Chapter 12

"Ouch," Lilith said, rubbing her nose.

"I apologize for stopping so abruptly. Are you okay?" Kent said, worried.

"It's nothing to worry about. I wasn't looking where I was going either."

"As I was saying, this is the kitchen and the store is just at the side, another small room just at the side."

"Turning left and climbing these stairs takes you to the library." He said stretching his arm out to help her up the stairs.

"Thank you." She said gingerly, taking his hand in hers.

They walk up the stairs coming to a wooden sturdy door.

The door was opened by Kent to a huge room with many books and some velvet seats. The sun streamed in through the windows of the room as dust particles moved around.

Lilith sneezed.

"Bless you. The room isn't used a lot. I don't read here, I do in my office and all the books I use most of the time are there." Kent said, explaining.

"Oh, I see."

They walk down the stairs in silence.

"The other rooms in the house include the drawing room, my office, several bedrooms, the greenhouse which I forgot to show you is right in the backyard, and some other miscellaneous rooms I can't quite remember." He said laughing.

"You can't remember all the rooms in your manor?" Lilith said giggling.

"Only the ones I use and see frequently I remember," Kent said.

"I guess we're done."

"Yes. It's time to see around the town and prepare to be the next issue of gossip for the next few weeks."

"Are we using a carriage?" Lilith asked.

"I don't think it's necessary. We would just see around the river and a few other places. As time passes you'll see more."

They step out slowly and begin walking in the direction of the river.

As they walked, many people greeted them.

"Greetings Lord Kent." They all said turning back and giving a long glance at Lilith.

"Do they stare this much at you?" Lilith whispered.

"I don't think it's me they're staring at," Kent said, smiling at her.

They continue to walk ignoring the countless stares directed at Lilith.

"The Great Lord Kent." A loud male voice said.

Lilith and Kent stopped turning back to see who called.

A large man with ginger hair walked towards them with a smile with a dainty blonde at his side.

"Lord Ershire!" Kent said with a smile.

The two men shake hands.

"It's really good to see you, my dear friend. You caused quite a stir with your departure with Miss Donna."

Kent cleared his throat sharply.

Lord Ershire turned to the girl at Kent's side.

"Great heavens! What a beautiful miss. Nice to meet you, Lord Ershire, pleased to make your acquaintance."

He said bowing and kissing her gloved hand.

"Nice to meet you too, Lord Ershire," Lilith said curtsying slightly.

"Kent, Who is this beautiful miss by your side? I must say she looks more ravishing than Aphrodite herself."

"You flatter me," Lilith said with a sweet smile.

"Um, this is Miss Lilith. She's a visitor of mine and Lilith this is Lord Ershire, a friend of mine and a great poet and his wife, Lady Geraldine."

"Greetings to you," Lilith said bowing slightly to Lady Geraldine.

"Oh dear, you don't have to do that," Geraldine said, smiling at Lilith.

"You look so pretty and I envy your gorgeous hair," Lilith said to Geraldine.

"Oh darling, you're so sweet." She said with red cheeks.

They smile at each other.

"Lockwood, you should come to my residence for dinner. You and this pretty damsel by your side of course. I've got this new wine from India I've been eager to try."

"That sounds lovely. Does next week sound good?"

"It's great."

"See you next week then."

The two men exchange pleasantries and Kent and Lilith continue to walk in the direction of the river.

"They seemed nice, especially Lady Geraldine."

"They are."

"She looks young and a bit pale too," Lilith said.

"They're just newly married. A marriage of convenience." Kent said.

"Oh."

"Enough about others." They continued to walk passing various stores and finally reaching the river.

"This is the River Ethamè. She was named after a Greek goddess who was rumored to have left her people in pursuit of the man she loved and a better life. She was betrayed by him and stabbed in the back. He was also killed brutally I might add but no one could ever forget the works of Ethamè to the society."

"That's sad."

"The river was named Ethamè instead of some other honorary?"

"No. I mean getting betrayed by the one you love and you knew or at least you thought you knew."

"Yeah, it is."

They stood in silence.

"Do people here just stare a lot?" Lilith asked with a laugh.

Kent laughed.

"I feel like I'm just being watched by hawks and I'm prancing around with the price of meat they want."

"That's an avid description." They laugh.

"Pretzels! Get your pretzels." A man shouted.

"Do you want some?" Kent asked.

"I haven't tried them before though." She said,

Kent and Lilith walked to the pretzel seller and bought two. They then walked to a willow tree not too far ahead. Under the willow tree, there were some benches where people sat down and talked.

Kent and Lilith walked into the willow tree. They could feel the stares of their backs. They sat.

Whispers could be audibly heard with the name Lord Kent and the "strange woman".

Lilith took the first bite of her pretzel.

"Mhmm." She moaned.

"Is it good?" Kent asked.

"It is."

"Oh, there's sugar…" Kent said stretching his hand to clean some sugar on Lilith's lips but she beat him to it.

With the tip of her finger, she picked up the sugar, licking the finger.

Kent watched in bewilderment. Something so simple yet so sexy.

Her pink tongue peeked out, licking the rest of it.

"Kent, are you okay?" Lilith asked.

"Lips." He said.