Damon was flustered at Aileen's ability to convince, rather order him to sing at recital. Only if she knew his little experience with singing and music. All the ladies' presence at once around him was surely making him berserk and lose little ounce of remaining sanity he possessed. There was still quiet a few hours left for recital yet. Everyone was supposed to go for a boat ride after the luncheon at lakeside. May be then, he can ask Aileen to accompany him for boat ride and convince her to sing than him. He had tried to converse on the matter with her earlier as well, but she always managed to avoid his attempt of speaking with her. These past few days, though none of the situation seemed favourable on his side.
Luncheon was over soon, and only a few people were interested in the boat ride, rest opted for other activities that caught their eye. Damon caught Aileen standing a few feet away from him, without any company. He took his chance and made his way to her. In a few long strides he was standing next to Aileen, to which she was oblivious until he cleared his throat. She looked at him but before she could say anything, he spoke,"My Lady, would you care for a boat ride?". Aileen furrowed her eyebrows at him skeptically, then as if after thinking it through, nodded at him.
Damon took her hand in his arm guiding her to the lake where only one out of the five boats was left available. He gestured his hand forward asking her to get in first, helping her to take a seat in the boat. Then, soon he followed and seated himself opposite her. As Damon took hold of oars and was about to row, Beth came into view.
Beth said,"Oh Damon dear, I am so glad you are still here, I will accompany you two as well, the weather is so divine for a boat ride. If you will help me." She smiled a sweet smile at her nephew and brought her hand forward for him to assist her. Damon shook his head and offered her his hand getting up from his seat. Beth seated herself next to Aileen and thanked Damon."Now row along and lets enjoy the calmness of this weather." She ordered him.
'What calmness is there left when you have dragged yourself along.' He thought. However,he nodded in his Aunt's direction with a fake smile and rowed the oars with his both hands. He thought, Perhaps, there was a brighter side to his Aunt's company, now may be he can convince her to let go of her proposition for their performance at recital. He can at least try, even though it was easy to convince a burro once to change its direction than his Aunt. A smile crept up on his face, on his comparison of his Aunt with a burro. Sometimes she could be absolutely stubborn, deriving pleasure from other's embarrassment.
Beth looked at Aileen sitting calmly and admiring the view of huge lake in front of her. Beth inquired,"So tell me dear, have you decided on your performance?". Aileen looked in Beth's direction, worry etched over her face. Beth asked again,"Do not tell me you have not even conversed about what you two will be performing?". This time Beth glanced in Damon's direction and then again at Aileen confusedly.
Aileen smiled and glanced at Damon, before making eye contact with Beth," As a matter of fact, we did. We have distributed our contribution. Don't you worry at all." Beth seemed relaxed at Aileen's statement, but Damon cringed, furrowing his eyebrows at Aileen.
Beth asked Aileen,"So tell me which song you will be singing? Surely you have a beautiful voice, you must be a good singer?"
Aileen smiled at Beth," Genuinely, Lord Damon here has opted whole heartily for the singing part. I will assist him with a musical instrument." Beth cringed at the mention of Damon's singing and gazed at Damon questioningly. This time Aileen said,"Though, I am thankful for your compliment on my voice, I cannot sing for the betterment of the ton as they might go deaf after my attempt at singing." Aileen blushed at her mention of her flaws at singing in front of Damon and his aunt.
Beth snorted at Aileen,"And what avouch your opinion on Damon's singing talent? If you cannont sing for safety of the audience, you certainly should be worried of his singing disaster." This time Aileen looked at Beth bewildered on her statement about her nephew. She then glanced at Damon, as if asking him through her eyes if what his aunt said was true. Damon just shrugged at her. Beth spoke again," Well, you see, Damon has a history with songs and recitals." At this Damon tried to speak but Beth glared at him making him mumble something under his breath.Beth continued,"When he was five years of age, his mother hosted a recital at manor, she asked him to sing at that recital. After his singing, there was no other performance as people preferred to retire for night. If you could understand what I mean to convey."
Aileen pursed her lips trying to control her smile at Damon's first attempt at singing. Suddenly Damon spoke," I was five and inexperienced." Beth snorted again at his statement.
She mentioned again," And what about when two years later, you were seven and not given a chance to sing at your own recital?" Damon winced at the approach of this topic and glared at Beth as though challenging her, but Beth avoided his glare and carried on," He was found naked in the gardens screaming out of his throat even bringing a cacophony to a shame." This time Aileen could not stop her giggles but soon covered it into coughing after watching Damon's glares in their direction.
This time Damon spoke rigidly glowering at both of them," Enough has been said, I was seven and IT WAS your late husband, my demised uncle, who told me, well... uhhmm... " A slight hesitation came in Damon's voice but he continued, his voice barely above whispers," He told me that if on a recital night, I will roam and scream in the gardens without clothes, I will get strong and muscular like him." Damon avoided both their gazes particularly Aileen's, at the citation of his most embarrassing moment of his childhood that too by himself. He kept on moving the oars looking in different direction.
Aileen smiled at Damon's hesitation and if you could tell, there seemed to be a slight blush on his face. 'Oh so the emotionless, hard hearted man blush as well', She mused to herself. Abruptly Beth spoke,"Pah, you always believed what he told you, though you were such a charmer even at that age, I have always been so proud at Richards men, even after that incident, so many young ladies were charmed by you." She winked in Damon's direction making him shook his head. "However, I still firmly believe a crow's voice will be soothing compared to yours." This time, it was Damon's turn to snort.
Damon thought it seemed to be the day when both, he and his aunt, found animate beings rather interesting for the comparison than humans. Damon said challengingly to his aunt," You will yourself witness one of the best performance of the evening."
Aileen flinched at Damon's outburst, she was still considering an easy way after hearing his not so successful stories at singing, but she could not sing herself to save both of them from utter humiliation. Again, Beth's voice broke her thoughts," Well, then you two better prepare well, as you will be opening the recital night with your rendition." Damon and Aileen looked at Beth, she spoke again without paying any heed to their faces," Look at the brighter side of it, If Damon sang the way he does, We might only have one performance for the evening, everyone will be saved from enduring longer duration of everyone's recitals." Now boat was back on the side of lake, and Beth stood up, smiling deviously at both of them and leaving the boat.
Aileen and Damon sighed at once. Aileen scowled at Damon accusingly,"You should have controlled your temper My Lord, It will only add fuel to our possible public embarrassment now." She shook her head, they required to avert the situation but she knew well, no one will excuse them from them their recital.
Damon cleared his throat," I thought we were supposed to address each other by first name. And do not worry, we will select a simple song and go through it." He smiled at Aileen reassuringly, then grinned,"At best, we will be chagrined together." Aileen shook her head, however could not stop a smile to form on her lips.
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Aileen was back in her chambers for a few hours before the recital evening. She and Damon had discussed and were now ready with their almost amiable presentation. They had decided on the song and instrument, however, they did not practised on it. They thought it will come out better on the spot. Aileen was enjoying the view standing near her window, when Anna entered the room.
"My lady, Francois has arrived as you asked, he also possess some news." Anna said to Aileen. Aileen turned around and nodded at Anna.
"Show him to library, and ask him for some tea and scones, I will accompany him in a while." Aileen told Anna to which she nodded and left the room. Aileen sighed, It seems though, this day is even longer than the previous one. All she wished for, Francois to have some good news with him. Aileen exited her room and made her way towards the library.
Aileen was greeted by Francois and without wasting anymore time she spoke,"Tell me Francois you have gathered some information regarding the Jack I have been trying to locate?" Their was hope laced in Aileen's questioning voice.
Francois nodded at her,"Yes My Lady, I have some information regarding Jack but I am not certain if it might prove to be good." Aileen gestured him to continue, and he said," My Lady, There used to live a man named Jack in the village a few years back, but then he vanished, no soul got a whiff to where he left. It was as though he came and left. There are also mention of his links with the french government." Francois looked at Aileen for her to contemplate the information then he spoke,"There is also a rumour that only two or three of Crooke's men are alive by far, others are either dead or completely gone. Some are of view that they are living as noblemen amongst the society along with working for french government as emissaries." Aileen's eyes widened at the revelation from Francois. If they were all living as noblemen, it was hard to track them.
Aileen's mind wandered in different directions when Francois spoke again,"My Lady, No one has ever seen Crooke except you, If you might help with the description, It might be accessible for me to dig some more information on him." Aileen took a deep breath and shook her head.
Then after a pause she told him," I saw him six years back, but due to darkness of night and my fear for my family, I could not get much access to his face or features. I could only remember his cold ocean blue eyes, that held cruelty. He was tall almost more than six feet with wide musculature. Apart from that, I have no clue how he might appear after six years. If what you suggest is correct then it is hard to locate him in our society. He must have disguised himself well." Aileen's shoulders drooped in disappointment. It was getting harder day by day to find Crooke. But she will not lose hope, even if it took her years to hunt him, she will do so.
Francois noticing the disappointment on Aileen's face took his leave and told her he will try to get hold of some more information. Aileen needed to let out her frustration and anger, she decided to turn into Masked Beauty tonight and explore the village after recital. Surely, if Jack lived in the village, there will be some remnant tracks of his life. With that in mind, Aileen made her way back to her chambers.
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Aileen was adorned in her beautiful white gown for the evening, with her neckline and sleeves also finessed with white lace. There was only a crimson ribbon on her waist which enhanced her petite waist and assets. She was sporting a pearl necklace with pearl earrings, along with pearl hair accessories. Her hair were tied loosely into a bun with few raven tendrils caressing her forehead. she donned on her white satin gloves and picked up her instrument she was going to play at recital. Then, she exited her chambers, moving for the hall.
Damon was flabbergasted to see Aileen, descending down the large staircase, slowly paving her way towards him. He could not blink his eyes, she looked so ethereal in white. It seemed he had forgotten his normal breathing pattern, with his breath still hitched in him. He could not get to believe himself, she was the same girl he saw a week before in his father's study at London. Soon, Aileen was standing in front of him, she surely looked angelic tonight.
Aileen could not keep her eyes away from Damon. She felt entranced by his presence. He was looking devilishly handsome, with his attire complete opposite of hers. He was dressed in black tonight from head till toe. She noticed his grin that graced his face from the moment she entered the hall, as though he was delighted, perhaps for the recital.
Damon brought forth his arm,"My Lady?" His eyes asking her to accompany him on their allocated seats, just in front, from where they can easily make to the stage, without any hindrance for their performance.
Aileen took Damon's offered arm with a curtsy,"I thought we were far from pleasantries by now, weren't we?" She raised her eyebrows at him tauntingly then said,"Damon". Damon's eyed widened and he peered at her.
He smiled genuinely and said,"If I may say, You look flamboyant, Aileen." Then he guided them to their seats and soon there performance was announced by Beth herself and with a deep long breath, they looked at each other and with a determination stood up. Soon they were greeted with claps and it was time for the much awaited performance.
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I know I know you wanted to hear Damon sing... lol... but i wanted that to be a part of beginning of a chapter so please bear with me as you know, next chapter will be posted soon too. :) oh and please excuse the mistakes, :)
Do vote and comment please. Silent readers you are killing me silently ;)