Disguises

Chapter 8: A Criminal

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Chapter 8: A Criminal

"How has your evening been?"

Michael Limrey sent her another small smile of his. "It has been good. What about you?"

Briette sighed at this. "I am starting to hope that I'll be able to find the man to be my husband soon." She stared at him, then thought of something good. "You're not... here just so that you can come on my good side, are you?" Limrey shook his head no, not having seemed to have been affected by the sudden question. Briette, the same girl who found it difficult to trust after all these years, decided not to back down at the unexpected, calm reaction. "Are you saying that you have no interest in becoming my husband?"

He shook his head again, then looked into her eyes. "If I'm interested in any woman, she would be you, Ms. Laur, but the choice of who your husband would be definitely lies in the fact whether you find him suitable enough without the need of the man having to, as you say, get on your good side." Limrey chuckled when she saw the wary look that Briette gave him. "I am just stating my thoughts."

Briette continued to observe him. The air around him was quite unlike the other men in the ballroom, not very inviting even though she was the main character of all this. He seemed genuinely friendly, but was it right for her to believe that? Then, her thoughts wandered to Lady Sheeran, of how she looked to be the real her when in front of Briette, and felt that maybe, just maybe, she could learn to trust Limrey a little bit more than the walls she had built would allow. 

She found herself apologising.

Limrey had smiled gently at her. "It is quite all right, actually. I have an idea on how you must be feeling right now, and I understand the reason for you to be suspicious of many of us. There are, indeed, those who are aiming to become your husband just so they could have their hands on the money, but," he looked carefully and sincerely into Briette's eyes, "there are also some of us who want to learn about you more, some of us who care not about the wealth, but of whether they will be able to finally find the woman they will eventually love."

Briette held his eyes, searching. "And you're one of them," she found herself saying without a doubt. "Why is that?"

Limrey sighed and looked out into the night. "When I first heard about you through my father, I found myself thinking how awful it must be to live without a mother, and then having to deprive yourself from womanly needs, having to skip out chances to go to the market, just so you could get your mother back... I found myself wanting to know you more, and I want to care for you." He shook his head. "I do not like how your father agrees to have you go put your life at risk." He faced her again, a frown between his brows. "Why do you agree to this?"

"Mr. Limrey, this is my mother we're talking about," Briette stated sternly.

"Do you love her?"

The middle of Briette's forehead creased, and she thought. It was true her memories were blurred, but surely, she did love her mother? From the relieved way the woman smiled at her when she saw her, when she found out that she was alive... she must have loved Briette, and that reason was all it took for her to reply him. "Yes."

Michael Limrey nodded, looking less troubled; his expression now was more relaxed. Then, as though trying to lighten the mood even further, he asked, "Would you like to take a walk with me tomorrow morning?"

Eyes widening in ultimate surprise, Briette asked, "Pardon me?"

"My mother will be going to the market tomorrow, and I'll be going with her to help carry her purchases." He laughed casually, but he did not seem to be embarrassed by what he had just told Briette. "I was wondering if you would like to come with us." When Briette continued to say nothing, he pushed on, "I think my mother would like you to come. She told me earlier how she would like to be the one to bring you to the market one day."