Past Loves

Part 17

Chapter 17

Peirce walked away from the two of them.  This was part of Will’s outrageous plan, but even knowing that, he didn’t like watching Rose being kissed by another man.  Mayhap, Will was trying to prove a point to both of them, because once Peirce saw her in another’s arms, he knew it would be the last time she was in anyone’s arms other than his.

“Peirce!” Rose called out from behind him, but he kept walking.  They were going to talk, but they would not do so with so many prying eyes feet away.

The kitchen doors swung open and before they had a chance to swing back closed, he heard Rose’s palms slam against the wood.  “If you think you can run from me, you are mistaken,” she said in a hard tone.

He turned toward her, ready to tell her that he was not running, but before he could say a thing, she reached up and grabbed his head.  Her kiss was hard, but when he didn’t relent, she gave him what he wanted and softened it.  Her lips meshed to hers, her fingers ran through his hair, but he didn’t let it go further than a simple kiss. 

She pushed away from him with an angry huff and narrowed eyes.  “What?”

Keeping his arms around her, he smiled.  “We need to talk before this goes any further.”

“I do not want to talk,” she mumbled, but untwined her hands from his hair and tried to move away from him.

He did not let her move though.  “I want to court you.”

“What?” she said with a laugh, wiggling in his arms.

Letting out a frustrated groan, he freed her.  “What is so amusing?”

“You,” she said with another chuckle.  “You honestly wish to court me?  Pray, tell me what it is that we have been doing.”

“We have been fools, that is what we have done.  I will not tarnish your reputation.”

Another chuckle escaped her mouth, but this one was bitter.  “I am tarnished.  We cannot do anything that will taint it more.”

“Rose,” he started, “you have done one thing that could be thought of as improper.  With Emily now here, I cannot risk your reputation.”

“Emily,” she said with a blank expression.  “This is about Emily?”

“No,” he told her quickly.  “There is no Emily; there is only you and me.”

“Are you positive?”

Seeing the vulnerability on her face, he took a step forward.  He wrapped his arms around her, and she immediately leaned against him.  “If I were not a stronger man, I would hate myself for the pain I have caused you.  Why did I not listen to you, Rose?”

“You are a kindhearted fool,” she mumbled against his chest.  “You do not see the bad in others because you are too occupied with viewing the bad in yourself.”

“There are things you do not know, Rose, and I fear that you would think differently of me if you knew.”

She looked up at him with her bright green eyes.  “There is nothing that you can do that will make me feel any differently towards you, Peirce.  The past is the past; there is nothing we can do that can change it, no matter how hard we tried.”

“Elizabeth is my past,” he whispered, running a hand up and down her back.  “My son is my past.”

“They do not have to be your past.  Let their memories live within you, but do not let their memories determine how you live.”

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he smiled.  “You and Cassie were close as children.”

“Yes,” she mumbled, confusion clear in her voice.

“You must have gotten your way with words from her,” he said with a chuckle.

“Peirce?”

She leaned away from him.  Staring down at her, he knew her next words would be important by the completely open expression on her face.  “What is it, Rose?”

“I think I may love you,” she whispered, not making eye contact.

His heart constricted as she uttered the words.  Even if it was not definite, it was close.  “I think I may eventually love you too.”

Her eyes snapped towards his.  They narrowed slightly.  “I may be falling in love with you, but I am not there yet.”

“I cannot stand your company for long periods of time.”

“Every time I see you, I have a sudden urge to smack you.”

His chuckle brought a smile to her face.  “I love you too, Rose.”

She let out a sigh before pressing her forehead to his chest.  “Love is grand, but it does not keep ones problems at bay.”

“It is a start.”

“A start,” she echoed.  “I hope that one day; we have more than a start.”

He tightened his arms around her.  Sending a silent prayer, he wished her hope would come true.  He wanted more with her, he wanted a life with her, but as he saw the doors swing slightly on their hinges and a pink dress flee from sight, he knew wanting would not be enough.

Rose was not as oblivious as Peirce may have thought she was.  She saw the person flee from the kitchen doors.  Cassie would never wear such a color.  Therefore, the question was how much Emily had heard, and how much she wished to use against them.  Pulling away from Peirce, she smiled up at him.  “I must speak to Emily for a moment.”

“Rose,” he started, but she shook her head at him.

Leaning up, she pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth before leaving the kitchen.  Winding through the halls, she knew exactly where the woman would be.  Walking into the study, Rose saw her sitting in the corner seat, embroidering in her hands as if she had been sitting there the entire time.  Rose knew better.

“Emily,” Rose said in a sweet tone.  “May I speak to you for a moment?”

The woman set her stitching to the side while motioning to the seat across from her.  “It would be my pleasure.”

Rose wanted to roll her eyes at the woman.  Did she believe Peirce was hiding near the door?  The pretense no longer fooled Rose.  There was no reason for the woman to pretend.  “Emily,” Rose said with a sigh, “I know you heard what Peirce and I were saying.”

“I did,” the woman said with a nod.

“What are you planning?”

Emily made eye contact with her, and Rose wondered if they were true tears clouding the woman’s eyes.  “I realize Peirce is not the one for me.  I will not be the one to break the two of you apart.”

“Why do I have a feeling there is more?”

Tears fell down the woman’s face, and Rose knew that she was feeling real remorse.  “My sister was a truly cold woman.  I wish that he would have met you before he met her.”

Rose leaned forward, taking the woman’s hands in to hers.  “What was it that she did?”

“Ask Peirce where he was as his wife’s carriage went over that cliff.  Ask him why there was only one body found.  He is the best man to find someone who is missing.  Let him figure it out,” she mumbled, pulling her hands free from Rose’s.

Emily picked her embroidering up and continued her stitching.  Letting out a sigh, Rose stood from her seat.  She would not get another word from the woman, but the few words she had said were enough to worry Rose.  What secrets did Peirce’s dead wife keep?