Ashton's Secret

CHAPTER 24.

Ashton returned to the Herbert's mansion late at night with the hopes that Isla would have fallen asleep already. She tip toe into the house and even the few servants still awake gave her weird looks. She was acting like a thief, but Ashton did not care. She had to avoid Isla at all cost.

Ashton final arrived to her room successfully. She walked in and immediately shut the door; she leaned her forehead against the door and breathed out a sigh of relief. Another day of avoiding Isla, complete.

"You are home really late Ashton"

Ashton eyes flew open in shock and she quickly turned around only to find Isla standing in the middle of Ashton's room with her arms folded and her eyes glaring hard at Ashton. How did she get into Ashton's room? Had she been waiting for Ashton to return?

"Lady Isla," she began nervously, avoiding Isla's eyes "I did not expect you to still be awake, and in my room."

"Yes I should have gone to bed a long time ago, and I also should not be in here right now, but I waited for you because we have to talk!" Isla's expression was dead serious and Ashton was starting to panic.

"Is it important? I mean," Ashton faked a yawn "I am really sleepy right now. Can we not talk tomorrow?"

Isla's expression darkens in anger "no Ashton, the matter cannot wait till tomorrow. For all I know you might run away again"

There was no escape from this, Ashton knew this now. She had no choice but to give in "w_what do you want to talk about Isla?"

Isla stared at him for a moment in silence, and Ashton tried not to fidget and cower away in fear. "First I should start by asking you how you know about the stream incident that happened to me when I was a kid, but I figured you would only lie or run away again, so I came up with my own guesses about it, and I want you to be completely honest with me." Honesty? Ashton doubted she could do that. "But before that," Isla continued "what were you doing with Fiona today? You even gave her flowers"

Ashton stared at her shocked. How did she know that? Was Isla following her? "It is not what you think lady Isla__" she tried to explain.

"Forget it, I do not even want to know" Isla brush it off "you will be leaving soon anyway and I doubt you would want to take her with you. Do not forget Ashton, you cannot have her."

Ashton wanted to tell her how she could never fall in love with another woman, how Isla was the only woman who would ever own her heart, but she could not tell Isla that, not in this situation.

"Anyway like I said earlier, I came up with three ridiculous guesses on how you might know about the stream incident." She rubbed her chin in thought "on that day, the girl was wearing boots with her gown, it could be that it was you, and you had disguised yourself as a girl at that time."

Close enough, Ashton thought.

"My second thought is that you might have some kind of relationship with the girl. That would explain your similar names." She went on "third and the most ridiculous," she stared Ashton straight in the eye "even right now, you are a woman disguised as a man." Ashton's hand tremble a bit. "So Ashton, which is it? I want the truth!"

Ashton was stuck in a trap. If she carelessly chose the first two options, Isla would surely demand for proof and that was something Ashton could not provide. She did not want to lie to Isla, but she had to, for the sake of her own safety.

"I was a boy disguised as a girl Isla" she said. "I wanted to escape the mansion to have a little fun. My parent was strict with me because I am the one and only heir to the Reynolds fortune. I could not leave the mansion whenever I wanted to, and so I disguised myself as a girl so they would not notice" good, that was smooth. Isla had to believe her.