The Flight to Fanciful ~ Part 3 Settling Up with Don Alfonso

Now that Lady Leena has settled into her apartment in the Villa Vesuviana, it was time for her to settle her account with Don Alfonso, who handled the financial affairs of Rocca Sorrentina. She's been putting it off a bit as Silas Becker, her agent, had nothing much to say about the gentleman in question and only managed to offer that he seemed dedicated to his work and then Silas would laugh. Becker was laughing yet again as she explained to him that she needed to meet the gentleman and was hoping for directions to his office.

Silas led the way down the path from the Villa and through the village to his office and politely decided to wait outside instead of going inside with her.

"Becker?" Lady Fandango asked yet again, "Why in heavens name are you laughing?"

"No reason M'Lady," as Becker bows graciously and starts to wander off to the beach. He can hardly wait to hear his Ladyship's reaction to what the gentleman may or may not do. Humming a tune Becker decides to walk along the beach and await Lady Leena's return.

Standing up a bit straighter and smoothing her gown, Lady Leena enters the dimly lit room and approaches the desk where she sees a gentleman standing. "This must be Don Alfonso," she thinks to herself and begins with an introduction. "Good Day to you, Sir, I'm Lady Fandango here to settle my account for the villa apartment, my agent Silas Becker told me where to find you." Offering the gentleman a cordial smile she waits patiently for some response from him, and waits and waits.

Finally, Don Alfonso opens his ledger and points to a page, quickly handing her a quill. With raised eyebrows Lady Leena takes the quill, signing her name and offering the proper amount of coin to him. Again she waits for a response from the gentleman, as their transaction is now concluded. Don Alfonso looks her over and grunts, while Lady Leena tries to keep her mouth from gaping open and her chin from hitting the floor. Biting her lip and trying hard to control her own laughter Lady Leena thinks to herself, "I've just handed this man a fair amount of coin and he grunted at me like a swine! Now I know what Silas found so amusing."

Wishing Don Alfonso a pleasant day, again with no response, Lady Leena turns and leaves the office. Once she closes the doors behind her she covers her mouth with a gloved hand and laughs, now that's she away from him and he cannot hear her. Walking off to the beach now, she sees Becker gazing off into the horizon with his back to her.

Silas hears not only her footsteps but Lady Leena's soft laughter as she approaches. Grinning to himself, he can only imagine her reaction to Don Alfonso and his, in turn, to her. As he spins around to face her, he can't help but ask, "Did you find your meeting pleasant M'Lady?"

Eyes sparkling with laughter, "Silas Becker, you know full well how it went, you devil!" Lady Leena replies, teasingly. "He actually grunted at me!"

As Silas looks down and then back up quickly with his eyes as innocent as possible he says, "A curious fellow don't you think? Perhaps when one deals with numbers all day, you forget how to have a conversation?"

"Perhaps," Lady Leena replies with a huge smile on her face. "Our business is done for now, all is forgiven for not warning me. Now, it's time for tea." Lady Leena and Becker slowly walk away from the beach and back toward the villa, where tea and refreshments are waiting for them. They cross the great lawn, admiring the spectacular view of the facade of the villa as the sun hits it.