The Accidental Countess (Forever His Series Book one)

Chapter 9

"Maxwell!" I jolt awake gasping and sit bolt upright in bed, my hand flying to my chest in an effort to calm my racing heart that's thudding away violently under my clammy skin; the dream had felt so real.

I was so sure that I would find him lying in the bed next to me.

My eyes flit around the room trying to find him but he's not here. I'm alone.
My hands are shaking and confusion floods me from all of the images running repeatedly through my head.

Shivers run over me and Goosebumps make an appearance all over my sensitive skin.

Why am I so drawn to him?

None of this makes any sense whatsoever and I'm becoming increasingly freaked out by everything that's happening.

The needs of my body outweigh my need to contemplate Maxwell further and I realise with a sudden clarity that I'm really thirsty, so I decide to get up and make my way down to the Great hall, where I imagine another huge feast will be laid on seeing as it's the final night of the festivities.

I throw a red cloth dress on in a hurry before pausing to admire it.

It's a rich deep crimson colour and I run my hands over the material and down my sides trying to imagine how it looks on me.

I plait my hair haphazardly and pin it using some pins that were left on the table in my room last night; trying to emulate the style that Florence did with such ease yesterday. I wish I had more talent with styling my hair; it's always been unkempt and unruly.

I complete the look with a gold jeweled belt that hangs down my front and sets the red colour of the dress off just right as far as I can make out.

I figure that I need to look the part and if I get to wear jewels and look like royalty in the process then who am I to argue?

I giggle to myself as my inner ramblings continue, before making my way out of the door and downstairs.

The hallway outside is calmly quiet and I slow to look out of a nearby window next to the stairs.

The view is breathtaking.

Without the Cathedral and many buildings and roads to distract me I can truly appreciate the surrounding hills and rolling lush green countryside. It's like something out of a Jane Austen novel.

The Sheep are grazing in the fields; I can make out the figures of people down below and in the nearby fields going about their daily business.

Everything is so calm and idyllic.

I drag in a deep breath and sigh in delight. If nothing else, this strange time travel experience has given me the chance to see and enjoy how beautiful this area was before modern man changed it irrevocably. I feel blessed in this moment.

I'm not disappointed when I arrive downstairs to see the tables covered in bowls of various amazing smelling foods. Everything from savoury oat biscuits, bread, cooked meats ranging in colour and size, and at the head table I even spot a whole stuffed boar with an apple in its mouth...gross.

I make a beeline for a huge pewter jug glistening with condensation on the nearest table. I fill a large goblet to the brim and sniff it discreetly to make sure it's not mead or anything else alcoholic.

My hands are still shaking from remembering my steamy dream of Maxwell and I down it in one hoping to dispel the strange emotions bubbling underneath.

Why was I dreaming of him?

It's not as if there is anything between us. Just a purely physical attraction...nothing more. He could never be interested in someone like me, he's an Earl and besides, that bitch Lady Alice would never allow anyone else the chance to get close enough to him to make any kind of impression.