London in the Summertime, Chapter 3
Title: London in the summertime
Chapter 3/?
Author: happy_overdose
Summary: AU. The McDonald-Venturis blend in the Regency era
Rating:Teen
Pairings: Dasey, Geora, very slight Lizwin
.......
The day the McDonalds moved into the Venturi estate happened to be the same as the Venturi’s annual grand ball. As they rode along in their carriage, boxes and cases of their things packed around them, the McDonald women were feeling quite different about it. Lizzie was excited to be going to her very first ball, Nora was cautiously trying to talk her out of it and Casey was silent, biting her nails, worrying about seeing Derek at the ball.
Actually she was nervous about more than that. She worried about the rest of her life in that house. Until the day she was married, she would live there. With him. She would eat breakfast with him, pass him in the hallways, in the living room, in the garden. She would see him at dinner. There will times when he would be the topic of conversation in the house, and he would talk to her, sit in the same room with her, breathe the same air. Oh, how was she going to take it?
She had lied to Lizzie that night after the dinner. Lizzie had come into her room when she should have been in bed and asked her outright what there was between her and Derek. When she would have denied everything, Lizzie informed her that Edwin had seen it too. How observant they both were. They should be employed by His Majesty’s secret service.
Casey lied. She said it had just been shock at seeing Derek and not expecting him to be there. Yes, they had met at the party, yes they had talked and flirted, but it had gone no further than that. Because surely nobody expects to meet their future brother in law at a party before he has been properly introduced to you. It would be different when they meet next. Everything will be smoothly ironed out. After all, their parents were getting married in two weeks!
Even while she lied, Casey could feel the lingering hand print on her breast where Derek had caressed her just that evening.
This would not do. She had to forget about Derek, all those promises his lips had made to her. They would never be fulfilled now.
While Nora and Lizzie’s debate became a full on argument, Casey turned her head to the carriage window and banged it gently.
...................
Derek saw the carriage as it rode up the driveway of the estate and truly considered making a run for it. But his father was right there, and so was Edwin, and they would both know something was wrong if he ran away like a lunatic.
She was moving here. She was moving into his house. Right where he could see her everyday. She had already occupied his dreams of late, so now she would be with him twenty-four hours in the day. He was already repeating the mantra; Look but don’t touch. Look but don’t touch. Look but don’t touch.
How he was going to restrain himself when she actually moved into the house, in the bedroom beside his for heaven’s sake, he had no idea.
Edwin had asked him the night after the dinner whether or not he and Casey had a secret relationship. He had laughed to Edwin’s face, reminding him again that he did not like prissy girls and Casey was exactly that. She and he had met at the party, but they had not hit it off at all, and his state of shock upon seeing her again was merely because he could not fathom how unfortunate he was to now be saddled with her for life.
He completely omitted the part that he had considered briefly being saddled with her in another way. And the fact that she had melted against him in that garden and didn’t seem prissy at all.
Derek had to devise a plan.
He was excellent at crafty planning. Unfortunately that was not an official subject in school, because Derek would have probably gotten better grades. He devised a quick plan while the carriage rolled towards them.
He needed to make sure she stayed as far away from him as possible. He needed her to think he was repulsive...
When Derek thought of the perfect, way, he wondered how it had not come to him earlier.
The carriage stopped a short distance from where they stood. The footman helped each of the Venturi women out of the carriage, then helped the servants to carry their things. George and Nora met with a kiss, which seemed so simple and right, not even Marti objected. Casey and Lizzie walked over to where he and Edwin were standing. Suddenly Casey tripped over the hem of her pistachio green dress. She recovered quickly enough, tucking a stray curl behind her ear and ignoring her (very beautiful, very endearing) blush.
Lizzie greeted Edwin and they moved away. Casey turned to him and was about to open her (really pretty) mouth, probably in greeting.
But he beat her to it, “Well, if it isn’t the Queen of Klutz! Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty.”
Her mouth closed in a frown. Edwin and Lizzie turned to look at them. So did their parents.
Derek smirked, “Would you like me to guide you to the house, Your Majesty? I caution, the gravel underfoot is quite slippery.”
“Stop your nonsense!” Casey yanked her arm away from his grasp, walking away. But not too steps away, she tripped again.
“You may want to look about that hem, Your Highness,” he jeered. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his father trying not to laugh and Nora fixing him with a glare.
Casey lifted her skirt lightly and trudged up the stairs into the house.
“Are you being mean on purpose, Smerek?” Marti asked.
Derek grinned, “Yes. Yes I am.”
..................
Casey fumed. Not for a moment did she not see right through his tactic. He was trying to make her hate him, so she would stay away from him. It would be easy enough in this gigantic house.
She would show him! He wanted to be avoided, did he? Well, she hoped he liked being able to see her everyday, but with her ignoring him. She would not stoop to his puerile level! She was a grown woman by most standards!
Casey walked into the room that the servants indicated was her own. She was in awe. The room was as large as the entire first floor of her old house! The wallpaper was a yellow, almost gold, and looked like a million roses had been stuck to the walls. She had a big canopy bed, with beautiful yellow sheets, lovely wardrobes to put her clothes in, a screen for changing and a couch under the large window.
Casey spun around and admired everything, her trouble with Derek momentarily forgotten.
...........
Lizzie had promised to meet Edwin in the play room after she had checked her room. She loved her room, it was done entirely in blue and she had a view of the garden out the window. She watched Nora and Marti navigate the maze in the middle of the garden a while before going to meet him.
She found him spinning a top on the table in the corner, watching it with a mesmerized look on his face. She laughed softly. He looked up and pushed the top off the table.
“It was already spinning when I got here.”
“Oh of course,” Lizzie nodded, though it was evident in her expression that she didn’t believe him a moment. She took the chair across from him, “What did your brother tell you when you asked him?”
Edwin relayed all of what Derek had told him, and in turn Lizzie told him what Casey said.
“So they’re both lying,” Edwin concluded.
Lizzie nodded, “Definitely.”
Edwin tapped his chin, “However, the fact that they both seem to be trying to put their own feelings aside so that Father and Nora can have happiness is good. And they do say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. So the reverse may be true.”
“You have a point,” Lizzie picked up a doll that Marti had rendered permanently bald.
“So at the moment, we just have to monitor the situation. Give me that! I’ve been looking over for it!” Edwin took the kite Lizzie had handed over. It was full of holes and the strings were cut, but Edwin held it gingerly like it was precious gold.
“Ooh!” Lizzie took up a cricket bat, “If I find a ball we can play!”
“If you help me mend this kite I will play cricket with you.”
Lizzie smiled, “Alright!”
................
Casey was behind her oriental silk screen, shimmying into her ball dress when she heard her room door open and clothes. Thinking it was the maid who had gone to iron the ribbon she was planning to wear with her dress for the party, she shouted, “Just lay it on the bed, Clarissa and help me with these buttons.”
She felt a tingle as fingers that were not the maid’s skated up the centre of her back. She inhaled sharply and spun around.
Derek smirked at her, confident in the fact that he had caught her unawares.
“What are you…” she started.
“I just wanted to come and see for myself if it’s true. You have the bedroom next to mine, and our parents are in the next wing.”
Casey gaped. She did not know that.
“Just so you know,” Derek ran another finger from her collarbone down to her cleavage, leaving Casey starved for breath, “If ever you feel afraid and you want to come over, I am always happy to have company.”
Casey fumed, “I will clarify now, so you will never be mistaken. I will never step foot into that trap you refer to as a room. I would rather have all the hosts of hell at my heels!”
He laughed, “We will see.”
"What on Earth would make you think-"
He did not allow her to finish. His lips fit over hers in a kiss that sent hot flames of desire through her. She could barely form a thought much less get him to stop. His arms wound around her, fitting over her bottom and drawing her into him and pulling her into him. Casey wimpered, helpless.
Far too soon, he let her go.
"That, Miss McDonald, makes me think," Derek smirked again, stepping from behind the screen. He was soon out the door, leaving Casey fuming.
Chapter 3/?
Author: happy_overdose
Summary: AU. The McDonald-Venturis blend in the Regency era
Rating:Teen
Pairings: Dasey, Geora, very slight Lizwin
.......
The day the McDonalds moved into the Venturi estate happened to be the same as the Venturi’s annual grand ball. As they rode along in their carriage, boxes and cases of their things packed around them, the McDonald women were feeling quite different about it. Lizzie was excited to be going to her very first ball, Nora was cautiously trying to talk her out of it and Casey was silent, biting her nails, worrying about seeing Derek at the ball.
Actually she was nervous about more than that. She worried about the rest of her life in that house. Until the day she was married, she would live there. With him. She would eat breakfast with him, pass him in the hallways, in the living room, in the garden. She would see him at dinner. There will times when he would be the topic of conversation in the house, and he would talk to her, sit in the same room with her, breathe the same air. Oh, how was she going to take it?
She had lied to Lizzie that night after the dinner. Lizzie had come into her room when she should have been in bed and asked her outright what there was between her and Derek. When she would have denied everything, Lizzie informed her that Edwin had seen it too. How observant they both were. They should be employed by His Majesty’s secret service.
Casey lied. She said it had just been shock at seeing Derek and not expecting him to be there. Yes, they had met at the party, yes they had talked and flirted, but it had gone no further than that. Because surely nobody expects to meet their future brother in law at a party before he has been properly introduced to you. It would be different when they meet next. Everything will be smoothly ironed out. After all, their parents were getting married in two weeks!
Even while she lied, Casey could feel the lingering hand print on her breast where Derek had caressed her just that evening.
This would not do. She had to forget about Derek, all those promises his lips had made to her. They would never be fulfilled now.
While Nora and Lizzie’s debate became a full on argument, Casey turned her head to the carriage window and banged it gently.
...................
Derek saw the carriage as it rode up the driveway of the estate and truly considered making a run for it. But his father was right there, and so was Edwin, and they would both know something was wrong if he ran away like a lunatic.
She was moving here. She was moving into his house. Right where he could see her everyday. She had already occupied his dreams of late, so now she would be with him twenty-four hours in the day. He was already repeating the mantra; Look but don’t touch. Look but don’t touch. Look but don’t touch.
How he was going to restrain himself when she actually moved into the house, in the bedroom beside his for heaven’s sake, he had no idea.
Edwin had asked him the night after the dinner whether or not he and Casey had a secret relationship. He had laughed to Edwin’s face, reminding him again that he did not like prissy girls and Casey was exactly that. She and he had met at the party, but they had not hit it off at all, and his state of shock upon seeing her again was merely because he could not fathom how unfortunate he was to now be saddled with her for life.
He completely omitted the part that he had considered briefly being saddled with her in another way. And the fact that she had melted against him in that garden and didn’t seem prissy at all.
Derek had to devise a plan.
He was excellent at crafty planning. Unfortunately that was not an official subject in school, because Derek would have probably gotten better grades. He devised a quick plan while the carriage rolled towards them.
He needed to make sure she stayed as far away from him as possible. He needed her to think he was repulsive...
When Derek thought of the perfect, way, he wondered how it had not come to him earlier.
The carriage stopped a short distance from where they stood. The footman helped each of the Venturi women out of the carriage, then helped the servants to carry their things. George and Nora met with a kiss, which seemed so simple and right, not even Marti objected. Casey and Lizzie walked over to where he and Edwin were standing. Suddenly Casey tripped over the hem of her pistachio green dress. She recovered quickly enough, tucking a stray curl behind her ear and ignoring her (very beautiful, very endearing) blush.
Lizzie greeted Edwin and they moved away. Casey turned to him and was about to open her (really pretty) mouth, probably in greeting.
But he beat her to it, “Well, if it isn’t the Queen of Klutz! Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty.”
Her mouth closed in a frown. Edwin and Lizzie turned to look at them. So did their parents.
Derek smirked, “Would you like me to guide you to the house, Your Majesty? I caution, the gravel underfoot is quite slippery.”
“Stop your nonsense!” Casey yanked her arm away from his grasp, walking away. But not too steps away, she tripped again.
“You may want to look about that hem, Your Highness,” he jeered. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his father trying not to laugh and Nora fixing him with a glare.
Casey lifted her skirt lightly and trudged up the stairs into the house.
“Are you being mean on purpose, Smerek?” Marti asked.
Derek grinned, “Yes. Yes I am.”
..................
Casey fumed. Not for a moment did she not see right through his tactic. He was trying to make her hate him, so she would stay away from him. It would be easy enough in this gigantic house.
She would show him! He wanted to be avoided, did he? Well, she hoped he liked being able to see her everyday, but with her ignoring him. She would not stoop to his puerile level! She was a grown woman by most standards!
Casey walked into the room that the servants indicated was her own. She was in awe. The room was as large as the entire first floor of her old house! The wallpaper was a yellow, almost gold, and looked like a million roses had been stuck to the walls. She had a big canopy bed, with beautiful yellow sheets, lovely wardrobes to put her clothes in, a screen for changing and a couch under the large window.
Casey spun around and admired everything, her trouble with Derek momentarily forgotten.
...........
Lizzie had promised to meet Edwin in the play room after she had checked her room. She loved her room, it was done entirely in blue and she had a view of the garden out the window. She watched Nora and Marti navigate the maze in the middle of the garden a while before going to meet him.
She found him spinning a top on the table in the corner, watching it with a mesmerized look on his face. She laughed softly. He looked up and pushed the top off the table.
“It was already spinning when I got here.”
“Oh of course,” Lizzie nodded, though it was evident in her expression that she didn’t believe him a moment. She took the chair across from him, “What did your brother tell you when you asked him?”
Edwin relayed all of what Derek had told him, and in turn Lizzie told him what Casey said.
“So they’re both lying,” Edwin concluded.
Lizzie nodded, “Definitely.”
Edwin tapped his chin, “However, the fact that they both seem to be trying to put their own feelings aside so that Father and Nora can have happiness is good. And they do say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. So the reverse may be true.”
“You have a point,” Lizzie picked up a doll that Marti had rendered permanently bald.
“So at the moment, we just have to monitor the situation. Give me that! I’ve been looking over for it!” Edwin took the kite Lizzie had handed over. It was full of holes and the strings were cut, but Edwin held it gingerly like it was precious gold.
“Ooh!” Lizzie took up a cricket bat, “If I find a ball we can play!”
“If you help me mend this kite I will play cricket with you.”
Lizzie smiled, “Alright!”
................
Casey was behind her oriental silk screen, shimmying into her ball dress when she heard her room door open and clothes. Thinking it was the maid who had gone to iron the ribbon she was planning to wear with her dress for the party, she shouted, “Just lay it on the bed, Clarissa and help me with these buttons.”
She felt a tingle as fingers that were not the maid’s skated up the centre of her back. She inhaled sharply and spun around.
Derek smirked at her, confident in the fact that he had caught her unawares.
“What are you…” she started.
“I just wanted to come and see for myself if it’s true. You have the bedroom next to mine, and our parents are in the next wing.”
Casey gaped. She did not know that.
“Just so you know,” Derek ran another finger from her collarbone down to her cleavage, leaving Casey starved for breath, “If ever you feel afraid and you want to come over, I am always happy to have company.”
Casey fumed, “I will clarify now, so you will never be mistaken. I will never step foot into that trap you refer to as a room. I would rather have all the hosts of hell at my heels!”
He laughed, “We will see.”
"What on Earth would make you think-"
He did not allow her to finish. His lips fit over hers in a kiss that sent hot flames of desire through her. She could barely form a thought much less get him to stop. His arms wound around her, fitting over her bottom and drawing her into him and pulling her into him. Casey wimpered, helpless.
Far too soon, he let her go.
"That, Miss McDonald, makes me think," Derek smirked again, stepping from behind the screen. He was soon out the door, leaving Casey fuming.