A Black Destiny (chapter 3)

"No, sir. I wish to not intrude upon your privacy! Please, send for my brother and I'll have him fetch me and bring me home." Maharani said. Her body was hidden in the water which was deliciously warm, and lapping gently over her skin. For some strange reason she felt no discomfort at having this perfect stranger seated beside her while she was nude in a basin of glowing water.1

"Don't be ridiculous. You're no intrusion at all. Actually, I'd rather have some company than send you home at any rate. Forgive me, how terribly rude, I'm lord Aelfric Cromwell, how do you do, Madame?"2

He took her hand from the steaming water and kissed it. She felt the crimson flush spread over her face. That's when she noticed how pale he was. In her self-consciousness she began to examine his skin tone in contrast with her blush. He was pale as snow, with lips of failing pink and a slight blue tinge rimmed his eyes. Maybe it was her imagination, the lighting from the basin playing tricks on her eyes. "My name is Lady Maharani, Countess of Moldovia." She replied softly. He smiled gently. 3

"Well miLady, let's get you into bed before you wrinkle, shall we?" He asked smoothly. He helped her to her feet, hoisting her nude, dripping body into his arms, cradling her as he brought her to the bed. He helped Maharani get the slip back on before tucking her back into bed gently. "I'll have someone attend to you in the morning. I'll be away on...an affair concerning trades. I'll return tomorrow eve though. Sleep well Countess." He drawled in a low rumble. with that, he walked to the door, heaved it open, and turning to smile at her one final time, retired down the hall after closing my door. That night she slept very well, dreaming of his hands on her arms as he dressed her again...4

In the morning, the room was just as dark. Maharani wouldn't have known it was morning save for the small, quiet woman that scurried around the room. "'Allo, Lady. Me Master 'as tol' me you are to have free reign of explorin' the house. Breakfast will be ready in a moment. Let me know if youneed anythin', my name is Gertie." The woman said briskly. She layed a silver hair brush and small hand mirror near the dress on the day bed, setting a large luminescent candle near by. Then, as quickly as she'd come, she had left.5

True to her word, as soon as Maharani had dressed and wrenched the door open, another small servant had bustled up and led her to breakfast. There was morning tea and scones, eggs and sausage. There was so much food she  was beside herself. After she had finished, more servants appeared as if the shadows had swirled into tangible forms and cleared the dish ware away. She spent the afternoon wandering about the yards. The entire house was as dark as her room. No wonder Lord Cromwell had been so pale...6

The front door was a large mass of wood, old and worn with age but beautifully carved in great dips and swirls. The knob was a huge bronze curl, and the whole door was fashioned with bronze studs throughout the trim. To open it, She had to wrench with all of her might. When the blasted thing finally groaned heavily and eased backward, the intense mid morning sun filtered in and the servants all scattered. A tiny shiver ran down Maharani's back. How odd.7

She wandered the spacious front yard, sticking to the dense tree line to the sides where she found many wild flowers and foot paths to the garden. The cobbled path led her to the back yard amidst giant trees all trimmed in crimson flowering and other lillies and that sort. In the center of the garden was a large stone bench. Seating herself here she came to study the house it self. It was two stories high and absolutely massive. She had noticed the cathedralesque ceilings on the first floor instantly, and had never dreamed it possible that there was another floor. The house was peaked here and there by turrets and gables, the entire exterior of stone. However, in the very center of the house, standing taller then every other spier and spiral was a dome. A huge, magnificent dome. It was entirely made of glass on the side that was facing her, and the entire other half was the same stone as the rest of the house. she gathered the petticoats from her dress up from around her thigh and hoisted, jumping to her feet and begining to sprint for the house. She wanted to see that room. 8

It was late afternoon by now, being that she'd spent her entire day wandering the landscape, and as she came inside, the warmth of the blazing torches in the stone hallway called her present chill to her own attention.She rubbed her arms, wondering where the staircase to that beautiful room might be. As she started off toward the far end of the manor, a voice stopped her in her tracks. 9

"MiLady, Good Evening!" It was Lord Cromwell. As Maharani turned to gaze upon his beautiful, lithe form in partial shadow and flickering torch light, the thought of the room fled her mind quite completely. 10

"Good evening Sir." She replied with the tiniest curtsy. His hair was swept back with a fine length of black leather, some of it fallen from this binding to frame his eyes. He must have just exited the carriage. "Will we be dining together this evening?" She questioned. Lord Cromwell smiled indulgently before he drawled a reply in his hypnotic voice.11

"No MiLady. I shall not dine with you, for I've already been to supper, but I will be your company whilst you dine." He inclined his head with a slight nod and extended his elbow toward her. She took his arm graciously, her heart palpitating rapidly and her stomach churning in the most wonderful way. 12

'Stop acting like a giddy little chamber maid!' She scolded herself in her own head. Whenever she set eyes on the good Sir she became quite incapable of talking with out tittering and giggling like a nervous little girl. Then she remembered that room. After supper she would have to investigate.13