The Countess And Her Knight

Twenty-Six

September 12, 1835

Caroline had spent a few days thinking over the events subsequent to her wedding. A lot had happened since; Elton had confessed to having some feelings for her, and had kissed her in a moment of grief, despite her already being wed to Cecile, and in all honesty she had felt something for him too, but deep down she knew that it could never work. He was just a passing fancy, while marriage is forever.

The two had mutually agreed to act like they never had that conversation, but for some reason Caroline was unable to get those thoughts out of her mind. They swirled around her head preventing her from resting, and she was ashamed to say that feelings had in fact grown, the more time the two spent together, the more she thought about what they could be if circumstances had differed. Caroline was able to ignore these feelings, but the longer she tried to keep them in the more they had taken hold of her mind. She could hold them no longer. She had to discuss the events of that night with him. Today. So she set off to see him.

Caroline walked down to the garden as she had most days, and there he was already waiting at their spot.

“Elton,” Caroline says, startling him a bit.

He turns to her, “ah Caroline it's you,” he says a bit nervously, “I wasn't sure if you'd come today or not.”

She moves a bit closer to him. “Of course I always do. Is there a reason for me to not?” She questions.

“Oh no there isn't any…” Elton asks, “Shall we have tea?”

“Elton, actually we should talk about the other night,” she pauses for a moment, “about the kiss.”

“What about it-”

“Elton, whether we like it or not, I am a married woman. Nothing will change that fact, and I’m afraid if I let things continue on as they have that we’ll both end up getting hurt in all of this.” Caroline says, making the air around them grow heavy.

“Yes, I know. I apologize for my actions, it’ll never happen again. We can forget it and go back to normal. Come let us have tea.”

“Elton...I don't think that we should spend time alone together like this anymore.”

“Caroline, come on we can-” Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes, as she looks up at him. “Elton, I have to go. I’ll see you at dinner..” Caroline leaves the garden, breaking a piece of her poor knight in the process.