Florence and Mr. Belmont

Chapter 16

Florence's world was a mess. And Florence did not like any kind of mess. So she sat down at her desk and tried to make a list of all of her problems and practical solutions to them:

Problem Number One: I am still engaged!

How to solve it: Talk with father

When: Now

—

Problem Number Two: Marry is still missing.

How to solve it: Convince parents to allow me to go to Caterham and find Samuel Smith

When: After finishing talking with father about the engagement

—

Problem Number Three: Olivier

How to solve it: Get over him and forget he even existed

When: as soon as possible

Her world was still a mess, but at least she had a plan now. She decided to start with the first problem right away. She knew this wouldn't be easy. But she was now sure she could never marry someone like Henry. Before Florence left the room she checked herself in the mirror one last time. Everything will be fine.

She knocked with her trembling hand on her father's study before turning the knob.

"Yes, Florence?" said Lord Edward Alberton as he noticed his daughter.

"Father," she began. "I know this might, well, very much surprise you, but..." she trailed off.

"What is it, Florence?" Her father asked gently. He was always gentle. It was one of the things Florence admired about him so much.

"I want to break off the engagement with Lord Mackelbury. I know he is the heir to the Earldom of Chesterfield and that he is a very important man, but I cannot marry him. In fact, I almost hate him. He is so selfish, he never listens to anyone except himself and oh, god, I hate when he talks about his horses and races."

The words were out. Finally.

Her father blinked several times. Then he fought about what she said. Then he fought about Lord Mackelbury, before finally saying "This doesn't surprise me at all."

"Really? Are you not mad at me?" Florence gasped surprised.

Lord Alberton nodded. "Truly speaking he did annoy me a bit, too." Florence let out a small giggle at his comment.

"So will you allow me not to marry him?" She asked.

"Yes. How could I force you? But you will have to deal with the social consequences and gossip. And," he made a small pause, "with your mother."

Florence smiled and hugged her father. Relive washed over her. A new chapter was about to begin. The future is bright.

***

If Olivier had to describe with one word his last two it would definitely be "gray". All the depressing and anxious emotions haunted him. He didn't deserve Florence. No matter in which universe they were. She was smart and funny and confident and so much more. She was everything he was not.

He was and always been the strange kid who lives in his own world. Yes, he loved his world. He loved being on his own. Being alone meant freedom. And he always fought that there is no better thing than feeling free. But now he has gotten a taste of love and it has put everything he ever believed into question. It had changed him. He wanted not only to be free. He wanted to love. He wanted to be loved.

Oh god, if he never came to London. If he never knew. If he never met her. He wouldn't know. But now he does. And it hurts like nothing he ever experienced.

Someone knocked on the door and came into his room. It was Adrienne.

"Hey," she said with her soft voice "What is all this sadness and laying in bed all day?"

Olivier rubbed his eyes several times. His eyes burned because they were so dry and scratchy from all of the crying.

"I don't know," he sighed. Adrienne sat down at the side of his bed. "Everything feels so, so confusing," he sighed again.

"Maybe you just got a bad night of sleep," she said empathically. "I've heard the cook just made cheesecake pudding with raspberries. I am sure nothing will cure your bad mood like it."

"You always think that feeding me will help," he rolled his eyes.

"Because it does!" She laughed.

"Well, maybe a little," he admitted. "Sometimes." Olivier suddenly felt glad that there was an Adrienne in his life. She was the closest thing to a mother he never had. And she did her job the best.

"So what is up?" She asked, noticing his silence.

He took a deep breath. "I feel so often like no one. I will never be a part of this society. Of your society. Not that I want. But sometimes I feel so lost. I am an orphan but you have raised me like I am not. You have always threatened me like an important person, but I am not. I never deserved all of this."

"Olivier, you are important. In fact," she took his hand, "you are very important to me. If not the most important person in the whole world. I love you. So I wanted and want to give you everything."

He looked at her blankly and asked "Why do you love me?"

"You can't ask why about love," she smiled. "You do it, because you cannot not love the person. Love is simple. I have chosen to love you from the first day I met you and I simply cannot stop."

Olivier took a deep breath. Never in his entire life had someone told him how much he is loved. But now someone has. And it felt amazing.

"Thank you," a tear rolled down his cheek. "I love you, too."