BELLRAM

About an hour after they started their walk, they arrived back in the courtyard.

Mr Monet pulled out a chair for her, waited for her to take a seat and then sat down opposite to her.

Meanwhile, Meia had been able to put aside her initial shyness somewhat. It was mainly due to Mr Monet's nature. It seemed as if it didn't matter what blunder she would make in his presence. He would forgive her and skilfully cover it up. Meia now wondered again if he was actually interested in her or if there was another reason she was here after all.

"Would you like a coffee or something else to drink?"

"Erm, one of those with foam?" Meia asked shyly.

"A cappuccino?"

"Yes." ~I guess.~

"What kind of pastry? Do they have a particular request? I can have anything brought to you."

~I suppose that's true.~

"What... erm..."

"Would you like a menu?" he asked, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to have a menu on his private estate.

"Ah, no, thank you, please just decide for me. It's faster that way, hehe."

For a moment, his face became thoughtful. Meia's answer was probably not what he had hoped for.

"I'll send for something," Mr Monet promised nevertheless, already waving one of the maids over.

"Thank you."

~Like a pig that eats what you put in front of it. What were the etiquette lessons for anyway? No wonder he reacted the way he did. I should have demanded something. Something that showed I had class.~

One of the maids promptly came to the table.

Meia's first thought about her came true. The woman was very attractive. She was taller than Meia. Her body was curvy, as expected of a woman. The way she walked was seductive, but not too deliberate. Meia also noticed her evening make-up. It looked so professional. Then again, maybe it was easier when you were beautiful.

The woman wore a simple open braid. Her hair was partially coloured. Mainly it was black, but several strands by her left temple were in the colour of her eyes, Bordeaux. It was an unusual eye colour. The woman was certainly not from the region.

Mr Monet whispered something to the maid. Meia did not try to make out what exactly. She was otherwise occupied.

~What am I going to do with this thing?~

Meia still had her hat with her. All the way here she had carried it in her hand. Now she put it on the chair to her right.

After Mr Monet had given his order, the maid took a step backwards away from the table, made an elegant curtsy and only then did she leave again.

~Why did I even bring this stupid hat? It's way too warm to wear it. Besides, it hides the elaborate hairstyle. In my imagination, I wore it in the sunshine while walking across a hillside meadow with a beau. A gust of wind comes. I try to hold on to the hat, but it flies away. I run after it, but I just can't manage to catch it. The hat lands in the grass for a moment. Just in time, before it takes off again, the man grabs it. From his knee he reaches it up to me. I bend down and he puts it on me. The brim of the hat hides my embarrassment. The man stands up. With a shy glance I discover his smile. Immediately I hide again, but he pushes the hat back to see me. He reaches around my waist and pulls me towards him, hehe. "Miss Arvis, do you have any plans for the future?", his voice echoes in the wind. How romantic. The reality is that I'm just carrying the hat around. It's useless ballast. Hm?~

Meia noticed that Mr Monet was staring at her as if he was waiting for something.

~Did he ask something?~

A second later he was still staring.

~He asked something. He asked something and he's waiting for an answer. But what? That stupid hat. Hm, It's best I give an evasive wishy-washy answer that's not too direct.~

"Yes, but I'm still undecided."

Meia waited for his response and it almost seemed like he wasn't satisfied with the answer.

~What? Didn't that fit?~

"Erm... Do they have anything in particular in mind?"

~No.~

Originally, Meia had hoped that he had suggested something again and that she would only have to agree. That was probably not the case. But she also had no idea what he had asked and therefore did not know how to answer the follow-up question. It was a precarious situation. Meia said the only thing she could think of.

"Yes-yes?"

This answer also immediately turned out to be a wrong decision. An expectant look was on her. She felt like crying. She didn't understand how she had managed to manoeuvre herself into such a situation again. Basically, it was all the hat's fault. Why did the dress have to have a hat.

"And ... do you want to tell me?"

~No.~

Mr Monet did not let up. Maybe she should just admit she had not been listening. She probably should have done that right away. By now it was too late for that. Meia needed a solution and fast. Before she could answer 'Yes' again, a saving idea came to her at the last second, a light of hope that would dispel the darkness.

" Erm, could you excuse me for a moment, Mr Monet?"

"Oh, of course I can. The maid by the door will show you the way." he gestured to the maid remaining at the door as he prepared to wait, leaning back in his chair.

Meia was relieved. The plan seemed to be working. The light of hope she had glimpsed was the ceiling light of a toilet. A toilet behind whose door she could hide until the question would have fallen victim to time. If she were here again, then Mr Monet would have to ask her again. So she would have successfully mastered this situation.

Before Meia could get up from her seat, someone suddenly came out of the house, wanting to join them it seemed. It was a tastefully dressed man. Especially the waistcoat he was wearing was strikingly elegant. Above his pocket was a blue cross similar to the one Mr Monet had. Meia remained seated for the time being, waiting to see what would happen.

The man did not say a word to her. He walked right past her to Mr Monet's side. Judging by his haste, it must have been about something important?

Immediately, the man earned a glare from Mr Monet for his behaviour.

Meia was slightly shocked. It only lasted for a second, but for the first time Mr Monet seemed different. The gaze was intimidating.

For the man, it was prompt enough to add his greeting.

"I wish you a good day, Miss Arvis. I am pleased that you honour us with your presence. Please excuse my rudeness. It won't happen again."

~He knows my name, too.~

"It's all right."

The man nodded and said nothing else to her. He immediately turned back to Mr Monet and whispered something in his ear.

Meia thought it appropriate to give them both some privacy and in the meantime surveyed the hedge from the garden. Her consideration, however, was limited to not looking. In fact, her sideways head position helped her eavesdrop.

"It was only 330 in the end, but there was a fire. I need to discuss this with you and better now."

"Does it really have to be now?" asked Mr Monet with an angry undertone.

"Yes ... it must."

Mr Monet sighed in annoyance.

Meia would like to ask what had happened, but she could not. Continuing not to let on, she turned her head even further to the right.

"Miss Arvis, I'm sorry, but I have to attend a business meeting for a short time. Would that be all right with you?"

"Oh! Y-yes. Of course. If you have to..."

Meia tried hard to look disappointed. After her reply, she looked back down and started shifting her hat listlessly back and forth on the seat.

"I'll be back for the party in the evening at the latest. During that time, of course, you may use all the recreational facilities of the estate. If you wish for anything, you only need to ring the bell and one of the maids will come to you immediately. The other guests should also arrive soon aswell So you won't have to be alone for long," while he was explaining, Mr Monet was already standing up.

The bell referred to stood in the middle of the table. It was exactly like the one in the carriage. There was one on each of the garden tables.

Meia continued to play the cracked one, but inwardly she was glad to be able to spend time alone. Being around someone so important was incredibly exhausting. His absence would also solve the problem of the unheard question. Later, he could not simply reintroduce it with an 'And?', but would have to ask it again completely. So the problem had solved itself.

Before Mr Monet left, he stopped again, right next to her chair.

Meia looked up at him.

"I have one more question for you and I hope you don't think I am rude, but would it be acceptable to call you Meiandra. In return, I would like you to call me Jean."

"If-if you would like to...", Meia answered him quietly, her eyes falling on her hat again, this time out of embarrassment.

"I would like that very much, Meiandra. Until later."

"..."

Mr Monet eventually left the courtyard through the open double doors into the house along with the other man. Meia had only heard the footsteps but had not seen it. She had not had the courage to look after him. With his last words, it was clear to her. - He wanted her. - He called her 'Meiandra'. Usually no one called her by her first name. The housemaid always addressed her as Miss Arvis. Not even her father used her first name. If he spoke to her at all, he always used words like 'daughter, child or you' as a substitute. Certainly Jea-Mr Monet was not the very first to call her that, but he was the first in a long time. In general, she wondered why he was so nice to her. He would only need to communicate his wishes to her father and she would already be lying in his bed wrapped in ribbon. Surely he knew that too. But why he had not done it, she did not know. What did her opinion matter? Why bother treating her well when he did not have to, when he could just take her? Getting rid of her would give her father the hope of money. That would be quite enough for him in return. So it was a mystery, but unfortunately one that was too complicated for her to solve.

.../ End Part