"What is it, mother?"
"Our neighbors, the Crawfields, are having a party next week." She said.
A party? She hadn't heard anything about that.
"With what occasion?"
"Oh, the third son, you know, the one you used to play with, Royce has come home. He was slightly injured, but otherwise, he is quite alright. They are having a gathering only with some relatives and close friends, and us being neighbors and all that," she said, but Elis wasn't hearing anymore.
"Royce is all right?"
"Yes, dear, didn't you hear me? He was your friend, wasn't he?"
"Oh, yes!" She said happily and rose to her feet. "Yes, yes, he was," she continued in a daze. "I am going over. I have to see him," she didn't even wait to hear her mother's approval. She dashed through the door without a second thought. Royce was home! He was alive! She would think about the fact that he hadn’t personally let her know later. She had to see him.
She ran the distance from her family's estate to his. She ran so fast that she nearly collapsed when she arrived at the door. Her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Yes?" The footman who answered asked.
"It's me, Tommy, let me in. I have to see Royce," she entered without waiting for an answer. Tommy had often indulged them in their children's games, and she was really quite chummy with him.
All of the servants were regarding her with a frown, but she didn't care. She passed them quickly and headed upstairs to the room that she knew belonged to Royce.
When she finally arrived in front of it, she knocked twice, and a gruff voice said to enter.
She opened it and was surprised to see Royce in bed, his back to her. He was....shirtless. Well, almost shirtless. He had a bandage that spanned across half his back, and two pink dots were visible on its white surface.
"Leave the water on the table, please," he said and groaned.
She almost wept at the sound of his voice. But wait. Was he in pain?
She rushed to his side and touched his shoulder.
"Royce?" She asked, mentally chastising herself for her lack of a witty line.
He turned abruptly and looked at her, startled.
"Elis?" He looked older. His hair was trimmed short, and he had a small scar above his eyebrow. His emerald green eyes were glinting in the dimness of the room, but she could see a sign of unshed tears.
"Oh, you silly brute," she said and gently embraced him.
"I won't forgive you; you know. For not writing or telling me if you were all right or not. I was so worried."
"Were you?" He croaked, but she just continued to hold him.
"Good God, you must believe me a watering pot, but I am so happy to see you!"
She put some distance between them and smiled.
"Sorry, I didn't bring the other Royce to meet his namesake; I was quite in a hurry." She said with half a smile, and he threw back his head, and for the first time in almost a year, he laughed.
CHAPTER 5
As soon as Royce had gotten home, everyone had pampered him. Even his estranged father and his always taciturn mother. They were everywhere, and he had to resort to some lies to have a few moments of solitude. Well, there weren't exactly lies, only partly true. He had told them that his wounds did not allow him to get out of bed, and they had finally agreed to leave him alone. He was currently trying to close his eyes and rest a bit in his bed while waiting for the glass of water he had requested.
He heard a knock at the door and invited the servant in.
"Leave the water there, please," he told him, and he expected to hear the click of the door anytime soon. But instead, it was Elis's voice that he heard. Was he going crazy? Probably. Maybe he had also hit his head. He turned and stared at her, not knowing what exactly to say. She was definitely there, and she was looking so stunningly beautiful. He found himself having a hard time breathing. His Elis! She was here! But...
She was speaking. She was definitely saying something, but he couldn't really hear anything. She was here. He knew he was staring, but he couldn't help it. And when she mentioned his namesake, the cat, he started laughing.
Her face immediately softened.
"I missed you, Royce!"
"I missed you too," he whispered, and they just stood like that for a moment, in silence, looking into each other's eyes.
"How did you know I had come home? He broke the silence.
"Oh, don't think I'll forget about that. Mother said there was a party planned for next week. With the occasion of your return."
"Hell," he cursed.
"My parents are at it again, it seems" he didn't like it that they intervened, but what could he do... really?
"Are you. All right. The bandage..." she asked, unsure.
"Now I am fine," he tried not to worry her, but he seemed to fail.
"And before?" She probed even further.
"Three bullets."
Horrified, Elis looked at him wide-eyed.
"Three bullets? Good Lord! How come you are still here," she asked, and at the same time, she touched his face as if making sure he was really there.
"I had a promise to keep, didn't I?" He smiled at her.
"I am glad that you remember."
There were voices on the hall, and Elis had to take her leave as it was not at all proper for a young lady to be in the company of an unmarried gentleman alone, especially in his chamber.
"When can I see you again?" She asked before exiting the room.
"I'll take you riding tomorrow," her eyebrows furrowed.
"It's not that bad. It was only to mislead my parents."
"Oh," she said, relieved.
"Tomorrow?" He asked to make sure.
"You bet," he heard
