Timeless Love Ch. 02

Cynara stepped out of the room and followed the little maid down the hall that she had followed Charles up earlier. The maid was a pretty girl, if not painfully shy. She seemed to be about Cynara's age, and had brunette hair, which was in direct contrast to the pale blonde of Cynara's.

Charles had introduced the maid as Jasmine when he had come back a couple of hours later with clothes for her to wear. He had left her alone in a fancy room, with the orders to rest until dinner. How he expected her to sleep in the middle of the day, she had no idea. So she basically puttered about the room, dreadfully bored, but didn't want to poke around for fear of seeming nosy.

When Charles did finally come back, it was to push Jasmine into the room, and leave immediately, saying that dinner would be ready in half an hour. Despite Cynara's attempt to have a conversation with Jasmine, the girl was ever quiet and polite, except for her obvious curiosity over Cynara's current wardrobe.

Jasmine had offered to help her dress, but Cynara adamantly refused, insisting she could do it herself, only to have to call the maid over again when after donning her shift and stockings, she couldn't get the tiny hooks of the petticoat to stay. The dress she wore was smooth and lightweight, and surprisingly comfortable. And Cynara was ever grateful that she wouldn't be expected to wear a corset, due to the high waistline of the dress.

Jasmine had then piled her hair on top of her head, securing it with clips (and Cynara gained a whole new appreciation for the ponytail) before leading her downstairs to dinner. Charles was there to greet her in the hall.

"You look lovely," he smiled warmly.

"Thanks."

"Wow, she actually looks like a respectable lady now," Ashton said, coming to stand next to them, and Jasmine scurried away. Charles gave him a glare, and held out his arm for Cynara to take.

"Shall we?" he offered gallantly. Cynara took it and let him lead her to the dinning area, but before they could leave the main hall, the front door opened and a man strolled in. He wore a dark coat and a top hat, which he took off and handed to a butler that appeared out of nowhere.

"I didn't know we had guests," he said in a stern voice, which made Cynara a bit nervous. She subconsciously slid a little closer to Charles.

"Ahh Finley, yes, this vision of loveliness appeared in our home in desperate need of assistance, and she shall be staying as a guest for awhile," Charles said patting her hand.

"What sort of distress? Who is she? Where is her chaperone?" His voice was harsh, and his eyes hard, and Ashton seemed to sink into the wall as his brother spoke. Charles held his ground however.

"Well, her name's Cynara and that's all she can remember. You see, she has lost her memory, and the poor girl terribly scared and confused."

Finley simply snorted and took a couple paces toward them.

"If she has lost her memory, what brings her here? What was she doing to be in our house, and feed off our generosity?" He directed the question at her, but Cynara's mind went blank at the angry coldness in his eyes.

"She was looking for her parking lot," Ashton piped up from the forgotten corner he was standing in.

"Oh? And what, pray tell, exactly is a parking lot?" Charles asked her.

Now that he had asked, Cynara was surprised the question hadn't come up earlier. She wasn't too good at thinking up lies on the spot, and her mind raced. What was she looking for? What did she lose?

Realizing that she probably should be answering the question instead of just staring stupidly, she blurted out the first thing to come to mind.

"A puppy." After she said it, she was enormously proud of herself. Who didn't love a lost puppy? She was sure she would gain instant sympathy, but Finley just stared at her. "Umm," Cynara said, thinking he wanted further explanation, "that was his name, Parkinglot, he was, uhh, black... with some white."

"Well how utterly ridiculous," Finley stated, but gave no further argument to the question of why she was there, and simply proceeded into the dinning room, followed by Ashton, and finally her and Charles, who was ever present at her side, like a guard dog.

Soup was served for dinner, and Cynara tried to eat in the most polite way possible. It was different to the fast food and take out she was used to, but she thought it incredibly delicious. They all ate in silence, and no one seemed in the least inclined to start a conversation, but the awkward silence was driving Cynara crazy to the point where she just had to say something.

"The soup is delicious," not the most innovative thing, but at least it was noise other than the soft clang of spoons against bowls.

Nods of agreement were the only response.

"So what a lovely home you have here," she tried again.

"Thank you," Charles smiled warmly at her. The dinner continued in silence.

Cynara was a bit annoyed that they were completely ignoring her attempt to make conversation, so she thought it fair to say that she wasn't completely responsible for the next thing that came out of her mouth, "So, dueled anyone and seduced his grieving widow lately?"

All three brothers stared at her in utter shock, their expressions showing more signs of indignant disbelief with the passing seconds. Cynara didn't think this was the most outrageous thing she could have said, considering all she has heard of them were of their disreputable reputation.

To their continued stairs she said, "Well, I was just trying to gear my questions toward your particular interests," a huff in her voice, and with a shrug of her shoulder.

Cynara, for a moment, was afraid that they would throw her out, that is until Finley threw back his head and let out a roar of deep, rich laughter. Charles and Ashton joined in, and the table was filled with manly chuckles.

"Despite what you may think, my dear," Finley said after his laughter calmed, "We are not ruthless pirates, murdering and marauding in our spare time."

Cynara grinned at his good humor, a bit surprised, too. On her first impression, she would have thought him a cold, unfeeling man, but when he smiled, she saw the kindness behind his stoic face.

"Actually, our dear brother Sanford might be doing just that," Ashton pointed out.

"That's a laugh, Sanford couldn't hurt a flea. More likely he is dallying with some pretty wench," Charles grinned.

"And paying handsomely at that," Ashton quipped back.

"Are we talking about our same brother? I've never known him to pay for something he could just as easily get free of charge."

"May I remind you two that there is a lady present?" Finley interrupted, "And she probably doesn't want to hear of such indelicate matters."

"Oh I don't mind," Cynara was quick to offer, "indelicasize away."

"Indelicasize? I don't believe that is a word," Ashton said.

"Sure, it means to discuss indelicate of lewd behavior," Cynara said jokingly, dismissively.

"No, I really think you just made that up," Ashton persisted.

"Oh, and what are you? Mr. Walking Dictionary?" Cynara said with a smile such that no one could be offended by her smirky little comment, and Ashton wasn't.

Dinner flowed better after that, the conversation easy and light. Afterwards, Cynara went to her room, and fell right asleep, unaware of the conversation going on beneath her.

"She's obviously lying about losing her memory," Finley stated pensively, when all three brothers were left alone in the dining room.

"Yes, however, I say just let it lie for now, the truth will come out eventually," Charles voice was almost defensive.

"I agree, the girl will come clean eventually, until then, I don't think she's any harm. I don't think we should push her."

"I hate to be the reasonable one here," Ashton interjected, "but we don't know anything about this girl, what if she's an escaped convict?"

Charles laughed, "A criminal? That little girl?"

Finley even smiled and clapped his brother on the back, "Don't worry, we won't let the girl hurt you, if that's what you're worried about, Ashton."

Ashton rolled his eyes, and he and Finley got up from the table. Charles followed the two out of the room, an insuppressible grin on his face.