In His Arms (HIATUS)

seventeen...

She stared at me before she distractedly pointed behind her. “I am with your sister to pay you a visit.”
A silence deafened the already small cottage and my eyes widened and panic set it. Mary who was always sure of herself was frozen.
“what?” Mrs. Thornwicke asked.
My words were stuck in my throat.
“is she asleep? Perhaps another time?”
I nodded excessively to Mrs. Thornwicke who puzzled looked at me then to the chamber room and I followed her gaze and saw him standing there looking foreboding.
She stood straight, if that was possible. Her eyes turned cold. “I see".
She looked at me “a sickness goes around when a man shares his bed with too many women. Should I wait for news of your death soon too?”
Not only did that feel like a slap but sadness and fear. What if Clarissa heard.
“Mrs. Thornwicke…”. Clarissa spoke again and Mrs. Thornwicke turned saying something and walked out.
My knees felt weak. I turned to ask Mary to prepare some tea only he spoke.
“come back to bed.”
I turned to see him already gone and I turned to Mary. I eyed my chamber before walking inside.
He lay there watching and waiting for me.
“do you want a bath?”
“if I do then I can ask Mary to fetch it for me. Come here.”
I slid into bed and he pulled me onto his chest and I found myself cuddled. Cuddled.
…
“how did you find yourself in such a situation?”
“pardon?”
“what happened to turn you into a harlot?”
I froze and I stared at his scars. “why do you have all this scars?”
His silence met my questions and I sighed. “some parts are meant to be left in the past.”
“I'll ask your sister then.”
I sat up despite his strong arm and tried to gather the words. “be fair Mr. Thornwicke. I am here to pleasure you in bed. We have done no speaking for me to divulge this information. I don't even know your name. Why would I pour out my mistakes and past to you?”
I could not look at him and he pulled me despite my resistance and I was back in a cuddle. “you would divulge information because you will learn its best to do so.”
I don't know how long i lay there and soon he was gone.

I sat outside enjoying the sun only then did I hear footsteps crunch and I turned in shock to see none other than Lord Hay.
I stared at him “what...brings you here, my lord.”
“ the scar on your face.”
I touched my face and memories of that night. I had forgotten about my scar. I slightly stroked it before I turned to look at him.
“yes. Just a scar.”
“she has been crying every night. She had stopped crying. She felt immense guilt after you left and now she is back to feeling guilt.”
I stared at her. “she should be pleased I am well.”
He stared at me and sighed before sitting herself opposite me and I frowned. “you should be with her, why you are here.”
“so should Mr. Thornwicke when he visits you and leaves in the morning.”
I felt my blood drain and he reclines on the seat. “quit coincidentally when I was having a smoke and noticed he walked in and from what I gather he never left.”
I did not know what to say.
“my wife is a respectable woman and she insists on rekindling her relationship with you and I was accepting of it until i found out you are Thornwicke’s mistress.”
I might as well let him say all he wanted.
He watched me as I watched him.
He then stood up. “stay away from her or leave Thornwicke and move in with us. I'll make a deal with him to keep information sealed about this. Return to her, before people find out.”

I watched him walk away and I reached to have a drink of my now cold tea. Hand trembling and the cup crashing into the ground and stood up going into the house and stopped short at the sight of Mrs. Thornwicke.
I gathered what little strength I had. “I may receive you with excitement every time, unfortunately not today.”
In a blink she was on me and grabbing my hair and pain and I found myself in a fight.
We went crashing into walls as I grasped her hair and breaking tables.
And she had fight because she landed a blow to my stomach.
I don't know how long we fought I only knew I was ripped out from her and I went tumbling back.

“you bitch!” She screamed.
My legs no longer able to support me, I fell and I sat there on my ass and tears started streaming for the first time.
“I can not keep letting you do this to me.”
“what am I doing? Am I sleeping with your husband? I am the one who has to pretend to not hear maids talking about how my husband spends time with you.”
“we already had this fight. You got past it.”
“I will never get past it!! How can I? I can feel my reputation so close to crashing.”
I stared at her. “so its it's not about me with him?”
“he hasn't laid with me after we had my daughter but show me some respect please. Please.” and she too started crying and I sighed only flinching when she grabbed a vase and sent it flying and I frowned.
“talk to him, I do not know how to deal with this situation.”

“I already gave you options.” a voice spoke and I turned puzzled and froze. Lord Hay and … Clarissa. She was sitted her head in her hands. Body shaking.
And all I could say was “why is she crying?”
“I failed you!” she snapped and sobbed harder and louder silencing Mrs. Thornwicke.
“I need a drink.” lord Hay said and leaving the cottage and I sat there puzzled, hurting.