"Francis...What?" She was just about to ask what was going on with him, suddenly acting like this, but she didn't manage to get the whole sentence out as his lips closed upon hers. Francis! Kissing me! She thought with amazement. And it was her first kiss. Well, practically her first real kiss. The peck Royce had mistakenly giver her when she was fourteen did not count. This did. She sighed in contentment and let herself rejoice. Her dream was coming true. She was kissing Francis.
Royce arrived late at the party. Hell, he was only here because he wanted to see Elis. She had told him what a chore it was to come to these events, so he thought his presence might help a bit. Everyone was looking curiously at him. He had expected that, but he seemed to be suffocating under their scrutinizing glances. He hurried to the side and discreetly inquired about Elis' whereabouts. After asking a few people, he had found out that she had gone on the veranda and afterward towards the maze. She was seeking solitude, he thought. Royce quickly went towards the labyrinth and was about to call her name when he heard voices.
"Francis." He thought he heard, and he went even closer to the source of the sound.
But what he saw on the bench in front of him made him stop dead in his tracks.
Elis was wearing a beautiful blue gown, her hair gleaming into the moonlight. But she wasn't alone. He recognized Francis next to her as he was bending towards Elis, and out of a sudden, he was kissing her.
She was thoroughly enjoying herself; he saw with a pang of pain. Suddenly, his chest felt heavy, and the whole of his word was shaken up. He didn't stand a chance. Elis had always wanted Francis, and here she had him. He brought his hand to his face, and he was amazed to find his fingers wet. He hadn't realized he had been crying until then. He had overcome everything, war, famine, disease, death...just because he had thought she was there, within reach. But now reality hit him hard. She had never been within reach.
He clenched his fists for a moment before releasing a final breath.
"Goodbye, Elis," he whispered, breaking both of his vows.
CHAPTER 8
Elis was happy. For the first time in her life, she felt fulfilled. Everything she had ever wanted was within her grasp. After Francis had kissed her the other night, he had made it clear that he wanted to court her. Even today, he was expected to pay her a visit and maybe go riding. She had waited for Royce to ride early in the morning, but he hadn't shown up. For all her happiness, she couldn't help but feel disappointed. It was their routine, and he had never let her down. She looked wistfully through the window, and she realized she had waited for him for three whole hours before finally resigning herself that he wasn't coming. Well, she wasn't upset. No, she could let that bother her, especially when she was to go riding with Francis.
She waited patiently as her maid managed her hair, but she couldn't help but think of Royce. Drat it! Why hadn't he come?
"Oh, I hear a carriage." She said and quickly got up to go downstairs. Surely enough, Francis had just arrived, and he was talking with her mother.
"Francis," she called with a smile on her lips.
"There you are," he replied.
They quickly said their goodbyes and got into the carriage.
"I thought we were going to go riding."
"Didn't you go with Royce?" He asked, knowing that Elis had used to go riding with Royce as soon as the sun rose into the sky ever since they were little.
"He didn't come today," she tried to make her voice indifferent, and Francis didn't seem to catch on any hint of disappointment.
"Well, I was hoping we could just spend some time together." He said quietly.
"Fine"
Francis let his driver know that he could start, and he made himself comfortable.
"Francis?" Elis suddenly asked
"Hm?"
"I have a question."
"Go ahead."
"Why did you kiss me last night? I thought... That is, I heard you talk with someone that you didn't see me that way...you know as a man sees a woman."
Francis seemed quite surprised by her question, and he carefully worded his sentence.
"You must have heard wrong." He began. "I have always known about your feelings for me." He said, and she blushed." No, don't get embarrassed. I can't say I am not honored. It just happens that up till now, I haven't really realized that I do like you as well."
"You do?" She asked breathlessly.
"Yes! Come on, Elis, you are beautiful, smart, of perfect lineage, what could I want more?" curiously enough, his explanation didn't really sit well with Elis. She knew that everyone in the ton thought she was the perfect match, but... maybe she had expected more from Francis. Something more...personal? But she wouldn't complain. Not when she had wished her entire life for this to happen.
"I'm flattered that you believe that," she said shyly.
The rest of the time they spent together consisted of Francis telling him of his different town endeavors. It wasn't exactly dull, but it didn't leave much room for discussion. She was just a passive listener.
"I think we will suit just fine," Francis said at one point, and Elis had a distinct impression that he was trying to convince himself and not her.
Royce was in a foul mood. He had been like this all day. He hadn't even gone riding with Elis, something they'd done every morning for as long as he could remember. The whole night he had imagined her in Francis' arms, and as much as he had resigned himself to the fact that he had lost her, he could seem to forget about her for a moment. Good God, life seemed a tireless prison without her,
