Chapter 24

CHAPTER24

“Are you all right?” Gerald asked as the two stepped into Powell Manor, the moon already hanging in the starless sky, a dim reminder of what had just transpired.

“I am all right, just exhausted,” Katherine said as she looked back at him.

The two were still holding hands, and Gerald didn’t want to let go just yet.

“My body is simply not used to such an intense rush of emotions in a single evening.”

“I am pleased to tell you that we both will be experiencing much less of that.” Gerald sighed with a smile. “I have no intentions of ever seeing my family again. They have cut the final thread that had somehow tied all of us together.”

“I believe it is for the best,” Katherine agreed, when they stopped at the bottom of the stairwell that led up to their separate quarters. “They have been nasty to you, Your Grace.”

“They have, indeed,” Gerald muttered. “But I have also come to the realization that all the people I hold dear already live under this roof.”

Katherine blushed as a smile spread across her face. Gerald wanted to lean in and kiss her, but he was truly enjoying their conversation. He didn’t want it to end soon.

“But how about you?” Katherine asked, her eyebrows lowering slightly as she looked up at him.

“What about me?” Gerald echoed, confused.

For a moment, he thought that he was too entranced by her beauty for any of her words to make sense to him.

“Are you all right?” Katherine said softly.

The question was so common, thrown around in every conversation. But the way Katherine said it had unlocked a hidden part of him. A part he had never intended on revealing.

“I am unsure, in all honesty,” Gerald replied, his eyes darting about for a moment as he considered her question. “But I feel wholeheartedly positive that things would turn out well from now on.”

“Then I hope to share in that joy with you, Your Grace.” Katherine smiled.

He watched as she suppressed a small yawn. He wanted to tell her that his joy wouldn’t be with her, but mainly because of her. Yet, his words failed him.

“We were both told some nasty things tonight.” Gerald sighed as he looked down at her. “I just want to tell you that I see you as none of those things. Not the things that Lady Louton, Simon nor my mother had said about you. Quite the contrary. You are a beautiful jewel I had stumbled upon—a very rare jewel.”

Katherine looked at him blankly for a moment, and Gerald briefly feared that he might have said the wrong thing. Before he could retract his statement, however, a flawless smile spread across her face.

“That means a lot to me, Gerald. And my heart dearly thanks you for it,” Katherine murmured, her eyes brimming with emotion.

Relief washed over him at her response. Her smile was like a beacon of light in the darkness that had clouded their evening, and he couldn’t help but feel warmth spread through his chest.

“I mean every word of it, Katherine,” Gerald affirmed earnestly, his gaze unwavering as he looked into her eyes. “You are more precious to me than anything else in this world.”

Katherine’s cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink, and Gerald felt a flutter of anticipation in his stomach. He wanted to reach out and take her in his arms, to hold her close and never let go. But he hesitated, unsure if now was the right moment.

Instead, he settled for squeezing her hand gently, a silent reassurance of his feelings.

"Thank you, Gerald," Katherine said, her voice soft and filled with gratitude. "You have a way of making me feel cherished, even in the darkest of times."

Gerald felt a swell of emotion rise within him at her words. He had never felt so connected to another person before, and he knew at that moment that he never wanted to let her go.

As they stood together at the bottom of the stairwell, he found himself lost in thought. He thought about all the trials they had faced together, and how they had emerged from each one stronger than before. And he knew, without a doubt, that he was in love with her.

But before he could find the courage to voice his feelings, Katherine let out a soft yawn, reminding him of her exhaustion.

“I should let you rest,” he said, reluctantly releasing her hand. “You’ve been through a lot tonight.”

Katherine nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “Thank you, Gerald,” she murmured, her voice filled with warmth. “For everything.”

Gerald watched as she made her way up the stairs to her quarters, a sense of longing tugging at his heart. He knew that he would spend the rest of the night thinking about her, about the way she smiled and the sound of her laughter.

And as he finally made his way to his own room, he couldn’t shake the feeling that their journey together was only just beginning.

As he entered his quarters, he felt the weight of the evening settling upon him like a heavy cloak. His muscles ached with exhaustion, and he longed for nothing more than to sink into his bed and let sleep overtake him.

But as he lay awake in the darkness, his mind kept drifting back to Katherine. Her image flashed before his eyes, her laughter ringing in his ears like a sweet melody. Despite his weariness, he found himself unable to banish thoughts of her from his mind.

He couldn’t help but marvel at how Katherine had managed to capture his heart so completely, despite his warnings that he was a dangerous man. She had slipped past his defenses with ease, her kindness and strength drawing him in like a moth to a flame.

And now, as he lay alone in his bed, he realized just how deeply he cared for her. He had never felt this way about anyone before, and it both thrilled and terrified him.

For years, he had kept his emotions tightly guarded, afraid to let anyone get too close. But Katherine had broken through his walls with ease, her presence filling his heart with a warmth he had never known.

As he drifted off to sleep, he found himself dreaming of her, her smile lighting up his world like the sun breaking through the clouds. And despite the uncertainty of what lay ahead, he knew one thing for certain—he was in love with her, completely and irrevocably. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

* * *

As the first light of dawn filtered through the curtains, Katherine found herself sitting in front of her easel, brush in hand, lost in her own world. The events of the previous night still lingered in her mind, but she was determined not to let them overshadow her creativity.

With each stroke of her brush, she poured her emotions onto the canvas, letting the colors blend and swirl in a dance of light and shadow. Painting had always been her solace, her refuge from the chaos around her.

As she worked, the hours slipped by unnoticed, until the soft sound of footsteps behind her brought her back to reality. Turning her head, she saw Gerald standing in the doorway, his gaze fixed on her with an intensity that made her heart flutter.

“Good morning, Gerald,” she said, setting her brush aside and rising from her seat. “Did you sleep well?”

Gerald nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Better than I have in a long time,” he replied. “And how about you, Katherine? How are you feeling this morning?”

Katherine hesitated for a moment, unsure how much to reveal. But then she met his gaze and found herself unable to hold back.

“I feel… exhausted if I’m being honest,” she admitted, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. “Last night was… quite eventful, to say the least.”

Gerald’s expression softened, and he crossed the room to stand beside her, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder comfortingly.

“I understand,” he said quietly. “But I want you to know that you’re not alone. Whatever happens, I’ll always be here for you.”

As Gerald settled into the seat beside her, his eyes fell on the canvas, curiosity evident in his expression. “What are you painting?” he asked, his gaze flitting between her and the unfinished masterpiece before them.

Katherine’s lips curled into a small smile as she turned to face him, her eyes sparkling with a mix of pride and excitement. “It’s my own rendition of the painting of the deer that hangs in the manor,” she explained. “You know, the one we both admire so much.”

Gerald nodded, his heart swelling with fondness. The painting of the deer had always held a special place in their hearts, its serene beauty serving as a source of comfort in times of turmoil.

“Yes, I know the one,” he replied, his gaze returning to Katherine’s painting. “But why paint your own version of it? I thought you were quite fond of the original one.”

Katherine nodded, her fingers tracing the outline of the deer on the canvas tenderly. “I am, Gerald. More than you know,” she admitted, her voice brimming with emotion. “But lately, I’ve been feeling as though something was missing—something that I couldn’t quite put into words.”

Gerald furrowed his brow in confusion, but he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

“That’s when I realized,” she said, her eyes shining with determination, “that what was missing was my own perspective—my own interpretation of the beauty that lies within that painting. So, I decided to paint my own version of it, to capture the essence of the deer in a way that is uniquely mine.”

Gerald’s expression softened, understanding dawning in his eyes.

Katherine knew that he was unlikely to fully understand what she had meant, but he seemed to accept her words. She felt his eyes on her hand as she continued to paint, creating the picture she had envisioned in her mind.

Suddenly, she felt the urge to tell him exactly how much she loved him. How much he had grown to mean to her. But she held back, not wanting to cause the fragile relationship they had built to crumble if he felt overwhelmed by her love.

For now, she was happy with the way things were. She could only hope that perhaps, one day, she’d find the strength and courage to confess her love to him.