Louise

Chapter 16

Later that night, Louise's sleep was once again disturbed by another nightmare. In this dream, she was back in the field where Mary had died, the wind howling and the rain pouring down. She could see Mary's lifeless body lying on the ground, blood seeping onto the stone, and her own hands covered in the girl's blood. Louise sat up in bed, her heart racing, her body drenched in a cold sweat. She glanced at the clock and gasped; it was already six in the morning.

She was supposed to teach Katherine today and wanted to avoid any interaction with Mr. Warrington after the embarrassing encounter from the previous day. She hurried through her morning routine, hoping to arrive at the study before anyone else. By seven o'clock she was fully dressed and ready. Elated that she would likely not see Mr. Warrington so early, Louise opened her door and swiftly made her way down the hallway.

As she entered the kitchen and closed the heavy wooden door behind her, she turned around to find a tall silhouette stood by the window, gazing out at the garden. Alarmed, Louise's heart skipped a beat as she realized it was Mr. Warrington. He turned to face her, and for a moment, they stood there in silence, their eyes locked. Louise stood in dismay, shocked to encounter the very man she had hoped to avoid.

"Good morning...Mr. Warrington," she finally managed, cursing the stutter in her voice. His expression did not change, and he merely inclined his head in response. The air between them seemed to crackle with tension, and Louise felt a strange sense of dread settling in the pit of her stomach.

"Please, call me Sebastian," he said with an intensity that flustered her. "And I must apologize for startling you. I didn't mean to intrude on your thoughts." His words seemed to contradict the piercing gaze he fixed on her face, but she didn't know how to respond.

"I cannot be so informal, sir," Louise replied, her voice quivering slightly. "I must respect your position as head of the household."

"May I ask you a question?" Sebastian inquired, pouring himself a glass of water from a pitcher on the table. Louise nodded, unable to find her voice. "Why do you pretend not to know me?" he continued, his eyes never leaving hers. "You have recognized me every time we've been in the same room, yet you continue to insist on playing this game."

Louise froze, her heart hammering against her ribs. She fumbled internally for how to respond yet knowing she owed him an explanation after their encounter in the rain. Louise stood there; mouth dry as she scrambled for an answer. How could she explain herself to this man who had shown her kindness.

Mr. Warrington studied her silence. After a lingering moment, he slowly set the glass of water with a soft clink and began walking towards her. Louise's breath caught as he approached, her heart racing in her chest. She forced herself to meet his gaze, despite the intensity that seemed to radiate from him.

He stopped mere inches away, gazing down into her eyes. Louise shivered as she felt the warmth of his body so close to hers. She dared not look up, both fearing and longing to behold what emotions might be playing across his face. His scent, a mix of citrus and spice, filled her nostrils, and she fought the urge to lean in closer. The air felt electric around them.

"Why do you avoid me so?" Mr. Warrington murmured. His voice held no anger, only sincerity threaded with something deeper, something that sent a shiver through her.

"I meant no disrespect, sir," Louise finally whispered. "Only...I am unaccustomed..." Her words trailed off as she struggled to find the right way to explain.

His fingers grazed her chin, gently but firmly tilting her face upwards. Hesitantly she lifted her eyes to meet his. Their gaze held for several heartbeats, no sound but the crackling candles. "Unaccustomed to what?" he asked softly, his voice low and gentle.

Then a floorboard creaked, and the tension in the air dissipated as quickly as it had built. They jolted back to awareness, glancing around the room. Lady Cordelia stood in the doorway, smirking at the interlude she had witnessed.

"E-excuse m-me," stammered Louise, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment before bowing and running out of the kitchen, leaving Sebastian and Lady Cordelia alone.

Louise ran into Katherine's study, the large wooden door closing behind her with a click. Louise sank into a chair, flustered and unsure what had almost transpired between them. Her heart was pounding wildly, and a fiery blush rose unbidden to her cheeks. Louise pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her runaway emotions. She couldn't let herself feel this way - it was impossible for her to care for Mr. Warrington as anything more than her employer.

The societal divide between them was too vast to bridge. She was nobody - a penniless orphan dependent on the kindness of others, forever bound by duty and circumstance. And yet...when she recalled the tender heat in his eyes as he had gazed down at her just moments before, Louise felt a stirring within her heart that she had never known. When his fingers had caressed her chin, gentle sparks had ignited across her skin. She yearned desperately to feel his touch again, no matter how forbidden such desires might be.