To Love and To Be Loved

Chapter V

Their conversation slowed and then halted as they walked through the halls, just enjoying each other's comforting presence until they arrived at Aileen's door.

"Thank you for your company, Connor, it was a pleasure."

"The pleasure was mine, Aileen, I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast."

She nodded and smiled before walking into her rooms and quietly closing the door behind her.

"So..."

Aileen groaned,

"Do you have nothing better to do than hide in the shadows of my room, Alexander?"

"How d'you know it's me?"

He asked as he walked out of the aforementioned shadows,

"Your voice is very distinctive."

Alexander nodded and dropped onto one of the sofas in the sitting room as Aileen left to her dressing room to change into her night attire.

"Are you going to tell me about Connor?"
He called and Aileen rolled her eyes,

"There's nothing to tell, I've found a friend, Alexander, someone other than you or Welsey to talk to."

"And that's all?"

"Yes, that's all, now get over here and undo this ribbon, I can't see it."
She grumbled as she tried to undo the laces of her gown,

"You tied them, why can't you untie them?"

Her brother asked as he appeared and quickly managed to resolve the issue, eyes not even looking at the laces and rather the ceiling to let his sister have her privacy,

"I'm tired, I haven't slept a lot and have been riding and walking around most of the day."

Alexander nodded as he walked out of the room, leaning the dressing room door ever so slightly ajar so she had privacy but they could still converse quietly,

"How was your day with the Marquise?"
She asked as she finally removed all the formal attire and quickly replaced it with her soft nightgown, robe and socks.

"Wonderful. Oh, Lee, she is just an angel. We talked all day about everything that came to mind and then after dinner, we sat in the library for a while and just reposed, no need for conversation to feel comfortable."

Aileen smiled at her brother's gentle voice as she walked out of the dressing room, braiding her hair to get it out of her face,

"That sounds wonderful, Alexander. I'm glad you're taking this chance,"

Her brother had a soft smile on his lips and he looked out the window at the dark sky,

"But seriously, Lee, you have nothing else to say? About me? Or the aristocrats? Or yourself?"

She shrugged,
"I think we'll be fine here, you're either meeting a true friend or your future wife, Wesley will cause some trouble, I made an acquaintance that gives me access to all libraries and studies."

Alexander laughed,
"Right, that friendship is purely for the sake of material gain."

He said disbelievingly, he knew his sister and she never gave attention or a conversation to people she didn't like, not even for material gain.

She dropped onto the couch opposite her brother and rolled her eyes,

"Yes, he interests me. Yes, I consider him a friend by its true definition but the moment you talk to Mother or someone else about this, I will hit you again because it is a friendship and they all will view it as courting."