The Earls lie or a scoundrels promise

She closed her eyes and listened

Chapter 13 - She closed her eyes and listened

Blake had barely slept. He wanted to go to her so much. He wanted to follow her to her room but she was so angry it would have done no good. He spent the rest of the night trying to process what had happened, what she had seen.

It was still early, he had watched Elizabeth ride out at least an hour ago. He did not think she would appreciate him intruding on her ride this morning. He knew her, she needed this. He was meant to be going out on a hunt. He didn't want Lizzie to be out when they would be about with beasts and guns. She might take the latter and attempt to hunt him herself.

He had dressed hours ago, and finally he made his way downstairs, as he took the final step, Robbie intercepted him, throwing him against the wood panelled wall of the foyer. The paintings littered across the wall jumped from the assault. It echoed through the entry way.
'You bastard!' Blake wrapped his arms around Robbie's that were currently tightening around his neck. 'Not here' he growled at him. Robbie dropped his hands and cursed. 'My Study, Now' he stormed off, dropping his grip, if he hadn't have been but a few inches taller than him he thought he'd have slumped to the floor. Blake followed. He didn't realise things could get any worse.
He reached the study door that Robbie had disappeared into slamming it shut behind him, and as he went to open it, out slipped a teary-eyed Lady Bovingdon. He didn't move an inch as she dabbed a scrap of lace at her eyes, she smiled a sadistic, playful smile that turned the blood that coursed through his body, to ice. She ran her other hand across his chest as she did so. He watched her leave and clenched his fist until his fingers dug into the flesh of his palm. Robbie bellowed from inside the room 'get in here'.

He stepped inside and shut the door.

*****

She kicked her heels and sent Misty into a gallop as quickly as she could. The wind was cooler today and she felt it whip through her hair. She spurred her horse faster across the expanse of field and felt the troubles melt off her shoulders with the wind, the further she rode the better she felt, and so she rode hard and fast.
She had a horrible feeling that she couldn't shake. The sun had fully risen but it was still early.

She had almost been giddy when she'd recieved that note,

Yours, Blake

Hers.

She knew, he was hers, she felt it, and she was as much his.

And so she decided she would meet him, to swallow her pride and accept, she had been wrong. She wanted to be with him.

Dam her pride. She had refused him.

She had to take everything she thought she knew, thought she had wanted before she met him, the years of fear, the longing to be alone and at some level of peace, she had to throw it away and start anew. Because now she knew, that he offered her a whole new level of peace she never expected to find, he had shown her how wrong she had been..

Until he had proved her so very right, when he found him and her together.

She'd ridden to the Lake, to where they had made
love. She had asked that of him. To show her love.

She was so confused she felt like the pieces were fitting together, she thought she had figured it, and now those pieces werent quite fitting again. Why would he agree to meet her, if he had already planned to meet...another.

She rode further to the ruins bordering there land, where they had talked, she'd opened up about her past, and he had so casually assumed she would be his wife...