Next, she needed to comb her hair and brush her teeth. Oh, the restroom... Dale had said they would have to share it. She went to the door and knocked. No answer. Good. She turned the handle slowly and peered inside. It was empty. She went in, locked the door behind her, and proceeded to use the toilet.
Thank goodness this house had one of these. She could not imagine how she would manage if she had to use a chamber pot or, worse, a latrine. She shuddered. It was one thing to marvel at the splendor of palaces and castles of bygone eras, but another very different thing to go about day-to-day life without modern conveniences.
She had washed her hands and was brushing her teeth when a door cleverly disguised in the paneling swung open and Dale walked in, rubbing his eyes. He looked sleepy, and so deliciously rumpled from bed that her knees grew weak with improper desire.
He was bare chested and for a moment she forgot to breathe as she admired the male perfection of his wide shoulders. Muscular arms flexed as he ran his hands over his face, and his well-defined pecs showed a smattering of golden hair. His abs seemed to have been lovingly carved by an expert sculptor and disappeared into the waistband of underwear shorts made of a thin fabric that did nothing to disguise the outline of his - gulp - penis.
A fit of coughing seized her as she swallowed toothpaste and a wave of heat rose to her face from the fire deep in her belly.
Becoming aware of her presence, he stopped dead in his tracks, his head whipping up, eyes wide with a horrified expression. He started to retreat. “My deepest apologies, Olivia. It didn’t occur to me that you could be here.”
“No need to run, Dale. I’m almost finished.” She rinsed and wiped her mouth with a towel. “See, all done. I’ll get out of your way. I’m sorry too. For intruding.”
“Nonsense. You are not intruding. I gave you the use of the bathroom. I simply wasn’t thinking this morning. Force of habit. I will be more careful in the future.” He said as he retrieved a robe from a cabinet and threw it on, covering his body. She sighed. What a pity.
“Yes, and I’ll make sure to lock both doors when I’m inside,” Livvy said with a nervous laugh. “It was a good thing you did not walk in five minutes before, or you would have caught me on the toilet... the loo.” She babbled.
At the mortified look on Dale’s face, Livvy realized the poor man was embarrassed by this situation. They did not discuss bathroom matters in this century. Or in hers. She was such a klutz.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered, flustered. “I’ll leave now.”
“No need to apologize,” Dale said with a self-deprecating smile. “Would you like to join me for breakfast this morning?”
“Sure! I was hoping to join you.”
“Excellent. Allow me ten minutes and I will escort you to the dining room. The house is a veritable maze. You could get lost.” He grinned.
“Very well. Thank you.” She flashed a shy smile, befuddled by his dazzling smile, and left.
CHAPTER 17 - The Fate of Crestview Hall
TEN MINUTES LATER,Dale knocked at her door. Immaculately dressed in a suit of beige trousers, a dark blue coat and tall riding boots, he was the epitome of the English gentleman she had seen in movie depictions of Jane Austen novels. She still preferred him in deshabille.
He was too well mannered to stare at her outfit or look her up and down, but his discomfiture was apparent in the way his smile seemed frozen and his eyes darted all over the place. However, he bowed with exquisite courtesy and offered his arm to escort her downstairs.
It was quite a pleasant experience to be treated with such gentlemanliness. It made her feel cherished. Deciding that she had better broach the subject of her clothing, since he looked uncomfortable with it, she ventured.
