Souderton Abbey

Chapter 5

The dining room looked spotless and elegant as the walls were lined with paintings of nature and the table was covered in a tablecloth with a beautiful lace overlay. There were two candles across the center of the table and the exquisite food was on the Butler's silver platters ready to be served at any time.

As the family flowed into the dining room the conversation between the parents was lively but the conversation between Carrie and Charles was far more interesting and private. They all sat down at the table with Carrie sitting across from Amanda and next to Charles but Carrie had no plans on addressing Amanda at all during the dinner.

"So Carrie tell me, how has life been treating you. And if you say no boys are involved I would say you're lying." Carrie smiled at Charles as she had found a friend in him last summer and they shared secrets between each other no one else knew.

"Life's been good and I'm not saying there is a leading man in my life, but there is someone I would like to get to know better." Carrie smiled at the thought of getting to know Niall but knew she could not admit that to Charles just yet. He was Charle's butler for the weekend after all, and she didn't want him to get any sort of special or horrible treatment. "Enough about me, so tell me, is there anyone in your life you think is or can be very special to you?"

"Actually yes there is. I met someone recently and we spent the entire afternoon talking about mindless stuff but I believe that it could become something more."

"Well I will drink to that." Both Carrie and Charles lifted up their glasses as she and him silently toasted without anyone else's knowledge.

Meanwhile across the table, Amanda was talking to her mother about how she should be looking for a husband now that she was officially 18. She wasn't widely popular among men since a rumor was created that she is only out for a man's money. The thing was, that statement was not entirely false.

"Honestly honey, you have so much time to go off and get married. What's the rush?" Amanda honestly didn't want to get married, so to say, but really to have someone to call her own and will tolerate her without complaining. She knew she was high maintenance but didn't see the reason in settling on anything.

"There is no rush, I just don't want to end up like some of the older women still without any takers, that's all." She took her white gloved hand and reached it over her plate and grabbed her glass and placed it on her lips.

"As long as you keep your mouth shut about your little affair over the summer, you won't have to worry." Amanda paused before taking a sip of her drink and decided it to be best to just swallow her pride, literally. She has managed to not talk about certain events that happened over the summer, but her mother tends to use it as bait to mostly get under her skin. She would tell her to stop, but her mother was the only other person that knew the situation and she was a fool to tell her in the first place.

Niall stood in the corner next to the head butler Mr. Dates ready to assist the family at any point. He would usually steal glances of Carrie, but he saw the way she was talking with Charles and decided it to be best not to look over any more. He didn't want to give Charles any wrong ideas about him and Carrie, but he stopped looking more for his own benefit. Every time he looked over and saw the two laughing and smile he felt a small pang of jealousy in the pit of his stomach even though he had no reason to. He was only a butler that has managed to have a crush on his boss's daughter.

He walked towards the dining table and picked up an empty platter. His actions were quiet and barely noticeable by the family, but Carrie surely took notice. She had noticed he had stopped taking glances at her, and for some reason felt she had done something wrong. Niall looked up quickly to make sure his surroundings were clear before picking up the tray. As he brought his eyes back from looking around, his eyes managed to meet Carrie's and he quickly looked back down and took the tray back to a small table at the end of the room. He hoped when Harry returned to the dining room that he would take the new food to the table instead of himself. He wanted to try and distance himself from Carrie before he had gained any hopes his teenage mind might create.

Harry was downstairs getting a refill of food which sat on the kitchen island on yet another silver tray. The food was not completely ready yet so to pass time he decided to talk to Hayley.

"I take it you will be enjoying yourself very much this weekend." Hayley smiled at Harry as she folded her arms in front of her chest.

"Well what makes you say that, Harry?"

"Well because the Hemmings are here Carrie will be quite busy meaning she won't need you as much, and our day off is on Monday." Hayley tried to nonchalantly bit her lip as she tried to casually glance around the room.

"Well for your information I will still be doing the same amount of work because I doubt Carrie would want to spend time with her cousin Amanda. And either way, our 'day off' is only for around lunchtime and we're back here for dinner."

Mrs. Traile, the head cook ordered Harry to take the tray up before the family might suspect that he skipped town. Harry and Hayley only laughed as Harry took the tray but the two handles and held it in front of his chest.

"Well if you are not excited for your afternoon off, then I must find something to will make you excited." Harry smiled looked down at Hayley and she shyly smiled at the ground before looking up at him again.

"Well then I might just have to take you up on your offer." Harry smiled with his mouth closed and nodded his head before walking towards the steps and back towards the dining room.

Notes

Hey guys! hope you like this chapter and I promise to update by the end of the weekend!