Summary: Ada wants information from Duke Barma in order to save her brother. What information does Barma want from her in return? Rufus/Ada crack pairing, takes place 1 yr prior to present.

Words: 1602

Rating: PG-13

Writer's Note: I'm trying to get beyond showing old Ruf as a lovelorn sadsack with a shortage of people skills, but it's baby steps, people, baby steps. Thanks to total_alias for beta reviewing!

Ada Vessalius dearly loved her brother Oz, and wanted to help him escape from Abyss. Toward this end she had been collecting information about the occult, in hopes that she might find something there that would assist her goal. But there was only so much information in the library at Vessalius manor, and at Lutwidge where she attended school. So at the age of seventeen, she decided to ask for the help of Duke Rufus Barma, who was known to be a great collector of information and books.

Duke Barma accepted the young lady's request for an audience one rainy spring afternoon. The two met in the anteroom by the library.

"Miss Ada, I understand you've come to me to obtain some information," said the Duke from behind his fan.

"Oh, yes!" Ada said brightly. "How did you know?"

"I know simply…everything," the man said, doing a poor job of tempering his haughtiness.

"That's wonderful!" Ada clasped her hands together. "Then perhaps, Lord Duke Barma, you can tell me about the Abyss? Or lend me some books from your extensive library, please? I would be so grateful…"

Rufus looked at her gracefully entwined fingers for a moment, lost in thought, then he spoke.

"It's my style to exchange information with information, Miss Ada. So I will gladly assist you, if you will provide me with some thing that I don't know."

Ada's face grew concerned.

"Oh," she said, looking downward. "I-If you already know everything, then I don't see how I could possibly—"

"There is one thing that I do not know," Rufus interrupted, "that you might be able to help me with."

"Oh?"

"I would like to know…" he said, gazing fondly at a small picture of Sheryl Rainsworth he'd just removed from his pocket, "…how to win a woman's heart."

()

A few hours later, Ada left Barma manor with an armful of books about the Abyss and various occult topics, and the duke sat down at his desk to draw up a plan based on what he'd just learned from the young lady. He started by taking out his notes, hastily scribbled from her upbeat, casual presentation. He could almost see her sunny face and bright emerald eyes as he reviewed the list:

–Be punctual

–Open doors and be helpful

–Be clean and neat

–Smile sincerely, as if you're really happy to see her

–Be honest and open

–Don't play with a woman's heart for your own selfish reasons

Hmm, he thought, tapping his finger to his lips. 'Be punctual, open doors, be helpful'…yes, I'm already doing all that. I've been pushing Sheryl's wheelchair for years as well as opening doors for her. He gave himself a virtual pat on the back by consuming a chocolate truffle from a glass candy jar on his desk, then moved on to the next suggestion.

'Be clean and neat'…Maybe I'll try bathing twice a week instead of just once.

'Smile'…I suppose I could improve a bit in that area, he admitted to himself. He took a hand mirror out of his desk drawer and practiced his smile, and soon saw his own reflection sneering back at him, complete with chocolate stains between his teeth. I look like such an idiot when I smile, he thought bitterly, reaching for a toothpick.

'Be honest and open'…this suggestion made the duke feel a bit unsettled, but he wasn't sure why, so he quickly moved on to the next one.

'Don't play with a woman's heart for your own selfish reasons'…Have I been doing that with Sheryl? No, I'm sure I have only the purest of intentions, he thought. If anyone's heart has been played with, surely it is mine. That woman has been stringing me along for years, teasing me with her charm and grace, but refusing to acknowledge my feelings for her, or reciprocate in kind.

He clenched his fists together, swallowed the lump in his throat and got up to take a long cold shower.

()

The next time Duke Barma saw Sheryl, he was on time, properly washed and groomed, and ready to be as earnest and honest as he could possibly be without embarrassing himself. When he came into her presence, he remembered Ada's advice and smiled as sincerely as he could when he greeted her.

"What's wrong with you today, Ruf?" Sheryl looked concerned over his uncharacteristically broad smile. "Got gas?"

He quickly put his fan up to his face to hide his deflated expression.

A few weeks later Ada returned the books to Barma manor and the duke cornered her.

"I'm not having much luck with the suggestions you provided," he whispered. "I'm sure there's more information inside you that I can retrieve." He beckoned her into his study.

"Well, Lord Duke Barma," said Ada, smoothing down her dress as she sat in a chair, "I suppose there are a few more ideas I could suggest…"

While she spoke, the duke took notes as before, but found himself somewhat distracted. He couldn't help but focus his gaze on her sparkling eyes, pretty face, delicate fingers, silky blonde hair and voluptuous figure. Her cleavage in particular caught his eye, as the top of her large breasts swelled above her dress.

After escorting her to the door, the duke hurried back to his study and shut the door. He bit one of his knuckles and exhaled a long shuddering breath, picturing her loveliness in his mind's eye.

How might I win this girl's heart? he wondered. And his scheming mind got to work.

()

In the coming weeks, the duke sent flowers to Sheryl and then with much nervous trepidation, sent some to Ada as well. I hope I'm not being too terribly obvious, thought the duke. Since Miss Ada only just gave me this advice about giving flowers to win a woman's heart.

After a night of fitful sleep he decided sending Ada flowers would only make him look like a heel, and sent her a bunch of other things she had not suggested in her advice on how to win a woman's heart…chocolates, a lace handkerchief and a floral tea set. That's only going to make me look desperate, he fretted.

Then he sat down and wrote a letter to Ada to try to explain his actions.

Dear Miss Ada,

Thank you very much for all your assistance in recent weeks. I have been sending you tokens of my appreciation and trust you have received them. I would like extend to you an invitation to visit Barma manor at your earliest convenience, so that we might further discuss what lies within your a woman's heart.

Regards,

Duke Rufus Barma

()

When Ada came to visit a third time, Rufus was freshly showered and shaved, scented with cologne, and wearing clothes that were newly cleaned and pressed. His hair was immaculately brushed and styled, with only a single clump of chronically unruly hair out of place. He greeted her with a toothpick-clean smile and tried his best to keep his eyes from sliding down to her décolleté, trying instead to focus on her shining emerald eyes.

He clasped her right hand in both of his, and led her to his study.

"I'm not quite sure why it is so, Miss Ada," he said, taking a deep breath, and hiding his face behind his fan, "but your suggestions simply aren't working for me on the lady I desire."

"Well, perhaps we need to tailor the suggestions to the specific lady you have in mind, Lord Barma," Ada suggested, smiling sweetly.

He was silent a moment and then said,

"This is the problem, Miss Ada. The lady I desire…has changed. What I mean is…" he walked over to her and stood quite close. "During the course of this study, I have begun to desire…you, Miss Ada."

"Oh, why...um," she muttered, blushing. "Lord Duke Barma, I-I don't know what to say…"

"Miss Ada…" the duke interrupted. "You don't need to say anything…just be with me."

"Oh!" Ada blushed furiously and clenched her skirt with her hands. "Well, er…"

The duke looked at her quivering chest and flushed cheeks and felt his own face grow hot. He put one hand on the warm, bare skin of her shoulder and the other around her slender waist and pulled her close so that his lips were so close to hers she could smell his minty fresh breath.

"Kiss me, Miss Ada," he whispered, creeping his hand around to the back of her neck. He pulled her face into his and kissed her like a man who has all the best intentions in the world, but has no idea how to convey them appropriately. Ada's eyes grew wide at the realization that her lips were being mashed most sloppily by a man old enough to be her grandfather. She turned her head suddenly so that his lips fell upon her cheek.

"E-Excuse me, Lord Duke Barma," she stuttered. "M-May I say something, please?"

Rufus pulled back and gazed at her fondly.

"Of course, Miss Ada…"

"I, um…I-I also have conditions for exchanging such…intimacies," she said, finding her stride. "If you want to be with me in this…this sort of way, I need you to promise me something."

"What is it?" He smiled warily.

"You must promise to court me every weekend," Ada said, grinning. "And then one day…" she said, looking toward the ceiling, "you must marry me! Wouldn't that be just lovely? We could unite our two houses and…"

Rufus didn't hear the rest, for he had collapsed to the floor in a dead faint.

END