Tea and Empathy

Posted on Mon Sep 30th, 2024 @ 6:01pm by Commander Kevin Lance & Captain Mira Rodale
Edited on on Mon Sep 30th, 2024 @ 6:44pm

Mission: Deep freeze
Location: Martix
Timeline: Who Even Knows???

on:
{Castle Drury, Library}

Kevin stood looking out of the window in the library, his hands clasped behind his back waiting for Miss Rodale’s arrival. He was of mixed opinions. She was his employee and was obligated to follow his orders, regardless of how politely they were couched. But he sensed in her a stubborn, independent streak that would serve her very well in teaching and disciplining Kolar but was liable to create friction with himself.

Out in the hallway, the bell chimed six bells. Kolar should be abed for his afternoon nap so there would be no reason for her to disobey.

He resisted the urge to turn when he heard the the knock and the door to the library open. He covered his anxiety by saying, “You may place the service and depart. I will pour my own tea.”

{Nursery}

"Kolar you are going to make me late. I hate to be late for anything." She tucked him in again. "No if you want to go riding with me. take you nap so I can talk to your father."

Kolar giggled "What are you going to talk about?"

Mira's eyes widened "you, we will be talking about you. Go to sleep."

"Are you going to kiss?" Kolar smiled.

Mira stopped walking and turned back to look at him "that is not going to happen for many reasons. The main one is your father is not interested in and not one of my suitors. Secondly a lady doesn't kiss men she doesn't know."

With that said she passed Mary "I am supposed to talk with Lord Kevin"

She gave her a nodded "library miss"

Mira knocked on the door when she heard enter she walked in as the last bell rang. She was relieved that she had been on time

{Castle Drury, Library}

The butler, Haldersen, followed Mira into the library and answered Lord Kevin. "Of course, my Lord," he answered.

Kevin winced. Miss Rodale had decided to disobey his order. He would need to punish her in order to maintain his household's discipline but the methods that he had used aboard ship did not seem appropriate. His wife had handled most of the management of the domestic staff when she had been alive. He would need to consult with Mrs. Thorne.

"Shall I pour for the young lady?" Haldersen said to no one in particular.

Kevin half turned his head. What was he talking about?

"No," a female voice, "I, too, am able to pour for myself."

Kevin was inwardly relieved. He fully turned to see Miss Rodale standing across the library, the hem of her dress rather dirty and wet but her complexion rosy and her eyes bright. "I trust that your excursion with Kolar was satisfactory to you both."

She smiled, "Yes, my lord. Clearly I need to wear my riding clothes on my outings with Kolar." She moved to the tea pouring two cups then added one sugar cube to hers. "I would assume you take your tea without sugar?" she raised an eyebrow in question at him.

"You assume correctly," Kevin confessed, surprised as he was the only one of his acquaintances who drank tea without sugar. Another habit acquired in the Navy. He took the teacup and sat in a chair opposite Mira.

"Does your knowledge of the natural world spring primarily from experience or are you well read?"

"Both my lord, My father had desperately want a son." She smiled, "What he got was 5 daughters." She gave a little shrug not sure how much he even wanted to know about her. "All of my sisters would have fainted if asked to accompany my father on his hunts and outings. Anything my tutors had in their lessons he would follow up by a very interesting outing. That also applies to language. Archery, fencing, reading, writing and arithmetic. By the time I was sent to finishing school, there was little they could add, and I became a teacher's aide until I was old enough to leave."

"I assure you Kolar will get a very good education," Mira finishing thinking he might of heard more then he wanted to know.

Lord Kevin took a sip from his tea. "If you are interested in reading, the light from that window provides an excellent vantage."

He set the tea cup down and picked up a ledger book. Sensing that he did not want to be disturbed, Mira scanned the titles lining the shelves.

Mira looked through the books until she came to fiction. She had never really been permitted to read fiction. Her father thought it was a waste of time. If she had time to read fiction, then she could learn something new.

Mira picked the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and since it would seem Lord Kevin wanted her by the window to read. So she picked up her cup of tea and took it with her to the window seat to read. It was odd that he didn't just dismiss her?

Settling in Mira started to read page after page... She hoped Kolar would come and let her know when he was up. She forced herself not to look over at Lord Kevin, but honestly, it was one of the hardest things she had done. Was he really just reading a ledger, and why did he just want her to sit here?

Lord Kevin had taken a pencil and was writing in the ledger book. Mira could hear the soft scrape of the graphite stylus against the parchment and was tempted to look his way but resisted.

When the bell in the hallway rang seven times, she could refuse her inclination no further. Hoping that he would be ready to dismiss her back to Kolar, she stole a glance in his direction.

He was looking straight at her as his hand moved the pencil on the page. Their eyes locked for a briefest of moments, or was it an eternity, before Lord Kevin shifted in his seat and looked back down at the ledger.

Mira had stopped breathing in that moment. Had he been watching her the whole time? Surely not. Why would he? There was a loud commotion outside of the door, and Kolar ran in, breaking the spell

"You did stay!" Kolar yelled happy. Lord Kevin closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.

Mira smirked. "I did tell you I would be here after your nap. I always keep my word, but that was not a proper way to enter a room. You knock first." She narrowed her eyes slightly and then leaned forward. "What was that noise?"

Kolar shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I might have knocked something over," he told her in a very loud whisper

Mira blinked, then gave a little sigh. "That didn't sound like a might. Is this something we can put back together, or do you need to apologize to your father about?" Mira's head titled in the direction of his father.

Kolar looked wild-eyed at his father.

He hadn't seen him sitting there "Sorry dada. I fix it. " He had just been in a hurry to make sure his mom had not disappeared again.

"That is the behavior of a ill educated peasant," Lord Kevin admonished his son sternly, "Not a lord and proper gentleman."

Mira put her book down. "With your lordship permission, I will aid young Kolar in cleaning up his mess." To her is sounded like he knocked over the armor stand.

Kevin frowned. It wasn't proper that the governess should be cleaning up messes but as a punishment for Kolar, it seemed fitting. "Very well," he replied coolly, "just ensure that he doesn't fool you into doing all of the work." He settled back into his chair and worked again in the ledger.

Mira hide her smile but raised an eye at Kolar "Well young man lets see what you have done."

Kolar nodded taking her hand.

{Castle Drury, Hallway}

Mira relaxed leaving the room the tension Lord Kevin gave off was unnerving. Mira encounter a very cross looking Mrs. Thorne. Kolar hid behind her skirts. Mira ignored the woman " Kolar first things first Kolar. Start picking by up the legs. "
When Thorne opened her mouth Mira said "his father as all ready dealt with him. I will see this is cleared up."

With that said she had Kolar bring her each piece of the armor. As a child she remembered knocking over many sets of armor playing with her hunting dog.

It hadn't taken them long to put it back together. "See now it's made to rights." Mira smiled down at him.

The butler, Haldersen, joined them, looking annoyed. "Miss Rodale, there is a gentleman caller for you."

Mira frowned, giving him her full attention. "For me? How odd. Did we give you his card?"

Haldersen handed it to her. Mira glanced at the name then at the time. Polite society didn't call on a lady at this time of day.

"By any chance, did he tell you why he was here? I do not recognize the name." Mira stated.

"No, miss, he didn't, but it was more of a demand than he asked for your presence." Haldersen told her.

"Probably from New money. Still, I don't see why he would need to talk to me." Mira told him, still holding on to Kolar's hand.

Mary joined them. "I have a fresh batch of warm cookies, and that young gentleman also has flowers with him. Should I make tea?"

"Kolar and I would love to join you in the kitchen, Mary, but this man," she held up the card , "Will not be joining us." She handed Haldersen the card back. "That is not how polite society works. If Mr. Rodriguez wishes to talk. He can make acquaintances with one of my male relatives." Mira nodded.

Mary giggled. "Oh, please let me tell him!"

Haldersen frowned. "No one enters this house but by the Lord's or my approval. If you do not know him, then I'll deal with him."

Mira smiled. "Thank you, Haldersen."

{Castle Drury, Library}

Kevin sat in the library listening to the faint noises of Miss Rodale and Kolar reassembling a suit of armor. He was disappointed that Kolar had interrupt tea time with Miss Rodale. His drawing of her had been coming along quite well and at least he had focused on her face. The rest he could fill in from memory.

He registered a muffled conversation in the hallway outside of the library but he didn't bother himself with it. Probably Halversen critiquing one of the staff.

He continued to sketch, adding details to Miss Rodale's clothing and the surrounding window. It didn't need to be perfect, reminded himself, since it was only a model that he would reference later when he was painting but working in such minute detail made him feel as if she were still there with him in the library.

It was a surprise to him when the bell in the hallway chimed twice. He looked to the window and observed the lengthening shadows. It was only an hour to dinner and he had made very little progress on the accounts he was supposed to be reconciling. He cursed for allowing himself to get distracted.

He turned back the pages in the ledger books that he had been using as a sketch pad and applied himself to the balancing of credits and debits. Still, his mind drifted to the image of Miss Rodale sitting in the window, illuminated by the afternoon light. She looked so much like his dead wife, except for the eyes and the absence of spots.

:off

Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck Norris

and

Captain Mira Rodale
CO USS Chuck Norris