Saving The Pirate (Book Two)

25. A Time From A Pirate's Past

Eventually, dinner got called for, and a servant escorted Ailsa and me to the dining room where we met Christopher and Sofia.

I must admit that I felt glad to be called to dinner. Ailsa's questions and talk of herself was getting to me. It was a wonder that anyone could stand her.

And it was most certainly a curious thing why Christopher was friends with her. I hoped it was because she listened to him and comforted him in his time of need.

Christopher and Sofia were already seated at the table with untouched plates of food in front of them. They were talking about something I didn't care to ask about but stopped when Ailsa and I entered the room.

Instantly, Christopher rose from his chair and rounded the table to pull a chair out.

Ailsa took the chair immediately, seating herself in the most ladylike way. She smiled at Christopher with her striking blue eyes shining in the setting sunlight outside the window.

After pushing in Ailsa's chair, Christopher pulled out mine, and I took a seat, then Christopher rounded back to his place at the table.

Seconds later, plates of hot food got placed in front of us, and only then did Christopher and Sofia pick up their utensils and began to eat. Ailsa and I did the same.

"How was your ride?" I asked Christopher once all of us were eating.

He lifted his eyes to me. "Just as I remembered them - wild and full of excitement. How was the library? Find anything you like?"

"Oh, lots. I had a servant take my books to my room, but I think I might go back tomorrow."

"Well, that's wonderful to hear. I assume Ailsa told you tales about my younger self when I was gone. Is that right, Ailsa?" Christopher asked, turning his head to Ailsa, thinning his lips. He looked anxious for the answer.

"But of course! There is so much to tell! How could I not share such beautiful memories, especially of you and me?"

Christopher's brows furrowed, creating a line to appear between his eyebrows. I was beginning to get skeptical.

"And what exactly were those memories?" Christopher asked, raising a brow.

Ailsa nibbled on her chicken. "Oh, just the fun things we did. All the spots we stayed at, all the things that we did. You remember, don't you?"

"Yes, " Christopher said, cutting himself a piece of meat, "I remember."

The conversation drifted to different things like what Christopher saw during his ride with Tristan, what books I got, whether or not Ailsa got any books (she didn't, ) and memories of how things were when Christopher was growing up.

Sofia was silent the whole time, and I caught her watching me from the corner of my eye. I ignored it but felt uncomfortable.

Other times, I caught her watching Christopher and then Ailsa, paying attention to every detail as she ate her food.

She never entered the conversation going around, and I wasn't sure I wanted her to. I was afraid she'd ask more questions about me.

The mood of dinner was not exciting, far from it. Christopher seemed to be taking each story Ailsa told of the little things they did growing up carefully like he was studying them just as much as Sofia was.

Ailsa, of course, was very cheerful about each story, sometimes stopping to sigh about the good times they had.

I, though, tried to keep the mood a bit happier. I laughed when I thought something was funny and commented when needed, but the whole time, I felt like a fool.