That night, he presented himself at supper earlier than usual. He sat himself down and waited. Patient, he sat there, watching the doorway, expecting her to enter. Every time they ate supper, he could see her wanting to speak with him. Her eyes on him, her mind at work as she puzzled through his coldness. It was always so hard to ignore her, and every evening, he was so close tobreaking down and admitting everything.Admitting what? I do not even know! Or rather, I am too much of a coward to admit it.
Margot never arrived at supper, and that was enough to spike Sebastian’s fear so that he did not eat and instead strode through the manor and again found himself at her door.
He hesitated before it. Twice, he thought of walking away. But finally, he curled his fist and knocked once, determined now to find answers.Just to make sure that she is well…
“Yes?” her voice spoke from the other side.
Sebastian gently opened the door and stepped inside. He found Margot on her bed, a book in her lap, dressed in a shift as if she hadn’t left bed all day. She frowned to see him there, but quickly dismissed it and went back to her book.
“You…” He hovered by the doorway. “You were not at supper.”
“I was not.”
“Is there a reason?”
“No,” she said without looking. It was subtle, but he could see the tightness of her face… just as he could see the stains from crying painted on her cheeks.
“Is something the matter?” he asked gently, wanting to cross the room but forcing himself to stay.
“Why would it be?”
He winced. “You… you have been quiet. And distant.”
She scoffed but did not look. “Is that not what you want from me? I am only doing as promised.”
Sebastian watched her closely. She was hurting. Indeed, something was wrong. Again, that urge to go to her. To take her in his arms. To hold her and ask what was wrong. But he forced that urge away, just as he forced himself not to press the issue. He would not beg.
“There is still food for you if you need it,” he said.
“Fine.”
Sebastian left Margot there, but not without extreme concern that stabbed at his insides. And when he closed the door, he listened, and where it might have been his imagination, he could have sworn he heard her crying.
It was never meant to be this way.Is this not what we both wanted? What was promised? Why do I care what she thinks? And why do I want more?
Unable to stand being in the same house as Margot, that urge to go to her too strong to ignore, Sebastian left his manor, jumped on a horse, and rode it into London. He did not know where he was going, but soon found himself at a tavern on the outskirts of the city. A seedy establishment, not the sort he would ordinarily frequent, but times were that dire.
He walked inside and ordered an ale. Then he sat himself down in the corner and got to drinking, a need to forget what had happened and remind himself who he was and why he was doing this.
“You look lonely,” a soft voice spoke from over his shoulder.
Sebastian turned to find a stunning woman sauntering toward him. Her hair was vivid red. Her eyes were sparkling green. Full lips. A dress with a neckline that sat low on her bosom so that they spilled over the top. And the way she looked at him…oh, I know that look as well as I know the back of my hand.
“Do I?” he said with a bitter chuckle, turning back to his drink.
The woman reached the table and leaned forward so her breasts were in his eyeline. “Haven’t seen you here before?” she said with a soft purr.
“I haven’t been here before.”
“From out of town?” she asked with interest.
He laughed. “No. Just… just expanding my drinking circles.”
“It’s bad luck to drink alone, you know?” She fluttered her eyes at him, and her look turned seductive. “Or so they say.”
“Who says that?”
“I do.” She winked then.
