AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Annalise frowned in thought. Then her features cleared, and she shifted closer to her friend. “I am going to wish for a grand love. A handsome prince to fall in love with, who will take me to his faraway castle. He will, of course, fall in love with me at first sight. He will be kind and caring and buy me everything I ever wished for. He will shower me with attention and not look at anyone else but me.”
Lavinia let out a chuckle. “His neck will be craned to one side then.”
“I shall be considerate enough to move around,” Annalise said with a smirk, and both girls laughed. She dipped her quill into the inkwell and started scribbling as she spoke. “I wish for a love so grand that my beloved will carry me around in his arms so as not to dirty my golden slippers.”
Both girls laughed. Annalise blew on the ink to let it dry. “Your turn. What do you wish for?”
Lavinia craned her neck and stared at the ceiling as she thought. She then turned to the window and looked at the moon. “I don’t need a prince. A duke will do.”
Annalise chuckled and nudged Lavinia with her shoulder. “Oh, you mean Dane, of course.”
Dane, the Duke of Kensington, was a young man from a neighboring estate. Orphaned too young, he took on the responsibility of the dukedom when he was thirteen. Now, at seventeen, he was running the estate almost without the help of his guardians. He often visited both Lavinia and Annalise’s households to talk to their fathers.
Lavinia became infatuated with him the first time she saw him.
It might have had something to do with the way they’d met. Lavinia didn’t divulge all the details. She’d just said that her father was in one of his moods when Dane came one day. He intervened and stood up to him at that moment, sparing Lavinia a worse fate.
Ever since. He’d made sure to visit her household more often, and he always asked after her well-being.
Lavinia smiled. “Yes. He is the perfect gentleman for me. He is strong, quiet, and kind. He will save and shelter me from my father and his bad moods.” She dipped her quill in the inkwell. “I wish for a love that will take me away from all the pain.”
Annalise brought her piece of paper to the candle and pictured a beautiful, tall, strong young man as her note burned. Lavinia bit on her lip as she repeated the action until only a charred corner was left of her piece of paper. She shook her hand as the fire caught up to her fingers and dropped the charred piece, the embers flowing as the paper hit the floor.
