Bambi and the Duke

Vivian followed back Jan who had immediately left after informing her that Leonard had asked for her presence in the mansion. Not sure what Leonard wanted from her, she walked quickly while trying to catch up with the housekeeper who had already begun to disappear from her sight.

With the mansion almost empty as the maids were out at the river bank, there were hardly two other servants except for her and Jan as they stepped inside the mansion.

”You will find him in the right wing,” seeing the housekeeper leave, Vivian made her way to the right wing.

When she came to the right wing, she began to peek through the series of the room as she passed them one after another in search of the master of the mansion.

Finding him in one of the guest rooms, Vivian walked forward and bowed her head. Her heart flipped in her chest by only seeing him. He was wearing the sweater she had knitted for him. Warmth spread all over her skin and heating up her body. He hadn’t touched her since the last time he had kissed her in his bathtub yet the memory was vivid and vibrant at the back of her mind. Her feelings had begun to grow, feelings that were pure slowly getting corrupted. At night when she was in her bed, Vivian couldn’t stop thinking about the way he had kissed her. She wondered what he would say if he knew what went in that head of hers. Just thinking about it brought blood rushing down her cheeks and between her legs.

As if sensing her emotions from afar, Leonard turned to look at her.

Time seemed to have frozen, eyes meeting each other while they stood in the same room staring at each other without a word. He didn’t wait for her to come up to him and instead, he walked to where she stood, his long feet taking big strides on the white floor.

”Where were you?” he asked, his dark red eyes brooding slightly at her absence.

”I...” she took time to get her senses back in place, ”I was at the river. We were washing clothes...” she saw him give her a nod.

”What about lunch? Did you eat?” she shook her head, ”Good. I asked Jan to bring lunch to my room. We can eat together.”

”That’s alright, master Leonard. I will have it later,” his eyes narrowed at her words.

”That won’t be necessary.”

”But-”

”Vivian,” he uttered her name with a sharp look, ”You will be eating with me. Take a seat,” he walked to the table and pulled the chair for her. She didn’t remember when was the last time they had eaten together or at the same table. A maid sitting at the same table where her master sat was an unacceptable gesture in society.

She heard the chair screech on the floor in the deafening silence of the room, making her head jerk up from her muddled thoughts before her feet carried herself to the chair and she sat down.

For a minute Vivian didn’t look left or right and instead decided to keep her eyes on the table she was seated in.

”How was your day?” she heard him question while he was behind her in front of his wooden carved closet rummaging through the clothes.

”It went well, master Leonard,” she answered his question, ”We maids found out that it is much easier to clean the walls with the stick and wooden laddle with wet cloth around it. Jan has been teaching us a lot of things. He is very good at cooking too. In the morning he finished preparing six dishes in less than ten minutes. I didn’t think it was-” her speech was interuppted when she felt his hand touch hers after he took a seat next to her, ”h-humanly possible but...then I realized...”

She suddenly couldn’t remember what she was talking about to him. With him touching her hand which was a simple touch, her mind had gone spiralling leaving her with the lack of ability of speech.

Unnoticeable goosebumps formed under the dress she wore, her body very much aware of him sitting next to her and touching.

”What did you realize?” he prompted calmly, his hand tracing up her wrist and then her arm, ”Hmm?”

”I realized,” she gulped when his hand reached her shoulders, ”That he wasn’t a human but a vampire,” she struggled with the words. Her voice lower than usual.

”Is that so,” he murmured.

She saw Leonard lean forward in one single movement and kiss her lips.

”Would you like to turn into one?” he whispered against her lips, ”You just need to ask but I think I like you the way you are,” he pulled her chair closer him.

”I-I didn’t think about it,” she looked away from him, her gaze shy and unable to hold to look him in the eye. She couldn’t concentrate on what she was speaking anymore! He was too close which made it impposible to think anything.

”Such a sweet girl,” he murmured brushing her lower lip with his, ”Would you come with me somewhere if I asked you to?”

Without asking where he meant with somewhere, Vivian nodded her head with the trust she had with him. Pecking her lips again he leaned back in his seat with a considerably bright mood, ”Let’s eat,” and not ten seconds later did the housekeeper appear with a tray of food in both his arms.

The housekeeper showed no change in his facial expressions that made Vivian wonder what he must be thinking with the way he served the food with a stoic face.

After finishing her meal with Leonard, Vivian went to her daily chores.

It was the time of evening when Leonard had gone out of the mansion after receiving a letter from the oldest Duke of Bonelake. Vivian who had just finished replacing new sheets in the room which had been washed and dried walked down the stairs to find Mr. Wells standing outside the mansion taking to the housekeeper.

”Mr. Jerome, good evening,” Vivian greeted him when their eyes net.

”Ms Vivian. It has been a while,” he replied as he held his hat in front of his chest and gave her a slight bow.

”What brought you here?” she asked him curious.

”The late Mr. Carmichael had wanted a house built under my supervision. It is half done and needs few modifications. I thought it would be better to consult the Duke before going ahead,” he then added, ”I didn’t receive any letters from you. I thought something grave must have happened and thought to visit you myself,” he said making her smile.

”Forgive me for interrupting you, Mr. Wells,” the housekeeper spoke, ”Maids or any servants of the Carmichael mansion are not allowed to send and exchange letters with others.”

”Really?” Mr. Jerome gave a ridiculous look at both of them, ”That must be absurd. What if they want to contact their family?”

”They will have to visit here, Sir. With the things that have happened it is the most logical reasoning,” Jan answered without any emotion, ”Mr. Wells, would you like to have tea in the drawing until master returns?”

”I think I’m fine here. I shall take a walk in the garden,” Jerome replied.

”Very well, Sir,” the housekeeper bowed.

Before Vivian could tell her greetings for the day, she heard Jerome ask her, ”Ms Vivian. Won’t you provide me your company in the garden?”