First at Last

Chapter Thirteen

William and I walked down the street to my house, without the commander. Neither of us said much on the way, both of us contented to just listen to the silence. My hand was intertwined with his and I could feel the heat radiating from him.

At last, we came to stand at the top of the steps, before the door to the house. He turned to me, and I looked up at him, meeting his eyes. He smiled and I returned the smile. And then, I reached up on my toes and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me against him.

After a moment, I pulled away, placing my hand on the brass door handle. "Good night." I said softly.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" he asked.

"I should hope so." I smiled.

"Well, then," he took my hand and pressed it against his lips. "Good night, Lady Lovet."

I felt my cheeks heat up. "'Goodnight, sweet prince: and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.'" I said, remembering the lines from Hamlet. They seemed appropriate for the moment.

His eyes sparkled in the moonlight. "Hamlet," he said thoughtfully. "'What is it ye would see? If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search.'"

My heart thudded painfully against my ribs as he quoted Hamlet back at me. Smiling a little, I pulled my hand out of his grasp and leaned up and kissed his cheek. Saying a final goodnight to him, I pushed open the door and shut it behind me. Though my moment of joy was short-lived.

"There you are, Erika." The familiar voice had ice running through my veins. I turned to see my mother sitting by the door, holding a book in her hands.

"Here I am, Mother." I said stiffly.

"Where have you been?" She asked me, setting the book down on the table beside her.

"Does it matter? I had things to do." I hedged.

She stood, smoothing out her skirts and walking over to me. "What kind of things?"

I met her eyes, refusing to back down quite so easily. "Things that you have no business asking about."

"You were meeting him, weren't you?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with a predatory light. She knew I had been, even if I denied it.

I inclined my head slightly. "Yes, I was, Mother. What will you do about it?"

"There is much I will do about it, dear." She said sweetly, and it made a chill scuttle up my spine.

"Like?" I crossed my arms over my chest, feigning a confidence I did not feel.

Faster than I would have thought, Mother's hand shot out and latched onto my wrist. She pulled me up the stairs, and I did not fight her. We reached my room, where I found the door unlocked, but I could have sworn I locked it. I looked at Mother to find her smiling and holding a key.

"You are not the only with a key, dear." She shoved me inside. "Give me your key." She said, holding out her hand. I did as she said and she smiled. "You will be in here for the next several days. At least until the marriage arrangements are made. You will take your meals in here, Miss Grimoult will teach you here, you will not be dancing anymore, and you will not be allowed out. Understood?"

I nodded silently, unsure of what to say.

She turned and shut the door. I heard the loud click as the lock slid into place, and I found that I was alone in my room, with no way out.

Tears burned in my eyes as I sat on my bed. There was nothing I could do now. He would end up marrying my sister and I would still have to see him and be around him. I unlaced my gown and undressed, which was a lot more difficult without Agnes's help. I, then, dressed in a silk cream night gown.