Deacon - Nicholas Bella Page 0,15

reason why Elias liked to go there.

I knew their relationship was strained, but I wasn’t fully sure as to why. Elias insisted I’d be allowed to stay in the guest room next to his and it was something his Father agreed to for one night, as stated. I didn’t care. My head throbbed and all I wanted to do was sleep off the effects of the wine. As soon as I tossed myself unceremoniously on the bed, I felt my eyes close and I didn’t wake up until I felt strong hands shaking me.

“Ugh, leave me be,” I groaned.

There was laughter at that. Elias’ laughter. “What would be the fun in that?”

I opened one eye to see him looking back at me, a huge smile on his face. My head didn’t hurt, thank goodness, but my stomach was raging for food. I guessed it was time for me to wake up. “How can you be so chipper after last night?”

“Not my first night like that. I recover quickly enough. I want to show you around,” he said.

“Your father didn’t seem to like the idea of me staying with you here,” I said as I sat up.

“There is much my father doesn’t like that I do. Let me deal with him.”

“Why? I mean, we barely know each other,” I pointed out as I climbed out of the bed and stretched.

Elias turned quickly, but before he did, I caught his eyes studying me as I flexed my muscles. I had picked up on the little looks he’d given me at the tavern, but it was bolder here. Just like now, he also turned his gaze, as if afraid I would take notice. He was too late, of course. I’d noticed.

“I know that we have only just made acquaintances. Isn’t that how all friendships began?” he asked, still keeping his gaze averted as if out of modesty.

“Friendships and more,” I stated, allowing my voice to drop an octave to allude to the seduction I had been carefully manipulating.

He turned to me then, a slight blush to his cheeks. “I… I don’t have many, not any, really,” he confessed.

I walked over to him. “What about classmates?”

He shook his head. “I have a tutor, no siblings.” He turned from me again. “I go to the park hoping to meet people. Sometimes I do, but it never lasts. They are just passing or my father finds a way to make sure they aren’t around me for long.”

“Should I be fearing for my life?” I asked, half joking.

He turned again. “No, it’s not like that. He pays them a lot of coin to leave me be. He doesn’t think the people I meet are worthy. Commoners, beggars, artists, but these are the people I find most interesting. Those with stories to tell, those who have lived life and have a richness to spare that can’t come from coin.”

“Like me?” I asked. Fact of the matter was, I wasn’t rich, but I did have everything I needed. To someone else, though, I may have seemed wealthy as the cottage I lived in was quite large. And I had fine clothes to wear when I needed to. Mostly, though, Winston didn’t feel the need to dress as the wealthy did with ruffled collars, stockings, and layers of froth as he called it.

“I wouldn’t dare to presume,” Elias said with a shy smile. “I just know that I enjoy your company and would like to get to know you more.”

“And I, you,” I said. “I will need to gather my things from the inn if I’m to stay here.”

He nodded. “I will send you with the carriage so you do not have to concern yourself with travels. Now, come, let me show you around.”

“Can we eat first?” I asked.

He laughed. “Of course.”

~*~

Whatever conversation took place between Elias and his father, I wasn’t privy to. However, his father made sure to let me know my stay would be most temporary. A fortnight at the latest. I assured him I would leave by that time and that seemed to satisfy him. Yes, his father was an obstacle. Fact was, I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to have to return to Winston or even the inn I’d been staying at. It was filthy and full of whores and drunkards. I had to stay in squalor in order to keep up appearances. The comfort of the bed I’d slept on last night was much to my liking. Even better than the one