Chapter Text
The morning was crisp and refreshing, the morning brought a light fog that danced across the fields of the estate covering ever inch with the fog that will clear up by morning; but it was just the right time for a lovely ride horseback riding to be accurate at least that's what Kyle and Jennifer were doing this early in the morning. They raced each other through the riding fields smiling and laughing as they went at the speed of lightening with the horses jumping over any log they came across or crashing through mud that was in their path nothing matter as they both raced each other this early in the morning, it was a nice change of pace for Kyle riding and not having to worry about looking over his shoulder for any sniper or enemy it was just him and Jennifer he never felt so alive with anyone before and he has dated others but none of them were like her she had a way about her to light up the room around her even when having fun.
From the house they could be seen by Jane who watched from her window smiling warmly as she watched Kyle and Jennifer race each other; if she opened her window, she could possibly hear them both laughing and having a grand old time outside this morning; she broke away from the window and rang for her maid to come dress her like every morning, while Kyle and Jennifer slowly came back to the stables laughing and smiling still calming down from the morning race.
"I never thought you'd like riding?" Kyle said as he got off his horse letting the stable boy take it to clean and take care of the horse as Jennifer got off of hers.
"There is a lot about me that would surprise you, I like many modern things" she said taking her gloves off while she and Kyle walked together to the front door slightly out of breath still but with smiles on their faces.
"You talk like it's still 1920 or something" Kyle pointed out in her way of talking it was adorable how she talked at least Kyle thought so when he listened to her.
"You can blame granny for that, wouldn't want us speaking unproperly" she said while they walked into the front door ready to clean up before breakfast.
"Good to see at least some people are having fun" Jane spoke up catching their attention seeing her coming down from the stairs with a pleasant smile on her face.
"It was very good, Jennifer wanted to show me around and it turned into a race between us" Kyle smiled as he looked to Jennifer who seemed to be blushing a little as Kyle looked at her with much warmth in his eyes.
"That's good, she does need someone to challenge her now and again" Jane smiled at her sister with a knowing look making Jennifer try and make Jane stop pointing out the obvious in the air but that only made her chuckle a but to herself. "I'll let you both get changed before breakfast" she said letting Jennifer and Kyle go upstairs to get dressed out of the muddy clothes they were in still.
Jane walked away as they went up the stairs, her mind still played out the conversation in her head from last night between her and Simon she was trying to understand him how he worked from the inside out; she could already tell he had a trust issue, but she couldn't blame him not with the stories she has been told about but she wanted to at least know anything that could help her get through to him to talk better to him. That's when she had an idea to talk to at least one of the people he works with that shoulder give her some kind of idea.
"Good morning captain Price didn't expect you to be up so early" Jane saw him in the dining hall where the coffee or tea was being served before the breakfast that was being made as we speak, he would be the perfect man to talk to about Simon.
"Always been an early riser, I didn't expect you to be the same" John spoke having a cup of tea to help warm himself this morning and to help wake him up before breakfast a calm life felt weird, but it wasn't one, he was about to argue with.
"Sadly, always have been two out of four isn't bad I just ran into Kyle and Jennifer returning from a morning ride they seem to be hitting it off very nicely" she said grabbing a cup of coffee since tea never work her up like some, putting some milk and sugar in it giving it a small stir while sitting down at the table talking about Kyle and Jennifer with a teasing tone before taking a sip of her coffee.
"I could hear them laughing from in here, you don't seem surprised something might come of it?" John said with a warm smile remembering he saw a glimpse of them both going outside before coming downstair but gave Jane a glance when taking a sip of his tea once more.
"I'm all for it; Jennifer needs someone to keep up with her as I always say she's never one to pass up adventure" Jane said showing she wasn't against anything if something came between Jennifer and Kyle honestly, she thought about that with everyone they seemed to complete each other in a silent way that surprised her. "May I ask you something?" she slowly asked wondering how to word this correctly to get answers about Simon.
"Ask away" he said ready to hear what she wanted to ask but had a feeling he already knew what she was wanting to know given what happened last night.
"What is Ghost like when he isn't in uniform" she bluntly asked looking up at John wanting to know the answer to this question that has been playing in her mind.
John couldn't help but chuckle a moment to himself before answering her. "He is never out of the uniform; I can't tell you much because some things aren't my place to say but I will tell you this he can be stubborn, and it'll be hard breaking that wall down of his; but when you are able to break down the wall behind that wall is a man filled with loyalty and anger and if you push pass those you'll find a good man who wants to do the right things" John said placing his cup of tea down knowing there are something's that he can't tell her but she listened carefully hanging on to every single word of his like it was a clue she had to figure out for herself.
"And what makes you think he'll let me into those walls?" she couldn't help but ask back wondering why he thought she'd be able to do that when they didn't think they would be a good match to begin with after talking last night.
"Just a hunch" was all John said when the servants came into the room serving breakfast for them to grab and eat to start off the day.
Simon came out of his room still in the same style as it was what he always wore, what Jane said still played in his mind as he came walking down the stairs thinking if he'll run into her while having breakfast but that wasn't who he ran into down at the bottom of the stairs.
"Ah Simon there you are, I was wondering if you'd accompany me to look over some of the estate" Gregory spoke making Simon silently roll his eyes at the old man who wished to talk to him, he wanted to say no but he remembered the pleading eyes of Jane and that made him cave in as he nods his head in agreement following the old man outside with the family dog.
It was a silent walk nothing was really said for a while as they walked the land of the estate the warm weather starting to show as they stopped by one of the farmers places; having a small chat about the land and its crops that were going here even some animals that were raised on these farms as well; Simon stood there watching and listening to them speak as his eyes sometimes glanced over at the house and back to the old man seeing how he made it his business in a good way about how people were getting along and what needed to be changed or what the farmer needed the change for.
"I know you don't love the place" Gregory spoke up to Simon as they were returning to the house after the talk with some farmers on the land, Simon wished to say something, but he didn't know how to say them. "I know you see an overwhelming estate, bricks that will crumble and crack in the winter, pipes that'll leak and burst; even with all that I do hope that you will come to love it if you take this role on" Gregory spoke again knowing what Simon was seeing through his eyes as they looked to the house in the distant.
"Was it in any trouble?" Simon asked couldn't help but wonder if a place like this ever in danger of being taking away even with today.
"Many times" Gregory said with a heavy sigh at the memories his family had to go through to keep the house.
"What saved it?" Simon asked as they continued walking down the road towards the house.
"Your mother" Gergory spoke with a soft and grateful tone in his voice, Simon paused in his walking as he watched Gregory walked further ahead of him step by step; the mention of his mother stirred something inside of him that he thought he would never feel again; his eyes glance up to the house the house that his mother saved; as his eyes scanned every brick every window his eyes meet Jane's in one of the window casting another feeling over him that he didn't want to feel so soon.