She had sent Cadoc with a letter saying she would be delighted to receive Mr Wynngate.
After all it was not the first time she had entertained guests at the apartment after all, and he was just coming by to view a book and discuss monic phenomenon.
And yet, there she could feel the heat of a blush in her face as she stood in her dressing room. She looked at the rack of clothes and scowled, she prided herself on her flair for style. However standing there in chest wrappings and long underwear, blushing and getting flustered about what to wear she got progressively more annoyed.
"Clocking damn it all!"
She spat and dropped into the armchair that sat before a dressing table, she avoided the reflection she took up the crystal tumbler of Gioran whiskey and took a sip. When she did look in the mirror she let out a sigh that came from her very soul. She addressed the pale face that stared back at her.
"Who are you?"
She sipped whisky and answered.
"A person of two worlds who belongs truly in neither."
It was not that she had been born a woman, it was the fact that she had been born in Gior. Had grown there and seen how women could speak out and be in charge. What the problem was was Anaxas, a kingdom so advanced in some ways but so backwards in others.
"Why didn't you just got back to Gior?"
Genevieve asked the mirror and Jean replied.
"Because I am not Gioran, not truly."
She had never felt particularly feminine, even in her youth in Gior, she hated dresses and the trappings of the gender she had been born with.
Face set she pointed at her reflection, Jean's reflection and said.
"Well, then pick one. No more double life, no more half life. All or nothing."
He nodded back, the choice was made. Question was, what to do about Genevieve De Silver?
Resolve renewed he got up and dressed in grey trousers with a subtle purple pinstripe, a red shirt of Hassen silk with a high collar, a black cravat and pulled black velvet smoking jacket and slipped on a pair of red slippers.
Before he left the dressing room Jean took a black bottle of cologne from a draw in the dresser, he dabbed a little behind his ears and on his wrists and took a deep breath. It smelled of cedar wood, grass and pine, it reminded him of the alpine slopes of his childhood home and he smiled.
As he left the dressing room Jean glanced at the clock on the mantle, if Tom was the kind of man who kept his appointments he should be arriving soon. He looked to Cadoc who stood by the drinks arranging the decanters.
"So Cadoc, will I do?"
Jean grinned and spread his arms, tumbler of whiskey in one hand, Cadoc smiled and nodded.
"Indeed Mr De Silver most handsome. I've decanted the fifteen year old single malt, as you requested."
Jean smiled at his long time friend and valet.
"Thank you Cadoc."
The wick returned the smile and bowed slightly.
"Anything else sir?"
Jean sat down in his wingback armchair and crossed on leg over the other and surveyed his sitting room come library and smiled with satisfaction.
"No Cadoc, and one Mr Wynngate arrives you may take the rest of the evening off."
Cadoc said nothing as it was not his place, but he did raise an eyebrow slightly. He had known Jean long enough to know that something was different about his employer this evening. Jean smiled and waved slightly, the silver signet catching the light.
"It will be fine Cadoc, after all we are just to discuss the nature of mona and the like."
Cadoc inclined his head and went into the small kitchen to wash up the last of the supper things.
Jean looked at the mantle clock again and tapped the side of his tumbler with his ring, 'just to talk' he thought to himself and yet.