The Secret in East End [Agents of the Crown #1]

Chapter 24

"I... came to look for you, but your footman told me you were out here... exploring, in his words?" Fabian said, to break the silence. 

Elle laughed sheepishly, pulling the twig out of her hair to let the chestnut locks fall in loose curls around her head. It would've been unheard of in London to be seen about with your hair not done up. But considering they were in the woods, the most judgmental pair of eyes would probably come from the deer peering at them from fifteen feet away. 

"I've been doing that since we came here. I... We weren't back here much, from when I was younger. So I'm quite eager to see what's surrounding the castle." Elle replied, a sparkle lighting up her eyes. It was a sight Fabian realized he had come to miss, something he realized was only there whenever she found something interesting or fascinating. "I've seen quite alot really! The wildlife is amazing, and the view is stunning! I-" she paused, and then made a face. "I shouldn't ramble. Why were you looking for me?"

"I missed you." Fabian responded, not even mincing his words. It was the blunt truth, and it pleased him when he saw Elle flush fetchingly. 

Caught off guard and at a loss, she could only stutter her words next. "I-I missed you too."

"Why did you suddenly leave the way you did?" Fabian couldn't help but ask, still mildly hurt over the unannounced departure. He had thought he would at least merit a note.

"Lucan... Well, Mother actually, decided that I needed to clear my head a little." she responded.

"From?" he asked, taking another step closer.

"You." There was really no other way of putting it. Her answer however, had Fabian's heart skip a beat, and then increase in tempo when she brought her honey gold eyes to meet his. They were only five feet apart now, and he could see the messy tendrils of her hair caressing her flushed cheeks, and the book she now held behind her back. The way she anxiously tucked the stray chestnut locks behind her ear caught at him, making Fabian smile as he spoke. "What did you have to think about?"

If he was asked back about today, Fabian would be honest and admit that he was horribly anxious for her answer. With the amount of nervous shuffling Elle was doing however, at that point in time she didn't notice the nervous flicker in his green eyes, nor the way he angled his head so he could clearly hear her answer. 

"Mother said that you being around was... making me confused on if," she hesitated, looking up at him. Fabian tried his best to keep his emotions neutral, while it was going on turmoil inside. "If I actually had... If I actually actually loved you, or if I was attached to you simply because you were the most familiar person I've known outside of my family since I came back."

"And?" Fabian asked, a little of his impatience bubbled.

Elle dabbled with her choice of words in her head. She smiled, a sight that Fabian didn't know if he should take as a good or bad sign, simply eager to hear her words. "Greystoke Castle has been beautiful. The staff have been regaling me with all sorts of stories from times when Lucan was younger and times were better, stuff I don't remember from me being too young."

She paused. Fabian didn't say a word. He didn't know what to say. What was her point in saying all of this? As much as he loved watching the little smiles flit across her face as she spoke, the anxiety was killing him. 

"The food Mrs. Clinton makes is wonderful. I've rediscovered my love for her lemon cupcakes. And our library is huge! The forest grounds are stupendous too." she rambled. A part of Fabian grew irritated as she spoke. "Mother is thinking of planning a grand ball for Christmas actually. Mrs. Clinton said they have not put any of our grand halls to use ever since... well, y'know and she's saying it's high time we-"

"Elle. I love you, but get to the point." Fabian interjected, a hint of frustration staining his green, amused gaze. 

His words however, stalled the girl. Her right arm froze mid-gesture, and her eyes zeroed in on Fabian's earnest gaze. "You... what?"

"I love you to death, you silly girl. You're strong and weak at the same time, you need people's protection yet can protect other's too. You're a walking contradiction and I would love to learn more about those contradictions, but you really do need to quickly get to the point." he finished with a sigh, taking another step closer, closing the distance enough to push the falling bangs out of those dear eyes he had come to miss. "So your point was...?"

"The forest on the grounds is beautiful. I've seen so much of it-" he cleared his throat, and Elle smiled sweetly at him, finding his frustration at her beating around the bush absolutely endearing. "-and I really want you to explore the rest of the grounds with me."

"I've spent the last week thinking of you every time I saw something remotely interesting or new. I want to share everything new, old and in between with you." With each word Elle uttered, Fabian's heart thumped almost painfully against his chest, bursting with the emotion she was making him feel. He reached out to gently hold her cheek against his palm, and smiled when she nestled herself against his palm. "If that's what love is supposed to feel like... I guess that's what I've decided after a week of thinking things through."

Using the hand which had been cradling her cheek, Fabian yanked her in and crushed her towards him, the other arm encircling her waist to hold her tightly against him. Elle had gasped at the sudden yank, but eventually relaxed in his embrace, with her own arms going around Fabian's waist. He breathed in her sweet scent, and his muscles almost instantaneously relaxed. The male faintly wondered just how the feel of someone in his arms could make him feel like coming home.

Having never had someone so close to her before, Elle had stiffened in his arms, but Fabian's warmth was quick to put her at ease, as she soon realised. She didn't know how long they spent just enjoying being in each other's arms, but however long it was still wasn't enough, for she mourned the lost of feeling him pressed against her when he eventually pushed back to glance down at her.

"I've learned plenty about you in the past two months of just being there with you, but I want to learn so, so much more about you. I know you just started becoming Lady Rochelle Stefford, but do you think you could start learning to be Lady Rochelle Rothesay, instead?" he asked softly.

Her heart skipped a beat, especially with those intense green eyes staring at her. Did she honestly just hear what she had heard? A part of her mind picked up on the amusing way their names strung together, and she chuckled, making Fabian raise a brow. "And what, may I ask, is so amusing about that?"

"My initials." she replied, her own chestnut eyes dancing with laughter when he joined her in amusement. It died down quickly however, when Elle sobered up, giving Fabian a wary look. "Are you sure I'll be okay? I mean, the people in the Town don't even know who I am yet. Even if Luke's introduced me as his sister, they still... well, y'know."

He cocked his head, as if assessing her. "I won't lie, learning to be a duchess is no easy task, and it'll probably be all the much harder for you." Elle's face fell when she heard that, but Fabian was quick to put his finger under her chin, tilting so her downturned face looked up at him again. "But what will happen is that I will be there with you every step of the way, and I will be your protection against anything that may bring you down."

The earnest ferocity of which he spoke those words warmed Elle's heart, swelling with emotion for him again. Fabian Rothesay was dedicated, passionate to his cause and protective of his loved ones, Elle couldn't imagine how she had gotten him, but she wasn't about to let go. "I love you." Three words that seemed so simple, yet it was all she could think of to tell him at that point.

"And I love you, Elle of East End."