Betrayal was a hard thing to take back or undo once it's been committed, the lies once made to look so real and true for beer lingering in the background of the heart that had been wounded. Yes, some healed quicker than others, somehow able to repair the broken pieces with such precision that it was hard to think that anything had been shattered to begin with. It still left the young woman in disbelief to think a soul that had been broken beneath the lies and the sudden thievery of their trust could heal as quickly as she'd witnessed before. There had been a time where her wretched father had deceived the French woman's mother, his own wife whom he had promised to love and always be true to the day that they'd sealed their bond with vows meant to be enteral and from the deepest parts of a heart poured out to another for all the world to see and marvel at. It had not been that the man cheated on her kind mother, if anything perhaps some would say Adelaide had taken it for more than it was, but to her, a lie was still a lie and it was far too easily made into a habit that far too many people seemed to develop these days. 'Sorry' only reached to a certain length with the dark-haired woman, and when she'd seen the shock and hurt in her mother's eyes that day when she'd found out that the beast in men's clothing had hidden something from her, she'd fully expected to see the fury in her mother's eyes. Yet, no such fire burned within the older woman when the nobleman had told her just how sorry he was that he had not been honest with her. Just like that, all was forgiven and her mother went on trusting the man like it had never happened and it left the young woman absolutely stupefied. She very much knew of and understood that ancient saying "forgive and forget", but what she didn't understand was how such deceit could go discovered only to be dismissed for a one-time occurrence in a matter of moments. Surely her mother had never forgotten that he'd lied, that during those months he'd been no better than a snake in tall grass? It hadn't had anything to do with Adelaide and yet she had been so furious and shocked all in the very some short-lived moment that it had struck something profoundly deep within the dark-haired woman.

Once her trust was betrayed, there was no putting back the pieces of that delicate and frighteningly rare thing like nothing had ever happened. This was not to say that the French woman was not capable of forgiving another, that was not true at all. She'd done her fair share of forgiving the other girls when they would tease her and their parents demanded that they apologize. Back when she'd been little, she'd forgiven quickly and forgotten the entire ordeal that had originally upset her. Even as she grew a little older, forgiveness was something Adelaide could do without batting much of an eye at. When the day came that Melody had apologized for how she'd acted when they'd been little kids, the dark-haired woman had hardly struggled then to accept the apology that the blonde woman had offered to her and they'd been happy to start over again together. However, Adelaide had never forgotten the strife that had once existed naturally between herself and the other woman, and it was this same inability to forget that made her cautious around the blue-eyed blonde woman despite the sweetness of her smile and the kindness in her eyes that hadn't existed for Adelaide before. Yes, she'd forgiven the other woman, but the trust that she'd once placed in Melody's hands had not been whole and skillfully repaired so that if it were a vase one could never guess that it had been broken to pieces on the metaphorical ground before. No, that trust had been full of cracks that would never allow for it to fill, all those promises made by the blonde woman leaking through and lost to Adelaide. Then, there were those instances where she refused to forgive and forget. No matter how hard she tried, she could never forget the hurt that she'd seen etched so clearly in her mother's face as her father came clean and asked for her forgiveness. The young French woman with those long and flowing locks of dark cocoa would never forgive the man for hurting the one that she loved most in the world, the one that he should have never lied to or deceived to begin with. She was quick to learn thereafter that her father was not the only snake in the garden of that estate, all those suitors bringing with their gifts nothing but empty promises she'd been able to see right through like the glass of that bay window she spent so much of her time alone in. Only Julien had somehow been able to fool her, and how his deceit had only worsened her wariness of men as she remained restlessly trapped in that large manor. When he'd wounded her, betrayed her after she'd given him her full trust when he told her that he would show her the world beyond the guarded gates of the estate and beyond the rolling hills of Paris, she didn't dare to place that much faith in others every day thereafter. It was because of him and her father that she had little to no intentions of ever giving away that piece of her heart again. She was done being fed pretty little lies.

Yet, here she was in the quiet of that living area warmed by the fiercely burning flames of that very much real fireplace with a man she was only just beginning to understand and he'd somehow managed to practically steal from her a sliver of that trust much more rare than any precious stone to be found in the earth's crust. It was in part due to the fact that he had helped her when no one else seemed to bat an eye at the assault that happened in the burlesque, and when he'd been surrounded by those gargantuan man to be escorted out of the establishment, all he'd wanted in turn was for the French woman to let him know that she was alright. She hadn't expected for that act of valor to resonate so deeply within her and yet it had. Almost entirely unbidden, he'd captivated her interest and she wanted to know why it was that he seemed purely and utterly different from all the other men she'd come across in her life. And even more surprising still was how at ease she was around him, a complete stranger she'd met in one of the more unsavory places she'd seen. He was so easy to talk to, something about him so unexpectedly alluring to her. She wanted to think it was that sense of mystery, how she knew next to nothing about the kind man who'd stepped up when he had absolutely no obligation of doing so, but something in Adelaide told her that it was something so much deeper than that. They say that sometimes one just knew when they were in the company of a kindred spirit, that the heart could hear things which the ears could not and that it could see things that even the keenest of eyes were blind to, and perhaps at first she hadn't really believed such things. Looking at Taylor though, she was certainly reconsidering those words she'd once read in one of the many books she'd dared to explore. He just seemed so genuine... Yes, there were shadows of a past that echoed from those faded scars she could see in his strong forearm, but did not have demons? So very few. Slender fingers brushed lightly over perhaps a little slower than was necessary, as if those delicate fingertips were caressing the pages of a book, words etched in a language she hadn't learned to decipher and yet she very much wanted to. Another time, she tells herself quietly as sage eyes meet hunter greens that grow from light and playful to something softer as his words answer hers to show that he knew what she had meant by her words, that smile upon her own lips growing gentle in turn.

Dark lashes blink over glittering sage eyes as that gentle smile of hers is replaced by one of amusement as she watches Taylor's own gaze alight with the familiar playfulness as he pretends to lift a hat to her at the second string of words she'd offered in insistence of his ever charming nature and she does nothing to withhold the gentle and trickling laughter that falls effortlessly past lightly parted lips. She couldn't tell if he was confident or if perhaps his endearing gestures were just his way of trying to put on an air of confidence while something a little more timid rested beneath the surface practically begging for the dark-haired woman to find it. She watches intuitively as the black and tan beauceron proves her words true as he makes his way over the Taylor at the likely recognised human vocalization that translates into food, bumping that wet and pointed snout against the man's hand before laying down at his feet when there was nothing to be found. Her attention is placed upon Taylor as he seems to light up, a chuckle falling from him as he rubbed Reginald's proud head who in response to the affection pressed into that human touch, pink tongue lolling to the side happily as the canine looked up at Taylor, tail thumping rhythmically against the hard flooring. She says nothing about the obvious happiness that the man seemed to gain from the companionship of Reginald, sage eyes once again meeting hunter green as he speaks in reply to her suggestion before she turns back to his arm to pull out another piece then. She glances up only briefly when he hisses, a brow lifted as he shoots her an accusing look before downing every drop of that French whiskey, returning the glass to the table before stating that it was already helping, tenor tones accompanied by a teasing smirk that has the French woman chuckling lightly."Good", she simply answers before turning back to that arm of his.

Fleeting silence lingers between them as she works precisely, hardly bothered as she felt his gaze linger over her. She wonders what he was thinking in that silence and as he asks if she's got them all, only then does she glance up and notice that he bites his lips then."Almost, just don't wiggle", she replies with amusement dancing into her words before she resumes. His next string of words has her pausing though and she couldn't help the almost sultry smile that dances across her elegant features. If she had known him before, if perhaps this night wasn't their first time together, she might have tested those waters as he gives her a playful wink that causes her own eyes to glitter with impish delight that he could play along as well without things getting... misconstrued. She says nothing in reply though, only blinking those sage eyes up at those hunter greens to let him fill that wordlessness however he so chose. As he speaks again just as she is decidedly content with the condition of his wounds now, her gaze meets his own again and for a moment she dared to consider that there was more to his words, wanting to ask just why it was he was glad from having gotten this night from her endless rejections of the men before him but instead of letting her curiosity ask him, she only gives him that coy smile and grabs her own glass to clink gently against his."I'll happily drink to that", she answers before lifting that crystal to her lips and finishing the last of the amber liquid and setting her empty glass on the table, sage eyes softening."I truly am glad to have met you, Taylor. It has been too long since last I could laugh so easily", she ushers gently through accents words, wanting him to know that she truly was thankful that despite the event that had brought them together, she was able to cross paths with him. He chuckles playfully at her words after lifting a brow at her and again he encourages that impish nature as a teasing and almost suggestive smile flickers across dusty rose-colored lips as he again speaks of getting used to the term of endearment she'd chosen."Oh? Well then perhaps you might find it worth your time staying around", she teases almost wickedly though it is lightened by the gentle note of amused laughter that falls from her lips.

Crossing his arms in his lap now that she has returned his arm to him, she moves to pour herself another glass of that rich Bastille and places the glass in her lap, gently clasped by both hands as she sits there with Taylor. He gives her a small smirk followed by his teasing question."I'm afraid so. Or in other words, Boyus', chto tak", she answers in short then as she demonstrates her trilingual talents only just briefly to see what reaction she might earn from him, playfulness dancing in her own sage depths for a moment before those flames of defiance come to life silently as they shift into exchanging words of their fathers, fathers that had wounded them both in different ways that still managed to translate into a familiar scar that their hearts shared. The mood is quick to lighten again though as he grins at her and thanks her for tending those wounds before stating that he would need to do something else so that she'd need to repay him for. Lifting a brow in playful skepticism, that coy smile teases her features."You hardly need to wound yourself if it's my company you want, Taylor. Though I'd be happy to stitch you up should you continue to play the wayward vigilante", she answers briefly before there is the shift again and those hunter greens grow darker as he reflects on the reality of his situation that he could not escape just as Adelaide could still hardly escape her own. As she leans forward to rest her hands over his own, their eyes are locked with the other's but she does not waver in the nearness that her compassionate gesture brings. She can see him searching her face for something that she did not know and his expression almost hardens as he goes to move away, lips parting only just like he would say something though he remains silent as she continues to explain that she would hire him. She hardly needed to guess that he thought she would simply offer to pay off his debts and it touched her that he would react in such a way, only further proving to her that he was more of a man than the spoiled sons she'd been pushed to find interest in. She could almost see a pride in those hunter green eyes and his words nothing reaffirm that she'd been right.

She smiles softly to him then."But of course. I would expect nothing less as you hardly seemed to be the type to want something for nothing, something you are right to take pride in", she replies warmly in response to his own warm smile. He goes on to tell her that he had history in the works of landscaping she she only smiles back, a gesture that showed him she did not that are his words lightly. She knew she didn't need to express that she wanted him to put his best into the job, unable to explain exactly how she knew but she did."I'm sure that you will prove just that, plus I trust that Townsend will put you right to it", she replies in lilted words tinged in amusement. The Englishman would likely be hard on the man that he would soon be made aware of his newest responsibility and working companion, but Adelaide was confident Taylor could handle it easily. His gaze softens, tenor tones expressing something deeper than mere thanks yet all she does in reply is give him a gentle smile. She would never say something that wasn't true - not with Taylor. He'd been nothing but honest with the French young woman and she would return the favor every step of the way. Suddenly he becomes uneasy again at the gentle squeeze of her hands, clearing his throat and standing, Reginald being quick to rise to his paws and move out from under Taylor's feet to avoid getting stepped on, reclaiming his place beside Rose who seems to give him a suspicious sniff. There is a newfound nervousness in Taylor's words and she cannot help the smile that dances across her lips as she stands to show him out, despite the distaste of knowing the man was staying in a hotel which she found hardly suitable. She thought to offer the spare room, but he seemed as though he wouldn't accept and she refrains from that invitation."Bright and early tomorrow morning, Monsieur. Seven o'clock sharp or Townsend might decide to find some unpleasant things that might need care", she answers before walking past him, dark locks cascading over her shoulders and down to the small of her back as she walks to the door. Likely alerted to the sounds of her footsteps coming down the hallway, she is joined by the blonde Englishman who moved to open the door, standing in ever refined silence though his icy blue eyes come to rest on Taylor. Adelaide pays no mind to him though, fully expecting that once that door was closed behind Taylor she would be getting quite the earful from him. Instead she simply smiles at Taylor warmly with her hands folded neatly in front of her."I look forward to seeing you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Taylor. Please drive safely", she says at last in warm farewell as she remains there to see him leave. What a night this has been for the young French woman, and how she almost finds herself reluctant to watch him as he goes. There was still so much more she wanted to know about him, but there was always tomorrow.