Marguerite sat there eating her breakfast. Although stabbing would be a more approperiate term, becasue all she was doing was doing was sticking her fork into and out of it. She finally dropped her fork withoout taking a bite, and looking longingly out the window, hoping to see Percy riding Sultan up the road to the manor.
The sound of upity footsteps broke her from her trance. A servant wouldn't walk like that, and she didn't think Percy was back. At least none of the servants had seen him around the house. Marguerite sat up and turned to watch the doorway to the dinning room.
Armand went downstairs, yawning. He was still tired, not having gotten enough sleep. He brushed off the sleeves of his tan coat and straightened his shirt. Yawned. He was STARVING! Hurrying to the dining hall, he hoped to find Margot or Percy there. He didn't want to eat alone. That was never fun. He was in luck! Marguerite was there. "Good morning, chéri," He greeted his sister, kissing her on the forhead. "Where is Percy? Off playing cricket with the boys, I suppose."
Marguerite watched as Armand entered the dinning hall. She was glad he
was here, especially since they had not seen much of each other since
coming to England, but she was disappointed that it wasn't Percy, not that
she really expected Percy anyway.
"Percy left late last night on some sort of business, heading west this
time he said." Marguerite sighed as Armand sat down. "He didn't say when
he'd be back."
"Odd. Why wouldn't he?" Though Armand --just like a boy!-- wasn't paying
complete attention as his food was a little more interesting at the moment.
"Percy usually doesn't tell me where he's going until after I've asked
several times, and almost never tells me when he'll return." Marguerite
said as she watched Armand dive into the food one of the servants had
placed in front of him.
"Do you ask him?" Armand asked, swallowing. "try this," He said, offering her
some pastry. "It's very good." Food, again, had taken over his attention.
Marguerite sighed as she looked at the pastry and shook her head, "I
really have no appetite this morning."
"So have you asked him when he'll be back?" Armand repeated, shrugging and
taking another bite of the pastry. "I mean, Percy isn't usually the type who
would just... well, not tell you what he's doing. Well, I'm not married to
him, so I guess I wouldn't know him as well as you do, but still... General
impression." Armand started to peel an orange while taking a bite of a
muffin. "You sure you aren't hungry?
"Armand, Percy never tells me anything unless I catch him leaving and ask
him. He never tells me when he'll return and he never gives me any more
details about where he's going other then to say he's going to the north
or to the west or whichever." Marguerite pasued before lowering her voice,
"He wasn't like this before we married." Marguerite looked up only to
give a slightly disguested look at the food and shook her head again.
"What was he like before you were married? tell me... I didn't know him. And
I wouldn't have wanted to get to know him, either," He laughed a little. "But
if he tells you when you ask, why won't he tell you when he'll be back? It
doesn't make any sense. None of it does. especially that he won't tell you
unless you ask. He tells me things when I don't ask... odd."
He realized a little late that he had slipped. Hastilly, he stuffed half the
orange in his mouth to try and delay her so he could think up an excuse if
she asked what did he mean by that.
"He was just different about things Armand. He was affectionate, sweet.
He would talk to me about everything and with such ease. Now I have to
force answers out of him. He was kinder and gentler then." Marguerite
said with sadness in her voice, longing for her Percy.
He couldn't speak with the orange in his mouth, so he chewed for a minute
while she spoke. Swallowed. Wiped the juice off his chin.
"Is there something you'd like to talk about? I mean... other than this...
It sounds like you need someone to talk to. I'm sorry I haven't been here
more, my Margot."
Marguerite reached over and patted her brother's hand, "everything is just
very confusing right now Armand. I just wish Percy was here more, but I'm
glad you're here now."
He gave her a weak smile. What was he supposed to say now? Finally...
"I wish he were too."
Marguerite decided to change to a happier subject. She started to laugh
when she realized the amount of food Armand had gone through in the short
time they had sat together, "Armand," she said, in a humorous voice to
mock slight anger, "when did you get such an appetit?"
His hand froze over the bowl of biscuits. He'd polished off a great deal of
fruit and pastries, a loaf of bread, a bowl of oatmeal, almost a full pot of
tea... The table seemed half empty now. The boy had eaten half of what had
been laid out for maybe six people, and still he was hungry. What had he eaten the day before? Nothing. That was why.
"I ate nothing, Margot, yesterday. One has to make up for it, non?" He
grinned. "When'd you lose your appetite, ma souer?" He asked, mockingly,
wolfing down a busicuit whole.
"I haven't had much of an appetite for a while Armand." she said
sorrifully as she tugged at the losse sleeve of her dress.
"Oh DO cheer up, Margot. He'll be beck soon enough, and then you'll be
wishing he were gone again." Armand said cheerily. He really was almost
completely oblivious to his sister's unhappiness. The boy was truely thick at
the moment and you just had to spell things out for him sometimes.
Marguerite stood up and leaned over to kiss her brother's forehead, "I
know he will, and each time he comes home I hope it's the last time he'll
leave me."
"Well, of course.... I mean... he loves you. You love him." Armand said,
more to himself. He slapped his forehead with his palm. Could he be more
pathetic? Probably. With him, almost anything was possible.
But he felt bad because he knew that at some point, Marguerite wasn't even
going to have HIM to talk to... He'd be with Percy.
Marguerite watched as Armand put his hand to his forehead, "What was that
for?"
"All the stupid things I have said today," He said simply. "And done. You're
upset and all I'm doing is eating. You should eat something. Maybe that's why
you're so upset... You're hungry." He rolled his eyes. "See? I just get this
way sometimes, Margot... I don't know why. Maybe it's the water..." He glared
at his teacup.
Marguerite patted Armand's should, "It's ok Armand, really, I'm not hungry
now anyway." she said trying to calm him down, no use the both of them
being upset.
"well... all right..." He was full now. He glanced over at her own mauled
plate where she had absently been stabbing at the food on her plate. "Are you
done? Would you like to go for a walk or something of that sort?"
Marguerite smiled, "A walk sounds like a lovely idea, that is, if you
didn't have any plans yet for the day." she said, thinking of all the
time he had spent in town with Alexia.
"Oh no... none for today," He said, standing. " Usually, I just go riding.
It's really rather therapeutic." Armand offered her a hand up from her seat.
"And where would you like to stroll, Lady Blakeney?" He teased.
Marguerite took Armand's hand and stood up. "Let's take a walk out to the
stables then, I sometimes like to go lok at the horses, but I never ride
them." Marguerite said, saddened again by the fact that she did not know
how to ride.
Armand cast a glance at his sister. "Marguerite... didn't you... ever learn?
I could teach you, but I fear I am not very patient... You'd not want me." He
squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Of course not Armand. When and where would I have learned to ride a
horse? And no matter how good of a rider you are, I doubt you could teach
me how to ride side saddle." she said with a laugh as they head out over
the terrace towards the distant stable.
Armand grinned. "Sidesaddle? Mon dieu, ma souer! Who said sidesaddle? I was thinking
astride. One cannot ride bareback very well when you ride sidesaddle."
"Well Armand, that's easy enough for you to say, but it's not very
ladylike for a woman to ride astride." Marguerite remarked,
jokingly. "Perhaps I should see about riding lessons."
Armand laughed. "Ladylike, hmm?" He grinned. "Yes, you should see about
lessons. It's really great fun." He turned to her. "You sure you don't want
to try astride?"
"Yes Armand, I think I can wait a little bit until I can see about
lessons. Perhaps someone that works in the stable can give me the proper
lessons." She asked. She held her hand up to shield her eyes from the
bright sun until they nearer the shadows of the stable.
"That's a good idea. Then we can go riding together!" Armand was actually
excited about it. He really had no one to go riding with, except for Percy,
but... well, Percy was busy. He didn't want to bother him by asking, "Percy,
do you want to go for a ride with me". A little petty, so Armand never did it, but now, he really hoped that Marguerite would take what she said seriously.
Marguerite gave her brother a soft sideways hug and then entered the
barn. The soft white horse that Percy had designated hers was the first
one. She paused the pick up a handful of feed and let the horse eat it
out of her hand and she stroked it's soft mane. Almost of the stalls
where fill, save for a few that had no occupant and Sultan's. Marguerite
smiled when she had remembered that Percy had mentioned getting a horse
just for Armand. She wondered if Armand knew, but she wouldn't mention it
in case it would be a surprise. "I think I will look into riding lessons,
in fact, Armand, would you mind seeing if any of the stablehands are in
now, perhaps one of them could teach me."
"Of course, Margot..." He went in search of one of the older caretakers.
The man he found was happy to do something other than care for the horses.
His name was Jonas, and he'd worked at the Blakeney house for about fifteen
Years, and he was in his fifties, give or take. A burly man with a pleasant round face and slightly graying brown hair, he was the perfect candidate. "Marguerite, meet Jonas. He's agreed to be your riding instructor."
Marguerite stepped back, slightly intimidated by the stablehand
Jonas. "Well, it's nice to meet you Jonas." Marguerite said, gathering
her strenght. Jonas gave Marguerite a soft smile and welcomed her to
Blakeney Manor. Armand left to get his own horse while Jonas showed
Marguerite the parts of the staddle as he put the equipment on the
horse. Finally he told her the horse had the given name Shamrock.
Once the saddle was on Shamrock, Jonas handed the reins to Marguerite
told her to lead the horse out of the stable. Marguerite shakily took
hold of the reins and took a few steps out of the stall. The horse
followed, probably hoping for another handful of food. Once out in the
opened area beyond the stable, Shamrock began to circle around
her. Marguerite tried to turn following the horse, but she ended up
getting trapped in the long reins.
Stifling a laugh, Armand quickly tied the lead rope of a bay, one he'd
christened Soleil, "Sun," to the post, dropped the brushes and hoof pick and called out to
Marguerite, "Hold the reins under his chin." He picked up the curry comb and watched the lesson out of the corner of his eye.
"That doesn't help Armand." Marguerite called, as Jonas unwrapped the
reins from around her. Taking Armand's advice this time, she lead the
horse around in a circle a few times until Jonas stopped her. He stood
next to the horse and mounted it into a side saddle position. He
demonstrated getting on and off the horse a few times to until Marguerite
understood. After asking permission to help her, with Marguerite not
agreed to but insisted as she always did that he refer to her as
Marguerite, not Lady Blakeney, Jonas offered a hand and helped her get
onto the horse.
"Very Good, Margot!" Armand called. He picked the muck out of
Soleil's hooves. Dropping the left back leg, he leaned one arm on the horse's
back and watched his sister. Then he took up the hard bristle brush and
covered Soleil's coat with long, hard strokes.
Jonas was very patient but he would only let Marguerite climb up onto the
horse, get settled, allow Shamrock to take a few strides al the while
holding onto Marguerite so that she would not slide off the horse, and
then help her dismount.
Once he felt she was comfortable, Jonas had Marguerite mount and dismount
Shamrock several times on her own, just to make sure she could do it. By
then Shamrock was obviously annoying of standing still so she could simply
get on and off and began to walk off once she had dismounted for a final
time.
Armand mounted Soleil and cantered around the rail of the ring, not saying
anything, but just to annoy his sister. The he made Soleil jump the rail into
the ring.
"See Margot? It's easy?" He beamed at her to show what a good, helpful
little brother he was. "Wanna try?" he trotted circles around her, then made
Soleil rear and reverse directions sharply. She cantered twice around the
ring and jumped the fence again, and vaulted off with the reins still in his
hand. Soleil stopped, but the horse dragged him, so Armand fell into some
bushes next to the ring.
"I meant to do that."
Marguerite ignored him, but Jonas stood up for Marguerite and yelled at
Armand to stop teasing her and to be gentle with his horse. As Armand and
Soleil began to move around, Shamrock grew restless and would have moved
on had Jonas not been holding the reins. Marguerite felt her grip tighten
on the reins until Armand led Soleil around and started to leave. With
Jonas leading, Shamrock began to take a few steps but Jonas stopped once
there was a loud thud from behind. Marguerite turned to see Armand in a
heep on the ground and couldn't help but to laugh. "Perhaps you should
ask Jonas for some lessons too."
Armand scowled at her. "Be quiet, Margot, and continue with your lesson! How
will you ever fall off the horse if you hardly get on?" He giggled. He
grabbed some of the broken limbs from the bushes and laid them in a row,
about five feet apart. He then proceeded to mount and try to grab each one as
he wove around them at a canter.
At one point, in his third try to grab a particularly small one, one of
Soleil's hooves hit him in the head. Dazed a little, Armand halted and slid
off, resting his head on the horse's back. Soleil's sides were heaving, so
Armand lead the horse to the watering trough.
"See?" He called, a little mockingly to his sister, " Nothin' to it."
Marguerite just shook her head as Jonas lead Shamrock, with her still
riding, back to the stable. The horse was a getting restless and Jonas
did not want to take a chance with her, and decided that was enough for
the day. once in the stable Jonas helped Marguerite down and brought
Shamrock into her stall. As Jonas took the saddle and gear off the horse
Marguerite offered a handful of feed, which Shamrock willingly gobbled out
of her hand. Smiling she thanks Jonas and left to stable to see what
mischief Armand was up to.
Precisely, he was galloping as fast as he possibly could, up and down the
drive, every once in a while jumping over a fallen log that was at the side
of the road.
Of course, when he galloped up to the stables, Soleil decided that he didn't
want Armand on his back ANY MORE, so Armand was flipped off. He went sailing
into the bushes again, and he comepletely snapped the shrub's main trunk.
"Ow..." He groaned. Soleil snorted and tossed his head.
"Funny," Armand muttered, coming out of the bushes. He took the reins and
led the horse back to the stables. "It's not my fault," He moaned to
Marguerite.
Marguerite only smiled and giggled as she left the stables to hide from the warm sun inside the manor.