0 comments/  5144 views/  2 favorites

Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night

By: Romantic_Intellectual



Chapter 1 ==== Preparing for the Evening

It is another brisk morning walk around the manor. All the leaves have fallen from every tree covering the ground in the colors of Autumn with gold, red and orange with thin, brown veins that showed life in every leaf cut off. The crackling sound is heard clearly from stepping on small piles of the colored, thin layers every where I walk. It reminds me of the flakey, buttery pastries that I had last week for dinner. But tonight it will be about softness and the right amount of sweetness to fill the cool, hollow air.

Tonight will be a special night for I have a beautiful guest to accompany me. I could not wait, but I need to prepare my courses hours in advance. As I walk to the green house looking for the herbs that will be used for a variety of dishes, my butler came to me asking when he should pick up Miss Highbrighton.

"I do not want her out too late. Pick her up at about half past six, Humbly."

"Yes, Sir. I will inform her maid of the matter. Is there anything you would like me to prepare for tonight's meal, Sir?"

"Yes, Humbly. I need you to make some dough to give it time to rise. Maybe a basic foccacia, baguette or buttermilk rolls. If you could make a pie crust, then that will be fabulous."

"Yes, Sir. I will make them right away, Sir. If you need me, I will be in the kitchen and storage area."

Off he went without any hesitation as usual. He had been living on the estate for the past 30 years and usually quite predictable. I know that he fancies the maid of Miss Highbrighton, but he prefers to melt her heart at a distance. They had both been bitten once by the love bug and they are not too quick to jump into any serious relationship after that. 

The mint is a lovely, deep green. Some a little lighter in shade, but none the less as refreshing to the nose as the parsley. They will add a nice accent to every dish that I make for this evening. I want to make a six course meal for my lovely Gracie who lives a few streets away from me in this small town of Avon-Levingtonshire.

We had been introduced by a friend and the time spent with her for the past 22 months have been wonderful. There was something about her that first time we have met. Maybe it was the twinkle in her eyes that compliments her soft smile that I find most enchanting. It is difficult to take my eyes off of those bright, brown beauties. I can gaze into them all night basking in her warmth. 

She may not be the beauty queen of the world to many, but she sure is one to this old-fashioned soul. The world does not know what she is like inside as I do and it is her beauty inside that has won my heart. All that is seen outside is only temporary. Nature and gravity can be unkind to the body after a while, but what is inside is timeless. It feels as if the world has stopped when we are together. How time has passed and yet it still feels as if everything happened yesterday.

I gave the crisp land one last look before heading to the kitchen. Everything always look more charming when cupid has struck one's heart. My only hope is this feeling never ends.

As Humbly was kneeding the dough on the grey and white counter made of thick marble, I was preparing the beef bourguignon. The vegetables and beef had already been cleaned and cut the night before. The cubes of beef were sizzling in the pot with the sliced onion. The garlic will not be added till the end to keep it from burning. The aroma of the seared beef filled the kitchen and I knew that Humbly was looking forward to his dinner tonight.

On occasion, I help Humbly out with the cooking. Unless there is a dish that is too complicated for me to make, I usually make them on the nights that Gracie joins me for dinner. If a way to a man's heart is through his stomach then that too can be for a woman. Even if the food is not made perfectly, I know that Gracie appreciates the time I spend making the meal for her. The food is made with love and that always make any food taste better.

After browning the beef and onions, I had them set aside in a dish and poured two bottles of Beaujolais into the pot to let it come to a boil. My eyes were hypnotized by the rhythmic kneeding and my mind wandered off thinking of how nice it would be if it her kneeding the dough. I would be right behind her kneeding slowly and whispering in her ear, "If this is how food of love is made then I will always look forward to making every meal with you."

I could smell the floral sweetness of her skin already. Her lovely smile always has my heart racing and makes me want to smile too. It would be wonderful to do anything with her. Although we have walked around the garden, sat in front of a fire to talk, dined together numerous times, we have never made anything in the kitchen together. It would almost seem too forward to ask her to do that. I do not want her to think that is where I see her fit for me. 

Someone who has the key to my heart should be fitting every where. The picture is complete as long as that special one is along side hand in hand. I can imagine my world with her at every place. It would not be the same without her in all the great moments of my life. I want to be there by her side for years to come. Even though I think about this, I had never uttered those words to her. I do not want to put any pressure on her to think the same way, but it would be flattering to know if she shares the same thoughts that I have running through my mind constantly.

"Sir. Sir. Sir, the wine is boiling."

I was too deep in thought to hear Humbly until the last word. Indeed the wine is boiling. Now is the time to put in the vegetables, beef and the rest of the spices. It will slowly simmer for a few hours and be tender and delicious by dinner time. 

"You are drooling over this rich and hearty dish, Humbly?"

"Yes, indeed I am, Sir. Nothing finer than a beef stew on a cold day with fresh, thick bread to soak up all the flavor of the spices and fresh ingredients."

"Do not worry, Humbly. There is plenty of stew for everyone. It will be as comforting as the four cheese soufflé. Did you bring the Parmigiano-Reggiano from storage, Humbly?"

"I was planning to get that after I make the dough, Sir. If you like, I can go look for that now."

"No no. It can wait. I want to make the batter well in advance before the stew is ready. Shall I make the Chardonnay Gruyère sauce to compliment the soufflé or mix the Gruyère into the batter with the Fontina and Havarti?"

"If you were to leave the sauce out then you would sprinkle the delectable, nutty, sharp Parmigiano-Reggiano over the soufflé. But if you mix that into the batter then you can pour the cheese sauce over and into the soufflé. They are both tempting, Sir. One is a more subtle approach and the other adds a little bit of intense sensation to the taste buds from the beginning before letting the soufflé melt smoothly together. Why not make the cheese sauce and top the soufflé with thin, small, shaved slices of the nutty cheese?"

"Splendid idea, Humbly. Your taste buds will be dancing tonight."

"Indeed it will be, Sir. Will you be making a fruit pie, Sir?"

"Yes. I need you to cut up a variety of apples and pears. If we have any almonds, I would like slivers of them please. It will be an orchard surprise pie."

"What is the surprise, Sir?"

"The cardamom cream sauce made with vanilla bean and a hint of aged brandy."

"That sounds more fitting to be an after dinner drink, Sir."

"Yes, it would be if the amount of cream and brandy switched places. Do I detect someone to experiment with that idea?"

"I might entertain that indulgent idea, Sir."

Before we knew it, the hours had passed by quickly. Humbly made a salad and toasted sandwich for lunch. It was an hour to sit down and smell the kitchen with all the wonderful spices in the air. Every minute was worth savoring. The nostalgic feel is as comforting as the melted Provolone and artisan salami in my mouth. Mr. Rotolini makes a variety of cured meats and sells them in his deli shop.

After lunch, I had a nap before making the rest of the courses. I was contemplating on the type of salad, dressing and the availability of ingredients to make some side dishes. Something refreshing and light to balance the heartiness of the stew and soufflé.

Time was ticking away faster towards the later part of the day. Humbly had to get ready to pick up Miss Highbrighton while I was putting the finishing touches on the vegetable medley that will be roasting in the oven. I too need to freshen up to look my best for tonight.

Chapter 2 ========= First Half of the Meal

Minutes after putting on my dinner jacket, Humbly came to inform me that Miss Highbrighton was in the guest room. I quickly made my way through the corridor passing by the large, impressionist paintings on the walls. It had been there for decades and I had never bothered to replace them with something more suitable for my taste.

"Gracie! How nice it is to see you again."

She gave a light smile and said, "It is always nice to see you, Leonard."

I do not know if it was her heart that dropped or mine. She could not take her eyes off of me and I would not care what happens beyond the spot she was standing at. Her sparkling, brown eyes has me in a trance every time. The double layer, gold necklace with a princess cut, Swiss blue topaz in the center draped upon her smooth chest beautifully. It complimented her simple, midnight blue, evening dress with a white, satin shawl. She wore a matching pair of round, topaz earrings that accented her ear lobes perfectly.

"You are breath taking as usual, Gracie."

Her face began to blush and said, "You think I am breath taking even in this simple outfit?"

"Yes, I do. Nothing too fancy. The right amount to accent your natural beauty."

"You always know how to make me feel special, Leo."

"I always will, my sweet Gracie. Please join me in the dining room. I hope you enjoy the six course meal that I have made tonight."

As we were walking side by side, my hand wanted to hold her hand, but I held back. My palms were sweating with excitement and I could only think of dessert. I do not mean the one that is in the oven baking to a golden brown.

"Oh Leo, you did not have to go through all that trouble for me."

"No no. It was my pleasure. I want you to have a wonderful meal. Could I interest you in some sherry, Merlot, Chardonnay or a martini?"

"Some sherry would be nice. I always have a wonderful meal when ever I am with you. A simple cheese plate with some crackers, fruit and some wine in front of a fireplace would be as lovely as fish and chips as long as you are with me."

"Please have a seat. Let me take your shawl. Here is your sherry."

As I sit across from this beauty in front of me sipping sherry, I was tempted to hold her hand across the table. But that was not the only thing I had in mind. How sweet it would be if I can kiss those full, rosy, soft lips for a moment. 

Half way through our glass of sherry, Humbly brought out an assortment of olives marinated in a lemon peel herb olive oil and a basket of fresh, toasted focaccia. After letting the two inch thick bread sit for a bit, he slices them in half and then toast the top. The result is a thin layer of crispiness on top and a soft, chewy texture underneath that is perfect for dipping into the stew.

"The first course will be out shortly, Sir."

"Thank you, Humbly. Will you please open a bottle of the 1915 Bordeaux to let it breathe a bit?"

"Most certainly, Sir. Any particular one you had in mind, Sir?"

"No. Surprise me."

"Very well, Sir."

She looked at me with a sly smile and asked, "What are we having tonight, Chef Leo?"

"We are having beef bourguignon as the main course and a lovely dessert to finish it off at the end. I hope you will like it."

"I am sure that I will. Stew is fitting for a night such as this. You are sweet to cook for me, Leo."

"I want you to enjoy the finer things in life, my sweet sweet Gracie."

She was reaching for the bread basket and I was ready to touch her silky hand, but then Humbly came out with a cart.

"The first course is a beggar's purse filled with spinach, Camembert and spices on a bed of caramelized onion."

He set the dish down for her first and then me. Then he set the bottle of Bourdeaux and two wine glasses at the end of the bread basket before going back to the kitchen.

"This looks lovely, Leo. It is a work of art. The Chive bow wrapped around the purse and Parsley confetti sprinkled all over the dish looks vibrant. "

"Enjoy the edible art. Go ahead, tell me what you think."

"Mmm... Oooohh... This is delightful. I love the light, crispy texture on the outside and the smoothness of the cheese and spinach. The sweetness of the onions blends well with the subtle spices. I would not be able to stop myself if there was a whole tray of these warm delights."

"I am glad you like this dish, but I would not want you to fill up on these since there are more courses to come. You think these will be good for a dinner party?"

"Yes. It would be a crowd pleaser."

"I will consider that the next time I hold a party. Wait till you try the... Well I will leave it a surprise."

"You are full of surprises, Leo. I like every one of your surprises."

"Thank you. I am glad you like them."

About a minute after we had finished our first course, Humbly came out with a cart to pick up our plates and served our second course. 

"The second course is a field of mixed greens with an olive and caper vinaigrette."

He held out the pepper mill and asked if she would like any black pepper on her salad and mine. After grinding the peppercorn over our salads, he then poured the Bordeaux into the wine glasses before going back to the kitchen again.

I was having trouble keeping my mind off of her soft hands and lips. Each course was more and more difficult to get through. As much as I want to reach across the table and hold her face to kiss those precious lips, I had to refrain myself and be a gentleman. My mind was whimpering for some affection similar to a puppy with a sad look in its eyes longing to be held and get a tummy rub. I wonder what she is thinking of me at this moment.

"The salad is refreshing, Leo. I love the dressing. It is simple, but unique in taste."

"I am glad that you like it. Are you ready for the main course before Humbly eats all of it?"

She then covered her mouth with a napkin giggling. Her cheeks became rosy and her face lit up with joy.

"Is that what he is doing back there the whole time?"

I gave a smile and told her that it is one of his favorite dishes and was drooling all day for it. If Humbly does not make too much of a dent in the pot, we may have some left over for tomorrow's lunch. I made enough tonight for all three of us to get our fill of the hearty stew. But I doubt that we will have seconds unlike Humbly. It would be hard to imagine him having only one serving of the tender chunks of beef, sweet Pearl onions, rustic cut carrots and the rich flavor of the stew.

Humbly came out with the cart and removed our plates. Then he had a smile on his face while serving us the bowl of stew. 

"I am sure you will enjoy this as much as I do, Miss Highbrighton. Mr. Devoncaster made this with much love."

"Do not embarrass me in front of a lady, Humbly. I only hope she can handle my rustic cooking."

"Give yourself some credit, Leo. I am sure that I will enjoy this as much as I did the the other courses and previous meals made by you. This smells wonderful. Sometimes I think you should turn this manor into a restaurant. It will be fine dining at its best in this small town."

"Oh no no. I could not do that. You are too kind, Gracie. I only make a few dishes for you to enjoy."

"Mmm... This is delicious. Mmm... Oooohh... Mmm..."

How I want to stare at her eating, but I did not. I had my head down looking at the stew as I hear her make sounds of enjoyment with every bite. Part of me was delighted to hear her enjoy the food and another part of me was thinking she could make the same sounds with my arms around her as we kiss the night away. It was too much to handle. I really wanted to tell her to hold back on the sounds, but it was also music to my ears. How I envy the food being French kissed by her.

===== Chapter 3  Second Half of the Meal

Humbly brought out the roasted vegetables in the middle of eating our stew and telling us there is enough for seconds.

"Oh how lovely they look. It is Autumn on a platter with a nice selection of squash. Zucchini, pumpkin, yellow squash, red onions, yellow and red bell peppers. The fresh herbs bring it to life. I am swept off my feet. Can it get any better than this?"

"Yes, it can. I still have a few more delights to keep your feet in the air."

My mind was ready to clear the table, reach over to remove the clip from her hair and let it all hang loose. I had to keep stuffing my mouth with the vegetables to keep from having a hungry look in which food will do little justice to appease my appetite.

What has come over me tonight? 

Am I that nervous to ask her a question that can change both our lives that I have to think of having my hands all over her soft body?

The question has been in my mind for some time, but I had never had the courage to ask her. It never felt as if the moment was good enough. Then there is the fear of rejection. How awkward it would be if she says the two letter word. 

It did not take long for us to clear the vegetables. Light, tasty, simple, healthy and colorful all in one. Makes for a nice palate cleanser to some. Humbly came out moments after we had finished the dish.

"I present to you the quattro formaggio soufflé."

Humbly set the ramekin down in front of her and cut open to let the smoke come out. Then he did the same for me before shaving the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the soufflé and drizzled a bit of the cheese sauce over the soufflé. He did not pour too much so that the sauce would not over power the soufflé. The sterling silver, gravy boat was set in between us before he went back to the kitchen.

"How lovely this is, Leo. This is the first time I ever had a four cheese soufflé. The cheese sauce is divine. Mmm... I taste white wine in this. The texture is light and fluffy."

"Yes, there is some Chardonnay in the sauce. I am glad that you like it."

"Oh I love it. This would be a good way to end any meal."

"We are almost to the end of our meal. Maybe I will make a dark chocolate soufflé next time."

"Tonight's meal has been memorable. Is there a reason for all this?"

"No reason. I only want to make every meal with you as memorable as can be. Good food makes good memories."

I hate to lie to her, but I was too nervous to say anything else. Part of me wanted to be spontaneous and then there is a part of me that wanted everything to be in the right place and time to ask her the big question. This was not the night my heart and mind are on the same page. 

Aside from the stew and roasted vegetables, every course was served on a small dish. It was the right amount for a multi-course meal. There was still a pie, but that will be eaten in the guest room over a glass of Riesling.

"Are you ready to join me in the guest room? We can have dessert there."

She then answered yes and got up to walk with me. I could feel her wanting to hold my arm, but she held back and was glad for that. If she had touched me, I would not know what would happen between the dining room and guest room. The thought of kissing her in every inch of this place cease to leave my mind. How it would speak of our passion too if not for my will to keep my composure in front of a lady. The walls would show our hand prints every where.

"Would you care for some coffee, tea, wine or liquor?"


Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night Ch. 19-21



Chapter 19 ==== On the Way Back Home

One of the benefits of seeing Frederick is I usually come home with a carriage full of his cured meats. I think there is enough to last the entire Winter. Thankfully, he also opened up a few bottles of wine for me to sip through my trip back home. The Chianti goes well with one of his more peppery salami and the Speck too.

It is more chilly now than it was a week ago. If only I can have a nice, hot, bowl of soup with the Bresaola and hot bread. A warm hand to hold would be even nicer. But I do not know if I would get that chance when I am back.

If Gracie and I could get through this Winter, maybe we can go to the places Frederick and I have been to years ago. We would sip a different bottle of wine each meal, taste the local meats both cured and cooked, try the seasonal fruits and vegetables, enjoy the many types of coffee and tea, see the beauty of every land and join in on any local festival there is at the time. I want to give her great moments to remember for rest of her life. The question is if we can do all this and still have a possible affair in the future?

What if one day, one of us stops having feelings for one another?

It is possible that a series of events can lead to that. The gap becomes wider and wider. The distance between our hearts does not tag onto the same line or route any more. Nobody would want to get into a relation of any sort hoping to fall apart later. Sadness would usually follow after the end of any relation. Unless it was a bad relation to begin with then the ending would be a breath of fresh air.

Can two hearts grow farther apart over time that easily?

Would I become sick of every other habit she has?

Would she be sick of my habits?

Will there be something to come along that I find more important than her?

Where and when do we give up on one another?

I wish that I can find out how many elderly couples are actually happy with who they have been married to and put up with for a few decades. 

What is their secret to a long marriage?

What keeps them together rather than strangle one another?

Are they ever too busy to care or does being busy makes their heart grow fonder for more time together?

Will we find out that we are really not fit to be together?

How compromising we are now may not always be that way in the future. If one of us becomes less inclined to meet half way then there has to be a reason. There has to be some sort of pattern to build up over the months and years for it to reach that level. It is not an over night matter which is what makes it difficult to detect.

Instead of dining at a local restaurant this time, I had ordered dinner to be sent to my room. I was hoping for more quiet time, but that did not happen since the couple next door were having a yelling match. If only I knew, I would have eaten else where. 

It made me wonder if Gracie and I would be the same way years from now. From what I could hear, it sounds more to me that the husband was more fed up with the wife. I do not know how often they quarrel, but whether this is one of the few or many, it is not a healthy relationship.

"For once, can you not leave me in peace?

Can I not read the papers without you constantly nagging at me?"

"Well I would if you did everything right. I am always the one to pick up after your mess. Who do you think keeps the house clean?"

"I will consider where I put my clothes and personal items a little more. Will that make you happy and stop nagging so much?!"

"No! It is not only that. You drink too much and you are out at the pub too often. It is as if you do not want to come home."

"Well do you blame me? 

I come home and the first thing you do is nag nag nag. You think I want to come home from a long day at work to hear that?

Would it kill you to learn some new recipes?"

"You are saying my cooking is not good enough for you? Is that it?!"

"It does not hurt for you to add a little more fat to the food. Some bacon maybe or fried fish once in a while."

"I am only concerned about our health. If you want to die due to clogged arteries then be my guest."

"I think I will die of a massive headache first with all your nagging!"

"This is the thanks I get for trying to keep you healthy, the house clean and making home cooked meals for you?!"

"You think I am not doing my part by working long hours at the factory?

Do you ever thank me for going through the infernal house of the devil every holiday season?"

"How dare you! My mother's house is not a place to be mocked!"

"I was not referring to the house itself."

"Well if you did not like to go then why did you?"

"If I did not then you would nag me to death. When I do get to the house of fire, I get to hear more nagging from the devil herself who never thinks I am good enough for you. All this nagging runs in your family."

"After all that I have done for you, this is how you treat me?!"

"I should be asking the same. You are not exactly all that. If I knew that I would be married to a nag then I would have stayed single."

"Are you saying that your life would be better without me?!"

"I know it would have been much more quiet."

"You are heartless!"

"Me, heartless?

I take some time off from work to go with you to see your Aunt Beatrice and you call me heartless?

There are better things I can do on my free time than to be out in this weather visiting your relative. I could have let you go on your own or have someone else go with you, but no. You had insisted that I come along with you and here I am. What thanks do I get?"

"Well it would not look proper if you were not with me to see Aunt Beatrice. She would have thought that you did not care about me or worse. We do not need her to have the wrong impression of us."

"Does it really matter what she thinks about us?

She will die before we do. As old as she is, I do not think she even remembers much. You could always tell her everything is fine. If she does not want to believe it then it is her problem."

"You do not like to see anyone in my family, do you?"

"Did you finally figure that out after all these years?

For the past 32 years, your side of the family has been one, huge pain in the rear. I do not know why I even stay with you for this long."

Their quarreling had ended with her crying in the corner and him drinking a bottle of wine or liquor from the sound of the bottle that was placed heavily onto the table. I really wonder if they are only together for the sake of appearances, could not afford to live apart or that there is some sort of guilt that keeps them from separating. 

I know there are not any relatives to throw into our relation since we hardly have anyone around in the family that we are close to. Neither one of us have surviving parents around to make life more complicated and I do not have to spend long hours at the office. I can do some of my work at home if I choose.

Will she be that particular about our diet and health in the future?

Will she feel as if she did what is best for us and I am too tired or distracted to see that?

I would think that since both of us do spend time at the library that we would have plenty of quiet time. It is difficult to imagine her nagging at me everyday, but the possibility is there.

The meal would have been nicer without hearing all that noise. Maybe a glass of port and a story will help calm my nerves before I sleep tonight.

Chapter 20 ==== Mystery by R. J. P. Part Two

As I made myself comfy in bed with a glass of port on the night stand, I had went back to the mystery that I was reading by Packrollingtaff. Last I remember, the detective had a lead on Mason.

Lost From Within the Hidden Walls Part Two

It looks to me that something interesting will happen tonight. All I need to do is hide behind one of the book shelves where I can get a good view of the three walls. When he goes in, I will follow right behind him.

"Hello, Mr. Biltdeersomer."

"Evening, Detective Rumknackfort."

"Are you ready for tonight?"

"Yes, Sir. I will make sure to keep the others away from that side of the library."

"Good. Please walk by every half hour to see if I am there or not. If you do not find me and I do not see you before I retire for the night then there is something awfully wrong."

"I will do that, Sir. Let us hope that this does not become too complicated."

It was still day light and I had to wait an hour before midnight for Mason to show. We had picked that time frame so that most of the staff would be asleep instead of running around the estate. This would give Mason the perfect opportunity to walk all the way to the grand library without anyone noticing him. He does not have a night shift so it would be unusual for him to be up at that hour.

If I catch him before what ever is behind the wall does then he is sure to lose his position at the manor. I have the feeling he will not live another day. It would be fortunate of me to come out of this alive if I can follow right behind him. This is a risky task, but I am here to solve the mystery.

I was watching Mason at different times of the day until he had finally went to his room for the night. Then I would head back to the grand library to sit on the floor pretending to be asleep in case anyone passes by to see me. I know it will not be long before Mason shows up. 

"This must be the spot. There must be a lever or panel here some where. Soon I will be the lord of this manor. I am surprised that nobody has found out about this sooner. Why would anyone want to work here when they can own the estate?"

I saw Mason patting the walls randomly until he almost gave up and sat against the wall. Then it moved a little that would let him push it half way to get in. As soon as he was a few steps in, I quickly try to follow after, but the wall automatically closed and it would not open for me. I sat there leaning against the wall thinking it would open for me too, but it did not. 

A few minutes later, I was able to hear a faint scream within the walls. Sadly, I am the last one to see Mason before his tragic end. As I had got up to walk back out, Mr. Biltdeersomer came by to check as I have asked of him to do earlier.

"Did anything happen, Detective?"

"Yes. Mason did go to the other side of the wall. The wall had closed on me before I could get in."

"Did you find out how he got in?"

"I was thinking sitting against the wall would do the trick as he did, but that does not work for me."

"This may sound a little far fetched, but do you suppose that the way to get in is not based on the physical aspect?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the way to get in is based on one's mental thoughts. The intentions one has that are less than pure."

"You mean the wall only opens to those who have ill intentions?"

"Yes. I think if you can find anyone with ill intentions on an extreme level and put them against the wall then that wall will open."

"It does sound unusal, but you may be on to something. I will contact the police station in the day to help me out."

Not that it was easy to sleep after seeing Mason taken by what is behind the wall, but I was quite tired and I was ready to solve this case. If it was not so late at night, I would contact the police chief to discuss the matter.

When the sun was shining brightly through my window, I was quick to get up and went straight to the police station to look for Chief Brentap. I had told him it is a very sensitive matter and would like to borrow a convict. One that will never turn over a new leaf and society will be better off without him. He said that he had to look over the records first and then will contact me.

Half a day has gone by and the chief told me he will be sending the convict to the manor accompanied by two officers. His head will be covered the whole time and the shackles will stay on him.

"Detective Rumknackfort?"

"Yes."

"I am officer Kintley. This is the convict the chief had picked out for you. Where do you want him?"

"Come this way with me and stay quiet."

We had taken a different path to the grand library without having to pass by many of the servants. It would alarm them to find two officers and a convict walking around the estate. When we had arrived to the area near the wall, I had to quickly look for Mr. Biltdeersomer and tell him to keep people away from that side of the library again.

"I need one of you to stay here and stand guard in case anything happens."

Officer Kintley had decided to follow me in to the wall. He then took the bag off of the convict and had him lean against the wall that Mason was sitting against the night before. Then sure enough, the wall did open and we had the convict walk in and we had followed right after.

As we were walking in, the wall had closed behind us. Amazingly, there walls were made of crystal. It glowed brightly enough for one to walk down the path and see clearly. Then we were able to hear a deep voice that obviously wanted us to give into our darker side.

"You want all the riches in the world?"

The convict did not look the same as he was before he came in. His eyes were glazed and you could tell he was gone. He was walking faster and faster so we had to keep up.

"You want all the riches in the world?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"Come closer. You will have all that you dream of and more."

"Yes! Yes!"

The officer and I had to stay focus. We were thinking to ourselves that we could not give into this voice or we will not come out alive.

"What ever you do, stay focus. This is all a trick. There are not any riches."

"Yes, Detective. I will stay focus. It is a bit difficult though. Do you not feel a pull?

As if our bodies are wanting to keep going in one direction farther and farther away from the wall we came in."

"Yes, I do. This only means it will be difficult to go back out. We need to stay focus. Look. There is an opening up ahead."

As we came closer to what looks to be a room of some sort, the convict must have seen something different than what we were looking at. He then laughed hysterically and said, "Yes! It is all mine!"

The voice said, "Do you want all these riches?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"If you give me your soul then I will grant you all that you see in this chamber."

The convict had answered yes again. But we were a bit confused as to why he would agree to what is in the chamber. From what we could see, it was a pile of human bones. Skeletons every where with rags all about. There was one uniform still in shape and it must have belonged to Mason.

Soon after the convict had said yes to the voice, he was then struck with a flash of light as if he was struck by an amazing lightning coming from all sides of the chamber. Then all we saw was his bones and what he was wearing hanging off of it. My guess is he shares something in common with all that had come to this place. They were all itching for more than they could handle and end up being taken away than ever seeing what they were wishing for.

"We need to head back out quickly."

"Yes, we do."

"Stay. You can have all the riches too. You can have all that you desire here."

"NO! There are not any riches here. Come on, Kintley."

"We all desire something. You will love it here. Stay."

"NO! Let us get out of here."

"I want to leave, Detective. I do, but I also can not help to stay."

"You must not stay here. Come with me. We have to get out of here quickly."

"All my life, I do what is best for the community. I protect my family, friends and the public. What do I get?"

"You earn the respect that you deserve. Now keep walking."

"Respect?

I do not always get that respect thanks to a few, cheating, lying, bad apples in the force. They ruin it for the rest of us. We put our lives on the line and we do not get paid nearly as much as the merchants. It is a thankless job sometimes."

"Yes, but would you rather be behind bars or worse?"

"No, but it does not hurt to gain a few perks once in a while."

"Well the perk for you now is to get out of here alive. You go back there and all the perks will be gone. I think you know better not to be a dead and lost officer. Keep walking."

"I am trying. It feels as if something is pushing us back as we are closer and closer to the wall we came in from."

"We can do this. Think of all the people you would like to see again. Think of what you can do on your free time. Think of all the wonderful times you had with others. You want that then you need to focus on getting out of here."

"I can do this. Focus. I want another party with the guys. Nothing more relaxing than having a few pints after work. I can almost taste the fresh brew. The pub is a glorious place to be."

"Yes. Keep thinking that. We are almost there."

When we have got to the wall, we had both our hands on it to open. I think if we had any ill intentions, the wall would not have opened for us. There was not much for the officers to do about the unusual event. Officer Kintley had told me he would keep it quiet and tell the chief about it and most likely will stay quiet about the whole matter too.

I had reported to the lord of the manor and he said that the wall will be kept a secret until it is time to hand the manor to the next owner. He at least knew that anyone with ill intentions will not ever get very far on the estate. The idea of tearing down that wall had crossed his mind, but worries that he would be looked at as the murderer or that it would release what ever or who ever is within those walls would be loose to take more souls. It was best to leave it alone.

Now that the case is solved, I can leave the estate and go back to my small flat and be at my office more often. Maybe I will take a short holiday before taking on another case.

The end of R. J. P. mystery.

The mystery is solved. My glass is empty. I am ready to sleep. If I am fortunate, I will have a sweet dream again.

Chapter 21 ==== Almost Home

As I was heading out my room with my luggage and the carriage driver was helping me load the rest of my bags of cured meats, I have noticed the older gentleman from next door going to the bar for a drink. I had told the driver that I will be out after my morning tea. The falafel shop across the street from Raja's House of Spice was very tempting, but I had to pass. Not a good idea to start the morning with fried food.

At the bar, I had ordered some Earl Grey and a Toad in the hole. I was curious to know more about the relationship between the older gentleman and his wife so I had offered to buy him a drink.

"I could not help to over hear you arguing last night with your wife, Sir."

"Yes, we have these arguments about once a month. Sometimes they are worse than the one we had last night."

Someone who have been working in a factory usually does not have a proper accent or more of an accent that is easier on the ears. His does not sound that bad which led me to ask him if he had worked in a factory all his life. He had told me that he was working in the office until an accident in the military caused his writing hand to be less functional. Due to that, he could not really keep up with any office work and was recommended a factory job. It was the same pay with decent benefits that had me stick to the same job for years.

"Why did you stay with your wife all these years?

You sound quite unhappy with your marriage."

"The old wind bag was not this way for the first half of our marriage. She was not a health fanatic and paranoid about the possible illnesses anyone can catch until a particular doctor visit I had years ago. The doc had told me to watch my diet if I want to live longer without much complications. This set off the bells and whistle for her and since then, she has been a nightmare."




Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night Ch. 19-21



"What makes you stay around for her?"

"As much as she is a pain to anyone's ears, I know that she is the one that cares for my health. Nobody else would care for it as much as she does. I sure would not be this careful about my diet. It is her way of showing her affection to me. 

I really could not leave her to support herself. She was 40 when all this had happened and she would not be attractive to any man. Not with her mouth yapping how important it is to stay healthy. Maybe if she was in her 20's then it would be different." 

"Your idea of her well being is keeping a roof over her head so that she would not be struggling to pay the bills. Her way is to keep you healthy."

"Yes. There is not much intimacy between us. I can not look at her the same way as I did when we had first married. Believe me, I have thought of running off with someone younger. But I know that will not last and the younger ones would only want the security of someone to take care of them. They would not care about my health as much. I do not have many options for someone of my age and neither does she."

"I see your point. Is there much room for compromise?"

"Compromise? HA!

There is little to compromise on. What ever I do is not enough to keep her from nagging at me all the time. All I want is to come home to some peace and quiet with a drink in my hand, but that is too much to ask for. I am tired of trying to compromise with someone who is not willing to do the same."

"I guess having a housekeeper around the house would not make a difference."

"Not much. She would probably be on the housekeeper's case about how she wants everything to be and drive that one out of the house. I do not think that having someone to help her around the house more will have her nag less at me when it seems that she is only focusing on what I do wrong."

"It is obvious that she is not happy with her life and she feels a need to point the finger else where. You on the other hand would be content with what you have if she would nag less. Did you ever ask what she is unhappy about in life?"

"No, I have not. I do not think that I could do much to change our situation either. There is not anything I could do about my hand or my health. I will blame it on bad genes. Even if I am eating healthier, I still have to be cautious not to tip the scale over. Then you have some who can eat any way they want and show little signs of reaching a heart attack or any other serious illness."

"I can understand that even if you two do discuss the issues, it does not mean there will be any changes or a better outcome. But I would suggest you at least try to ask what makes her this way. It really could not be your bad habits alone. There has to be something else that is deeper and she needs to acknowledge what it is. Think of it as a chance to have more quiet time if she does realize what she is doing is not good for either one of you."

"I will try that, young man. You have a special lady in your life eh?"

"How do you know?"

"If you did not then you would not be asking me about my marriage. I will tell you that if she feels right for you then go for it. If she is not the same after a few years then run. Run as far as you can because nothing will be the same ever again. Some of them are tricky. They play the role to get your attention and then after tying the knot, they show you their other side and it can be ugly."

"I will keep that in mind, Sir. Well I must leave now. It was nice talking to you. Do have a good day and I hope something will turn out well in your favor soon."

"Thank you, young man. You have a good day too."

After my last sip of tea, I was on the road again. I should be able to get home before the sun is out of sight. Humbly would be glad to see me home safe and I would look forward to a warm place with a fresh, hot meal verses being in a cold carriage eating cold cheese and meat.

In some way, talking to the older gentleman has helped ease some of my nerves. It is not exactly easy to digest the idea of Gracie and I arguing in such a manner, but at least I know that neither of us would have that much of a change in life style before and after we tie the knot. I know what topics to discuss with her before hand that the older couple did not. 

Nobody expects drastic changes in their lives. It is difficult enough to handle the matter on an individual basis. When one is married then it becomes the well being of both parties. Where the arguments come in has a great deal to do with how each one handles the situation and much of the time the individual is thinking more about him or herself than about both. It becomes a selfish matter. 

Not every couple will discuss what they will do or how they will handle a future scenario. Part of it has to do with them being comfortable with where they are. They are not expecting much to change because they do not want any major changes. The idea of not wanting something does not mean it will stay that way. Most are only thinking of what they want to happen in their future verses the opposite. They fight the idea of the possible, unfortunate scenarios that could happen to them. This is what leaves them unprepared and vulernable to falling later in the future.

The couple may not want to have children, but what if it does happen?

One of them may be ill more often or have a serious injury, how will they cope with the set back?

Does it bother the man to not be the bread winner or is it perfectly fine that the wife is fully independent?

Too many people do not stop to take the time and discuss a wide range of topics for the sake of their future. If they did then there would be less splitting up, less suicides, homicides, depression, abuse, affairs and all sorts of crazy scenarios due to a bad marriage. A vital key to any type of relation is open communication. This also means to keep an open-mind, make room for compromise and be able to acknowledge everyone has flaws. Trust is also another important key in every relation whether it is business, personal or public. Sadly, the world becomes more and more distrustful of one another due to a handful here and there that make it harder on the rest of us. 

I really do hope Gracie is as open-minded as I am in some areas. She should understand why I have so many concerns. It is best that we clear the air before I propose to her. This is a major step in our lives and it will affect us for better or for worse. I rather it be better, but I also have to acknowledge that it would be a heavy scar for the both of us if it does not work out.



Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night Ch. 22



Note: This is a novel, not a short story. It is designed to be long.

Chapter 22 Home at Last

It is certainly nice to be back home. Humbly had the dining room all warm and cozy. 

"Glass of sherry, Sir?"

"Yes, Humbly. Thank you."

"Dinner will be out soon."

"That sounds lovely. Please join me."

"Yes, Sir."

I wonder if Gracie is still upset with me. This will not be an easy talk when we see one another again. I dread the thought of making her upset, but this is not about upsetting her. It is for the sake of our future. 

[ Few days ago at Miss Highbrighton's guest room... ]

"Should I stay mad at Mr. Devoncaster, Aveline?"

"No, Miss. You should not let a question such as that to bother you. He is only thinking of the future that would be best for both you and him."

"Yes, I know. It is quite upsetting that he would think I have an affair on him or that he would even think of having one of his own."

"He is not thinking about having one or suspecting you of having one. He is only trying to figure out how each side will handle such a matter if it arises. There is not any guarantee that the future will be the same as it has been in the past. You can easily lose interest in him. He can easily have bad habits that will test your nerves.

To tell you the truth, when Hayden was around in the state he was in mostly drunk, I had my thoughts on someone else. I was ready to go where there was an opening for me to get away from him. All his words and actions did not show his love for me any more. He was too far gone into his own world of depression to really notice me. Nothing I did for him was ever acknowledged and it made me feel hopeless. 

Would you blame me for leaving him, Miss?"

"Well, no. Not when he had put everyone through so much trouble. Everyone was trying to help him and he would not see the light of day. I think everyone had a right to be upset with him."

"Exactly. I am not saying that Mr. Devoncaster would be that way, but it is possible he could do something that may have you lose interest in him. You could do something that has him lose interest in you too.

For the sake of your future, I would seriously talk to Mr. Devoncaster more in depth. More about how each side would handle a scenario. Truthfully, how would you handle it? 

Not how you would handle it now. Not how you think you can change things to your advantage. If you are open to something now then you can be open to it later. But if you are not open to something then the future may not change that. All he wants to do is make sure that you both will be happy together. It is better to know what to expect now than later."

"I suppose so. It is risky for us to discuss various topics that can cause our relation to break apart."

"It is, Miss. But would you rather find out the hard way later on?"

"No. I do not know what to think. He is a wonderful gentleman, but I fear he may lose interest in me after asking me that question."

"This is why both of you need to talk. Talk till those fears are gone. He will be back in a few days. Why not invite him over for lunch?"

"I suppose that will not hurt. Give him some time to adjust when he is back. Do not rush him. I do not want him to think that I am anxious or anything."

"Yes, Miss. I will do that."

[ Back to dinner with Humbly... ]

"How have you been, Humbly?"

"I have been well, Sir. Did you have a good trip?"

"Yes. I am sure you would enjoy the salami from Frederick."

"Yes, Sir. Mr. Humbertwald has a lovely selection of cured meats."

"Anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

"No, Sir. They are planning to build a rail way that will go from here to South of Waldenleigh. In the future, both you and Mr. Humbertwald can see one another more efficiently."

"Splendid. It is about time they build a train station around here. Do you have any idea if Miss Highbrighton is still upset with me or not?"

"From what I was told, she has calmed down. I do believe that there will be a meal to be shared in the near future."

"Yes. You think I am wrong to ask her such questions?"

"No, Sir. You have a right to be concerned. It is best you know now than later. I do not want to see either of you with broken hearts. If for any reason you do not see this relation working out in the future then it is best to cut it off while you can. You do not want to find out at the most inconvenient moment."

"Quite true. It is hard not to feel sad before anything happens. I am having to prepare myself for the negative results. She could easily end the relationship, run off in tears, slap me or something else."

"The worst that could happen is the relationship would come to an end. I know you are quite fond of Miss Highbrighton, but it would only hurt more if you extend the relation and never come around to discussing what should be discussed about."

"I feel as if I am losing a major part of me if she leaves me."

"I can understand, Sir. It is better she leaves you early than later. Do you really want to marry someone that will not be there for you later on?

Do you really want to see yourself lose interest and do the unthinkable to her?"

"I know what I have to do even though it will not be easy. Frederick and I had discussed about this matter too. We really do have to bring out our past, our goals, dreams and more if we want to make everything right. I fear she will not be too thrilled about my past."

"We do many crazy acts when we are young. I am sure Miss Highbrighton has her fair share of her more lively days."

"I would think so. But if she does not then I will look out of place."

"Well this is a time to let out any skeletons in the closet. If there are any secrets that may come to light in the future, this will be the best time to bring them up."

"Yes. One secret I will not tell her is what Frederick and I did with a young lady while I was in Waldenleigh."

"Oh?"

"You can say that Frederick and I were reliving some of our earlier days. I did not plan on it, but one thing led to another. Since I am not engaged to Gracie and do not know if she would end the relation or not, I had gone along knowing it would stay private."

"Your secret is safe with me, Sir. I do not think Miss Highbrighton would be happy to hear that. Something tells me that when you were in such a situation that you were thinking of Miss Highbrighton."

"Yes, I was. It was difficult not to. I have been wanting to show her my love and affection in a more animalistic way, but do not want to toy with her emotions. I want our relationship to be based on everything else except that. It would be icing on the cake when I do have her all to myself on our honeymoon."

"Do you think it is possible that she too would want to do the same, but does not want to appear less than a lady?"

"I suppose she could think in a similar fashion. It excites me to think that she wants to be intimate with me as much as I want to be intimate with her. Sometimes I wish that we can have a more intimate relation without having to tie the knot. But that would not be honorable."

"I can understand, Sir. It is not about you being more or less honorable. You want to have more a cushion in case you fall. You do fear that the relationship can go badly in the future. By not tying the knot, it could ease some of the pain. The pain is there regardless of the marital status. There is not an easy way to go about the matter."

"Is there a way you can find out if she is open-minded in some areas?"

"I will try, Sir. What did you have in mind, Sir?"

"Well you remember my days in Paris and Milan?"

"Yes, Sir. You and Mr. Humbertwald had wild and care free days with some locals."

"Yes. I wonder if Gracie had such days before or if she would take a chance at such or that she dreams of doing something that spontaneous.

My worry is she would look at my past in a confused way. You know how I look at everyone in general. I am color blind, do not discriminate against gender and find different cultures fascinating. It is all about what is inside that counts."

"Yes, Sir. I share your views. The world would be a much happier place if they stop drawing so many lines upon one another. If we learn to be more accepting and respectful in general than rejecting and crossing the lines with hatred then we would not have all these outrageous crimes against humanity. 

The pleasure of the flesh should be free from so many restrictions. The only restriction is that the parties are all full grown adults that agree on the matter. It should be mutual. The options are much wider when the fine lines are removed. The ones who place so much restrictions on everyone are the ones most likely to commit the crimes against people. Their insecurities lead them to a dark path even though they point that they are on the brighter one."

"Indeed. Please find out more about Gracie's past. I am not sure how she will take in the relation Frederick and I have. It would ease my nerves if I know she has a best friend that has been intimate with." 

"I will find out what I can, Sir. More cream of corn, Sir?"

"Yes, thank you. You have made a great meal as usual, Humbly.

"Thank you, Sir."

I had decided to go to bed early and not sleep in too late. There are some business matters I need to attend to with Nigel, the senior office manager. I had Humbly arrange for his visit to my place in the afternoon.



Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night Ch. 23-32



Chapter 23 ==== Day of Knots in My Stomach

As I sit in the guest room arranging the paper work to discuss later with Nigel, my stomach was in a knot thinking of how the lunch with Gracie later on could turn out less than pleasant. I only hope that the meeting with Nigel goes smoothly.

"Mr. Nigel, Sir."

"Hello, Nigel. Come and have a seat."

"Thank you, Mr. Devoncaster."

"Let us get right down to business. I would like Miss Sidney-Haldonot to be the writer for our magazine in the Waldenleigh area."

"Yes, Sir. I have also brought over some recipes for you to try before we have them listed in our next monthly edition."

"I will look forward to tasting some of these recipes. Humbly!"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Will you look over these recipes and make some of them please?"

"Yes, Sir. I will start right away."

"How do you feel about letting Roger take on a few projects, Nigel?"

"What type of projects do you have in mind, Sir?"

"I was thinking more of taking some of Katie's role while she is away on holiday."

"Are you serious, Sir?

It would be catastrophic. The idea is diabolical. You are letting that pea brain handle such tasks?"

"Yes. The paramecium will get what he deserves."

"He has been pushing for a promotion, yes?"

"Yes, Sir."

"You know very well he can not handle his own position, much less a higher one."

"Yes, Sir."

"This will give him a chance to prove himself worthy of the promotion. If he fails then he loses his job entirely. I know this will be a little more difficult on you and everyone else. Essentially, it is really the rest of the staff doing the work without him. We are only making him think he is taking on each project as if it is his own. All the assignments he receives will not apply to our monthy edition in any way."

"You are saying to give him the chance to fail?"

"Yes. You know he will not be able to pull through. If he does then we gain something. There is not a loss on our end either way. If by some strange miracle, he could handle these assignments then we have a stronger team. Since we are aware of his bad habits, we know he will not be able to handle all this which would give us the right to show him the door."

"I should start looking for someone new on the side privately to fill in his seat?"

"Yes. We can not afford all his blunders. I rather lose him than the rest of the staff. He is only making it harder for everyone else with his lack of inefficiency. Sometimes I wonder if his brain is a door stopper."

"You are brilliant, Sir. Should I let the rest of the staff know what is going on?"

"To a certain extent. All they need to know is any assignments he is working on are all non related to the company. They do not need to review his work or worry about his mistakes."

"Yes, Sir. He would be much better off without all the drinking. We have suggested he seek help, but he refuses to talk to any counselor and does not see how bad his performance is at work. We did give him plenty of chances to recover, but thinks we are all pushing him too much."

"Not much we can do if he is not willing to meet us half way. He is not coping well with the death of his uncle and the wife leaving him for being drunk so often."

"Yes, it is a shame. Is there anything else I need to make a note of, Sir?"

"No. If there is anything else, I will let you know. Thank you for coming by, Nigel."

"Not a problem, Sir. It is nice to get away from the office sometimes."

I am glad the short meeting with Nigel went smoothly. Now I need to prepare myself to see Gracie. From what Humbly has told me, there was not much he could find out about her. Either Aveline is not sharing much or Gracie is a lot less adventurous than I am.

When I have arrived at the front door of her home, Aveline was there to greet me and brought me to the dining room. 

"Please have a seat, Mr. Devoncaster. I will inform Miss Highbrighton that you are here."

"Thank you."

I had a few sips of wine while waiting for Gracie. It will be great if I can leave this place with a smile on my face, but I fear the worst. 

"Leo, thank you for coming."

"Thank you for inviting me."

"I want to tell you that I forgive you for asking me that question. It is not easy to discuss some topics, but this is the time to lay out our concerns if we want our relationship to go any further."

"Yes, I agree. We should let our skeletons out of the closet. I want us to share our thoughts in a mature manner. Please understand that I am in no way trying to hurt you, Gracie. I will share with you about my past more in detail. If it bothers you too much to be with me then so be it. I can not change my past. Neither will I change what I feel is right. I do not want you to be uncomfortable around me or change for the sake of me."

"Yes, I understand. Who should share first?"

"I might as well share first. It may kill our relation, but it is a part of my life that I can not leave alone. You remember Frederick?"

"Yes, your childhood friend you grew up with that is now living in Waldenleigh."

"Yes. He and I had traveled through parts of Europe back when we had attended the university near by. On our trips, we would have intimate nights with the locals. We were wild and free then. It was not planned when it came to who we were sharing the bed with."

"Some have their fun then. I had my intimate nights too. There is nothing unusual about that. Are you afraid that I will frown upon that?" "No. It is not that. When I mean intimate, I mean it was anything from Frederick and I with a woman in the middle to two women all at the same time. As in everyone had their hands on one another. There was not any barriers. We all had very passionate evenings together.

I am wondering if you have engaged in such before or dream of doing so if you do not find me too forward?"

She had started to blush and paused for a moment. I was feeling a bit awkward.

"I have not engaged in such activities before, but I have thought about it."

"You have?"

"Yes. I hope you do not think of me in a bad way over this matter."

"Oh no no no. I am more relieved now that you have told me. Please feel free to share more. I was thinking you would find me too wild or adventurous for what I have done in the past."

"Oh no. I do not see anything wrong with that, Leo. If it is all mutual and nobody gets hurt then it is between the individual and who ever else involved. Nobody else needs to know about it or be saying who has the right to do that or not."

"I am glad you feel that way, Gracie. But I am still not sure if you understand me. Even though it has been a while since I have engaged in such intimate nights with strangers, you do have to realize that my feelings for Frederick has not changed. We sometimes share the bed if you know what I mean. It does not affect my relationship with others. I do not want you to look at it as an affair on the side."

"Oh. You and Frederick have a unique relationship. I would not want to come in between that. But if you two were wanting more from one another then you would not be with me. After all, he came into your life long before I have. I should not see him as any form of competition."

"No. He is not competition at all. We do almost everything friends do except a little more. He is not a substitution for my love life or anything else."

"Does this mean you would not mind if I have a best friend similar to Frederick?"

"Not at all. What you do with your friend is your business. I do not have a reason to feel insecure when you are out with any of your lady friends or even the fellows. What is important is for us to know where we stand and who we go to for comfort.

If in the future we do tie the knot, I want you to know that you can talk to anyone you feel is fit to talk to about any topic or issues. I would hope you can talk to me, but if there is someone else that would be more fitting then by all means go to that person for comfort. 

We are not perfect for everything. I do not expect you to come to me for everything and I hope you will understand that there are some issues I rather discuss with Frederick or Humbly."

"I am glad to hear you say that. It is true that not everyone is fit for every topic or issue."

"I would like to be the one to have a solution to all your problems, but if I can not, I want someone who can be of help to you. There is not any reason for me to feel insecure about that. 

Are you alright with the topics we have discussed so far, Gracie?"

"Yes, I am. How about you?"

"I am fine. You are taking this in better than I had thought."

"Did you expect me to take it the wrong way about you and Frederick?"

"Yes, sort of. I did not know how open-minded you would be in this area."

"Relax, Leo. I am alright with this. Is there anything else that is on your mind?"

"Yes. This may sound a bit old-fashioned, but it is not set in stone. If in the future we are married, I rather you not come along with me on business trips unless you want to. I do not want to pull you into my work or have you waiting for me when I have work to attend to."

"That is understandable. Do you expect me to be at home waiting by the phone for you?"

"No. No. You can do as you please. I know Aveline will take care of you. You are free to attend parties if you like while I am way. About everything you do now, you can do later. 

There is one thing I do mind. If you have to visit a town that is more than a day's ride away, I would like to come along with you. If not me, then Aveline or Humbly. I know you are an adult, but I want you to be safe."

"You are sweet to care about me so much, Leo."

So far, so good. I am glad that we are able to talk about so much openly. But I am still holding my breath for the worst. Lunch is going well so far and I hope that I can stay around to enjoy dessert.

Chapter 24 ==== The Long Talk with Gracie

As much as it feels right to share our thoughts more in depth, I still feel that anything can bring us to an abrupt end. If only I can get some idea about her from her friends. Maybe I will arrange a party with a specific guest list. 

"Is there anything you would like to share with me, Gracie?"

"What would you like to know?"

"Anything you feel comfortable sharing. I want you to feel comfortable around me. If we can not be honest about what we have done in life now then I do not think we would be any more honest later."

"You really want us to put everything on the table today?"

"Yes. Let it all out. If we can not do that now then it will only make it more difficult for us to do so later. I do not want any surprises later on that you have done something that I could not believe."

"Before I tell you about my story, is there any story you have involving legal issues?"

"Not that I can think of. I did not steal anything or start anything at a bar. Frederick and I have played jokes on the other club members, but they were all harmless and none of them knew it was us."

She had a smile on her face and then paused a bit. It is almost as if she worries that I will see her as less innocent in some way.

"Well one time a small group of my friends and I were upset at a particular guy who had mistreated one of my friends. The friend did not know we did this, but we did it for her. One of us got the idea of sneaking into the men's locker room and took that guy's clothes. We had made sure nobody was around. Not even the person at the front desk. He had to come out in a towel asking for help. It was funny to see him trying to find help and the guys teases him about it ever now and then."

"Oh, you are a trickster too. That is far worse than what Frederick and I had done to the guys. Now I have to worry about what your group of friends will do when ever I do something wrong to you."

"You think that you will mistreat me in some way?"

"No. If I do then it is unintentional. What else have you done?"

"I have been to Brussels with a few of my friends during a Summer holiday. A dear friend of mine and I had an interesting night one time with a local student at the university we were visiting. We were feeling spontaneous that night. Jolie had treated my friend and I to lunch the following day. I think you can figure out what type of night we had then. Similar to what you and Frederick did except we did not do it as much since we had to be extra careful."

"I do believe you are teasing me, Gracie."

"Am I?"

Her cheeks were all rosy again as she looked down at her plate and took another sip of wine. I was very tempted to lean over and kiss her, but again I sit in my seat restraining myself from making a passionate scene on her dining table.

"Where have you not been and would like to visit?"

"I have not been to Athens, Istanbul, Lisbon, Milan and Asia. It would be nice to see the different cities of France. My friends and I had only passed through Paris, but never really stayed to experience it more in depth. I would love to visit the French Riviera.

It would be nice to visit Denmark too. I can imagine having coffee in Vienna and ski in the Swiss Alps. If we ever go there together, I know how to keep you warm."

"I believe my beautiful Gracie is trying to torment me with that thought knowing we will not be able to go any time soon. You do have a darker side and I like it."

"You are making me blush too much, Leo."

"The love goddess will have her chance to make all of my skin rosy one day."

"Leo! You are too much. I do not think you will be content till you see me as red as a lobster."

"I was thinking more of as red as a rose, but if you rather be a tasty crustacean with claws then I will not object to that."

"Oh Leo. Stop it. You are being silly."

"When you are with me, the silliness is part of the package. You should see how silly Frederick and I get sometimes. When ever I want to go on a trip to Europe, he is always willing to join me. I do hope in the future that you will be the one to join me."

"It would be wonderful to see the old world charm with you, Leo."

"Do you have any best friend or childhood friend you feel comfortable with all the time?"

"I have a few. It really depends on the situation. The one that I had an interesting night with in Brussels is not here. She has moved to the upper West side of London. As for someone close by, it would have to be Natalie. What about you?

Is there someone else other than Frederick you are close to?"

"Humbly would be the one I talk to the most. I usually stay quiet around the other guys. All that is intimate and private, I usually share with Humbly and Frederick."

"What do you expect from a spouse?"

"I expect us to be honest, compromise, be understanding, open-minded and not have intention to hurt the other regardless of what happens. Do you agree with that?"

"Yes, I do. Is there any expectation to give up a professional life?"

"No. If it is too much to handle then do what is best. I can respect an independent woman. The strong and self sufficient ones are more appealing to me. I love a woman that can take charge and manage well on her own two feet. Less for me to worry about in the long term. It makes her a more reliable spouse.

I would not give up my business. It is a major part of my life and a family business that I do not want to see come to an end. I could not expect someone to give up something major for me. It is more difficult to juggle private life and work, but we need something to balance out our lives. Something we can always count on to be consistent that makes us feel that everything is alright."

"You will not feel less important in any way?"

"No. I should not. It would be the same the other way around. I do not expect my business to make any mate feel less important.

Hypothetically speaking, if it was Frederick and I who choose to live together and never date again, neither of us would give up our work. The deli shop is more than his work. It also represents tradition, culture and sharing good food with others. He could not expect me to leave my magazine business either. 

If it is you, I could not expect you to toss away your family business. I am sure that you would want to hold onto it as long as you can. To ask you to leave it is selfish of me. I do not want you to give up anything that you do not want to give up.

What do you expect from your spouse?"

"I really would not expect anything different than what I have now except some more time together since both would live under the same roof. The equal amount of respect and trust if not more. I worry about being expected to do more and not be able to keep up. The expectations should be mutual and reasonable."

"I agree. The home should feel warm and charming. It should not be a place to fear or dread anything. There really is not anything I would ask for you to do that you do not feel comfortable doing, Gracie. I do not want you to be unhappy living with me."

"Do you really think that you will have an affair after marriage, Leo?"

"I do not know. What I do know is if you do have an affair, I will forgive you. There must be something that I have done wrong for you to seek comfort from someone else. If you ever choose to leave me without saying a word and months have gone by then I will not forgive you."

"Do you want to test how well we can handle not seeing one another for a few weeks?"

"If that would make you happy then I am for it. I am not fond of the idea, but if it will help you sort out your thoughts better then I am open to the idea."

"How about we do not see one another till the last week of December?"

"Does this mean not showing up at parties too?"

"Yes. We would attend different parties or one of us would have to stay away if it is the only party for the evening. Unless it is an absolute must that we attend the party to see specific people, we would do nothing more than greet and keep our distance."

"This will be difficult, but I will try. Aveline and Humbly could still see one another if they choose."

"Yes. It is only us that has to keep the distance."

As reluctant as I was about the idea, I had to agree with her. If I disagree then she would think I am being too pushy or forward. She wants time to be alone, I can respect that. This gives me more time to plan on where I want to propose to her.

Chapter 25 ==== Weeks Away From Her

The past week has been a bit rough not being able to talk to Gracie, but it gave me time to think about what we would discuss when we do see one another again. Distance can make the heart grow fonder, but only to a certain extent. After a while, the distance would only make the heart colder. Who would not be if there is love for someone and that one never bothers to show up again?

Is it that difficult for some to express their care and affection for someone special?

What a difference it makes to say hello or ask how life is for them. After all, people are social creatures that need to communicate sooner or later. But sadly, with all the ways we could communicate and education we receive, people still choose to cause tension between one another as if it would solve their problems by doing so. Even animals have a better sense not to be too petty.

I sit at the dining table waiting for dinner to be served and all I could think about was Gracie. Is it possible that even the most intellectual minds could run out of words after living together for a certain amount of years?

"Dinner is served, Sir."

"Lovely. What are we having tonight?"

"The main course is Carbonnade a la Flamande, a hearty, Belgian, beef stew made with Belgian beer. It was one of the recipes you have given me with the list of others that Mr. Nigel had brought to you, Sir."

"This will be delightful to try."

"I have also made Butternut squash baked with apples and cranberries."




Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night Ch. 23-32



"That sounds tasty."

"Pearl onions, Brussel sprouts with Chestnuts and lardon is full of texture, Sir."

"Indeed it is. All these dishes look wonderful. Now to let me find out if it will pass the taste test. If it does then Nigel will be putting these recipes on the next edition."

"For dessert, we will have a drunken pear clafoutis with a side of caramel rum sauce. I have ordered the pear brandy that you have requested. It will compliment this dish very well."

"How nice it would be to start the meal with dessert. But that will spoil my meal. I believe that you will be making every recipe on the list, Humbly?"

"Yes, Sir. It is always interesting to try new recipes."

It would be nicer if Gracie was here to enjoy this wonderful dinner with me. I wonder if I should find Natalie and ask her what Gracie likes and dislikes. 

"Humbly, do you think that I should take Gracie on a trip alone or with a group before proposing to her?"

"It depends what you are hoping to accomplish, Sir. I would think it is better to propose to her some where during the trip while you have the chance to find the best place to propose."

"The idea is that I do not want her to suspect the proposal. If we go alone then she may suspect. If we go in a group, we may not necessarily be in an ideal setting. I want it to be such a surprise that even the group would not expect it."

"Do you suppose that it would be more of a surprise if you and Mr. Humbertwald went first or in a group and let her group go else where with both agreeing to meet some where in the middle?""

"You mean my group can go to Bavaria for example, her group go to France and then meet in Paris or Toledo at a later time?"

"Yes, Sir. It would allow anyone who wants to go to a specific city the freedom to without being restrained from what the group wants as a whole. It would give more space for those who can not go on specific dates. 

One group can go to Toledo for the first week of March for example. The second group goes a week later to Bavaria maybe. Then everyone meets in Paris for the third week if that is where you want to propose to Miss Highbrighton."

"I will discuss that with a few friends. It sounds good to me so far. Nobody would suspect what I have planned and it gives me time to set up the ideal place in advance. We should discuss this at our next party. Make sure that Kevin, Stephen and Josephine attend the party, Humbly."

"Yes, Sir."

I need to call Frederick and set up plans long in advance. The key is to find the ideal place to propose to Gracie. I am a bit torn between Paris and Côte d'Azur. She has mentioned that she did not spend enough time in Paris to get an idea of the place. If we go to Côte d'Azur then we might as well stop by Monaco then head to Genoa or Milan. Maybe I should leave it up to majority vote. If more are in favor of Paris than Monaco then it will be Paris. It would probably depend on how much time everyone has to travel.

The long talk we had gave me an idea of how open-minded she is, but I still feel there is something I am unaware about. It would help if I can have one of her lady friends be part of my group. I really would like Natalie to be part of my group even though I think she would most likely go where ever Gracie prefers to be. What I should do is have everyone write down four places they would like to go in the Spring and then write it all down on a board to see how the group divides and figure it out from there. 

She seems secure enough with where she stands now, but that may not be the case later on. Anything can have either one of us feel out of place, less confident or less capable in some form of way or another. We may be healthy now, but what if one of us suffers a serious illness or accident in the future?

I do not want to end up similar to that old couple yelling at one another in a hotel room. Nobody is ever that prepared for a long term, health set back. It does not matter if there are doctors and professionals for everything to help the individual. Some where along the way, there will be a mental break down. There will be a feeling of loss or being less able to do certain tasks. Then vulnerability sets in. All it takes is one set back and the whole home becomes less than sweet.

She did say that she is willing to compromise to make our relationship work out, but sometimes when people are married, the idea of compromising does not really come to mind. It becomes more of a chore or a territorial dispute of who does what. One day we could be enjoying our time together and the next day, we could be sleeping in separate rooms. The communication can not be at its best if that happens too often.

We did agree on the idea of letting our close friends stay with us when they are visiting if we become a married couple. Frederick will be welcome to stay at my manor as he usually does and her friend Natalie can stay as a guest too. About anyone we see as a good friend can stay on my estate unless it is too crowded then some will have to go over to her place. 

She plans on having her place be turned into a private bed and breakfast for guests with reservations. It will be another side business. This way, she can review her guests before allowing them to stay at her place. They will be guaranteed everything is in order when they do arrive. There would not be too much business that she would keep her from being able to stay at her own home. Neither does she want to keep Aveline, Collin and the stable boy too busy. 

The only twist to the friends staying over at my manor is that we are allowed to attend to our friends during bed time. If for any reason we feel a need to spend time with the friend than be in our own room together then we can. What goes on between friends is not meant to hurt our marriage. For us, it means a good trust and understanding to allow that. It allows us to continue the same type of relationship we have with our friends. The marriage would not change that. It may sound unusual to many, but this is our own mutual agreement. 

The idea is that if we are to have any intimate relations with anyone, neither of us would mind if it is under the same roof that we share. It should not be a threat to either one of us when we decide to spend more time with a friend that is visiting from out of town. If we stay else where with someone then that would be more of a threat. Then what we are doing is more secretive. 

We have figured a way around feeling insecure or having possible affairs. As long as the other party is under the same roof then we do not mind. A quick introduction is all we need to show that we have nothing to hide. This takes away the air of mystery and neither one of us would feel threatened when we could all meet and have a drink together. It is not a set up that works for everyone, but we are not them. This is custom designed for us and that is all that matters. We are not trying to fit into an everyday, conventional, typical and predictable marriage. It is about what works best for us and who we are around. Nobody outside of the estate has to know what we do in private with our own guests. It is none of their business and we do not need their approval of how we want to live our own lives. 

We do not expect to have that many different people to stay with us. Most likely it will be the same friends which is good. It shows how much we value the unique relationship we have with one another and with those people that affect our lives. Neither our good friends or us should be deprived of spending more time together when they visit due to the fact that we are married. We have agreed that much of our lives will stay the same. The main difference would be her moving into my place, sharing more time together and be able to sleep in one another's arms.

We could go with a more old-fashioned set up, but it does not fit us. All we would be doing is drawing too many lines and end up worrying about staying within them which can cause more tension and stress. This in turn can lead to what we fear would happen. To counter act that, we have decided to do this to prevent the unthinkable scenario by allowing some of those scenarios to happen under the same roof with certain conditions. I know Humbly will look forward to the extra help in the Spring and Summer seasons. We hire a gardener and stable boy every year to help around the estate. I will call the agency to send us the same ones we had last year to be available next year. It helps to have the same ones working on the estate. 

It is always difficult to figure out a good gift for Humbly during the holiday season. I could not send him away on a trip without someone else around here to take over his duties. Sooner or later, I need to find someone he could train to take over some of his duties to help him out. He would be thrilled if I hire him an assistant. Maybe that is what I will give him in a few more years. 

As for now, I probably should stick to the kitchen appliances. Get him the latest hand mixer, blenders and kitchen tools to make it easier for him to prepare the meals. I will ask Aveline to find out what Humbly likes and have her pick out the items for me. It will give her a chance to see Humbly and enjoy their time together. Maybe I can find out what Gracie would like this season too.

Chapter 26 ==== Winter Kisses

Since the dinner party is tonight, I have decided to eat a larger breakfast and skip lunch so that I could go about my day decorating the manor as Humbly and Aveline prepare the festive food. It is strictly a gathering of good friends and I had told Gracie to let Aveline and Collin join in on the Winter celebration. Humbly was more than the delighted to spend the entire day with Aveline.

"Your breakfast will be ready in a moment, Sir."

"Good."

I figure that everyone has been served enough of the local and traditional fare at these parties so Humbly and I had decided to be different. We would offer some French and Italian dishes to our guests. Something to set the mood and have them be more interested in the idea of spending a few weeks in the Southern parts of France and Northern Italy. "Vegetable medley frittata with a tomato and herb sauce, Sir."

"That looks marvelous, Humbly."

"Thank you, Sir. The fruit salad will be ready shortly. Do you want a honey or anything with the fruit salad, Sir?"

"No. I will have it plain, thank you."

"Very well, Sir."

I could not wait to eat the ravioli Humbly has made yesterday. Some of the dishes require a day in advance to prepare. There was nothing quick about cooking the meat filling bathing in Chianti, herbs and spices. It consist of fresh, ground beef or sausage with the end parts of cured meats. It can be any type and it is even better when there are various meats mixed together. When they square cushions of savory meats are ready to be eaten, a rich, creamy, mushroom sauce with a touch of prosciutto is lightly smothered on them. The Northern regions of Italy definitely know how to indulge in creamy dishes.

The guests will also enjoy the soft pillows of potato gnocchi in a garlic and cheese cream sauce. It is a mixture of any white cheese that is left in dry storage. It gives Humbly reason to indulge in shopping for more cheese in January. He loves tasting the savory variety at the cheese shop. I had told Humbly to place the colorful tree made of petite macaron in the guest room, dining room and the table at the front entrance. Guests are welcome to indulge in the light sweetness every where they turn. He made them with local fruit flavors and dark chocolate too. These crispy treats can be quite addictive. It is a good thing that Humbly made extra since I will be nibbling on them in between decorating.

The Winter memories are as warm as kisses. Each one is a peck on the cheek with sweetness. As sweet and full of texture as the mini profiteroles, cousin of the éclair. Humbly will be making quite a bit of those along with the macarons to be packaged in boxes for our guests to take home. I do not think anyone will be refusing the box of tempting treats. Even Humbly was stuffing himself while setting up the boxes. 

Finally I will get to sit next to Gracie and be able to give her a kiss on the hand. If I am fortunate enough, maybe she will give me a kiss on the cheek to add to my warm memories. I feel warm all over thinking about it. When I am through setting up the wall decor, every entry way will have a Mistletoe above it which should give reason for everyone to be in a kissable mood.

If only I could deck the halls with roasted Chestnuts, berries and sugar plums. Since that could not be done tastefully, I had Humbly set the nuts and fruits all in a small bowl above each place mat. The main course will be a roasted goose stuffed with Chestnuts, dried fruits, foie gras and herb crouton that was baked by Humbly yesterday. This will be complimented with a Sangiovese and Champignon mushroom sauce as well as a seasonal fruit medley relish.

On both sides of the goose will be a dish of terrine. One is made with Salmon and the other is a squash medley. As for the soup, I had Humbly surprise me. Pumpkin and Butternut squash soup would be nice. But then there is the onion soup, garlic soup, a combination of both, beef consommé, cream of potato or cream of carrot soup to be on the simple side. Bouillabaisse is high on the list, but that depends if Humbly is able to make that since it does require more ingredients and preparation. He already has a handful to make as it is with the help of Aveline.

I should get some more tea in the kitchen and see what Humbly is making. On a tray was a colorful display of stuffed peppers.

"They are beautiful, Humbly."

"Thank you, Sir. These are Italian stuffed peppers with chopped scallops."

"I am sure they will be tasty. Please do not mind me. I am here for more tea."

After my cup was filled, I went back out to make sure everything was in order. Need to make sure the fire is lit in the guest room, dining room and front entrance. The smell of sweets fill the air which adds a nice touch to the jovial season. If only Frederick was here to savor this moment with me. He could not join me for the festive occasion, but he will be traveling with me in the coming months. 

When the time came, Kevin and Stephen were the first to arrive. I am hoping those two are in good spirits tonight. Sometimes they have their little feuds as any couple would.

"Good evening Stephen and Kevin. Please come in and make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you, Leo. Your place looks fabulous. Is that a macaron tree I see?"

"Yes, it is. Help yourself to some, Stephen. I warn you, they are every where. You will not leave here without eating at least a handful."

"I will be lucky if a handful is all I will eat. You may be missing a tree tonight."

"Hahaha... Well I will know who the thief is. Please have a seat in the guest room."

"It feels nice and warm in here. Everything looks lovely, Leo."

"Thank you, Kevin. Are you in the mood for some port, brandy or tea?"

"I will have a port, thank you."

"Glass of port it is. How about you Stephen?"

"I will have some brandy, thank you."

"Here is your glass. Please feel free to help yourselves. I need to answer the door. Humbly is busy in the kitchen preparing a splended dinner for us."

It was not long before everyone on the list had showed up within the past half hour. When Gracie had arrived with Collin, my heart was filled with joy to see her lovely face again. My night is memorable already and I know everything will taste wonderful with her next to me.

"I see you have an abundance of Mistletoe hanging every where."

"Well I was hoping it would give you reason to kiss me every where."

She gave a smile a quick peck on the cheek before she had her back turned away to join the others in the guest room for a drink. I believe she likes teasing me. Sadly, I have to keep my hands to myself as much as possible with all these guests around. How I want to return that kiss on her lips and on every part of her body.

Humbly came in to announce that dinner will be ready shortly. Then we all went to the dining room to sit in our assigned seats. I had it arranged so that there was not any way for Gracie to sit away from me. 

Everyone was dazzled by the first few courses that graced the elegant table with colors and the savory aroma that could not escape their noses. I was glad to see them all enjoying themselves and Humbly was pleased to know his efforts had paid off.

Chapter 27 ==== Maybe the Wine Did the Talking

If only the night would last a bit longer. I could not be more happy then to be in a room full of people I can call friends and of course my lovely Gracie. Great company and great food all in the same room that will stay in my memory for a long time. It is almost the perfect setting to propose to her, but I did not. I want it to be in a more breath taking place with the sun shining and the weather just right. Not too cold or hot and the sky as beautiful as it can be. All I need is that setting mixed with the current group of people I have in this room and it will be perfect.

"Stephen, you seem to be enjoying the seafood risotto."

"Yes! It is fabulous. I must have the recipe to this creamy delight."

"I will have Humbly give you the recipe."

"Thank you, Leo. Everything is delicious. You agree, Kevin?"

"Yes. It is very tasty. We should come over for dinner more often."

"Why do you not make this for me, Kevin?"

"I am not that good in the kitchen. You know that."

"Well if you are not going to make me these delectable dishes then I will have to visit Humbly more often."

Kevin and Stephen have been together long enough for them to sound the same as any married couple. He does not think Kevin shows enough affection by cooking something good for him. Kevin does not think Stephen shows enough affection in the bedroom. Stephen feels as if he does most of the cooking and caring for their health. Kevin feels as if he is pressured to always do something spontaneous or different to spice up their relationship.

I am hoping that Gracie would not think I am less than considerate or bland after a while. It is possible that all the time we spend together at first will not be as fun or interesting to do later. I fear that one day she would find me less than exciting. It would be a shame if I lose her interest to a book. She could very well one day be more interested to read than to spend time with me. 

Natalie and Gracie are enjoying their fried polenta with an olive tomato relish. Vincent and Evelyn could never stop being in this loving mood with one another. It is almost sickening the way they act as if Cupid's arrow hit them everyday. If there is a before and after picture of how couples act, Vincent and Evelyn would be before and Kevin and Stephen would be after. I feel stuck in the middle to some extent. 

"It appears that there is a theme to the dinner tonight, Leo."

"Yes, there is. Can you figure it out, Natalie?"

"Hmm... I think there is an Italian and French theme here. Am I right?"

"Indeed you are. Are you enjoying it?"

"Yes. It is a break away from the traditional fare. I do not remember French and Italian food being this magnificent before."

"Compliments to the chef then. I will let Humbly know."

"He has definitely made a very favorable impression on me with all these sweet and savory delights. I wish that I can take him home with me."

"Hahaha... I am sure you would love that, but he is mine. All mine. You will have to settle for the recipes."

"Maybe I can make a lovely meal when I visit you, Natalie."

"That would be lovely, Gracie. But I would not want you to go through all that trouble when you are visiting me. It should be me to make something lovely for you."




Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night Ch. 23-32



"No, it would not be any trouble at all. It would be great to make something delicious for you to enjoy. You do not usually slow down enough to eat this well or much."

"Well you know how it is. The city life is very fast paced and I have to keep up with my work."

"It is a table of endless treats, Leo. Your kitchen must be magical with all these dishes coming out so perfectly."

"You are much too kind, Vincent. It is a festive occasion, we should indulge in the finer things in life. More wine?"

"Yes, please. I should borrow Humbly for my dinner parties."

"I am not sure you could afford him. He would eat half of the food before it is served."

"Hahaha... Who would blame him for such fine cooking?

I would probably stay in the kitchen with him and attend to the food than the guests."

"Yes, we sometimes find ourselves dining in the kitchen instead of the dining room. Make room for more delicious delights. You know there is more to come. None of my guests will leave walking upright."

"Hahaha... You mean we will all be waddling out of here?"

"Yes, Kevin. Nobody will be safe."

"I knew there was always something sinister about you, Leo."

"You think, Evelyn?"

"Yes. You always have something up your sleeves."

"Well then my sleeves are definitely full tonight. You will not resist what will come out of that kitchen later on."

"You should keep your eye on him, Gracie. He can be a little devil in disguise."

"Well this little devil can sometimes distract me with all the sparks and surprises. I am sure that Vincent is full of surprises too."

"Yes. He is full of little surprises. It is never a dull moment with him."

"I am glad to hear you say that, apple dumpling."

"You are always so sweet, honey buns."

"Well those are two items that I did not have in mind tonight. I was thinking everyone would enjoy a heavenly soufflé later on."

"Nobody is touching my apple dumpling. Sorry that I can not share with everyone. This one has the right amount of spice and everything nice custom made for me."

"You are too sweet, my jelly roll."

There was a mixture of laughter and sickness in the air. We are always able to laugh at the situation, but it is hard to get that sweet coating of Vincent and Evenlyn off the tongue. I think they will be adding a carriage full of icing onto the streets of Paris.

The whole night, I could not help to look at Gracie over and over. We could compliment one another enough that anyone joining us at the table for the first time would be able to figure out that we are an item. Maybe it was the wine talking. I was very close to professing my love for her right then and there. If I drink any more, I may have a slip of the tongue.

When we were done eating dinner, everyone went to the guest room to have a glass of dessert wine and brandy. Humbly had arranged a table full of sweets with the yule log as the center piece. There were plenty of macarons in every color and flavor, profiteroles filled with chantilly cream, fruit tarts, fresh crêpe doused in pear brandy, dark chocolate soufflé with rum sauce, citrus mousse accented with orange and lemon zest, banana rum custard mille-feuille and a vanilla bean panna cotta topped with dark chocolate shavings or fruit preserve.

As if that was not enough, there was something for the coffee lovers. Humbly made it yesterday and could not wait to eat it.

"Tiramisu, anyone?"

"Ooh, how lovely. I love that dessert."

"Well you will have plenty of it, Stephen."

"Are you trying to make me lose my figure, Leo?"

"You know I always try, Stephen. Hahaha..."

"You are the devil, Leo."

"Who me?

How could I be when you have eaten such a heavenly meal?"

"You are right, Evelyn. He is the devil in disguise."

"Yes, he is. He is full of tricks and the kitchen is his workshop."

"Hahaha... I will see that you join me in my workshop one day, Evenlyn. Coffee will be brought out shortly."

Before long, Kevin had asked if we all play a game of cherades. Then later on, I had everyone write down where they would go on holiday before I had suggested we all go on a trip to France and Italy. I could not wait till Spring arrives.

Chapter 28 ==== First Week of the Spring Trip

It will be the first day of Spring next week. Frederick and I are packed and ready to head to his home town for a week before our final stop at the French Riviera with Stephen and Natalie. The others have decided on stopping by Munich and Zurich before meeting us. We will all meet in Milan in the middle and go from there. If all works out, I shall be proposing to Gracie in Monaco.

"I can taste the Osso buco and Arborio rice already, Frederick. Are you ready for this trip?"

"Ja wohl. We will stop by our favorite places and find that jeweler to make you a special set of cufflinks."

"Sir, everything is loaded into the carriage. I am ready to take you and Mr. Humbertwald to the train station."

"Thank you, Humbly. Natalie and Stephen should be there around the same time. Let us leave now, Frederick. We do not want to keep them waiting."

"I am ready as can be. If only I could have a hot breakfast made by Humbly."

"Well we do not have time for that today. He did pack us a bag full of treats for our long trip though. We will taste the regional wine at every other town we stop at as usual. I can not wait to taste that first glass of wine when we are in France."

"I can not wait to drink the regional lager near my home town. Mmm... I am in the mood for cheese."

"There is plenty of cheese in the bag, Mr. Humbertwald. I have taken the liberty to make some Apfelstrudel and some savory kolaches to eat on your way to the station."

"I could kiss you, Humbly. You always know how to make my mouth happy. I claim all of the kolaches!"

"Oh no you are not, Frederick. I will get to them first."

"Not if I am the first one to get into the carriage!"

Off he goes out the front door and into the carriage. I know Humbly will enjoy sleeping in and having Ludwig the gardener and Sergio the stable boy stay at the manor for the Spring and Summer seasons. We had them for the past few years and are happy with their work. They are young and easy on the eyes. I am sure Humbly will enjoy starting his day seeing those two.

On our way to the train station, Frederick and I were stuffing ourselves with the warm pastries that Humbly has made for us. I should be ready for a nap by the time we are on the train. We have so much to do in a short time to prepare for the special dinner once everyone is in France. 

"You know what to do Frederick. Make it appear as if you are interested in finding a gift for Gracie so that Natalie would not suspect a thing."

"Yes and Stephen will figure out what Natalie likes so that I can get her a gift for helping me out. She should not suspect much with all of us keeping her distracted with stories and interests. They are coming this way."

"Hello, Stephen and Natalie!"

"Hello, Leo. Were you two waiting for a while?"

"No, not at all. We should look for our rooms."

"It is good that our rooms are diagonal from one another."

"Indeed it is Stephen. Did you get a chance to eat breakfast?"

"I was in a rush sadly and only had some tea and toast. How about you, Frederick?"

"Thankfully, Humbly had packed us some pastries and cheese to eat on our way to the station. We have plenty of wine, bread and cheese to indulge on our long trip. Care for some kolaches?"

"Oh that sounds wonderful. Who can forget Humbly's cooking?"

"Yes, he has a way of turning food to a sinful delight. I hope you have enough to share with us."

"We do, Natalie. You would think we have robbed a bakery with all the baked goods we are carrying with us."

After finding our rooms and setting our baggage aside, we all went into the dining room to have some wine and pastries before taking a nap till lunch time.

We were on one train after another before crossing the English Channel and landing in Calais. Then cut across the Northern parts of France and before reaching Bavaria. It is similar to a children in a candy shop when we arrive to Frederick's home town. We would have great memories of our past and make new ones. This time we have Natalie and Stephen to share in our nostalgia.

"Welcome to Bavaria, Natalie and Stephen! We will take you to our favorite places. I hope you two will like it as much as we do."

"Thank you, Frederick. I am sure we will. Where is the little boy's room?"

"It is at the end of the hall, Stephen. Let me show you to your room, Natalie."

"Thank you, Frederick. It is so nice of your relatives to let us stay at their bed and breakfast."

"You are most welcome. They are looking forward to having dinner with us. Shall we unpack in our usual room, Leo?"

"Yes. Then we can paint the town in every color just like old times."

We were trying to relax and settle in for the first few days. While we were there, Frederick and I did stop by to have my cufflinks made by Herr Edelsteintag. He is the sixth generation to carry on the tradition of making jewelry and we absolutely love his craftsmanship. Frederick was also able to find Natalie and Gracie a gift in the shop too. 

From what Frederick and Stephen was able to find out, Gracie likes detailed craftsmanship and items of cultural and historical significance. She also likes to buy unique jewelry in each city she visits that would remind her of the place. I will have to keep an eye on what she likes and make sure that Frederick buys them for my behalf while I keep her distracted. By the end of our trip, she will have a jewelry box full of memorable art work to accent her beautiful body.

I had ordered a custom made, hand crafted, one of a kind, jewelry box in Monaco weeks in advance. By the time we are there, it should be ready for me to pick up. All I have to do is fill it with the jewelry she had her eyes on, but unable to purchase and add the box that I have been carrying on me for so many months and never had the nerves to open and show her.

It is more of a big project than a holiday for me when I have so much planned to set everything just right for the special moment. The worst that could happen is for her to say no and leave my heart hanging, but I doubt she would do that. If all that jewelry does not show her how much I pay attention to detail and willing to spend on her to make her happy then I would not know what else to do or say to show my love for her. I would think that all our time spent together is enough for her to understand where my heart is for her. The gifts are only icing on the cake.

To save us from any awkward moment in the restaurant, I had arranged for a private room reserved for our special occasion with our friends. Since I will probably be too nervous to ask, I had the concierge and florist work together to have a wall full of colorful flowers with the words, "Will you marry me?" in the most beautiful, red roses that they can get their hands on. It may be a little different when the time comes, but that is what I have requested in advance from them.

My heart is jumping all over the place. This time, I will not back out. I am going all the way. Frederick and I had put in a lot of thought to make this event as memorable as can be. It will be a brilliant night for everyone to remember.

Chapter 29 ==== Spring Kisses and Sparkles

Thankfully, Stephen could speak Italian. It has helped us get around Italy easier. He is part Italian and has made an effort to study the language ever since he was in high school. Kevin made an effort to learn with Stephen too since they both enjoy the Italian culture and food. This helps both groups get around Italy without any problems.

As for French, everyone of us had studied a fair amount interestingly enough. We carry a small dictionary with us and manage to speak without anything lost in translation. We wander through the streets of every other city in France easily since what we seek most of the time is good wine, food, theater and a place to stay. We do not engage in any deep conversation with the locals when we are traveling since our time is limited.

We have arrived in Milan at mid day and will be meeting the others at the hotel later on. Then our first meal altogether will be at Mangiare Amore Vivo which is about a block away from where we are staying at. The hotel and locals highly recommend the place. It is usually good to go with the majority vote of the locals when it comes to dining in an unfamiliar area.

Frederick and I have located all the fine jewelers in every other town and made sure that when Gracie shows up and requests for anything that they will tell her they can not fulfill her order in a short time. When in reality, they will hold the item and Frederick will come by to purchase them on my behalf. According to Natalie, Gracie will not buy anything she does not care for. If it is not the specific item she wants then she will not get anything else. This allows me to get what she wants without both of us filling our baggage with so much jewelry. We are all going home with more than what we had brought with us. For me, it will be the memories more than anything else.

All of us had agreed to dine where we choose at the time for any meal of the day except for dinner. Dinner reservations have been set long in advance to make sure we would not be waiting in long lines for every place and have anything to change our merry mood. If possible, I want every dinner with her on this trip to be almost ideal. By having it set that way, nobody will ever suspect the proposal by the time we reach Monaco. 

Gracie and I had our after dinner drinks at one of the coffee shops in the hotel lobby area. She gave me a hug and a kiss to show how glad she was to see me again. The sparkles in her eyes are always captivating. If only I could hold her hand the same way many couples do in town without care. Then my face will be glowing and my heart would feel as if it is on cloud nine.

"How has your trip been so far, Gracie?"

"It has been great. Did you and the others have a good time visiting Frederick's home town?"

"Yes. We all wish that we could stay there a bit longer to stuff ourselves silly with the local cuisine and engage in all the local events. One day we must stay at his relatives' bed and breakfast. It is a charming place."

"I am sure it is. Maybe one day we will have a chance to indulge on every other thing the town has to offer. I have noticed you could not have enough of your meal."

"What is there not to love about tender meat falling right off the bone and then being able to enjoy the marrow too?

It was marinated and full of flavor. The Chianti sauce was divine and the mushroom risotto was exquisite. Osso buco is not a dish that can be made on a whim. It requires much time to prepare and cook. They have done a great job of making the dish very memorable for me."

"I think everyone enjoyed their dinner tonight. If only I could get their recipe for the duck tortelli."

"Tortelli di Anitra on a bed of squash medley did look tempting on the menu. I was thinking of having that too. Maybe I can get Humbly to find a recipe that can come close. The magazine can always ask for the best Italian recipes to be submitted and the winner can have a meal for two at a local restaurant of their choice."

"Aside from being able to find unique jewelry while traveling, I love to taste the local cuisine. It is ashame that I could not buy the bracelet and necklace earlier. They were absolutely gorgeous."

"Yes, they were. Maybe you will get a chance in another town. We should go to bed early if we want to catch the train to Asti on time."

After our last sip of wine, I had escorted Gracie to her room which was a few doors down from mine. She gave me a good night kiss and smiled at me before going into her room. If only I could sit on the terrace and hold her hands under the twinkling stars tonight. Maybe if I am fortunate, I will have a nice dream with her in it. I am hoping Frederick does not toss and turn all over the bed.

The next morning, we all got on board the early train to Asti and had our breakfast in the dining area. We would look out the window seeing the lush country side pass by in a slight blur. I am sure the view on the roof top would be nice if there is such on a train. All I could think of was the sooner we get to Monaco, the better. 

"I think when I get back to Waldenleigh, I will need a few days to rest."

"Yes, as will I. We are not exactly taking the most leisurely route of a holiday, Frederick."

"No, we are not. But then we are trying to get everything for the big night. Gracie does have good taste for jewelry."

"Yes, she does. I am glad since it would be hard on my eyes if she wore something too loud that does not compliment her beauty."

"Do you think on our way back that we should stop by your home town or Paris?"

"As much as I would like to go back to my home town, I am sure we can go another time with her. I think you two should stay in Paris a little longer. This way she can enjoy it a little more without all the rush. The last time she was there, she did not have much of a chance to indulge in the rich culture. This time around, she will have a more memorable time with you to accompany her."

"Good idea, Frederick. If we can, I would like for you to buy some jewelry on my behalf without her knowing. Then I will have something to give her after the trip when a special occasion arise."

"I will try. You know how to make her smile."

"She is making me smile with all her kisses. Everyday, she has kissed me at least twice. I am not sure what she will do to me when she sees the jewelry box full of jewelry."

"Maybe she will kiss you all over when she has the chance to."

"I would definitely be red all over if she does such a thing. Is someone not getting enough attention?"

Frederick had his hands moved below his stomach after that. He was blushing and I always found it comforting to know that after all these years, he would still be attentive to me. Maybe Gracie will appreciate that I do the same for her. Heaven knows how much I want to show her my love and attention every night. 

It was raining lightly as we lay in our small beds hearing the train move along the tracks. We should be in Asti by dawn. Then in Monaco a few days later. I am excited and exhausted at the same time. Maybe I will be able to rest better after proposing to her.

Chapter 30 ==== We Will Always Have Monaco

The train did not arrive in Monaco till later in the evening. Our first night will be to dine at any place that catches our fancy without a long wait for a table. Stephen and Kevin had decided to take a left at the hotel while Vincent and Evelyn had taken a right. This leaves Natalie, Gracie, Frederick and I together taking chances at the possible restaurants on the street North of the hotel. 

"Where shall we dine tonight, ladies?"

"Any place that looks clean will be fine with me. How about you, Gracie?"

"Same for me, Natalie. I am looking forward to trying a specialty of the house."

"Yes, that does sound good. Maybe we can find a place that has several unique dishes. Maybe we should ask the locals around here."

"Good idea, Leo. Everyone, start looking for someone to ask and maybe we will find a winner. Come on Frederick, do not be shy."

"I am not being shy, Natalie. Just trying to figure out which ones are the locals. Maybe we should ask the ones in the staff in the shops."

"Good idea, Frederick. We should try asking the jewelers."

"Wonderful idea, Leo. They should have a good idea of where to dine."

Frederick understood that we were going into the jewelry shops for more than information on where to dine. We are also there to look at what they have on display and if it would appeal to Gracie. It is a great way to look for what we want and save time. 




Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night



"I think a soothing cup of tea would be nice."

"Yes, a cup of tea to relax the nerves does sound good."

I rang the bell for Humbly to make us some tea. In the mean time, we were sitting in front of the fireplace at opposite ends of the sofa. I did not want to sit too close and be allured by her sweet scent. She did not sit that close to me to keep from looking as if she wants more from me. 

Sometimes the moment feels right to hold hands when we walk outside. Then other times it is best we keep our hands to ourselves. I think that every time we did hold hands, both of our hearts would be racing and we want to remain calm most of the time.  

"Did you enjoy the meal tonight, Gracie?"

"It was sensational. I love every bit of it. You must give me the recipe to the roasted vegetables and that sinful, rich, cheese delight in a ramekin."

"I will have Humbly send the recipes to your maid in the day. Are you still floating in the air?"

"Yes, I am. You always know how to make me feel so good, Leo."

My mind was jealous of the delight in a ramekin. Every adjective made me melt and to know that I make her feel good made me want to show her how good she can feel with me. I wonder if she could feel the heat inside me from sharing the same sofa. 

About 15 minutes later, Humbly came out with a cart full of treats. He set the cup of tea on a saucer, a slice of pie with side of the Crème Anglaise for each of us and a tray of assorted cheeses, fresh fruits and nuts. 

"What do we have here?"

"I call this the Orchard Surprise pie. There is a mix of apples and pears in the pie."

"Yes, I see. It is delicious. What is the surprise?"

"The surprise is the Crème Anglaise to compliment the pie. It is not an ordinary Crème Anglaise. This has a hint of brandy and Cardamom mixed in."

"Mmm... This is lovely. The right balance of spice, sugar and brandy. If you have the whole pie in front of me now, I would be taking it home with me. It is absolutely fabulous. Mmm..."

"How about a glass of Riesling?"

"Yes, please. This is a wonderful way to end any meal. Mmm... If I float any higher, my head will touch the ceiling."

"Hahaha... The food has swept you off your feet very well it seems. Care to come back down for a moment to share some cheese?"

"No. I will have it in the air. You should join me. It feels great up here."

"I will consider it. The stew has kept me down this time."

Truth be told that my heart is in the air with her and it felt fitting to ask her the question since she is feeling light. I really wanted to pull that box out of my jacket and get down on one knee, but I fear that all this feeling of being on cloud nine would end for some reason. Sigh. 

I could not help to notice her tongue licking the flakey crust and cream off her succulent lips. Then my eyes kept looking further down to her neck, chest, hips and legs. Each time she had popped a grape into her mouth, I was thinking of having my lips around a certain part of her as my hands massage the surrounding areas.

The hour passed by quickly as we share old stories about our childhood. I almost did not want the night to end. It always feels great to be with her, but I worry that as the night continued on, I would be close to making a scene hotter than the fire that is several feet away from us.

It was almost 10:30 and I did not want her to be up too late. I had Humbly wrap the rest of the pie with the Crème Anglaise and have the carriage ready.

"It would be wonderful to have you here all night, but I do not want to keep you from your sleep. Let me escort you back to your place."

I then got up and walked her towards the front door. Then I put on wool cape over her shoulders before putting one on mine. I had reached for my hat and then opened the door to let her out. Humbly was there standing next to the carriage pulled by two horses waiting for us. He opened the door and I let Gracie go in first.

"This was a wonderful evening, Leo. We have to do this again soon. Maybe next time I will be able to make something delicious for you to eat. I will be dreaming about that pie in my sleep."

"I am very delighted that you had enjoyed my hodge podge of edible art. Please take this pie with you. You can share with the maid unless you want to keep it all to yourself."

"Oh Leo, you did not have to do that."

"No, I insist. Nothing makes me happier than to see you smile, my sweet Gracie."

"You are so sweet. I do not want this night to end, but here we are at my place."

"Let me walk you to the door. Enjoy the pie. I will see you again soon. Good night, Gracie.

"Good night, Leo."

She gave a smile and kissed me on the cheek before turning away to hide her blushing face. The maid was there to open the door and she gave a small wave to Humbly. 

"Time to head back home, Humbly. It has been a long day for the both of us."

"Yes, Sir."

I was looking out the window to see her bedroom light on from the second floor as we were heading back to the manor. There was a moment of relief, but also sadness. It would be wonderful to wake up every morning and see her face. Maybe one day that will happen when I have the nerve to ask her the question.

Chapter 4 ==== Orchard Surprise In My Dream

It is time to end another day again. I lay in my bed wondering if I will have a sweet dream or awful, distorted images to flash through my mind. It is also possible to have a nightmare, but I should think that I can sleep better after seeing Gracie again.

I keep thinking of how I would want the evening to be with her. How if I had a second chance without any risk or loss that I would go about our meal together differently. It would be nice to act the way I feel without any consequences.

[ DREAMING... ]

Is it another day already?

Guess I will have my morning tea. Hmm... The tea came quick. I did not even see Humbly in the room. 

"Humbly!"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Were you in here a moment ago?"

"Yes, I was here to bring your tea."

"But I did not even tell you what type of tea I want and the correct one had shown up from out of no where."

"I think your mind is playing tricks on you, Sir. Here is your croissant with ham and melted Asiago. The herbed butter and strawberry jelly is on the side."

"How did you know that I was going to ask for the croissant sandwich?"

"I had a feeling you would ask for that, Sir. Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No, that will be all for now. I had no idea that you can grow a mustache that quickly."

What is going on today?

Am I seeing things?

Humbly with a mustache, my tea showing up without asking and he knew that I would want to eat a croissant with ham and cheese. This is a strange day. 

Now he comes back out with a hat on to inform me that he is on his way to pick up Miss Highbrighton. I had invited her for dinner tonight. If I remember correctly, I think the dinner with her was yesterday. Why is it tonight?

"I will be back shortly, Sir. You should change and get ready for tonight. I have taken the liberty to lay out your dinner attire and laid it on your bed, Sir."

"Thank you, Humbly."

Where did my breakfast go?

It was here a minute ago. Why is he picking Gracie up for dinner when it is only nine in the morning?

Is that clock working properly?

It can not be five in the evening already. My pocket watch should show the correct time. My word, it is showing the same time that is on the clock. 

I should go upstairs to change. He told me that my clothes were laid on the bed. I do not see anything on my bed except a single pillow. Where is the comforter?

I can see the carriage coming to the manor from the window. How on Earth did Humbly pick up Gracie and come back this quickly?

I must hurry up and change. My closet is empty?!

"Humbly!"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Where are my clothes? They are not in my closet. You did not lay out any clothes on the bed."

"Yes, I have laid them out for you, Sir. You are wearing them now."

This has been an unusual day for me. Everything is mysteriously showing up and disappearing without my knowledge. I need a glass of wine to relax.

"Cheers, Leo."

"Uhh, cheers."

All of a sudden I am in the dining room with Gracie drinking wine. I am unable to focus on anything else now that I see the twinkle in her eyes. 

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner, Leo."

"The pleasure is all mine, Gracie my sweet."

"Do you like my outfit?"

"Uhhh..."

"Speechless?"

Goodness gracious. I think that my heart skipped a few beats and my jaw would have dropped if it was not for the wine still in my mouth. This could not be her. It is evening wear alright, but it is not considered a dinner outfit. I could not believe my eyes. 

"Are you sure that you have on the right outfit, Gracie?"

"Why yes, silly. Do you not like my short, satin, white skirt with a matching top?"

"I... I do. Your top is sleeveless."

"Yes, it is. Do you not like that?"

"I like it. I was thinking you may be cold."

"There is a fire to warm the room. I am sure you can keep me warm through the night too."

She gave me a seductive look when she said that. I was close to having her feel the heat, but I had to control myself. If I was not sure what she wanted from me before, I am sure about it now. My eyes were hypnotised by her almost naked body. It feels as if my face had turned red and my whole body heated up.

If this is a dream, I do not want to wake up. How I long to see more of Gracie in an intimate way. I do not want her to think that I am only after her body. It is not easy to hold back the urges and I feel that my self control is being tested almost to an extreme as I feel my heart beat racing. There is not a word that can do justice to how I am feeling right now. 

She licks the crumbs off of her rosy lips and makes a sound that drives me wild.

"Mmmm... Mmm..."

As she reaches into the bread basket, I put my hand on top of her soft, warm and smooth hand. I bring it to my lips and kissed the back of her hand, wrist and the lower half of her arm.

"Oh Leo, you are not interested in having more bread?"

"I will if I can eat it off of your hand. How about I feed you instead?"

I then reached over for some bread to let her take a bite. Instead she slowly licked my fingers before taking a bite. 

"Oooohhh... Gracie, you should not have done that."

"Why not?" 

She gave me a seductive smile and brought my hand towards her mouth to lick my fingers again as if to dare me to do something about the matter. I was ready to have my hands on her face and kiss her, but I did not. I sat there thinking if I should clear the table and feast on her instead.

It did not take long for her to try another move on me. She then brought her mischievous toes to tease my inner thighs and my legs. If she goes where I think she will go then I will have to kiss her after that.

"Oh my. My toes feel a lot of excitement from a certain spot."

She was asking for it. I had to get up from my chair and reach over to kiss her passionately. 

"Oh Leo, mmmm... Leo, mmmm..."

I then reached for the wine and spilled some of it on her chest. She was a little shocked, but then held my head as I clean the mess with my tongue. 

"Oh Leo... Mmmm..."

She had kept one hand on my head and the other one went further down to feel my excitement. This was a cue for me to kiss the pair of fruits staring at me. They look similar to a puppy with sad eyes waiting to be loved and held. I ran my hands up and down her back and side before massaging those back cheeks.

In the middle of all the kissing, Humbly came by with the cart.

"Dessert is served. I will be in the kitchen if you need me."

"I had made an Orchard Surprise pie for you, Gracie."

"What is the surprise part?"

"It is the cream sauce with Cardamom and brandy added to it."

"Oooohh... Mmmm... That sounds delicious."

"Yes, it is. I think it will taste better if it is on you."

I then proceeded to drizzle some of the cream sauce on her chest. She had a big smile knowing what she is in for once my lips are all over her bossom.

"Oh Leo! Mmm... Does it taste good?"

"Yes, it does. You should try some."

Next thing I know, she ripped open my shirt and drizzled a little on my chest. 

"Yes, it is tasty. Although I would prefer it served on a different area of your body."

She gave me this devilish look and moved down slowly to unzip my pants and let it drop to the floor.

"Ooops. Did I make your pants fall? You really do not need to wear any under garments, Leo. It only gets in the way. Let me remove your shorts for you. Ooohhh..."

She then drizzled the cream sauce onto my member and teased me with her tongue in every way that she could to get my full attention.

"Ooohh... What am I supposed to do with all this attention you are giving me tonight?"

I did not know whether to be on top of her in the dining room or go upstairs to the bed room. Then I was wondering why am I so exposed and she is still wearing most of her outfit?

"What should I do next, Gracie?"

She ran her hand across my chest and pointed me to the guest room a few yards away to lay on the lounge chair. Then she removed every article of clothing off.

"Happy birthday to me."

"You like your present unwrapped?"

"Yes, I do. What can I do with my gift?"

"You lay down and relax. Let me handle the rest. Mmm..."

It looks to me that she will be the designated rider the whole night. All her moaning drove my senses wild. I long to hear her scream in ecstacy.

"Oh Gracie, I want to kiss you all over."

"No. Mmm... Tonight I will be the one to do that. You will get your chance another time. You have no idea how long I have been waiting to do this to you. Mmm... Leo, you make me feel alive. Ooooohhhh..."

Before I knew it, the sun was out and the chirping of the birds woke me up. How I wish that I could continue sleeping, but I need to get up. I am hungry for a good breakfast with a pastry.

Chapter 5 ==== Humbly's Big Day

There is not any doubt that Gracie makes me feel wonderful inside. I can see her with me for many years to come. But as certain as I am about being with her, I fear something that had happened to Humbly about 20 years ago could happen to me. Something that kept him single all these years. I do not blame him for not being able to shake off his past experience.

As I gaze out the window from the dining room having my morning tea, I feel the chill of the room. The fire is usually lit in the other rooms where I spend more of my time at. Maybe I will have my breakfast in the guest room. 

"Humbly!"

"Yes, Sir?"

"I will have my breakfast in the guest room."

"Very well, Sir. I will bring it out shortly."

Humbly was a nice, slender looking fellow in his younger years. He came from a humble background so he did expect much in life. As long as he had a stable job and decent place to live at then he was a happy man. He was happy working on my estate. Over the years he had saved up since he does not have any where to go. The cost of rent and food are covered living in this manor. All he needed was someone special in his life to complete the picture. 

Kelsey Flora Remgildbury was the apple of his eyes. She was fair hair and skin with a lively spirit. They had met at the local market. She was the cashier, inventory clerk and stocker who was usually seen every time he went to buy groceries. They were usually seen at every major event in town. There is not much that goes on in this small town with a population of about 3,500. 

Words travel fast in a small town. Almost everyone knew they were a pair. Many thought they were a good match. If cupid's arrows were flying around, they had definitely hit those two. About a quarter of the town were ready to celebrate their big day together. A big day that left a bigger scar on his heart than he could ever imagine.

Everything was in order the night before. They both had their parties two days before the wedding. He had his party with the guys and she had hers with her lady friends. There was not anything done by them that would have crossed the line. But something must have made Kelsey take a different turn in life. Something that nobody in town could ever figure out.

On the day of the wedding, Humbly was at the altar ready and nervous as can be. He was ready to say those two words that would tie him to a ball and chain. There was not anything he would say no to when it was about her. He was ready to give his life to her and take care of her through sickness and in health. Sadly, she never showed up at the altar. Humbly was drunk as he could be that night and nearly took his own life a week later.

It would have been nice if she had left him a note or something that would take away all the questions that ran through his mind for years. He could not think of what went wrong, but at the same time he took a lot of the blame even though he should not. Out of the blue, she left town and was never seen again. Even her friends were surprised and were left in the dark. 

Almost every week for a few months, he would be close to taking his life. His mistake was getting drunk around his butler friends and then be punched in the face by one of them. This would knock him out cold before he could leap to his death. It was rough on all of them to see him that way, but they did not abandon him and he was grateful for them after he got over the initial few months of not knowing what to do. 

Years later, I was informed by the maid about those incidents. Then when the time was right, I would ask him more about his relationship with Kelsey and how he was dealing with the loss. Much of what he did when he was drunk became a blur in his memory. His friends had to tell them about what he did and said on those long nights. He felt quite ashamed of what he did and cut back drinking on a high level for a while. 

I guess that is why I have not asked Gracie the big question yet. Part of me wants to ask hoping she will say yes. Even though the chances are likely, I could easily be in the same shoes Humbly was in about 20 years ago. Everyone was sure that there would be something to celebrate that day, but that did not happen. What had happened after that was a long, twisted ride for everyone that cares about him. 

The long nights of drinking, the pain and suffering to drive the mind to the edge, the irrational behavior and any chaotic thought would all be a given if Gracie does not say yes or end up disappearing out of the blue. Unlike Humbly, I would not be drinking around a group. I could possibly succeed at what he had tried to do week after week. 

The outcomes are limited. There is not any doubt that I would be drunk more often if the results are negative. But I could avoid the possibility of those outcomes if I do not ask the question. It is also possible that if I do not ask then someone else will. Maybe she is waiting for me to ask. If she is then it would be wrong of me to keep her waiting so long for me to do my part. 

As I swirl the brandy around the snifter, I think about what Humbly had done during those blurry nights. Him and his butler friends sitting at the table in the servant's quarter. All of them sipping on their ale and wine to relax for the evening while Humbly gulps his drink at a high level.

"More wine, Collin?"

"Why yes, Ethan. Thank you."

"Please pass the ale, Walden."

"Here you go, Alton. I think someone should keep that away from Humbly."

"Give me my ale! I want my ale."

"You had enough to drink, Humbly. How about I make you some tea?"

"Give me my ale, Walden. I want my ale."

"No more ale for you, Humbly. You will wake up with a huge headache."

"Do not tell me what to do, Alton. Give me my ale or else."

"It might do him some good if you sit on him, Collin. He is a mess."




Warmth of a Mid Autumn Night



"Is it too much to ask for more ale? Is it?! 

As if it is not enough that my Kelsey left me. Now you want to take something away from me that numbs my pain? 

Where are you Kelsey?! Where are you my lovely?

KELSEY! Come back to me! Come back to me. I will promise to take care of you. Please come back."

"Shhhh... No need to yell, Humbly. Relax. Let me make you some tea."

"NO! I do not want any tea. I want my Kelsey. I want her back. Where are you, Kelsey?"

"Relax, Humbly. Calm down. Sit down and have some shortbread cookie."

"Did you take my Kelsey away from me? Maybe it was you, Collin. 

Could it be you, Alton? Did you tell her to flee far away from me? 

I am going to look for you, Kelsey. I will look for you till I find you."

"You are not going any where, Humbly. Sit down and relax."

"Do not tell me to sit down. I will go where I please."

"Sit back down, Humbly."

"Do not push me. I want to find my Kelsey."

"I will push you as I see fit. You are not going out this door."

"Do not think your height could intimidate me, Collin. You will not stop me. I will find my Kelsey!"

"You are not going any where, Humbly."

"Both of you stop it! This is not the place to be fighting."

"Collin, I think you have hit him a bit too hard."

"Well I either had knocked him out or the ale got the best of him. Regardless, it is best that he is unconscious for now. Someone help me get him back to his private room."

I was too young at the time to know what was going on. My grandfather was not too thrilled back then with how Humbly was handling himself. He had passed away a decade later leaving Humbly to take care of me. He had seen me grow up all these years along with Alton. He too had passed away two years after grandfather leaving Humbly to keep the manor in order on his own.

Mother had always said father was a busy bee. I do not recall ever seeing the man. He could not handle being a parent. By the time I was 12, my mother had left with a French lover. She left her father and only child behind to persue her dreams in the city of lights, art and of course love. 

It was not easy growing up, but Grandpa Edmund made sure that I was able to focus on the good parts in life and put in the time to be with me everyday. He was inspirational and lived to a ripe old age of 85. A painting of him hangs in the library along with the other ancestors. 

Chapter 6 ==== Aveline Up and Hayden Down 

Even though Humbly's past is a possibility that can happen to me, it is not exactly the worse case scenario. When I think of him, I also think of Aveline, the maid of Gracie's. It was a nightmare after the honeymoon that she did not see coming. Quite a tragedy that should not happen to a nice lady such as her. I remember what Humbly had told me about her past.

"Do you Hayden Jacob Fentonhills take Aveline Chantel Higginsmilton to be your..."

"Yes, I do."

"You may now kiss the bride."

"I will always love you, my sweet Aveline."

They were sweet as can be and always worked everything out together. She was the maid then as she is now. He was the new gardener at that time that also helped with other duties on the estate. As all couples do, they had their little arguements ever now and then. But it became worse after the death of his friend from his childhood, then his parents, then another friend and then Aunt Ramona. All of them died several months apart from one another. It was as if a brick wall fell on him again and again and was not ever able to recover from all the loss.

Aveline tried to comfort him, but it was never enough. He would drink too much and started to skip his duties. The staff had to do some of his work to cover for him to keep him from being fired by Mr. Highbrighton, Gracie's uncle. They knew he did not have any place to go since his two dearest friends and all his family members had passed away. Nobody wanted to see him fall apart or wind up dead in the middle of no where. 

"Hayden, please put down that bottle and talk to me."

"Why should I?! I do not want to talk about anything. Leave me with my Scotch."

"The Scotch is not going to help you solve anything. Please let me help you, Hayden."

"I do not need your help. I do not need anyone's help. More Scotch!! Give me back my Scotch! Give it back to me woman!"

"No, I will not. Ahhhh!! You dare slap me?"

"I will slap you till you give me back my Scotch. Give me back my Scotch!"

"No, I will not."

"You dare push me?!"

"Ahhhhh!! No! Ahhhh!! Get away from me! Ahhhhh!!"

"Leave her alone, Hayden."

"Come and make me."

"No, Collin! Stop fighting!"

It was one of the many messy nights that Aveline had to witness over and over again. Hayden had turned into a drunken, abusive, bitter monster in the course of a year. He would only hit her if she did not let him have his way with the Scotch. The many nights she had sobbed and wish that she could have her old Hayden back. 

He did all the despicable things that anyone could think of. Aveline did not deserve all the injustice he has done to her. From yelling to hitting, stealing the alcohol from the estate and on occasion he would take advantage of her in their private room. She was fed up with his abuse for too long and wanted to put a stop to it all. It was not easy for her to do, but the staff had decided enough was enough. They had to let him go. 

One day, Aveline and Collin thought it would be good to take Hayden to a tranquil and scenic place and tell him that it is time for him to leave. There were plenty of trees and plants growing wildy all around them. About 40 yards out was the edge of the land with a sharp drop down to the ocean. It was a beautiful place for a picnic. What had started out as a sunny day became a dreary one.

"Hayden, you know I love you. We all love you. It breaks my heart to see you go, but I..."

"Hayden, you have been a great addition to our staff, but it has been too much to handle for all of us. We think it is best that you leave us in peace. It is time you sort things out on your own."

"What are you saying? You want to leave me, Aveline? 

Is that what you want? All of you want to leave me?

Hahaha... Everyone wants to leave me. Hahahaha... You all want to leave me. Not this time. I will leave everyone. You hear me?! I will leave everyone!! You want to see me gone? I will be gone for good."

He then looked up and yelled out all the names of the people who had passed away and said that he will see them soon. Seconds after he had said that, the sky was turning grey very quickly. The wind was picking up faster and colder by the second. Hayden was laughing hysterically and drank half a bottle of wine before running to the edge. 

"No, Hayden! Where are you going?"

"I am going to see my friends again! I will leave everyone behind this time! Hahahaha... I am coming!! Make room for me! Hahaha..."

They were running after this mad man until he was a foot away from the edge. His face was full of excitement and his eyes showed how far gone he has been. It was a moment that neither Aveline and Collin would forget. 

"I will leave everyone this time!! I hope you are happy. I will be happy to see my old buddies again. Hahaha... I am comiiiiiiiiiing!!"

"NOOOOOOOOO!!"

Both Aveline and Collin saw Hayden holding the bottle of wine and leaped into the ocean never to be seen again. It was too much for them to deal with the loss. They would have stood there longer, but the rain was getting heavier and heavier so they had to go back to the estate as quickly as they could. 

After all that Aveline had been through with Hayden, it made Humbly see that his loss was not as bad it could be. Due to her past experience, Humbly has been very careful not to assert himself too much. The last thing he would think of doing is to create a scar on her heart. 

I do not see myself doing what Hayden did to Aveline. Every member of the family has left me years ago. I have only a handful of friends, but I do not see myself grieving that badly when the time comes along. It is possible that anything could trigger me to do the unthinkable, but I could not see myself doing any injustice to Gracie. The question is if that thought is enough to prevent me from doing anything wrong to her?

I think to myself over and over about how to prevent myself from doing what Hayden did to Aveline. Do I avoid such a scenario by keeping Gracie at a distance in which she is so close and yet so far?

Maybe what I ask for is too much for her to deal with and she abandons me at any given time. I would hate to put that much pressure on her. Humbly is as gentle as can be, but at the end, he was left standing alone at the altar drinking his sorrow away. All he wanted to hear were the words, "Humbly Egbert Benton Galantworth and Kelsey Flora Remgildbury, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

I want to hear the same words except with our names. As much as I want to hear the words, "Leonard Humphry Devoncaster and Gracie Autumn Highbrighton, I now pronounce you husband and wife," I hesitate to ask the question. I want to be her mate for life, but fear the consequences that could happen to either one of us at any given time. Sometimes it is difficult to make lemonade out of the lemons thrown at our vulnerable minds. After all, we are only human. None of us are perfect and we can plan all we want, but that does not mean we control everything in life. 

Heaven forbid, but it is possible either one of us will suffer a health condition at any age. How would we cope with the illness?

What if I am the one to lay in bed sick before her?

I would be a burden to her. She does not deserve that kind of stress. Maybe she thinks the same way, but I would not mind taking care of her until she is well or off to a better place. 

Humbly does see me stressed over the matter, but I try to hide it as much as I can so that it would not remind him of his past. He does wish to see me happy with Gracie, but does not pressure me to ask the question too soon. 

Is it all that important to be married?

It is only a certificate that states we are officially a couple to the laws of the land. It does not guarantee that we will have a happy marriage. If either side has a wandering heart, affairs can arise at any time. The lonely heart can do anything to reach fulfillment.

My mind could not help to think of all the joys of being with her and all the consequences that can come along too. Nobody wants to be in an agonizing position, but it happens and we are always caught off guard when it does happen. The most we can do is be mentally prepared for the unexpected and the inevitable.

Chapter 7 ==== Honey is Sweet and Sticky

It has been a week since the last time I had Gracie over for dinner. I keep pacing up and down the library feeling conflicted about what I should do. 

"Your tea, Sir. I have taken the liberty to bring you some honey instead of sugar."

"Yes, that will be fine. Thank you, Humbly."

"You look a bit anxious today, Sir. Is there anything wrong?"

"No, I am fine."

"You are thinking about when it would be the right time to propose to Miss Highbrighton, Sir?"

"Yes. I mean no. Yes. Oh I do not know what to do. It would be sweet to have her in my arms everyday. But then there is always the possibility something can go wrong."

"Perhaps you can look at the situation similar to honey, Sir."

"Honey?"

"Yes. What comes to mind when you think of honey, Sir?"

"It is sweet and tasty."

"You are right, Sir. What else is it?"

"It is also sticky."

"That is right, Sir. Even though it is sticky, you still enjoy the taste of honey. You learn to handle the honey in a certain way as to not get yourself in a sticky situation. No matter how sticky it is, you can not deny that it taste sweet."

"I believe you are right, Humbly. There is not any denial that honey is sweet. But I worry about my honey being taken away, missing from the last place I have set it or what is worse, not sweet enough for me."

"What ever that worries you should be discussed with Miss Highbrighton. I am sure she is as reasonable as you are, Sir. You two must be able to come to an agreement some how. It would be wrong to leave a fire unattended or ignore where the smoke comes from."

"Yes, you are right again. I should discuss various topics with her. Sigh."

"You still worry about the unexpected, Sir?"

"Yes. What if one day she loses interest in me or I lose interest in her?"

"That is a tricky question, Sir. It is a matter if either side wants to lose interest. Every relation is a two way street and it takes both to work everything out. We may not want to lose interest, but it can happen. There is not a fool proof formula to every relation of any kind. If there was then there would not be all these affairs, separations and extreme cases that exist every where at any given time. It requires a lot of effort on both sides to hold any relation together. I believe both you and Miss Highbrighton can get through it as long as the effort is put in and there is still interest of staying together in harmony."

"I agree with you, Humbly. If only I can relieve my heavy heart from these thoughts and put my mind to rest then I will have the nerve to propose to her."

"I will be in the kitchen making dinner if you need me, Sir."

"Thank you, Humbly. I will stay here for a while."

Humbly is right about the matter. I could think of all the possible events that can happen, but there is not any way to avoid them if there is not any interest to avoid them in the first place. I worry that my sweet Gracie will find someone else more interesting, enticing and alluring than me in the future. Maybe she thinks the same way of me. 

My tea is bland without the honey. It taste sweet till the last drop once I put some honey in to stir evenly. Once the honey is swirled in, it can not be removed. I would have to finish the cup of tea before pouring myself another cup of bland tea.

I could pour tea in a separate cup and leave the one with honey alone. Maybe I can sip from both cups. But if I leave the tea with honey to the side, it would be a waste of the honey and tea altogether. Humbly went through the trouble to make the tea for me and gave me some honey to sweeten my tea. Nature let the bees make sweet honey for many to enjoy. Enjoyable it is, but everything must be taken in moderation.

What if I could see into the future ten or 20 years from now?

Will that change my love for Gracie?

What if in the future, we lose interest in our relation?

Is that enough to keep me from asking for her hand in marriage?

Can I afford to be alone and leave her alone for that long until the right one comes along?

What if I do not live that long? 

Do I want to die without a love of my life?

Do I want to take Gracie into my world and then die on her too early?

Is it worth taking care of her for a short time and have someone hold the key to my heart to suddenly let go?

Are all the intimate nights holding her worth it at the end?

I do not have any intentions of mistreating her. It would be difficult to do such a thing to someone sweeter than honey. The twinkle in her eyes are some of her best features. I can look at them all day and night to fall into that sea of warmth she creates. It is heavenly to soak in her love and affection. Every time she is around me, it is as if all my worries are gone.

How could I mistreat her when she can offer me this wonderful sensation?

Can I live with her everyday for better or for worse?

Will our intimate nights together make up for all the wrongs that either of us can be at fault of?

I am not perfect and even though she has great qualities, she too is not perfect. Despite our imperfections, she is still a very attractive piece of art made by Heaven above. I would not be able to resist all her touching, kissing and hugging. She could have her way with me in bed and I would not disagree with a single topic she brings up. 

My mind will lose all ability to object to anything she says when the time comes for me to see all of her smooth body. I will show all her soft cheeks the affection they deserve. My lips are ready to kiss every inch of her body and make her melt faster than butter on a hot muffin. It will be my pleasure to give her hours of bliss every night and take her worries away. 

What would be the harm in doing that to my lovely Gracie?

Could she deny me of her sweet, sensual body if I offer mine in full for her to do as she please?

What would be sweeter?

To have the pleasure of knowing I could make her happy by letting her do what ever she likes to me in my birthday suit or to allow me to have my way with her without any limits?

If she was in the library with me now, I would not be able to keep my hands off of all her soft and sensitive spots. Not a single book on these shelves will compare to her magnificent presence that can make any red blooded man go wild with desire. Even the most intellectual could not resist her charm and beauty from within.

Am I guilty of wanting her soft flesh all to myself?

Yes, I am. But that is only a fraction of what makes her so appealing to my heart. Her gentle touches and exterior features would mean little to me if her character is frigid and ill inside. I love her for all that she is inside. Everything outside is icing on the cake that deserves the same amount of attention. There has to be a balance or I will risk losing her in some way or another.

I should invite her over for dinner again soon. It will give us a chance to discuss the topics that have been running through my mind once too often. Perhaps I should discuss the courses with Humbly over dinner tonight.

Chapter 8 ==== Something Missing in the Meal

Humbly had informed me that dinner was ready and promptly took the tea tray to the kitchen. The walk to the dining room almost seem longer than usual. As if I almost dread to dine without my dear Gracie. 

"Your soup, Sir."

"Thank you, Humbly."

"Would you like to dine alone, Sir?"

"No. Please join me. I would only be staring at my food if I sit here by myself."

"Very well, Sir. I will be back with the cart."

As Humbly went back to the kitchen to get the rest of the food onto the cart, I could not help to think if this is how I will feel every time dining without her. I feel trapped within the walls of my mind and each door out has its own consequences. 

"How is your soup, Sir?"

"It is alright."

"Alright, Sir? This is your favorite soup. Bouillabaisse made with a French Chardonnay and Fontina melted perfectly over the crostini. You usually eat through half it by now and be asking for seconds. Are you feeling ill, Sir?"

"No, I am fine. Maybe you were a little off on the spices this time?"

"Maybe. But perhaps it does not taste as fine because someone is not here to brighten up your evening."

"The absence of Miss Highbrighton does not change my taste buds."

"No, but it could change your senses a bit. If you would share what is on your mind, maybe I can be of help to you, Sir."

"Does Aveline ever tell you what Miss Highbrighton thinks of me?"

"I am not at liberty to say, Sir."

"Oh come now. You can tell me. I do not want to make a fool of myself in front of her for being too forward."

"Well she is quite fond of you, Sir. But I get the feeling that both of you share the same worries and do not know which path to take. What is holding you back, Sir?"

"I do not want to hurt her. The only tears she should have are the tears of joy. I would hate to be the one to bring her sadness."

"That is perfectly understandable, Sir. Nobody is perfect and you can not put that much pressure on yourself. You are beating yourself up before anything happens. This will not prevent you from making mistakes in the future. You have to let yourself be and go with the flow sometimes."