*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you so much* I want to say that I had this story plotted out but writing it I have decided to take it a different way completely. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.
"I'm off to work now, Della," said Seth as they stood at the door of their home. "I will have the groceries delivered to you, tell me what you need," he said.
"Just some flour, some vegetables, milk," she answered her husband nervously. Time was getting closer to her meeting Roman in the woods. She didn't want Seth and Roman to run into each other because she knew it would end badly for her and possibly for Roman as well. She wasn't sure what Seth was capable of doing to either of them for making a fool of him. Seth had a life for Della that involved seclusion. She could never venture into town, she didn't have the freedom to do much of anything on her own. She was only able to venture into or venture anywhere if Seth was by her side. He controlled her and he put the fear of God into her if she stepped a little out of line. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome," he said as he gave her a kiss on the lips. "Are you ill this morning?"
"My courses arrived," she answered him. "I'm a little under the weather," she explained.
"Say no more," he said. "We will conceive a child following your courses before your next set of courses arrive," he promised.
"Oh," she said but secretly she was happy that her courses had arrived. She did not want a child with the man that would make her life hell. She was a prisoner in her own home it was no life for a child. She wished her courses would continue to come as long as she was intimate with her husband and she was wed to him.
"You don't seem thrilled by the idea of children," he said noticing her tone. He watched her body language and knew that something was wrong. She was nervous about something, anxious about something. He wasn't sure what it could be. She was shifting back and forth on her feet, her eyes were drawn to the clock. She was hiding something. She was up to something he could not figure out what. "I thought you wished to have children?"
"I do," she said, "but not right now. I am only 8 and 10. I'm not ready for a child."
"But you were ready for marriage and your first job as a wife is to conceive a child with your husband," he said. "Am I correct?"
"Yes, Seth," she said softly. "You're correct."
"We'll make sure it happens for us after your courses cease for the month," he promised with a smile on his face. "Are you nervous about something?" he asks.
"No," she answered quickly. "Aren't you going to be late for work?"
"I own the office," he said, "it doesn't matter if I am late. Are you trying to get rid of me, are you hiding something from me, Della?"
"No, Seth," she said. "I just don't want you to be late for work."
"I'm leaving. I will be home later tonight remember do not venture out," he said.
"I never do," she said with disappointment. She didn't think her life was going to be this way. She thought that life with Seth would be much different but he showed her life could be worse than the life she had been living. She missed her parents, she missed her siblings. She wanted to go home to them but she was stuck where she was for the time being. She needed to find a way out and a way to get back to her family. She couldn't take much more of this life with Seth.
"I love you," he said before he kissed her lips softly. He walked out the front door of their home they shared with one of their servants. "I want you to watch her," he said. "I don't know what she's up to but she's up to something," he said. "I need you to watch her and keep an eye on her."
"Yes, Sir," he said. "I will keep an eye on her."
"Thank-you and do not allow her to leave the house for any reason. I will have a grocery delivery man arriving later today to deliver groceries that is the only visitor that should arrive if anyone else arrives please inform me and if Della leaves the residence for any reason please inform me of that too. I will take care of that when I arrive home."
"Yes, Sir," he said before Seth gave him some coin for his loyalty. Seth climbed into his carriage and the driver began the trek to take Seth to his physician job in town leaving Della home alone for the day. Seth looked back a few times until the residence was out of sight. He did not have a good feeling about the day ahead of him and what his wife was up to. He wanted to turn the carriage around to spend the day with his wife but he had patients that were waiting to see him. He was obligated to work.
Once Seth had departed for the day Della went upstairs to her bedchamber. Her servant girl helped her dress in a beautiful lavender skirt and a white blouse. She brushed her hair into a braid before Della washed herself up. She made her way down the stairs of her home and went to open the door only to be stopped by Seth's loyal servant. "Where are you going, Madam?" he asked.
"I'm going to get fresh air," she said. "I was going to take a walk."
"Where?"
"Um on the property, where else would I go? Maybe venture into the woods," she said. "Now please let me go."
"I can't allow you to leave the house," he stood in front of the door blocking her from exiting her home.
"Let me guess, Seth gave you orders for me not to leave the house and you're following them? How much did he pay you to keep me prisoner?" she asked.
"I don't know what you're speaking of," he said. "Dr. Rollins prefers you stay inside the residence."
"Let me go," she said pulling him out of her way and pushing him aside. She opened the door and walked out onto the porch taking in the morning breeze.
"Please, Madam," said the servant, "come back inside."
"I will after my walk," she said before stepping down the front steps of her home. The servant followed behind her. "I will be fine. I want to be alone," she turned to him. "Please," she said.
He let out a loud sigh and said, "All right, Madam. I cannot stop you."
"Thank-you," she said with a smile of victory before making her way into the woods to meet Roman. She could not wait to see him. The servant made his way back into the home as far as Della knew but what she didn't know is he followed her into the woods to see what she was up to. He quietly followed behind her hiding behind trees and bushes as she made her way to the sitting rock.
Della smiled when she caught sight of Lord Reigns sitting on the rock. He looked so handsome. He was in deep thought as she approached him. He was dressed in a blue and gold overcoat with a pair of navy blue breeches with a white shirt. His hair was pulled into a low ponytail. She smiled at how perfect he appeared. He had the most adorable expression on his face. Roman heard the footsteps and turned his head to see Della approaching him. He grew a smile on his face as he had seen her. "Della," he said hopping off of the rock making her way toward him. "You look beautiful."
"Thank-you," she smiled. It had been a while since she was told she was beautiful. Seth never told her she was beautiful. He called her other things but beautiful was not one of them. "You actually came for me," she smiled.
"I told you I was coming for you," he said with a smile of his own. He brushed his fingers over the bruise on her cheek. "I'm sorry," he said. "I should have come sooner."
"But at least you came," she smile as she grabbed his wrist with her tiny hand. "I thought you had forgotten about me."
"I would never forget about you, Della. I needed to take care of a few things," he said.
"Amelia?" she asked.
"In some ways yes, I am not happy with her Della," he said as his dark eyes met her blue eyes. The love and passion burned in their eyes for the other. The love and passion pulling Roman toward Della, he leaned and kissed her lips softly. He cupped her cheek as passion filled their kiss. She placed her hand on his abdomen and she felt his abs tense beneath her touch. "I could never be happy with her," he said as they broke the kiss. He took her hand and led her to the sitting rock. "I don't love her the way I love you."
"You truly love me?" she asked looking at him with her beautiful eyes. It made him smile. His heart melted at the look of innocence in her eyes and on her face. She was a married woman yet her innocence remained in her face. She was not in love with Seth Rollins. She married him to make her parents happy. Roman was the man she loved.
"Truly," he smiled. "It was you this whole time that held my heart, Della. I was foolish for walking away but then your father pushed you to marry Seth and my mother pushed me to marry Amelia. I cannot live in a marriage or a life where I am not happy with the person that I am with. I love you, Della. It is you that I love. It is you that I want to spend the rest of my life with."
"How is that possible? You're married to Amelia, I would only be a mistress," she said. "That's not fair to me."
"Della," he said brushing a piece of hair out of her face. "No, you wouldn't be a mistress. You would be my wife and if not my wife the woman that I love. I would spend every minute of every day with you. I would make my life about you. I don't want the riches unless I have you. That doesn't matter to me what matters to me is you."
"And what about Amelia?" she asked. "You're just going to divorce her? Leave her for the Farmer's Daughter?"
"Is that what you see yourself as? The Farmer's Daughter?"
"It's what I am, Roman. You and I both know I will always be the Farmer's Daughter."
"Not to me, Della. I see you as so much more than the Farmer's Daughter. You're a beautiful young woman that I love. You stole my heart the moment I saw you. I married Amelia but it was not her I should have married it was you. It has been you all this time. You're not happy either. I see the sadness in your eyes. I see the fear in your eyes when you look at me. What has he done to you, what has he done to make you fear life?" asked Roman as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "What has he done to you?"
"It's awful," she cried. "It's awful. He's an evil man. I am nothing but another piece of property to him. I am a prisoner in my own home. He doesn't allow me to leave. The servant wouldn't let me leave today," she said as the servant watched and listened to their conversation to relay to Seth when he returned home from work. "He's awful."
"I'm sorry," he said. "I should have come sooner. If I had come sooner you would not endure this hell."
"I have to get out, Roman," she begged. "Please help me. I can't live with that man any longer. I can't be a prisoner. I hate my life. If I don't do what he wishes or I upset him he hits me. I can't live with him any longer."
"Della, I'm here for you. I told you I was coming for you. I came for you," he said with a smile. "I want to be with you no matter how I have to do it. We'll be together."
"Truly?"
"Truly," he smiled. "I found us a home far away from Spain and England. I took residence in Italy. We're taking residence in Italy," he promised.
"Roman," she smiled. "What about being an Earl? What about that life?"
"I don't want any life unless it involves you, Della," he said with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too," she said with a smile as she looked up at him with her beautiful blue eyes. "Can we truly live a life together and be happy?" she asked.
"Yes," he said with a promising smile. "Even if I can't make you my wife you will be like my wife. I hope that one day you could be my wife but right now you'll have to act as such. We'll have a life together. We'll be happy and have children together. I will spend every day of my life making you happy. I would never hurt you the way Seth has hurt you. I love you, Della. Please be my wife, promise me you'll be with me."
"I promise," she said with a smile. He leaned down and kissed her lips passionately, her hand on his abdomen feeling his muscles through his shirt. The servant watched on as they shared their passionate kiss. "When can you save me?" she asked.
"Here's what I want you to do, Della. I want you to pack up some belongings especially ones that are important to you as well as some dresses and skirts. I will provide you with the rest. You need no more than 4 that is enough to get us to Italy. I will return to you later tonight. Meet me here at the sitting rock as soon as the night sky arrives. I have to go back to my cottage and pack up. I will return for you this evening."
"Promise?" she asked.
"Della, I wouldn't break a promise to you," he said with a smile. "I will return for you tonight."
"How will I escape with Seth?"
"Wait until he his distracted because I will make sure he is distracted then you will leave."
"Why can't I leave now?" she asked. "Please take me with you now. It is safer now, please Roman."
"You're right. I will wait for you," he said. "Go pack and we'll be on our way," he said. "I will wait for you."
"Okay," she said with a smile. "I will return." She jumped off the rock and ran to her residence through the woods. Roman smiled at his future wife or the wife she would pretend to be when they started their lives together. She needed to be divorced from Seth and he needed to be divorced from Amelia which was almost nearly impossible before they could wed and truly be husband and wife in the eyes of God. Roman sat and waited for Della to return to him so he could save her from the life she was living with Seth. She deserved happiness and true love. She had neither with Seth.
Della ran into her home with a smile on her face. "What's with all the excitement?" asked a chilling voice stopping her in her tracks. She looked up to see Seth standing in front of her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought you were working?"
"Something just didn't feel right with my wife," he said as he shut the door for her and locked it. "I come home and find my wife missing like I suspected I would."
"I just wanted to take a walk," she answered. "It was nothing, Seth."
"I thought I made it clear you were not allowed to leave the residence. If you want to take a walk we will take a walk when I return from home so that leaves me to ask what was so important in that woods you couldn't wait for me to leave this morning and what was in that woods that has you so excited that you come running in here. What is it, Della?" he asked crossing his arms after rolling up his sleeves. Della knew what was coming. She chose not to answer him. "Della," he said.
"Seth, I just took a walk," she said as the servant that had been watching her in the woods appeared at the door. Seth opened the door letting him in before shutting it behind him and locking it.
"My wife seems to tell me she needed to take a walk in the woods," said Seth looking at the servant. "Is that true was it just a walk in the woods?" Della swallowed hard. She knew she was caught and she knew the servant would tell Seth the truth. He had been paid to do so. "Was it just a walk in the woods?" he asked.
Della looked at the servant and then back at her husband. She bit her lip out of nervousness as she waited for the truth from his lips. Seth's stare burned into the servant as he waited for his answer. The servant looked at Della and then at Seth. "It was just a walk in the woods," he said.
"She didn't have a meeting with anyone?" asked Seth.
"No," said the servant surprising Della and she smiled to herself. "She took a walk in the woods. It was nothing more."
"You wouldn't lie to me would you?" asked Seth as he pulled a knife from his pocket, "because I really hate when people lie to me."
"No," said the servant. "It was a walk in the woods," he said once again before Seth took the knife and jabbed it into his side, Della let out a scream as Seth removed the knife from the servant's side. The servant fell to the floor holding his side as the blood poured out.
"SETH!" she yelled, "why did you do that to him?" Seth took his backhand to the side of her face hard knocking her down onto the floor. She grabbed her cheek as her husband stood over her.
"I told him not to let you out of this house but he did. He couldn't follow directions. One day, Della," he said as he knelt down in front of his wife. "You're going to learn that you must follow my directions." He took the knife to her throat. "Tell me you understand, Della." Tears burned her eyes. "Tell me," he demanded.
"I understand," her voice shaked. "I understand."
"Good," he said before he put the knife back in his pocket before taking his backhand to her face again causing her to cry out. "Tell me, Della do you think I am stupid?" he asked before he stood over her as she cried.
"No," she shook her head, "you're not stupid."
"Then don't treat me like a fool," he said before he kicked her down to the floor. He kicked her once more in her side and again in her stomach. She cried out in pain as he kicked her while she was down.
"I'm sorry," she said through her heavy sobs.
"Me too," he said before he kicked her once more. "I hate to do this but you're going to learn how to be my wife even if I have to do this," he said before he kicked her once more. "You're going to learn, Della. We're going to try this again," he said. "I'm going to go to work and you're going to be a good wife, stay in the house and you'll have dinner ready for me when I return. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Seth," she said through her cries. "I will be here," she promised him.
"Good," he said as he knelt down in front of her. He brushed his hand over her swollen and tearstained cheek. "I hate to do this to you, Della. I really do but you leave me no choice. You just don't listen like you should. I'm sorry," he said before he stood up. "And don't worry about him," he said pointing to the servant. "I will take care of him," he promised. Della laid crying holding her stomach as she watched Seth wrap the servant's body into a rug before taking it out of the house with him. He slammed the door shut behind him and she heard the carriage take off on the dirt road as she cried out in pain hoping that Roman would realize something was wrong and come for her.
*A/N" What do you think of Seth? Is he crazier than we ever thought? What did you think of Roman and what he said to Della? Is he being truthful with her, will he give her the life she desires? Can they be happy together? What do you think of the servant lying to Seth? Why do you think he chose to lie to him? Do you think Roman will come to Della's aide? Please review and thank-you for reading.