Midnight Rain:

Chapter 68: You Have to:

Anthony leaned back in the bathtub as he used the small pitcher of water over Evelina's back as they soaked in a lavender bath, given that the morning sickness has been hard on her and her body.

"You are still uneasy." Anthony whispered, setting the pitcher on the side table as he moved to hold her shaky hands.

"It's gonna happen again." She sighed, leaning back on his chest.

"Don't say that..." He sighed, trying to stop her hands by intertwining their fingers.

"My hands won't stop..." She sighed, trying to use her strength to move their hands closer to her as she kissed the back of his hand.

"It's alright." He smiled, moving to kiss her shoulder.

"How do you know that?" Evelina sighed, turning to look at him.

"Because... I love you." He said, moving to peck a sweet kiss on her nose as she chuckled.

"And I love you... But I don't think--" She went to say as he shook his head. 

"Look." He smiled, looking at the hand that was intertwined with his. "It stopped shaking." He smiled as he hand was barely shaking that you could not see it.

But it was enough for Evelina to smile, when she moved to lean back on his chest again.

Meanwhile, Kate got off her horse as she needed to catch her breath. Her peaceful moment was interrupted by James who stopped his horse in the first spot they met at.

"Miss Sharma. I see you continue here with your morning rides." He said, getting off his horse.

"As do you, it seems." She sighed as he looked at her, taking a deep exhale.

"I couldn't sleep." He sighed, tying his horse's reigns to a nearby broken tree.

"Nor could I." Kate sighed, speaking in such a soft whisper that it almost did not come out. "Have you decided what you will do?" She asked as he silently walked closer to her.

"Long have I wrestled with it, but I see no other option." He sighed as she raised her brows at what he was going to say. "I will talk with Miss Edwina today... and see my way to ending things that the two of us can be rid of this impossible situation. Once the engagement is over, our paths need never cross again. It will be as if we had never met." James sighed, barely looking at Kate, who furrowed her brows and scrunched up her nose.

"You cannot... You cannot do that."

"Miss Sharma--" He tried to say as she stepped forward to him.

"You cannot break my sister's heart. She is all things good and true. A kinder soul you will never find. She has loved me as well as any sister could, and I could not live with myself if I robbed her of her happiness and the future she deserves." She ranted, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes.

"I-- I do not understand. You have been against this union from the start."

"I was wrong!" She yelled, raising her voice out of frustration. "I will not be the cause of you losing your honor any more than I can stand to see Edwina in pain. You once saw her as your perfect match. You will find your way to believing it again. Please. Please, Lord Hanover. James." She pleaded as his mouth opened slightly at the part of her using his given name to address him. "You must keep your word. You must marry my sister. You must marry her as soon as you can, because this feeling that plagues us so, it will pass. It will become tenable... it will become bearable, and soon enough, it will be as if we never felt it at all. Mere passion. It must because it has to." Kate continued before the two of them went silent.

Kate had said what she needed to. She waited and waited for his response. But he just stared and sighed at her.

After what felt like ages, he finally spoke.

"Very well." He paused again. "I shall see that the wedding shall take place as soon as possible." He sighed in a monotone with no expression.

He tipped his hat to her, before getting on his horse and riding away.

She remained there, beginning to cry once he left. She tried to fight them, but she could not. She loved him. But Edwina's feelings mattered more than hers.

~season 2, episode 5: "An Unthinkable Fate"~

~725 words~