Past Loves

Part 12

Chapter 12

Rose watched as they left the dining area before turning back towards the group of people sitting there.  With the two of them gone, no one but Will looked inclined to eat. 

“Well,” Colin started, “this is a tad odd, if I may say.”

Rose nodded.  “Who would have thought that without the two of them we have nothing to speak of?”

“I can think of plenty of things to speak of,” Will said around a mouthful of food.  “Such as, is your wife ever going to quit running off to the village when she should be resting.”

Colin pushed his chair back and jumped to his feet.  “She went to the village?”

“Where did you think she would go?” Will asked while delving into the food once more.

Colin grumbled something under his breath before stomping out of the dining area in a huff.  Rose shook her head at Will.  “Did you have to say that?”

Will shrugged.  “Cassie needs to stop being so careless, and the only one that will stop her from doing so is Colin.  If the man runs to the village and drags her back, that is their own matter.”

Ramsey pushed from the table, without looking at anyone.  “I will be taking my leave.”

“Wait,” Cassie’s mother said, “would you escort Cooper and me to our rooms?  I need the rest, and the lad misses you.”

Ramsey hesitated before nodding his head.  Helping Ava from her seat, he grabbed Cooper’s hand before escorting them out of the dining area.  Will looked up from his food and shrugged.  “If you believe I will leave after getting the best meal I have received in months, you are mistaken.”

Rose chuckled while rising to her feet.  Exiting the dining area, she knew that she was too awake to retire.  Her only other option was to clean or take a walk.  Taking a walk was the obvious answer.  Stepping into the foyer, she went to leave the manor just as someone called out.

“Wait,” Emily said with a smile.  “I wish to come along.”

“Do as you wish,” Rose grumbled, wanting to have the walk to herself.

“That is fantastic.”

Rose yanked on the manor door while mumbling under her breath, “Yes, fantastic.”

The walked down the stone steps before stopping.  Emily glanced at her.  “You have been here longer than I, you choose our path.”

“We will walk to the river,” Rose said, motioning to her left.  “There is a trail in the woods right there, quite easy to walk upon.”

“Fantastic,” Emily said once more.

Rose had to keep herself from rolling her eyes at the woman.  Was that the only expression she knew?  They began walking in total silence that made Rose feel itchy.  In her opinion, awkward silences were better left nonexistent.  If she could, she would turn and escape back to the manor.  Mayhap cleaning was not such a bad idea.

“Rose,” Emily said with a sigh as they reached the river.

“Yes, Emily.”

Emily turned towards her, the once smiling expression completely off her face.  “You and I are going to have some difficulties.”

“Whatever for?” Rose asked with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

The woman reached up and grabbed a leaf.  Shredding it to pieces, she looked at Rose with a blank expression.  “Stay away from Peirce and you and I will get along.”

Rose let out a sigh while looking above, begging for patience.  “What is it you want me to stay away for?”

“Peirce will be mine,” Emily said without hesitation. “It will only take him a few stolen moments to realize that he loves me.”

“You are not attempting to make him love you,” Rose guessed.  “You are attempting to make him view you as Elizabeth, a perfect substitution for the wife he once had.”

“If that is what I must do,” Emily replied with a shrug.

“Will it not bother you once you realize that he does not love you, but an image in which you are not?”

“It is not his love that I want,” Emily admitted.  “I have nothing anymore.  My sister ran our home into the ground.  The only thing that kept us standing was Peirce, but he has abandoned us too.  I plan to take him home, where he belongs.”

Rose narrowed her eyes at her.  “This is his home, and you are not taking him anywhere.”

“We will see,” Emily mumbled as she reached her hand out.  Pushing Rose, she stood there as Rose fell back into the water. 

Spluttering, Rose surfaced with a glare.  “This dress is important to me.”

“It was an accident,” Emily said with tears clouding her eyes.  “I swear it.”

Rose gritted her teeth together in frustration.  The woman was good, and Rose was going to have to up her game if she wanted to protect Peirce from the conniving wench.  Rising to her feet, she smiled at Emily.  “It is fine, dear.  I know you simple-minded people would never be able to think of doing such a thing.”

Stepping around the woman, Rose smiled as she heard the indignant screech exit her mouth.  If it was Peirce, they were fighting over, Emily had better be careful, because Rose came from a family who knew what they wanted and how to get it.  Glancing over her shoulder, she waved at Emily.  “I am guessing you can find your way back to the manor?”

The unsaid, ‘I hope you do not,’ was unmistakable in the tone Rose used, and when Emily sent her a glare, Rose knew she had been the one to rise to the top this time.  Rose was not foolish though, she knew that Emily was a force to be reckoned with.  See would enter this with caution, but ruthlessness that would keep Peirce safe.  She nodded to herself, anything to keep Peirce safe.