“It was.” He leaned back in his seat and refolded his hands, his eyes narrowing. “That is why I told you my story.” His voice held a chilling severity behind it now, and instinctively, I shrunk down in my seat.
“Aurelia,” he looked me straight in the eyes, “what you’re doing is the exact opposite of what happened to me. You’re trading a life of luxury for a life of poverty. I understand your reasoning behind this trade and wouldn’t wish to thwart your ambitions. However…” his tone darkened, “the life I once lived is not for the faint of heart, nor would I ever wish it upon anyone. If you truly intend to give up your family, then I need you to understand something. It will be lonely, it will be difficult, and above all, it will be dangerous. Please consider my warnings as someone who has lived through them and make your choice wisely.”
He loosened his gaze on me, then settled back into a more comfortable position. The chill in the air left the room almost as quickly as it came. I sat silently with my hands entangled in my skirt, his words sinking in. The heaviness of the conversation slowly dawned on me alongside his warning.
What if I couldn’t handle it?
I released the crinkled fabric from my hands and raised my head confidently. “Thank you for the advice,” I kept my tone cool and level, “but this is something I need to do.”
“Elias looked slightly taken back by my boldness. Is that so?”
“Yes,” I answered firmly. “I left home to regain possession of my life, and that is not something I’m willing to give up again. If my parents want me back, then I guess that bounty hunter will have to drag me there, kicking and screaming. There is no comfort that comes from being a noble that is worth losing your freedom of choice. This life is mine now, and I’ll endure whatever hardships come as the cost.” I stood to my feet, feeling empowered by my words. Elias stood with me, but much slower. He clapped his hands dramatically for a moment before flashing me a sideways grin.
“Very well then, Aurelia,” he stretched out his arm toward me for a handshake, “if that is truly how you feel, then I would be happy to aid you in your escape.” His hazel eyes gleamed at me kindly and the warm feeling of new trust flooded over me.
“I’ll be glad to take you up on that offer.” I raised my hand to meet his and felt his strong hand envelop mine. “I look forward to our partnership.”
chapter nine
A knock on the door cut our meeting short. The instant I heard the sound, I instinctively ducked behind the sofa, but Elias remained entirely at ease. He gestured for me to relax, and I cautiously crawled out from behind the furniture, still prepared to duck if needed. He said he would help me, and I felt inclined to trust him.
“Yes, who is it?” Elias’s words carried clearly and without nerve.
“It’s only me, sir.” Lawrence’s unmistakable voice carried smoothly through the closed door. “I have been sent to fetch you. Your mother should be arriving any moment now.” I noticed a quick grimace pass across Elias’s face. It had passed so quickly, I nearly thought I’d imagined it.
“Ah yes, I nearly forgot.” He rose from his chair, and began to straighten his shirt as he glanced in a mounted mirror. “Thank you, Lawrence, I should be down shortly.”
Silence met his response, followed by the distant retreat of clicking shoes. I let out a sigh of relief as Elias finished smoothing out his button-up.
“You can relax,” Elias said completely at ease as he turned away from the mirror. “My father takes privacy very seriously. Not a single servant amongst his staff would dare intrude on me or the family without a good reason.”
I let the tension in my body release at the sound of this news. At least that was one less thing I had to worry about for now.
“Very well, what should I do while you are meeting your mother?” I blinked at him curiously as he turned to address me.
“For now, just stay here.” He opened the door that led into his bedchamber. “If you’re bored, the eastern window emits sound from the front garden. Also, the washroom has a ventilation hole that echoes into the parlor.” I gave him a surprised look, and he shrugged. “The days get long during the summer. Sometimes the servant gossip is more entertaining than the local performers.”
I laughed at his truth. I had spent so many days at home eavesdropping on the kitchen staff in hopes of hearing some juicy drama. Although, it was a bit surprising that even a male heir had trouble staying entertained during the day.
“Alright then, but don’t be too long. I must admit that it has been maddening to spend so much time alone these last few days,” I chattered on as I stepped into the bed chamber. It was slightly smaller than the other two rooms I had been in, but just as equally decorative. My eyes caught sight of a large pillow on the floor, most likely intended as a dog bed.
“Oh!” I spurred around on my heel, nearly crashing into Elias. “Perhaps you could send Bear up here for awhile? He doesn’t talk back, of course, but he still makes for good company.”
Elias tilted his head at me, then raised an eyebrow. “Bear?” His face was utterly lost, and I quickly recognized my error.
“Oh sorry! I meant Bartholomew.” My cheeks reddened at my sudden embarrassment. “I shortened his name to Bear since his real name is so long. It was a silly idea.” I turned back into the room feeling rather sheepish about my outburst.
A quiet laugh rang through the air, causing me to halt my steps. “Bear, huh? I rather like that actually.” Elias chuckled warmly at the nickname. I turned to look at him as he did so. His eyes really lit up when he laughed. “I shall see if I can sneak him up in a bit. I’m sure he would enjoy the company as much as you do.” He gave me a soft smile, and I felt my face grow alight.
“That would be wonderful.” I beamed joyfully as he turned for the hall door.
“It would be my pleasure to provide you with a proper escort.” He gave a mocking bow, and I laughed. “Now, if you’ll pardon me, I must be off to greet my mother. I will return as soon as I am able.” He opened the hall door as I closed the bedroom door.
“Thank you, Elias,” I shouted in a whisper as he left. He turned back to give me one final smile before disappearing into the house.
True to Elias’s tip, the window provided an excellent eavesdropping location. I had raised the paned glass only a few moments after Elias had left. The fresh air that poured in from outside was utterly enchanting. It had been days since I had left the fortress of this stuffy house, so I stayed as close to the opening as I dared.
It didn’t take long before the sound of carriage wheels reached my ears. Elias’s window faced the eastern side of the property, where a stone wall stood. Any sound from the front garden echoed beautifully off the stone and up to my spying self. I leaned in a tad closer to get in on the event.