In the morning the sun kept fading in and out as I sat down for breakfast seeing everyone one had a specific uncomfortable manner. Mr. Henry walked on eggshells, Mr. Howard carried the weight of darkness on his face and Lady Walker's back wasn't as straight with disdain of me as per usual.

"Well thank you Mr. Howard for the lovely days at your home. I am sorry an emergency will make me leave soon," Lady Walker said at the end of breakfast.

"I completely understand, your health must be taken care of Lady Walker," Mr. Howard nodded politely yet with a hint of usual despisal.

"That must have been quite a fall Lady Walker, how are you feeling this morning?" I asked coming into the conversation.

"I need to make sure my slip only hurt my muscle, nothing for you to worry about though," Lady Walker insisted.

"And I will accompany my mother back," Mr. Henry said exchanging secretive glances with his mother.

"I hope you feel better Lady Walker," I bowed to her and they both took off out the doors and I was left alone as Mr. Howard took off the other way.

"Is it just me or did something very wrong happened yesterday?" I asked Edna who had also beheld something out of the norm.

"Yes but what could it be?"

"No idea."

"Shall I ask Mrs. Hall?"

"Yes but first we should enjoy our fleeting summer weather."

"What did you have in mind milady?" Edna questioned.

"We shall go to the sea."

"The sea?"

"Yes it is not too far from here and I have never ventured there before, it'd be a pity to go home once more without ever seeing it for myself."

"The sea huh?"

"Yes Mary said she likes it there for picnics with Mr. Eugene."

"If Mary says it," Edna agreed and we set out to the meet the sea for my first time on horseback.

The hills were filled with summer wildflowers and the pleasant sea foam perfumed the air as we got closer, the pleasant midday sun warmed the spontaneous summer outing.

"Come let us take our shoes off," I got off the horse as the lonely stretch of beach seemed to be a private island of my own.

"Okay then," she agreed and we sat on the sand to get them off.

We walked barefoot on the small grains and pebbles nestled within the soft floor wet by the waves crashing in and rolling out, I had never been watered by the sea and a childish rejoicing overcame me. The sun burned my cheeks which was not recommended for any lady yet I loved the tingling sensation and the sweat which dripped down my back from the summer dress and I undid my tight hair that overflowed down my back.

"Refreshing right?" Edna said with water up to her ankles.

"Yes very," I said thinking of what a miracle to have a whole day without Mr. Henry and Lady Walker.

"Stanley Hall makes you happier," Edna remarked.

"Yes it does, now tell me this Edna do you think Mr. Bert likes Mrs. Hall? When I was a maid here I always thought they would have the courage to be together."

"Oh I doubt it, Mr. Bert is so used to being in his own, and Mrs. Hall does not encourage him."

"What a pity, I always wanted them together."

"Yes well sometimes life makes choices for us and sometimes we do, but always somehow they both seem to get it wrong," Edna joked and I laughed.

"Well aren't you the romantic?" I teased back by splashing her.

"Alright that is enough from you milady we should get back, you have drenched my dress in water and what kind of company would I be if I let you act like a complete child?" She went out of the water and I followed her thinking I probably shouldn't get my dress wet either.

"Well I think you would be the very best to turn a blind eye to my childish ways."

"I am not sure about that."

"Please I would so very much like to stay here a while more, it is so beautiful out here, smell that fresh air, you can't get that anywhere in London."

"But I cannot leave you alone," Edna complained.

"Just go on ahead of me and I will soon catch up to you."

"Milady we both know where your safety is concerned we should be careful."

"Please, Mr. Henry isn't here and Lady Walker either I must enjoy this moment and as long as Cynthia is back at Stanley Hall I shall be safe."

"Fine then I will make sure to keep my eye on Cynthia."

"Thank you," I kept on digging my feet in the sand burying it as she got on her horse and galloped back to the house.

The precise moment my eyes could not see her I began to untie my dress and left it on my horse to go enjoy the water without ruining the dress.

"Stay here while I go in there," I said to the horse wearing nothing but my white tunic towards the deep blue sea.

Although I could not recall my baptism as a child, as an adult I had never been inside the open waters of nature hand made by God. The instantaneous freedom I felt going into the ocean and under the water was like opening a lock I never perceived had to be opened it was like the dream I had when I thought I would die. And while inside the waters I saw two hands pulling me back up to where there was air and these hands were the same long fingers who belonged to Mr. Howard.

I coughed some of the water which I had let get inside my nose and he shouted embracing me "Alice! Speak, talk to me!"

"Uh," I coughed, "Mr. Howard?" The first reaction was to cover myself with my hands.

"Alice what were you doing?" He touched my face examining my well-being and I coughed out the last of the water.

"I beg your pardon but I was enjoying the water until you..."

"You were not drowning?"

"No sir, I had never been in the sea so I came in for a summer bath is all."

"Ah Alice! You! You strike terror in me! The tragic thoughts which entered my mind when I saw you going under," I was still caught in his embrace but I laughed at him, I laughed because he cared still.

"Forgive me Mr. Howard I never meant to cause you such a shock, I guess I understand how past events led you to think the worst."

"Well you do not seem very sorry," he tried to reason with my unashamed actions.

"Forgive me sir but I am not, this sea is too beautiful, I cannot believe I was tucked away in Stanley Hall all these years without ever enjoying this," I opened both my arms and threw my head back as he held on to me.

"Well I never encouraged you to come out," he chuckled.

"I do not blame you, everything in its own time right?"

"Yes," he said and I wondered if he would let me go but he picked up the conversation once more, "I used to believe I could not be in your presence without giving into a carnal passion and knowing passions may be overcome with time I was sure to put you out of my heart."

"Oh."

"But last night I understood this is not a mere youthful passion, I am a tower with no watchmen when I am with you, yet until yesterday I had not known any refuge."

"So you do not regret coming to me?"

"Only that I did not come sooner, for you transfix my soul with all that is honorable."

The water was up to our waists and as the current began to float me away from him he reached out but I circled around him enjoying the weightlessness of my body.

"I do not have it in me to resist your heart Alice so how can I ever hope to live properly?"

"Do not resist me then, not if you truly love me sir."

His arms reached out at once pulling me against the current towards him, the thin breaths we took had no end in sight for our dangerous kisses.

"Alice," he stopped me.

"Yes?"

"Do you love Henry?"

"No," he looked from under his eyelids at my mouth, "I have never loved him."

"Will you disengage yourself from him?"

"Unfortunately things are of a delicate nature between us sir I can not make promises I cannot keep."

"Right..." Mr. Howard growled struggling to stay away staring at my face he deliberated on what to do as if I were pushing him.

"I understand sir, I will go," so I began to head out from the water through the waves to put on my dress.

"You understand nothing!"

Mr. Howard shouted over the waves coming out of the water with his wet white shirt and heavy pants.

"Then enlighten me sir!" I waited for him and his hand wrapped around my hips, I no longer shivered from the cold of getting out of the water.

"You have never understood how I love you, how I hunger for you, it is ever present day and night, and this hunger for you grows as the days are swept off of this aging earth. It is specific to you, only you can fill me up and get rid of my hunger so I will not let you go, never again unless you tell me so, I'll accept anything you can give me, I'll take it all."

My love towered over me and I turned around to sink my toes into the sand to reach his lips again although he was too tall then he tumbled me down so that we were lips to lips and closed eyes dripping from the sea that threw its blanket underneath us.

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No part, character, names, plot, setting, conflict or resolution, point of view, theme or symbolism of this story may be replicated.

Copyright: All Rights Reserved to A. Sena Gomes.