Part 4
Leo stood nervously in front of a mirror in his room, constantly readjusting his shirt and smoothing his hair. He smiled at him self, giving a small laugh of amazement; it was just a regular trip to the markets. IBut it's with Piper/I, a voice echoed in his mind and he sighed deeply. Just the few minutes a day he was blessed to spend with her was more than enough to encourage his love. In the twelve years he'd had watched her from a distance, he had never once saw her eyes light up when she smiled. But, in just a week, he'd seen a definite light in her eyes and they were always wide and bright with happiness.
He took a deep breath and walked down the stairs, "Brendan! Bring the carriage around, we're almost ready."
"Yes Leo." He nodded in reply. "The ah...new..."
"Of course." Leo gave a soft laugh, the carriage his father had purchased just weeks ago for more special occasions was far more comfortable then the others they had available. Leo waited a few minutes before raising his eyes when Piper came down the stairs. "Good morning Piper. Are you ready?"
"Morning Leo. And yes, I am." Piper nodded as she distractedly smoothed her dress. Suddenly she was self-conscious, standing beside Leo with her clothing paling in comparison.
Leo smiled happily, noticing her discomfort. "I have to apologise Piper."
"Apologise?" Piper questioned in confusion.
"Yes. With everything that has been going on, I have forgotten to give you your initial bonus."
Piper's forehead creased and she shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry Leo, I don't understand. Bonus?"
"Yes. Every new employee is given an initial amount of money, they can buy a few new things or keep it for savings, it's completely up to them."
"But...you've done too much already." Piper stuttered slightly, her face blushing.
Leo laughed and began walking towards the front of the house. "It's all part of being a good employer Piper. Perhaps you would like to purchase some material at the markets, I could organise for you to have some dresses made?" Leo suggested casually, careful not to react to Piper's immediate surprise and excitement.
"That would be wonderful but not necessary. And I am more than capable of making my own dresses."
"Whatever you wish." Leo nodded and they rode to the markets in virtual silence, only a few small conversations occurring before they arrived.
"Is this it?" Piper asked cautiously.
"Yes. It's rather large isn't it?" Leo nodded, jumping out of the carriage and reaching up to Piper.
Piper gave a hesitant sigh before resting her hands on Leo's shoulders and letting him lift her to the ground. "I've never seen so many stalls." Piper whispered in amazement, shrinking back with intimidation.
"It's not so bad, you'll get used to it." Leo assured, but Piper still looked fearfully around. "What is it Piper?"
"There are just so many people. Why did you bring me here Leo?"
"I wanted you to see some of what I saw in the world. And you can buy a few new things for yourself; you've spent far too long in that house next door. You were sheltered and used and I promise not to do that to you." Leo replied honestly and Piper glanced up at him, her expression childlike.
"Why me Leo? There are plenty of people like me."
Leo laughed softly and took a deep breath. "I've been watching you since you were a little girl Piper, intrigued and fascinated. I've never met someone so strong and beautiful, you have completely captured my attention and you've held it for so long."
Piper pulled back strongly. "Is that why you hired me? You want me to be your..." Piper trailed off, fighting back the tears that welled in her eyes.
Leo gasped in response, shaking his head strongly. "No Piper! I would never...you have to believe that." He paused for a few seconds, waiting for a reaction but received none. "I love you."
Piper froze, suspended in time, her heart racing and hands trembling. "Ah...I...Leo, you can't just say that." She stuttered, quickly wiping away a single tear that escaped. "I'm your employee and that is all."
"I'm sorry Piper, but I do. I have always loved you and I think you know that. Why are you scared of me?"
"I think we should start with our purchasing." Piper avoided.
"Trust me Piper. I won't hurt you." Piper gave him a fleeting pained look before they entered the markets.
Their initial cautious and nervous interaction soon changed to casual conversation and light laughter. Leo's hand soon rested on the small of Piper's back, gently guiding her through the unfamiliar surroundings and forming a protection from the whispers that circulated. He was the young man, having suddenly become the wealthiest man in province and he was in love with a pauper. The pathetic excuse for a woman that he had saved from oblivion and was now intent on making his wife.
"Leonardo?" Leo turned to face a friend of his father's and nodded his greeting.
"Morning Sir."
"Your father would be disgusted Leo. He was a good man and he worked hard to make a wonderful life for you, he would be ashamed to see you courting such an unworthy candidate." Leo gave him a disgusted look and turned away, only to find more people gathered and staring at him accusingly.
"It's okay Piper, I don't care what they say. Lets just continue." Leo said loudly, trying to push through the crowd.
"Leo." Piper whispered, grateful when he pulled her close to his chest, an arm wrapped around her shoulders.
"A disgrace Leo! A disgrace to your father." The man repeated and Leo shook his head silently and ignored him, walking Piper back to their waiting carriage.
"Are you alright?" Leo asked gently, but Piper pulled away.
"This is why you can't love me." She stated strongly, sitting in absolute silence as they took the slow ride home.
tbc...
Leo stood nervously in front of a mirror in his room, constantly readjusting his shirt and smoothing his hair. He smiled at him self, giving a small laugh of amazement; it was just a regular trip to the markets. IBut it's with Piper/I, a voice echoed in his mind and he sighed deeply. Just the few minutes a day he was blessed to spend with her was more than enough to encourage his love. In the twelve years he'd had watched her from a distance, he had never once saw her eyes light up when she smiled. But, in just a week, he'd seen a definite light in her eyes and they were always wide and bright with happiness.
He took a deep breath and walked down the stairs, "Brendan! Bring the carriage around, we're almost ready."
"Yes Leo." He nodded in reply. "The ah...new..."
"Of course." Leo gave a soft laugh, the carriage his father had purchased just weeks ago for more special occasions was far more comfortable then the others they had available. Leo waited a few minutes before raising his eyes when Piper came down the stairs. "Good morning Piper. Are you ready?"
"Morning Leo. And yes, I am." Piper nodded as she distractedly smoothed her dress. Suddenly she was self-conscious, standing beside Leo with her clothing paling in comparison.
Leo smiled happily, noticing her discomfort. "I have to apologise Piper."
"Apologise?" Piper questioned in confusion.
"Yes. With everything that has been going on, I have forgotten to give you your initial bonus."
Piper's forehead creased and she shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry Leo, I don't understand. Bonus?"
"Yes. Every new employee is given an initial amount of money, they can buy a few new things or keep it for savings, it's completely up to them."
"But...you've done too much already." Piper stuttered slightly, her face blushing.
Leo laughed and began walking towards the front of the house. "It's all part of being a good employer Piper. Perhaps you would like to purchase some material at the markets, I could organise for you to have some dresses made?" Leo suggested casually, careful not to react to Piper's immediate surprise and excitement.
"That would be wonderful but not necessary. And I am more than capable of making my own dresses."
"Whatever you wish." Leo nodded and they rode to the markets in virtual silence, only a few small conversations occurring before they arrived.
"Is this it?" Piper asked cautiously.
"Yes. It's rather large isn't it?" Leo nodded, jumping out of the carriage and reaching up to Piper.
Piper gave a hesitant sigh before resting her hands on Leo's shoulders and letting him lift her to the ground. "I've never seen so many stalls." Piper whispered in amazement, shrinking back with intimidation.
"It's not so bad, you'll get used to it." Leo assured, but Piper still looked fearfully around. "What is it Piper?"
"There are just so many people. Why did you bring me here Leo?"
"I wanted you to see some of what I saw in the world. And you can buy a few new things for yourself; you've spent far too long in that house next door. You were sheltered and used and I promise not to do that to you." Leo replied honestly and Piper glanced up at him, her expression childlike.
"Why me Leo? There are plenty of people like me."
Leo laughed softly and took a deep breath. "I've been watching you since you were a little girl Piper, intrigued and fascinated. I've never met someone so strong and beautiful, you have completely captured my attention and you've held it for so long."
Piper pulled back strongly. "Is that why you hired me? You want me to be your..." Piper trailed off, fighting back the tears that welled in her eyes.
Leo gasped in response, shaking his head strongly. "No Piper! I would never...you have to believe that." He paused for a few seconds, waiting for a reaction but received none. "I love you."
Piper froze, suspended in time, her heart racing and hands trembling. "Ah...I...Leo, you can't just say that." She stuttered, quickly wiping away a single tear that escaped. "I'm your employee and that is all."
"I'm sorry Piper, but I do. I have always loved you and I think you know that. Why are you scared of me?"
"I think we should start with our purchasing." Piper avoided.
"Trust me Piper. I won't hurt you." Piper gave him a fleeting pained look before they entered the markets.
Their initial cautious and nervous interaction soon changed to casual conversation and light laughter. Leo's hand soon rested on the small of Piper's back, gently guiding her through the unfamiliar surroundings and forming a protection from the whispers that circulated. He was the young man, having suddenly become the wealthiest man in province and he was in love with a pauper. The pathetic excuse for a woman that he had saved from oblivion and was now intent on making his wife.
"Leonardo?" Leo turned to face a friend of his father's and nodded his greeting.
"Morning Sir."
"Your father would be disgusted Leo. He was a good man and he worked hard to make a wonderful life for you, he would be ashamed to see you courting such an unworthy candidate." Leo gave him a disgusted look and turned away, only to find more people gathered and staring at him accusingly.
"It's okay Piper, I don't care what they say. Lets just continue." Leo said loudly, trying to push through the crowd.
"Leo." Piper whispered, grateful when he pulled her close to his chest, an arm wrapped around her shoulders.
"A disgrace Leo! A disgrace to your father." The man repeated and Leo shook his head silently and ignored him, walking Piper back to their waiting carriage.
"Are you alright?" Leo asked gently, but Piper pulled away.
"This is why you can't love me." She stated strongly, sitting in absolute silence as they took the slow ride home.
tbc...