"Where did you find such a book?" the Duke asked.
"Around," Celine answered, not lifting her gaze from the book.
"Excuse me," the Duke said and walked up to her, grabbing the book, "This is not... oh. It's about breeding horses. Hmmm. I see." he handed the book back to her, and she returned to reading it.
Celine lifted her eyes from the book, and Lucian looked at her from the side. Their gazes met, and he quickly looked away. She chuckled, and her eyes returned to the book.
Lucian took the cup of tea and drank a bit; the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
The Duke was a bit lost for words, and the awkward silence hung in the air. He offered a break and a breath of fresh air, leading him out to the office.
Celine, of course, tagged along. Taking a walk in the gardens, her father reprimanded her for overexerting her leg, which she had injured a few days prior. She just hooked her arm around her father's arm and used him as a support while small talk filled the air between the three of them.
"Favorite holiday destination?" Lucian repeated the question, "The seaside is my favorite place. I love watching the sunrise and listening to the waves crash against the shore. If you wish to come along, I'll be happy to take you there."
They both nodded in agreement, but Celine was the first to speak, "Yes, that would be nice."
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A few days passed by, and most were spent on getting to know the House better, its members, and its traditions. Lucian's people got used to the change of scenery, and the food, especially the food.
Surprisingly, Celine didn't pick a fight with any of them, but she did join them in playing cards and pocketing their money (while Lucian was having another meeting with her father). It was the first time they saw someone cheat better than their boss. There was no way she wasn't cheating, but no matter how hard they looked, they couldn't figure out how.
Before they could figure out what was going on, their Boss sent them back to the capital to oversee things and keep an eye on their interests.
The dinner went well, with new guests arriving to offer the Duke their courtesies. Everyone had a topic of their own, and Lucian had to participate in all of them, while Celine was being excluded from most of them.
There were no other women beside her in the room, and the men didn't seem to be interested in talking with her.
Lucian was the only one who paid attention to her, and even though he was talking with the others, he was always aware, "You seem to be very quiet, My Lady. Is something the matter?"
The conversation paused for a moment, and everyone looked at her.
"Everything is fine, My Lord," she said and excused herself to leave the table, "Please excuse me. I think it's best that I retire early tonight. Good evening, gentlemen."
Celine curtsied and left the dining room, the maid following after her.
"Did I say something wrong?" Lucian asked, looking at the Duke and the rest of the guests.
"No, no, she gets tired quickly. Don't worry about her, Lord Arclight," the Duke reassured him and continued the conversation.
Lucian remained seated for the rest of the dinner. It was a tradition for the men to have a chess game after the meal, and he was invited to join them. Socializing was his way of learning, and he used every opportunity to learn more about the people he was dealing with.
It was past midnight when the games ended, and the guests went home.
Lucian was a bit excited to return to his room, but he didn't let it show on his face. He gave the key to Ruth to prepare him a bath, while he waited on the chair behind the desk. "Don't touch anything else."
"Yes, My Lord." Ruth left to prepare the bath, and it was done within half an hour.
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Lucian locked the doors after Ruth was gone and approached the bed, looking under it, inside the wardrobe, and everywhere else that a person could fit. Maybe she would arrive later, he thought, and entered the bath, letting the warm water soothe him.
The disappointment was greater than he expected when she didn't show up, and he ended up finishing his bath alone. The bed was too big and too empty for his liking. And he couldn't fall asleep, not without her by his side.
"..." Lucian sighed and stood up, putting on a pair of slippers and a robe, and walked out of the guest room. The house was quiet; the servants had already retired to their quarters. The guards nodded at him, and he returned the gesture.
"Can't sleep, My Lord?" the guards asked.
"Yes," Lucian answered, "It's too quiet here, and I've gotten used to sleeping with a little bit of noise by my side. Do you know where the library is? I'd like to borrow a book to help me fall asleep."
"It's on the second floor, to the right," the guard said, and Lucian thanked him, "Do you need help finding it?"
"No, thank you. I'll be fine."
Lucian passed by her door and decided to check if she was inside. A guard was sitting on the floor in front of it and opened his eyes the moment he heard Lucian's footsteps.
"My Lord," the guard greeted, "Can I help you?"
"I was hoping to see the Lady Celine," he said, and the guard hesitated, "Is she awake?"
The guard gave him a weird look, "No, My Lord. She is asleep."
"..." Lucian stared at the doors, "Can you check again?"
"Of course," the guard said and knocked on the doors. "My Lady, Lord Arclight is here to see you."
Maya answered the door and peeked outside, "My Lady is asleep," she said.
Celine could bother him, but he couldn't bother her, huh? Lucian almost frowned, but he was in control of his expressions. "Can you wake her up? It's important," he lied, and the maid bowed, closing the doors. She was back a moment later and invited him in. The guard remained in his place, while Lucian followed the maid to the bedroom.
"Is she still asleep?" he asked.
"She is a bit tired," Maya answered and opened the doors for him, "But she'll see you."
"Thank you."