<div class="floatright">(http://celebsla.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/kate-beckinsale-at-underworld-blood-wars-photocall-in-berlin-11-22-2016-5.jpg)</div><strong>Character:</strong>Alison West<br/><strong>Occupation:</strong>Guest<br/><strong>Time:</strong>Post-Lunch, August 21st<br/><strong>Location:</strong>The Barn<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Matthew, Virgil<br/><strong>Content Warning:</strong><br/><br/>Allison gave the palomino a few more pats on the head, then continued to examine the other horses in the stable. When the gunshots rang out, she squeaked a bit and looked around in alarm. Alison was used to the sound of gunfire, but only in controlled stage settings; she certainly wasn't expecting them here. The horse she was examining got a bit skittish at the sound of gunfire as well, and Alison did her best to try and soothe the beast, stroking it's head and speaking to it in quiet, calm tones.<br/><br/>When Matt entered the stable and told her about the intruders, Alison sighed and hung her head. "Shit." It was obvious who she thought the interlopers were here for, even if Matt said this was a common occurrence. With a tight smile on her lips, she followed Matt back to the barn. "We can hold off on the ride," she said to Matt, trying to sound cheerful. "Maybe until a bit after nightfall when it would be harder for snoops to get good pictures?" Of course, Alison knew that most of the top paparazzi had camera drones and night vision set-ups for their cameras, but she at least tried to keep up a hopeful front.<br/><br/>As Virgil was reassuring her of her safety and privacy, Alison nodded in appreciation of the sentiments. "Thank you, Mr. Matthews. But I still fell that I should be the one apologizing. Maybe they weren't here for me, precisely; maybe they just wanted to get pictures of anyone here, not just a specific person. Or, maybe they were after someone else. In any case, even if this sort of intrusion is common and a regular hazard for the Ranch, it doesn't mean that it's alright for me to be tossing a can of gasoline on the bonfire, so to speak, by my simply being here. So, if it turns out that this year is especially active for you in turning away prying eyes, I apologize in advance. I'll make a phone call to my agent tonight and have her send a body double in Los Angeles to try and throw the hounds off my scent here. I do thank you for your care, consideration, and concern." She gave Virgil a wide smile, trying to show that she really did trust the ranch owner and was fine putting her privacy in his hands while she was here.<br/><br/>As for the subject of her Guide, Alison looked over at Matt, her smile turning slightly affectionate. "Matt has been doing a wonderful job so far," she said to Virgil. "A complete gentleman. And I understand the reasoning behind switching around Guide assignments to that we all get to know the men better before coming to some kind of final decision. Just don't be surprised if I request Matt to be my Guide more often than not."