Mysterious Seduction

III. Friends

Ellie McPhee knew naught about anything else but herself. Even her mother was once caught saying she would die with her daughter not knowing about it until the fortnight after.

She was as selfish as anyone can be, taking more from those who were willing without expecting them to await for her to return the favor, an act she rarely did and one she would only force herself to do if it would be on her advantage.

But one ought to give her credit for she was good at what she did. Even men respected her. She made a name for herself and she had everything anyone wanted. Except that one thing—happiness.

"But what good would it do if one had to live in constant strain every single day?" she would reason.

She had the comforts of a princess. And she had just acquired herself a castle—a new estate.

Little did she know that the said estate in the middle of a forest aboveground had a secret.

Ellie would soon find out what.

-Above and Below

*****

Emma was in the middle of reading when she heard a knock.

The sound did not come from her chamber door but rather from the window. The windowpanes rattled once more and Emma sighed.

She slipped out of bed and wrapped her robe over her nightgown before walking to the window.

Opening it, she narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing here at this time of night?" she hissed.

Samuel flashed his wicked grin and pulled himself over the windowsill and into her chamber. Breathing quite heavily, he walked amiably over to the washstand to wash his hands. "You are supposed to be horrified over my mode of entry, Em, not why I chose the middle of the night for a tryst."

"A tryst?" she asked with a scoff. She looked out the window before closing it and by the time she turned around, she found Samuel half-lying in her bed. "Get out of my bed, Sam."

His pale grey eyes twinkled as he chuckled with mirth. "Are you scared?"

"That you might pounce on me?" she asked, walking to her door to check if it was locked. It was. Of course it would be. After her brothers caught her naked in bed with a man, it had become part of her nature to always leave doors locked. "Why are you here, really?" she asked.

He rolled his eyes. "You are in a foul mood tonight," he murmured, fishing for something inside his coat pocket.

"No, I am not," she retorted, "I simply do not want another reason for my brothers to murder you. And by the by, they will succeed this time."

He lifted his hand and showed her a book. Emma suddenly remembered why she liked Samuel. He always knew what would keep her mind off other things. "And what is that?" she asked, trying to act nonchalant.

"A very rare one, of course," he said, lifting his arm away when she attempted to take the book from him.

Emma placed her hands on her hips. "And what do you want in return?"

"A kiss would suffice." When she rolled her eyes, Samuel pointed out, "Do remember that we are to be wed, Em."

"And it gives me the obligation to kiss you whenever you ask for it?"