Ella didn't bother to acknowledge him and went along to get the orange juice from the opened fridge door, took a couple of sips and kept it back in the place, closing the door of the fridge. She was about to move away from there when he spoke, "They won't bother again. You can do whatever you like to do here."
"It was unnecessary Mr. Knight, considering I'm a guest."
"Back to Mr. Knight, are we? Your bags have been kept in your room."
"Have you discussed about my proposition to the others?"
"Not yet. But soon."
"I can't stay here long Mr. Knight. Just like you I have responsibilities to take care of."
"What is it?"
"None of your concern, I assure you." He didn't say anything after that and they both just looked over at each other, silently contemplating what the other was thinking.
"Don't make another stunt like that Elle. It's not as safe as it used to be before."
"Danger from whom?"
"You don't have to concern yourself with that."
"If it's my safety here, then of course I shall be concerned!"
"None of your concern, I assure you", mimicking her words making her angry.
"Is this how it is going to be? We fighting like this until I'm actually killed. Why don't you give me a phone then?"
"You won't need it as you are staying here."
She scoffed at that, "Do you hear yourself? You proclaim of keeping me safe when it feels like I'm kept hostage here."
"I'm trying Elle. And it's not like you are making it easy, especially with what you did today!"
"I wasn't the one flirting there to pass time."
"Now that's no way of being jealous. I said I will be yours just like you are mine."
"That's preposterous. We will never be together. I wasn't jealous! One of the reasons of me being here is that I don't see you anytime in the faraway future."
"That won't happen. And the other reasons? What about it?"
"What about it? I just need a simple life without all these political dramas around me." She said so while moving around the kitchen looking around and talking to him.
"I would have believed you if I hadn't known you Elle. But I do know you, even more than yourself." His voice seemed to be closer to where she stood. She turned to him where he continued, "I've seen your eyes Elle, the way they would lighten up when you get a deal cracked. I've seen you lips which would make its own gestures to attract the audience. I've seen your body to predict its language very closely, just like how I know you are lying to me without looking into my eyes." He stopped walking an inch apart from her as he finished speaking.
She should be angry, annoyed at him to say such things; but why was she feeling admiration for him. This man will be the end of her in all ways. If he will skillfully murder her with his words, she would still admire his plans than hate him.
Before she could reply, he said, "Have dinner with me tonight."
"We would have the dinner like the previous night Mr. Knight." She answered to his strange request.
"Not that. I mean in the patio. Dress up and meet me in an hour. As you might be hungry, I shall expect you to be earlier than that." Saying that he left the kitchen. Talking about dinner, she was indeed hungry. Not like he gave her another choice, he just announced her to take the dinner with him at the patio.
After about twenty minutes later Ella found him to be poised in one of the chairs. She had not even edged inside the patio when he said, "You took your time." Ella didn't get it what gave away, he was showing his back to her and she was wearing normal slippers which didn't make a sound while walking. Entering the patio with wary eyes, Roy couldn't help but ask, "You are looking at me as though I am going to eat you now."
"You could. How long did you know I was standing there?"
"Ah, that. Your earrings gave away, tinkling in the wind; you look delightful", he said while scanning her from her head to the toe. He stared at her simple dress touching her lower knees in the front and until the toes from behind. The slight peek of her thighs due to the wind flowing at her light-weighted dress, was making him feel uncomfortable to only sit back and do nothing. He ran his hands through his hair willing himself to look away from her legs and up to her face. Which was not very helpful as her breasts were displayed with the tightness of the dress around it. She didn't even want to get into his mind to see what he was thinking, she would like to eat peacefully, thought Ella sitting in her seat opposite to him whereas Roy was having his own time controlling himself to pounce upon her. Will it be too difficult this time? They had spent time earlier too, but it was only kisses and caresses on her whole body. Will she allow more? Such thoughts traveled his mind and he said with almost desperation, "If you allow me to I'll be sure to ravish you." Ella choked while she was drinking water from the glass.
"That's not what I meant", thinking back to her previous statement. He just had to use all of her words against her!
"Of course you didn't. I did."
She looked at him; the same wariness in her eyes with an extra hotness within herself. She hoped he would look somewhere else or the topic diverted or the ground swallowed and hid her or,...
Her options ceased forming when the maids entered in with the dishes. Ella cleared her throat as an indication to him and herself that they should concentrate on dinner.
The food was served, and Ella didn't waste a moment to devour in it. It tasted too good in her mouth that she didn't notice a continuous stare from her opposite, which was making holes in her face, her neck, her collarbones, her hands, and further downwards. Or maybe she was choosing to ignore. But he wasn't ignoring. Not even a single inch. Trying to start up a conversation she asked, "Where are the previous maids?"
Sadly, her question brought him back to the reality. To which he answered, "They were all replaced as you have noticed."
"Daisy is there."
"Do you want her to be replaced?"
"I wasn't complaining!" She huffed and continued, "It's so difficult to talk to you that one will never know when their sweet words have turned to be lethal."
"Nothing you haven't handled before. As I remember, you were the only one to understand my puzzle, which is how you tricked me that day and left."
"Are you praising me, Mr. Knight?", she asked while putting a bite of meat in her mouth.
"I'm assuring you it won't happen again."
"I have my own business where I am to go."
"I know you were staying in America. You can say it."
She knew he would find out later, there was no point in arguing about that. Coming back to the topic, "Why were they replaced?"
"With you leaving right under my nose, made me too angry to kill all the servants for their incompetence; but Arnold Davis, that lawyer suggested not to. Said it would reflect bad on me. I could have just erased their existence for no one to find them ever. But I only could put them out of their jobs." He said disappointingly like his favorite toy was taken away from him to play with.
"I should thank Mr. Davis to be the sensible one then." She mocked at him, finding his thought to be too harsh as a punishment. She really needed to thank that man else she would be drowning in her own guilt by now.