Louise

Chapter 25

As Louise wandered through the vast fields, her heart heavy with sorrow. The sweet smell of freshly cut hay surrounded her, but she found no solace in the familiar scent. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breath, hoping to find some inner peace, some clarity. But with every inhale and exhale, the ache in her chest grew more unbearable. She tried to twirl, to dance, to escape the weight of her emotions. Yet, instead of finding liberation, she felt trapped, confined within an invisible cage.

Her thoughts were consumed by Sebastian, the man who had had inadvertently stirred a longing within her, a desire she never knew existed. His words, his touch, they haunted her taunting her with the memory of what could have been. The truth was, she had never expected to feel this way about anyone, let alone the man she was working for.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the silence, causing Louise's heart to leap into her throat. She spun around, her breath catching in her chest as she saw Sebastian standing a few feet away, his chest heaving from what must have been a mad dash to find her. His eyes were wide and filled with an intense emotion that she couldn't quite decipher.

"Mr. Warrington," she acknowledged, her voice barely above a whisper. Her heart hammered against her ribcage as she studied his face. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity that sent shivers down her spine. She took a tentative step forward, her hands trembling at her sides. "What brings you here?"

"I must speak to you," he declared, his gaze fixed on her with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

Louise's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in ragged gasps, anticipation surging through her veins. She took a deep breath and met his gaze ready to face whatever he had to say.

"Before you speak," she began, her voice firm but tremulous, "I would like to congratulate you." Sebastian's eyes widened in surprise, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. "On what?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of desperation.

Louise swallowed the lump forming in her throat and continued, "On your marriage to Lady Marianne. I understand that you shall be wed soon, and I have been instructed to seek a new position." Her voice wavered slightly, the words feeling like knives in her chest as she spoke to them. "I wish you and Lady Marianne all the happiness in the world, my lord," she added, giving a little curtsy.

Her words hung in the air, casting a heavy silence between them. Mr. Warrington's face paled, his eyes darting away from hers, unable to bear the weight of her resignation.

"Why must you leave?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're so vital to the manor, so important to..." He trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

Louise looked up, her eyes meeting his. "Because Lady Marianne has decreed so," she replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil within.

A surge of anger flared within Mr. Warrington, "Who is she to determine such decisions?" he demanded, his voice harsher than he intended.

"She is your wife," Louise reminded him, her voice steady despite the ache in her chest. "And as such, she has a right to make decisions for the both of you. I understand that this might be difficult for you to accept, but I hope you can find it in your heart to respect her wishes."

Mr. Warrington's jaw clenched, his fists balling at his sides. "I am not married to Lady Marianne," he growled through gritted teeth. "She has no claim over me, no say in my life."

Louise's eyes widened in surprise, her heart skipping a beat. "My apologies, sir," she stammered, feeling the colour drain from her face. "I did not mean to imply otherwise" - her words were laced with confusion, her thoughts spinning in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. "I only meant that Lady Marianne has made it clear that she wishes for me to leave."

"Louise! Stop it at once!" Her name, spoken with such urgency and fear, pierced through the air like a dagger. She froze, her body tense, her heart hammering against her ribcage.

"Please...just please stop," Sebastian begged, his voice shaking with emotion. "You don't know what you're saying." Louise looked at him, confusion and pain warring in her eyes. His face was flushed, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his eyes pleading with her to understand. But she didn't. She had no idea what he was talking about.

"My heart beats for another," he whispered, his voice barely audibles over the rustling of the grass. "I cannot marry Lady Marianne." His confession hung in the air between them like an invisible weight, pulling the world off its axis.

"The one my heart yearns for, is beautiful", he began, his voice breaking, "kind, wonderful. She is compassionate, intelligent, and possesses a strength that rivals any man." Louise stared at him, her mind struggling to comprehend his words. "She is you, Louise," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "She is you."

Louise's heart pounded in her chest; her breath caught in her throat. The words echoed in her mind, a revelation that shattered the walls she had constructed around her heart.

"Are you here to mock me?" she asked, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with a mix of disbelief and a flicker of hope.

"Mock you, my dear Louise? Never," Sebastian replied, his voice laced with sincerity, his eyes reflecting the depth of his emotion. "I come to you with a heart full of love, of gratitude, and of hope. I wish to confess that my heart has belonged to you since the moment we met."

"And yet, you have stood by while my people have been subjected to such cruelty," she challenged, her voice laced with pain, "How can you claim to love me when you allow such injustice to prevail?"

"I confess, my dear Louise," he began, his voice thick with emotion, "Though my father wanted me to stop investigating the case, I never fully abandoned it. I will not rest until justice is served, until those who have committed these heinous acts are held accountable. And I will do it for you, my love, for the very soul of our society, for the very fabric of humanity."

As Sebastian's impassioned words faded, Louise felt her heart fluttering wildly, her breath catching in her throat.

"Sebastian," she whispered, her voice barely audible, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "My heart beats for you too." She stepped forward, her hands trembling as they reached out to touch his face. His skin was warm and smooth beneath her fingertips, sending a rush of desire coursing through her veins. "I cannot deny our magnetic attraction, our undeniable connection. But you must understand that my heart has long been guarded, that I am not accustomed to such feelings of trust and safety."

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away her tears. "I understand, my love," he said, his voice tender. "I will give you time, as much as you need, to come to terms with our feelings. But know this: my love for you is not something I can simply turn off or ignore. It has become the very beat of my heart, the air that I breathe."

His gaze, filled with love and understanding, met hers as she leaned in closer, her lips parting ever so slightly. The air between them crackled with anticipation, and in that moment, she knew she couldn't resist any longer.

Her lips brushed against his, soft and tentative at first, before she let herself sink into the kiss. His lips were warm and demanding, his tongue tracing the contours of her mouth, igniting a fire within her that spread through her entire body. She could feel the heat from his skin, the strength in his arms as they wrapped around her, pulling her closer.

As their kiss deepened, the world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them in this lush, hidden grove. The rustling of the grass, the distant calls of birds, all seemed to fade into the background as their desire for each other grew. Their hands roamed over each other's bodies, exploring, touching, caressing, as if they had been starved of physical contact for years.