AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I need a pen and paper,” I said and got to my feet.
“Why?”
“Because I need to write her a letter,” I said. “I need to write it down because if I see her, I’m going to get pissed. Or hurt. I can’t get the words out if I have to look at her.”
“Let me get my bag,” she said.
I sat down and pulled up the tray. Victoria delivered me a notebook and a pen. “Use good penmanship. Your handwriting is horrible. If you want to give her an ultimatum, she needs to be able to read it. It would defeat the purpose if she can’t.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said. “Go away. I need to focus.”
With each stroke of the pen, I poured my heart onto the page, writing a letter that bared my soul. It was terrifying to put it all out there, but I had to do it. I had to say it. If she rejected my offer, then that was it. I would know I did my part. If she rejected me, at least I would know I tried. I tried to make it right with her.
In the letter, I told Emilie that I loved her, that I cherished the moments we had shared, and that I envisioned a future together. I told her I wanted a future filled with love, trust, and happiness. It was a declaration. Every stroke of the pen felt like I was releasing the vise around my heart.
When I was finished, I dropped the pen and leaned back against the seat. Victoria came and sat beside me once again. “Did you write it?”
“I did. You can’t read it, but do you have an envelope?”
“Actually, I do,” she said, laughing. “I was supposed to be sending letters.”
She got up and returned once again. I sealed the letter in an envelope and addressed it to Emilie. I entrusted it to Victoria. “Will you please make sure she gets this?”
“I’m not the postal service, but I’ll do it,” she said.
“Thank you. Now, I’m taking a nap.”
The plane touched down in England, and I couldn’t shake the nervous energy coursing through me. As we made our way to the country house, I kept replaying every interaction, every smile, and every shared moment with Emilie in my mind. Now that we were back on the same continent, I felt her. It was silly, but I could feel her. I didn’t even know if she was in England or not, but I was certain she was close.
I sat at the kitchen table, sipping coffee and stressing about the letter. Victoria came in and sat down. “Did you take it?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said, nodding. “I gave it to a butler who said he would make sure she got it.”
“She’s here?” I asked.
“The butler said the family was expected today.”
I blew out a breath. “What do I do if she sends it back?”
“We talked about this,” she said gently. “It’s in her court. If she’s dumb enough to throw you away, I’m not going to feel bad for her. It’ll be her loss. It’s not your problem. You’ll go home and you’ll meet another woman that deserves you and knows how valuable you are.”
“They’ll put me in another season,” I said. “I’ll be like Sophia. I’m going to be the loser that couldn’t get a wife the first time around.”
“You’re not a loser,” she said.
“I can’t go back for another season,” I said. “There is no way, and I know that hurts you, but I can’t possibly go for a round two.”
“Don’t worry about me,” she said, smiling. “You know Mom and Dad. They will buck tradition. They will find a way to get me a husband even if you’re not married. But we’re not going to worry about that right now.”
I put the black box on the table. Victoria looked at it. “What’s that?”
“It’s the last session,” I said. “If she shows up, I have to propose.”
“Shows up where?”
“In the letter, I told her to meet me in the center of the ballroom at the beginning of the first song of the final ball,” I said. “If she’s there, I propose because it means she accepts me as I am.”
She nodded. “She’ll be there. Can I see the ring?”
