Free Web NovelChapter 171: Party (3)
Scarlet sat alone, watching as her three guests looked around the greenhouse. She didn’t bring Ian here for his tour, Alana always said she got too tired when exploring the estate because it was too large and Ryan wanted to see what had changed.
The estate had gone from being quiet to having a few guests as of late. All that was missing were her parents, but she would save Ian from the pressure of having to impress her father.
"They are getting along well," Scarlet noted about Ryan and Ian. Even Alana was enjoying their company.
Ian had some kind of charm to win over the people whose opinions Scarlet valued.
"Why don’t you sit down to eat, Dawson? You don’t have to guard me now," Scarlet said.
Dawson took his job quite seriously to be guarding her even when Ryan was around.
"Or are you not here to see me? I’ve noticed that you have been paying special attention to Alana. Thank you because I am often too busy to be with her. I have said that she could invite friends but she has not done it," Scarlet said, wondering how many of Alana’s friendships were real.
"The princess has been spending her time in the library so she can work for you. Would you like to know anything else about her?" Dawson asked.
"No. I don’t want Alana to think that I am spying on her. There is a party we are to attend so you will need to pick some guards to join us that day. There may be too many people for you to guard us alone. Please put together a group as soon as possible," Scarlet said, looking up at Dawson only to find that his attention was elsewhere.
Scarlet didn’t know what was happening between the two but she hoped they would figure it out before she was forced to watch them be weird around each other. She liked the way Dawson did his job so he wasn’t going anywhere and Alana was not going to leave the estate.
"Why are you sitting alone?" Ian asked as he returned to Scarlet’s side.
Dawson moved away to give the two privacy.
"I don’t need to look around the greenhouse and the three of you were enjoying each other’s conversation. I didn’t want to disturb you. I am almost done eating," Scarlet said, picking up one of the sandwiches on her plate. "Why are you not eating? Is it not to your liking?"
"I am full from what I have eaten so far. I’ve tried a few of the fruits I came across in here, but if you are offering, I shall have a bite," Ian said, waiting for her to give him a bite of her sandwich.
Scarlet looked away from Ian to the other sandwiches on the table. "Did you hurt your hands from testing Ryan’s strength? Why are you expecting me to feed you?"
"Because you are kind," Ian replied.
"You shouldn’t think that I would always spoil you," Scarlet said, still offering him a bite of her food. Just this once he could have his way. "You," she whispered, looking at Alana and Ryan’s way to check that they had not seen Ian lick her finger.
Scarlet playfully tapped his arm. "Be mindful of what you do now. We are not alone. For that, you must feed yourself."
Scarlet ate the last of the sandwich so he could not ask to be fed again.
Ian licked his lips. He was hardly interested in the food as the woman beside him was the real treat at the table. "If Ryan is here to have dinner with the princess so she would not be alone, would you join me somewhere?"
Scarlet thought about it and then answered, "As long as the rain is not unbearable for us to travel in. Do you have a party you must attend? I am willing to keep my end of the deal."
"I thought we were forgetting about that paper?" Ian asked, referring to the contract.
"We are," Scarlet replied.
"Then, I want to see you burn it. Let that be what we use to start a fire tonight."
"Not so fast, Ian. We can forget about it for now but I want it to be in one piece. It is somewhere that you would never stumble upon it so no need to think about it. I want to walk around. Will you join me?" Scarlet asked, standing up as staying seated was starting to be boring.
Ian joined Scarlet to walk around the greenhouse. Though he would have liked the contract to disappear so their relationship would never go back to being about that, he wasn’t upset. Once their relationship grew a little more, she would get rid of the contract. "You’re a businesswoman through and through." frёewebηovel.cѳm
"I am more than that. I shall get rid of it soon, but not right now. Where is it that you want me to join you?" Scarlet asked, stuck on his plans. "Is it to see your new home? You honestly did not need to move just because I spoke of ghosts."
"I looked into that house a little more and learned the history of it along with your family’s connection to it. It was better that I moved. If it is my home I would love to take you and perhaps make dinner for you, would you say yes to going there tonight?" Ian asked.
"You know, I am starting to feel like I must prepare a grand gift for you. You’ve been spoiling me with making tea when I ask, bringing the bracelet and teapot. You also made lunch for me before. I can’t possibly cook for you in return because I do not know how to. I am doing poorly in this relationship," Scarlet said, realising that the gifts were one-sided.
"I will join you," Scarlet answered.
Now her mind was busy thinking of what she could get him. What would Ian like? Other than his plans for revenge, Scarlet didn’t know what Ian liked.
"Scarlet, I can see you overthinking. I don’t have a love for anything as you do with tea, but if you truly want to get me something, perhaps another portrait of us together or one of those fancy guns I hear that your family makes," Ian suggested.
Scarlet liked the sound of a gun because she could get one for him right away. She could have it wrapped to be taken with her when they were to go to his home. "Tell me more about what you like. Something that is not me as the answer," she added before he could speak.
"Then, I don’t have anything to share. I like the company of the people I care for, Scarlet. Spending time with you is enough for me," said Ian.
Scarlet found his answer to be sweet, but she still wanted to get him a gift and find out what else he liked.
