Kenneth's POV
I had never been more aware of someone walking beside me than I was now. Bianca's heels sounded softly on the hard marble floor of our estate, sounding through the hall like a slow music. She didn't say much, but I could feel her taking account of everything as we walked, she looked up at the crystal chandeliers as we walked past it, her eyes glowed a bit as we passed the golden portraits of my grandfather. Now looking at it anyone walking in here for the first time would think this is heaven. But it was far off that
Her eyes scanned the whole room, the high ceilings and the weird furniture as if putting into memory every detail. That's when I realized….she wasn't just overwhelmed.
She was studying everything we came by.
And I liked that.
Before we stepped into the guest room where my family was waiting, I moved closer and whispered, "Alright. A quick rundown."
Her eyes finally looked at mine.
"My grandfather, Dominic. He's Intimidating, and reserved, but still traditional. He doesn't waste time at all and would notice a fake smile." She nodded and kept on listening. "My father, Michael, usually keeps to himself, but if he warms up to you, it's very genuine. My brothers, Kieran and Kelvin…..be sure to expect a sharp tongue from them. Most especially Kelvin, he likes to provoke."
Bianca nodded again. No panic in her eyes, as if she had expected this beforehand.
I turned and opened the doors.
Everyone was already seated, as I expected they would. My grandfather was in his usual chair, his back straight like he had practiced his whole life. My father sat by the fireplace, a glass of scotch in hand. Kelvin, resting lazily on the armrest of the couch, like he owned everything about the room.
Everyone turned as we entered.
"Good evening," I said, they didn't reply and I knew they didn't want to see me, they all wanted to see her, so I stepped aside. "This is Bianca."
She stepped forward with a movement that wasn't forced. A soft and elegant smile on her lips that made her look warm and nice.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said.
Grandfather's eyes looked all over her, slow and unreadable.
My father put his glass down. "So this is the woman we have been hearing so little about," he said with a wide smile on his face, that I didn't understand at first.
"She's beautiful," Grandfather said plainly. "But that's obvious."
Bianca didn't even flinch. "Thank you, sir."
She was good at this.
Kelvin stood then, a smile growing on his lips. "Bianca," he repeated, taking a slow step forward. "Kenneth never brings anyone home. We were starting to think he would marry the company instead."
I tensed a little, a little anger grew, but I held myself back, but Bianca smiled. "Well, I wouldn't want to compete with the company"
Kelvin actually laughed.
If she made him laugh then she had scored a point.
Dinner was served in the main dining hall and we all gathered and sat. The Long table with twelve seats, half-filled by members of the family that hardly sat and used this table except when duty called.
Bianca sat beside me. Her posture never wavers. She ate carefully, only spoke only when she was spoken to, and offered only reasonable responses that earned a few good nods especially from my father.
It was all going well till Kelvin spoke.
Bianca had eaten slower than everyone, maybe trying to look sophisticated and, that, Kelvin caught on to.
"You seem to eat a lot, no wonder the weight." He laughed like it was some universal joke, like everyone was supposed to laugh along.
I felt tense again. This was it, she would definitely snap back at that.
Bianca blinked.
"Kelvin…." I began talking trying to avoid whatever I knew would happen.
But Bianca raised a hand lightly, stopping me before I could say anything else. She turned to him fully, her head tilted, lips still curved into a light polite smile.
She didn't want to reply, she didn't see the need.
I glanced back at Kelvin. He looked like he felt stupid for his actions. He clearly said that to make her disgrace herself in front of grandfather, but he failed.
There was a pause. A short moment of silence.
Then, my grandfather chuckled.
My father tried to hide his own grin behind his cup, as he took a long sip.
Bianca turned to me and shrugged, whispering a bit. "That was the worst that could happen right?" referring to Kevin's actions.
I nodded slowly, still stunned at what just happened.
She handled it better than I ever could.
After a while, back at the guest rooms, different questions were thrown at her,
How did you two meet?
How long?
Where do you live?
All these questions she answered clearly and calmly.
She did better than I imagined.
"Do you play any instruments?" my father asked halfway through everything, surprisingly, out of nowhere.
"Yes," Bianca replied, cleaning her lips with a napkin lightly, "I took lessons since I was ten."
"Interesting," my father mused. "We have a grand one just in the lounge, care to?"
I glanced at her. She didn't panic or even flinch, she just smiled.
My father gestured toward the lounge.
"Would you play something for us?"
Bianca stood slowly. "I would be honored."
I walked beside her to the grand piano, which was never played in the house, since my grandfather got too weak to play.
She sat with elegance, and ran her fingers once across the keys like she was trying to remember how the keys felt and then she began.
The room fell quiet.
Her fingers moved slowly, her melody was slow at first, even soft, and almost melancholy. Then it increased, rising and falling as it went faster.
Even Kelvin looked moved.
My grandfather didn't speak, but his eyes were focused. He was listening to the sound and for a moment he shut his eyes..
When she finished, there was a pause in the whole house and then an applause.
She then stood, nodded politely at everyone and returned to her seat beside me. Her hand touched mine under the table. And I turned and looked at her and saw something rare in her.