Retires to newly cleaned parlour, shooes Cooper out, pours brandy…
You watch the delicate hands of the pocket watch creep closer and closer to the top of the hour, knowing full well that the foolish man is probably standing on the other side of the door doing precisely the same thing.
You retire to the bedroom and wait, affixing a thin smile to your face and taking one last look in the mirror as the hour strikes.
You hear the door latch click as Mr Gray walks into your rooms, the clack of the immaculate shoes on the wood is perfectly timed as usual.
“My Lady, the sun rises in Kadana at the same hour as it does in Strom. I see no reason that your timekeeping should be so poor as to forget that already.”
You hear him leafing through one of the hefty books on your desk, no doubt with that same wry, teasing smirk you have been noticing out of the corner of your eye recently.
“You shall simply have to give the lesson in here Mr Gray, I am quite unmoved by your scheduling.”
You wait a moment for effect, knowing that he will not have moved one inch. This is all part of the game.
“Now, Mr Gray.”
For a moment, the silence makes you think you’ve gone too far, but after a long moment of tension the shoes begin to clack.
He opens the doors and steps into the room.
You are of course quite naked.
His entire body communicates complete and professional nonchalance, the only indication that he has even noticed you is his left eyebrow, which has been discretely raised by no more than a quarter of an inch.
It’s more than you could have ever hoped for.
“I knew you were still alive in there. You’re not quite the machine I’ve been pretending you are.”
Mr Gray’s thin lips twitch with amusement, and moves his hand to his neck, ready to tear his cravat off and join you. His eyes have that strange predatory aspect that make you feel as if you are being watched by some dark jungle cat.
“Ah-ah! Leave it on…”
The hand stops, returns to his side. He closes the door behind him.
He leaves the cravat on.
You asked, remember that you asked.