To Love and To Be Loved

Chapter III

"You do not match your family's reputation."
Connor declared after viewing the fifth room so far.

"Yes, well, they pride themselves for their traditions whilst I pride myself for my knowledge and independence. If I were to fit the family mould, I would need to lose all the things which I love."

Conner nodded, enjoying the melodic and rhythmic sound of Aileen talking, it was almost as though she was reciting a poem every time she spoke,

"My mother wished for me to marry by now, maybe even bear a child or two, but I'm not like her. I have no desire to be stuck in a manor alone with crying children whilst my husband flits off to new cities and new countries and new friends."

They continued their walk in silence before she spoke up,
"And you, Lord Connor, where is your wife and child?"

He groaned,
"You sound like my mother."

Aileen stayed quiet and looked at him with curiosity, but he didn't reply.

"Will you answer my question?"

He sighed,
"The truth is that I don't want to marry, I don't want to wake up to the same face that I fall asleep to every night. I don't want to have a family to come home to, rather a lady to join me on a trip and then never see her again."

Aileen nodded,
"So the rumours are true?"

She asked bluntly; a lot of rumours followed Connor, many hinting towards rebellious and infamous acts. Connor was quiet,

"Did I say something out of turn?"

"No, but the answer I give you, no matter what it is, will be out of turn. But I will dignify your question with an answer anyway. Yes, most of them are true."

"Your family is aware? Certainly they would have you on a tighter leash if they knew."

Connor shook his head with a breathy laugh escaping his lips,
"Have you no concern about what you are saying? Or how other ears will interpret what you are saying?"

Aileen shrugged,
"What will I learn with simple questions such as: your favourite pastime, your favourite animal? It is simple talk, something I would ask a person I am not intrigued by."

Connor nodded,
"So I intrigue you?"

Aileen chuckled and rolled her eyes,
"Answer my question."

"No, they do not know - well - they might have heard the rumours, but they don't believe them much. If they did, I would not be allowed to be alone with you, or any woman."

"Why? Would they believe I am in danger of falling for your charm?"

"Yes."

She chuckled and they continued to walk in silence until they arrived at a plain door with a single golden door handle and keyhole,

"I saved the best for last."
Was all Connor said before opening the door and letting Aileen enter first. She froze as she looked around.

There were shelves upon shelves of books standing proudly in the centre of the room and on two of the walls of the rectangular room were scattered paintings of historical men and women. The other two walls were mainly windows, one of which only had stained glass windows, making the room glow colourfully as the setting sun shone through it.

"This is stunning."
She breathed out.

"And you want to know the best part of it?"

She turned to him with a raised brow to urge him to finish his sentence - any words seemed to loud in the beautiful silence of the room.

"No one knows about this room, most assume it is servants' rooms due to the simplistic door and those who do know about it believe it seems too 'ghostly', especially at night."

Aileen chuckled and spun in a circle, taking everything in.

"I think I have just fallen in love."

Connor chuckled and walked further into the room, and down one of the aisles of bookshelves,
"Come along, there is something more."

Aileen, ecstatic at the finding of this room, ran after him to find him pointing at something. When she turned to look at it, she covered her mouth in awe.

In the corner of the room was a raised platform with a railing of books. On the dark wood dais were two suede armchairs and between them a golden chess table. The pieces were all still on the board, in perfect position for the Fool's Mate and the dark king was tipped over; the dark pieces were all made of black onyx and the light were made of shimmering white pearl.

"It's breath-taking."
Aileen whispered as she walked up to the board, inspecting the unique board.

"Can you play?"
She asked the Lord as she picked up one of the white pawns,

"I used to."

"Used to?"
She asked carefully as she picked up another of the chess pieces, this one a bishop with delicately carved clothes and face.

"I haven't been able to play since my father died."
Aileen looked up and was startled at the sudden grief visible in the Lord's eyes, which had been distant and somewhat emotionless before.

"I'm sorry for your loss. You were close with your father?"
She asked quietly.

Connor looked away from Aileen and the chess table, instead walking to the windows and looking out at the gardens below.

"Let's change the subject then. Ask me a question."
Aileen stated as she walked up to Connor and looked down at the gardens with him. From the corner of her eyes, she could see relief flood his face now that the topic of his father and chess was over.

"Are you not going to pry?"
He asked curiously, turning to look the woman in her intelligent eyes, she shrugged,

"It's not my place. Everyone has the right to keep things to themselves and I am not one to take that right away."

The Lord scoffed and shook his head,
"You are something new, Aileen. A rare breed."

She smiled,
"Why thank you,"

They fell into a silence as they watched people and animals scurry around the gardens.

Soon the sun sank below the horizon and a servant walked in to light the candles, startling the two occupants since they were still staring outside,

"Pardon, my Lord, and pardon me, Miss. I did not know there was someone here, I would have knocked."

"It's no trouble, we must take leave anyway, the dinner will begin soon."
Connor quickly explained before turning to Aileen,

"Let's go, I still have to show you to your rooms and I imagine you may want to change into your evening wear."

Aileen nodded and the two briskly walked out, walking through the now candle-lit halls until they reached what Aileen believed was the West Wing; it was a large sitting room of cream and gold with ten doors along two of the walls, all of which had different colours and little golden handles with plaques hung on them.

"Here is where all the female visitors reside, you have been given the suite down there with the sable door, I will send a lady-maid to help you find the dining hall."

Connor said quickly, eyes not meeting hers and voice formal and fake,

"Connor, I won't say anything of what you told me, and I won't ask anything of you, so please stop with the formal idiocy. Thank you for the wonderful tour, I will see you at dinner."
Aileen said politely, though her vocabulary was anything but, making Connor smile,

"I'll make sure to remember that, thank you, Miss Aileen and I'll see you within the hour."

They bowed and curtsied before parting, Aileen smiling to herself at the memory of the day - maybe it wouldn't be so bad here after all.