The Lady Yves

Chapter 22

As she combed her hair, Angenette kept annoying Freedom about the new man she had met who was old enough to be her father.

"He is so dreamy," Angie said as she plopped on to the bed. "I do not know why I like men that are a lot older than me."

Freedom laughed, looking at the girl. "You are an old soul trapped in the body of a young woman."

Angie giggled, fluffing her glossy raven hair.

Freedom smiled. She never thought she could have moments like this again with Angenette since the Yoshi Manley debacle but she was grateful that she had been given a second chance to make everything right.

Ever since Yoshi saved her life a few weeks back, she had started to appreciate even the little things, like the times she spent with Lord Barley walking the gardens or in the library or taking apart machinery...the things she used to enjoy before she became a depressed adult. She even started partaking in Lady Marisol's classes where she taught young women how to become proper ladies, assisted by Angenette.

Truth be told, she absolutely hated the classes but she endured them because it always made Angie pleased when Freedom picked up a new lesson. For instance, she had squealed in delight when Freedom actually put a napkin on her lap as well as tucked another one in her dress during a dinner with the family. Freedom had rolled her eyes but deep down, she was glad that it was the little things that made Angie happy. She may be a girl that loved her gifts but actions spoke volumes to her.

Mrs. Rendell had done jail time for assaulting Madame Fran who was rumoured to be somewhere in the tropics, using the guise of a new name and look. She had disappeared in the confusion of the sentencing and she had sent a letter to Yoshi, telling him not to look for her because she was planning to disappear for a very long time. Yoshi had burned the letter and donated everything his mother owned to his servants who sometimes showed to work wearing his mother's chunky jewellery with their uniform.

Yoshi laughed himself silly when he saw the odd ensemble.

He had not seen Freedom for a while now and he was bound to leave the town soon because the judge had decided that he was a nuisance to the town, confessing his love for a negro woman in front of a crowd in the town square.

He had taken a couple of weeks to recover from the whipping and his injuries and all that while, Freedom had not come to see him and he had not gone to see her either because despite their obvious intense attraction displayed in the the town square after the whipping, the townsfolk we're still angry about them being together and the punishment for interracial relationships had been worsened.

Yoshi could not take the risk and endanger Freedom so for once in his life, he stopped being selfish with her and let her go. He missed her every single waking day and he kept hoping he would see even just a glimpse of her when he walked the town.

Several young women had expressed their interest in him and he had tried to entertain a few but they were just not Freedom. He missed her scent, her laughter when he said or did something stupid, the way she would suddenly get shy when he complimented her and the smile she wore often when she was gazing at him. He knew she loved him and that worsened his yearning for her because no one drop him insane like she did.

He was a lovestruck man.

As he smiled to himself while walking out into the dark gardens, he kept thinking about her and wondering if she was thinking about him too. So it had finally taken him thirty years of his life to find that love that his mother had so often told him about when he was younger, the kind of love that made you randomly smile to yourself for no reason, the kind that made Yoshi want to sacrifice himself on behalf of Freedom, the kind that could break his heart and it could never be mended again yet he was still willing to take that risk.

He had finally found it and yet he could not freely have it.

"Be careful so as not to trip, Sir Manley," a voice carried over as a pair of arms suddenly enveloped him from behind.

He grinned and turned to the groomed Freedom. She had lost some of that softness she had before jail but it was slowly coming back. He held her chin with his index and kissed her, slowly tasting her, the hint of strawberries she had stolen from his gardens on her tongue.

"Girl," he said. "Did I not warn you about stealing the damn strawberries?"

She laughed, her arms hugging his waist as she looked up at him. "I was tempted," she said. "How have you been?"

He put his arms around her shoulders. "I have been alright. I thought a certain somebody did not want to see me before I left so maybe I was a little sad." He looked around to make sure that there was nobody around before dipping in for another kiss.

Freedom smiled into the kiss, letting go of Yoshi and sliding her dress down her shoulders. She knew that Yoshi had a weakness for her mounds and she had him just where she wanted as he leaned down to capture a brown nipple between his teeth.

"I will miss you," Freedom said.

He looked at her. "The offer to come with me is still on the table."

She shook her head. "Maybe I will run into you some day, Yoshi. Lord knows how much I want to leave with you." She unbuttoned his shirt and got it off him. "I want to make this night last forever."

He nodded understandingly and picked her up, then heading for the house, knowing that he was all alone in this manor. If this was how it had to end with Freedom, he was going to make this night the kind she would remember even on her deathbed.

She would know exactly how much he loved her because his soul was hers to share with tonight...

This was not the night for sad goodbyes even if tomorrow would be when he left. It hurt that this was how it ended but for the sake of their lives, it was a sacrifice they were both willing to make.

THE END

Y'all welcome. Danko.

You are welcome to compliment, criticize, complain, question everything in this book. Pretty sure y'all got something to say so feel free

Please join me on the new journey of Tae's A Company by AfricanSotho especially if you love K-drama.