Oh, by the way, I've decided: this takes place in England, hence the mention of some geographical details, such as "Kingstone Bridge", or "Oxford".
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THE RED ROSE
CHAPTER TWELVE: "The Return of Love"
***
William
William
The whole month of October had passed as swiftly as the wind. It turned out that father didn't send for me only because of my stepbrother's sickness.
Immediately after his recovery, he informed me of an inheritance coming from a distant relative of mine. The sum was quite decent. Together with the money I had been saving and earning, Rose and I could've bought a house of our own – of course not an expensive manor as the one she'd been used to, but one fairly close to it… maybe even a villa with two storeys. And still there would be some money left for our honeymoon. I could've taken her anywhere she wished.
All matters settled, I could not waste any more time. Now that my presence was no longer needed, although desired, I had to leave. My father had to insist that I should stay, but I, in turn, demanded that I should leave. There was somebody else… somebody of whose existence my family had no idea, who was eagerly waiting for me. And I had missed her dearly for the last month.
It was about time that I put her doubts to rest.
***
A second knock at the door followed the first one. I was becoming impatient with every wasted second. Before I would hit the wooden door for the third time, it opened, and a woman whom I identified as Annette – Rose's maid – appeared into my sight. "Mister Howsham!" she exclaimed on a thrilled voice. "You have returned! My lady will be so glad to see you."
"I bet she will." Annette stood there unmoved as a statue for a while, as if she still did not believe her eyes. If I made such an impression on her, imagine the happiness I'd see in Rose when she'd find out about my return. She'd be delighted! I could not wait to have her in my sight. "Well why are you standing here like this? Hurry up and call her, I'm raring to see her."
"Yes, Mister."
"And please… don't tell her it's me. I want this to be a surprise."
"Of course, Mister." The girl's face brightened with a sly smile, and then got back inside. In less than one minute, I could hear Rose's sweet voice speaking as she descended the stairs, the small gap of door allowing me to peek inside. "I don't understand, Annette. Who could possibly wish to see me?"
"I would not know, my lady, for he did not provide me with a name, in spite of my insistence." The voices grew louder as her familiar figure became visible through the hole. I smiled to myself cleverly. Annette was playing her part brilliantly! I hid behind the door as they approached. Then the door opened completely and before my eyes presented Rose, hands clasping together under her chin, eyes widened in astonishment as she realised that I was right there before her eyes – in flesh and blood.
"William! Why did you not tell me?" she asked, turning to her maid. The chubby girl smiled mischievously, and then disappeared from sight, leaving us alone. Rose fastened the cloak around her, and shut the door behind her. "Oh, William, I'm so glad you're back!" I opened my arms, allowing her dainty body to crawl into my embrace.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover the same fragile and dependent spirit in her that I loved so much. Time had not changed her, nor did my absence. Much to my contentment, she held on to me, refusing to let me go. If anything, my absence did indeed make her heart go fonder. It was as if she was pouring down upon me all of the love she'd been saving for me all of this time. "My God, you could crush a man with those delicate arms of yours."
"I wouldn't do that. Not until I hear those words from your own –" Pausing, she brought her hands to her lips. "Ah, never mind. How is your stepbrother? Is he well now?"
"He is as healthy as a horse. It was nothing serious, it seems. I assume that father used this reason rather as a pretext for me to visit them. Who would've thought that he still needs my presence from time to time?"
"Don't say that! I don't want us to go back to the same old discussion… at least not today."
"Yes, you're right. Not today…" I crept my hand discreetly in my coat's pocket. The small jewellery box was still there. I only needed to find the perfect place and time. "I wonder what were the words that you wished to hear from me so much? Let me guess… I miss you – these have to be! Am I correct?"
"Did you… really?"
"Greatly." I searched the pocket again, playing with the tiny box. Perhaps this was the right time… Before I could think it over, though, Rose jumped at my neck again with such energy that I almost fell on my back. I did not; however, my arm hit the doorjamb. In such playful mood that we were, I affected an injured look and rubbed my shoulder, pretending to be hurt.
"Oh, my! Good Lord, did I hurt you?"
"Possibly," I spoke in a serious voice, "I think my collarbone is fractured." Right away, Rose put on a worried face and proceeded to inspect my shoulder.
"Oh, no! I'm so sorry! Is it better now?" she asked while massaging my shoulder. "Does it still hurt?"
"Not anymore. I think your skilled hands might've somehow healed the wound – if there was any at all."
"Thank God!" she said, letting out a sigh of relief, and then established distance between us.
"However… it's starting to hurt again… now that you've taken your hands off of me." No matter how much I tried to refrain from laughing, I could not resist. In the end, I burst out into laughter. "Well you know what they say, love heals everything – if there's anything at all to be healed."
"You liar! You almost scared the life out of me!" she spoke, darting a furious glance at me. In the end, she started laughing, as well, and before we could realise it, we were all smiles, behaving like silly children. It had been so long since we last acted like that, that I had feared that we had lost this gift.
A cool whiff of air blew against us, and as she sneezed, I thought that I'd never heard a sound so lovely as the one she made when she, hands brought to her mouth, tried to refrain from sneezing, never seen a face so pretty as the one I was blessed with to behold right then. It was the sweetest, most childish expression I'd ever seen, and it brought smiles on our lips once more – on mine at least. Rose pouted, trying to refrain from smiling. Nevertheless, it didn't take us long until we both burst out laughing again.
"I don't think I've ever had such a great, entertaining time before in my entire life!"
"If I survive – and don't die of laughter, or of too much love – I want to meet up with you this evening. I'll take you to a special place." She looked up at me with uncertainty. I read her mind right away. Recalling the last misunderstanding that we'd had, I could see where her doubt came from. I'd been mistaken then, I would not be again now. I could not offer her luxury, but I would make sure that she has plentiful of love, as much as I could give. "A special place in nature, that is," followed my explanation. "Will you accept?"
"I do." A warm smile brightened her face, reminding me of how much I had missed her. It crossed my mind that this petite, lovely girl would've done anything for me, or given her last breath for our love, and it touched my heart to see how much she loved me.
Now was my turn to show her my love. I fondled her with kisses, held her tight, and kept on uttering the words 'I missed you' in her ears, the way I whispered words of I love you's that time when I promised her that someday I would show her the sea. Little did she know that this day would come, even sooner than she'd expect.
Rose
"Oh, Annette, he's back! He is back, and he loves me!" I shouted joyfully, closing the door behind me. In such a euphoric state that I was in, I jumped at my maid and hugged her tightly.
"I am so glad for you, my lady." I was delirious, intoxicated with love. After one full month by myself, I had nearly lost my hope that William and I would ever be together again, and, lo and behold, he had just come back into my life, as large as life.
It proved that his trip did him good. He was as handsome as ever and full of vitality. While I had become weaker, he had been growing stronger with every passing day. I had never thought I would be able to smile again so soon.
Times had been rough for me. The chilly weather had caused me a mild cold, but Scarlet took good care of me. Now, even though I sneezed and coughed from time to time, I knew I was getting better. Despite my physical condition that was not yet at its best, I was as joyous as never. I could've been ill for the rest of my life, and still I wouldn't care, nor feel the pain, as long as I had William by my side. Love was the best medicine anyone could ever give me.
I powdered my face, dressed in my most simple, yet most elegant dress that I had. It was also one of the fewest dresses that I still owned.
Right after noon, Annette announced William's arrival. I descended the stairs in a hurry and greeted William with a loving kiss. While we parted, because of the powder I had used on my face, or of the cold, which had not yet left me, I sneezed.
"Are you feeling well?"
"Certainly," I carried on confidently. I did not want to trouble him with this insignificant cold that I had suffered of. "I– I think–" Another sneeze stopped my words. "I think I've used too much powder on my face; it's nothing to worry about."
Upon noticing that the coat I wore was too thin for such a cold weather, William urged me to go back inside and ask my maid to bring me something that's thicker. "Anything that could put your health in danger is of the utmost importance to me. I pray you, please put on your woollen coat. You would take a great concern away from me." He could not know, however, that I had sold all of my winter clothing.
"Please, William, I am fine the way I am, there is no need –"
"Nonsense, I am going inside to get you something warmer." To no avail could I stop him. Before I realised it, he was already inside of my house, running to my bedroom – to which he knew the way so well. I followed him, trying to stop him from entering my chamber, knowing that he'd be shocked by what he'd find inside.
It seems I was too late, though. "My Lord," William's voice echoed from my room, as a testimonial to the secret I hid from him, "what happened to this place? Where has all of your furniture gone?" Indeed, the room was empty. Except for the bed, the half empty wardrobe and a small nightstand, everything else had been sold. How could I be able to explain him my reasons without worrying him at all? "Tell me, Rose!"
"I just sold them, William," I said, trying not to sound concerned at all.
"Why would you do this?"
"I did not need them anymore. And they all reminded me of that count… so I just got rid of them." Turning away from me, he made one step forward, opening the doors of my wardrobe. I sat on the bed, waiting for his inspection to come to an end. I was beginning to feel uneasy, now that William was about to find out that I was broken.
"Your dresses… Where are all your dresses? The red gown you wore when I met you, the one you wore at Scarlet's ball? Did you sell your clothes, as well? Where is your woollen coat, the one trimmed with fur? Annette," he shouted from the hallway to my maid, "could you bring the lady a winter coat?" No answer came from her, this cold silence causing me to worry. "Why won't you answer me?"
"Annette would not answer you, because the answer is that I don't have any left. I asked her not to tell you about my condition, and she doesn't want to give me away." Whirling around, he neared me. I could feel my voice tensing up with every word and with every step he'd take. "Forgive me, William, I could not tell you… that I've run out of money. I feel miserable for having to tell you now."
It took all the courage I had to confess to him. Now that everything had been revealed, I could breathe with ease. Though, I still feared that William might hate me for hiding the truth from him. It was a risk I had assumed when I decided to keep this secret away from him. I could feel my limbs stiffen as he approached me, anticipating a bitter quarrel.
Instead of shouting at me, or accusing me of not being honest, however, William kneeled at the edge of my bed, taking my hands in his. I looked up at him with shame, only to find that there was no trace of anger, no hate whatsoever in his eyes. "You… you do not hate me for what I've done?"
"Could one love and hate at the same time? Here," he said, taking his coat off and leaving it over my shoulders, "have my coat. Let's go now and discuss this later."
"I can't let you go out dressed like this. You'll get a cold instead of me."
"Who? I?" he said, laughing at my remark. "My dear… you forget that I'm a man. I shall make sure that you won't fail to remember it again."
"William! I am serious, don't make fun of me!" I shouted, feeling embarrassed by his words. Since when I had become so prudish… I did not know for sure. Perhaps it was because, until not so long ago, I had underestimated the sanctity of the union between a man and a woman, while now I understood it completely.
***
William took me to Kingston Bridge to watch the sunset. It was, indeed, a breathtaking show, worthy of admiration. The sky above me was spectacular – a diversion of colours that melted into a splendid sunset. It was of a purple shade that slowly faded away into red tones as it descended the sky. The Thames was never a beautiful view, but as the burning sun reflected into its water, it made a wonderful scenery.
William and I stood before the bridge and stared at the landscape in silence, until the bright colours died out, the end of the day tarnishing the sky that had, all of a sudden, become dull. I kept his body close to mine, secretly praying that he wouldn't get sick afterwards. I was too concerned, it seems, for he did not shiver at all, in spite of the low temperature. He was so well built and strong, that it was silly of me to ever think that a cold could get him.
"Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped you," William broke the silence after a while.
"How could I have told you? I've made mistakes in my life, now I'm paying for them. Do you think I would ever accept your money"
"How about me? Do you think I would let you lose your home, and watch you grow ill, without doing everything that's in my power in order to help you?"
"William, I am grateful to you, honestly I am, for everything you've given me and for all the rest that you would still give me, but this does not involve you. It is none of your concerns."
"Anything that concerns you concerns me as well. Please, Rose, allow me to give you a helping hand."
"No, you are to dear to me to let you do this. I could never become your private lover, the one you pay for companionship… Those days are gone, and gone will they be; I will not do that again, much less with you. I refuse to be your kept woman, your mistress."
"How mistaken you are! If you only knew what I've been waiting to tell you…" Slipping his hand into one of the pockets of his coat – the one I wore – William revealed a small box made of red velvet, and handed it to me. I opened it with trembling hands. Inside, there was a beautiful ring with a red gemstone in the centre. The moment William took it out and placed it on my finger my heart stood still, my breath caught in my throat.
"I'm in no way asking you to be my lover; I'm asking you to be my wife, Rose. Nothing would make me happier than marrying you."
"What –" my words stopped in my throat. "What have you said? You… wish me to be your wife? For… for ever?"
"Is there any other way? Yes, my love, until the end of our lives," William spoke in a soft, warm voice. No words could describe how I felt when he, holding my hands in his, glanced at me with such loving eyes, as if he begged for a positive answer. "William… You're not saying it because you know I'm broken, are you?"
"No, of course not; I mean it. I bought this ring a long time ago, before my leave. I could not make up my mind right then, nor come up with a reason why I should marry you."
"And now… you have a reason?"
"I do. I wish to make you happy, the happiest and most loved woman in this world."
"And… that is all?"
"And because I want to be able to hold your hand on the street, and not have anybody around us thinking that we're doing something inappropriate. I want to turn all the wrongs that you've made into rights. I don't want to hide our love anymore."
"William, you did make me the happiest, most loved woman in this world," I spoke, looking up at him through watery eyes.
"Should I take it as a 'yes' then?"
"Yes, certainly! With all my heart!" There couldn't be any other feeling more gratifying than simply knowing that one's love is being shared, and that his dreams are coming true. I'd never felt as complete, as content as now, when William and I were locked in an embrace as future husband and wife.
Of course, our love was not changed; William was the same man I fell in love with, and I – the same woman that had missed him so greatly. There was only me and him… but there was something else between us, that bonded us. It felt as if our love was not something to be hidden, not anymore. We were free now to go out in the public as a couple, there was no need to hide my love towards him. I knew now that no other human force could separate us… only God, to which we would swear to love and respect each other, had that power.
My trail of thoughts had been discontinued as William leaned over me to kiss my lips. We talked for a while, and then fell into silence again. The wind had ceased to blow. There was something soothing in the air, something that spurred us to be quiet. I rested my head on William's breast awhile, until he proceeded to interrupt the stillness.
"Rose… would you consider living with me, if we were to have a house of our own? I feel I've had enough of nights spent by my own."
"You know I would," I said with a smile. "Is there something you have in mind?"
"I went outside the town today, and found a house I think you'd like. I wish to show it to you tomorrow, and if you like it, I will gladly buy it."
"Do you have the money needed?"
"I do. I've inherited a great sum of money from a relative of mine. Together with my savings, and what I've earned from the company, it's enough to buy a home for us both. The owner is both a wealthy person, and eager to sell it, I think we might persuade her into selling it at a lower price. If not, we should continue to look around; I'm sure we could find something cheaper."
"Then, I'll help you too; I will sell my manor. I'm not letting you alone pay for our house."
"Are you certain? I can manage by myself."
"I am. Why should I keep it anyway? We'll have a house of our own. As long as I have a roof above my head, and you – by my side, I don't need anything else." Moments later, I allowed my imagination to play with the idea. "To wake up in the morning with you being the first thing I see, and go to sleep in the same bed with you…" I spoke in a low voice, almost to myself, "must be a pleasant feeling."
William
I met Rose in the morning to give her a woollen coat that I had just bought for her. She thanked me, but also criticised me, saying that I was overreacting and was overly concerned, even though winter had not arrived yet. I, on the contrary, tried to convince her that I could never overreact when it came to her, and that winter would come faster than she'd think.
Short after, we summoned a coach that rode us outside the capital, to the city of Oxford, where the owner of our new home – hopefully – was expecting us.
The householder – an old and wealthy widow – greeted us warmly and showed us the way around, then left us alone to decide, but not before she invited us to a cup of tea afterwards.
Spoiler! :
The villa was small – with two floors, three rooms each. It did not bother us at all that the house was half as large as Rose's manor. On the contrary, it gave us a sense of privacy. Behind the villa, there was another small house designed for servants.
All of the rooms were already fully-furnished, the dining room connected to the living room, both being decorated in muted greens and browns. Upstairs consisted of a bathroom, the bedroom, and the veranda that was linked to it. The windows were large, allowing a great amount of light to pass through them; nevertheless the curtains were made of thick, heavy velvet, turning the day to night whenever they were loosened. There was also fireplace in both the bedroom and the living room. It looked as the perfect place for us – cosy and intimate.
"What do you think?" I asked Rose when we were alone. "It could've been larger, though, and we could use more rooms, and another bedroom, but –"
"No, it's perfect. As if we would sleep in different rooms! I think it is more than I could ever ask for, William."
"Great. Then, we should tell Mrs. Hollingsworth that we're buying it."
We both descended the stairs and went outside in the garden, where the owner was waiting for us at a small table. "Please," she said upon seeing us, "be my guests." We sat down on the chairs and she poured some green tea in the porcelain cups, and handed them over us.
"How do you like my villa so far? Have you come to a decision? Will you buy it?"
I turned to Rose, seeking her consent once again. She nodded her head slightly in approval. "I see no reason not to do so."
"I am glad. This house has been filled with love in time. At first, me and my husband, then my son and his wife."
"But where is your son now?" Rose interfered. "If I am not too curious…"
"Oh, he's left for France. Our beautiful country did no longer suit his fancy. Then my husband died, and I was left alone. Now my son invited me to come to France as well."
"So this is why you sell this house."
"Exactly."
"There would be one problem, though. My fiancé and I haven't yet sold our other house; you see, we have no other place to stay in. I'm afraid we will not be able to pay you the whole sum right from the start."
"Oh, do not worry, I will let you move in first, and you can give me the rest of money next month, but… no, on second thoughts, this is not possible, because I am leaving for France in a few days. Better than this, I will leave it at half the price! What do you say? Does this sound reasonable?"
"It is more than reasonable, Mrs. Hollingsworth. You are being too generous."
"Oh, no, you are flattering me. I am a wealthy woman, young man. There have been many other offers, but I refused them. I want this place to be filled with love. I am sure it will be in safe hands if you have it. I would rather sell it for half the price to a lovely young pair as you are, than for the full price to some snobbish aristocrats. You seem such a sweet couple, you remind me of my dear son and his wife. They've loved each other so much, I am sure you do too." I turned to Rose, beaming at her. She blushed right away, in such an innocent manner that it made our host smile as well. "A woman that blushes is a treasure, young man, and treasures are to be kept. Trust me, you should take good care of her."
She beheld us with caring eyes, not being able to take her eyes off of us. I assume we made a perfect pair. We must've reminded her of her youth. "I will, Mrs. Hollingsworth. I will," I spoke, glancing at my future wife, as if I made her a promise. For it was a promise that I made to myself right then – that I would respect her, love her, and protect her for all the rest of my life.
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