Their carriage has arrived. He gave her a hand for her to get inside. The whole walk to the carriage was silent. No words were spoken even after he got inside with her, sitting on the opposite side, looking though the window.

"We will stop at my home first." She said to the drivers, as he finally looked at her, brows raised in question.

"I have to grab the issue first." She explained and he looked away once again.

The whole drive he did not say anything. He did not even look at her. He was blindly staring at the window, feeling like he wanted to escape and at the same time to stay there with her forever. He felt her stare at him from time to time. Never once he gave in to look at her though.

She was simply happy he at least got in the same carriage as her. She wished he would look at her. Glancing at him from time to time she saw how deep he was in his own thoughts. But she was too scared to even let those thoughts start flourishing in her own mind. She was trying to think how much she would have to change in the upcoming issue. All of this was so new. Him invading her personal space of the carriage and her way of thoughts.

And suddenly they were near her house. She simply reached to open the door, as he did it first and got out, holding his hand out to help her. Was he coming with her? It felt like a translucent mirror was between them as she got out. Like she was looking at him, but not really seeing him. He was walking not even near her, but behind her. All the way to her room.

As she opened the door, she looked up at him, only to meet for their souls to meet for the first time since ballroom. She walked into the room, as she heard him walking behind her and closing the door. She didn't turn around to watch him, she simply walked to her hiding stop and got everything she would need. As she walked past him their heat met once again and she had to take a deep breath to continue walking and not stop and tell him everything that was on her mind. She heard him closing the door and walking behind her again. Somewhere down the hall she heard her mother's voice. She stopped so rapidly that he crashed into her back.

She was frozen for a second there. Coming to her senses, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the opposite direction. They took a few turns and took another exit only to end up in the back of the garden.

"What's the plan?" He suddenly asked whispering in her ear. That took her by surprised, a shiver run down her spine.

"Wait, soon we can go." She answered, as she looked up to the windows.

He just stood there, not letting go of her hand all that time. Both of them listening to each other breathing, heart beating and night wind blowing.

As the sounds in the house got quieter, she kept walking back to the carriage. Not letting of his hand. Not looking at him. Feeling his body near hers, walking in sync.

As they got into the carriage, she took an empty piece of paper and started rewriting her new issue. He instantly missed having her hand in his. Now he was not able to take his eyes off of her. She felt him watching her and it was so incredibly hard not to talk to him, not to look up, to get her thoughts together to write it in the limited time she had on that ride.

He was mesmerized watching her write so easily and so quickly. His mind wondering to the places he never would think possible. She looked marvelous, so passionate while so focused. He noticed how she smiled each time her pen touched the paper. He was sure he looked much different when he was writing lately.

He watched her all the time she wrote that new issue, sometimes looking up to the window, but never to him. She looked alluring to him. Seeing her like that made him once again believe he should never stand in her way. But something… just something in her eyes shining reminded him of how she looked at him. Did she truly look at him with the same captivating look? Every time she said 'I love you', every time she threw her loving glare at him.

He was deeply enchanted watching at her, as he suddenly noticed her put her pen down and take a happily deep breath that felt like a success of the biggest kind. His mouth opened, as his brows rose in a exquisite wonder.

And right there and then the carriage stopped. Their eyes met once again, as she looked up at him, a small encouraging smile forming on his face. The one that reached his eyes. The one that reached his heart, his soul really.

He reached out and opened the door once again, as he held his hand to help her get out. She was unbelievably surprised by the change she witnessed in him after this drive. He walked with her, as she knocked on the door of the printed and he stand there in the dark waiting for her. That moment awoke a bitter-sweet feeling inside of him. He could not process his feelings right now beyond that he was deeply proud and simply happy to be a witness of such a perfection of a creator about whom everybody will talk about tomorrow. But something at the bottom of his soul was still bitter more than sweet. Was it an envy? Was that a jealousy? Was that the hidden fear of what was in that issue? Was that a bigger horror of her being uncovered and their name being potentially ruined?

As the printer door closed, she looked at him. Many of her own questions running in her own head. Some insecurity was reflecting in her eyes, as he guided her back to the carriage.

The drive started silent yet again. She was sick of these confusing feelings inside her, as she gathered her courage and asked.

"Are you even going to say something?"

"What am I supposed to say?" He looked at her with confused look.

"Anything. Anything! But at least something." It almost felt like a plea.

"I don't have anything to share as of now." He murmured, looking back to the window.

"Are you going to call of the wedding?" She asked not being able to look at him now.

"What? No." He was so surprised by that question, his eyes flew to hers instantly. He waited for her to look at him, as he continued. "We were… intimate, so no." He saw the look of slight disappointment on her face as he decided to add. "But not even because of that."

The long pause was shared as both of them let those words sink in.

"I simply need more time." He said looking down.

"The wedding is in a week." She said in a high voice. They both can hear her tears in her words.

"I am aware of that." He nodded still looking down.

"But what this marriage even be?" She asked whispering.

"We will see after the wedding." He said and looked up at her with an attempt of smile, trying to reassure both himself and her.

"Colin…" She started, the look of fear and plea on her face.

"Do not look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like… like… that…" He could not take it anymore. Quickly he moved to her side of the carriage, putting an arm around her, pulling her close. They both released deep inhales. He kissed her hair lightly and said.

"Thank you for asking me to go with you. It truly means a lot."