A daily routine was established by the end of the first week. At dawn, Athena and Craig would quickly go over their aims for the day then after breakfast Craig would join the men in their labours.
Athena would then be based in the library for her drawings and assessments or walk around the grounds trying to gauge the success of the designs from every vantage point. Any issues found or were hers to cost and find solutions for.
Invariably Oliver would appear and entertain her with amusing questions about the design. To humour him she had produced a sketch of a maze area complete with a confused Oliver at the centre. He had guffawed and promised to show Felix. The mention of his name did more to her nerves than all of Oliver's flattery.
Lily and Sophie, another servant girl, had become very helpful during this time and she enjoyed their company. Although still reserved there was a lot more fun to be had chatting with two engaging women than sitting on her own all day. Sophie was a curvy young blonde with a boisterous laugh and a big personality.
They amused her with tales of the recent hunts, especially Sophie whose bright nature excelled at telling stories. Apparently, some of the women had tried to persuade Baron Felix to call off the hunt when it looked like rain, to which he had simply flicked his horse's bridle and galloped away without a word.
"You should have seen their faces as he disappeared down the drive!" she giggled loudly. “I remember Baron Oliver cleared a fence on his horse and made them all squeal like mice too!"
Lily was more earnest, she worked quietly but Athena frequently noticed her watching out of the windows at the men labouring. It made her smile to see Lily’s blue eyes take on an eager brightness as she snuck a glance outside. It was Craig she admired, she wasn’t the first woman he had produced that effect on.
After Athena declared her love of horse riding, Lily offered to show her the stables and maybe even arrange a horse for her to borrow. Nothing dusted the confusion from one's mind like racing across the countryside at full gallop.
The season was bursting into spring with flowers and greenery emerging in the borders as she took a walk around the outside of the estate. In her dark green overcoat, tightly fastened at the waist she stood completely still on the large stone terrace.
Lost in her thoughts she stood still, cocking her head at a huge ornate fountain. While her brown curls danced in the wind she was struggling to imagine how the new lake would look. Suddenly a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
“May I wake you, Miss Thornfield?”
Her startled green eyes landed once more upon Baron Oliver Fairfax, a triumphant grin on his face at having caught her off guard.
“Oh, yes I suppose I do look somewhat vacant like this!” she laughed gaily, “I was picturing how the new lake will look from this vantage.”
“What if I wanted to keep it how it is now?” he teased, looking into the muddy pit that was currently being excavated.
“Well sir, they have about a hundred square feet removed so far, they have another three thousand at least to go so if you like mud you should be delighted” she chirpily replied as they started walking together.
“Three thousand!” he blurted, "I shall have to take up swimming!"
“Well, you can actually, with how it's designed. Shall we design a diving platform from the pagoda? They are becoming more fashionable. "
"I shall give some serious thought...certainly would liven up the hunts!"
"Shall we start at 10 feet high to enable tricks and spins?"
"Of course...and maybe five feet for those on horseback?"
She fully laughed at his ridiculous joke and a smile stayed on her face as they walked. The conversation was easy and gently teasing. Chatting about progress there was a lightness that relaxed her though she did not dare mention his elder brother directly.
"May I ask when the next hunt is scheduled?"
"A week on Friday...do you ride Miss Thornfield?"
"I do, but I'm afraid I sit like a man, I never mastered side-saddle."
"Well, we absolutely must have you upon a horse!"
"As long as I am not intruding on an arranged gathering…"
"Not at all, the more competent riders we have the better the chase!"
They spent an hour walking around the grounds whilst Athena explained her plans animatedly. The gothic Manor loomed over them, the arched windows and grey walls were stark and bleak. Under the low spring sunshine, the shadows cast were long and gloomy. Athena discussed her plans for adding climbing plants that would soften the facade and Oliver listened with apparent interest.
Arrangements were made to visit the stables together in the next few days to select a suitable horse, however, they parted ways with starkly differing opinions. Athena was pleased to have found a friend, Oliver considered the foundations to his inevitable seduction well under construction.
Both were unaware of the large figure of Felix observing from a library window. With the sash window partially open he had heard most of the conversation. He was surprised to find himself bothering to listen. More surprising was the discovery that Miss Thornfield was light and engaging and not the standard society bore he had assumed.
He brooded silently, one muscular arm against the window frame as she walked away, his dark unyielding eyes watching her hips gently swaying. Running a hand through his dark hair and furrowing his brow he wondered what his brother thought of her.
Oliver needed to sort himself out, stop fooling around with servants before his reputation was tarnished. Perhaps someone as grounded and intelligent as Athena would be the ideal candidate. Her restricted wealth was of no consequence, she had the correct breeding and could move properly within polite society.
The fact her green eyes had dazzled him the other night he tried to ignore. A young woman like that was not for him and his...desires. He was only approaching twenty eight and felt world-weary already.
He also couldn't help but notice her skin. It was not the typical wan porcelain of delicate ladies but charged with colour and health from all her time outside. He idly wondered how those delicate brown curls would roll through his fingers if he held her face, would she resist? What about if he pressed her roughly against a wall and pinned her arms up over her head?
Slapping the window frame with a force that echoed around the library he swiftly retreated to his study where such foolish imagining could be put to one side.
He resolved to allow Oliver the chance to court Athena. He was the elder brother and he had to put the needs of the younger Oliver first. Oliver needed someone like Athena, Felix insisted to himself he only wanted her because she was unattainable.
Finding a bitter taste rising in his mouth as he came to his decision, he rang the bell to summon Sophie for some tea.
“You don’t think there is enough there to make with work with Octavia then?” “There isn’t, but to turn back now would condemn us both.” “What changed?” “You did. I saw how happy you were in the hotel the other week and I realised I am never going to experience love like that. My life is a sham. Octavia is a sham.” “Is there a chance that in time love will grow or are you fundamentally different people? For my part I thought you two would prove a good match in time,” Felix offered in consolation, trying not to provoke Oliver into anger but eager to learn the truth.” Oliver sighed and continued to stare at the ceiling, his dark eyes glittering with the threat of tears. “I treat her poorly on our engagement meeting. Bit too rough with her if I am to confess and it has ruined any…possibility of future relations.” “Have you apologised?” “No.” “That might be all it takes. When there is no apology, the heart hardens. But it ca
The wedding day finally arrived. A riot of colouring flowers greeted guests as they arrived at Hadden Hall, once again admiring Athena and Craig’s garden redesign. Re-treading the same driveway she had left less than a year earlier Athena was stunned at the transformation of her life. Prickly, quiet, and somewhat lonely, now metamorphized into a kaleidoscope of joy from which she saw no end in sight. With her husband, still a foreign word upon her tongue to describe the man she gazed at so adoringly across the room, she had found herself. His touch, gentle and rough caresses had unlocked parts of her soul that she hadn’t even realised were hidden. Every night they came together in an exploration of varying power, teases, and softness. She was surprised to find how much she enjoyed overseeing Felix’s pleasure, how readily he submitted to being tantalised by her. Her body, no longer a practical skeleton design to move earth and plant flowers could be a device for both
The evenings darkness had enclosed London's streets as Oliver travelled towards his destiny with ever increasing anger. Bouncing along the cobbles his mind tortured him with all his errors. The loss of Lady Daphne as a potential love, his upcoming marriage to a woman be did not love. Overarching all of these was a wild jealousy of Felix and Athena. Their easy way with each other and the transformation in Felix was unbelievable. Finally carriage pulled up around the corner. Oliver threw some gold coins at the carriageman, requesting he wait outside. As he walked towards the casino his resolve melted away. Stood outside the nondescript building he was baffled as to why the place had held such a hold over him. Why had this standard columned building haunted his dreams and pulled at his sanity. He knew inside was a bar, a ledger with his fat credit line ready to play and a bar stocked with enough alcohol to drown out the misery. This time winning money wouldn't s
Oliver had regained his old swagger as he zipped around London with Octavia in the final week before the wedding. There were balls to attend, gentlemens clubs to smoke cigars in, too many functions to name. He was surprised just how well Octavias scheme had worked. As soon as the announcement hit the formal papers, not just the gossip rags all the invitations came flooding in. Hidden Hall was going to be overrun with the nations best, brights and richest young lights with him at the centre. He had left Octavia back at the hotel with her sour faced mother after an early dinner. She had seen through the match but prudently kept her mouth shut. Annoyingly Octvaia remained reverted to some kind of virgin state since their encounter at the bridge. Late at night, after several claret glasses he did occasionally replay that moment
At Fairfax Manor life had continued steadily, it had been almost three months since they got married, two months since Athena and Felix’s shock marriage and the summer was now at an end. Craig was busy ensuring the manor was fully prepared for winter winds and storms, checking supplies for the skeleton staff that manned the manor in Felix’s absence. He was also responsible for ensuring standards did not slip alongside Mrs Clarke. Thankfully the small teams of people on site were all dedicated to preserving the great hall and all rejoiced in seeing the owner happy again.Athena wrote frequent letters to both Lily and Craig separately, each one dealing with matters of business, finance and matters of the heart to the other. With Craig’s tuition Lily had become adept at reading and writing, improving from a basic knowledge to literate in just a few short months. Sophie was no
He spent a few more minutes wandering back up to where the horses were, his mind racing with a strange mix of fear and excitement. Weaving his way back through the glade path he heard the noise of the waterfall once more.“Felix…” came a sultry, low call that made him almost trip over the overhanging tree roots. The temperature dropped noticeably once out of the midday sun, the cool shady air was delicious. He realised he was sweating and damp from his searching after her. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks. In the small lagoon, the water at waist height, wearing nothing but a small smile stood Athena, her curling, chocolate-brown hair completely free and hanging down past her rib cage. Her eyes sparkled with victorious happiness as she registered the surprise on his face.“Athena…what are you…&r