As Emily approached the park, her nerves grew. Not only was it the first time she willingly met a man whom she had feelings for, but it also happened to be while she was promised to another. If anyone found out….
She walked through the gates and down the brick path towards the back of the park that held the gazebo. The light of the sunset danced off her ruby necklace, her hair which was only half up slightly shifting from the breeze.
The gazebo was surrounded by hedges, aside from the edge that faced the pond. Once they were small, offering some nice decoration, but as the years went on, the hedges grew taller and offered more privacy to those who wished for it. The other side of the pond held nothing but wooded area, so unless someone walked through the opening in the hedges, or wasted their time walking through the woods, they'd have no idea who was in the gazebo.
Emily approached the opening in the hedges, adjusted her necklace and tried to fix her hair which had been tousled by the breeze. She took a deep breath and walked through.
Lord Barkis stood at the ponds edge, looking at the sunset that twinkled through the trees. Emily approached his side and stood there, but he didn't seem to notice. He seemed too engrossed in the beauty of the sunset.
Emily took her hand and entwined her fingers with his. His stature tensed, evidently startled by her sudden presence, but then he relaxed and gently tightened his grasp on her hand, his eyes never leaving the tree line.
Emily looked at the sunset. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" She leaned his head on his shoulder as she said this.
He finally broke his trance and turned to face her. "I think I can say I have," He smirked flirtatiously. "Come, I have wine in the gazebo."
He led her by the hand to the old wooden structure that had become a little uneven over the years. The paint that coated the aged wood had slowly weathered away from the changing desons, revealing the rough corners that lay beneath.
Lord Barkis had lain a blanket on the gazebos floor to protect them from the many splinters in its surface, a wine bottle in its center. "Please," he said. "Sit."
She obliged with a smile and he opened the already loosened cork in the bottle. "I'm afraid I haven't any glasses, so we'll have to drink from the spout like savages."
Emily chuckled. "That's alright. Glasses are overrated."
He took a sip and passed it to her. "It's your favorite."
Emily took the bottle and was surprised to feel that it was warmed. She took a sip of her own and to her surprise, strong notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove hit her tongue. "Spiced wine? I wouldn't say it's my favorite, but it's nice for a brisk night like this. It's a close second."
Lord Barkis chuckled. "Well, I hardly figured it was actually your favorite, but I did assume it to be a safe bet."
"And for once, an assumption that proves fruitful." Emily placed the bottle between them and looked back at what was left of the sunset. "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?"
He smirked and looked down at the coin he had taken out of his pocket. "I might have."
Emily blushed as he started making the coin dance between his fingers.
Emily positioned herself so she was facing Lord Barkis. "Why do you play with that coin so much?"
He stopped. "Pardon?"
"Well, every time I see you, that coin is dancing between your fingers or spinning on a pub table. Why is that?"
He lay down on his side, propping himself up on an elbow and studied the coin. He then gave it to Emily to inspect closer and it was just a random coin, it was a gold piece.
"When I was just a boy," he started, "I lived in a house very much like yours. Giant rooms full of servants, balls and parties held every fortnight. My father owned quite a large company and we lived off of that wealth for a long while. Unfortunately, after my mother passed, my father started spending his time in the pubs and gambling. His gambling addiction grew and so did his debts. He spent out whole fortune and it put the company under. We were losing more from his embezzling than we were making in profits. He had no choice but to sell. With our money gone, he had no choice but to sell the house. Of course, once we were paid, he spent that as well, but it was enough for me to find work. Just odd jobs here and there, but it was enough to get by. But that coin…," he took the coin back from Emily and looked at it fondly. "…this coin was given to me by my mother on my 16th birthday. The last of the Bittern fortune. I'd never spend it for it's my only connection to what was and what I hope will be again."
Emily sighed, feeling utterly sympathetic. "And what of your father?"
"Father probably drank himself to death. Once I could afford my own place, I moved out on my own. Last I knew he was begging on the street, trying to get enough to buy more spirits."
"I'm sorry." Emily said.
"It's not your fault. Life for me tends to be unfortunate."
"How do you mean?"
He sat up. "First my father sells our company, wastes our fortune, we end up on the street. Then the next thing I know, the one woman I've ever felt anything for is set to marry the man who bought my father's company."
Emily was stunned. Firstly, by the fact Lord Barkis had said he had feeling for her. Whoa. Secondly, he stated that Lex was the one who bought his father's company? "That's impossible. He said he didn't know why the old owner lost the company"
"Well, he lied." Lord Barkis snapped. He immediately had a look of regret on his face. "I do apologize, love. Lex Hampshire used to be my friend. He watched my father addiction ruin his life and mine along with it. When I asked for help from him, he turned me away like a common beggar. 'Like father, like son' he'd say."
Emily was furious that Lex had lied to her. However, confronting him wasn't an option as he'd know she was meeting another man behind his back. She just could never trust him again. Lying to make himself appear in a positive light? How horrendous.
Lord Barkis sipped from the wine bottle and scooted closer to Emily until his face was mere inches from hers. He cupped his hand on her cheek. "And as for his betrothal…it means nothing to me."
Then he kissed her. At first it caught Emily off guard with her not knowing what to do. Then she closed her eyes and let it happen. His lips against hers felt as soft and plump as she imagined. They tasted vaguely of cinnamon, remnants from the wine he had drank. She lost herself in his kiss so much that when he pulled away, she wished he hadn't.
She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "It doesn't matter to me either."
Just then, a twig snapped by the opening in the hedges. Emily and Lord Barkis flung their heads around in the direction of the noise. All Emily saw was a lock of golden hair disappearing behind the bushes.
