His arms locked in the back, the fingers of one hand grasping at the stump, he stopped before the mirror. He was looking at his faint reflection in it. The sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on him, so his reflection was almost as pale as Rosalie’s own skin was. A thought occurred to him.
We are the same.
The thought brought him comfort. A peace of mind he had never known before. A warmth that seemed to emanate from a source deep down. A fire had been awakened inside of him.
“Miss. Blake… I mean, Rosalie…” he started, then quickly shook his head. “No, no.”
Giving orders to fellow soldiers who would willingly die at his command seemed less challenging than revealing one’s heart to a woman.
Finally, he realized that one could not practice such matters. There was no right or wrong manner in which to say this. This was no business matter, where it was easy to rely on facts and principles. The heart accepted no rules, no regulations. The heart was not ruled by logic. It was governed by emotions that needed to be allowed to flow freely.
Sighing heavily, Edmund rang for the butler, who appeared a minute later.
“You rang, My Lord?” The butler bowed.
“Yes, Hastings,” Edmund nodded. “Notify Miss. Blake that I wish to see her in my study right away.”
“As you wish, My Lord.” Hastings quickly disappeared, closing the door behind him.
Alone once more, Edmund raked his mind for the proper words. But proper was exactly what he didn’t need. He needed heartfelt. Truthful. Not, proper.
He eyed the box again, wondering if it might not be too much. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable. She seemed to enjoy his company as much as he enjoyed hers. That gave him hope that his feelings might be reciprocated.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
“Come in!” he called out, feeling somewhat anxious.
He had stared death in the face, and yet, he hadn’t been as afraid as he was now. However, the moment the door opened, and the fairy-like figure entered, his heart assured him that he was making the right decision.
“You wanted to see me?” she inquired softly, her beautiful pale face curious and beaming.
“Yes,” Edmund confirmed. “Yes, I did. Thank you for coming.”
“Of course,” she smiled. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, everything is in perfect order,” he nodded. “I believe you are doing a wonderful job with the girls. You see…” he paused a little, again struggling to find the right words, “when my brother and his wife passed away, the girls… they were mere shadows of their previous selves. I suppose that is to be expected. I understand such loss. But, you see, I haven’t been able to reach out to them. Miraculously, you have, and there are no words that could express my gratitude.”
Edmund felt at ease speaking of factual things, as everything he had said was true. Now, he needed to continue, but the words eluded him. He wanted them to be perfect. He wanted her to understand completely what she had done for him, what she meant to him.
“Edmund,” she started, her voice melodious and kind, “I believe we have both found each other at a strange and troubling time in our lives. You say I have helped you and those two sweet girls whom I have come to love as if they were my very own. But I’ve already told you that you have saved me. You keep saving me every single day. Your kindness and warmth have shown me what it means to truly be accepted and appreciated for who I am. I’ve never known that before I met you.”
“I doubt many people would consider me kind and warm,” he chuckled.
“Not many people know you as I do,” she spoke softly, blushing.
“That is indeed true,” he agreed. “Which leads me to what I have called you here for.”
He took a deep breath. He could feel his palm sweating, but there was no pain in his other hand. In fact, ever since Rosalie had entered their home, it seemed that it had once more, become a home of happiness and joy. The girls were still occasionally mischievous, but they had awakened once more, and he could see them starting to bloom.
His own behavior had changed drastically. He found himself no longer buried in his books and business matters. His focus had shifted onto what he never considered important. That had always been his mistake, and Rosalie was there to rectify it. Slowly, she had done so. Patiently, she had endured everything. Kindly, she had guided them all towards a new life, which was now possible due to her efforts.
He wasn’t certain if there was any way he could say all this; any words that could express all his gratitude and the love he felt for her. So, he decided to show her instead.
He turned his back to her, then walked over to his desk. Cautiously, as if he were holding a wounded bird, he picked up the box in his hand, and brought it before her.
His eyes gazed deeply into hers. He focused hard, trying to see even a hint of hesitation on her face, but all she revealed was kindness, acceptance and understanding.
“This,” he offered her the box, “is for you.”
