LONELY HEARTS
Esmé's life takes a dramatic turn when she becomes entwined with Eiser, a son from a powerful family. Haunted by loss and trapped in a loveless marriage, she battles to connect with a man who conceals his emotions behind a wall of sile...
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TWO DAYS IN THE COTTAGE
“The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” – Eden Ahbez
The morning filtered through the frosted windows of the small cottage.
Esmé stretched her arms as she rose from bed. She had fallen into a steady rhythm in the past two days, a routine that brought her a surprising calm.
In the kitchen, the scent of fresh herbs and vegetables filled the air as she stirred a pot of soup.
Esmé had taken to experimenting with simple recipes. Today, she was adding her own twist. Rosemary and thyme into a creamy potato soup.
“Perfect,” she murmured to herself, tasting a spoonful and smiling with satisfaction.
Once the soup was simmering, Esmé carried her crocheting to the small table by the window. She worked on a scarf with soft yarn she'd found in a trunk left in the cottage.
Her fingers moved deftly as the scarf grew longer, the repetitive motion soothing her thoughts.
She occasionally glanced outside, watching the villagers pass by, their muffled chatter blending.
Later, bundled in her thick coat, Esmé made her way to Mary’s house, her boots crunching softly against the snow-covered path.
The forest around her was blanketed in white, the bare branches of the trees glistening with frost under the pale winter sunlight.
Mary greeted her warmly, waving from her small garden as she piled logs into a basket, the ground beneath her dusted with a fresh layer of snow.
"Morning, Esmé! You’re just in time to help me with these greens," Mary called out, her cheeks rosy from the chill.
Esmé smiled, tightening her scarf as she approached. "Good morning. It looks like you’ve been busy."
Mary chuckled. "The cold doesn’t stop the garden. Come, let’s get these last few before the frost gets them."
Esmé knelt beside her, their gloved hands working in tandem to pull up the winter vegetables—carrots, turnips, and parsnips.
It was a kind of peace she hadn’t realized she craved, and for the first time in days, she felt truly grateful for the stillness of her new life.
Before she left, Mary handed her a bundle of logs for her fireplace, her usual parting gift. “These will keep you warm tonight. And come by tomorrow—I’ll have a fresh loaf of bread for you.”
Esmé smiled. “Thank you, Mary. You’ve been so kind.”
The walk back to the cottage was peaceful.
Esmé paused to admire the bare trees, their branches reaching for the gray sky. She felt happy in this quiet life, far removed from the suffocating halls of Eiser's mansion.
