Algernon Black

(Chapter 153) A Pleasant Life to Suffer

Once Lucy retired to her room, she rested for only a moment with her back to her bedroom-door before noticing herself in the mirror across the way. She went to stand before her reflection—though she had never been vain enough to call herself beautiful, Lucy felt there no other word to describe herself tonight in the shimmering gown. It was the loveliest thing she'd ever touched, and probably ever would. She smiled, thankful for all the dress symbolized, but sadden knowing it would most likely be her last time ever wearing anything but the tatty clothes of a traveler once Jared came for her.

His letter rested on the vanity still, and Lucy picked it up now. When they trekked around the world, the gown would only weigh her down. As would her heart heavy with all the emotions she had come to experience in her short stint away.

A gentle knock at the door interrupted Lucy's mulling, and she went to open it, supposing it must be Mrs. Black—but she opened the door to Algernon. He looked Lucy up and down without saying a word and she moved slowly out of the way to let him in. Algernon gently closed the door behind him.

"You know there is nothing appropriate in you being here," Lucy said.

Algernon barley seemed to register a word spoken as his eyes rolled over her.

"It's my house," he finally replied, his voice far away as his mind wandered.

"But I'm your guest," Lucy said as she watched his eyes grow lidded. "Aren't their rules about coming into a guest's room at night?"

"Since when did rules mean anything to you?" Algernon asked, his tone playful to match her own.

Lucy watched as Algernon closed the distance between them until he was near enough to touch with just the slightest reach. "They don't. I just thought it mattered something to you."

"You would be wrong," Algernon said, tracing the exposed curve of Lucy's neck with the back of his hand to lead the hair resting on her shoulders to fall behind.

Lucy's breath choked her, frustrated and amazed by how that one gesture alone could entirely compel her to him.

"Your brother wrote to tell you he's coming to take you back," Algernon said, after finally building up enough courage to speak on the matter.

Lucy heard the sadness in his voice—she wasn't able to null the same in hers.

"Yes," she said, holding the letter still.

"And you won't be returning to Attwood?"

Lucy couldn't respond because from what her brother had implied, she wouldn't be, and she wasn't ready to admit that to him, or herself.

Algernon could suspect her answer by the look of her face. He took the letter from her to slowly set it aside—as if it was a bomb that could go off at the slightest touch that threatened to destroy them both.

"I wish you had never gotten that letter," Algernon said, his voice and eyes drowning with the understanding of what it was going to be like away from her—deprivation of the worst kind.

Lucy looked to him, her face a reflection of the anguish they both were succumbing too. "Me too."

It was like a dam had burst by Lucy's final confession and the two met in a passionate kiss—both with the overwhelming need to be connected with the other while they still could.

Algernon wove his hand through Lucy's hair and held her lips to his own, never feeling in all his life as desperate for anyone as he felt for her now.

He pressed her body as flat against him as he could—as if he could imprint the shape of her against his own. He already had her scent and voice memorized, but there was so much more of Lucy he wanted permanently etched into his mind, but he only had tonight to draw as much out of her as he could, so that the memories might hold him through.