"To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves."
«Anonymous»

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Adrian turned to look at Alicia. He gave her a smile that barely reached his lips.
From the moment Alicia spoke and began to show some affection towards him he noticed a change in Evangeline.

Her eyes, when he looked in to them spoke to him what she dared not say.

He held Alicia's hands in his.
"I must speak with her, for now I believe it is best that we hold off in announcing our engagement," he whispered.

Alicia gasped pulling her hands out of his.
"Hold off announcing our engagement!" She frowned.

Careful Alicia, you will gain nothing angering him. You've come so far to let that brat ruin it all.

Looking away she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. Feigning her most elegant smile she turned to him.

"Very well my love, if that is what you prefer. We can wait. Besides, it would be better that way I can get to know her more,"Alicia stood before him and caressed his cheek.

With a warm smile he looked down into her beautiful gaze. "You are a wonderful woman," he lowered his head to kiss her lips.

Pulling back from her embrace he sighed. But before he could speak she smiled, inwardly she was seething with anger that he would care more for the feelings of his ward than hers. But, in do time after she has snared him she would be rid of her.

"I will take my leave darling, I must return home. You talk it over with her."

He nodded his head in agreement.

"I will see you again in three weeks time then?" He Kissed her lips.

Smiling coquetishly up at him she nodded as well. "As planned M'lord"

After endearing words and kisses, he walked with her to her carriage and helped her in. With her last kiss, he stood back and watched her leave.

It was minutes when he turned away from the entrance of the manor and met Penniford walking through the foyer towards the dinning room.

"Penniford where is Evangeline?" he asked.

Penniford turned to him with an emotionless glare as always and answered.

"Last I saw her Milord, she was walking towards the stables."

With a quick nod he turned towards the kitchen and took the back entrance.
He walked towards the back end where Gideon grazed freely. He noticed Violet followed behind. He frowned.
Evangeline was no where insight.

He picked up the pace and entered the dim lit barn.
"Evangeline" he called her name.

Sighing inwardly looking around.
Where did that little misfit run off to?

"Evangeline!!!" he bellowed louder.

Nothing.

He frowned at the idea of her being so upset she refused to answer him.

A little upset now, he began to rake his hands through his head and walked further inside toward the other entrance.

"Evangeline, we need to talk," he called out again.

Nothing.

The thought of her purposefully avoiding him angered him.

He angrily turned to return to the manor giving her time and letting her cool down. She will eventually come around. He smirked shaking his head.

He decided to leave when his eyes glanced to his lower right in the far corner and his heart tightened in pain.

"Eva!" He ran to her side.

The sight of her on the floor had him in a panic.

He quickly checked her pulse with relief she was alive.
"Eva, wake up sweeting, open your eyes for me," he urged pulling her up and caressing her cheeks lightly.

She was limp in his arms not responding.

With an oath he swiftly lifted her and cradled her to his chest.

In quick strides he walked to the manor and in a rush of words he bellowed for Rosie and then Penniford.
They entered, then gasped seeing her hanging in his arms as he dashed down the foyer towards the steps with them close on his heals.

He entered her room and placed her gently on the bed then turned with a stern glare towards Penniford.
"Go with Joseph and bring Dr. Haussen. Tell him I need him.Now.
If he is not there find him. Hurry."

He turned to a frightened Rosie that stood in tears with a concerned gaze staring down at Evangeline.

"Rosie, she is with fever, we need to bring it down," he anxiously said.

Before he could say anything more she turned and walked out leaving him to care for her.

He turned to Evangeline on the bed and rested his palm on her forehead and winced at the heat. She was burning up.

It wasn't until a couple of minutes had passed when Penniford escorted the Dr. through the foyer towards Evangelines room. He entered to find Adrian worried and attending to a young girl on the bed.

He hesitantly stood leaving her side and wandered towards the window to stare out into the darkening sky.

When the doctor finally finished examining her, to Adrians relief it was signs of typical beginnings of the flu.  Nothing a little bed rest and lots of liquids could not cure.
"Keep her cool, the fever will subside if anything arises and her condition worsens do not hesitate to call upon me," he ordered.

Rosie most of the night attended to her until Adrian insisted she rest and he continued vigil the rest of the night til early the next morning.

All night he sat by her side and kept cold water cloths on her forehead. He spoke to her reminiscing over her mischievous escapades laughing at how he misses them.

He sighed running his hand through his hair. She had won over the entire household in short order. Transforming it from a lonely depressing structure to a place of joy. Only for this to happen, it had Rosie and the rest in a mountain of tears. As if trying to convince her to return he mentioned how Penniford unbelievably misses her too, although he would never admit it, his inquiring about her health was evident he did. He chuckled gently caressing her hair.

"You have even softened the heart of my sour-faced butler," he shook his head and he held her fingers in his. He focused on each one, all soft and delicate he smiled, then lifted them to his lips.

"Get well for me peach, please" he whispered sadly.
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By the second day her condition had the entire manor frantic with fear as her fever brought on delusion and discomfort.
He held her down on the bed as she thrashed about crying to let her go.
What ever was going on in her nightmares upset her deeply so that it sent chills up his spine.
He held her chin in place as he and Rosie fought to pour a sleeping drought down her throat that she refused to take.
When it wore off and she was awake, she lay trembling drenched in sweat tossing and turning with soft cries that tore at his heart and it just spiraled him into his own private hell to see her this way. He begged Rosie to find something for her, anything that would ease up the fever and her discomfort. Finally she administered Laudanum and it rendered her senseless. She no longer tossed and turned, her fever slowly went down by the third day and by that evening after so many days of agony and pain she slept soundly.
By the fifth day she finally opened her eyes. Her throat still sore, parched from lack of use, swallowed and winced at the pain.
Gently she rubbed her eyes, the bright room before her became more clear in her vision of sight. She felt so weak and tired she layed there in and out of a sleepy haze.
She tried to remember what happened. Then it came to her, Adrian had introduced her to Lady Thornton. Her mind filled with fog trying to remember what happened after she went to the stable, but nothing. Swallowing hard she moaned as she tried to sit up but her head felt as it was filled with rocks. Then a soft husky voice spoke from a distance then shortly the gorgeous face it belonged to appeared above her.

She gasped softly and raised her fingers to caress Adrian's unshaven jaw. He was rugged, his hair a tossled mess and his eyes, oh! His eyes they looked tired but all the same beautiful.

He sat at her side looking down at her with a worried gaze that turned into a  small smile.

"What a way to give us a fright, peach," he chuckled shaking his head.

"What...happened?" Her voice was barley audible.

He smoothed away her matted hair from her forehead. Relieved it was clammy and cool to the touch he rested his hand beside her.

"You have been with fever for the past 3... 4 days," he said.

"How are you feeling?" he rubbed her hand.

"Better," she whispered.

With that he smiled and leaned down to press his lips to her forehead. His lips lingered there as her fingers caressed his jaw. Then he slowly lowered his lips to her cheek. He slowly pulled away he sadly looked into her eyes.

"You had us all worried, you had me worried," he whispered.

She frowned then looked up to his eyes . "Was I that ill?"

He swallowed hard and nodded.

"Do you remember anything, I found you in the stables on the floor."

She looked up at him, not wanting to lie. But in truth, she did not want to remember either. She did not want to remember the moment that woman entered into their lives or turned to him and called him darling.

"I remember leaving the library and going to the stables," she whispered.

He stared at her for a moment. Then nervously looked away.

"Do you remember that I brought a visitor?" He gave a side glance.

She lowered her eyes, giving him a view of her ridiculously pretty long lashes. She hesitated for a while then thought better of it and did not answer.

"Eva, answer me!" He asked.

Again, she did not respond.

With a sigh he looked away and stood from the bed to walk to her window. With his back to her he braced his elbow on the wall.

She turned to look at the formidable man that was her guardian. Her eyes roamed over him generously and she looked away embarrassed by her behavior.

She sat up slowly and pulled the edge of the comforter into her hand and began nervously twirling it. Riddled with silent guilt she blew out a deep breath and spoke.

"Do you love her?" She asked softly.

Adrian stiffened at such a question. He turned his head slowly towards her and looked at her. He stood silent as if searching for the correct answer.

Turning he slowly walked back to the bed and sat next to her. Bracing his left hand at her side. He paused for a while and looked down at her.

The very question played in his head. Did he love her?
He frowned at the thought. It never occurred to him to think on it. The idea to marry her was honestly just for convenience. She was alone, he was alone. It was that simple.

He swallowed softly and thought of how to explain to her what he felt.

"I care about her, and I pray that with time I will grow to love her," he explained.

She frowned with a confused stare that made her look so pretty and he grinned.

"So you are not marrying for love?" She asked concerned.

He lowered his head and gave a coy smile.

"Then why get married if you do not love her?" She whispered confused.

He cocked his head to the side and stared at her.
"Who does these days peach, tis only a commodity in some marriages. Most marry for convenience others to unite family wealth,"

"Besides, Alicia is kind. Beautiful and would make an excellent mother," he continued.

Her stomach clamped at that thought.
She would make an excellent mother.
She looked down.

Brushing away the thought and with a teasing voice she looked into his eyes.
"You sound as if you're purchasing a mare," she bit back the urge to laugh.

Taken back by her comment Adrian tossed his head back with a hearty laugh. Relieved that he did not get upset she fell into a set of soft laughs with him.

Calming down to harsh breaths he shook his head with a grin, he looked at her.
"Minx you're a handful," he pinched her nose.

They sobered down then his glare turned serious he took her hand in his then softly rubbed them. Her heart lurched with such a touch and she tingled all over.

"Eva, I plan to marry Alicia and I want ......," he paused. "I need to know that you will be ok," he looked at her.

She was silent.

She looked at him. What she wanted to tell him stayed in the recesses of her mind.
She swallowed softly trying to slow her rapidly beating heart.

"Does my opinion really matter," she looked down.

"It does," he whispered.

"What do you want me to say?" she shrugged. "It would be wrong of me to say no, and if I say yes...," she paused.

She tried to hold back the feelings to cry. This raw emotion eating away at her was too much. The thought of him marrying Alicia was salting a wound she tried in earnest not to bare. The lump in her throat grew with each passing second she tried to hold back her tears.

"...if I say yes, then I loose you," she whispered softly.

His eyes immediately raised to hers. Unshed tears filled to the brim looked away from his astonished gaze.

She hugged herself willing the pain in her chest to go away. He knew this look all to well. Her tear filled eyes, flushed cheeks, quivering lips pulled at his heart like always.

Leaning forward, he tilted her chin up to look at her.
How she trembled and her defensive wall crumbled before him, it only intensified the feeling to protect her and never see her hurt.

"You listen to me, that will never happen. You mean the world to me. Am I clear." He searched her eyes.

She nodded.

He pulled her into his embrace and exhaled.

His jaw clenched, at her foolish idea of her ever loosing him. He wasn't going anywhere....and neither was she...

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AUTHORS NOTE....

Hello my lovelies...
Forgive me for the late publish...I have written and rewritten this chapter trying to get a feel for it AND get it just write....

Thanks for the likes, support and love...
Again I want your comments...
Xoxox