Subj: Quentin II and Daphne -- 4
Date: 6/7/00 12:10:12 AM Central Daylight Time
From: DSRules

The maid came in from the kitchen then, announcing that lunch had been prepared.

"You will join us, won't you, Grandmother?" Edward offered.

Daphne knew that she'd have to face her family in general, and Quentin specifically, eventually, so she accepted. "Yes, thank you. I'd be pleased to, Edward."

With that, the family withdrew to the dining room, just to the east of the foyer. Edward took his place at the head of the table, Laura at the foot.

"Would you like to be hostess, Grandmother?"

Laura fumed when Edward asked Daphne this question, and was immensely relieved when she responded, "No thank you, Edward. I think I'll just be a guest today."

Everyone fell into what were obviously their usual places at the table. The only empty spot left was next to Quentin. Daphne met Quentin's gaze, uncertainty in her brown eyes. He smiled at her and looked at the empty chair, clearly indicating that it was all right with him if she took it.

She smoothed out her skirt preparatory to sitting down, when a sudden brown-haired whirlwind sprang into the room. "Sorry I'm late, Edward. I got distracted."

"Yes, I'm sure you did, Carl." Edward said in a weary tone.

Without even looking, Carl squeezed in front of Daphne, taking the empty chair next to Quentin.

Quentin shot his brother a venomous look. "Grandmother was going to sit there, Carl!" he snapped.

"Grandmother?" Carl looked around for the first time. "Oh! I'm sorry, Grandmother! I didn't see you! You want my spot? I can go get another chair."

Daphne was at once relieved and disappointed to be replaced at Quentin's side by his younger brother, even though she knew that she shouldn't crave Quentin's nearness so strongly. "No, that's all right Carl. I'll have Arthur get a chair for me." She said.

The extra chair was brought in, and Daphne took a seat between Judith and Laura. She'd been feeling some animosity from Laura ever since she arrived, so she focused her attention on her granddaughter.

And so the Collins family spent their lunch in idle conversation, with subtexts running to and fro among them. Laura was fixated on Quentin, Quentin on Daphne, Daphne likewise couldn't keep her thoughts from Quentin, and Judith spent the time fuming over Edward's insistence on playing 'lord of the manor,' even though he wasn't even the rightful owner of the house, the business or any of the other assets of the family. Only Edward didn't give any of the others more than a casual thought. Carl didn't even do that, as all of his concentration was on eating his lunch.

After lunch, Daphne took Judith aside. "I must excuse myself for a moment. Where's your water closet?"

Judith walked Daphne to the recently-installed bathroom in the East Wing, which was the closest one to the dining room. "You'll be able to find your way back, Grandmother?"

"Yes, thank you, Judith." With that, Daphne stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

When she emerged, Quentin was waiting outside, leaning casually against the wall. "Hello, Daphne." He said with a devastating smile.

"Quentin." With difficulty, she dragged her eyes away from his and started walking down the hallway.

But Quentin wouldn't be dissuaded. "I know I said that I'd leave you alone. And I have, haven't I?"

She stopped to look at him. "Yes, Quentin, you have." She admitted.

"And I'll continue to do so. Just please let me spend some time with you while you're in town." He begged.

"What good would that do either of us?"

"I don't know. I just know that with you here, my feelings for you are stronger than they ever were before."

She licked her lips self-consciously, and noticed him watching her do so. "I can't help that, Quentin."

"I know that. But I can't just stop loving you. Please, just let us spend some time together, then when you go back to Boston, I'll leave you alone."

"You promise?"

He nodded. "Yes. I promise."

She trusted him to keep his word. He'd always been reliable in the past, and besides, she craved his presence just as much as he craved hers.

"All right," she conceded.

The smile that lit up his features gave her a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Great! How about if we go for a walk on the grounds?"

* * *

Daphne and Quentin had just completed a tour of the perimeter of the house. "I really should be getting back to my hotel."

"Do you have to go?"

His voice sounded so forlorn that she smiled up at him. "I think that I can stay a little longer. Let's go down to the beach."

As they headed off down the path that led to the beach, he said, "It's kind of cold down there this time of year."

"This is Maine, Quentin. It's cold down there most of the year. Remember, I lived here for years with . . . I lived here for years. And besides, if I get cold . . ." She was on the verge of saying that she'd have him to keep her warm, but then she amended with a smile, "I can always get you to loan me your coat."

"Oh, you can, can you?" Quentin grinned at her.

"Wouldn't you loan your coat to a poor, chilled old woman?"

"I think I can be persuaded." He said with a grin as she put her hand on the crook of his arm.

They walked for several minutes in silence, until they reached the steps down to the ocean. "You should be careful. You might slip and fall in that dress." He warned her. "I'll go first, just in case." He put his foot on the first step.

"I've walked these steps more times than you can count, Quentin." She replied as she watched his descent. "I think that you'd be in more danger of falling than I - watch out! That step's loose on the left side."

He prodded at the next step and, sure enough, it was uneven on that side. "You remembered that?"

"What can I say? I've got a good memory." She took the first few steps, then indicated for him to continue.

They finally reached the bottom of the steps. Widows' Hill loomed above them, only from this angle, the sheer rock face seemed to be protecting them, rather than threatening them.

Daphne took her hairpins out, spinning around with her arms outstretched. "I've always loved the ocean. It's so tempting to . . ."

"Tempting to do what?" Quentin was intrigued.

"To take my shoes and stockings off and wade in the water." She shouted her response over the crash of a particularly loud wave.

"Oh, no you don't." He took her wrist gently, pulling her towards him. "Then we'd go back to the house with your dress all wet, and I'd have to explain it to Judith and Edward . . ."

She decided that she'd fought her attraction to him long enough. Her brown eyes met his, and passion burned in their depths. "Well, then, I guess we'll have to find something else to do."

"Oh, we will, will - mmmppphhh!!!" Quentin's banter was interrupted when she wrapped her arms around his neck in and pulled his mouth to hers.

After several minutes, Quentin pulled away. "God, Daphne. You taste just as good as you did a year ago."

"Then why are you stopping?"

He needed no further encouragement to return to kissing her.

~ ~ ~

Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched. Laura had followed them through the woods, and she now stood at the head of the stairs. {I'll find some way to put a stop to this.} She vowed silently.