*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much. Thank-you for your patience in waiting for this chapter. I had company last week and I was giving them my full attention but I am back now.*
Della quietly walked into the front door of her small cottage, smelling the rose that Roman gave to her stuck in a daze, a smile glued on her face. She danced and hummed to her bedroom trying not to wake up her Papa but she was incredibly happy to have spent time with Roman knowing she would be spending more time with him. "La, la, da, la," she sang as she smelled the rose and danced around her bedroom.
"Della," whispered her younger sister Adelle. "Where was you?" she questioned.
"I was out having a wonderful time," she danced before she sat down on her bed laying the rose by her pillow. "I had a wonderful night."
"Are you crazy?" asked Adelle, "what if Papa had come to check on us?" she asked, "and you were gone?"
"I haven't thought of that," she answered. "I was with the most wonderful guy I have ever met."
"Lord Reigns?" she asked in a whisper. "Didn't Papa tell you to stay away from Lord Reigns?"
"You can't stay away from your soulmate. I believe Lord Reigns is my soulmate," she smiled as she took her hair out of the bun allowing her dark hair to fall to her waist. "He is so gentle and kind. He's a wonderful man. He gave me this rose and he wants to go for a walk every night. He doesn't want to be the man he is and I don't want to be a farmer's wife."
"Do you think he loves you?" she whispered. "Do you think someone like you or me could be the wife of an Earl?"
"I hope one day," she said smiling as she thought about her walk with Roman.
"It seems impossible," said Adelle. "It seems foolish."
"It is NOT foolish!" she snapped, "and anything is possible when it comes to love."
"Della," she said. "I don't know. I am not certain his affections are the same as yours."
"You don't know him, Adelle. He is much different than other men. He has a heart and he has dreams to be the man he wants to be," she responded.
"I am still uncertain and if Papa demanded you stay away there is some reason," she said.
"Because Papa wants to control my life, Adelle, he wishes for me to marry a farmer's son, a man that has no option but to be a farmer like he did to Abigail. I don't want that life. I could really have something special with Roman. Lord Reigns could make me happy."
"You are a farmer's daughter, Della. What do you know about the social classes of an Earl let alone to be an Earl's wife? Girls like us, Della we aren't ladies. We work in the fields, we pick corn, we milk cows and we collect the eggs. We don't attend balls and masquerades. That's not who we are."
"That's what Papa wants you to believe, Adelle, but we are more than a farmer's daughter. Love is love you can't stop who you fall in love with. If true love is there then a farmer's daughter can become a lady."
"But it wouldn't be accepted in society, Della. Look around," she said. "This is who you are you can't believe Lord Reigns truly cares about you."
"Adelle, you don't know. You have no idea how wonderful he is and how sweet he is," she said.
"Della, I don't want to see him hurt you," she warned.
"He won't hurt me, he cares a great deal for me," she said before she changed into her nightgown. "You will see," she promised before climbing into her bed. She smelled the rose one last time before she fell asleep in the moonlight, dreaming of a life with Roman.
The next morning as the sun shined into the kitchen of Lady Tennyson's home Lord Reigns joined his mother for breakfast. "Good morning, Darling," said his mother.
"Good morning, Mother," he said before kissing her cheek. He sat down at the table across from her. "Did you have a good rest?"
"It was wonderful," she answered as the servants brought him some tea with eggs and bread. "You were out late last night," she pointed out. "You didn't return to the late hours."
"I was on an adventure, Mother," he said.
"An adventure of seducing another young maiden?" she asked before taking a sip of her tea.
"I haven't seduced anyone, Mother," he said.
"When are you going to give up that life, Roman? No father is going to allow their young daughter to marry a man with your reputation. I believe your father told you to cease the seduction of young maidens and I do not disagree with him. You should not turn out like your father."
"Mother," he smiled, "I am not seducing any young maiden."
"I should hope not with your chance to take Lady Amelia as your wife. Do not forget the ball is tonight."
"I know, Mother. I will not disappoint you or anyone," he said. "I will be in attendance and I will make sure Lady Amelia falls for me."
"It should not be complicated," she smiled. "You're a very handsome man any woman would be lucky to have you take them as a bride but your lifestyle of philandering must stop. Do you want to have bastard children like your father, or have your wife resent you as much as I resent your father?"
"Mother, if love is not a factor how can one resent another?" he asked as he buttered his bread.
"That is true," she responded. "I just want for you to be happy and find happiness."
"Of course you do, Mother," he responded as he began to eat his breakfast.
Following breakfast Roman went to his bedchamber where he was dressed by his abigail in a pair of dark brown breeches, a beige shirt covering his shirt sleeves and a navy blue overcoat. Roman's abigail brushed his hair into a low ponytail before she helped him with his boots. Roman descended down the staircase of his home and ventured outside to find Della. He traveled through the courtyard and looked out into the fields. Farmer Helmsley; Della's father was working out in the fields but Della wasn't with him. Roman smiled at his chance to find Della alone. He made his way to the barn and found Della in the stables tending to the horses. "Good morning," he said as he stood in the doorway as she tended one of his favorite brown and white horses. He stood watching her as she brushed the horse, her dark hair pulled into a bun, she wore a patchwork overcoat to keep her warm and her floral patchwork skirt fell to the ground covering her feet.
Della turned around with a smile on her face as she saw Roman standing in the doorway of the stable. "Good morning, Roman," she said.
"How are you this morning?" he asked.
"Wonderful," she said as she laid down the brush. "How are you?" she asked as she came toward him. She was a beautiful delicate sight, her blue eyes filled with innocence. She reminded Roman of a porcelain doll with her perfect features, her beautiful rounded nose with a few freckles on it and her soft pink pouty lips. He remembered the feel of them and was anxious for the feeling of them around his cock. Della was a prize he was ready to unwrap, ready to mark. Seeing Della he had the natural instinct to mate, ravish her, destroy her.
"Wonderful now that I have seen you. I was searching for you. I didn't see you working in the fields with your Papa."
"Papa told me to tend to the animals today while he worked in the fields. I have been cleaning up after the animals, collecting eggs from the chickens and milking the cows," she told him causing Roman to nearly growl at the thought of her tiny hands milking a cow, him fantasizing her tiny hand wrapped around his cock. He felt his cock stir to life in his breeches.
"So we are alone it seems," he smiled.
"So we are," she smiled. He moved closer to her, closing the gap between them, he took her into his arms, leaned down brushing his full lips against hers before kissing her softly, hypnotizing her with his charms by a soft kiss. She sunk into the kiss and softened in his arms. He wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her tighter against his firm body, her full breasts pressing against his chest. Della wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him softly, returning his passion with her own. She had never felt such burning intensity in her soul. Roman was the one, she was certain.
He broke the kiss leaving her weak and breathless. She composed herself as he began to speak. "I want you, Della," he said.
"You want me?" she asked confused, her face flushed.
"Yes, you," he said with a smile as he brushed a piece of hair out of her face. He gave her a soft smile as he took in her innocent beauty. "I want to make you mine but you know society will never allow it. I wish…"
"You wish I was a Lady?" she asked. "I often wish to be a lady as well or a princess."
"You are a princess," he said with a smile. "My princess, I wish the walls of society would accept you and I," he said. "Accept our passion, what we feel, accept us. I wish there was something we could do to be together."
"We could run away together, no one would ever know," she suggested foolishly.
"I could run away with you," he pondered as he brushed his finger over her soft lips, "but it would be too risky for you but I would love to make you my wife someday. Picture it, Della," he said wrapping his arm around her tiny waist, placing one of his hands in the air. "You and I would live in a cottage together, share a residence. You would be free of being a farmer's daughter and I would be free of being an Earl. We would have no titles just you and me together a family. We would have children and you would be my wife, just picture it, Della."
"Roman," she said.
"It would be beautiful wouldn't it?" he pressed. "You as my wife, no more farm work, the only job you would have would be to take care of me and our children."
"It would be beautiful but is it possible?" she asked.
"Of course it is possible," he said. "Would you enjoy that life?"
"Very much so," she said with a smile. "I would be your wife?"
"So to speak yes," he said, "but you know how life is. I could never actually take you as my wife the church would never allow it, society would never allow it."
"So I wouldn't really be your wife?"
"I would love you as such and call you as such," he smiled. "What is a ring? What is a ceremony when our hearts feel what's true? A ring can't keep what's in my heart for you. Would you love to live that life?" he asked.
"Of course I would," she responded with a smile. "Are you asking me to be your wife?"
"I believe I am," he answered with a smile. "Of course we would not truly be married but my heart would belong to you. Do I have your heart, Della?"
"Of course," she said with a smile. He leaned down and kissed her softly and sweetly. She cupped his cheek with her tiny hand as she kissed him back.
"We'll find you a cottage," he promised with a smile. "A home for you and me." He kissed her cheek and left her to tend to the horses. Della's heart swelled with affection for the man she would spend the rest of her life with. She hummed as she tended to the horses and the rest of her day was spent with happiness as thoughts of her future with Roman filled her mind.
"You seem joyful," said her father on their walk through the woods to their home.
"It was a good day, Papa," she said with a smile as they passed by the garden she and Roman visited the night before. "A really good day."
"I'm pleased to hear that," he smiled. "Your Mama and I were talking last night," he said.
"Yes?" she questioned.
"We believe that it is time for you to be a wife," he said. "You're 8 and 10 it is only fitting for you to find a husband to become a bride. I have a farmer's son in mind for you," he began.
"Aw, Papa, I don't want to marry a farmer's son and if I must then I won't marry at all. I will be unwed the rest of my life."
"You will not become a spinster, you will marry," he said.
"You cannot force me to marry, Papa besides my heart will always belong to another."
"Della, not that self-confident, arrogant Lord Reigns," he rolled his eyes. "he is not the man for you. He does not feel the same."
"You do not know him, Papa the way I know him," she let it slip.
"I forbade you to see him, to have any parts of that man! If you cannot follow my rules I will bring Adelle with me to work while you stay home to tend to the children. Do I need to do that?" he questioned.
"No, Papa, I will stay away. I promise," she said but she knew it would never be possible to stay away from Roman, he had her heart, he had promised her a life with him. She could not stay away.
Later that evening Roman arrived at the ball in search of Lady Amelia. He found her surrounded by other men that wished for her hand in marriage. She was dressed in a light blue gown, that hugged her body, her breasts plump and the top of her breasts showing from the top of her gown. Her blonde hair was knotted into a bun on the top of her head. Her gloves matched her light blue gown and they brought out the color of her eyes. She was more worldly than Della. She knew what extravagance was and knew the pressures of society to marry someone with rank but she was not more beautiful than Della. Amelia had the intelligence that Della didn't as she went to the best boarding schools in London while Della was taught at home by her mother. They were two different women and yet Roman wanted them both but knew in society he could only have one. He pushed his way through the crowd of men catching the eyes of his future wife. She smiled and curtsied at his presence. "My Lady," he said taking her hand into his.
"My Lord," she smiled as he bowed to her and kissed her gloved hand. "A pleasure."
"The pleasure is all mine," he said with a smile. "Shall we dance?"
"Of course," she said with a smile as he guided her to the ballroom floor as a soft waltz began to play. He took her into his arms and they began to dance. "I didn't expect your presence tonight," she said.
"Why is that?" he asked.
"Because I know these gatherings are not your idea of a good time."
"That is true," he responded, "but I am enjoying my time seeing you," he said as he twirled her around making her smile. "Remember when we were children?"
"Of course I remember," she responded, "you were one of my dearest friends until I went to boarding school. I have to admit something to you," she said with a smile.
"Yes?" he prodded.
"I have always had a crush on you. I know our parents have always planned for our futures as husband and wife but my father wanted me to make the choice. My feelings for you, Reigns have not changed. I still have a crush on you," she said shyly.
"Interesting," he said before he twirled her again. "I have always been taken by you," he said with a smile.
"Truly?"
"Truly," he smiled.
"I think you made my choice much simpler," she smiled before she kissed his cheek.
"Well, we know what our parents would like," he smiled. "And I believe that I would like what they want you as my wife, Amelia. Would you be my wife?"
"Yes, Reigns," she said with a smile. "I'll be your wife." Roman smiled and continued to dance with his future bride as their parents watched on.
"Amelia seems so smitten with Roman," said Lady Tennyson. "I believe a wedding is in their future."
"I hope you're right," said Amelia's father; Lord Cunningham with a smile as he watched his daughter dance with Lord Reigns, he couldn't help but to see the love in her eyes and the joy on her face he was happy for his daughter and the payoff for Roman to marry her was well worth the happiness.
*A/N: What did you think of Adelle's and Della's conversation about Lord Reigns? Should Della listen to her younger sister? Does Della seem to be in a fantasy world when it comes to Lord Reigns or just blinded by his charms? What did you think of Lord Reigns promising Della a life with him, will she ever truly have the life she wishes with him? What about him finding her a cottage? What do you think of Della's father finding a man for her to marry? What did you think of Della's response? What did you think of Lord Reigns' interaction with Lady Amelia, how can he take Amelia as a wife and promise Della the life of having her as a wife? What are your thoughts? Does he truly care for both Della and Amelia or is it the idea of them that pleases him? Please review and thank-you for reading.