Woes of Love

I eyed Wilkins cautiously. ‘What about my sister Ella?'

‘I… I have confession to make.' He pressed a hand to his heart, either overcome by his feelings or having a heart attack. Unfortunately, the chances for the latter seemed slim. ‘A secret that I have borne in my heart for a long time but now must reveal to somebody, or else my heart will burst.'

Well, things are looking up. Maybe the chances aren't that slim after all.

‘I see,' I said.

He had obviously hoped for a response like, ‘What is your secret? I'm dying to know!' or something equally dramatic. When I didn't oblige, he floundered. But soon enough he found his voice again.

‘I have chosen to confess my secret to you,' he whispered conspiratorially. ‘If for now you promise you will reveal it to no living soul.'

‘Go on.' I waved my hand. ‘I promise I will reveal it only to vampires, ghosts and other members of the undead community.'

‘Um… good. Very well, then.' He took a deep breath. ‘I… am in love. I am in love with your sister, Miss Ella Linton.'

My left eyebrow rose about a millimetre. ‘You don"t say.'

Again he had apparently hoped for a more dramatic reaction. But he seemed to cope well with the disappointment, more than ready to supply all the necessary drama himself. He leant forward so far that the sunflower almost fell out of his buttonhole.

‘The reason I tell you this,' he said, whispering, ‘is that throughout the entire time I have had the pleasure to know your sister, I have noticed you have taken a most lively interest in the progression of our relationship. You have always been there, trying to help me…'

What?

‘… and although your failed attempts at furthering conversation show how innocent you are, how inexperienced with romance, they are greatly appreciated.'

This man definitely could never be allowed to marry my sister! There was insanity in his family! There had to be! Me helping him?

‘Miss Lilly,' he said in a fatherly manner, which might have worked better if he hadn't been just about three years older than I. ‘I am a seasoned man of the world. I have no problem with striking up a conversation with your sister on my own. Have no fear. What you hope for is true: I am indeed pursuing your sister. I am so deeply in love with her I can hardly express it. Soon, after an appropriate courtship, I will ask her to be mine, and your sister Ella will marry one of the most eligible bachelors of London.'

He pressed my hand.

‘Have no fear. Soon we shall be family.'

Argh!

*~*~**~*~*

Somehow I managed the ride home without getting hysterics. The situation was far more dire than I had imagined. My only consolation was that Ella still wasn't aware of the fact. But as we rode towards home, even that consolation began to disappear. The love-struck smiles which Wilkins sent in Ella's direction at regular intervals could hardly be misinterpreted, even by one as innocent as she. In addition, Wilkins had begun to suggestively wink at my little sister. Since he did this repeatedly and without great talent, he looked like somebody desperately trying to get a fly out of his eye, but still, she probably got the message.

The others were no help either. Lisbeth was sad because nobody at the ball had danced with her, Gertrude was quiet, Maria and Anne were shooting angry glances at Ella, and my aunt was still making hints about how well Lord Dalgliesh and I seemed to be getting along. It was only Sir Philip's presence that stopped her from pestering me for the date on which our engagement would be announced.

Finally, we stopped in front of my uncle's house and alighted from the coach. Wilkins didn't remain sitting, but got out after us.

‘Do you wish to come in for a minute, Sir Philip?' My aunt enquired sweetly. She was always sweet to prospective nephews-in-law. The rich ones, anyway.

‘No, madam. I wouldn't wish to inconvenience you.'

‘It would be no inconvenience at all, I assure you, Sir.'

‘That is kind of you, Madam, but I really must be getting home. I just wanted to say goodbye to your charming nieces, particularly to Miss Ella.' Taking her hand, he bent and placed a long, lingering kiss on it. ‘Thank you, Miss Ella. Goodbye, for now. I look forward to seeing you soon again. Tonight was the best night of my life. May we spend innumerable nights like it, and may they each be brighter and happier than the one before. That is the deepest desire of my heart.'

Ella paled, and my aunt took on the blissful expression of an opium addict dancing in a field of poppies. It was almost as good as a proposal. If she'd had a chain and collar on her, my aunt would probably have chained Sir Philip up in the hallway until he had delivered the real thing. Unfortunately for her, she lacked that equipment and so could only curtsey and wave after him as he got into his coach and drove away.

While she was busy waving, I made myself scarce. I didn't want to hear any more profusions on the subject of Lord Dalgliesh or Sir Philip. Besides, I knew now with absolute certainty what my little sister was facing. I needed to take up my post so I was in position when the drama began. Grabbing a book from the library, I sneaked out into the garden and settled down comfortably behind the bushes. Only a few minutes later the backdoor creaked open and a white-clad figure stepped out into the garden.

*~*~**~*~*

Regretfully, I put my book aside. It had been a really interesting colonial adventure story, and I had just gotten to the best part - the bit where the hero is tied to a stake and the natives prepare to cook and then eat him alive. But I told myself he was sure to be rescued soon, and then a wonderful story would be ruined. Better to stop now and enjoy the drama that was beginning to unfold in front of me.

Edmund had appeared on the other side of the fence. He didn't look very well: his face was pale, his hair unkempt, and his shirt and waistcoat had seen better days. My gaze drifted to Ella, only to observe that she was in no better condition. Her blonde hair was hanging in wild tangles down her back, and her dress had obviously been put on in a hurry. Of course she still looked innocent as the new day and stunningly beautiful, but then, she was Ella.

I settled into a comfortable theatre seat provided by a patch of moss from which I could see everything through a gap in the brush. This performance was going to be pivotal for my further plans. On it would hinge everything I would try to do to further Ella's hopes and dreams and smash Sir Philip into smithereens!

The two of them stood on either side of the fence for a long while, simply staring at each other with desperate longing, trying to bridge the distance between them with their gazes. Or at least I figured that's what they were doing. With the moon having disappeared behind clouds, it was pretty dark in the garden, so I couldn't actually be sure about the staring-at-each-other-with-desperate-longing part. They might just have fallen asleep standing.

‘Ella, my love,' Edmund said in a raw voice.

Ah. Not asleep. So I had been right. And if that wasn't desperate longing in his voice, I didn't know what desperate longing was.

‘Edmund, my love,' my little sister whispered. Apparently, she was very much awake as well.

‘How do things stand?' he demanded.

When Ella said nothing in response, he pushed on: ‘What is the matter? Why do you not speak? Why do you not step closer to me? Speak, my love! I can no longer live without the sweet honey of your voice sustaining me!'

I suppressed an urge to gag.

How would you like the honey of my fist in your face, fellow?

But his mushy-gushy mush seemed to hit the spot with Ella. She opened her mouth and took a breath, preparing to speak.

‘I… I danced three times with Sir Philip,' she answered timidly. I noticed she didn't step closer to the fence, made no move at all to approach her beloved with the messy hair.

‘Only three times during the entire evening? When he is supposedly courting you?' Edmund's face brightened. I thought dancing three times with the same person was quite a lot, but I didn't doubt if he had the chance, he'd spent the entire evening glued to her. ‘Oh Ella, you give me hope. Tell me, has he lost interest in you, the fool? Has he withdrawn his affections?'

My sister gave a little shake of the head.

‘No.'

‘Then why on earth would he not…'

‘It is my dear sister.' Dang! She's talking about me! ‘My dear, dear sister who protects me. It is amazing. Though she knows not a thing of how things truly stand, of where my affections truly lie, she instinctively seems to be able to sense somehow that I do not welcome his attentions. Not just tonight at the ball - whenever he comes, she is there, between him and me, helping me, protecting me. Sometimes I ask myself whether she is clairvoyant, so clearly can she read what I feel. It is as if she could hear every secret word I speak to you!'

Um… Well, about that…

Deeply moved, Edmund nodded. ‘I have heard of this - a strong emotional bond between siblings who cherish for one another the deepest affection can have such remarkable effects. She must be a remarkable girl. I wish I could meet her someday.'

No problem. Just come around the bush and wave.

Ella shook her head vigorously. ‘You cannot! Remember, she must never know of us.'

‘You're right. She must never know.'

I rolled my eyes. Really? Gosh…

There was a pause. Then Edmund added: ‘But we have strayed away from the heart of the matter, dearest.'

Ella's lower lip began to quiver.

‘Which is?'

‘Sir Philip Wilkins still pursues you.'

‘Oh, cruel, cruel Edmund! How can you remind me?'

Edmund reached through the poles to squeeze her hands, and she immediately ceased her lamentations.

‘I must remind you,' he persisted in a gentle tone of voice. ‘I must, because we must form plans and find an escape, find some way to forge a future for ourselves.'

Her eyes tearing up again, Ella suddenly stumbled forward and sagged against the fence.

‘No plans can save me,' she whispered. ‘I have no future!'

Now that's just not true!I shook my head disapprovingly. If people only could be more accurate about such things. She might have a future wherein she would be absolutely miserable, married to a man she couldn't stand and separated from her one true love - but she would definitely have a future. One should always be accurate. Ten hours a day and six days a week of sorting files for an office tyrant teaches a girl that much.

‘That is why I said we would forge a future, Ella. You may not have one now, but we will find a way.'

‘How, Edmund, my love? How can we possibly find a way?'

‘I do not know yet. But take heart, my love. With time, we will surely devise a plan and…'

‘With time?' More tears running down her delicate face, Ella stared through the fence in desperation. Now the moon was out from behind the clouds and I could actually see the mournful expression clearly. It made me wish for darkness again. ‘With time? Edmund, you do not understand. We do not have time. I… I believe…'

‘What?' Edmund stepped closer to the fence and grabbed the metal poles. ‘What are you keeping from me? Tell me! I beg you, my love, tell me!'

‘I believe,' Ella said in a breathless whisper, ‘that Sir Philip will shortly propose matrimony.'

‘No! Say it isn't so!'

‘Yes, my love.' Reaching up, she swiftly touched his pallid cheek with her fingertips. ‘Yes, it is. I wish it were not so, but I cannot change it. I cannot change my fate.'

There were a few moments of heavy silence. Edmund was staring at the ground, his fists clenched at his sides. Curious, I leaned forward, trying to get a look at his face, but it was impossible to see from here.

Blast! And this is the best part of the drama!

I should have gotten a seat closer to the stage.

Then, suddenly, he raised his head again, and I blinked in surprise. I hardly recognized him. All the despair was gone from his face, replaced by a look of iron, immovable determination.

‘Yes, you can,' he said in a hoarse voice. ‘You can change your fate, my love. Run away with me! Run away with me and become my wife!'

You could have knocked me down with a feather. Actually, half a feather might have done it. Or maybe a very small piece of yarn?

Ella, I could see, was equally taken aback. She wasn't gaping open-mouthed at Edmund like I was - proper ladies don"t do that sort of thing - but she had definitely turned an even whiter shade of pale than she normally was.

‘M-marry?' Her voice was almost inaudible over the soft wind that had picked up and that rustled the leaves in the trees as well as the soft folds of her dress in an appropriately romantic manner. ‘But how… Aunt Brank would never agree!'

‘I asked you to run away with me, my love,' Edmund reminded her, his voice gentle but firm, his gaze never leaving her face. ‘That means she wouldn't have to agree.'

‘But… go against the wishes of her and all my family…?'

‘Yes.'

‘Shame them before all the world? Hurt them in such a way?'

‘Yes, my dear. For love, it must be.'

Hell's whiskers! He's really going to do it! He's really going to take advantage of your poor, innocent little sister and whisk her away.

Getting stealthily to my feet, I prepared to launch myself from the bushes if he made even one tiny move towards her.

A rake! That's what he is! A dastardly rake!

I knew what was coming next, of course. I had heard Anne and Maria discuss romance novels often enough. Next he would grab Ella and carry her off into the night. But he didn't reckon with me in that equation! The moment he touched her, I would be ready to take up the chase!

Of course, there's the small matter of the fence between them, so you probably won't have to hurry that much.

‘Are you in earnest, Edmund?' Ella whispered. ‘Do not toy with my heart. Would you really make me your wife, if you could?'

Grasping her hand, he stepped forward. I prepared to jump out of the bushes, but he didn't move to touch any other, strictly restricted, parts of her. Instead, he fell to his knees, bowing his head over her hand and kissing it softly.

‘How could you ever doubt it?' he demanded. ‘For years I have admired your beauty, your charm and your loving nature. My love for you has grown and blossomed ever since it first sprang to life. Now that is has come to full bloom, nothing will stop me from making you mine. Will you do me the honour…?'

With a small sob, she pulled her hand from his grasp. I could see her face as she turned from him, towards my hiding place, her arms wrapped around her slender body as if to protect herself.

‘This,' she said in a quivering voice, ‘has gone far enough.'

The words may have been weak, but on Edmund they fell like a hammer blow. I was almost disappointed not to see a substantial bump swelling up on his head.

‘W-what?'

‘I said, this has gone far enough.' She turned back to him, and as she did I could see the moisture on her face glittering in the moonlight. She seemed to have an endless supply of tears tonight. Dear me… This love thing seemed to require an enormous quantity of bodily fluids.

‘Please,' she continued, ‘do not torture me further by actually asking me. I could not bear it.'

His voice in return was broken. Utterly defeated. ‘You no longer love me then.'

Ella twitched as if she had been hit by a whip. Rushing forward, she grasped the poles of the fence.

‘Of course I love you, Edmund. More than my own life!'

His face came up, displaying a whirling mix of hope and despair.

‘Then you will come with me?'

‘No! I cannot!'

‘But Ella, my love… I… I do not understand. If you love me, if you really, truly love me…?'

Ella leaned her head against the fence. She didn't seem to have the strength to hold it up anymore. The wind tugged at her hair, pulling a few loose strands through the iron poles and onto Edmund's side of the fence, as if everything in her was straining to go to him.

How come the weather is so bloody romantic? Why isn't it raining buckets out here?

‘Edmund… I cannot find the words to answer you. But I do not have to. The poet has already given me my lines, which I tell to you now: Yes, I do love you. Desperately, with all my heart. But I could not love thee, Dear, so much, Loved I not honour more.'[41]

Behind the bushes I cocked my head, trying to find the logic in her last statement. I thought it was pretty darn daft, myself. Somebody had written that down, and been published? I would never fall in love myself, of course, but if I did, I didn't think honour would enter into the equation in any major way. Honour, respectability - they were mostly nicely sounding terms for means of curtailing a girl's freedom. Really, I loved my little sister, but sometimes she really could be a silly goose. She should just say yes to the fellow and-

Hey! What are you doing? You're supposed to not want her to run away with him.

Oh, right. No! I definitely didn't want that!

‘Don't you see?' She reached out to tenderly touch the hair of the broken man kneeling in front of her. ‘I'd rather cherish my love for you as a tender, secret memory, than do what I know to be wrong. Yes, I could go with you now and spend the rest of my days in bliss, but where would be the good in that? Far better that I marry Sir Philip, knowing that I have done right, preserving the honour of my family and of yours, than that I destroy them for earthly happiness. I might spend the rest of my days in misery, but at least I will do so with a clear conscience.'

Um… All right…

I had always suspected that my sister was, on some level, completely off her rocker. It was gratifying to have one's suspicions confirmed. Besides this purely intellectual gratification, though, I could not receive much satisfaction from the fact.

Though he might in general have a higher opinion of her degree of sanity, in this case Edmund seemed to share my views.

‘I'd prefer the earthly happiness,' he told her outright.

A weak little smile appeared on her face.

‘That is your warm heart overwhelming your better nature, Edmund, and I love you for it. But please, do not tempt me any further. It pains me to refuse you.'

‘You can still say yes.'

‘No, I cannot. We must not see each other again, Edmund. I will become Sir Philip's wife… and you…'

She closed her eyes for a moment, and I could see the next words would be the hardest for her.

‘… and you go, find yourself a girl who is not bound. Do not let yourself be dragged into misery. Find love, be happy. Maybe I can continue to live, as long as I know that you are happy.'

‘But I cannot be happy without you, Ella! Not ever!'

‘Do not say such a thing, Edmund! It pains me!'

Then why the heck is she smiling through her tears?

I scratched my head, nonplussed. This love thing was obviously more complicated than I had thought. Oh, I was so glad I didn't have anything to do with it myself.

‘I will ask you one final time, Ella.' Slowly, Edmund rose to his feet. Her hand slid into his, and he held it firmly. ‘Will you elope with me?'

She shook her head.

‘No.'

‘You refuse to go against your aunt's wishes in the matter of Sir Philip?'

‘I beg you, Edmund, understand. I cannot!'

‘Shh. Don't be anguished, dearest. I understand. I understand, my love. You cannot go against your gentle nature.' He sighed. ‘Then there remains only one thing for me to do.'

‘Y-you will do as I ask? You will move on?'

In spite of the fact that she was trying to affect a cheerful manner, I could see the fear in her eyes.

Pressing her hand again, Edmund shook his head.

‘No. I shall go out and buy myself a pistol. In the morning I shall call at Sir Philip's residence and challenge him.'

*~*~**~*~*

Any feathers available with which to knock me over? For the second time this night, I was completely taken by surprise. This tradesman's boy was turning out to be a regular Casanova! Had I heard correctly?

‘W-what?' Ella stuttered. ‘What do you mean, challenge him?'

Apparently, she hadn't yet understood what he meant. Or she would not let herself understand, maybe.

‘I mean, challenge him to a duel,' Edmund replied calmly. ‘To the death.'

She took an involuntary step towards him. Or maybe it was voluntary. You could never tell with these love-struck people

‘Edmund, you must not jest about such things,' she whispered, her hands clasping the iron poles of the fence tightly. ‘You must not.'

‘Who says that I am jesting?'

‘Please, Edmund, stop. You worry me sick.'

‘I am sorry for that. But it cannot be helped. You say you will not refuse Sir Philip, nor stand up to your aunt, so I have no choice.'

‘No choice but to contemplate violence?' Letting go of the poles, she threw her hands up in the air. ‘What mad demon possesses you, Edmund? I beg you, relinquish this mad scheme!'

‘It is not mad. Indeed it is highly logical. You will not rid yourself of Sir Philip, very well, then I shall do it for you. I shall acquire a pistol, go to his house and challenge him. Do you think I should explain the situation to him? How things stand between us?'

Ella almost fainted right then and there. Only Edmund's quick hands, which shot through the gaps in the fence and caught her around the waist, prevented her from falling.

Wait just a minute!

I was on the point of charging in. Now he definitely was touching areas he wasn't supposed to be touching on a lady, and I had to look after my little sister, after all. But then, he had only prevented her from falling. I decided to not kill him for his insolence just this once.

‘Tell him?' Ella whispered, obviously in no hurry to get out of his arms. ‘Are you mad?'

He smiled at her. It was a boyish, excited kind of smile that looked new on his face, which I had seen so often anxious and sad, yet it suited him well. He looked like a different person, and for the first time I began to understand what Ella saw in him, just a little.

‘That's the second time you've accused me of insanity tonight, my love. Don't let it become a habit.'

‘Be serious, Edmund!'

‘I'm absolutely serious. I don"t want you to suspect me of a mental disorder.'

‘You know what I mean!'

‘Yes, I do. And I'm serious about that, too.'

‘But telling Sir Philip? After all the hundreds and hundreds of times I have begged you to keep our love a secret?'

Edmund's smile became a trifle wistful.

‘Ah, but what is there to keep secret anymore? If I go to him tomorrow and vanquish him, then it will not matter whether or not I have told him, will it? I need to explain it to him, Ella. I cannot simply march up to him and insult him to make him fight me. I would smudge the honour of my family, which, as you so diligently pointed out, is a bad thing to do. No, I need to go to him and say: "Sir Philip, I love the girl you have set your sights on, and she loves me. I will fight for her with my last breath." He is a gentleman. He will understand and allow me the opportunity to fight for you. Once I have put a bullet through his heart, the way will once again be free. So you see, Ella, I am not mad. I have thought this through very carefully.'

I nodded approvingly. For once, it seemed, somebody had been using their brains instead of their heart. The plan was indeed highly logical - except for one point. With unusual quickness, Ella realized it too.

‘And what,' she whispered, trembling in Edmund's arms, ‘if it is he who kills you?'

There were a few moments of silence. Well, almost-silence, anyway. In the distance, a dog barked with total disregard for the romantic drama unfolding in front of me.

‘I wouldn't worry about that, love,' he said, dismissively.

‘Not worry?' she exclaimed, and suddenly it wasn't just his arms around her - she was clasping him now, too. That was more like it! Finally, she was taking some action of her own.

‘Edmund, he is a gentleman! You're a tradesman's son. He's been raised to shoot with guns, hunts every year and knows what he's doing. Have you ever handled a pistol before in your life?'

‘I'm a quick learner.'

‘Edmund, tell me! Have you ever handled a pistol?'

‘Not actually, no,' he admitted. ‘But I've seen other people do it,' he added as an afterthought.

The groan that originated from Ella indicated that she thought about as much of this excuse as I did.

‘Edmund, please don"t, I'm begging you!'

He shook his head.

‘I would give you almost anything you want, love, but in this I must deny you.'

‘But why?' Reaching up, she clutched his shirt and, through a gap in the fence, buried her face in his chest. ‘Do you want to die? Are you truly mad?'

Encircling her with his arms, he drew her even closer towards himself. I was debating again whether or not to intervene - but somehow I couldn't bring myself to interrupt them. And there was still an iron fence between them, so things couldn't really get very intimate. ‘I have no wish to die, Ella.'

‘Then why? Tell me, for heaven's sake!'

‘Don't you see?' Pushing her away a bit, he raised her chin and forced her to look into his face. ‘I have to free you. I have to believe that you and I can be together. If that cannot be, life would not be worth living anymore. Not for me, anyway.'

Atta boy!I had to admit, part of me really liked this plan. If it worked, Ella would be rid of Sir Philip. If it didn't, she'd be rid of this silly fellow. A win-win situation.

‘Isn't it enough to know I love you?' She asked, her voice thick. ‘To know that I will never, ever love anybody else, no matter what I shall be forced to do?'

He shook his head. ‘I'm afraid I'm not that noble, my dear. I need to feel your love, to feel you in my arms, safe and warm. I need to know that you can say to me "I love you" without blushing in shame. I need to know that I am yours and you are mine, now and forever.'

‘That can never be!'

‘It must and it shall be.'

Slowly, he began to untangle himself from her and from the fence. The latter took longer than one might have thought. In order to passionately embrace her, he'd had to squeeze his arms through some pretty tight spots. Apparently, he still hadn't thought of using the ladder that still rested peacefully against the Conways' garden shed.

‘What are you doing?' Ella cried as he slipped from her grasp.

‘Going,' he returned. ‘The time for talk has passed. Now it is time for action.' His face took on a grim expression. ‘I am going to have to be fit and alert tomorrow. I had better call it a night.'

‘Edmund, you don"t… you don"t seriously mean you'll go through with this?'

‘I have never been more serious about anything in my life. Except maybe once - when I first told you I loved you. And what I shall now do is practically the same - the only difference is that I shall translate the words into deeds.'

‘Edmund, no!' She tried to stop him as he stepped away from the fence and turned, but he was too strong for her. He set out across the lawn, and I felt a lump in my throat. From the back he looked nothing like the cheerful tradesman's son I had known him as throughout the time we had lived in this street. He looked like a tragic hero going towards his final end.

‘Please, Edmund! You can't go! You can't challenge Sir Philip. Please don"t! Please!'

Halfway down the garden, he stopped and turned his head to look back at her wistfully.

‘I have to,' was his only reply.

‘But what if he kills you?' she wailed.

He smiled sadly.

‘Then I will die in the knowledge that I have done everything in my power to keep us together. It will be a comforting knowledge when the darkness closes in.'

Turning away again, he continued through the garden, towards his parents' house.

‘Edmund, wait!' Ella reached through the fence, as if she could grab him and drag him back to her side. But there were yards of distance between them. ‘Edmund, please! Don't go!'

This time, he did not stop.

‘Edmund, my love, I'm begging you!'

She sank to her knees. By now the volume of her voice had risen considerably over the usual careful whisper she used for her secret rendezvous in the garden. I threw an anxious glance back at the house, but so far, nobody seemed to have heard.

‘I'm begging you, please, come back! You can't do this, please!'

Still he did not stop. If I'd had a rock of the right size to hand, I'd have lobbed it at his silly receding head. Nobody made my sister cry like that! But simultaneously, another part of me wanted to hug him fiercely. He was willing to risk his own life to free my sister from a marriage she feared and despised. I couldn't help respecting anybody who was ready to do that, even if I did want to throw rocks at his head.

‘Please, Edmund,' Ella tried once more. ‘By your love for me, I beg you, stop! Don't go! Don't die!'

When this final attempt failed, she slumped to the ground and knelt there, weeping, her face hidden in her hands.

‘All right!' she whimpered. ‘I accept! I will… I will do it.'

Edmund, just about to reach the back door of his parents' house, froze in place.

‘What?' he asked, without turning. His voice was barely audible. ‘What did you say?'

‘I… I said, I'll do it,' repeated Ella, taking deep breaths as though she had run miles and miles. ‘I accept your offer, Edmund Conway. For you, to save your life and give you happiness, I shall forsake my family. I will run away with you. May God forgive me.'

*~*~**~*~*

I sat behind the bush for quite some time. I suppose it had to be quite some time, because when I wandered back into the house, everybody was already asleep. Even Ella, up in our room, had stopped crying by now, though I could still see the moisture on her cheeks twinkle in the moonlight which streamed in through the window.

Only when I lay in my bed, the warm blankets over me, did I realize that if I didn't do something really quickly, I would lose my little sister.

Suddenly, in spite of all the blankets, I felt cold inside.