Ablaze in Passion 4

"She’s been betrothed?" Lucy asked as Bianca was finally able to relay the information back to the other servants down in the kitchens, she had been trying all day to get a spare moment in which to announce the ‘happy’ news,
"To a Lord Davenport; she has a fortnight before they are to be wed, if of course he still wants her after that time,"
The others all laughed at her response,
"She doesn’t want to by the sounds of it, but Lord Luxembourge has made it clear that she has no choice on the matter," Bianca finished,
"It’s about time Georgia got some of her own medicine," the cook declared to all, with a round of ‘here here’ in response.

There small get together was however cut short when the announcement of their guests arrival reached them. They all rushed to the great hall to welcome their guests; though they were only standing off to the side. The great hall was already half full with Lord Luxembourge’s men, who were drinking and laughing aloud. Some noticed the women appear at once and Bianca made sure that both she and Lucy were out of arms reach of straying hands. No sooner had the servants all positioned themselves for the Lord’s arrival then the great halls doors flew open, Lord Luxembourge rose from his seat positioned at the head of the main table, with his wife and daughter to his left and opened his arms wide to greet them.

"Anthony, Chase, you have arrived at last," He bellowed across to them,
"Peter, it’s been too long," the first replied as he reached Lord Luxembourge and gave him a brief manly hug,
"Too long for certain," Lord Luxembourge replied, "I believe this is the Lord Chase Cassidy you have been telling me all about?" he questioned motioning towards Chase who stepped forwards,
"Yes this is the man in person," Lord Davenport replied,

Bianca had been watching the greetings closely to figure out exactly which one was Georgia’s betrothed. One of the men was older than the other; the younger had caught her eye as soon as he had walked into the hall. His body beneath his clothing was strong and firm; his hair was a light sandy blonde, that had a small amount of curl to it, and his face was one that held mystery and secrets. The other was nothing in looks compared to this one, if Georgia was betrothed to this one then it wasn’t karma she would be suffering, it would be yet another gift. Her thoughts however vanished when the first stepped forward and was greeted at being Lord Davenport, and Bianca saw to her amusement the slight shoulder drop from Georgia.

Chase was shaking Lord Davenport’s hand now and all of them were talking openly and making their way towards their seats at the head table. The rest of the hall was getting full of the men that had arrived with the 2 Lord’s; Bianca noticed that none of these men were rude like Lord Luxembourge’s were. It was time for the servants to start refilling drinks and bringing out food for the people. Bianca left with the rest of them to fulfil her task, she was given a platter of assorted meats and left to return to the hall to make the rounds. She stopped at each table and men took what they wanted from her tray, she was surprised when men from the Lord Davenport and Lord Cassidy party thanked her and complimented her, in mere minutes she found she was smiling and laughing with a few of the men in general. Lucy passed her a few times and shared the same news with her; they both seemed to be enjoying themselves. Georgia on the other hand seemed to be sitting in silence whilst she was ignored at the high table.

"This would have to go down as one of the best days of my life," Lucy said as she made her way passed Bianca,
Bianca laughed aloud and made her way back to the kitchen to replenish her tray, upon changing her direction she turned to look up at the high table and noticed Lord Cassidy staring right at her. She glanced quickly away and hurried out of the hall. The intense stare she had received from Lord Cassidy had made her forget to breathe; it was like he had been looking into her soul. His eyes were unlike any she had ever seen before; they were icy blue and extremely penetrating. Bianca piled up her tray with more hams and chicken and turned to head back to the hall, almost walking straight into Lucy,
"There you are, you have been requested at the high table," Lucy told her quickly,
"What? Me? Why?" Bianca stammered,
"I don’t know, here take this flagon of wine," Lucy replied and handed her a jug,
Trying to hold both the tray and the wine Bianca slowly made her way towards the high table, Georgia watched her approach,

"How do you do my Lord’s," Bianca said managing a slight knee bend to resemble a curtsy,
"Quite fine my dear, is that by chance wine you have there?" Lord Davenport asked graciously,
Bianca stared at him a moment, stunned at the politeness in which a Lord of all people had spoken to her, quickly remembering that he had indeed asked her a question she hastened to reply,
"Yes my Lord, would you care for a refill?"
"I most certainly would,"
Bianca poured the wine into the goblet slowly, making sure she didn’t spill it,
"Thank you my dear," Lord Davenport replied as he took a long swallow, "Chase my boy, this wine is excellent, are you sure you wouldn’t want just one cup?"
Bianca glanced towards Chase who was looking towards her with interest, he was running his thumb over his bottom lip and jaw in thought,
"I might have one cup Anthony," he replied without looking towards Lord Davenport,
"Brilliant,"

Bianca poured the wine into his empty goblet, and Chase picked it up immediately; he took a sip and swallowed,
"You are quite right Anthony, this wine is excellent,"
Lord Davenport laughed and then turned to Lord Luxembourge and began another conversation,
"Is there anything else my Lord?" Bianca asked respectfully,
Chase took another sip from his cup,
"Do you agree the wine is excellent?" he asked her suddenly,
Bianca looked back to Lord Davenport, just to make certain the Lord hadn’t been talking to him,

"Me my Lord? I have never tasted wine. However i assume it’s addictive as i have seen many fall victim to too much consumption," she replied,
Chase held out his goblet to her, and when Bianca made to refill the cup he stopped her,
"My Lord? Don’t you want a refill?" she asked confused,
"Taste it," he urged her,
Bianca looked back at him, and then at the cup. Chase reached out and took the flagon from her hands and then replaced it with the goblet.
"Are you sure my Lord?" she asked nervously,
He nodded, and watched as Bianca raised the goblet to her lips and took a sip. The liquid was warm and strong. It tasted very bitter and Bianca was shocked at how disgusting it was. She placed the goblet back on the table immediately with a look of disgust on her face, and saw that Chase was grinning at her,

"I’m sorry my Lord, but that wine is simply disgusting," she said to him,
"My thoughts exactly," he replied,
She frowned at him and then looked towards Lord Davenport who was laughing aloud with Lord Luxembourge,
"I didn’t want to debate with someone who as you put it wisely before ‘had fallen victim to too much consumption’" he stated,
Bianca smiled at him for the first time and Chase was taken aback at the beauty of it,
"I’ll have you taste a nicer wine before I’m gone in a fortnight,"

Bianca left the high table, feeling him watching her the entire way through the hall until she disappeared as she headed back to the kitchen. Placing the tray that she had been carrying the entire time down on the cook’s bench, she finally took a deep breath; after realizing that she had been struggling to breathe through the entire exchange. Lord Cassidy had made her feel like a million butterflies had suddenly erupted inside her belly, and she was finding it hard to catch them all and put them away. Struggling to compose herself, she quickly poured herself a cup of cool water, finding that washing away the after taste of the wine might help, however, she almost choked on it when she heard the kitchen door suddenly close loudly behind her.