Thread: The Manor (Mr. Quixotic & Malicious Lullaby)

Saying her thanks to Gustav for the water and the friendly chat, she rose from the bar. She looked at him and then at her purse and he caught wind of what she was going to do and stopped her. Not at all necessary Harper. Your company was more than enough of a tip for me. He winked and then took her glasses away, walking away as a sign that she really should not leave any money. Figuring it would just be an insult to him if she did, Harper walked away from the bar and the nerves she felt earlier resurfaced. It had been an intense and long week it felt like and she wanted to unwind. This was far from unwinding but she had a strange feeling. She followed the butler-man as he led her down a brightly lit hallway. It was all natural light because of all the windows and it was beautiful. There was a garden on the outside behind the windows glass and it looked like it was tended to magnanimously. The entire place was beautiful and screamed high end, money and class. It was one of the most carnal places of debauchery which made no sense one bit but perhaps that might have been the point or that just explained the amount of class and money that went into this place, the kind of people it catered to. He led her to a door and opened it for her. She silently thanked him with a nod of her head as she clutched the straps of her purse to her and walked inside. The door was shut behind her and she looked up to meet green eyes staring back at her. She swallowed and immediately thought back to where she saw those eyes. Last weekat the ballRobert. She knew those eyes and there he was, staring at her and assessing her. He looked refined, so handsome and without the mask, she could see all of him. He was the owner? She had been talking to the owner this entire time and was seduced, teased and rejected by him? It occurred to Harper that she should just apologize and bolt. She never thought that shed be back in this place facing the man who had ended up humbly rejecting her in the first place and now a huge wave of embarrassment washed over her. She was really wishing that she had taken up Gustav on some cocktail he wanted to serve her. It would have helped and given her some courage to face a man like this. What threw her off was how he addressed her. She wanted to correct him and ask him to call her by her name, her actual name but then he would know her actual name and she wasnt sure she wanted him to know that yet. She wasnt sure it would be safe at all. Did he not think shed recognize him by his eyes? And even when he spoke, it was a dead give away. This was the man who called himself Robert at the ball. Now he was Mr. Tische? The owner? Swallowing a little uncomfortably, Harper walked forward and slid down into the plush red chair before him and rest her purse in her lap. She looked at him and then seemed to finally respond to his question. Yes. That was the name I chose to go by as. She cleared her throat and pushed her glasses up her nose. My name is Harper Collins. It was a risk to give him her full name but what was he going to do? Find another reason to reject her? Fine. She could take it. Rejection would make her stronger, not wilt. So long as her freezer was filled with several pints and gallons Rocky Road ice cream. There seemed to be a stipulation about her service and attendance at the ball. She wondered if Stephanie was going to get into a lot of trouble. It seemed that Harper really wasnt supposed to have been there and he was once more reiterating that as he had said at the ball itself. Swallowing hard, she looked down as her shaking and fumbling hands and then at him. I was brought along by one of the other ladies. She was told by Madame that Id be like an extra hand really than anything else. It was just to be able to make some extra money. Somehow, she had a feeling she wouldnt see that money ever. And by the way he was seeming, teasing but rather intimidating, determined to put her in her place of some sort or just reminding her that she didnt belong, it was clear she was not going to get the money. She decided on a slightly different tactic. Tilting her head, she adjusted in her seat and crossed one leg over the other. She was not going to let him turn her down again. Once was enough by him and Steve. Not again. No matter how easy it would be to wilt, strengthen from it and eat copious amounts of Rocky Road ice cream, the only thing shed gain from it really was weight. You could be bold, or you could be just as honest as I am being and come clean. I know it was you. And I know your name is not really Robert. Doesnt seem to suit a man of your high and esteemed quality. So pray tell, Mr. Tische what is your full name? Or are you worried that since I was the woman who had been so eager to spread my legs for you, I might become a little crazy and come to your door too often than youd like? Or ratherwouldnt you like to know exactly what I did when I got home from the ball? After all, it was you who insinuated I should go home to my lover and have him take me so I could think of you, was it not? Someone told her that confidence was very sexy in a woman. It made her beautiful, vibrant and radiant. She needed to refine that some more. Her voice had been calm when she spoke to him. She didnt get defensive, neither was she trying to be alluring. She was trying to not let him intimidate her or tease her into submission. That would not do. He did that once and it didnt work. Harper was going to call the shots. Not him.