Beautiful Feet

"Indeed, I have some strange thoughts about you, Rose. Let's be on my bed and get aware of those strange things," he pronounced while grinning at her.

His finger which was on her cheek, now rested under her chin, and he lifted her face, making her peer into his eyes.

"What do you say?" he queried with amusement.

Rosaline rubbed her fingers against each other, unable to think of what to say to him. She recalled how he teased her last night for his fun.

"What strange thoughts does Lord Jed have for me? If Lord Jed thinks that he can tease me all the time, then he should not try this anymore," she affirmed and rested her palms on his broad shoulders to push him away.

Jedediah glanced at his shoulders and then gazed at her. No one was bold enough to even touch him. However, this woman did it twice. She was terrified but he could see that she did not show it on her face.

Her personality amazed him from the very first moment. He could see that, unlike many women, Rosaline had grown up remarkably.

He grasped Rosaline's hands, who jolted because of the coldness of his hands. She blinked a few times in worriedness when she heard him say, "A vampire is a cold-blooded species."

He cleared her doubt and put her hands down, at the same time stepping back.

"You and Kiddie can stay in the mansion. I will think about our deal later," Jedediah pronounced.

Rosaline was startled to hear that. Did she hear it for real? Why did Lord Jed want them to live in the mansion? He even refused to drink her blood. What exactly was he thinking? Why did he want to talk about their deal later?

"But Lord Jed was supposed to drink my blood. I think that's why you helped me. Pene and I will leave after I repay you," she asserted.

"You told me that you did not have any money. Do you think you will be able to survive on your own?" Jedediah's question made her contemplate.

Indeed, she needed shelter for them. The Vampire Lord had not even harmed her, but she did not want to stay in the mansion for free.

"Lord Jed, thank you for being considerate." She expressed her gratitude and bit her lower lip as she was still hesitant to live in the mansion.

"I am not considerate of you both, Rose. Remember there is a deal between us and without seeking my payment, I cannot let you go," Jedediah affirmed.

Rosaline was once again wrong about him. Why would he be kind to her? He might want her to get healthy so he could drink her blood. Jedediah snapped his fingers in front of her eyes and placed his hand on the top of her head.

"Don't overstress your little brain, Rose," he said as he stroked her head, and she felt something strange.

"May I know your shoe size?" Jedediah asked her about it out of the blue, which perplexed her even more.

When he got no response from her, he got on his knees and she jumped back, getting hit by the table behind her.

Jedediah's left forearm rested on his left knee and he lifted his head to look at Rosaline, who was wincing in pain. "Move your right leg forward," he demanded.

"Why?" she knitted her brows.

"A question for a question is not good, Rose. You are the only person in Blackburn who asks more questions than gives answers," he stated and she gulped.

Before she could follow his order, she felt Jedediah's hand on her ankle. She felt herself bending backward as her hands held the edge of the table once again. He slightly lifted her gown to take a look at her foot when she pulled her leg back.

"Stay quiet, Human!" His eyes scowled at her and she stopped resisting. Those cold fingers on her skin electrified her body.

Jedediah gently placed her foot on the floor and stood up. "You have beautiful feet, Rose. You should take good care of them," he stated and walked away.

Rosaline stood there straight and found her cheeks turning hotter. She placed the back of her hands on her cheeks and wondered why Jed said that to her. Lifting her gown, she found the cracks on her feet, and even the toenails were scratched.

"He should not have to say that," she murmured, putting her gown down. Her shoes were outside the mansion, so she walked out. But she could not find her shoes. She saw the housemaid sweeping the floor, so she thought to ask her.

"Excuse me, Madam."

The housemaid was a middle-aged woman. She lifted her head to look at Rosaline.

"Did you see my shoes? I had left them near the door last night," she asked politely.

"Lord Jed told me to throw them out," the middle-aged woman told Rosaline, who widened her eyes.

"What?" she exclaimed. "What will I wear then? Madam, where did you throw them?"

"Young Miss, I burned some waste earlier, so Lord Jed told me to burn them up too. Forgive me," she told Rosaline, who was a little upset.

"Sister Rosa!" Penelope wrapped her hand around her leg. Rosaline looked down and saw how happy her sister was! She could not remember the last time she was this happy.

"There is a la-large swing in the b-big garden, Sister Rosa. Let's p-play," she urged her elder sister.

Rosaline got on her knees and held Penelope's arms. "Pene, you should not run around like this. This mansion is owned by the Lord of Blackburn. He will not like it," Rosaline made her sister understand.

"But J-Jed told me that I could play," Penelope said in a low voice and pouted her lips. Rosaline was shocked to learn that Jedediah had allowed her sister to play in the garden. However, she thought it might be because Pene was a kid and he could not tell her.

"Pene, Lord Jed does not like it. He lied to you," Rosaline explained to Penelope the deduction she had made. She was already tense about the deal with him, and she did not want to do anything that would increase the burden on her head.

"Miss Rosaline, let the young kid play. My Lord does not get angry with kids," Anthony clarified Rosaline's misunderstanding of him.

Penelope went to Anthony and grasped his hand. "Uncle An-Anthony, let's play," she said, shaking their hands while gazing up at him. Rosaline sternly told her sister not to trouble Butler Anthony.

"Miss Rosaline, it is not a problem at all. It has been years since I last played with a kid. Pene is a good kid," Anthony stated this before turning to face the housemaid wielding a broomstick.

"This is Madam Martha. She will tour you around the mansion. Please do not worry about your sister," Anthony introduced her to Martha. Rosaline greeted her and thanked Anthony.

So, it had already been decided that she and Penelope would live in the mansion. It seemed strange, but at the same time, it was comforting. Rosaline found that they had warm hearts, however, she was still skeptical of Jedediah's heart.