ωhatx_ Y O U x_x ȘЄЄҚ
x_________________x IS x_x Seeking x_ YOU.
x___________________x┇ Rumi ┇
x_________________x IS x_x Seeking x_ YOU.
x___________________x┇ Rumi ┇
Lady Marie was waiting for him when he came in.
She had his food waiting for him and was pulling out his seat before he even tossed his jacket onto the back of the chair. Adrinne got himself settle and looked over at the woman that settled herself across the table from him. Her silence didn’t bother him until he’d taken his third bite. “ Did you want to talk to me about something?” Adrinne didn’t bother to put his fork down as he waited for her response. He got in earlier than previous nights, but it was still late. The only reason Lady Marie would be up at this time was if she wanted to talk to him about something.
The smack on his arm surprised him. Lady Marie had never hit him before. She enjoyed directing him around. Dragging him around to be correct, but she’d never smacked his shoulder before. “ Is there any reason why you’ve suddenly turned into an abusive woman?”
“ Don’t you play innocent with me young man.”
Adrinne couldn’t help the grin on his lips. He had a feeling he was in for a scolding and he had never been scolded before. His mother hadn’t been the kind to scold. She stated what she didn’t like and she fully expected change. Mrs. Russo expected her children to act a certain way. They had been trained at a very young age. There had been little room for scolding. Adrinne’s mother wouldn’t understand Lady Marie. She didn’t understand open affection. Mrs. Russo would not have opened her house to strangers. Adrinne couldn’t imagine his mother cooking or cleaning for anyone. He definitely couldn’t imagine her waiting up early in the morning for to have a chat. That must have been what endeared Lady Marie to him.
“ I’m not sure what I’m playing innocent about. How about you tell me and then we can both be on the same page.”
Marie looked over at Adrinne. The young man was too handsome for his own good. That was the problem as far as she was concerned. He was too handsome for the poor woman upstairs. When she found out he’d written a letter to the woman, well she wanted to snatch the letter away. She’d managed to behave herself. She even managed to leave the envelope that was slipped under his door untouched when she went in to clean his room. Marie wanted to know just what Adrinne thought he was doing? Why was he writing letters to Madison?
“ I found out about your correspondence with Madison.”
When Lady Marie didn’t continue, Adrinne shrugged his shoulders and took another bite from his plate. “ We do live across from each other.” He could tell Lady Marie didn’t like that response. Adrinne did his best not to laugh, “ Did you not want me to have contact with her?”
“ I want to know what your plans are?”
“ My plans? Adrinne didn’t know what Lady Marie meant by that. He didn’t have any plans. He wondered what she thought he had in mind. “ Nothing too tragic, or serious a few early morning liaisons. Something to take her mind off of the guy that broke her heart.”
Marie shook her head at Adrinne, “ you’ll do no such thing. The last thing that young woman needs is some handsome man like you sweeping her off her feet in some whirlwind romance. She needs to get herself together before she can climb in between the sheets on your bed.”
Adrinne didn’t respond. He didn’t know why he was riling Lady Marie. It could be because he’d never seen her protective nature before. She had so many interesting layers.
There hadn’t been any thought in his mind of having Madison Oxford in his bed. She was a complication. The only room in his life that had complications was his novels. A relationship would be too complicated. One with a woman that was always in the press when he did his best to avoid the press wouldn’t be the smartest move on his behalf.
“ No. Of course I wouldn’t. You have nothing to worry about. Your ward is safe. I don’t have any plans to seduce her while she’s living under your roof. You have my word. As a gentleman.” Adrinne knew Lady Marie loved old world manners. So he was giving her some entertainment as he ate his dinner. Tonight, he was actually comforted by her company. It was nice to know someone would stay up late enough to wait for him. It didn’t seem to matter that she’d only been waiting up to scold him. “ You’ve never been this protective of any of the other women that have stayed here before.”
Lady Marie shrugged her shoulder, “ You’ve never written notes to those women before.”
“ Were you a bit jealous that I ”
Marie’s gasp echoed through the room. “ I am certainly not jealous. It’s not as if the woman belongs to me. She’s free to talk to whomever she wants. ”
Adrinne laughed. Lady Marie was so dramatic. “ I wasn’t thinking about her. I thinking you were jealous because you now had to share me. I know you’re use to having my entire attention. I promise I won’t let her get in between us.”
A slight splash of colour hit her cheeks, “ Adrinne Russo.”
“ You’ve got to know you’ve got my heart. There’s no one that cooks the way you do Lady.” Adrinne slipped out of his chair and carried his plate to the sink. He rinsed it off before putting it in the dishwasher. He walked over to Lady Marie and took her hands in his before kissing the backs, “ I’m going to bed. I promise not to bother your darling Madison with my rakish ways.”
Adrinne made his way up the stairs. He paused on the landing. There was silence. His eyes gazed towards the door keeping Madison hidden from him. Adrinne only knew how she looked from magazines. He wondered about the dark colour of her hair. She seemed well built and tall. Would she even reach his shoulder? He wouldn’t know. His schedule wouldn’t allow it.
He unlocked his door and walked inside. The envelope wasn’t on the floor. It was placed neatly on his desk. Adrinne knew Lady Marie set it there. She was the only one with the key to his room. He walked over to the desk and read the letter.
She offered him philosophical phrase and the quotes of old maids. He found the combination too much to ignore. Adrinne wondered if she believed what she wrote. It seemed all a bit contradictory to him. She didn’t want to complain about this and that, but weren’t her tears a complaint of what she could no longer have? Adrinne didn’t want to prod. He’d done enough of that already.
Dear Ma’am,
I’m glad my selfishness doesn’t offend you. It’s not always so well behaved.
You mention needing time. Time is always the excuse we use when we’re not ready to let something go. When we’re still holding onto some hope or some dream. I think it has more to do with our ability to accept, which of course--requires time. So perhaps you’re right. In time.
Thank you for the offer of a confident. If I find myself in dire need of someone to talk with. I do believe I will take pen to paper and seek the comfort of your company.
I hope you are well rested when you rise this morning.
I’m glad my selfishness doesn’t offend you. It’s not always so well behaved.
You mention needing time. Time is always the excuse we use when we’re not ready to let something go. When we’re still holding onto some hope or some dream. I think it has more to do with our ability to accept, which of course--requires time. So perhaps you’re right. In time.
Thank you for the offer of a confident. If I find myself in dire need of someone to talk with. I do believe I will take pen to paper and seek the comfort of your company.
I hope you are well rested when you rise this morning.
This letter was placed under Madison’s bedroom door before Adrinne had his shower and climbed into bed. He didn’t want to think of this new pattern as a habit. But, he could see it becoming one with ease.
