"Lance?" I closed the book and got off my sitting position, looking him up, not sure if I was seeing things. "What are you doing here?" He grinned and came closer."I was worried about you. After the party, the next morning I left for your house but your father told me you were here to see your sister." He looked around the living room. "I didn't know your sister is the Duchess of Arana.""She... She is." I turned to Arthur and whispered to him. "Can you please go see if your brothers are awake yet? I will continue the story later, I promise." He didn't look willing but he ran off to the nursery anyway."Please come have a sit." I said to Lance, waving over the available chairs. He took the sofa immediately, getting comfortable fast.I excused myself and went to get snacks for him from the kitchen.When I returned, he was examining the book I was reading to Arthur earlier."These are for you." I said to him, setting the snacks on a low table in front of him."Thank you. It's a little
"Alexa?" I stilled at Gwen's voice."Why are you out of...?" "I know, I know. I'm going back right now, I've found something to keep me busy." Gwen said, cutting Julien off. I couldn't bring myself to look at her or even Julien. I kept my eyes down."Are you hurt?" I felt Gwen's hand on my arm and I turned then to her. She was smiling, not at all the expression I was expecting."No, I'm alright.""Don't worry, Alexa. That rascal won't bother you anymore." I nodded at Julien but I didn't look at him. Rather I went for the abandoned book and gave it to him, still looking down."You should finish reading this to Arthur while I sit with Gwen awhile." I pushed it into his hands and took Gwen's hand, leading her to her room. Then... only then could I breathe fine.I exhaled slowly."Alexa, are you attracted to Julien?" I choked on air, coughing and wheezing. "Oh my! Are you alright? I didn't mean to startle you. It's just that, earlier...""I'm not!" I said, finally catching my breath. "I
I returned to Durnca shortly after. Gwen's condition got better and though she coughed from time to time, the doctor thought it was okay for her to leave her room again and stay around the children.I was happy to be back home and Pa was even happier to have me around again. Of course I didn't tell him what illness troubled Gwen, we decided to keep it from him not to worry him. Cecilia spent most of her time with me while Christopher was away at Blair's home, doing whatever it was he did there. Cecilia said she was glad not to have him around anymore but I knew she said that just so she wouldn't feel the hurt."I'm coming in." Cecilia announced as she came into the house. I was in the kitchen, cooking a new pot of soup for lunch when she came in."Your Papa is gone again?" I asked without leaving my task."Before I could even wake up. I wonder why she can't come to our house, I mean, it is clean now." Cecilia said bitterly from the breakfast table. I replaced the pot lid before leavi
According to Cecilia, Blair threw a tantrum for a week and Christopher thought she just might call off the engagement, but then she sent a letter, inviting him for tea.Though he still did her every bidding, he didn't visit her so much once spring came, he had to go back to farming.I was glad that the winter was over, I never liked the cold and even more pleasing, I could fix up the storeroom and set up my shop.I still didn't know what to name it, I've never had anything of my own I could give a name before. It was all because of Christopher. I was grateful to him but because I didn't want to cause problems between him and his witch of a fiancée, I kept my distance."I should come with you and help you fix up the place." Pa was saying to me while I brushed my hair, getting ready to go to the storeroom."I know you can help but Gwen would have my head if your back gave in while helping me. Don't worry Pa, there is not much left to do anyway, hopefully at the end of the week, I will o
I turned sharply to Christopher. He didn't like Blair? Why then was he marrying her? I couldn't stop myself from asking."Why marry someone if you don't like them?" He shrugged as we got into the shop and set down the items."I'm only marrying her for Cecilia. My time here is temporary and Cecilia would be better off if she has someone to care for her when I'm gone.""What do you mean by that? Are you ill? Has someone threatened your life?" He laughed again."It's not that. Don't worry about it now, we have to get to work if we want to make it home for dinner." I wasn't satisfied with his answer but I was a stranger to him, I couldn't push him to open up if he didn't want to.We set to work, putting the chairs where they were meant to be, setting up the mirrors, the tables, the little stools..."But then Cecilia doesn't like her very much, I doubt Blair is glad to be Cecilia's mother after what happened at the market the other day. There are other maidens and many of them have shown i
To make me feel better, Pa bought me a red ribbon, the same shade of my hair. I loved it instantly and used it to tie my hair; you wouldn't even know it was there.Bridget didn't just invite me for the baby's party, she invited Papa too and that was the only thing that gave me courage to attend.I knew the news of Christopher and I spending the night alone must have reached every house in Durnca and people were likely going to talk about it and try putting me down, but Pa has assured me that if I don't pay heed to what they say, they will leave me alone.I made a mental note to apologize to Christopher later, it was my fault and his name would get dragged in the mud as well.I didn't bother with getting a new dress, I already had one of Gwen's I altered and it looked presentation enough for such a function. Besides, I had used a good amount of coins to get a toy box for the baby.I felt like I was attending parties a lot now and I might tell Bridget there were not my thing and I would
I couldn't make sense of what had just happened.After Christopher proposed and secured the betrothal necklace around my neck, Papa took the toy box from me, gave it to Bridget and thanked her for the invitation, then he took my hand and we left the mansion.I was still too stunned to say anything. I was just sitting at the breakfast table, still as a rock as I stared into space. I was engaged?! How was it possible that I was engaged? And to Christopher? How did not fretting push me into the last place I wanted to find myself, as someone's wife?It was probably a joke. Maybe if I held my breath long enough, I'd pass out and wake up in my bed; there would be no memory of the night in the storeroom and most especially, I wouldn't be wearing a betrothal necklace."You will give yourself a headache worrying so much." Pa was sitting on another chair, across from me. "Don't think too much about the matter, it is...""Pa, tell me... am I engaged to be married?" He looked confused."Yes, you
It was very strange and a little uncomfortable living with Christopher. It wasn't that his presence made me uncomfortable, but the thought that I exchanged vows on an altar with him and now I'm supposed to be his wife. I know we agreed it would only be on paper but we were living together for God's sake, I had to be in the same space with him all the time.On our wedding night, we both stood, looking at his bed. It was big enough for four people but I didn't like the idea of sharing it with him so I was reaching for a pillow and blankets when he took them away from my grasp."Thank you." He said and made to turn around."Oh, wait. I was getting those for myself.""And what kind of a person would I be if I let you sleep on the couch when there is a very comfortable bed in here. Don't worry, I never really liked the bed anyway, you can have it." Without waiting for my reply, he left the room.Sure, I had the bed to myself, but I felt guilty. He was helping me after all and he didn't hav