DEVOTED TO HEAVEN

CHAPTER III

Alusia suddenly blushed. She hadn't expected such words from Vante. She looked nervously at the young man squatting in front of her. Meanwhile, Vante did not take his eyes off the girl. You could see the hope on his face. Indeed, he hoped that Alusia would accept his offer:

"Vante..." she sighed.

"I don't need an answer now, Miss Alusia. But think about my offer." the brown-haired man smiled and stood up, holding out his hand to the girl. She just shook her head.

"I want to swing more." she said, gripping the ropes a little tighter.

So Vante swung her a bit more...

Somewhere in the distance, both of their soft laughs could be heard. It could be heard even inside. Alusia felt as if she were truly free - no problems, just the swing and Vante. Who, as always, listens to her. For the first time in so long, she felt warm and calm. It made her feel a lot of emotions. After some time Vante stopped the swing:

"Miss Alusia, we should be going." he sighed, holding out his hand to the black-haired woman. But instead of taking the young man's palm, Alusia wrapped her arms around him, giving him a warm hug.

"Thank you, Vante." she murmured into the brown-haired man's chest as her hands squeezed him tighter.

Vante smiled and hugged the girl back. He didn't know what Alusia was thanking him for, but her touch was so warm that he didn't think he would be able to let her go. So, they stayed like that for a few minutes.

Alusia and her father sat at a long table covered with food. They were having dinner. In the silence, the same clock could be heard striking 7 pm. Alusia chewed a piece of meat, swallowing it with difficulty. She wondered whether it was worth telling her father that she was not interested in Lord Frinton. But her father seemed genuinely happy at the breakfast table today. The black-haired girl took a breath, filling her lungs with air as if to encourage herself before starting the conversation:

"Father." she placed the fork on the empty plate and rested her wrist on the edge of the table while her fingers moved nervously. "I thought. Maybe it's too early for me to look for...a significant other?" she was a little unsure. Mr. Bingley looked at Alusia in surprise. Silence. He was thinking about something, sipping red wine from his glass.

"Why do you think so? I think Lord Frinton is a great man. You should give him a chance." he finally spoke.

"I'm not saying he's not a great man..."

"Then what's the problem?"

And here Alusia didn't know what to say.

She couldn't say I don't want to. Mr Bingley doesn't understand that. Then he will say the same meaningless words to Alusia again: it is her duty, you cannot escape from your responsibilities...

So, there is really nothing for her to do but accept her fate.

And that's where the dinner ended. The father wished his daughter goodnight and disappeared from the dining room. Meanwhile, the black-haired girl remained sitting in the dining room. She was thinking. As if that would somehow save her in this situation.

The next day, Alusia was sitting on the cosy veranda drinking her morning tea. Her black hair was in a bun, her cheeks were slightly flushed from blush and her lips turned redder from lipstick. She was wearing a light pink dress. The girl sipped green tea, watching the horizon, not really hearing anything behind her. Suddenly, there was a voice:

"Miss Alusia." it was Lord Frinton. The black-haired woman jumped a little and turned her head.

"Lord Frinton?" she was surprised. "What are you doing here? Father didn't say you were planning to come by." Alusia smiled slightly at him.

"And I wasn't. But I was travelling nearby, so I thought I'd drop by." the blond man gave the girl a smile as well. "May I?" he asked, pointing to an empty chair next to the table.

"Yes, of course." the black-haired girl nodded her head. "How about some tea?" she raised her eyebrows slightly.

"I'll pass." he said before sitting down.

Then there was an uncomfortable silence between them. Alusia looked at the guy a little: brown waistcoat, black tailcoat and trousers. In his hand he held a tall hat. She couldn't help noticing that Lord Frinton's hair was slightly messy:

"Lord Frinton, I'm very sorry, but..." she tentatively reached out a hand to brush the man's hair. "Here."

"Thank you." he blushed slightly. The young woman noticed it. In her eyes it was cute. "Miss Alusia, your father told me you were interested in drawing." he murmured quickly.

"I do draw sometimes." the black-haired woman confirmed the young man's words. Then she took her white porcelain cup and sipped her tea.

"You know, sometimes I paint as well. I'd like to see your work." Lord Frinton said with unsureness. Alusia's eyes widened.

"You do?!" she shouted slightly. "I would love to share my work, Lord Frinton." she smiled broadly and jumping up from her seat, hurried to her room.

A few minutes later, and here she was again, sitting next to the blond man with a few sheets of paper, showing her sketches:

"Here's a sunset." the girl first pulled out a drawing of a sunset that she had once seen through the window of her room. Although there were no colours, Alusia really captured the beauty she had seen with her eyes. The sunset was slightly obscured by the dense forest that surrounds her home.

"That's wonderful, Miss Alusia!" Lord Frinton took the drawing, admiring the girl's work. His eyes explored every inch of it, moving from the top of the drawing to the bottom. However, the blond man's eyes went to the next drawing. There was a young man. And a very familiar one: Vante. In fact, you could tell that the brown-haired man didn't know he was being drawn. Here he is concentrating, as if listening to something, his face full of thoughts. Alusia seemed to understand what had caught Lord Frinton's attention.

"It's Vante." she whispered. "I drew it in secret while he was talking to my father about something." she smiled, running her fingers lightly over Vante's drawing.

"Do you like him?" suddenly the guy sitting in front of her asked.

"Like him? Well, you know... I grew up with him..." the girl got lost in her words.

"Do you like him romantically? I mean that, Miss Alusia."

"No." she shook her head. Although she wasn't sure of her answer. But for the moment, Lord Frinton no longer seemed so dull. So, the black-haired girl didn't want to spoil the moment.

However, Vante, standing a little further away and unnoticed by anyone, definitely heard the doubt in Alusia's voice.