[b]Evelynn Joshi[/b] [hider=4:34 PM] Evelynn's eyes made for the door as the last guest walked in. She only wondered how many more there would be, though her body remained tense as he walked in, sunglasses and all. And even more so when he mentioned he was "sorry to keep them waiting". The only reasons she doubted him being the host to come meet them, a Wolf, was the undoubtable hints of a southern accent, and absolutely no air of German about him. That and his polite introduction, though the wine glass he brought in could've fooled Lynn. And the beard. [i]And that makes six, including me. How many more...If it's really for a job, it'll be a damn hard position with any more people showing up. But they all seem really nice...[/i] And before anyone had so much as a chance to breathe, the doors burst open again and everyone was ushered outside by someone new. Someone who introduced themselves as Michael Aust, who seemed to have a million and one things on mind and on his hands. Though he probably did, being the secretary of these Wolfs. That, and going through the trouble of making the process of transporting all the guests here would have been painstakingly particular. Everything had worked out like a charm, after all. No delays, baggage dealt with... Though Lynn undoubtedly noticed the other man. A straight faced gentleman with an almost phantom-like presence. He didn't speak very much, though when he did, she was pleasantly surprised to find he was French. Félix Dubois. Her teeth held her tongue and she hid the flush of her cheeks by turning around to grab her handbag, taking much longer than you normally would. Not that there was time to do much, of course. Though she had heard the common belief that Germans were very efficient people, she wondered if it was because they made sure to stay on the hour every hour, without fail. --- The limo journey was shorter than it seemed to Lynn, with the blacked out windows trapping the people inside, and isolating them from time going by outside the doors of the limo. They had their watches - Lynn wore a dainty white one - she had the good sense to change the time. Forward by two hours, since it wasn't winter. Daylight savings was a relatively new concept to her, living in a country with summer all year long. Though she knew it would screw her over should it have been winter. She grabbed another coke. Perhaps her fourth can that day? She didn't know...though if she needed to calm herself down, the can shoved into her bag would give her strength. Placebo or not, she was glad to have it on her. [/hider] [b]At the Manor[/b] Stepping out of the limo, Lynn lost her breath. The manor was like something out of a fairytale. Lake, and lush green assaulted her senses, especially since it was so different from the concrete jungles and sand back home. It was difficult not to be swept up in the excitement of one Mister Sol Wolf. Contagious? Definitely. Evelynn found herself giddy and struggling to tell names from faces, especially at the two young ladies who were definitely twins. On a worse day, they'd both probably dress alike and Lynn would be stumped. They all leaned in for kisses. Though Lynn found herself backing away, just a little bit. Her body was stiff. Perhaps she just wasn't used to this style of greeting. Though she quite admired Klara (she wondered if that was her name twice over, or if one of the twins was called Klara...) for the air with which she carried herself. She was confident, and it was clear she had reason to be. Her handshake spoke of an authority in the household. And being an honourary member of the Wolf pack spoke volumes more of her importance. Lynn felt like she'd be seeing this woman again... And then Félix was reintroduced, though he seemed like a completely changed man. Blushing and babied by Sol, Lynn could tell he was a lot more warm than he initially seemed. Especially since he'd work so hard for the Wolfs...he seemed to be the go-to guy for anything and everything. Lynn kept that in mind. She'd definitely be seeing this handsome gentleman again, if she had a say in it. [hr] The group were hurried up to their rooms, and Evelynn kept up, but only just barely. Her eyes wanted to drink in every last part of the mansion, every last wall decoration and floor tile. She noted the emblem of the sun on many occasions. Sol wasn't kidding. They arrived at their respective rooms soon enough. Lynn turned the key cautiously, though what she saw inside blew her mind. The room was elegant, and done to have a particularly airy feel about it. Famous artworks (or were they replica prints?) in dainty frames lined one end of the wall, and there was a single word in tasteful graffiti done on a far-off wall, in lavenders and violets, and sky blues and cobalts, on the otherwise black wall among the other cream ones: "Madness". She'd always told herself genius bordered on madness. Though it struck her as particularly odd the room would be... ...so perfect. The bed was elegant, and the furniture was elegant, and it was massive with a lazy-Susan haphazardly thrown somewhere, and the fake ceiling was beautiful, and Lynn could not believe she wasn't dreaming. She even had a balcony view, with tall windows that went from ceiling to the floor. At night, this would look stunning. It was what she'd always imagined. Artistic beauty and madness, thrown together just right. She grabbed her phone to take a picture, afraid it would slip out of her hands if she didn't capture the room and the moment right there. Snap! She saved it. She flicked the cellular data on, desperate to send the picture to her best friend Michelle back home and make her massively jealous, but paused. No bars. Absolutely no signal. For a house this big... She felt a nervous tremble run down her spine. But brushed it off. She must have just been in a blind spot or something. She decided to check later, in some other part of the Manor. --- Finding the note and scouring the area for the aforementioned dress she was promised, Lynn busied herself for just a bit. She found it soon enough, sighing dreamily when laying her eyes on it. It was a beautiful affair in olive green, with a short front and trailing back, and the shoulders were both off, so instead of being sleeveless entirely, they rested in line with the neckline of the dress. Lynn decided nothing she'd brought particularly would match this little beauty, heels and all provided... She decided she'd be wearing it this evening after all. Who doesn't love a good soirée, anyhow? [hider= ~5:40] She stood by one of the more spacious wardrobes in the room for when the luggage would get there. She stood there with the doors flung open and her arms crossed, tapping her foot, contemplating how she would spread the clothes out in the wardrobe. Dresses to be on hangers, shirts and jeans to be folded up... Shoes, when they would arrive, lined up along the wall at the door. Yes, that seemed good for now. If she'd be staying about ten days, she might damn well be ready for it. The wardrobe would soon be filled up with formal outfits, and even two or three airy spring dresses in case the occasion called. She also managed to stow away two comfortable pairs of jeans in her suitcase, and a variety of shirts and tops in different colours. She also brought clothes she could lounge around in. Times like this she was grateful nobody weighed her suitcases... And along with whatever cash was left over from the general splurging, she thought she'd go to town and get some new sneakers, some belts, a video game or two, the newest book by Dan Brown, well, the Da Vinci code was two years old now... And new lingerie. Even a nightdress because - hey, why not? When in college, do as college students would and have some fun... Because you could never have enough. The last item to go into her suitcase back home was a casual pair of high waisted shorts in black and white stripes, her guilty pleasure. She would stash them in a dark cranny somewhere and fawn over them but silently regret buying them at the same time...of course, once her luggage got there. She was waiting on it. She sighed, giving up on the empty wardrobe and moving back to the bed, where the note was. She'd transferred the dress that was inside to her bed now, laying it across. Just as she was setting out the last accessories provided with the olive dress on one of the two mocha nightstands, she heard a knock at the door and, a little caught off guard, dropped everything on the nightstand itself before crossing the room to get it, "Coming! Come in!" She'd almost forgotten the room wasn't locked, and the stranger outside could make their way in without much difficulty, but handle turned, she opened the door for them anyway. Her heart crept into her mouth when she saw who it was, though she couldn't say she hadn't been expecting it. He had her luggage with him, after all. "Oh. Come in..." she offered a little sheepishly, stepping aside to make it an easier entrance for him. “Sorry to disturb you. Your luggage, Miss Joshi,” the French accent from earlier sounded in the room, and the owner of the masculine, albeit soft voice stepped in right after. He hung around by the door for the moment, and Lynn looked over with her head tilted ever so slightly. He seemed to be staring off into the distance at something, or perhaps just avoiding her gaze... “Where would you like it?” "Oh, just there will do." Evelynn gestured to the floor absently, where a dark shag rug with an almost galactic feel, with shades of purples and teals and blues, sat. She loved colours like those, that were pale and light and drew contrast to the dark. "...thanks very much. Um...Félix, right?" She lied; she knew clearly well what his name was. Perhaps it was that it stood out, being introduced twice. Or maybe it was just Lynn's habit of hanging on especially well to details about a cute face. "...you're French, huh?" “That’s right, Miss,” he kept his replies short and to the point, except he was missing the point and Lynn's eyebrow quirked ever so slightly, noticing this strategic avoidance,“I hope your room is to your satisfaction?” "Evelynn, or even Lynn will do. And...Yes, I suppose it is." Her eyes took in the man's face, best she could, trying to seek out his gaze. He had been avoiding hers, and she found herself frowning. She really did hate when people avoided her questions. She could only wonder why. But that didn't mean she would stop... Not that she could. She drank him in. He was tall, and had the air of a hardened man. He stood stiff, and he stood stoic. It was a little intimidating, to say the least. But there was something else there, beyond his military stance... "I'm amazed they got it so...right." she gestured to the painting prints, "Monet." she spied the famous water lilies. "Also French. What's a Frenchman doing up here in Germany anyway, Félix? Must really like the Wolfs, eh? That Sol really is full of life..." she smirked here, remembering the cheek-chubbing of earlier. "Pretty fond of you, too." “The Wolfs are good employers,” his lip remained zipped for the most part. Lynn was beginning to worry just a little she'd push too hard. “They like to look after people.” "Do they? I suppose I can't argue, seeing as..," she gestured around the room with her hands and no more words. "They do seem [i]very[/i] nice, hah." Here she paused, moving a little closer to the man and looking him dead in the eyes now. Hers a surprisingly dark, stormy grey-brown in the afternoon sunlight pouring into the room as opposed to his clearer, lighter green ones. She posed the question in an almost challenging tone of dare, quiet but eager all the same to know. "...what about you though, Félix? Don't you have a story?" And here, he finally looked her dead in the eye. Though she made it hard not to. He was reluctant about it, and couldn't hold her gaze for exceptionally long. He seemed a little uncertain, a little uncharacteristically shy. Not to mention...nervous? No, just a little...awkward. “Uhhh," his voice was shaky now, much different from the usual confidence he carried himself with. (He did that French thing where you pause for 'uh's a lot mid sentence.) Evelynn stood back just a little, realising how close she must have been. Her eyes never left the man, though. And she hung off every word. “Frau Beck hired me a few years ago because the Wolfs were looking for new live-in staff. It’s not a very interesting story.” There was a tiny pause, and Lynn swore he would say more after. But she wasn't as lucky. His eyes broke from hers after having met them mid conversation again, and he immediately strighted his back, he might even have coughed as he regained his former composure. “Is there anything I can get for you, Evelynn?” She seemed almost triumphant at breaking his resolve, if only for a little bit. Any insight on this mysterious, handsome stranger was good enough. And an interrogation on first proper meeting wasn't very attractive...though she was almost disappointed when he returned to strictly business, and sighed a little to express it. Though she smiled warmly at him again when he called her by name and shook her head at his question. "No, not at all, Félix. I can imagine you're quite busy. You do run half the show here..." Her eyes sought his again, to be met with naught. So she just feasted them on the rest of him. She couldn't quite see his hair, courtesy of the chauffeur’s hat, but his jaw was defined, and had the typical posh stubble you'd see in movies for rich people and the like. He was handsome, though. Dreamily so. She could drink him in for hours if she got the chance. She grinned to herself inside. Better achievement than nothing. "I'm glad I got a chance to speak to you though, haha. It doesn't sound like a boring story at all. You'll have to tell me more sometime. For now..." Her voice trailed off and she nodded her head in a tiny bow, smiling ever so slightly at the older gentleman, hands tugging at the frills of her beige and black dress again, since she hadn't changed. But he'd only be able to tell she was fiddling if he glanced down at her waist. And she was pretty close, too. Time could have stopped then. "It was truly lovely speaking to you, Félix." “Mon plaisir." He flashed a smile, and immediately Lynn's insides were on fire. She could have fainted. Could have. The words he said, albeit simple, still made her spine tingle. There was just something about foreigners. Even when what they were saying to you, you did not understand, or you did because it was so similar to your spoken language. “If there is anything I can do for you, please let me know.” and with that he turned on heel and began to make for the door. "Oh, and-" She hesitated for a second or two but inevitably called out after him, pushing a stray tuft of hair out of her eyes with a coy smile when he'd turned around to check, best she could manage without internally squealing, "I'll see you around, won't I, Félix?" “Of course. I will be here for the duration of your stay.” He nodded to himself, as if answering an unasked question. Though, before he left, something appeared to strike him, and an innocent question in that not so innocent accent left his lips, “May I ask if you’ll be joining the Wolfs this evening? Herr Wolf would appreciate it if you did.” "Wouldn't miss it." Evelynn gazed lovingly at the olive-dress across the side of her bed, then back to Félix with the same dreaminess about her eyes, "This, for me, and I won't get a chance to wear it? How cruel..." She grinned now, the smile reaching her eyes and excitement quite evident in the way they'd light up. "I believe it'll be a blast." “Then, if that will be all, I look forward to seeing you later.” [/hider]