In the End

Chapter 4: The Truth

We road back to the house in silence. The anger had ebbed and Weylin seemed thoughtful, worried. And I? I guess I was confused. I guess I thought I was the only one with secrets. 

When we got to the house, it was a little before four. Lenora had not returned yet. 

"We will need to wait for mother. She can explain better than I," Weylin said. He helped me dismount but neither of us unloaded the saddles bags. We stared at each other for a moment.

"There is a letter for you in the garden," I offered into the silence.

"You didn't give me an answer," he responded, pressing a hand to his breast pocket.

"Maybe we had better have this conversation first. You may not want to marry-"

"No. My love for you is unconditional. I will not change my mind. But I do want your answer. Please."

He looked worried, maybe even a bit desperate. No. Desperate was too strong a word. Weylin was many things but he was certainly not desperate. He looked . . . pained. Pained by my leaving. Pained at almost losing me. Pained and disappointed.

"Yes." I smiled softly, perhaps even a little sadly. "Of course my answer is yes. I do love you, Weylin. I didn't want to leave you. I thought I was protecting you."

"I thought I was protecting you." He pulled the box out of his pocket, carefully removed the ring, and took my hand. He slid the ring on my finger and then admired it for a moment. It was beautiful. A sapphire on a gold band with three diamonds on either side. Elegant. "It was my grandmother's." Weylin leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. "Perhaps I should go see about this letter. I'll see you inside."

I walked inside, swiftly, slightly afraid of suddenly being alone but also needing to let out every emotion I had just felt over the last few hours in privacy. I raced to my room and threw myself on my bed. I screamed into the pillow that I thought I would never see again. I screamed until I felt like I would pass out and then I turned over and stared at the ceiling. For a moment, I felt empty. I felt like nothing. No one. Just eyes, observing the color of the ceiling. And then I moved my fingers and felt the metal of the ring rub against my skin and it filled my chest with life. I inhaled deeply. A smile stole across my mouth. I lifted my hand to look at the ring. My lips began to quiver and tears slid down my face. I couldn't believe I had almost missed this. I couldn't believe I had almost run away from the only good thing in my life.

And then the goosebumps prickled all over my arms.

I sat up straight. My eyes went wide and I listened intently. The front door had opened. Had more riders come? Had they found me?

I was frozen in place, listening, when someone knocked on my door.

"Miss Carmine? Mrs. Elahn would like you to join her in the sitting room."

It was just Mrs. Maney.

I let out the breath I had been holding. 

"I'm coming," I called back.

I got up, straightened myself out, and went to the door. I grabbed the handle and froze again. I looked at my hand, with the ring sitting so daintily on it. I was suddenly mortified. I didn't want Lenora to see the ring. I felt strange about it. Like I'd taken something from her. I thought about removing it but then Weylin, what would he think? 

No. I would wear the ring. She would be happy.

Prickles.

Resolved, I opened the door. I walked to the sitting room to find Lenora taking her afternoon tea by the fire. When I entered, she rose and rushed toward me.