Emma Ravenhearst
Love can hold one captive in more ways than one...
The bride of Ravenhearst
Posts: 269
|
Post by Emma Ravenhearst on Jun 11, 2012 14:28:52 GMT -5
Emma Ravenhearst walked down the path leading up to Charles Dalimar's house, twirling her parasol absentmindedly in her gloved hand, smiling just a little to herself. The past few month had been some of the happiest that she had ever experienced, and it was largely due to the man she was on her way to see. Charles Dalimar. The mere name brought a smile to her face. She had met him at a dance only a few months back, and the two had become inseparable almost right away. His wit and charm had captured her almost instantly, and she liked to think that she had done the same for him. True, she had good cause to think she had. He seemed simply mad about her, and had spoiled her rotten over the past few months. Emma would often awake in the morning to find flowers or chocolates had been sent by him to the place she was lodging at, or Charles himself would be waiting patiently downstairs for her to awake, so he could take her on a morning stroll, or perhaps make breakfast for her. Emma had never been courted like this before. In fact, she had never been courted. That was something that Charles need not know, however. Best if he thought she had been the belle of every ball back in Iowa. That couldn't have been further from the truth, as it happened. The only sort of romance that she had ever encountered before had been entirely one sided, her adoration for Jack. All of these thoughts, however, left her head quite rapidly as she caught sight of Charles' home. The smile on her face broadening, she quickened her step to reach his home. What would they do today, she wondered. Read? Would she play music for him? Perhaps he would paint for her. The possibilities for entertainment between them seemed inexhaustible, as he always had new ideas for what they might do. Emma reached the door of the house, and closed her parasol with a little snap, pointing the point on the ground like a walking cane as she leaned forward to knock on the door. Immediately, she heard the loud barking of dogs, and their claws skittering on the floor inside as they hurried to the door to greet the guest.
|
|
|
Post by bedeviledmanor on Jun 11, 2012 15:10:56 GMT -5
Charles looked up anxiously when he heard a knocking at the door, and grinned as the dogs began to make a racket. They only got that excited when it was Emma. Joy sprang into his heart and his step as he trotted along with them to the door, almost like an excited dog himself. He stood in front of the door, cleared his throat, and straightened his waistcoat before turning the knob and opening it.
He exhaled and relaxed his shoulders when he saw Emma standing in the doorway. "Emma!" he said happily, moving out of the way to let her in. "Do come in, do come in." The dogs sat on their haunches, squirming with excitement--they'd been trained never to cross the threshold without Master's permission, but the moment she stepped into the front hall, the three young dogs leaped up at her, barking happily and snuggling the fabric of her dress. The old basset hound, Grace, slumped into the front hall with a low, long howl.
Charles turned and smiled at her, and then smiled at Emma, his hazel eyes sparkling. "You look very well today, Emma," he said tenderly, offering to take her parasol. It was true; she looked absolutely beautiful.
As the two walked down the hall, he turned to her with a wide grin. "I'm sure you're quite anxious to learn what we're going to do today!" he said, obviously quite exited himself. It was strange that he wasn't wearing a tie. Perhaps he'd just woken up? He led her down the opposite end of the hallway, toward a wing of the house Emma had never been in. Something smelled faintly of grease and metal.
|
|
Emma Ravenhearst
Love can hold one captive in more ways than one...
The bride of Ravenhearst
Posts: 269
|
Post by Emma Ravenhearst on Jun 11, 2012 15:20:28 GMT -5
Emma smiled broadly as the door was opened, her eyes flickering over the howling dogs and finally falling on Charles, on whom she bestowed her largest and sweetest smile. There was no hesitation as she crossed over the threshold, and knelt as the dogs jumped over her, laughing and petting them all, even making a special trip over to rub Grace's ears, "She looks well! Oh, hello dear! Yes, hello..."
She giggled and cooed at them for a few moments before straightening up, smiling at Charles and giving her parasol to him when he offered to take it. A small blush crept over her cheeks as he complimented her, and she smiled, ducking her head, "Thank you, Charles..."
She noticed his lack of a tie, and a small smile and a raised eyebrow questioned it, though she expected no answer. If she knew Charles, she knew that he would rather show her why something was the way it was than tell her. She nodded at his words, following him down the hallway that he led her down, keeping close to him as the dogs trotted along behind her happily.
"Indeed I am! I'm sure it provides an explanation for why you are not fully dressed..." She giggled a little, teasing him gently as they walked, her giggles fading away into a demure smile that persisted though it had no quantifiable reason to. A little crease furrowed her brow as she smelled the grease and the oil, and she looked questioningly over at Charles, "What have you been doing?"
|
|
|
Post by bedeviledmanor on Jun 11, 2012 15:34:23 GMT -5
He couldn't help but blush slightly when she commented on him not being fully dressed. He had never minded being casual, but he was certainly what was considered under-dressed, and with a woman in his home, too. Charles looked over at her creased little forehead and smiled. "Don't you worry, Miss. Nothing too dangerous." He had always been adventurous, and had notice her increasing worry for his safety. He found it endearing... it gave him hope.
Charles led her farther down the corridor and finally to a large, open room with a cracked cement floor and huge windows. The morning sun streamed through them and gave the room a yellowish tint. Inside, was a long workbench, a few stools, and many, many pegboards along the walls which held every tool imaginable. He led her into the room, which was colder than the others, and waited for all of the dogs to come in, including Grace.
"Welcome to my workshop!" he said gleefully, looking about him proudly. "It was my father's, but I'm putting it to good use, I'd say."
Charles went over to the workbench and picked up a little silver contraption. It looked like a ballerina, except she was headless. "I haven't finished her yet. Look!" Gingerly, he took her off of her little metallic stand and placed her in Emma's hand. And then the strangest thing began to happen! She seemed to begin to dance. Her movements were very jerky and she emitted strange noises (also, no head) but it was absolutely amazing, this technology he was creating.
"Ah, but that's just one thing. Not what you're going to help me with," he said with a big grin, setting the half-finished ballerina onto her stand again. He turned back to Emma and... began to unbutton his waistcoat!
|
|
Emma Ravenhearst
Love can hold one captive in more ways than one...
The bride of Ravenhearst
Posts: 269
|
Post by Emma Ravenhearst on Jun 11, 2012 15:46:34 GMT -5
Emma smiled when she noticed his blush, her own cheeks growing a little red as well. Perhaps it would have been better not to comment on his casual manner and clothing. After all, the two had been seeing each other for some time now. Some amount of casual nature must be allowed, mustn't it?
"I should hope not..." was her soft reply to his reassurance. Truly, he was a risk taking man, and she worried for his safety at times. He seemed to have little sense of his own mortality, and would sometimes act as though his life were a plaything! That was how Emma saw it, in any case.
Her eyes widened considerably when she was led into the workshop, and she bit her lip a little. It looked quite similar to the workshop that Jack had had back in Iowa! He had never allowed her to come into it, however. The only glimpse she'd ever gotten of his workshop had been when she had sneaked in, furious that he wouldn't allow her to see what it was he worked on so much. He had chased her out with a wrench, and she had been quite cross with him for days afterward.
But this, of course, was different. It was Charles, who would gladly give her almost anything she asked for. She could never picture him chasing her anywhere with anything, or ever intentionally harming her in any way. He was far too kind hearted for that.
Her eyes widened further still when the ballerina was placed in her hand and began to dance. A smile spread over her face, and she seemed fascinated and thoroughly in love with the tiny toy, so much so that she looked extremely disappointed when it was taken away again. This look was quickly replaced by one of complete embarrassment, however, when she saw Charles moving to unbutton his waistcoat, "Charles...!"
She blushed furiously, and turned herself away from him, not feeling at all decent watching him practically undress, for heaven's sake!
|
|
|
Post by bedeviledmanor on Jun 11, 2012 17:19:14 GMT -5
He looked up, at first confused at her embarrassment, taking his waistcoat off and beginning to roll up his sleeves. She'd never seen his bare arms before; they were as rough as his hands, with corded muscle and fair hair covering the upper half of his lower arm. Charles quirked a brow and smirked. "Now, Emma! I just don't want to get dirty," he said reproachfully, chastising her for thinking anything but.
"Here," he said, turning away and gesturing to a box which rested on the workbench--one based was taken off and he had fixed it up to look like a locked door. Connected to the lock were a strange assortment of little toys--wind-up cars, slot machines, just strange things. It looked unfinished, though who knew what it was meant to look like.
"You know I like puzzles," he said, and looked back at her. "Well, I thought--what if I could lock my most prized possessions away in a manner that would keep them safe from anyone but myself?"
Charles paused, as if waiting for a response, and then cried happily, "A puzzle lock, of course!" He looked at the complete mess of cogs and springs and blushed. "It's not quite... in working order yet."
|
|
Emma Ravenhearst
Love can hold one captive in more ways than one...
The bride of Ravenhearst
Posts: 269
|
Post by Emma Ravenhearst on Jun 11, 2012 17:59:58 GMT -5
As he reassured her, she slowly turned back to him, her cheeks still slightly flushed as she looked back at him, looking a little sheepish that she had assumed so badly, "I apologize for thinking so badly of you...I simply wish to keep my innocence intact..."
There was a small smile on her face as she uttered those words, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she listened to him speak. When she saw what he was referring to, she furrowed her brow, stepping a little closer to it, trying to figure out what the pile of different things was meant to be.
She looked back at his words, and gave a look of sudden understanding, glancing back at the pile of objects with newfound curiosity, "That sounds like quite the undertaking...But I know you can accomplish it..."
She smiled a little, her cheeks flushing a little as she complimented him. Curious about the mechanics of the contraption, she reached forward and touched one of the gears with her gloved hand. Pulling them back suddenly, she gave a little noise of disappointment as she realized there was now dark oil staining her lily white gloves, "Oh no...!"
|
|
|
Post by bedeviledmanor on Jun 11, 2012 18:37:19 GMT -5
Charles hummed quietly. Her innocence... something he would never take without her consent. And if she gave her consent... That would be a blessing and a gift. He looked up at her as she examined the various items on the workbench.
He chuckled a little when she seemed to perplexed at his puzzle locks. "Well, you see, you and I are both equally clever... So we might both be able to open the locks," he said, "and after all, I wish to share everything with you." Charles offered a sweet smile.
He frowned when she made a noise of distress and took her hand in his, thinking she may have it herself on one of the metal edges or something like that. He smiled a little, foolishly, when he saw that it was just grease. "Oh, don't worry," he said. "I can get that out for you, if you let me borrow those for a bit."
Charles slowly helped her take her gloves off, revealing her hands. They were cold in his, and so he held them tight against his chest, smiling. "You'll have to sit a bit away if you're going to get so dirty."
Grace barked, but it was more of a groan, and sat her fat behind on Emma's feet.
|
|
Emma Ravenhearst
Love can hold one captive in more ways than one...
The bride of Ravenhearst
Posts: 269
|
Post by Emma Ravenhearst on Jun 11, 2012 19:38:05 GMT -5
Emma looked far more distressed about the dirtying of the gloves than perhaps was logical, her brow furrowed, looking after the gloves as he took them, biting her lips. The concerned look, however, disappeared, when he held her cold hands, looking at her with those adoring eyes...Never had she been looked at so. It made her heart swell just to see that look in his eyes and know what it meant, "You mustn't share everything...Mystery makes things interesting. You of all people must know that, reading as much as you do."
Her tease was almost...Dare it be said, flirtatious. But her innocence was such that she didn't know what she said. For her, she was simply pointing out an important fact about life and relationships.
With Grace curled up at her feet, Emma smiled broadly, looking down at the old dog. Grace had always been her favorite of the dogs, though she was very fond of them all. Grace seemed to have a certain fondness for her as well, and the two often said together, Grace at Emma's feet while she read. It had made her very sad to hear that the dog was not entirely well. She had not had any dogs in Iowa, and she had found she liked them very much.
She knelt down in the most ladylike way that she could, and rubbed Grace's ears, earning a panting smile from the old dog, as Emma looked back up at Charles, a slightly confused look upon her face, "How am I to assist you if I must sit far off?"
|
|
|
Post by bedeviledmanor on Jun 11, 2012 20:19:24 GMT -5
Charles's brow furrowed at her observation and said quite seriously, "Oh, but I do wish to share everything with you. I l--I like you very much; you are my best friend. Surely, you wouldn't have me hide anything!"
He released her hand so that she could kneel down to scratch at Grace's ears, and his smiled warmly. It was one of the things that had won him over, how kind she was to his dogs. They were all be had left of her poor, cursed family, and they meant to him almost as much as Emma did.
Charles leaned over his strange invention, and looked at the clock. He picked up a pen and tapped it against his lip as he said, "You can fetch me tools, and help me put my project into perspective. You know how narrow-minded and stubborn I get about what I build." He smiled over his shoulder at her. "You are the only one who can convince me, certainly."
"Plus, your company will surely make the work go much faster," he said, "and if it goes slower, I won't mind as much."
Charles knelt down across from her so that he was speaking to her over the fat dog that had since rolled onto her back. "She loves her Daddy," he said, rub ing the old girl's tummy.
|
|
Emma Ravenhearst
Love can hold one captive in more ways than one...
The bride of Ravenhearst
Posts: 269
|
Post by Emma Ravenhearst on Jun 11, 2012 21:39:46 GMT -5
That statement made Emma smile sweetly. Best friend...It was very nice indeed to have a best friend, and she most certainly thought of him in the same way. She had not been so close to anyone since Jack, and even he had always kept her at an arm's length, never allowing her too close. His love had always belonged to another...
But she pushed this thought away, "I think of you as my best friend as well...I am very fond of you, Charles..."
She focused her affections largely on the dog as she listened to his next statement, rubbing her ears and then her belly as she rolled over, panting and begging for more affection. She looked up and gave a half sort of smile when he commented on his own narrow mindedness, "It is only because you have a great deal of knowledge. You know everything that you need to know to complete the job, surely...You just need someone to remind you of it."
She smiled at him over the old dog, giggling at his statement, pulling back her own hand and wiping the dog fur off on her dress, rather glad for the lack of gloves now.
|
|
|
Post by bedeviledmanor on Jun 17, 2012 19:40:14 GMT -5
Charles's heart melted when she told him that she was very fond of him. He was not always so confident of peoples' opinions of him, but he could tell in the way she spoke to him and looked at him that she... loved him. Or... something... something like love, at least.
He saw how she treated the dog, how she make big eyes at her and cooed softly. He wished she would hold him and make eyes at him, and felt a little bit jealous of his own fat basset for a moment, before coming to his senses. The thought of her rubbing his belly and scratching behind his ears made him chuckle.
"Not everything," he said, looking at her. "Everything around here could use a woman's touch." Charles's tone was soft, and he knew exactly what connotation his words had. He was almost done with her ring, which he had decided to make himself. He just needed to make sure it was what she wanted... but he was sure it was.
Charles stood back up and offered his hand, helping her up and then pulling a stool up for her. "Now, would you like to get started?"
|
|
Emma Ravenhearst
Love can hold one captive in more ways than one...
The bride of Ravenhearst
Posts: 269
|
Post by Emma Ravenhearst on Jun 17, 2012 20:14:00 GMT -5
Emma returned her hand to the dog for another ear rub, smiling down at her as she panted, looking quite content.
"Everything around here could use a woman's touch."
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she heard Charles' words and she looked up, blinking a little, not entirely sure what he meant by his words.
Over these past months, she had grown to know Charles quite well, and could almost always tell what he meant, sometimes even able to finish his sentences for him, though she always did it in her head, never aloud. She knew him backwards and forwards, she liked to think, but this threw her slightly. She had always known him to be a gentleman, so of course she didn't think he meant any uncouth, but...Then again, he was a man. And she was a woman, as time and situations had been eager to press upon her, though she tried to renounce it. Oh, how much easier it would have been to have been born a man...
A man would not have to worry about the growing feels that she was having for Charles, and what they could mean. She knew that she was extremely fond of him. That she enjoyed being with him, that she indeed wanted to be with him for a good deal longer. But anything beyond that was closed to her mind and heart, anything more than close friendship and companionship was something she was altogether unprepared to deal with.
These thoughts were still in her head, and perhaps in her eyes as she took his hand, rising slowly to her feet and nodding, trying to push away the thoughts and focus on the task at hand. She smiled a little at him, though her eyes seemed to not be in it, "Yes, of course...Let's..."
|
|
|
Post by bedeviledmanor on Jun 17, 2012 20:54:15 GMT -5
Charles's heart leaped in anxiousness when he noticed that his words had not flown over her head--she'd caught them and was trying to decipher them, or already had and was just stunned. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not... he hoped it was, for the sake of everything he had... my sanity, he thought somewhere in the back of his head, but pushed that thought away, disturbed.
He stood on a chair and reached to get something from one of the higher shelves, then brought it down and sat facing her slightly, picking up a wrench and beginning to work tidily on the little contraption. He seemed to be applying a door of some kind--a mechanical door?
Charles bit his lip, becoming completely immersed in his work very quickly. He worked efficiently but was snagged every once in awhile, and would sit back and think. Now was one of those times. He played with a cog in his hands, brow furrowed in concentration.
"I can't seem to get this to move the door up... And I'd rather not have it open down the middle..." he whispered, his jaw tightening a little.
|
|
Emma Ravenhearst
Love can hold one captive in more ways than one...
The bride of Ravenhearst
Posts: 269
|
Post by Emma Ravenhearst on Jun 17, 2012 21:09:33 GMT -5
Emma furrowed her brow, having been moving to sit on the stool he had set up for her, but being much more intrigued by the work he was doing at his table. She moved a little closer, still a safe distance away to avoid dirtying herself, but close enough that she could see what he was doing. She set the stool down at a closer distance and sat down, watching him work.
She had always loved people watching. It fascinated her, really, the way that people moved and the way their thoughts and emotions manifested themselves on their face. But watching Charles...She was paying attention to something much different, and it rather surprised her. She had always known that he was handsome, of course. That had been evident from the moment that they had met, but...This was different.
She watched as is fingers worked with the wrench, as he bit his lip, his eyes hard with concentration and focus. She suddenly found herself wishing that gaze were turned upon her. The thought surprised even her and she blinked a little, almost smiling at the ridiculousness of it. Really, why would she want him looking at her like that, with that intensity...
She cocked her head a little at his words and moved her gaze to look at the object he was working on. The little puzzle lock..She knew very little about it, as of yet, and wasn't sure how to help, consequently, "Why shouldn't you want it to open down the front...?"
|
|