Secrets of the Night

Chapter 16

When Elise woke Willow the next morning the smile was still on her face and nothing seemed to be able to faze it, even though she was still tired from her nightly adventure. Last night really had been an adventure. Thinking back at it now, so many things could have gone wrong. Marcus had been furious when he had her pressed against that wall. But even though he had been really mad, he was still listening to her and giving her a chance to explain things.

He was definitely different than her brother in that matter. Because when Philip got mad at her, there was nothing she could say or do to calm him down and explain her point of view to him. He was just blinded by rage in those situations. It was scary really.

Willow wondered what Philip would do if he were to find out about her nightly trips and her meetings with Marcus. She probably didn't even want to know. There was quite a high chance that he would just lock her in her room for the rest of her life. Or at least till he had chosen someone for her to marry. Willow knew that she probably wouldn't have a say in that matter. She wondered if Philip would make her and Marcus get married if he found out that it was him she was meeting at night. It was definitely a possibility, but then again Marcus was the son of a Grand Duke and Philip was "just" a Duke, so he probably wouldn't be able to make that decision.

But what if he did? Would Willow hate that so very much? There wasn't really any romance going on between her and Marcus. They just got along quite well and enjoyed each other's company. But if Willow would have to decide if she was to marry him or some stranger that her brother picked out for her, she would most definitely choose Marcus. She felt like they would get along well enough to spend the rest of their lives together. That of course didn't guarantee love, but it could still be a happy future.

Willow knew that Marcus would never lock her in, like her brother did. He wouldn't think it necessary to keep her from going on adventures to keep her safe. Instead he would just go on those adventures with her and make sure she's safe. And Willow could see herself really enjoying that.

She wondered if there could be something developing between them. Something more than just friendship. Now that he knew she was a girl... The way he looked at her at the lake last night... She could have sworn that there was at least the tiniest spark between them. But he might just have wanted to finally take a closer look at her, after finding out she was a girl.

Willow sighed. Had there really been something there or was it just her imagining things, because he was literally the first guy to ever pay her the slightest bit of attention, apart from male servants and her brother?

But even if she wasn't imagining things. Even if there was something there or there even just could be something there, he was still betrothed to another. And Willow wasn't too sure whatsoever if their brief encounters meant enough to him to back out of that arranged marriage. She knew that he could run away from it and to some point he probably wanted to, but there were consequences to every action. Her brother had taught her that and it would be something that she surely wouldn't forget.

After breakfast with Philip that was as silent as usual, Willow went out into the gardens, thinking that some fresh air might clear her head. As she reached the back of the gardens, she took a seat at the bench she had also sat on yesterday reading. At that moment another thought appeared in her mind. The visitor yesterday. It must have been Marcus.

But why would he visit her brother? And why would he be so troubled about a letter from him? Of course it was possible that they had been friends for ages and that they just met to catch up as Marcus had been travelling for so long, but that wouldn't have distraught her brother like that, now would it? Or did she read the expression on his face ever so wrong?

No, it must have been something else. It couldn't have been just a catching up meeting between two good friends. If that had been the case, Philip wouldn't have told her to keep well away from any place that she could get in the way of their conversation. They must have been talking about something really important. Maybe business related? Was Marcus in charge of any business things? If so he must have picked that up only a few days ago after his return.