The Ring

Part 6

For some days after meeting Dominique by the beach, Frederick just floated on his thoughts and flights of fancy. His state of mind took him away from his duties, although he nevertheless performed them, just in a more perfunctory manner. Frederick had taken to daily rides along the coast in order to facilitate another accidental meeting. When next he espied Dominique foraging down on the little beach, he once more hurried down the path. This time he was more deferential towards Dominique, giving her a courteous bow and kissing her hand. Dominique blushed at the gesture. She was quite aware that the master of the estate need not be so formal with her; just a farmer's daughter. However, she pretended to be a woman of society, even dressed in her simple farmers rags, and thus ensued a game that they both played.

Both Frederick and Dominique became swept up in the roles that they played so much so that during their time together they paid little heed to the outside world. The little beach was the stage for their performances, where Frederick would school Dominique in the finer aspects of society and the ways of the upper class, and Dominique, having no formal education would revel in this. Thus they would prance up and down the beach, Frederick lightly holding her hand up high, as he would lead her into dances as if they were in a grand ballroom.

The meetings at the little beach became a regular occurrence. All the while, Frederick's father was trying to get him to accompany him to the town, where the social season was well underway. As Frederick was an eligible bachelor with a good-sized estate, he was in quite some demand. However, Frederick's mind was now lost to the social set. He felt that he belonged in the country and that he had a strong affinity with the lands of the estate, and Dominique fitted in perfectly with this perspective. In fact, Frederick felt it hard to separate Dominique with the estate itself and as heir to the estate he felt this connection most appropriate. However, Frederick was also strongly bound by the societal code and so kept his relationship with Dominique to himself. Ultimately he knew that he would have to wed one of the young ladies within his social acquaintance. So when he did accompany his father into town, he would meet with various young ladies. He would attend dances and luncheons and present himself as the perfect and dutiful gentleman that he was. However he remained indifferent to the young ladies, even Miss Isobelle, who paid him particular attention, and took his aloof demeanor as shyness.

Once back at the estate, Frederick would only look forward to his meetings with Dominique on the little beach, in their own private world. It was on the beach, with the water gently lapping around their ankles that Frederick told Dominique that he loved her. He looked into her eyes as he said it and beheld a depth and tenderness, like looking up into a starry night, that told him the she too loved him, although she just cried and asked how it could ever be. Frederick didn't have an answer, so he just held her tight in his arms, as the sun was slowly sinking below the horizon. He also wondered how it could ever be.