An Unexpected Love

Chapter 20

Elizabeth could barely breathe. She felt as if time had slowed to a crawl around them; she was frozen under Edward's penetrating gaze. The proximity of his body held her there, as if she were anchored to that very spot.

She had known the answer to the question he didn't quite ask, before he had even breathed a word.

Edward waited expectantly, twitching ever so slightly in anticipation of her response. Finally, her eyelids fluttered and she moved her lips to speak.

"Yes, Edward, I want..." Her soft voice faltered.

I want to be near you always, I want you to hold me and kiss me like before...

She breathed softly, "I want you to, to speak to my father..."

Edward released one of her hands, his fingers moving to caress her cheek. She gently pressed her face into his palm and closed her eyes.

"My Elizabeth..." Edward's voice was still low. He drew her closer still, and she opened her eyes to look up at him, just as he closed the small gap between them and softly touched his lips to hers.

Elizabeth melted at his touch, the weight of all her fears and the unknowns fading away, until there was nothing but the two of them, and the truth of what they felt for each other.

She didn't move as he pulled away slightly, again taking both of her hands in his. Elizabeth swallowed and tried to speak. "Edward, I'm so very sorry that I ever thought that you would..." She couldn't bear to meet his eyes.

"Elizabeth," he spoke softly, "look at me. You were right to question me. I did have intentions...but not in the way you and Matthew thought."

Elizabeth lifted her face and met his eyes with a questioning gaze. "What?"

"My father has been playing a very devilish game. The whole reason he sent me here was because he wanted me to try to marry Amelia. Why, I don't know. But upon laying my eyes on you, I could think of nothing else." He grinned slightly, "I suppose I should thank him for that part."

Elizabeth blinked. "Are you saying that he forced you after Amelia?" Elizabeth thought back over all the strange things Charles had done since arriving, glaring at Edward anytime he spoke to her, eagerly pushing Matthew to take her in the carriage today, speaking of Matthew favorably to her just a while ago.

Edward nodded. "Yes, he forbade me to see you. I thought that if I could appear friendly with Amelia, that he would go away and then I could continue with my plans to court you. But, apparently my father intends to stay to make sure things go his way."

Elizabeth's mind was reeling. Everything Edward had said made sense, it explained so much - Edward's distance from her, his moodiness, why he had put off meeting with her father.

Edward's eyes softened on her. "Elizabeth, I'm the one who should apologize... Even though I meant no harm on you or your sister, still I wasn't being completely honest. I should've handled all of this differently. And please believe me; I will not let my father come between us."

"Oh, Edward, I was afraid that your father might not approve of us... What if my father doesn't either?" Elizabeth felt panic rising in her chest.

Edward's fingers brushed her cheek. "Don't worry about that, I'm going to find a way."

Overcome with emotion, Elizabeth hastily grasped Edward in a desperate embrace, holding him tightly to her. He responded slowly, wrapping his arms around her. Elizabeth felt completely at ease in his embrace.

Suddenly remembering propriety, she gasped and pulled away, blushing.

What am I doing? What if Papa were to discover us like this? Or worse yet, Charles...?