Dear, Miss Violet. ✔

Chapter 34

Violet blinked. Then shook her head lightly. What the devil was she even thinking?

Not even an hour ago, she was adamant on spending the rest of her life with anonymous or at least waiting for him.

AND NOW? 

Here she was, dreaming about running across fields with Lord Simon. Was she wrong in the head or something?

Even if her parents were a little privy to her thoughts, they'd die from the shock of the direction her thoughts were running into.

So she decided to brush off her wild dreams, and at least appear to act normal.

"Uhrm" she cleared her throat "this tea, it's delicious. I don't think I've ever drank tea this flavorsome."

Lord Simon, who looked lost in his own thoughts snapped back to attention "ehm? yes. This tea, uhm, is actually Indian tea."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I prefer Indian tea over English tea. It has a lot more flavor and spice."

Violet nodded, thankful that the ambiance appeared normal now "I see."

She took a sip again "this has cinnamon, and I feel a little turmeric.."

Lord Simon laughed "I might not be a connoisseur of tea, but I feel you are right."

Violet smiled, setting down her cup and looking out the window "the day appears quite bright, right?"

Simon set down his cup and looked out too "I have a garden at the back of the house. Would you like to see it?"

Violet nodded "sounds wonderful."

"Just a moment, I'll just retrieve my hat" Simon said and left the room, returning with a chestnut hue hat on his head "shall we?"

Violet went over to him and gave him her arm, and together they went to the backside of the mansion, where a huge garden awaited them.

"This is beautiful!" Violet said and looked around. The garden was humongous, with all types of flowers and the roses seemed to be extraordinarily fragrant, for Violet wanted to lift one up to her nose and let the redolence of it cleanse her soul.

"My butler's wife loves to cultivate flowers. And when I allowed her to do so in this garden, she was tremendously happy. It's because of her, that this garden appears so wondrous."

"Oh..Do you mind?" Violet asked motioning to a rose.

"Why would I? Go ahead!" Simon smiled.

Violet smiled in return and plucked a blood red rose, feeling it's softness melt onto her fingers "this is....just...well I have no words!"

Simon grinned "want to join me on that bench there?"

Violet looked at a green bench kept in the far end of the garden "yes."

They walked over and sat and Simon looked at the bright blue skies, and his profile looked utterly handsome. Violet looked at his slightly flushed cheeks. He appeared to be happy.

"This is one heaven of a morning" he whispered, looking at her.

Violet grinned "I presume, my lord, that last evening you told me that you prefer nights over mornings."

Corner of Simon's mouth tipped up flirtatiously "there's no morning better than this. In the company of a beautiful sun and a beautiful woman."
Violet blushed "you flatter me."

Simon leaned toward her "so do you. I hope you know how beautiful you are."

Violet looked into his eyes "really?"
"Miss Violet.." Simon whispered, his eyes large and brimmed with adoration "you are the most beautiful woman I've laid my eyes on."

Violet couldn't help herself, and she leaned forward and brushed the rose across his lips "and you, are the most handsome man. Ever."

Simon's gaze followed the petals movement on his lips, and he mischievously caught her hand and took away the rose from her. The look in his eyes tickled her, and he came forward one last time and brushed the rose across her brows.

The romance in the air was too heavy to bear and Violet couldn't control herself. She touched his nose, slowly and steadily bringing her fingers down to his lips and touching them. Then she moved her hand upwards, and she touched the corner of his eyes, rubbing his skin, all the while feeling her palm across his cheek. 

His skin seemed to jump at her touch, and she loved how she made him feel.

She felt like a queen in power, and in that moment, no one seemed to exist instead of her and Simon and it felt like the most enchanting feeling in the world.

He muttered something incomprehensible and she seemed to lose all power of sense.

"Violet.." his voice was hoarse and laced with compassion "the things you make me feel."

"Tell me about them.." she returned, mussing his hair and twirling her fingers between those curls "your hair, hair-"

"My hair, what?" he asked boyishly.

"They are so soft.." she said, unable to stop smiling.

Simon brushed the rose past her lips "and your lips.."

"My lips, what?" Violet asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"They make me go crazy" he winked.

"You know, your face has the prettiest features. If you were to be a woman, you'd draw attention from all men of the ton."

Simon giggled "really?"

"Yes. Your lips. I can't take my hands off them."
Simon's eyes twinkled devilishly "oh, was it the reason you touched them earlier?"

"Yes."
Simon threw the rose behind them, and pulled her into his arms, and Violet felt his warmth envelope her into a damask woven with the silk of promised love.

They were, for once, away from everyone, away from the entire world, and she couldn't bring herself to part from him.

The lub-dub sounds of his heart, poured through her ear, and just the feeling of someone being so alive, sitting so close next to her, and holding her like she was a fragile piece of flower fueled her. She hadn't known what love felt like, but that moment in his arms felt like eternity.

It felt like she was dancing and floating and singing and just feeling herself.

She hadn't felt so alive in years.

So happy in years.

She felt, that there was love after all. The feel of his chin atop her head, the way his hands searched her back, the masculine scent of his' that reminded her of chocolate and wine, and the feel of him that felt like the vast expanse of sky filtering down to a bottle of ambrosia.

"Violet?" she heard him say softly.

She looked at him "yes?"

"What are you thinking?"

"You make me feel as if heaven has decided to bestow it's love upon me."

"Really?"

"Yes. Heaven, Simon, is smiling down at me. And in that heaven, where Richard is, he too is smiling down at me."