a long visit [dani]

[KLAUS QUINTEN MERCIER]

Ah, Klaus' parents had out done themselves. While Klaus had gone to their country estate to take a weeks vacation from the stressful obligations of his life, his parents had tossed him a new one. Apparently his parents had used Klaus' absence as an opportunity to send his betrothed his way. She had a week with him, and he had a week with her. This was usually the most opportune time to court a lady, to work things out. It was not a lovers get away in any sense, she was merely a welcomed guest at the Mercier country home. He knew that in the middle of the week his parents would stop by to meet Danielle officially as a family. As a male, he had it easier. He didn't have to go out of his element at all, but the woman always did. There was some sympathy for Danielle, he imagined that she was probably nervous or irritated.

He had heard somewhat about her, mostly from his parents and the stream of rumors. From the picture Klaus had of her, she sounded a little rambunctious. There was a reason why he never invited Samantha out this way, to give her space from her crowded living area. Whenever he came out here, his parents had the habit of following him around or sending some kind of guest. A break was never really a break.

There was always a few maids and butlers at the estate here, which was a good thing. He couldn't imagine arriving to a house that was cold; he would have to labor with the fireplace. It wasn't like he was an idle person, thus he felt justified in inwardly complaining about anymore work. Before he had even got here, there was a letter with instructions for Danielle's arrival. They would have set meals, a few recommended activities – though she could always refuse. Even if the girl was his fiance, he was disheartened. A stranger was still a stranger at the end of the day, but he was hopeful. Perhaps he would luck out and the girl would be complacent, or maybe even spontaneous. If anything, he didn't want a girl who was too bossy or demanding. The socialite woman always gave him a headache.

Which is why, in the poor, he found Samantha so humble..

His head shook idly as he got rid of the female. It wasn't like he had done anything with her, but she was the type of friend he needed. Someone who was always there, someone who didn't judge too badly. Of course, she would always jest over how rich he was, but he had been helping her. Ever since he walked into her life, her smile got brighter. He didn't know any altruism better than that. Klaus reached his right hand up to pull back the drapes, staring at the snow laden ground. His mother had instructed that the carriage should be there by the late afternoon, so now he was making stake. It would have been rude not to greet her right away.

Due to the weather he was wearing a long sleeved white button up shirt, with a high collar – neatly closed off by a black ribbon. Just behind him, resting on the chair, was his jacket. He didn't want to pick something too unique, nor too mundane. Klaus didn't know how to make a good first impression, people normally liked him right away. Though there was just something about hearing Danielle's name that made him believe she wasn't going to be easy. Before he could get into a mildly depressed thought process, he noticed the carriage coming around the bend.

Klaus jerked back, grabbed his coat and threw it on. The butler next to him took this as a signal and the two of them went out, walking on the cleared pathway to the carriage that was just pulling up. A man that had been tending to the barn, peeked his head out and approached the horses, getting ready to retire them from the long journey. The butler moved past Klaus and opened the door to the carriage, but it was Klaus that got closer. He reached his right hand up to the girl in offering, a typical thing a gentleman would do – assisting a girl out of her carriage.

[DANIELLE ALEXANDREI WHITE]

[style=font-size: 42px; font-family: garamond; margin-right: 40px; text-align: right; color: ffffff; text-shadow: #555555 1px 1px 1px; margin-bottom: -7px; letter-spacing: 2px;]we could have had it all,[/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,440,true] [atrb=height,800,true][atrb=cellpadding,6px,true][cs=2][atrb=background,http://i27.tinypic.com/ossaht.jpg,true][style=line-height: 14px; font-size:11px; letter-spacing: 4px; font-family: courier new; background-color: ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: -15px; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: center; color: #555555; opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]you're gonna wish you never had met me[/style]

[style=width: 305px; height: 800px; background-color: ffffff; margin-left: 5px; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; color: #555555; overflow: auto; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;mopacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]Danielle raged for most of the trip to the Mercier country home; her arms crossed, jaw set, and eyes narrowed. She felt very wronged, and by the people who called themselves her parents. Shouldn't they at least ask her opinion, ask her about her desires? And they knew that Justus was in her heart, that she missed him dearly. Danielle was suffering, and she felt as if her parents had done nothing but rub salt into her wounds. Had she been younger, less mature, she would have refused this marriage outright, and cost her parents their social standing. A scandal like that, added to the one of her near elopement with Justus would have been the undoing of their reputation. Only when they had almost arrived at their destination did Danielle uncross her arms and bother to look through the window at their surroundings. Snow covered nearly every surface of the landscape, and a slight smile touched her lips. She really did like the snow. It was white and pure, and soft to the touch. The young lady had to resist the urge to tell them to stop the carriage so she could throw herself out onto the field of ivory. In stead, she tore her eyes away and fussed over her dress, making sure nothing clung to the cloth, arranging her skirts so they would sit just right. Danielle then made sure her little hat was properly pinned to her styled bun. The merchant's girl then stuck out her feet, looking critically at the black leather of her booths, making sure they hadn't been dirtied on her way to the carriage, in London. Magically, they appeared to be clean enough. Danielle had left early enough for the virgin snow on the streets not to have been marred by too many dirty shoes. That must be the reason. And she daydreamed for the rest of the way, trying to keep from getting nervous about meeting this Klaus Mercier, a distant cousin, her soon-to-be husband. For months she'd believed that she would marry Justus. But so much had changed in a matter of a few weeks. So very much. As the carriage rolled closer to the estate, Danielle allowed herself to peek out of the window at the building and its surroundings. Her eyes widened a little. Well...they hadn't exaggerated when saying that the Merciers had money. Settling back in her seat, she decided that she would not be shallow; she would not let him buy her affections with his wealth. The door opened, and she took a few quick breaths, suddenly feeling quite nervous, then placed her gloved hand into the one offered to her, and stepped out of the carriage. Only then did Danielle allow herself to look up and meed Klaus' eyes. She looked almost like a doll, her cheeks slightly flushed from the cold, skin pale in contrast to the ebony silk and lace of her dress. Oh, her parents had been quite furious when she'd hurried out of their London home and into the carriage wearing a pitch black dress to meet her betrothed. Their faced had been red with fury, and it'd given Danielle some satisfaction. They had no care for her feelings, therefore she'd have less care for theirs. Besides, it was her right to mourn for as long as she needed. Her jaw lifted a little, as she wanted to catch any reaction the dress may bring out of her cousin. Brown eyes watchful, face almost expressionless. Klaus was handsome, something that surprised her though she didn't know why. Some of the prettiest people she knew were vile and deceitful. Since she was stuck here for a week with him, maybe Danielle could possibly see him without any masks or pretences, because there was no way he could keep up any act for such a long time. This was the benefit of spending such a long time with him opposed to simply meeting him over dinner.[/style]

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[/u] on OTE![/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[KLAUS QUINTEN MERCIER]

Klaus didn't know what to expect out of Danielle's arrival. He had been lucky with charming females with his mere wealth, as well as with his generous personality. But it wasn't like flashed his money, it was just apart of his name and women naturally hovered toward it. Everyone was about monetary gain. Wasn't this arrangement part of one as well? Though he was intelligent enough to remind himself that this had been made by his parents, at a really young age. Danielle really had no say in the matter, and being a woman didn't help the matter. Klaus knew that he could reject the girl whenever he wanted, to vouch for another woman of higher class. His mother wouldn't have been happy, everyone adored his aunt. But it wasn't like rejecting her would ruin him.

He decided to agree to their terms for the sake of peace. If she really hated him by the end of the week, he would oblige to release her from this commitment. Either way, he would most likely have to marry someone he wasn't particularly close to. Samantha never would be accepted in Klaus' life, and he couldn't even imagine getting that close to her. First came Danielle's hand coming into contact with his own. His thumb moved to touch the base of her fingers, allowing her to use him as support. His eyes didn't travel away from her face, eying the cold mannerism. She looked like a porcelain doll, the white of her flesh vibrant against the black fabric of her dress.

It wasn't like he was well versed in the meaning of colors, but he did know that wearing all black was a sign of mourning. He didn't have to venture his eyes any further to see it. Had someone dear in her life passed on? Klaus was more amazed that his mother didn't warn him about it, to be prepared. If he had known her heart was hurting in anyway, he would have fought to postpone the meeting with Danielle. Klaus felt somewhat responsible now, but all he could do was offer her a warm smile. There was no demand nor authority on his face, not even a hint of question. Instead, his eyes were the gateway to his soul – he looked concerned.

Damn women! They were always throwing him through loops. Even if it was a male orientated society, the women always always had some devious plan behind every picture. “Afternoon, Ms. White. It's a pleasure to finally meet you,” he said sincerely. Sometimes Klaus found the good in everything. If things didn't work out between them, it wasn't the end of it. Perhaps he would gain a friend out of it. She was his distant cousin after all, they didn't have to become enemies for old, frivolous traditions. “I hope the travel wasn't too tiresome. Come inside, you must be cold,” when the girl's feet was planted on the ground, he retracted his hands. There was polite courting and then there was the male who demanded too much. It was obvious that Klaus didn't have ulterior motives for her arrival.

As he turned to begin walking along Danielle's side, he averted his face from her. Even if he seemed a little awkward or unsure of the situation, his general attitude was enthusiastic. He didn't seem demeaning or even upset about her presence. It was as if he was honored to have her as a guest. Though his pale eyes shifted toward her, wondering how long she was going to keep her air of arrogance up. “Ms. White, is everything all right? You appear to be in mourning, I am so very sorry if that's the case. If you feel you need to withdraw yourself early this week, please do so. I'm ashamed and deeply apologetic that I was not informed earlier, I never would have – “

He cut himself off, finding himself to be took talkative for the persona Danielle reflected. When they reached the door, he opened it and turned politely to the side, standing in the snow to allow her to enter first. Klaus looked slightly nervous or embarrassed. “Do stay the night, if anything...”

[DANIELLE ALEXANDREI WHITE]

[style=font-size: 42px; font-family: garamond; margin-right: 40px; text-align: right; color: ffffff; text-shadow: #555555 1px 1px 1px; margin-bottom: -7px; letter-spacing: 2px;]we could have had it all,[/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,440,true] [atrb=height,670,true][atrb=cellpadding,6px,true][cs=2][atrb=background,http://i27.tinypic.com/ossaht.jpg,true][style=line-height: 14px; font-size:11px; letter-spacing: 4px; font-family: courier new; background-color: ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: -15px; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: center; color: #555555; opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]you're gonna wish you never had met me[/style]

[style=width: 305px; height: 670px; background-color: ffffff; margin-left: 5px; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; color: #555555; overflow: auto; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;mopacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]Her frame relaxed a little when he gave her a smile rather than a sneer, and relaxed yet further when he didn't hold her hand for longer than he had to. It was also a very good sign that he'd come out to greet her himself, rather than arrogantly waiting in his study, lounging in a chair with a glass of scotch in hand. These were all very positive first impressions, and they made Danielle feel a little more at ease with him. He also didn't seem like a stuck up prude. Danielle relaxed her face a little, glancing up as the carriage driver started taking down her two baggages. Maybe she ought to be thankful. There were few who were lucky enough to marry someone rich, or someone who they were remotely attracted to. Oh, there would be gossip for sure; more than there was now. "The way here wasn't tiring, I feel quite awake. I'm not too cold, but thank you." Noticeably more at ease, Danielle walked alongside Klaus toward the house. She'd noted that he hadn't become cold, awkward, or enraged at the sight of her black dress. Yet another little relief. Though there was quite the chance that he hadn't heard the rumours yet. But she would worry about that later... When he'd turned his face away, Danielle turned her own toward him, taking the opportunity to study the lines of his neck and jawline, the collar of his coat. He knew how to dress quite well, and he was clean. Though she wasn't picky, Danielle knew that all of these positive traits...were not commonly found together in one person. This week would be interesting. She wished to know more about it. Perhaps they could at least become friends, and lead a somewhat happy life together. Though she would try not to become too hopeful. Situations could change in the blink of an eye. She knew this all too well. By the time he directed his question at her, the young lady was facing forward again. She did appreciate him asking, and acknowledging the meaning of her attire aloud. "Please, don't worry about me. It is not common knowledge." She knew that her parents would have tried their best to keep it a secret, having assumed she would wear a regular dress to this meeting. Only a few had caught glimpses of her over the last few weeks, and they'd been the ones to start the rumours. Useless gossipers. A slight smile curved her a lips, one that reached her eyes a little, as she tried to reassure him that he wasn't at fault in the least. Danielle was aware that this had all been set up by their parents, and perhaps Klaus didn't want to be in this situation either. Perhaps there was someone else he loved. Maybe she would find out over this week... Deciding to take a bit of a chance, she opened up a little, "And please, don't feel as if you have to walk on eggshells." The merchant's daughter looked friendly, though not overly so. She wasn't feigning it for ulterior motive. Though her heart ached, she didn't want to spend her life with a man she could not hold a conversation with. If only they could be friends at least... [/style]

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[/u] on OTE![/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[KLAUS QUINTEN MERCIER]

What Klaus had mistaken as arrogance was merely a wall. First impressions meant everything, and he could see that Dainelle's distant behavior was due to trying to engage Klaus. He couldn't blame her for a second; after all, he was a male. Everything was ten times worse behind the curtains. Instead of building a mask of hardness, Klaus was put in a humble direction. Nothing made him happiest than to hep others, and he wished it was the same for everyone else. Talking down to others, gossiping, it only dug the grave of hypocrisy further. Perhaps that is why he was so intimidated by this meeting, knowing that she could be a snake behind that lovely shell of hers. Klaus just didn't want to get bitten and filled with venom, to be washed away in a sea of faces. That was one of his worse fears.

At least it was a small death, most likely a friend. Perhaps that is why his mother sent no word about it. Though he wasn't going to ask about it, she seemed to put some distance on the topic. All he could do was give a slight nod to acknowledge her words, letting his expression show that he was still sympathetic over the matter. He had given her an open opportunity to leave earlier, to let the pressures of her parents subside. Admirably, she didn't take his offer. Was Danielle like the rest of the girls, interested in his wealth? Did seeing him face-to-face and the house they were staying at, sway her mind? Perhaps she was just bored and needed change of scenery, maybe being here was taking her mind off of the death. Whatever it was, Klaus didn't take it negatively. It was too soon to harbor personal feelings about her intentions.

Though she was forward with him, and he looked mildly shocked. Females weren't usually straight forward about warnings. Klaus' face smoothed after some time, not taking it as a threat. He just saw it as a way of the girl expressing herself, opening up. It was similar to the way that Samantha had spoke to him, he just really wasn't expecting it from a 'refined' person. He watched her walk past him and into the house, which he followed in tow. Once they were inside he closed the door behind the two. There was a fireplace brimming with heat, with a table and hot tea set out – even a few snacks, like scones. Before Klaus could personally offer her a seat, the Butler did his job and interjected:

“Please, Ms, have a seat right this way.”

Klaus followed the two forward into the room, taking a slight step ahead of the butler so that he could pull out the chair closest to the fireplace for Danielle. As he did this he gave a sort of playful look toward the Butler, who gawked for a minute and returned a smile. Sometimes he had to remind his Butler not do everything, that Klaus was the type of person to rather do things for himself. Though he knew that his mother had been instructing the Butler do otherwise. Instead, the Butler proceeded with his other duties and poured the two china cups up with green tea. There were other condiments like honey and sugar, in case Danielle found she needed to adjust the sweetness of the tea. When done, the Butler exited to the other room.

When they were alone, he spoke directly to Danielle again: “Since you've given me some slack, I expect you to do the same with me, Ms. White. It would be unfair otherwise.” The playful expression he reserved for the Butler didn't fade just yet, though he kept his hands on the chair, awaiting for her to sit and start at the pre-lunch snacks.

[DANIELLE ALEXANDREI WHITE]

[style=font-size: 42px; font-family: garamond; margin-right: 40px; text-align: right; color: ffffff; text-shadow: #555555 1px 1px 1px; margin-bottom: -7px; letter-spacing: 2px;]we could have had it all,[/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,440,true] [atrb=height,730,true][atrb=cellpadding,6px,true][cs=2][atrb=background,http://i27.tinypic.com/ossaht.jpg,true][style=line-height: 14px; font-size:11px; letter-spacing: 4px; font-family: courier new; background-color: ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: -15px; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: center; color: #555555; opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]you're gonna wish you never had met me[/style]

[style=width: 305px; height: 730px; background-color: ffffff; margin-left: 5px; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; color: #555555; overflow: auto; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;mopacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]Another benefit of meeting Klaus in his manner was that their parents would not be with them, ready to intercept at any opportunity, or trying to steer things into the direction they pleased. This way it was simply her, Klaus and the servants. Surely any of the servants could have been instructed to report back to their masters, it was in no way the same as having said masters present. It all meant that there was less tension they would have to deal with. It was also a relief that they were away from London, away from stares and lips unable to keep secrets to themselves. Danielle's family did not own a country home, therefore this was a treat for her. She hadn't known how much she'd wanted to be away form the city until she'd gotten away. Klaus hadn't reacted negatively to her opening a little and being forward with him, which was another good sign. Or maybe she was being naive, and was allowing herself to be fooled by a very good actor. Many in the upper classes were good actors; otherwise how else could they smile genuinely at a person one moment and then spew venom to others about that very same individual the next? She would be friendly, but she would also keep most of her guard up. It wouldn't do to have Klaus write to his parents that she was an uneducated, manner-less girl and break off the engagement. It would surely hurt her pride a little, but most of all, it would hurt her parents and their reputation as a family. Damned social regulations... Lost in thought, she didn't look around much as they entered the house, nodding at the butler when he spoke and then led her into the next room. When she caught sight of the tea and snacks, Danielle realized that she hadn't had anything to eat or drink on her way to the country estate, and she hoped that her stomach wouldn't betray her and make some sort of noise of excitement. Brown eyes blinked in mild surprise when Klaus stepped up and pulled the chair out for her himself. It could be considered odd in some circles, his especially...particularly since he was of higher rank than Danielle. She gave him another small smile and lowered herself into the seat, glad to feel the heat of the fireplace seeping through her clothes to warm her skin. While she did enjoy the snow, it was awfully cold. It was a good thing indeed that she hadn't given into the impulse and thrown herself out of the carriage and into the field of snow sometime earlier. She loosened her coat and let it slide open a little, not wanting to sweat and feel uncomfortable. A little relieved to see the Butler go, Danielle loosened her coat a little more. The servants would take care of which rooms her baggages would be taken to, she was sure. Or rather, she hoped. It was to be expected, from a family such as the Merciers... When he spoke, her eyes lifted from the tea and snacks to look at him, and she nodded. Though she was hungry, she wouldn't touch the food until she was invited to do so. While some of her opinions belonged to a future generation, mannerisms were often quite deeply ingrained. It would be un-lady-like of her to begin eating without her hosts invitation to do so. "I sincerely appreciate that." And she couldn't help but return the playful look just a little when she answered. [/style]

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[/u] on OTE![/style][/td][/tr][/table][/center]

[KLAUS QUINTEN MERCIER]

After Danielle was well seated, Klaus moved around her so that he could take his own seat. Settling down across from the female, he pulled the chair in. His eyes took a small glance at the woman's face. She really was a beauty, the sort of soft look he admired in most females. Yet the heavy make-up trend was becoming popular, indulging the woman to become even more fake. Klaus had an eye for natural beauty, perhaps that is why he hovered around Samantha. She couldn't very well afford to fix her face. All Klaus did was make sure she had food to eat and decent clothing to wear – nothing extravagant, of course; it would have been too obvious she was getting help from someone. He didn't mean to put Samantha in his thoughts when he was with Danielle, but he was trying to find likeable qualities in Ms. White. So far, he only had poor girl to compare her with...

Politely, his lids lowered to the tea set, along with the tray of scones and dry crackers. There was also an array of different types of fresh bread, which he knew that one of his maids freshly brew up every morning. He reached over and took one of the scones and settled it on his plate. Before digging into the food, he picked up the expensive tea cup and took a sip. Since he was a male, he never really added any sugar or honey to his tea – he drank it to be polite. However, he most definitely preferred a scotch, but he knew it wasn't allowed during such pleasantries. Not with Danielle, anyways. He felt a little strange for a moment and he couldn't peg why. His eyes refocused onto the female who sat stiff, like a doll, in waiting.

He smiled on the brim of his cup and couldn't help a funny sound from escaping his lips. Klaus had suppressed a chuckle. Quickly and with care, he settled his tea cup back down so that he could lift the white linen cloth – a napkin – up to his mouth, drying it. It wasn't that he was intentionally laughing at Danielle or trying to belittle her in anyway; he was just amused that she treated this like a very important social gathering. Such behavior wasn't normally seen, not unless two people were drunk. But there was a slight glow in Klaus' face when he smiled like this, it was a spectrum of his genuine emotions. It was an insight of his personality. “It's all right, Ms. White, you don't have to wait on my account... You are a guest, no one is going to look at what you do too critically here.”

There was a nigh pause, he felt like his words didn't quite explain what he had meant. “Make yourself comfortable, please. Act like this was your own home. Or don't, act like this is a vacation... not a prison.” The side of his mouth curved into a more gentler, softer expression. He didn't want the girl always waiting for Klaus to start, to follow at his flanks, to do his bidding. Klaus wanted Danielle to fight for some space and freedom, though he knew she would have to get comfortable around him first. They were going to spend a long week together, he didn't want to have to babysit her at the same time. He wondered how long he would have to call Danielle, 'Ms. White.' Klaus could do it all week if he had to, but they were engaged and he was trying his best to make her comfortable.

After he had spoken, he lifted his hand to gesture at the food slightly. When he was done, he picked up the cup of tea and resumed drinking. He wouldn't start at his food until he knew that Danielle was going to eat. Klaus was concerned about her diet, knowing the hours to the country house from London was extremely long. Over the journey, Klaus always gained an appetite...

[DANIELLE ALEXANDREI WHITE]

[style=font-size: 42px; font-family: garamond; margin-right: 40px; text-align: right; color: ffffff; text-shadow: #555555 1px 1px 1px; margin-bottom: -7px; letter-spacing: 2px;]we could have had it all,[/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,440,true] [atrb=height,770,true][atrb=cellpadding,6px,true][cs=2][atrb=background,http://i27.tinypic.com/ossaht.jpg,true][style=line-height: 14px; font-size:9px; letter-spacing: 4px; font-family: courier new; background-color: ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: -15px; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: center; color: #555555; opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]you're gonna wish you never had met me[/style]

[style=width: 410px; height: 770px; background-color: ffffff; margin-left: 5px; font-size: 11px; font-family: arial; color: #555555; overflow: auto; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;mopacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]She wondered if she would always find herself worrying about her manners, whether she was being refined enough. Sure she was educated and had was well mannered, but they were of different social status, and she'd never been taught the ways of the women in his social class. If Danielle were to start doubting her self-worth over this, she would not be pleased with herself. It all stood against so many of her ideals. It pained her to admit, but one of the reasons why she'd been so comfortable around Justus was because they'd been on the same level; she wouldn't worry about him looking down on her, and he wouldn't worry about her looking down on him--or so she hoped. Danielle wasn't sure if it would have stayed that way in the long run, but she supposed that now they would never know. Thoughts of him still caused her chest to tighten, grief like a thick needle piercing her heart. She wanted to drown out the feeling with a gulp of tea, but...despite all of her beliefs that people should look past many unnecessary social courtesies, Danielle didn't want to give Klaus reason to dislike her. Not because she had hope that they would soon flourish with romance, but rather because in order to keep everyone happy, including herself, it would be ideal that she and Klaus be at least friends, that they could enjoy one another's company. She'd always wanted a happy marriage, a loving marriage. But she supposed she'd received her share of love in this life, and she would have to be content with that and move on. The days of weeping and mourning were gone; she knew that soon she would be changing the colour of her garments. Too soon, yet not soon enough. When was soon enough? How did one know when grieving changed into...missing? So many questions that she could not ask aloud. Distracting herself, Danielle watched her fiancé drink, holding the cup with those lean fingers, a soft sound echoing off the interior of the china and its contents to tingle along her eardrums. A Laugh? Was he laughing? The girl kept her eyes on him as he set the cup down and dabbed at his mouth, trying to understand. Had she missed some sort of etiquette? Had she embarrassed herself already? Damn this situation, it was taking a toll on her self confidence. Yet, the expression on his face was so pure, so genuine, that she felt herself relax almost instantly at the sight. Was she being naive or gullible? It didn't matter. It was an expression that she knew, instinctively, that she could trust. Her heart beat a little slower, while her thoughts stumbled over one another, trying to comprehend. As she listened to him speak, she wondered if he'd somehow read her mind; he'd addressed the exact issue she'd been somewhat fretting over for the last minute or two. Had her expression been that unguarded? Danielle then nodded at his words, and offered him a smile considerably brighter than what she'd shown him before. Evidently more relaxed, she then removed her coat, her hat, and laid them on the arm of her chair. With a content expression she then set a scone on her plate, then added two spoons of sugar to her tea and stirred. Danielle then bit into the scone, and took a sip of the tea, careful not to burn her tongue. When setting the cup down, she was unaware that a small crumb from the scone had settled on the edge of her lips. The girl dabbed at her lips with a napkin but somehow didn't managed to dislodge the little devil. [/style]

[style=width: 410px; height: 15px; background-color: ffffff; margin-left: 5px; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; color: #555555; overflow: auto; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;mopacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;] made by SPOT

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[KLAUS QUINTEN MERCIER]

Klaus watched Dani carefully. It was unlike him to make judgments on a person's movements, but he found that he was silently dislodging the girl's personality. From what he could see, she was a woman who didn't lack confidence. Her attention to be off on other topics, most likely the deceased she wore black for. What surprised him the most was that Dani didn't talk consistently. In fact, Dani didn't talk enough for Klaus. Usually he was able to carry on a conversation with any woman. Was his fiance closing off her mouth as a defense mechanism? As the girl went to distract herself with the food, he took the opportunity to allow his eyes to probe Danielle. Klaus never knew what kind of woman he liked physically; he only knew the type of personality he adored. There wasn't enough conversation being shared between the two to see where she stood politically, academically or even personally.

So he was forced to merely watch her. Perhaps if it wasn't for the black, he would find the girl to be radiating. Her complexion was pale, near to a porcelain doll. Klaus would have liked to see her in a pearl fabric, one with a lavender glow. He imagined it would make her look gentle, not intimidating and harsh against the eyes. The contrast was staring to get to him. As he watched, he resumed his own eating. Between cutting his scone on his plate and taking half of of it to eat, his eyes remained on the girl. The trip from London to the countryside had always made him famished, so he tried to remain courteous to Dani and let her eat. There was so many questions he was obligated to ask his fiance, but he was also willing to do them because he was genuinely curious.

He could see that he had made her nervous for a moment. Though he had been told his presence brought more comfort than anxiety. Klaus hoped that was true and not just flattery. Sometimes he wondered if he impressed people because they knew who he was, or was it because he tried so hard to be nice? It was ironic considering his secret position in society. After taking another sip of his tea, his eyes wandered back to the girl's face. He watched Dani take a bite of her scone and move the napkin to her face. Klaus didn't think too much of it, until he noticed that there was a crumb near the side of her mouth. She had missed it. The silence between the two seemed even heavier, and he mauled over his options. Danielle could find this moment really embarrassing if he didn't respond in the proper way. Klaus didn't want to humiliate her.

The look of ponder on his face changed into a lighter expression. He moved back the chair, stood up and leaned over the small table set between the two. Reaching his right hand out he paused it in the air, hovering right before her face. “Excuse me, Danielle,” he said softly. With the close proximity, the girl would be able to see the care in his eyes. There wasn't a hint of amusement or scrutiny. The hand in the air came down so that his thumb could caress the girl's lower lip for a second, running it toward the corner of her mouth. With the movement, the crumb became dislodged and was no longer on her face. When he was done, he gave her a gentle smile and went back to take a seat. Klaus didn't want her to be self-conscious, so he quickly added in:

“We don't need a crumb hiding your pretty face.”

[/size][/justify]

[DANIELLE ALEXANDREI WHITE]

[style=font-size: 42px; font-family: garamond; margin-right: 40px; text-align: right; color: ffffff; text-shadow: #555555 1px 1px 1px; margin-bottom: -7px; letter-spacing: 2px;]we could have had it all,[/style]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,440,true] [atrb=height,970,true][atrb=cellpadding,6px,true][cs=2][atrb=background,http://i27.tinypic.com/ossaht.jpg,true][style=line-height: 14px; font-size:9px; letter-spacing: 4px; font-family: courier new; background-color: ffffff; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: -15px; margin-bottom: -5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; text-align: center; color: #555555; opacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]you're gonna wish you never had met me[/style]

[style=width: 410px; height: 970px; background-color: ffffff; margin-left: 5px; font-size: 11px; font-family: arial; color: #555555; overflow: auto; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;mopacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;]It didn't occur to her that her finace could be watching her so intently as she went about easing the thirst and hunger. Sure, Danielle expected him to look; after all, if everything went as planned they would be married. But she hadn't considered that his gaze could be so sharp, that he could note such little details. The only chance she'd had to look at him, without his looking back, was when they'd walked toward the house. It hadn't been nearly enough time, but she'd seen that he was handsome, and that his jaw wasn't clenched, that his eyes hadn't narrowed. Those had to be good indicators of personality; unless of course, he'd been aware of her watching him and had guarded his expression, decided what to show her. Danielle generally spoke, quite a bit. Her mother sometimes found it necessary to state that Danielle should in fact speak a little bit less; particularly about subjects of importance, as most men did not appreciate a wife who could think all too well. Mrs. White did not say so out of cruelty, but rather to prepare her only child for the real world. Despite knowing her mother to be right, Danielle usually chose to ignore his advice. The scones were quite delicious! She would have to remember to thank the cook. Though...was that acceptable behaviour for the social status she woudl reach if she were to marry Klaus. The girl pressed her lips together in annoyance, and would have loved to wrinkle her nose with distaste, but managed to keep from doing so. Damned soial expectations! She felt caught between wishing to be herself, and hoping that she behaved properly in the presence of someone like Klaus. She had to think of both of their happiness, as well as that of her parents. In that moment she wished that she could go abroad somewhere, buy a villa in Greece perhaps and spend the rest of her days there, enjoying the sunlight, the wild storms, and collect books. Hah! Wishful thinking at its finest. Her mind went to the suitcases that were likely awaiting her in her room, and she thought of the soft blue dress she'd packed. Danielle had felt guilty for even doing so, thinking that she'd betrayed Justus in some way. But...if this week went well, maybe she would wear it on the last day of her visit, and on her trip back to London. But, she would think of that later. She didn't particularly mind the silence between them; they had only just met each other, and it could not be expected that they speak comfortably about anything and everything that striked their fancy. Besides, they were eating, and Danielle was more hungry than she'd first realized! Brown eyes looked up and over her fiance's body and expression. He looked deep in thought...and Danielle found her lips parting to ask what he was thinking about, curiosity overruling the manners she'd been taught. Before a sound could come forth, however, she saw his expression change and he stood...and leaned toward her. Danielle's eyes widened in surprise, and she sat very still, curious as to what it was he was doing. He wouldn't kiss her now, during the first hour of their knowing each other. Would he? And she found that the concept was more appealing to her than she would have expected. She watched his face closely, trying to read his intentions there. He was excusing himself? For what? He wasn't trying to trick her or fool around with her feelings, his eyes were gentle. Danielle started to think less and less that there was a possibility of Klaus being a good actor trying to deceive her. A soft gasp came forth when his thumb touched her lip, and she blinked as a hint of red coloured her cheeks. Then he'd gone back to his chair, leaving Danielle confused until he spoke again. A crumb? The girl blinked once, twice, then her expression went from surprise to one of amusement. A soft laugh burst from her lips before she could hold it back. "Thank you! I hadn't realized." She tried not to think of the butterflies that'd come to life in her belly, "I must have looked silly." She drank a little more of the sweetened tea, and found that she was in a much better mood than moments ago. The fact that'd he'd touched her lip should have made her shy, embarassed. Yet strangely, it made her feel a little more comforable in Klaus' presence. It was odd, but she wouldn't over-analyze it. "Do you visit the estate often?" There was still a hint of colour in her cheeks, but she could now blame it on the warmth coming from the fireplace, or the laughing she'd done moments earlier.[/style]

[style=width: 410px; height: 15px; background-color: ffffff; margin-left: 5px; font-size: 9px; font-family: arial; color: #555555; overflow: auto; letter-spacing: 0px; text-align: justify;mopacity: 0.9; -moz-opacity: 0.9;] made by SPOT

[/u] on OTE![/center][/style][/td][/tr]

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