The Art of the Corset (2017)

Chapter Twenty One- The Pain That Love Carries

Gently pushing open Marth's chamber room door, she found a light melody to be coming from his mouth as he looked down to his child-a fact still unknown to him. The words that accompanied the song had been heavenly as his gentle rocking careful put the child to sleep. As he turned to see her, he gave a shy smile before he then handed his nephew to a nearby servant and saw that she was waiting for him.

"Is something wrong?" He asked as she had a look in her eyes that had been as though she had been wanting to speak, but kept in inside. Shaking her head, she pulled his arm with little force and pulled him through a set of long corridors before coming to a small curve that had been located off a set of stairs.

"Where is it that you are taking me?" Before he could complete the sentence, he had been pulled into her as she pressed her lips firm against his. Showing surprise for a moment, he then slowly slid his fingers down her arms and applied a relaxed force before placing her back against the wall. With passionate kisses being delivered by one another, he eventually moved his lips down her jawline and to her ear before kissing her neck, holding it back as he then set his hand beside her to hold himself up. His fingers then moved to her leg and slid underneath her right cheek and lifted her leg over his hip to rest around him. Expecting to be lifted, she then grew chills as he slid his hand up her leg, past her stockings, and towards her waist. Feeling her bare leg along with the intimate moment they shared, he gave a soft smirk before returning to her lips for more passionate kisses. Upon being caught in the moment, she neglected to hear the sound of a crying baby before his lips moved to her ear. Gently moving away, she pressed her arm gently against his chest before gaining her breath.

"Did I harm you?"

"Heavens no." She said as she looked to him with tears in her eyes.

"Is something upsetting you? If I have done anything-"

She shook her head before looking at the ground. Sensing her sadness, he moved towards her and collected her hands in his own.

"I hope you do not feel as though you must sacrifice your virtue for me." Giving a polite smile she shook her head.

"It is not what causes worry."

"Then what does, my dear?"

"Amelia."

Giving a long sigh, he released her hands and then looked to her with pain in his gaze. "What has she done?"

"She threatened me to leave you...she placed your nephew's life for the taking if I did not marry Adams."

"Adams? Why him?"

Tears fell down her cheeks against all her attempts as the moments with the evil incarnation of lust reappeared in her mind.

"He attempted to force me into his chambers alone."

"That bastard! Is he here?"

"Marth...he was harming Julianna. I tried to help her and he grew angry-he is the one who gave the information to the Daniel's of when he would be vulnerable to attack."

"I never favored him...even though he was fortunate in wealth...there is no amount of money that can make up for the lack of class..." Shaking his head, he then looked to her. "Those wounds...the bruises...they were from his hand?"

"It is in the past-"

"I cannot allow that man to harm the woman I adore with everything in my soul. The part Amelia plays?"

"She came to few nights before last, spoke of telling you lies of me along with putting that child in the arms of danger itself."

"Of course, Joseph will have the proper solution-"