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Cordelia has shown up unexpectedly and invited herself to stay. Things are always more interesting with Cordelia around.
As Althia entered the dining room, she realized that her premonition regarding Cordelia was correct. Cordelia wore a stunning rose colored silk dress that complemented her blonde hair and light eyes perfectly. She and Nicholas sat opposite one another laughing when Althia walked in. For the first time ever, Althia noted with disdain, she felt like a stranger in her own home.
Nicholas looked away from Cordelia and blinked his eyes before looking up and comprehending the vision standing before him. There she stood, more magnificent and breathtaking than the fleeting wisps of his memory from that night last fall. She wore the same dress, but somehow it seemed to glow angelically in the soft firelight. She appeared a bit uncomfortable and Nicholas commanded his legs to stand. They jerked and twitched like a new born foul and he bumped the table with his thigh as he stood. He noticed Cordelia reaching for her glass to keep it from spilling as Nicholas tried to force anything of intelligence out of his mouth.
"L--Lady Shevington, you look captivating," he stuttered.
"Thank you, Captain Metcalf," answered Althia as she walked over and sat at the head of the table. She couldn't help but feel as if his eyes were boring into her.
He moved over to her chair and pulled it out for her as she sat down, his heart racing and palms sweating. Calm down, man Nicholas chided himself. He hadn't been this nervous participating in his first battle, but the sight of her so close and so stunning caused him to lose control of his senses.
"Is this not most pleasant?" Cordelia began as Nicholas sat back down. "Just the three of us old chums sitting here and sharing stories. I was just telling Nicholas about the time that you and I raced up to Bennington's Brook and you fell in the mud and just had mud everywhere!" She began to laugh again. "You would have swore, Captain Metcalf, that she was one of those small African children." Cordelia giggled and Althia could feel embarrassment and anger rising in her cheeks.
"I can attest, Lady Vaughn, that I have seen such children and there would be no possibility of mistaking Lady Shevington for one of them." Nicholas couldn't find it within him to tear his gaze away from her.
Cordelia stopped mid laugh. "Perhaps not, Captain Metcalf." Desiring to have the attention back, Cordelia started in with another story. "Oh, Althia, do tell him about the time you climbed the old oak tree at my parent's house and fell out and broke your arm! Half of her dress was caught in the limbs and torn. You should have seen her then..." Cordelia began to laugh again.
"Was it painful?" Nicholas asked in all seriousness.
"Not as painful as it is right now," Althia whispered to herself as Jane entered with the first course and wine. "Perfect timing, Jane," Althia commended as she attempted to get the attention away from herself. "Remind me to increase your wages next month."
"Yes, miss," Jane smiled in understanding and began pouring the wine.
The rest of dinner was much more of the same as Cordelia attempted to make conversation by retelling every embarrassing memory that she had of Althia. Althia wished that the floor would open and swallow her whole. Neither Nicholas nor Althia could get much of a word in edgewise and as the evening wore on, Cordelia was beginning to wear on the both of them.
Nicholas finally decided that he had had enough. All evening long he fought off the intense desire to hold Althia in his arms and drench her with his kisses. He wanted nothing else in this world than to feel her body next to his, look into those immense green eyes and never move again. He saw only two alternatives: take her here and now or leave the room. His logical side chose the latter. "I must admit ladies that I have not had such a pleasurable evening in a very long time. But the time is late and I must be off."
"Indeed not, Captain. For the hour is not yet nine and we have not had our sherry. We shall not let you get away so quickly, will we Althia?" Cordelia began to slink her way over to Nicholas.
Althia wanted the evening to end--the quicker the better. "I believe that Captain Metcalf is right, Cordelia. We have all had a long and tiring day and it would do us good to retire early."
"What is with this household that all must turn in after sundown? The night is young and we still have more to share. Come! Oh Jane," she called out. Jane appeared in the doorway. "Jane, we are going to the music room. Please bring a bottle of sherry and three glasses."
"As you wish, madam," Jane answered, knowing that such an order was out of custom for Althia. Cordelia began to make her way to the music room as the other two followed reluctantly. The music room sat in the middle of the house and was completely furnished in wood. A fire, prepared earlier, blazed in the room as Cordelia set the candelabrum on the pianoforte. Althia was surprised to see all of the dust cloths removed and the room in presentable appearance. She concluded that Cordelia must have ordered it prepared when she first arrived. Althia knew for sure that she would have to give Jane and Humphrey a hefty reward for dealing with Cordelia and her demands.
"Althia, play us something! I refuse to hear no for an answer," Cordelia demanded as she sat down in a soft brown high back chair. Nicholas sat slowly in a plush dark brown chair as Althia made her way to the pianoforte. She thought briefly about what to play, about strangling Cordelia with one of the pianoforte strings, and then about what to play again. Finally, an earlier work from Beethoven made its way to the forefront of her thoughts and she began to play.
She glanced above her to see the fire reflect off of the mahogany paneling and ceiling. Althia thought about the many times that she had played for her father in this very room. She stole a glance at Cordelia who was smiling, but the effects of dinner and the room were quickly lulling her to sleep. She could not help but look at Nicholas. He was listening attentively and yet seemed so relaxed. Althia could almost see the reflection of the fire in his dark eyes and, with his head leaning upon his hand just so, he reminded her so much of her father that she could feel her eyes begin to water. She quickly looked down and concentrated the rest of the time on her fingers, ordering herself not to cry.
Is there anything she cannot do? Nicholas wondered. In full command of her household, accomplished in art, literature, and music--could God have fashioned a more perfect woman? Nicholas' thoughts were lost in the atmosphere of the room and of the pianist. He soon imagined life as Althia's husband. The two of them sharing in countless discourses, conversing about anything and everything. Perhaps they would be blessed with a child...yes, he could see a young boy of two or three riding atop Nicholas' shoulders as the threesome walked down the shoreline. Nicholas could not remember ever feeling more content, but all too quickly the music ended. The unexpected cease of music snapped him back to reality and he began clapping. His clapping woke Cordelia and she joined in the applause.
"You are a most accomplished musician, Lady Shevington," Nicholas complemented.
"Yes, indeed, Althia was always a better pianist than me. She was always better at most everything--tree climbing, music, art. But we all can see how far it has gotten her."
Althia could tell that the sherry and wine from dinner was affecting more than Cordelia's ability to stay awake and she could not let this go on any longer. "If you will excuse me, I believe it is best that we all turn in for the evening."
"Yes, I believe that would be a good idea," Cordelia said sleepily.
"Pleasant dreams, Lady Vaughn; Lady Shevington," the Captain offered as he followed the women out of the room carrying the candelabrum to the stairwell.
"Thank you, Captain," Cordelia mumbled as she shuffled up to her room and shut the door. Althia turned around on the first step to face Nicholas.
"I apologize for Cordelia's abominable behavior this evening, Captain Metcalf," Althia whispered. "She has had a most stressful day and it has taken a bit of a toll on her and her manners."
"There is no need to apologize, Lady Shevington. I was not offended in the least. You certainly understand that, compared to many of the men that I have had to come in contact with, she was most civil." He smiled at her and winked; the huskiness of his whisper made the hair on the back of Althia's neck to raise and give her the chills. She put her hand on the banister for support.
Althia smiled slightly at him. "Thank you for being so understanding, Captain."
"And thank you for such a lovely day and the pleasure of such lovely company." He gently picked up her hand from the banister and brought the back of it to his lips.
As calmly as she could, she took back her hand and walked up the stairs to her room, knowing by the faint glow of candlelight that he watched her entire ascent. She shut the door and flopped onto her bed trying desperately to contain herself. She was no mere schoolgirl; she was a full-grown woman. Many saw her as a spinster and she never felt the desire to be anything else. Who was this man that he should come and change all that? And why was she so willing to let him? She kept telling herself over and over again that he was married and had a child and soon he would be gone, but that did little to quell the butterflies dancing in her stomach. She was unaware of when she fell asleep, but it was well past midnight.
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