Page 30 of Healing the Duke's Desires
A soft, warm glow bathed the room in an ethereal light, filtering through the tall, arched windows that lined the walls. The windows offered glimpses of the world beyond—sunlight filtering through gracefully swaying trees, casting dappled patterns on the polished marble floors.
“I should think you would be able to find any book you’d want within these walls.” Emily kept looking about, her heart fluttering at the sight of shelves upon shelves of ancient tomes. They stood like sentinels, their spines ornamented with faded gold lettering that hinted at the wisdom contained within.
Leather-bound volumes, delicate manuscripts, and weathered scrolls rested side by side, a visual tapestry of human achievement spanning centuries.
A lady appeared at one point, suggesting for everyone to follow her. The trio weren’t the only people present, so everyone did as the lady bid them.
They were led into another chamber, where Emily could see carved wooden tables and reading desks pushed to the sides, by the walls, keeping only rows and rows of chairs, richly upholstered, facing a small platform where a single chair stood. Even here, the air carried that faint scent of parchment and ink, mingled with the earthy aroma of old leather bindings.
As everyone found their seats and get settled, Emily looked up. Crystal chandeliers hung like shimmering constellations, their light reflecting off polished surfaces, creating a dance of shadows that seemed to make the entire chamber even more alive.
“I’ve heard that this poetess wrote from personal experience.” Henry turned to both of them, whispering against the commotion of the other guests.
“Really?” Emily wondered, knowing that what was to follow was a passionate poem about the love between two star-crossed lovers. She had only read about such love before, never hearing about it from someone’s firsthand experience. Deep down, she yearned for a love like that, only with a happy ending. Alexander appeared in her mind immediately, but she tried to banish him from it. She wanted to be in the present moment.
“Yes,” Henry confirmed, leaning closer to the two ladies, who were sitting to his right. “Apparently, it is something much like a Shakespearean saga, with lovers belonging to two opposing families, and—”
The lights were suddenly dimmed and a hushed silence fell over the entire chamber as the poetess stepped forward.
At that moment, Emily thought that her eyes were deceiving her. Two rows in front of them, she thought she saw a couple. A young woman and a man, slightly older than she was. Even in the darkness, she would recognize those dark tresses anywhere, the way he held his broad shoulders. She stifled a gasp inside her chest, but her heart betrayed her, beating violently, yearning to gaze at him longer.
Rose leaned to whisper something in his ear, and he quickly nodded without turning around. Emily’s entire body felt a sudden urge to elbow her way through the rows of other people and demand to be seated next to him, because that was where she belonged. It took all of her conscious effort to remain put. As for the poetess and her poem, Emily knew she would be barely able to focus on it, but she was willing to try.
The chamber echoed with the beginning of the poem. “Amidst the tapestry of night they meet, two souls enmeshed in fate’s embrace divine, as stars above in distant heavens greet, their love a fire that doth forever shine.”
With each carefully crafted word, the poetess wove a tale of love that transcended time and any obstacles fate had thrown in its path. Although to watch the poetess, Emily had to keep staring at the back of Alexander’s head, constantly being reminded of his presence here, she found herself captivated by the words, her imagination ignited by the vivid imagery.
She knew why that was. She identified herself with the poetess. She could feel the ache of longing, the intensity of passion and the bittersweet beauty of a love that defied all odds. All of these emotions resonated deeply within her, striking a chord that vibrated in pure harmony with her own experiences and desires.
“Yet star-crossed be their path, a cruel jest, for feuding houses keep them far apart, two noble hearts, by destiny oppressed, bound by a love that’s doomed from the start,” the poetess continued, reading slowly and eloquently.
Beside Emily, Sarah’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, while Henry sat with an expression of rapt attention, his features illuminated by the soft glow of the room. It was a shared moment of connection, a reminder that love and longing were universal themes that bound humanity together.
As the poetess’ words reached their crescendo, the entire chamber seemed to hold its breath, suspended in this poignant moment. The woman ended her poem with her voice extinguishing like a candle in the wind, her head bowing down before everyone present. An explosion of clapping ensued, as everyone stood up from their chairs. The smile on the woman’s face was indescribable, and so were her tears. She continued on to read several more poems, after which everyone was welcome to converse freely and share their thoughts.
The crowd started to huddle together, making smaller groups, and just as Emily turned around, she noticed Henry pulling Sarah by the hand, leading her toward one of the smaller entrances that led to the big hall of the library. She smiled to herself, knowing well that they wanted to be alone for a while.
With her back still turned to the grouping numbers of ladies and gentlemen, her senses started to tingle with anticipation. All the little hairs on her back stood on end. Her unconscious mind was endeavoring to tell her something. A moment later, the scent of a familiar cologne permeated her nostrils.
Her heart fluttered like a delicate butterfly as she turned around, her gaze meeting Alexander’s.
“Oh, Your Grace.” She smiled awkwardly, feeling her cheeks burning. “I didn’t know you would be here.”
***
This was no accident, stumbling onto her like this. It couldn’t have been. This had to be fate’s way of showing him that he needed to clarify things with her, to apologize before anything else and assure her that he did not mean to take advantage of her in any manner.
“Lady Emily,” he said, as the weight of their unspoken connection hung in the air. He tried to keep his distance both physically as well as in words, but that was more difficult than he thought it would be. “It is quite fortunate that I see you here.”
“It is?” She smiled, and it felt like a punch in the gut, for it was obvious that she was happy to see him.
“Yes.” He nodded, clearing his throat, trying not to think how lovely she looked in that lilac-colored gown that seemed to complement her complexion perfectly, hugging her curves in just the right way. “About what happened the other day…”
She leaned closer to him, expectant, her eyes glowing like two suns, illuminating the entire chamber around them. He could feel the warmth of her presence, the fragrance of her skin. Everything about her beckoned him to hide away with her between the shelves and repeat the mistake from before.
“I feel compelled to apologize,” he finally said, and this turned those two suns into moons, darkened and confused.
“Our kiss…” He spoke quietly, and they found themselves in the corner, away from the commotion of the other guests, but one still needed to be cautious when discussing such things out of the comfort of one’s home. The last thing Alexander wanted was for Emily’s reputation to suffer due to his own lack of good judgment. “Our kiss was a mistake, an impulsive moment that should not have occurred.”
