A Proposal Of Marriage

Chapter 4

A few hours before noon, Sage had woken up to the sound of a pianoforte playing. "Jules, who is that in my mother's music room?"

"It's her ladyship, my lord," The ever expressionless and faultless valet answered.

Except, today, the valet almost seemed to be smiling, observed Sage. Jules started to arrange Sage's cravet into a simple, yet elegant style.

"Is anyone else in there with her?"

"As a matter of a fact, the Marquis of Reiville has returned and is in there with her right now," Answered the valet as he put the finishing touches on it.

"I see," Sage held out his arms as his valet buttoned his cuffs for him.

"Is there a problem, my lord?" Jules questioned.

"None. Do you by any chance know where Lady Moresby is then?"

The valet answered with almost a frown upon his features, "She is in the gardens,"

Sage nodded as if he'd never noticed his valet's lapse. "Thank you,"

~*~*~*~

"My word, that's capital performance," Said the Marquis as he clapped his hands together. "I remember when your mother use to play that song to us when we were little, it seems fitting you inherited that lovely skill,"

"Never inherited, always learned. My mother taught me the art of the pianoforte when I was very small. She tried to teach me violin but I never quite managed it therefore my skills are less than worthy of appraise. I have tried painting but have only managed in getting more paint on my frocks than on the canvas. Needlepoint was just horrid. The pianoforte seems to be the only fine art I have mastered." She ran her slender fingers across the keys.

Rowan chuckled. "Yes, I quite remembered you asking me to bandage up your fingers after every sewing lesson you had with your mother."

"I never quite got the gist of the finer arts. Father taught me horseback riding and archery when mother became bedridden," Mia tucked a wandering curl behind her ear. "I liked those far more than I liked painting or needlepoint,"

Rowan chuckled just as the sound of a knock appeared at the door.

"Come in," Mia replied instantly, lifting her head up from the pianoforte.

"Lord Reiville, a message has just come for you,"

"I've been waiting for that," Rowan grinned as he stood up.

Mia stood up just as Rowan took the letter from the silver tray that George presented to him. "You aren't leaving so soon yet again are you?" She asked, walking slowly towards him.

Rowan looked up from the letter and smiled. He took her face and kissed her on the forehead. "No worries, I shan't be leaving you yet,"

A small smile graced her features. "You may use the library to pen your response,"

"Many thanks," Rowan bowed before he left the room.

Moments later, her Uncle Lawrence entered the room, the familiar sneer upon his face, "I never did take you to be one of them, my dear niece,"

Mia arched an eyebrow, "And by them, what are you referring to?"

"You know what I speak of,"

"I'm afraid I don't nor do I want to. And is it imperative we have this conversation? I must go consult the cook about our supper menu for tonight,"

Timothy Lawrence shrugged, "Just so you are informed, even after last night, your husband and Lady Moresby are cooing and cuddling like lovebirds in the garden," He noticed the rolling of her eyes. "Look out of the balcony and see for yourself," He added.

"See what?" Asked Cary Date as he entered the music room, a pipe in one hand.

"Just look into the gardens, your eyes will tell you the truth," Ignoring Cary, Timothy kept on baiting Mia.

"I will not be played around with, Uncle," Mia stated firmly.

Timothy walked over to the balcony doors and flung them open. A state of silence came over the three in the room.

And then…

A familiar high-pitched laughter.

A deep baritone chuckle.

So as not to seem eager, Mia strolled slowly but silently over to the balcony. Cary joined her soon after, and both simultaneously looked over the edge. Among the roses was golden blond head belonging to her husband and the other was a silvery blond head belong to Lady Moresby.

"You know, if that's how all debutantes are when they aren't around their mothers, I'd go seek one out right now," Timothy chuckled, the dry sound filling up the silence of the room.

Turning around, Mia forced to say the words that burned her, "Well now gentlemen. They do seem quite absorbed with each other…Come, an arm with each of you and off to luncheon we go," She took both Cary's and her uncle's arm where they proceeded to the dining room. Rowan joined them soon afterwards, taking his seat by Mia at one end of the table. Sage and Charlotte Moresby were the last to arrive, where Charlotte was promptly seated next to Sage.

With a flick of her wrist, Mia directed the butler to begin serving. She never once looked up towards Sage but she could feel his violet eyes upon her form while she conversed with Rowan and Cary.

"Mia, you aren't attending me, is something amiss?" Rowan whispered to her so Cary and Timothy Lawrence wouldn't hear.

"Forgive me Ro, I feel a megrim coming on,"

"Mia, I, of all people, know that you never get such things,"

"There's a first time for everything," She snapped and then sighed. "I'm sorry, this isn't like me. I promise you an explanation when my thoughts are in order,"

"I will hold you to that,"

Mia nodded in response.

~*~*~*~

After the luncheon was over, they all retired to the drawing room where they were all promptly served tea and peach slices. Since Mia was the lady of the household, she had to pour the tea for all of them. She had scarcely seen to everyone before Sage pulled her aside.

"You are to come to my study immediately afterwards," He whispered only loud enough for her to hear.

"I'm afraid I must decline -,"

"It is not a request, it is a demand,"

Fury blazed into Mia's eyes. "I have other business to attend to. It is essential for me to visit several of our tenants who are ill and others whose homes boast of many problems that will be their undoing were they not fixed before winter,"

His furious violet eyes pierced her placid blue-green ones.

She was the one that turned away first.

~*~*~*~

"Oh James," She whispered to herself as she peered from the doorway at the somber expression of the little boy. Mia licked her lips and cleared her throat, indicating her presence.

"Aunt Mia!" The boy shrieked happily before he flung himself at her legs.

Mia grinned and bent down and planted a cheek on his forehead. "How's the master of the house doing?"

James hesitated.

"Is there something wrong?"

"When are Uncle Sage's guests leaving?"

Mia sighed. "I wonder about that also, I think they may be staying longer than we expected and longer that we'd like. We must put up a strong front and endure."

"But you, me, and Uncle Sage never get to spend any time together like we used to before they all arrived. And sometimes I wonder if you are getting tired of me," He asked, sadly.

"Of course not! I would never ever, not in a million years, tire of you. You are by far, the most important person in this household to me," She touched his nose. "And don't you ever forget that,"

James smiled brightly before throwing his arms around Mia.

"Why don't you join me on my rounds today? We could do well with a bit of fresh air,"

"Absolutely!"

Mia chuckled as she led James out the door. Her day suddenly seemed brighter.

~*~*~*~

When they returned to the castle a few hours later, James turned up to his aunt and pulled on her dress.

"Hm?"

"Will you have dinner with me Aunt Mia? You always seem to have dinner with them and…"

Mia ruffled his hair. "I would be delighted to," Knowing full well that once Sage got wind of this, he'd be furious she still wouldn't be available for that talk. "I'll ask Cook if she can make us some of her famous rice pudding," She kissed the top of his head. "And afterwards, how about I read something to you of your liking?"

James nodded and hugged her tightly.

Mia's heart twisted as she stared into the cherub-like face of James. How could I ever leave him?

~*~*~*~

Mia winced as she stubbed her toe on a hallway stand for the fourth or fifth time. So engulfed in the bedtime story was she and James that time was absolutely irrelevant to them - until one of the clocks in the room chimed midnight. After tucking James into bed, she had gone to blow out all the candles in the room. Only after blowing out the last candle in the room did she realize that she would need one for the dark hallways.

"Fustian," She muttered in the dark as she felt around in the hallways. Without even the moon as a source of light, the hallway was pitch black and near impossible to see. Since using her sense of view was out, she had to resort to her sense of feel. Come tomorrow morning, she knew she'd be sporting some new bruises.

"Ow," She winced as her fingers accidentally jabbed into something soft but firm. She pulled her wrist and massaged her fingers, assuring herself that none of them had gotten particularly injured.

All of the sudden, she was yanked into a room with only one candle as the source of light. "Oh no…" Were the only words that came out of Mia's mouth; her eyes wide, she took in the familiar surrounding.

A deep chuckle reverberated in her ear; the owner having forgotten his earlier anger was now thoroughly amused by her response, replied, "Oh yes,"

Mia wrenched herself away from his strong grasp only to have him pull her back to his jasmine scented body. "It's late,"

"It is. We need to talk you know,"

"What for?" She snapped at him, successfully pulling away from him.

"I know you saw me and Charlotte in the gardens this afternoon,"

"Charlotte?" She exclaimed in disbelief. "You're calling her by her Christened name now?" Tears welled up in her eyes. Ironically, for more than ten years, she had never cried - until now.

Sage stared in shock as she stared at him through anguished blue-green eyes. "Mia…what's wrong?" He asked, finally having found his voice.

She took several deep breaths to calm herself, "You," She finally answered.

"You're jealous," Sage stated, understanding finally.

"Don't be such a tease, Sage, I've not the energy to fight you," Mia wearily stated, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes.

Sage remained silent as she covered her face up with her hands.

But I am. God help me I am. She thought, her figure crumbling before him and tears slowly cursing down her face.

Sage kneeled down before her and took her into his arms. "I just need you to trust me for a little longer. All will reveal itself in the end,"

Mia remained silent before answering him through swollen eyes. "Why? Since you can't even seem to trust me, Lord Wensworth,"

He yanked her figure towards him, "So we're back to Lord again now are we? Funny, I thought after last night, you couldn't - nay, wouldn't be able to stop saying my name," A cold smile formed on his lips as he stared into a pool of blue-green eyes.

Mia yanked herself away from him, turning a bright red as she stared at the floor. Suddenly, her head came up, eyes furiously boring into his.

A loud crack reverberated in the room as flesh, encountered flesh.

Mia withdrew her burning hand and held it to her chest. The blow of her hand to Sage's cheek left a nice red handprint shaped welt upon his flawless white skin. His head had also snapped and was frozen in that position as silence dawned upon them.

He turned it back slowly, facing her as a tear-shaped droplet of crimson blood formed on his lip. When his head had snapped to the side, he had bit his lip, drawing blood.

"Merde!" Mia swore in French. She all but launched herself towards him, dabbing at the bloody lip with a pristine white handkerchief. She slowly but diligently wiped away the crimson liquid, staining her white, pristine handkerchief. Pressing it to his lip, she looked at him, to find him staring down at her with such extreme intensity; she could only shiver. Only then did she realize how close their bodies were to each other.

The sash that had held Sage's robe closed was now unbound, revealing his muscular chest. Thankfully, he was also wearing a paint of matching green silk pants so nothing else showed. Her hair had come free of their restrains, falling in a curtain of mahogany curls around her shoulder. A sleeve of her dinner gown had fallen down to reveal a creamy shoulder, which only served to add to the sexual energy between them. Her hands, normally enclosed with gloves, now bare, had one clutching at his neck and one pressed at his lip.

Sage slowly removed her one hand from his lip, handkerchief and all. With his other hand, he touched her cheek tenderly before meeting his lips with hers.

She could taste the metallic tang of the blood and without any hesitation, she suckled gently on that lip, which emitted a low yet distinct groan from Sage. "Sage…" She whispered upon his lips before he thrust his tongue into the deep concaves of her mouth.

So captivated with each other, they didn't even notice that the light of the candle had become extinguished.

~*~*~*~

Mia stared down at the peaceful face of her husband, a slight smile upon the same strikingly handsome face. They had made love, two nights in a row; except this time, it was slow and tender. The question that had kept her awake for several hours still troubled her mind.

How could she leave them after one year when she couldn't even bare to leave them now? She had come to fall in love with dear little James. She knew that the seven year old boy needed a mother figure in his life and she provided that for him. Her heart was torn to shreds at the mere thought of leaving James.

Then there was Sage, her convenient husband-to-be who conveniently turned out to be the only thing missing in her cold, lonely life. Mia had made up her mind. She had to leave before she got even more involved. If that was possible. She thought as she slowly untangled her body from his. She had to leave even if her heart screamed not to.

He shifted in his sleep, turning over to throw an arm around her waist.

Mia froze. She waited a good amount time before slowly moving his arm from her waist. Placing a tender kiss upon his lip, she whispered tenderly into his ear, "Dieu m'épargne mais je t'aime…" It was so soft, she herself couldn't be sure as to whether or not she had said it out loud.

Making her way from his room to hers through the connecting doors, she quickly, but quietly packed a few essentials in a small traveling case. Having dressed without an abigail or maid for the first time, she was rather slow. The dress she had chosen was slightly out of date but she really didn't care about fashion. It didn't have a lot of buttons that would take heaven and earth to fasten the dress together and for that she was thankful. Quickly pulling on a pair of gloves, she penned a quick note and placed it on the dresser drawer.

Mia slowly tiptoed down the silent hallways so as not to call any attention from the sleeping servants. Sneaking a peek into the kitchen, she made sure that nobody was there before hurrying out the back door. She knew that at least one of the footmen would be awake by now for the sun was just peaking over the horizon. Spotting a familiar brown head, she hurried towards the stalls, signaling to the brunette footman to follow her.
"Jonathon, would you travel with me to London? I promise I will highly compensate you for your troubles," She requested.

Jonathon was confused, to say the least. "My lady, does the Lord know about this?"

She hated to lie, but she had to. "Of course,"

"Alright, allow me to prepare the carriage," He bowed.

"I'm terribly sorry to have troubled you. I owe you my gratitude,"

"It's no problem at all. My pleasure for serving such a fine mistress as yourself,"

Mia chuckled. "Always the one for compliments,"

"When one deserves them, of course," he replied and bowed again.

Within twenty minutes, Jonathon was dress and ready to escort the Lady Wensworth back to London.

~*~*~*~

Up in the master bedroom, Sage had only gotten up in time to see the departing carriage already miles down the road, disappearing from sight.

From Me…

I hope you enjoyed this chapter…sorry if it seemed a bit bland. Because of school stress, insomnia and everything else, my inspiration has been sucked dry. Any ideas minna? I could use some suggestions. ^_^

Translations:

Merde - Sh*t

Dieu m'épargne mais je t'aime - God help me but I love you [Ack, cheesy I know but it's late at night and I've not one ounce of creativity left - had I any to begin with. @_@]

Visit my Mia/Nasuti shrine at: www.geocities.com/nasuti_yaguy