Cormack Owle
65. The Captain and the Engineer: The Arrangement
The following day Vincent reached out to Aiden to let him know that the next day's lessons would be his last. With a pleased smile, Vincent assured Aiden that he had exceeded his expectations and he was ready! He also explained that the following day was when Damien and he had opted to go flying. They'd be going in the evening. Once Aiden assured his captain that he had a few inns in mind to stay at already, Vincent resisted the urge to stay in his presence longer and left Aiden to take care of further business in town.
The next day at lessons, they were joined by not only by the now-recovered Abigail but by Bernadette as well! And with this unexpected visitor, instead of lessons, the four of them quickly found themselves seated together just chatting away while getting lost in listening to music and smoking the herb. They were having such a splendid time together!
As the afternoon shifted towards evening, Vincent declared his last round of smoking. He needed to be wrapping this up soon because he needed to be meeting Damien at the ship. Aiden mentioned needing to go with him to pick up his bag as well for the evening.
As soon as the sisters discovered that Aiden would be heading towards an inn for the rest of the night after grabbing something to eat, they looked at each other. They simultaneously came up with an idea.
Abigail smiled warmly and turned to Aiden and asked him, "Never mind having to go out! How would you like to join us and the family for dinner? It's been a while since we've had you over, and this way we can get Eugene back to you! I swear if that crab stays with us any longer he'll become the family pet!"
Aiden looked between Bernadette and Abigail and their hopeful smiles and pleading eyes; eyes that mirrored his beloved captain's. How was he supposed to resist them? As if that weren't enough to convince him, he vividly recalled Mrs. Faris' divine cooking and the warm welcome he'd received from the Dubois family. While the idea of going there without Vincent intimidated him, he wasn't about to decline Abigail's invitation!
And while Aiden agreed and spoke to Bernadette, Abigail stood and went to walk around the back of Vincent's seat. She'd seen the look of trepidation in his eyes. She placed her hand upon his shoulder and gave it a gentle pat before speaking quietly in his ear, "He'll be fine. I'll keep an eye on things."
After bidding the others a quick farewell, Abigail took her leave to let the family know they would be having company for the evening. Even though Vincent may think her a small villain right now, she knew exactly what she was doing! His subtle reaction was exactly what she had hoped for. While Vincent may be fooling himself, he wasn't fooling her, his closest friend and confidante. It was enough just to hear Bernadette's recollections of the two together during Vincent's initial recovery. But now that Abigail bore witness, herself, over the past few weeks? Oh ho! This was better than theater! Of course she didn't want to upset her cousin in any way but sometimes he needed a little kick in the ass!
...
Upon his arrival back at Leon's Claw, Aiden went below deck to quickly grab his overnight bag while Bernadette waited patiently for him. Then after a quick farewell to Vincent, Aiden and Bernadette departed together. Vincent's gaze followed after them wistfully until they were no longer in his sight.
Ever since Aiden had been invited to dinner, Vincent's mood started to sink. Now he was feeling downright sour. He knew that it was perfectly acceptable for Aiden to be invited over to dinner. In fact, at this point he almost expected it. He was officially a family friend and everyone adored him! It was just...it came down to Charlotte. And despite knowing Abigail and Aunt Jennifer would be there to chaperone, Vincent still felt anxious and...and the idea of Charlie and Aiden in the same room irritated the fuck out of him!
What the Hell was Abigail playing at?! Surely, after this, Charlotte would want to introduce Aiden to her father who was coming home next week! She'd likely think that Aiden was coming back to see her; not the whole family. But wait...what if he WAS going so he could see her? Shouldn't he be happy if Charlie found someone as wonderful as Aiden? Maybe so, but instead the idea was...actually starting to piss him off.
But in the end, with no real valid reason to go chasing after Aiden and summon him back, Vincent tried to push it out of his mind (of which he was unsuccessful), and began to get Leon's Claw ready for her evening adventure. Something told him it was going to be a long night...
...
Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.
Staring out the window of the family's sitting room, Charlotte nibbled her lower lip while fidgeting nervously. She had already changed into a more flattering dress for dinner and was now waiting impatiently for her elder sister and their guest to arrive. After these past couple of weeks with no contact, she'd begun to think that maybe Aiden wasn't interested in her after all. He'd not come despite her invitation. Yet when Abigail announced that Aiden was coming tonight after his dance lessons, Charlotte's fears dissipated on the spot. Of course he'd been busy preparing for the masquerade! It made sense now why he'd not come to see her until now!
"He's here!" Charlotte exclaimed excitedly as she made haste out the door to greet the carriage coming down the driveway. Meanwhile, Dionne rolled her eyes as she looked up from her notes of cooking recipes and leaned against her mother wearily. She then whined, "I can't wait for her to finally get married! She keeps going from happy to mopey...to happy again! It's always 'Aiden this' and 'Aiden that.' A few months ago it was 'Edward this' and 'Edward that' She's so annoying!"
Lady Dubois gave a soft chuckle and wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders and squeezed gently. She told her with a knowing smile, "That is normal for young ladies, I'm afraid. I remember sitting by the window for hours eagerly waiting for your father to arrive. Ah, my darling, you will see for yourself soon enough once you fall in love."
"No, I won't! That's so boring! Ugh! I'm not sure I even want to fall in love!"
"I think it's romantic! I can't wait to fall in love!" cut in Emele as she looked up from her romance novel. She sighed dreamily, causing her twin to make a face and stick her tongue out in disgust. Lady Dubois couldn't help but laugh harder as she motioned for the girls to come along to greet their dinner guest.
"It's so good to see you," Charlotte was telling Aiden as Lady Dubois and the twins made it to the entrance hall. "I was wondering when you'd be stopping by again!" Already, she had her hands comfortably wrapped around Aiden's arm and was guiding him inside as Mr. Faris held the door open for them. Bernadette followed behind them, thanking Mr. Faris and looking mildly put off as she huffed slightly at her sister who wasn't paying attention. She only had eyes for their fine guest.
"It's good to see you too. I've been wanting to come visit everyone again," Aiden replied with a sincere smile which made Charlotte smile wider. "I've been distracted with lessons the past few weeks."
"So I've heard! Mama, look who's here!"
After a quick round of pleased greetings with Lady Dubois and the twins, Aiden found himself in the dining room where Abigail and the rest of the family waited eagerly for their guest’s arrival. It didn't take very long for everyone to get settled and sit down for dinner. This time Aiden found himself seated beside Charlotte. She seemed to be taking it upon herself to be Aiden's hostess this evening.
Mrs. Faris had made yet another delicious meal: shepherd's pie! It was savory and hit all the right notes. Dinner was a fairly quiet affair; a testament to how much everyone was enjoying their meal. But as dinner drew to a close, conversation started becoming more lively as Lady Dubois inquired about the lessons that she'd been hearing so much about.
Aiden glanced towards Abigail who smiled and quirked her eyebrow at him with a little smile; gesturing for him to go ahead and elaborate. Aiden took a quick sip of his wine with a small smile as he turned his attention back to the lady of the house.
"I was offered an invitation to the coming masquerade ball so your daughter and nephew have been kind enough to teach me how to dance and proper etiquette. This is- heh, well I never dreamed I'd attend an event such as that! But we've been meeting and I've been practicing my dancing."
"And you're doing wonderfully," Abigail praised his efforts as she lifted her wine glass and gave it a gentle swirl. "It's a shame there wasn't enough time to teach you more. You are a quick learner!"
"Aw shucks. Thank you!"
"But there's still time. Why stop early?" Lady Dubois wondered aloud as she tilted her head curiously at her eldest daughter. Abigail licked her lips and replied, "Vincent seemed to think Aiden had learned enough." She gave a small shrug and added, "Just as well. There is much to do before the ball."
"You know, Aiden," Charlotte spoke up with a suggestive smile as she leaned a touch closer and placed her hand on his forearm, "I'm quite the dancer, if I do say so, myself. If you'd like more time to prepare, I'd be happy to offer myself as your practice partner. Perhaps after dinner? If Mama or one of my sisters would be willing to chaperone, of course."
Bernadette and Abigail were already internally groaning. Abigail thought to herself how she should have known Charlotte would pull something like this! And to make matters worse, Aiden was suddenly perking up and nodding his agreement!
"You know what? I'd like that," Aiden agreed with a grin. Maybe if things worked out practicing with her this evening, he could ask to come back a few more times before the masquerade and get more practice in! He couldn't wait to show off his improved skills to Vincent at the ball. After all, his big plans to finalize his sneaky courting of Vincent were to come to a head there!
With Aiden's motives unknown to them, Bernadette's brow furrowed as she glanced towards Abigail uncertainly. But her sister was discreetly, yet keenly, observing Aiden and Charlotte as she sipped her wine. And as Lady Dubois readily agreed to chaperone, Abigail spoke up and offered to assist as their dance instructor. She had promised Vincent she'd keep an eye on Aiden after all. As much as she didn't want to admit it, if Aiden decided to choose Charlotte, there wasn't much anyone could say. In the end, Vincent would likely remain none the wiser as to what could have been.
But as the evening progressed, Abigail would see that their concerns were unfounded after all; at least where Aiden was concerned. Even with the most desired and eligible young woman this side of town in his arms with eyes only for him, Aiden could not stop bringing up Vincent! Bless him! It was obvious, at least to Abigail, that he was completely smitten. Abigail was actually beginning to wonder if Aiden was even aware of Charlotte's growing feelings for him.
However Charlotte, in her infatuation, seemed unphased by Aiden's favorite topic of discussion. She gladly listened to his adventures and the funny stories and enjoyed his conversation. From an outside perspective the two appeared well-matched and looked good together. Anyone would believe that something was growing between them.
The hour was starting to get late when Lady Dubois cleared her throat softly and offered a nightcap. Aiden hadn't realized how late it was and began to apologize but Lady Dubois graciously dismissed his apology by telling him it was a pleasure to have him. Here, Abigail regretfully needed to excuse herself. She was, first and foremost, a mother and she needed to see about putting her son and the other little ones to bed. It left Aiden to sit with Charlotte and her mother to share a drink before parting for the night. Once Lady Dubois poured the drinks, she went to sit nearby as the young couple took a seat on the sofa.
"You really dance wonderfully!" Charlotte praised Aiden as she took a seat comfortably beside him on the sofa and offered him his drink. Aiden blushed and smiled shyly as he brought the glass to his lips and took a small sip. She took a sip as well then told him, "I'd seriously never have guessed you'd only started learning a couple weeks ago!"
"Thank you. I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy it. Heh, Vincent says I'm a quick learner."
"I'd say you are! Your partner is going to be a lucky lady!"
"My partner?"
"For the masquerade? You said you had an invitation, yes?"
"Oh, right," Aiden responded as realization suddenly hit him and he lowered his drink and stared at it with a slight furrowed brow. His invitation DID mention he was invited as well as a plus one.
"Vincent invited me. I didn't realize I had to bring anyone."
"Wait. So you're going with Vincent?"
"No. He's...he's going with Damien." God, saying that aloud felt like he was swallowing acid. "He just got me the invitation."
"Well it is not required, per se. But it IS expected," Charlotte explained thoughtfully. He didn't have anyone to go with! This had to be divine planning! With a light nibble of her lower lip and looking as sweet as possible, she gazed up at him with pleading eyes and suggested in a soft tone, "What if...we went together? I haven't found anyone to go with, myself. It is a bit last minute, I know. At least you know we're very compatible on the dance floor?" She gave a soft laugh and quickly added, "We could even practice more ahead of time if you'd like."
"That would be brilliant!"
"Excellent. So it's settled!" Charlotte smiled happily as she raised her glass towards him. "We'll be sure to get plenty of practice in and dazzle the whole lot of them!"
Aiden chuckled at her enthusiasm and raised his glass to gently clink against hers in agreement. If it was expected that he brought someone then why hadn't Vincent mentioned that? Perhaps he just didn't want to put unnecessary pressure on Aiden? Charlotte had a valid point: they were compatible on the dance floor and this way at least they had a friend to go with. She was fun to be around and he did like her. And this would give him the opportunity to keep practicing dancing like he wanted! It was kind of her to offer.
A short time later Charlotte and Lady Dubois were bidding Aiden a fond farewell outside the front door. The Dubois family carriage was waiting to take him to the inn for the evening; a generous offer by Lady Dubois. Aiden said goodnight to the two ladies and tucked Eugene the mechanical hermit crab safely in his pocket. Then he took his leave until his planned return to practice with Charlotte.
Charlotte waved to Aiden as the carriage pulled away. Once it was by the road she sighed happily and looked at her mother with a dreamy little smile before heading back inside. And as she did, she began to hum to herself; a sign of a happy woman.
Lady Dubois quirked her brow and chuckled softly with a small shake of her head. Though before she turned to go back inside, herself, she paused with a touch of doubt and cast her gaze back towards the carriage as it turned onto the main road. While she thought Aiden and Charlotte would make a lovely match, something wasn't quite right. She couldn't quite put her finger on it...
'He's...he's going with Damien,' Aiden had told them. While she respected that Damien was one of Vincent's best friends and a loyal crewmate, she wasn't quite sure how to feel about this...situation. Damien was....he was just... And if she was being honest with herself there was something in Aiden's tone that suggested he was displeased with that notion as well.
And one couldn't deny that little smile that crept up on Aiden's face whenever Vincent was mentioned all those times. Call it a mother's intuition, but something told her that there was definitely more to all this than what meets the eye. She didn't sense there were any ulterior motives from Aiden, but why spend all this time with Charlotte if he was infatuated with Vincent?
But even Lady Dubois had to admit that there had been no mention of actual courting between Aiden and her daughter. They'd simply agreed to spend time together practicing much like Abigail had done with Aiden. However, Abigail didn't see Aiden as a potential suitor whereas Charlotte did. She just really, really hoped that Charlotte kept her wits about her as whatever was to come would come.
---
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***Please note this is a BOY LOVE (LGBTQ+) series. It is a slow burn and is rated YOUNG ADULT!***
Special thank you to my husband Vin for collaborating with me on this series and co-starring as The Captain!
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65. The Captain and the Engineer: The Arrangement
The following day Vincent reached out to Aiden to let him know that the next day's lessons would be his last. With a pleased smile, Vincent assured Aiden that he had exceeded his expectations and he was ready! He also explained that the following day was when Damien and he had opted to go flying. They'd be going in the evening. Once Aiden assured his captain that he had a few inns in mind to stay at already, Vincent resisted the urge to stay in his presence longer and left Aiden to take care of further business in town.
The next day at lessons, they were joined by not only by the now-recovered Abigail but by Bernadette as well! And with this unexpected visitor, instead of lessons, the four of them quickly found themselves seated together just chatting away while getting lost in listening to music and smoking the herb. They were having such a splendid time together!
As the afternoon shifted towards evening, Vincent declared his last round of smoking. He needed to be wrapping this up soon because he needed to be meeting Damien at the ship. Aiden mentioned needing to go with him to pick up his bag as well for the evening.
As soon as the sisters discovered that Aiden would be heading towards an inn for the rest of the night after grabbing something to eat, they looked at each other. They simultaneously came up with an idea.
Abigail smiled warmly and turned to Aiden and asked him, "Never mind having to go out! How would you like to join us and the family for dinner? It's been a while since we've had you over, and this way we can get Eugene back to you! I swear if that crab stays with us any longer he'll become the family pet!"
Aiden looked between Bernadette and Abigail and their hopeful smiles and pleading eyes; eyes that mirrored his beloved captain's. How was he supposed to resist them? As if that weren't enough to convince him, he vividly recalled Mrs. Faris' divine cooking and the warm welcome he'd received from the Dubois family. While the idea of going there without Vincent intimidated him, he wasn't about to decline Abigail's invitation!
And while Aiden agreed and spoke to Bernadette, Abigail stood and went to walk around the back of Vincent's seat. She'd seen the look of trepidation in his eyes. She placed her hand upon his shoulder and gave it a gentle pat before speaking quietly in his ear, "He'll be fine. I'll keep an eye on things."
After bidding the others a quick farewell, Abigail took her leave to let the family know they would be having company for the evening. Even though Vincent may think her a small villain right now, she knew exactly what she was doing! His subtle reaction was exactly what she had hoped for. While Vincent may be fooling himself, he wasn't fooling her, his closest friend and confidante. It was enough just to hear Bernadette's recollections of the two together during Vincent's initial recovery. But now that Abigail bore witness, herself, over the past few weeks? Oh ho! This was better than theater! Of course she didn't want to upset her cousin in any way but sometimes he needed a little kick in the ass!
...
Upon his arrival back at Leon's Claw, Aiden went below deck to quickly grab his overnight bag while Bernadette waited patiently for him. Then after a quick farewell to Vincent, Aiden and Bernadette departed together. Vincent's gaze followed after them wistfully until they were no longer in his sight.
Ever since Aiden had been invited to dinner, Vincent's mood started to sink. Now he was feeling downright sour. He knew that it was perfectly acceptable for Aiden to be invited over to dinner. In fact, at this point he almost expected it. He was officially a family friend and everyone adored him! It was just...it came down to Charlotte. And despite knowing Abigail and Aunt Jennifer would be there to chaperone, Vincent still felt anxious and...and the idea of Charlie and Aiden in the same room irritated the fuck out of him!
What the Hell was Abigail playing at?! Surely, after this, Charlotte would want to introduce Aiden to her father who was coming home next week! She'd likely think that Aiden was coming back to see her; not the whole family. But wait...what if he WAS going so he could see her? Shouldn't he be happy if Charlie found someone as wonderful as Aiden? Maybe so, but instead the idea was...actually starting to piss him off.
But in the end, with no real valid reason to go chasing after Aiden and summon him back, Vincent tried to push it out of his mind (of which he was unsuccessful), and began to get Leon's Claw ready for her evening adventure. Something told him it was going to be a long night...
...
Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.
Staring out the window of the family's sitting room, Charlotte nibbled her lower lip while fidgeting nervously. She had already changed into a more flattering dress for dinner and was now waiting impatiently for her elder sister and their guest to arrive. After these past couple of weeks with no contact, she'd begun to think that maybe Aiden wasn't interested in her after all. He'd not come despite her invitation. Yet when Abigail announced that Aiden was coming tonight after his dance lessons, Charlotte's fears dissipated on the spot. Of course he'd been busy preparing for the masquerade! It made sense now why he'd not come to see her until now!
"He's here!" Charlotte exclaimed excitedly as she made haste out the door to greet the carriage coming down the driveway. Meanwhile, Dionne rolled her eyes as she looked up from her notes of cooking recipes and leaned against her mother wearily. She then whined, "I can't wait for her to finally get married! She keeps going from happy to mopey...to happy again! It's always 'Aiden this' and 'Aiden that.' A few months ago it was 'Edward this' and 'Edward that' She's so annoying!"
Lady Dubois gave a soft chuckle and wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders and squeezed gently. She told her with a knowing smile, "That is normal for young ladies, I'm afraid. I remember sitting by the window for hours eagerly waiting for your father to arrive. Ah, my darling, you will see for yourself soon enough once you fall in love."
"No, I won't! That's so boring! Ugh! I'm not sure I even want to fall in love!"
"I think it's romantic! I can't wait to fall in love!" cut in Emele as she looked up from her romance novel. She sighed dreamily, causing her twin to make a face and stick her tongue out in disgust. Lady Dubois couldn't help but laugh harder as she motioned for the girls to come along to greet their dinner guest.
"It's so good to see you," Charlotte was telling Aiden as Lady Dubois and the twins made it to the entrance hall. "I was wondering when you'd be stopping by again!" Already, she had her hands comfortably wrapped around Aiden's arm and was guiding him inside as Mr. Faris held the door open for them. Bernadette followed behind them, thanking Mr. Faris and looking mildly put off as she huffed slightly at her sister who wasn't paying attention. She only had eyes for their fine guest.
"It's good to see you too. I've been wanting to come visit everyone again," Aiden replied with a sincere smile which made Charlotte smile wider. "I've been distracted with lessons the past few weeks."
"So I've heard! Mama, look who's here!"
After a quick round of pleased greetings with Lady Dubois and the twins, Aiden found himself in the dining room where Abigail and the rest of the family waited eagerly for their guest’s arrival. It didn't take very long for everyone to get settled and sit down for dinner. This time Aiden found himself seated beside Charlotte. She seemed to be taking it upon herself to be Aiden's hostess this evening.
Mrs. Faris had made yet another delicious meal: shepherd's pie! It was savory and hit all the right notes. Dinner was a fairly quiet affair; a testament to how much everyone was enjoying their meal. But as dinner drew to a close, conversation started becoming more lively as Lady Dubois inquired about the lessons that she'd been hearing so much about.
Aiden glanced towards Abigail who smiled and quirked her eyebrow at him with a little smile; gesturing for him to go ahead and elaborate. Aiden took a quick sip of his wine with a small smile as he turned his attention back to the lady of the house.
"I was offered an invitation to the coming masquerade ball so your daughter and nephew have been kind enough to teach me how to dance and proper etiquette. This is- heh, well I never dreamed I'd attend an event such as that! But we've been meeting and I've been practicing my dancing."
"And you're doing wonderfully," Abigail praised his efforts as she lifted her wine glass and gave it a gentle swirl. "It's a shame there wasn't enough time to teach you more. You are a quick learner!"
"Aw shucks. Thank you!"
"But there's still time. Why stop early?" Lady Dubois wondered aloud as she tilted her head curiously at her eldest daughter. Abigail licked her lips and replied, "Vincent seemed to think Aiden had learned enough." She gave a small shrug and added, "Just as well. There is much to do before the ball."
"You know, Aiden," Charlotte spoke up with a suggestive smile as she leaned a touch closer and placed her hand on his forearm, "I'm quite the dancer, if I do say so, myself. If you'd like more time to prepare, I'd be happy to offer myself as your practice partner. Perhaps after dinner? If Mama or one of my sisters would be willing to chaperone, of course."
Bernadette and Abigail were already internally groaning. Abigail thought to herself how she should have known Charlotte would pull something like this! And to make matters worse, Aiden was suddenly perking up and nodding his agreement!
"You know what? I'd like that," Aiden agreed with a grin. Maybe if things worked out practicing with her this evening, he could ask to come back a few more times before the masquerade and get more practice in! He couldn't wait to show off his improved skills to Vincent at the ball. After all, his big plans to finalize his sneaky courting of Vincent were to come to a head there!
With Aiden's motives unknown to them, Bernadette's brow furrowed as she glanced towards Abigail uncertainly. But her sister was discreetly, yet keenly, observing Aiden and Charlotte as she sipped her wine. And as Lady Dubois readily agreed to chaperone, Abigail spoke up and offered to assist as their dance instructor. She had promised Vincent she'd keep an eye on Aiden after all. As much as she didn't want to admit it, if Aiden decided to choose Charlotte, there wasn't much anyone could say. In the end, Vincent would likely remain none the wiser as to what could have been.
But as the evening progressed, Abigail would see that their concerns were unfounded after all; at least where Aiden was concerned. Even with the most desired and eligible young woman this side of town in his arms with eyes only for him, Aiden could not stop bringing up Vincent! Bless him! It was obvious, at least to Abigail, that he was completely smitten. Abigail was actually beginning to wonder if Aiden was even aware of Charlotte's growing feelings for him.
However Charlotte, in her infatuation, seemed unphased by Aiden's favorite topic of discussion. She gladly listened to his adventures and the funny stories and enjoyed his conversation. From an outside perspective the two appeared well-matched and looked good together. Anyone would believe that something was growing between them.
The hour was starting to get late when Lady Dubois cleared her throat softly and offered a nightcap. Aiden hadn't realized how late it was and began to apologize but Lady Dubois graciously dismissed his apology by telling him it was a pleasure to have him. Here, Abigail regretfully needed to excuse herself. She was, first and foremost, a mother and she needed to see about putting her son and the other little ones to bed. It left Aiden to sit with Charlotte and her mother to share a drink before parting for the night. Once Lady Dubois poured the drinks, she went to sit nearby as the young couple took a seat on the sofa.
"You really dance wonderfully!" Charlotte praised Aiden as she took a seat comfortably beside him on the sofa and offered him his drink. Aiden blushed and smiled shyly as he brought the glass to his lips and took a small sip. She took a sip as well then told him, "I'd seriously never have guessed you'd only started learning a couple weeks ago!"
"Thank you. I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy it. Heh, Vincent says I'm a quick learner."
"I'd say you are! Your partner is going to be a lucky lady!"
"My partner?"
"For the masquerade? You said you had an invitation, yes?"
"Oh, right," Aiden responded as realization suddenly hit him and he lowered his drink and stared at it with a slight furrowed brow. His invitation DID mention he was invited as well as a plus one.
"Vincent invited me. I didn't realize I had to bring anyone."
"Wait. So you're going with Vincent?"
"No. He's...he's going with Damien." God, saying that aloud felt like he was swallowing acid. "He just got me the invitation."
"Well it is not required, per se. But it IS expected," Charlotte explained thoughtfully. He didn't have anyone to go with! This had to be divine planning! With a light nibble of her lower lip and looking as sweet as possible, she gazed up at him with pleading eyes and suggested in a soft tone, "What if...we went together? I haven't found anyone to go with, myself. It is a bit last minute, I know. At least you know we're very compatible on the dance floor?" She gave a soft laugh and quickly added, "We could even practice more ahead of time if you'd like."
"That would be brilliant!"
"Excellent. So it's settled!" Charlotte smiled happily as she raised her glass towards him. "We'll be sure to get plenty of practice in and dazzle the whole lot of them!"
Aiden chuckled at her enthusiasm and raised his glass to gently clink against hers in agreement. If it was expected that he brought someone then why hadn't Vincent mentioned that? Perhaps he just didn't want to put unnecessary pressure on Aiden? Charlotte had a valid point: they were compatible on the dance floor and this way at least they had a friend to go with. She was fun to be around and he did like her. And this would give him the opportunity to keep practicing dancing like he wanted! It was kind of her to offer.
A short time later Charlotte and Lady Dubois were bidding Aiden a fond farewell outside the front door. The Dubois family carriage was waiting to take him to the inn for the evening; a generous offer by Lady Dubois. Aiden said goodnight to the two ladies and tucked Eugene the mechanical hermit crab safely in his pocket. Then he took his leave until his planned return to practice with Charlotte.
Charlotte waved to Aiden as the carriage pulled away. Once it was by the road she sighed happily and looked at her mother with a dreamy little smile before heading back inside. And as she did, she began to hum to herself; a sign of a happy woman.
Lady Dubois quirked her brow and chuckled softly with a small shake of her head. Though before she turned to go back inside, herself, she paused with a touch of doubt and cast her gaze back towards the carriage as it turned onto the main road. While she thought Aiden and Charlotte would make a lovely match, something wasn't quite right. She couldn't quite put her finger on it...
'He's...he's going with Damien,' Aiden had told them. While she respected that Damien was one of Vincent's best friends and a loyal crewmate, she wasn't quite sure how to feel about this...situation. Damien was....he was just... And if she was being honest with herself there was something in Aiden's tone that suggested he was displeased with that notion as well.
And one couldn't deny that little smile that crept up on Aiden's face whenever Vincent was mentioned all those times. Call it a mother's intuition, but something told her that there was definitely more to all this than what meets the eye. She didn't sense there were any ulterior motives from Aiden, but why spend all this time with Charlotte if he was infatuated with Vincent?
But even Lady Dubois had to admit that there had been no mention of actual courting between Aiden and her daughter. They'd simply agreed to spend time together practicing much like Abigail had done with Aiden. However, Abigail didn't see Aiden as a potential suitor whereas Charlotte did. She just really, really hoped that Charlotte kept her wits about her as whatever was to come would come.
---
NEXT PART:
www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/54173438307/in/datepo...
To select another chapter (or even start from the beginning), here's the album link:
www.flickr.com/photos/153660805@N05/albums/72157717075565127
***Please note this is a BOY LOVE (LGBTQ+) series. It is a slow burn and is rated YOUNG ADULT!***
Special thank you to my husband Vin for collaborating with me on this series and co-starring as The Captain!
DISCORD SERVER: That's right! The Captain and the Engineer has a Discord Server! If you would like to join and chat with other crewmates and see what's new and happening before it gets posted to Flickr, click the link!
FACEBOOK PAGE: The Captain and the Engineer has a FACEBOOK PAGE! Please come Like, Follow, and join the crew! Thank you so much for all your support!
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558531406088