Angst

Chapter 3

RECAP

What would it feel like to kiss him?

The thought came unbidden to her mind. She shook her head at herself for entertaining such wanton thoughts. But she was sorely tempted, a single kiss, what harm could it do? She went a little closer. His dry lips tempted her, taunted her. She bent and touched her lips to his.

********

Lizzy had expected a quick peck. What she didn't expect was that he would kiss her back. His hands snaked its way around her and started touching her everywhere. The kiss was earth shattering and shook the very core of Lizzy. 

"Charlotte...." Charles moaned while drawing her tighter. 

The spell broke. Lizzy drew out of his embrace and ran into her room. She threw herself on the bed and cried her heart out. What was she thinking? Kissing a total stranger! And a stranger who already belonged to someone else, she mused. Suddenly she was feeling an inexplicable animosity towards this unseen Charlotte. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She must be getting mad if the recent events were any indication. Getting jealous of an unseen woman, kissing a stranger, she was totally losing her marbles. She would become sensible, she promised herself. Then she caught herself wondering what colour would be his eyes? Black, brown, green...... sleep.... .

Charles woke up the next day with a splitting headache. He looked around him to see many empty bottles as usual. He groaned with pain and clutched his head. He had had the most peculiar dream the previous night. An angel had kissed him. It was the most inexperienced kiss and also a most soul shaking one. Then he was reminded of Charlotte. He felt as if he was betraying her. So he called Charlotte in a plea for forgiveness. It seemed then that even the angel got angry at him for his betrayal since the kissing came to an abrupt stop. 

The door opened and his butler Mr. Jones entered. He said in a dry voice, "Mr. Edward Conrad wishes to speak with you, Your Grace."

Charles felt like laughing. Jones had never liked his cousin Edward. "It is in his eyes, Your Grace. He is not trustworthy," Jones had said once when asked about his irrational dislike of Edward. 

"Let him in," Charles said wondering what his cousin wished to speak about. 

Edward was handsome, in fact so handsome that inspite of lacking a title, he was hounded by matchmaking mamas and simpering debutantes. His green eyes and half smile was known to send many a ladies into a frenzy. 

"Nursing an hangover cuz?" asked Edward good-naturedly. 

"You came in here to inquire about my health? I have a really loving and caring cousin, it seems," Charles teased. 

Edward became somber and said seriously, "Charles, I need your help. I know I have asked for your help many times before also and that I am already in a huge debt to you, but moneylenders are hounding me. I will repay you however you want. I promise...."

"How much?" Charles interrupted his tirade.

A relieved smile broke out on Edward's face. "Thank you Charles."

********

A flood of sunlight hit her as Lizzy opened her eyes. All the heaviness of heart experienced by the previous night disappeared on seeing the brightness of the day. The day was beautiful and the nature's child that she was, her heart sang in response. She jumped out of her bed and went to her window. The streets of London was abuzz with activity very unlike the quiet countryside that she was used to. The thought led to Lizzy thinking of her home and thinking of her home led her to thinking of her father. She thought longingly of her father's loving old face, how his brown eyes would light up and corners of his mouth crinkle with a smile on seeing her. A sob catched in her thought as she felt a rush of anger at herself. Maybe, if she had been at home during her father's heart attack, he would have been saved.