The nostalgia hit her like a pain in her chest.

If Christopher was around he would have kissed her and assured her that she was strong. He would not have criticized her for her looks even though he thought it. She knew so. He was always kind to her,a gentleman.