Page 4 of The Marquess' Disguised Heiress
Eliza felt as if she could not breathe, and without waiting another second, she ran straight out of the drawing room, past the main door of the house, which had been left open. Unsureof where her feet were taking her, she kept running and running until she finally could not run anymore and stopped.
The little creek, which lay just between their estates, lay in front of her, and Eliza sat down, letting her feet dip into the cold water. She always came here with Alexander when they wanted to go fishing or just have a little adventure. Eliza felt both happy and safe here, and right now, she could not think of any other place that might feel the same way as this little corner.
“Eliza?”
She did not need to turn around to know who was behind her; his soft, friendly voice was a little too familiar. It was Alexander. Her closest friend. Her secret keeper and confidante. The only person who taught her tricks and told her secrets of the world.
She stayed quiet as he came and sat beside her, taking his shoes off to dip his feet in the water as well. This was a ritual they shared, and Eliza could not even remember how often she sat this way with him, simply talking.
Although all those times were happy times, and they had laughed their hearts out, but today, Eliza felt as if she could never even laugh again.
“What will I do, Alexander? What will I do without them?”
“I cannot even imagine the pain you must be suffering at this very moment, Eliza,” he whispered, “but what I do know is that no pain is too large for your heart and for this world. Things happen unexpectedly, and we have to endure them, but all the pain passes away with time. You just have to be strong.”
“I don’t know how.”
“Eliza, I know you feel alone right now.” He sighed, turning to look at her, their feet still dipped in the cool, clear water. “But you are not alone. You have your family and every single one of your servants love you with all their heart. But more than all of that, you have me and my family with you here. We will truly never let you feel alone. I promise.”
Eliza felt numb, tears no longer coming to her eyes.
“I miss them.” Despite Alexander’s comforting words, a cold dread settled over her, and Eliza felt devastated and terrified as if someone had taken away the one thing she cherished most in the world. As if no one was there to protect her any longer, and she was left with no one and nothing.
“They are not gone, Eliza.”
“What do you mean?” She finally looked at him. His dark brown hair flew breezily with the wind as Eliza stared sadly at his friendly face. His round, russet eyes remained trained on her. Staring at him comforted her as if she was reminded she still had her friend.
“They are with you in your heart, Eliza. They always will be.” He smiled, his entire face shining, “Their memories are stored in your mind and every corner of your house, and when you look around, you will find they are with you everywhere. I know it feels as if they have left you all alone, but they will never leave you now. They will forever be looking over you from the skies above.”
“Forever?”
“Always.” He moved in closer, patting her head affectionately as he always did whenever she asked him a question. She leaned in to the touch, comforted by its familiarity.
“So I will never be alone?” She felt like a weak little girl in front of Alexander, but his comforting expression made everything seem right. He lifted his right hand, tracing the beauty spot on her left cheek.
Eliza remembered how he always told her that the two beauty marks on her face, one under her right eye and the other on her left cheek, made her appear unique since no one else could ever have them but Eliza.
She tried to smile underneath his touch but failed.
“Never ever.”
“Do you promise?”
“I promise.”
As Eliza crept closer to Alexander, her head resting on his shoulder, she felt that despite the gut-wrenching grief in her body, things would eventually be alright again.
Hopefully, very, very soon.
Chapter 1
Fourteen years later …
She turned sideways, the flimsy piece of cloth she was using as a blanket sliding away from one side, exposing her back to the coldness of the attic. She flinched, quickly fixing her makeshift blanket to cover her once again from head to toe and tried to fall back asleep. Although, she knew it was a failed attempt.
The lone window in the entirely bare room was curtain-less, the early morning light filtering in through the translucent glass. She sighed, finally opening her eyes, knowing it was time to wake up anyway.
The house must still be asleep except for those in the servant quarters, who must be awake by now, already beginning to do their respective jobs.
