Rhiannon

- Nathaniel -

I wish I could hear you sing, my love. I hope one day you will overcome your coyness and you will sing for me. Your voice is so beautiful, I bet you can sing, my Rhiannon, you are just shy.

"How come Mr. Delaney didn't stay for dinner?" William looked at Anna Henrietta.

"How should I know? I haven't seen him since you left with him to hunt," she answered sternly and Rhiannon couldn't fight the urge to smile.

It's a shame, my lover, that you didn't stay. I would sing for you, if you were here.

"He helped me with Nathaniel, he calmed his horse, helped me to carry him and put him back to saddle. You should thank him, dear Nathaniel, next time you will see him," William said, but Nathaniel didn't pay any attention to his words.
He noticed something, that he hasn't seen yet. Smile, that mesmerizing smile, that unsually dreamy smile, that created name of James Delaney on his fiance's lips. Smile, that didn't belong to saint, smile that belong to sinner.

Can't be! Why are you smiling like this, my love? Dear God help me! Was it the name of that man, that brought this smile on your lips? You have never ever smiled at me like you're smiling now. Full of secret, if I didn't know you, I would say, that your mind is now filled with unholy memories, unholy thoughts!

Rhiannon, reading in his mind, took a deep breath and thinking about James, she turned to Nathaniel saying softly in a sweet voice: "My dear, Nathaniel, I am very glad, that you feel better. I am really glad, you could stay here and have dinner with us. Now, excuse me, please. It was a long day and I am really tired."

Forgive me, my angel. Forgive me, that I doubt you. Fool! I am such a jealous fool!

"Good night then, my dear Rhiannon," he took her hand and kissed it.

"Good night," she held the smile, that vanished the second she turned her back on him.

Rhiannon walked upstairs and locked herself in her room. Only moonlight shined through windows, britghter than thousand candles, yet it created strange quaint shadows in her room of all shapes. Like monsters crawling from under her bed, like demons coming through the wall, like Devil himself standing in the darkest corner of her room. But she didn't mind monsters nor demons, she sighed deeply as she felt loneliness in her heart. Silent hummed melody echoed in the room, as she stripped from her clothes and took on a white long robe. Leaving her room she entered small bathroom, where she cleaned herself and brushed her long raven hair.

When she came back to her room, she froze as she heard somebody's reckless mind behind her door. She closed her eyes, waiting, if he really dares to knock on her door in this late hour.

"Yes?" she opened the door, after he knocked gently three times on her door.

I did it, God help me, I did it, forgive me. Give me strength to keep my hands from her.

"Rhiannon," Nathaniel stood there and when he noticed her night robe, he shyly looked away.

Her grey eyes gazed at him unblinkingly. She was like a statue. Beautiful and cold.

"I just wanted to thank you for your help, my dear. For that care, for your touch, for- for that smile, that you gave me. It means a whole world to me. I know I am not the brightest, the most handsome or richiest man in the world, but... Believe me, my beautiful Rhiannon, when I say, that I love you the most and that there is no man in the world, who could give you what I am offering. My everlasting love and my heart."

"Thank you, Nathaniel," she whispered closing the door.

"That's it? Simple thank you and nothing more?"

"I am very tired, Nathaniel."

"Tell me, just tell me what do I have to do to earn your love? Tell me and I will do it for you!" he suddenly kneeled taking her hands into his, kissing her palms, wrists.

"Nathaniel," she said softly and stepped back leaving him on his knees. "Good night."

This time, she quickly closed the door and locked it. She leaned against the wall and listened to the sounds coming from the hallway. He was still there, he was waiting. Waiting for her to change her mind, to open, maybe for the first kiss, maybe for first intimate touch. But he received silence and nothing more.

Rhiannon stood there with her eyes closed and realized, that shiver ran down her spine.

That night was unusually cold.

Because He always brought cold.

She let out a scream, that was muffled by hand covering her mouth, big hand hidden in leather glove. While the other hand grabbed her by her waist pressing her small body to the Devil's embrace into the shadows.

"You know, my love. I almost wished he'd came inside. I really did. Because I would have an excuse to kill him."