Free Web NovelChapter 37: Contract relationship (3)
"And I will do the same for my home. It is not as grand as your estate but you would find it to be comfortable. Does my version suit your taste?" Ian asked, pushing the new contract to Scarlet.
"I need a moment to read it. Would you like something to drink or eat? Florence couldn’t have gone far," said Scarlet.
"Florence?" Ian replied, not exactly surprised at how comfortable she was using the head maid’s name.
"Florence was the name of the woman who brought you here. Did she not introduce herself?" Scarlet asked, curious as it would be unlike Florence.
"She did. You surprised me once more as I have been around women of your standing and they refer to their head maids not by name sometimes but by a head maid," Ian answered. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"Florence has a name so I should use it. I was raised differently to respect those who help me. Florence keeps the estate in order when I am away. You’ll come across the butler when he returns in a few days from visiting a relative," said Scarlet.
"Hmm. The servants must love you. I felt it when Florence spoke and the guards outside looked ready to kill me for daring to turn toward your gates. I thought I was called here to be killed," Ian said, watching as Scarlet read the contract.
"It is because they are not familiar with your carriage. They won’t be that way the next time you come. It is because of the annoying guests I have been having recently so they are also bothered. They’ve been prepared well to send anyone not expected away. Lovely aren’t they?" Scarlet replied.
She couldn’t be any more satisfied with the guards and servants.
"The contract is fine with me. It holds most of what I want though I still question how you changed the one about touching. I must warn you that if you speak of this, I shall ruin your life. Better yet, I might take it," Scarlet warned.
Once the talk about her divorce died down Scarlet didn’t want to hear about her entering a contract for a fake relationship. It didn’t need to be put in the contract that she would get rid of him. That part wouldn’t matter for a dead man.
"Here I thought you would trust me. If something comes over me to make me speak of this, I will take a knife and put it right here," Ian said, pointing to his chest.
"How kind of you. Sign it so I can put it away somewhere safe when you are done."
"You know, it concerns me a bit how speaking of death doesn’t bother you. I wonder what a lady like yourself has witnessed. Is it because you might have ordered many deaths or that you are used to speaking on it because many have tried to kill you?" Ian asked as he signed the paper and handed it back to Scarlet.
Scarlet placed the contract in a drawer to be placed somewhere else when Ian left. "I am the heiress of a large family business and I sit in an estate full of wealth. There have been a few attempts throughout the years and most have been from those who share the same last name. Some might approach you."
"I am not cheap and seeing as I am now with the one sitting in this estate with the wealth they are after, I know that they cannot afford to make me want you dead. Do you mind if I off a few for trying to kill my woman-"
"Your woman?" Scarlet raised her right brow. "You have not long signed and you are already falling into the act as my lover. Perhaps the theatre would suit you better than the work you do now."
"I appreciate the compliment but I am not doing odd jobs to get by again. Your study is filled with portraits of your family. Do you mind if I take one of you?" Ian requested. There was one done of Scarlet when she was much older than the other portrait he saw. "It might help to brighten up my study."
"Certainly not. Why don’t you put one of your portraits in your place? It is quite bland other than the famous art you had," Scarlet said, recalling his office decor.
"I don’t have any of myself," Ian answered. Scarlet’s home was different from his with all the family portraits she displayed.
Scarlet was now confused as even though had a bad relationship with Layla, shouldn’t there still be a portrait he would have of himself? No matter what, Ian was a Kingsley. "Not even from your youth? What about your mother?"
"I believe she has the only one we did together when I was a baby and the only other I had was one my brother requested we do. It is somewhere on the Lord’s land but I wouldn’t be surprised if that woman destroyed it," Ian said as there was no one left to protect it.
"What about when you started to live away from your family? You were free to do it then," said Scarlet, concerned about the life Ian was living. Many blamed her personality on not having a loving family, but her family had given her a lovely childhood filled with happy memories.
Scarlet couldn’t imagine what it was like to be in Ian’s shoes. Son of a lord but treated like a stranger.
"What was the point of having portraits made then? For whom to see?" Ian replied, enjoying how interested Scarlet was in this. "This has suddenly turned sad. If you are pitying me, a kiss would change my mood."
"That would only happen if you close your eyes and dream about it. I will not give you one of my portraits as my mother has a talent for noticing when one has moved. What I will do is have you sit for a portrait and you must do it. You should have a memory of you during this time. Think of it as a gift for your future family," Scarlet said to sway him.
"I wouldn’t care about what the family sees unless it is you sitting beside me in the portrait. Why is your cat attacking my foot?" Ian asked, looking down at the black cat with its claws stuck in his pants.
"That is because you are saying things Sunny doesn’t like. I shall save you from her just this once," Scarlet said, getting up from her seat to get the cat. "I will take you on a small tour of the estate. Some rooms are off limits and should you ever wander in them, I won’t trust you again." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
"These days, I am listening to Sunny so if she attacks you, I need to be wary," Scarlet said, taking Sunny from Ian’s leg and holding her in her arms.
"So, the cat is the way to get you to like me more. What kind of expensive toys does Sunny like?" Ian questioned, ready to spoil it.
Scarlet smiled as it was the first time someone thought to give Sunny gifts instead of her. "Try all you want but she doesn’t warm up so easily. I will put her away so she won’t trouble you and then I will give you the tour."
"Don’t speak so soon, Scarlet. Sunny and I will become the best of friends soon," Ian said confidently.
