I'd had it:
"Why can't you understand what I am trying to do?" she asked me.
"Jared Oxfordshire is not just interested in a children's library!" I accused.
"That's all I'm interested in!" she cried.
"How about the dressage event?" I ask.
"How about it?" she retorts. "He asked if I was going. I said I wasn't sure. He said I should go—"
I snort at her.
"He didn't ask me to go with him! And I thought you would want to go with me!" she lets out a cry of frustration. "I don't know this world, what I'm doing—"
"You've been with me—"
"This is different!" she interrupts. "Different somehow. There are clubs I am getting invites from, and some are not honorable. Do you know how hard that is-to find who wants to get to know you and who sees you as some sort of token or novelty?"
I swallow hard. She knows I do. "And if I go with you, some may see me as some rake actor trying to connect with your status and fortune?"
"My God, Henry!" she wipes a tear. "You sound like a gossip rag. We were before this ever was. How can you say that? Why is it you had no trouble when they said such things about me and now..." She shakes her head.
"So this is a time of adjustment for you."
"Yes!" She was exasperated.
"Then, maybe I should go back to London—"
Her gasp brings tears to her eyes. "Henry!"
"I don't want to get in the way, just like when you were with me on Witcher and Argylle." I kiss her forehead and give a small smile. "Go on."
She looked sad, but went, just the same to greet Oxfordshire.
I was packing to go home. I had come to spend time with her, and my lady, my Lady Edenvale was knee if not waist deep in projects. So many of them were one time projects, but what of others in the future? And these suitors were never going to stop. Did I have time for this and a career?
And Graham was no help. He wanted me gone. Wilson just watched and gave me looks I couldn't read, but none were good.
"Leaving, sir?"
I turn around to see Wilson standing there. "Things to do in London." I frown at him. "You didn't go with her?"
"Graham loves these things. I go where I'm needed," Wilson tips his chin slightly. "And you, you have things to do here, if you don't mind my saying, sir."
I zip my bag and look at him. "I do?"
He exhales. "So you don't love her."
"How dare you—"
"How dare you," Wilson stands toe to toe with me. "I'm going to show you something." He pulls out his phone and shows me something that happened yesterday. My lady asked me to come with her for tea with one of her guests, and I declined. He pauses it. "Slow it down. Look at her face."
I took the phone and looked at it. She looked as if she would cry. In slow motion, I see the change of feelings on her face-from disappointment to hurt to a tilting chin of defiance, then a small cordial smile and nod. Ouch.
"She needs you and you are abandoning her," Wilson accuses, and takes the phone from me. "Some Kisa you are."
"Kisa?" I repeat, but he leaves.
Well, evidently I have an ally in Wilson, or a fellow enemy of Graham. I look at my bag. I love her! Why am I ready to chuck it all?
I exhale and sit on our bed. Our bed. She actually fought for that:
"I just don't think it is fitting for you to stay in her house," Graham argued. "Think of her reputation!"
"Graham, I have stayed under the same roof with this man for over a year," she argued. "on promotions, during filmings! That horse, as they say, is out of the barn!"
"But, my lady—"
"I'm done, Graham, done!" She turned away from him and looked up at me. "So, where do we stay-the guesthouse or main?"
"Wherever you want." I told her softly. "Wherever you are."
I never really had to compete for her before, I realized. The tables turned. Project offers had come in by the stack, and honestly, I had agents sort through that unless it got my attention straight away. She was mostly going through them, and trying to do it herself since she did not trust Graham, smart girl. I was glad of that; I didn't either, though on the surface he seemed dedicated to his job. I had models and actors and some entrepreneurs admire me, but she had that and the gentry sniffing after her money and newfound fortune. And if they got close enough, they'd know how much of a gem she really is. The memory of comments and dirty looks about us return to me in a wave, and all I could do was hold her through it, assure her, as others tore her apart without so much as a word with her.
It's worse in society; they judge, research, and then find evidence to support whatever they want to see or others to see, but not necessarily whole truths if any truth at all. I knew this and often tried to avoid it by my choices as I got older.
What had gotten into me? Not one year ago, I was fighting a stage and set carpenter in a backyard, only my opponent and I knowing it was more than sport, but about her.
****************
You want to go home.
Or wherever Henry is.
You want to talk with him about all this. You thought you had, but lately, you can't seem to stay on the same page. You want to do some rebuilding and contributing to the land your ancestors were on. You want to form some partnerships to help Edenvale, especially with the nearby colleges and universities. What is wrong with that?
"Lady Edenvale?"
"Yes?"
Jared sighs. "Are you alright? You seem distracted."
"Oh, long day, I guess," you take a cleansing breath.
"I see you confined Graham to the car?"
"I can handle this," you say evenly. Deal with Henry later, he's not here to deal with now. "Sorry, Jared, really I am."
"It's alright," Jared says softly. "Henry isn't adjusting well to your newfound status, is he?" You stiffen, and he puts a hand on your shoulder. "I'm sorry, I can't help but notice--"
"He needs time, is all," you defend, but your heart winces as you say it.
"They weren't nice to you in the articles before," Jared shrugs. "not at all. Now the shoe is on the other foot. How often does that happen?"
"Hardly ever, I'd say." He offers his hand to you, and helps you over the area where you plan to expand the school and break ground for the library. You suddenly wish you hadn't worn heels. Why in God's name did you wear heels?
You walk inside of the school, and find the conference room set up for you. Principal Norton is already there sitting, and you have a small meeting about ideas for the way the place should look. She doesn't seem on board.
"We have a lot of books already," Principal Norton nods. "An expansion may not be necessary—"
"I really think it is, Principal Norton," you interject. "Being in the technological age, we need to make libraries more appealing, a place to escape or think."
"I must admit, the ideas you have are really something," Jared compliments. "but this is a small town—"
"With a secondary school and university within a ten mile radius," you point out. "I am willing to do this, but I can't do it alone."
"She shouldn't."
You turn around to see Henry standing in the doorway with a small shopping bag.
Your breath catches, and you realize your mouth is slightly open so you close it. Principal Norton is star struck.
"Sorry, I'm late, darling," he says. "Oxfordshire—" he shakes hands with him. "Principal Norton." He gives a half bow and shakes her hand. He sits next to you and squeezes your hand.
"We're just about done, here, I'm afraid," Principal Norton says with a sad smile. "I just don't see why we should do such an expansion of the library—"
"Oh, I'm so disappointed to hear that," Henry frowns. "Books were my first love before movies. Reading and watching those stories made me want to tell or portray stories, too. Do you know that Lady Edenvale is a writer for Xanadu Productions?"
"My goodness, really?" Principal Norton asks.
"Yes," Henry smiles at you. "She writes stories, I play them out." His gaze goes to Principal Norton again. "I think we all want children to not lose their imaginations, whether it is by reading stories that inspire them to write and act or create. And something like that needs an impressive space."
Principal Norton seems to be in deep thought. "I...I hadn't really thought of it that way."
"I brought—" He reaches into the bag. "I brought those pictures you were looking at, pet."
You had forgotten them. "Thank you."
"And I brought your runners."
You sigh and smile gratefully. "Thank you, again, love."
"You forgot your runners?" Principal Norton laughs. "I do that all time. Keep a pair under my desk these days."
"I do at Xanadu, I wear—"
"All white ones!" They laugh.
Henry and Jared chuckle at that.
The morning becomes a lot easier then. The ideas went over a lot better, and Henry offers to help with the school renovations on the auditorium to help with their drama program. It was more of a wish list to fulfill, but it sweetened the pot for Principal Norton.
"Oh, God." Henry said as you walk out with him and Jared.
"What?" you ask.
"I'd better make sure I have updated contributions to schools in Jersey."
Jared laughs, "Losing track?"
"I didn't know you did," you admit.
"Many people are anonymous contributors," Henry says softly, squeezing your hand. "Part of the world will think you're a miser, but another part will know you are more."
"I-I never really thought—"
"Of course you didn't, pet," he smiles gently. "you just want to get the job done." He kisses your hair. "Like you said, it's a different world."
You smile in thanks.
"Are you coming to the event?" Jared asks as they you all approach the car park. "I know you won't be competing, but I hoped you'd want to go."
"Do we have time for that, pet?" Henry asks.
You see the look on Jared's face. Did he just imply going out in front of Henry?
Graham gets out of the car.
"Oh, Graham, would you drive Jared back to the house so he can pick up his car?" you ask. "I'll ride with Henry."
"I understand if you want to ride with Jared to discuss--"
"I'm sure we can talk later," you say. "Do you want to go, Henry?" you ask.
"With you?" he smiles. "Love to."