Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
chapter nine.
ㅤ ㅤ
That same night, all assembled in the dining room, adorned in their formal attire. Gabriette had taken her place beside Farleigh, opposite Felix, each engrossed in their respective conversations.
The family dined in the grandeur of the colossal dining room, the Footmen diligently poured wine under Duncan's watchful gaze.
Caught in a slightly awkward conversation with Pamela, Oliver found himself at the short end of the stick. "...I don't know what I'd do without Elspeth. She really saved me," Pamela remarked, and Elspeth overheard, promptly joining in, making the conversation public for the entire dining table.
"Don't bang on about it, Pamela darling. You know we're delighted to have you for however long it is you mean to stay," Elspeth waved it off.
"Forever?" Farleigh prompted, yet Pamela quickly interjected, "Oh, no. No, I think I might have found somewhere, hopefully."
Surprise crossed everyone's faces at Pamela's words, and they sat up straighter. "Oh, well done, darling!" Elspeth gushed, delighted.
Even Sir James spoke up with unusual excitement, "Oh good!"
"Yeah. My cousin... My cousin has a flat," Pamela remarked, slightly shrinking under everyone's eyes on her.
"Oh, that'll suit you very well, a nice little flat," Elspeth nodded, and Gabriette mirrored her actions, muttering a 'very good.'
"It's more of a bedsit really..." Pamela trailed off.
"I loved living in a bedsit in my twenties!! It's so freeing to live all in one room. And much less cleaning to do! Oh, but it'll be terrible when you're gone! How will I cope?" Elspeth dramatically stated, clearly putting on a show.
"Well, I... I could stay for a little bit longer if—"
Quickly interrupting Pamela, Elspeth waved it off and urgently spoke, "Oh no, darling, no! You must be desperate to be rid of us and find your own place. I quite understand."
At her words, Pamela looked crushed and didn't continue the conversation, leaving an awkward silence brimming in the air.
The dining room fell into an uncomfortable hush, each person at the table engaged in their own thoughts. Oliver glanced around, feeling a mix of sympathy for Pamela and discomfort at the tense atmosphere.
Elspeth, perhaps sensing the need to shift the mood, cleared her throat and directed the conversation toward lighter topics. "Oh, did I tell you about our upcoming trip to the Lake District? It's going to be simply divine!"
As she spoke animatedly about their plans, Gabriette seized the opportunity to subtly change the subject. Leaning toward Farleigh, she whispered something that drew his attention away from the lingering awkwardness, her words spreading a smile on his face.
Meanwhile, Felix shot Oliver an apologetic look, silently acknowledging the challenging dynamics of his family. The room gradually regained some semblance of normalcy, but an undercurrent of tension lingered beneath the polite facade.
After a good night's sleep, Oliver's first full day at Saltburn began. Upon entering the shared bathroom with Felix, he found Gabriette and Felix still in their sleeping attire.
Gabriette was seated on the counter, legs casually hanging open, as Felix stood between them. Their smiles mirrored the gentle buzz of conversation and laughter that permeated the room.
"Morning, Ollie! Sleep well, mate?" Felix inquired, locking eyes with Oliver through the mirror.
"Um, yeah," Oliver answered, proceeding to his assigned sink to begin his morning routine.
With a razor in hand, Gabriette expertly shaved Felix's stubble. However, Felix, unable to keep still, turned the blonde's job harder in a light-hearted way. With his face lathered in shaving cream, he made a series of attempts to plant kisses on Gabriette's face every time she pulled the razor away, targeting her forehead, cheeks, and nose.
Despite the unintentional shield provided by the shaving cream, Gabriette skillfully dodged each attempted kiss, turning the bathroom into a space filled with laughter. Felix persisted in his playful pursuit, creating trails of shaving cream on Gabriette's face as evidence of his failed attempts.
"Keep still!" Gabriette chuckled, dodging another of Felix's attempts.
Observing the playful scene with a toothbrush in hand, Oliver couldn't help but linger on the sight of the two lost in their own world — a mix of emotions swirling in him.
"Okay, okay, I surrender," Gabriette finally conceded, setting the razor aside and giving Felix a mock glare. "You win this round, Felix."
Felix grinned triumphantly, leaning in to give Gabriette a big, lingering kiss on the cheek. The shaving cream remnants transferred onto his lips, creating a comical sight that sparked another round of laughter.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
