Katrina Kuznetsov's POV
"what's wrong?" Jack asked as he was helping me to get inside the car.
"huh? Oh, nothing, I was just wondering about the view. It was so scenic," I said as I was caught Conall and the duchess was getting inside their ride. Conall kissed her knuckles that made her giggled. I narrowed my eyes at them as I was getting inside the car.
"You looked like you could kill someone," he said as he took his seat inside the car.
"What? no, I wouldn't. You know that" I said as I was smiling shyly, trying to conceal about the fact that I was killing that duchess in my head now.
"Are you concerning about Conall?" He finally asked the jackpot question. I turned sharply at him as I exhaled my breath.
"was it that obvious?" I asked him as I was fidgeting my fingers. He chuckled at me before taking my nervous hands inside his.
"if he ever hurt you, don't hesitate to tell and talk to me, okay?" He said as I looked into his eyes. I smiled at that thought. Conall's ancestor has his charm that made me flustered.
"Well, I think I can handle him. Besides, I know martial arts," I said as I winked at him before the driver opened the door and I got out of the car, letting Jack wondered about my threat just now. Conall gets out as well as he looked at me across his car. He was smirking at me before I rolled my eyes at him and went to Jack's side to take his hand.
"Shall we?" I asked as I went inside the castle with Jack. He was dragged by me but he tried to keep up with my fast pace.
"slow down, I'm sure Lady Kuznetsov still got time to meet us," he said that made me stopped in my track. I turned to look at him as I was blinking my eyes, as I heard the name right.
"What did you just said, lady Kuznetsov?" I asked sweetly as I was trying to smile at him.
"Yeah, lady Kuznetsov, the wife of Lord Kuznetsov from Russia. He was hiding in another country when the revolution of Russia was ongoing. They survived but they concealed their identity to make sure that they did not being targeted by the communists," he said as he led me toward the door. My thoughts were on the motion as I was thinking about the lady of Kuznetsov.
"Shall we?" Jack said as the grand door to the estate that she was residing right now. I smiled at him as I can hear the duchess and Conall were approaching us from behind.
"Jack, will you slow down? I have to drag my big dress you know. But thanks to Conall, he made it all easy," the duchess said as I was rolling at them when Conall just smiled sweetly at the duchess.
"You and your big dress, why can't you be more practical like Katrina?" He said as he pointed at my dress. I mean, I was underdressed when I compared myself to the duchess. She had her bodice and ruffles with lace that was hard to find in this time whereas I was having a plain sundress that was reaching the floor and I have only had a coat on the outside as well as a bonnet to keep my hair from flying apart in the cold breeze.
"whatever, jack. You never understand fashion anyway, unlike Conall here. He said that he has someone that he knew all about fashion. His name was… what is it again? Oh never mind, let's get inside, shall we? It's cold out here," the duchess said as she moved past me and Jack. Conall followed her pursuit before he looked at me, smirking smugly. I just rolled my eyes at him before led me inside the house.
I cannot believe what I saw. It was elegant yet cold. It was classy yet understated. The estate was nice. The entrance to the living room was accompanied by a hallway that has a door that leads to the coatroom. I put off my coat and give it to the servant that was a station at the entrance.
"Welcome, your grace. Lady Kuznetsov will see you soon enough. She asked me to take you guys to enjoy some tea inside the painting room," he said as he was taking our coats. I gave to him as I followed the duchess and Conall.
"thank you, we surely like that," Jack said before he took my hand and lead me to the painting room.
"she seems nice with the gesture that she gave toward you," I said as I was looking at jack. He smiled proudly.
"well, I cannot say that I was her best friend when I was in Russia when I was branching my family business there," he said as we walked toward the long hallway.
"family business? What business?" I asked before I added, "if it's okay with you for me to ask about it,". Jack smiled at me before he turned to look at me.
"it's just some software business and some manufacturing, mostly involved chemical," he said proudly. I nodded as I understood what he was saying. Maybe Conall inherited that business, that's why he was in Russia the other time. To oversee it.
"do you also, perhaps, do some technology business?" I asked as we were passing through some paintings of the family portraits. Some of them were kind of familiar.
"well, maybe not now, but in the future, I suppose. Technology is the next hot thing," he said before we were standing in front of the door and the servants opened it. To our surprise, the duchess was roaming Conall's body and they were kissing. well, more like the duchess was forcing Conall to respond to her kisses.
"Danielle, what is the meaning of this?!" Jack exclaimed as he went to their side. I stood still at the entrance as I was shocked to see their position. Conall's back was hitting the big mahogany desk as he was holding down by that bitch. I gripped my knuckles on my side as I was trying to calm down.
"oh, hush, Jack. It's not like Conall did not like it. You guys took too long," she said as she was getting up from Conall. Jack was guiding Danielle out of the way so that Conall can stand up from her attack.
"Have you no shame? They're my guests, not your plaything," he said before someone was clearing their throat at the door. I turned around to look who it was and I was shocked to see who was it. It the Lady of Kuznetsov. My potential ancestor.
"I hope that I don't interrupt," she said as she was standing there elegantly. I gulped as I looked at her.
Auburn hair. Golden eyes. Yup, definitely my ancestor.
"Lady Kuznetsov, I was sorry for my sister-in-law's behavior. I should have taught her how to behave better, ever since my brother…" he said as Lady Kuznetsov held out her hand.
"it's okay, Jack. I understand. And can you please stop calling me 'lady Kuznetsov' it made me feel old," she said as she went inside the room before taking her seat at the sofas.
"Why so formal? Come on, you know the drill," she said as she was leaning at the chair. She clapped her hands and servants swarmed in to serve food on the table that Conall just laid. I could not believe my eyes. It was all the food in the world and she urged us to dig in. Was this what the English called their tea time?
"Come on, don't be shy. Help yourself," she said before she got up and went to eat some. I was amazed at how she could eat and still have that perfect body.
"well, don't mind me," the duchess said as she went to dig in as well. I went beside Conall as Jack went to dig in as well. When he noticed that we don't join them, he called at us with a mouth full.
"Come on, guys. Hurry up before it all gone," he said as he went to dig in again. I gulped after I saw this picture and blinked a few more times.
"Is this a tea time in present days?" I asked Conall, whispering if they might hear it.
"No, we were more sophisticated now," he said as we were standing like a statue, watching them it. After a few minutes later, the food was gone and I cannot believe it. The duchess belched and they were all laughing.
"Guys, why don't you join in?" Jack said as he was leaning on the chair. I smiled at him before Conall pinched me on the back.
"no, we're good," I said as a response when they were looking at us.
"it's okay. Just watching you guys eat made us full already," Conall added. well, not helping it. They nodded before their eyes were slowly feeling heavy.
"wait, what's wrong with me? I kind of feel sleepy," the duchess said as she was leaning on the sofa.
"Yeah, me too," lady Kuznetsov as well. Jack was already asleep before they all took over by sleep.