Her eyes widened. Wow…he apologized? she thought with a blink, and then another. "Well, of course not." she quipped. "You couldn't insult her or her work even if you tried." She got off of the bed and stretched. "Hmm…I'm hungry. Would you like something light to eat?" She asked as she fixed the skirt of her steel grey dress.
Marcus shook his head, even as every cell in his body pleaded with him to say yes. "No, thank you, Miss Darcy." His face was a mask again, not a trace of the emotion it had held before left on his features. "I'll ring for a maid." Pulling on the string next to his bed and hearing a faint ring somewhere down the hallway, he leaned back. "And err…" He opened one eye. "Since I am currently indisposed, would you mind… getting me a shirt?"
((Ooooh, is Agelina going to come?? If so, should Winnie stay or go? If she goes, Angelina could try and make a pass on Marcus, hmmm? Its up to you.))
Winnie gave a curt nod and turned away from him, her face heating rapidly. Her mind had been an entirely different place this entire time, her duty hadn't allowed her to register the fact that her hands had roamed his bare chest for minutes on end. Dear Gods, I blew on his chest! Her face caught flame. She looked for a shirt that dangling in front of her face for several moments, waiting for her emotions to cool as they riled within her.
Get yourself together, you were performing your duties. She thought as she turned to him once more. "Do you- Do you need assistance?" she choked.
(the Angelina thing was exactly what I had in mind! How Winnie reacts is entirely up to you ;)
Marcus couldn't resist a tiny smirk at the look on her face. "I think I'll be fine, Doctor." He was exhausted, starving, and in pain, but he still couldn't resist the urge to raise his eyebrows. "Is something the matter? You look… flushed." He pushed himself up into sitting position, biting back a wince of pain and holding out a hand. "My shirt?"
Rage boiled in her. How dare he mock me? She lifted her chin, tossing his shirt at him. "I'm fine." she bit back. "I was just thinking it would be wise for you to eat, brat. You're looking rather, malnourished. The bags under your eyes are much more prominent. Unattractive to the uttermost." She threw a hand up to gesture to him entirely. She snatched he book from the bed and proceeded to her room. "I will return this to its place." The door slammed behind her.
Marcus shook his head slowly, a tiny smile hanging off his lips as he pulled the shirt over his head and leaned back. He didn't get much rest, however, because a moment later someone knocked politely on his door. "Come in.", he called.
"You called?" His eyes flew open, landing on the servant that had just entered. Angeline.
Winifred heard another voice as she placed the book back in the trunk, closing it slowly. She crept over to the door and cracked it open. It was the blonde maid she had seen earlier. A smile appeared on her face as she watched, unknown to the two in the room. Let us find out how valuable she really is information wise, shall we Winifred?
Barry sat up in bed. "Angeline." Angeline stared at him unflinchingly. "You called?", she repeated, keeping her chin up. "Er.. yes, Miss Darcy requested a small meal." Angeline nodded, mouth set in a straight line. "Anything else, my Lord?"
Marcus swallowed, beckoning her closer. "Angeline…. about earlier…" She just shook her head. "I understand, my Lord, you do not have to–" He cut her off. "I'll do it. I am currently.. indisposed, according to my doctor, so you do not have to spend the next few nights here."
Angeline's facial expression morphed into one of surprise, but only momentarily. "I– I can't thank you enough, Marcus…" She dipped down into a curtsy, relief evident on her face, then did something that completely surprised him. She leaned forward to press a quick kiss to his cheek and was gone.
Winifred slid the door shut as the maid left. She bit her nail and thought for a moment., leaning against the door. He was doing something for her, and it required staying in his room. A smile curled on her lips as a possibility came to mind. "So…" she whispered. "Lord Marcus is playing the hero?" She giggled softly. How cute…
Wiping the smile from her lips, she slipped back into the room, locking the door behind her. "Don't want you snooping anymore…" she muttered under her breath. Looking over at Lord Marcus, a look of mere tolerance on her face, she asked. "That was the maid? At the door?"
((I couldn't help but show a little of Winifred's own mindset. She does have a little bit of crazy in her veins, since both her mother and aunt were insane. It has manifested into something intelligent and deadly since she's been reading those books. I can only imagine it'll get worse in her time with Marcus))
Marcus looked her over warily. “You were hungry, I called for food. But, if you’d rather eavesdrop than eat that’s fine too.” He shifted back on the bed, glad he was fully clothed again. His mind turned with the decision he’d just made, but there was no going back now.
((I couldn't help but show a little of Winifred's own mindset. She does have a little bit of crazy in her veins, since both her mother and aunt were insane. It has manifested into something intelligent and deadly since she's been reading those books. I can only imagine it'll get worse in her time with Marcus))
rubs hands together plus Marcus is going imsane sooooo
Fun fun
((Mmmm, yes indeed))
Winnie shrugged, waving her hand in the air dismissively. "Oh please, I could say the same for you. You split yourself open while snooping through my things." She pointed to his now covered chest. "So please, hold your scolding for another time, brat." She moved a chair. Story time was over so she would not be sitting on that bed any longer. She sat a little ways off and crossed her legs.
Marcus sighed, leaning back against the pillows again. They stayed in silence for the next few minutes were spent in silence, until Angeline came back with a cart of food. She was careful not to make any eye contact with him, leaving as quickly as possible. After she had left, Marcus spoke up again. “I mean, you pretended to be asleep and watched my while I read a book, shirtless, so…”
"Because I had every right to, you were going through my things, after all." she stood and inspected the food. Simple enough for a small meal. And she brought tea… she smiled and brought the food over to a small table. Pouring herself a cup, she looked over at Marcus. "You being shirtless has nothing to do with the situation at all, unless you count it as a factor to… something…"
Marcus was exhausted and in pain, but he still managed to raise an eyebrow. “Like what?” He kept his dark eyes on hers, running a bloodied hand through his hair. I need to get a pair of gloves. He wasn’t sure what he was hoping for her to answer.
She smiled. "I don't know, you consider to mean something. I do not." She sipped her tea. "Anywho, do you refuse to eat yet again?" she quipped with a raised brow.
Marcus rubbed his eyes. “I am refusing.”, he said firmly, setting his jaw. “Doctor. I have matters to attend to.” Moving to get up, he ignored the burst of pain in his chest.
"I insist against leaving." she droned. How bull-headed could he be? "Don't be stupid, after all you've but yourself through, your body needs rest to say in the least." She put her tea down with a sharp clink. "Please. Lay. Back. Down." she she said, though it hardly sounded like a suggestion.
Marcus’s steely gaze clashed with hers. “I have things to do.” An uncle to kill. “You May be my doctor but you have no control over my personal life.”
"No, I don't…." she she growled, her lips thinning, turning pale with the force she used to clench her jaw. "I control your entire life. If you continue to move about, you will tear those stitches yet again, you will bleed out, and you will die." she clasped her hands over her navel. "You obviously don't seem to be well in mind since you can't see this yourself. Your uncle warned me of such."
Marcus bit back his initial response, watering it down. “My uncle, knows nothing.”, he half-snarled. “And I am quite aware that I am not well of mind, I do not need you as a reminder. I’m not stupid, I won’t exert myself, but I need to finish my papers.” He strode ovsr tp his desk, clenching his teeth against the pain, removed a stack of encoded papers and a pen from the drawers and returned to the bed.
"You don't have to over-exert yourself, you've already accomplished that!" she shouted. She stalked over to the desk and braced her hands on it, her nails digging into the wood. "All I ask is that you rest for one day."
Marcus gritted his teeth. “Fine. Fine. Just let me do these, in bed. I won’t get up, I’ll eat, fine.”
Winnie smiled with satisfaction. "Thank you." she gave him a small, slightly mocking curtsy. She wore that smile as she retrieve her tea and perched herself on top of the desk.