Chapter 18: A cuddle is worth a thousand words.
It was sometime after breakfast, the newest issue of Penelope Bridgerton's writing was resting on the table.
Clara has just finished reading it, "Is there anything mentioned in that issue worth noting?" Safa asked.
Safa in her wheelchair was sitting by one of the drawing room windows in her estate, a smile drawn on her lips as she watched Wolfgang play with Denver and James outside in the garden.
"She spoke of yesterday's gun salute, but for some reason she didn't mention who did it by name...I'm surprised Mrs Bridgerton didn't speak in details about either the funeral or the burial since Mister Bridgerton is her husband and a friend of Mister Kainz!
Her issue from three days ago only mentioned that the Struats have died, and that was it.
No mention of Mister Kainz by name, however she did address him as future Lord Struat." Clara replied.
"Must be Colin's work...since Penelope is his wife, he might have requested her to be vague in her writing about the Struats for Fabian's sake, or maybe she decided that whatever happened was not suitable for her column.
After all people used to and still are reading whistledown for fun gossip, not sad news." Safa said.
"I think a gun salute would make fine material for a gossip." Clara replied, "Maybe, maybe not..." Safa said.
"Did you used to read whistledown before? James used to read her from time to time, he doesn't like to read much." Clara asked.
Scoffing, "Huh, shocker! That man would surprise me of he read a full book in his life." Safa said making Clara laugh.
"As for myself." She continued, " I have huge admiration for Penelope or any Lady who does her work, but I was not interested in idle gossip, so I did not read much of her work.
Wolfgang enjoyed her however, he read all of her issues so far, I sometimes glance at them, but only when the interesting names like the Queen or the Bridergtons are mentioned." Safa replied.
"Well I guess change is always happening, today Wolfgang didn't get to read this issue! He is too busy playing with Denver and James!" Clara stated with a happy smile.
"Which reminds me Clara dear, I never got the chance to thank you for pet-sitting Denver two days ago when me and the boys left abruptly to attend Lord and Lady Struat's funeral." Safa said.
Clara was now sitting across from Safa, she turned to look at the window as well and smiled again as she watched her employer carefree running away from the dog that was chasing him.
"When I see those two grown men play like children with the dog I forget how Men are so lucky, don't you think they are over privileged? They have so much power in this world compared to us women." She asked.
"Oh absolutely they do! But I believe their luck is not God given but rather man-made.
However I have hope for a better future for both us women and men, I believe in some couple of hundred years, only few unfortunate people would be remaining to care about what gender you are as most people would care more about what you can offer to the world as an individual." Safa replied.
"By any chance, Do you hate men, Safa?" Clara asked.
"No I do not, I pity them actually! although I feel they are given more praise than us women, men are not without their own problems.
For example, I have already spoken about this during the funeral with James and Wolfie but men are under a great social pressure to withhold emotions.
Crying is generally seeing as a weakness in men, they are expecting by society to be physically and emotionally strong." Safa replied.
"That's true...what about women? Do you dislike them?" Clara asked.
"You are wondering why have I remained until this day with no close female companion of my own?" Safa questioned.
"Yes, I was wondering if I might be your only other lady friend besides the Queen or the late lady Stuart...that is if you do see me as your friend." Clara replied nervously.
"Yes, you are my friend...I suppose you were not sure of our relationship because to be fair, you and I never really sat down and got to know one another before throughout the three years I have known you and James in...
I mean our first friendly time together happened three days ago, the night when James proposed to me and I rejected him." Safa said.
"I'm glad then, that you see me as a friend." Clara replied smiling.
"You do not have other lady friends?" Safa asked.
Clara shook her head, "No...I never really known enough stability to enjoy life and make friends, and most maids at James's estate are way older than me, they are kind to me but I can't seem to relate to them."
"I never heard from James how he hired you." Safa said.
"James never hired anyone expect for that new young gardener, almost everyone else including myself was hired by James's father.
I First became a maid 6 years ago, I was 15 at the time...now I'm 21." Clara replied.
"How come you were hired then?" Safa asked.
"Would you like to hear my whole story then?"
Safa nodded.
"Well...I come originally from Southwark...I don't know if you heard of it but it's an impoverish area in London and like most families there, mine was also poor.
My mother gave birth to me out of wedlock, I never knew who my father was and when I turned 6, my mother decided to abandon me...no one knows where she went to but she sent me to my aunt, her sister Louisa with just the clothes on my back and few pounds in my pocket.
Louisa was a woman with 5 children of her own, her husband died in an accident shortly after the birth of her youngest child, and maybe it was because she was still grieving and felt burdened by me or maybe she hated my mother...
But Aunt Louisa bullied me relentlessly, her and her children made me do all the work in the house since I was a little girl, until I became 15, I did everything, cooking...cleaning, shopping and even fixing around the house, and all I got in return was one meal a day and a dirty blanket to sleep on." Clara said.
"I am sorry you went through all of that." Safa replied.
"Thank you...I was fed up with my aunt's horrible treatment for me by then, so I decided to leave but I had nowhere to go...then one day as I was out buying some bread for dinner, I met none other than previous Lord Teaton." Clara said.
"James's father." Safa replied.
Nodding, "The one and only, I don't know what he was doing there exactly, I heard from few people that he was looking for someone but I never heard the actual reason from him.
Anyways, he spotted me and for some reason took interest in me.
He asked me few personal questions and then said that one of his maids left her job recently and asked if I wanted to work for him.
So I immediately agreed.
I loved my new job, I was finally free, i had my own money for the first time in my life and both the previous Lord and James were so kind towards me, I was quite sad when the previous Lord died just a year after hiring me.
I felt like I brought bad luck upon the man."
Clara said.
"Wolfgang also felt that way, my father died less than a year after hiring him...
But I do not believe in such nonsense." Safa replied.
"Forgive me for changing the subject but You know I'm curious...How did you know Wolfgang preferred men?" Clara asked.
"I would prefer you ask Wolfie himself." Safa said smirking, "I am sure he would LOVE to tell you." She added sniggering.
"Ooh! Must be scandalous! Did you catch him with someone?" Clara asked.
"Ah-Ah-Ah! My lips are sealed dear Clara." Safa replied.
...Meanwhile...
When Denver the dog jumped on James's back so suddenly, the man got startled and ended up falling face flat on the grace.
"Ahahaha!" Wolfgang laughed at him, seeing his favorite human happy of his achievement, Denver hurried with his little paws towards the manservant who immediately picked him up.
"Good boy!" Wolfgang said while rubbing Denver affectionately, "Ugh...I can't...feel my face." James spoke-up, he was till laying with his face buried in the grass.
Scoffing, "Stop whining and get up already!" Wolfgang replied.
James rolled around, his back now was against the grass, "I'm tired, I wish to rest a little." He said.
Sighing, Wolfgang put Denver down and walked towards James, he laid next to him.
Denver was still running around them, enjoying the garden while the two men took a breather.
"What are...you doing? You're too close Aren't the ladies watching?" James asked, "We're just laying next to each other on the grass, nothing too serious." Wolfgang replied.
"You know...we didn't do anything yesterday, or the day before." James pointed out.
"You mean funeral and burial day?...I wanted to kill you at the funeral for supporting Safa's decision to walk! And during burial day....it was just a sad day..." Wolfgang replied.
"And today?"
"What about today?"
"I enjoyed our little game with Denver, but I was hoping... you and I can be alone for a moment.
That is why I brought Clara, so she can entertain Safa while you and I have some privacy." James said.
Blushing, "You wish to hold hands in privacy again?" Wolfgang asked.
"To be honest...at the funeral, I was somewhat serious about hugging you." James said with slightly red cheeks.
"Really?"
"Yes..."
"How about once I put Denver to sleep in my room, you would then come with me somewhere?" Wolfgang suggested.
"Where? To your room?" James asked.
"No, but You'll see later." Wolfgang replied smiling.
...Few hours later...
Since most servants were already working, Clara and Wolfgang didn't need to cook anything, Clara enjoyed her time chitchatting with Safa.
As for Wolfgang and James, Denver the puppy was peacefully asleep in Wolfgang's bed, while Wolfgang and James were somewhere else, just the two of them.
"Where do you think the boys went to?" Clara asked.
"Somewhere where we cannot see them." Safa replied.
Giggling, "To Wolfgang's room perhaps?" Clara questioned.
"I doubt it, it is too early for that...Wolfie does not allow anyone to the basement without his permission which he does not grant very easily." Safa replied.
"You mean the entire basement is Wolfgang's?"
"Yes."
"Where do you keep things that are usually kept in basements?" Clara asked, "In the basement obviously, it is Wolfgang's duty to transport anything needed from the basement to the rest of the house and vice versa." Safa replied.
"How unusual...and you're alright with such arrangement?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Now I'm really curious, I wonder what's in the basement... hopefully nothing dead." Clara questioned nervously making Safa laugh.
...Meanwhile...
In one of the many unoccupied bedrooms in the house, James and Wolfgang lay together cuddling innocently while looking at each other with smiles.
"Are you comfortable?" Wolfgang asked
"Are you going to keep asking me that every few minutes?" James replied.
"You're so annoying." Wolfgang said turning to look away from James.
Laughing, "Hah! But you still love me." James replied.
"You're Such a tease James."
"You're the tease wolf...turning to face me with your back." James replied hugging Wolfgang closer to him.
Blushing, "James..." Wolfgang called but he was surprised, when he realized James has just fallen asleep while hugging him from the back.
"Jesus this man...is going to be the end of me."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
QW_JiHi
QW_JiHi Fun fact: Dogs are smarter than you think, It’s proven that dogs can understand and recognize up to 250 words and gestures, making them one of the most skilled species studied in these tasks. It has been suggested that, with training, some may even recognize and respond to more than 1,000 different words!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone