Chapter 33

Danielle's feet were hurting. She had run all this way in her stocking feet, forgetting that she had taken off her shoes. She had taken off in such a hurry that she hadn't realized that until just now. She was silly to have run so far so quickly, giving no consideration to anyone's feelings, but her own. She had been selfish, foolish and arrogant. She shouldn't have run no matter what.

She sat down by the riverbank and rubbed her hands over her feet to soothe them. She didn't know why, but she felt like crying. The engagement with Alex was over and she had initiated it. She had no future and didn't want to pin all her hopes on Henry. Perhaps she could go somewhere and make a new start.

"Danielle, there you are. I've been searching all over for you."

She looked up a little startled. She didn't expect anyone to be there.

"Henry?" she asked, a little more than surprised. "How did you know where I was?"

Henry smiled and sat down on the sand beside her. "You always come here, Danielle, I know that much. I always knew it. I used to follow you, remember?"

Danielle sighed. "You and Alex. He just told me not too long ago."

Henry nodded. "I know that too, Danielle, but his reasons differ from mine. Vivienne put him up to it. She thinks the chateau belongs to her and not to you. She thinks that Thérèse is hiding something."

"So she had me followed?"

Henry nodded. "To see what was up and to see if her suspicions were correct. They are going to say that the will drawn up by your father is invalid, that Auguste didn't know what he was saying. They want to prove that Thérèse is crazy and that you were nothing but a servant who tried to take the property away from the rightful owners, namely Phillippe and Vivienne."

"That's why she was trying to find those papers, Danielle."

"Well, they are her sisters, aren't they?"

"Yes, in laws. But she is your godmother, Danielle. Her best friends were your mother and mine. Your father realized too late what a selfish person Rodmilla really was and confided in Thérèse to take you in."

Danielle looked at him. "I know that. Thérèse explained that to me." She continued.

"You know, you're telling me about Alex and his parent's intentions, but you haven't told me yours, Henry. You said they differed from Alexandre's."

Henry blushed a little. "Well, Alex did fall in love with you, but came to his senses a little late. When he did, he was going to break the whole engagement off."

"I did that, Henry. I couldn't marry someone I didn't love."

Henry smiled. "Neither could I, Danielle. That's why I'm here to tell you that I love you. I've loved you ever since we first met. Remember, I called you an angel. Always reminded me of one, even to this day. Oh and to deliver this." He held up the one shoe. "You left this behind. I had two of them but I dropped one. Not sure where."

Danielle took the shoe and looked at it. "My feet are a little tired and sore." She looked at the shoe. "Never mind about the other one."

Henry smiled. "Have you heard anything I said? Or are you just interested in that shoe."

Danielle put the shoe down and looked up. "I always loved you Henry. I've always believed what you said to me when we were children about getting married. I've wanted that my whole life. But this servant business keeps getting in the way."

"My father has kept us apart for too long, Danielle. Truth be told, I thought that you loved Alex and hadn't forgiven me for what I had done to you." He took her hands in his.

"I need you, Danielle. I want you to be my princess always."

"What about your father?"

"I think my father realizes that he made a mistake and he is trying to rectify that. That's why everyone's at the manor."

Danielle stared at him. "Everyone?"

"My mother sent for my father and Vivienne, Isabel and Phillippe came with them. Seems that Auguste left some papers with him. There were two sets, just in case Vivienne and Isabel tried anything, there would be another set to prove them wrong."

He looked at her, smiling slightly. "You haven't answered my question."

"And what was that?" she said, her brown eyes gazing into his. She was smiling.

Henry looked into her eyes and at her face. She was lovely and really did look like an angel. "I forgot," he whispered moving in closer. "Something about spending the rest of our lives together."

And he kissed her, but it was not to last.

"Danielle," a voice called. "Henry, you have to come back to the manor now.

Henry turned around to see Laurent standing there.

"How did you find us?"

Alex told me where you were. He's a bit tied up at the moment. Something's happened. We need you both at the manor. I'll explain on the way."