𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞

Found

Florence flinched upon hearing the muffled voices below her.

"Do you think she'd really do it?" Cathryn.

"She certainly seems like the type to." Ruby, his gorgeous accent prominent.

"Well, go check then." Clair.

Florence heard the shuffling of footsteps, she watched as the stairs unfolded and a shaft of light splayed upwards into the attic. She watched the dust motes dance in it's glow.

"Oh, tu as peur, Ruby?" Florence heard Cathryn's fake pitying tone.

She sure didn't seem to like him, Florence couldn't possibly imagine why though.

"Oh, are you frightened, Ruby?" The girl had mocked.

She heard Ruby grunt as he began the ascent. Florence couldn't hold back a small giggle at Cathryn's words, her hand flew to her mouth, knowing she'd revealed herself.

Florence could taste the smoothness of Ruby's tone, "It seems the fille finds you amusing Cathryn."

He'd called her girl this time.

"Alright, you've won." Clair let out an exasperated sigh of defeat from below.

Florence observed as Ruby's silhouette came into focus atop the stairs

"He's right, I'm thoroughly impressed." Ruby agreed upon the summit.

Florence neatly stood up and walked over to Ruby.

"What can I say?" She offered as a sarcastic remark, somehow not coming off nearly as nice as Ruby's had always sounded.

She felt his breath upon her shoulder as he laughed softly at her words. It felt more as if he'd dragged his index finger down her spine, Florence froze, aware of how close they were in the tiny attic. Hastily, she shoved her way past him and down the stairs.

"It's stuffy up there." She announced as she climbed down, taking in a deep breath.

Clair and Cathryn awaited her at the bottom, Clair's eyes filled with awe, Cathryn's rather blank, almost bored. Florence stepped aside so Ruby could reach the bottom, he drew the stairs back up and twirled around triumphantly to face the other three.

"Now that was fun wasn't it?" He smirked.

"Clair where were you hidden?" Florence ignored Ruby.

"One of the spare rooms in the west wing." Ruby answered for him.

"I was in my own room." Cathryn announced with a shrug.

"Ennuyeux." Ruby's tone conveyed amusement, per usual, but Florence didn't understand what he'd said.

She ventured to ask, "What was that, the word you just said?"

"Boring. Meaning it was quite boring of Cathryn to hide in her own room." He explained with a devilish wink.

Brushing her hair aside Cathryn hissed, "Perhaps I was trying to come of as predictable. In hopes that you'd think I'd know better than to hide in my own room. Reverse psychology."

"I presume I outsmarted you." Ruby jested.

"I'm going to shower off now,  I shall see you all later." Clair announced promptly.

Upon saying "you all," his eyes had specifically darted towards Florence. A part of her hoped Cathryn hadn't notice, although the thought that Cathryn should even care made her slightly nauseous. Florence's hands fiddled nervously with the folds of her skirts.

"Perhaps I shall go arouse Maylis." Ruby exclaimed quietly.

"And I shall go find Aurora, I promised her I'd play dollies with her today." Cathryn mumbled, a distant twinkle present in her eyes.

Ruby's heart sank upon noticing her affection for children. Not wanting to linger close to her any longer, he exited the kitchen, leaving Florence and Cathryn alone.