A Time for Honour

Chapter 2

But Cassie believed, deep down in her heart, that Major Ellington was different. He was an honourable man; a brave war hero, who had been seriously wounded defending his country. And more than that, he was the first person in her life that had asked for her help. Why would such a man deceive her? As she lay in the darkness, Cassie had managed to confine the doubts, she had been feeling, to the back of her mind. What did her prim and undemonstrative sister know about matters concerning the heart? Cassie was in love, and she was not going to let this opportunity, for her own happiness, slip through her fingers, so she rejected all of Verity's warnings about him.

Cassie lay quietly in the dark and waited until her sister had fallen asleep, and the only sound she could hear was the persistent patter of rain on the windowpanes. She then quietly got out of bed, put on her dressing gown, and, without looking back at her sleeping sister, she crept to Major Ellington's bedchamber.

✽✽✽

Early the next morning, when Ellington awoke, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He turned around to look at the beautiful young woman, lying next to him, with her golden hair spread out across the pillow. He kissed the base of her neck, and in response, she moved closer to him. 'Cass,' he whispered in her ear, 'wake up.'

She sighed sleepily and put her arm around his chest.

'Cass,' he said a little louder, 'wake up. It is nearly five o'clock, and you should return to your sister before she awakens and notices you have gone.'

Cassie opened her bright blue eyes slowly and looked at him sleepily. 'Stephan,' she said, 'do I have to? I could stay here with you a little longer.'

'I would love nothing more for you to stay, but you must go,' Ellington replied.

Cassie sighed. 'But I do not want to go. I want to stay with you.'

He turned around to face her and touched her on the cheek. 'You have to go. You must not make your sister suspicious.'

'When will I see you again? She asked in a voice that was barely audible. 'I think I would die if I never were to see you again.'

'Do you think that is wise, my dear? It could be dangerous. What if your sister finds out you have been with me?'

She turned towards him and tenderly touched his cheek with her fingers. 'I do not care what she thinks, I just want to be with you,' she said softly.

Ellington was delighted at how the calamitous carriage accident that had resulted in him sustaining a cut above the eye had ultimately turned out to his advantage. As they say, every cloud has a silver lining, and this particular cloud had not been a disappointment. When he had first seen her, all golden hair and youthful innocence, he had carefully manoeuvred the evening's events in order to seduce her. He liked nothing more than taking a young woman's chaste ideas of love to see how much he could corrupt them. Not only was she young, beautiful and very innocent, she was also, much to Ellington's relief, alone in the world. There were no male relatives present, that would challenge him to a duel if he were to be discovered in a compromising situation with her. It was indeed perfect, as she would be the one that would pay a high price if they were caught, not him.

'Would you really risk your reputation for me?' he asked, turning around to look at her. He wanted to know how far she would go and how much she would risk, in order to see him again.

'Of course, I would,' she had said defiantly, 'I do not care for my reputation. I love you.'

He knew then that he had ensnared her, but he still had to use honeyed words to play the game: for this was undoubtedly a game to him. He did not care one whit for her, he only cared about himself and the pleasure he could gain from ultimately ruining her. 'Oh Cass,' he said in a whisper, 'I do not deserve you.'