“A-Are you in p-pain?” I heard him say.

“No, Your Grace, thank you.” I smiled, slightly stretching my neck to gaze at him. “I believe you’ve rescued me three times now.”

“A-Are you c-counting?”

“I am counting my debt to you, Your Grace. If I wouldn’t be your wife now, I would’ve had a big hole in my pockets,” I joked sourly.

His eyes sparkled in the warm afternoon light. “Y-you attract t-trouble, My Lady.”

“Well, it’s hardly my fault Lord Tinley noticed me or that my aunt is as wicked as they come,” I pressed my mouth into a hard line.

“A-And that p-poor hole in t-the ground is t-to be f-faulted too?” He feigned curiosity, but the tone of his voice was riddled with amusement.

“Are you trying to be funny, Your Grace? Because I must tell you, it isn’t working.”

“T-Than why a-are you s-smiling?” He tilted his head, whilst his eyes lowered to my twitching lips.

As a strike of lighting, it dawned on me how close he was. Anxious tremors traveled down my spine as I desperately tried to regain my composure. “What is his name?” I focused on the horse’s thick, silky mane. As I ran my fingers through its smooth well-maintained hair, I could feel myself instantly calming down.

“Erebus,” he leaned forward to caress the stallion’s neck.

“Named by a god of darkness?” I snapped my head toward him and almost collided with his chin.

“Y-You know G-Greek mythology?” He asked with surprise.

“Well, I am an educated woman, You Grace,” my cheeks reddened as I sensed his scrutinizing, yet gentle gaze on me. “And my mother is Greek, she always loved to talk about gods and goddesses.”

The yearning in my voice must’ve given away how much I’ve missed her for his hand tightened around my waist. The movement was barely noticeable – not imposing but a slight gesture of support and sympathy. “You must be v-very fond of h-her.”

I bit my lip, pondering if I should bring up what resided in my thoughts. “I talked with Lord Stanley and he mentioned you were very close to your parents. I am very sorry for your loss.”

“T-They were g-good people, I l-loved them v-very much.”

There was an undeniable sorrow when he spoke, the kind that almost made me reach out and console him.

“How did they pass; if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Their c-carriage was a-attacked by a group of b-bandits. By the time the n-news reached our e-estate it was a-already too late.”

Bitterness hit me like a wave angrily crashing against the whiteness of the limestone. The sole thought of my loved ones being murdered made my eyes prickle with tears. “Were they ever caught?

I could feel him shake his head. “There w-was no trace, n-no clue that c-could help us i-identify the attackers. S-Stanley and I s-swept the surroundings o-over and over, but c-couldn’t find a-any lead. The took m-money and a-about everything t-they could c-carry.”

This heart wrenching occurrence was too common on remote roads.

“I w-wish I w-was there t-to save them,” he added quietly. “I f-feel like I’ve f-failed t-them.”

“Your Grace, you couldn’t have known what will happen! And you would only get killed. No parent wish to see their child suffer.”

This time I put my hand over his and gave him a gentle squeeze. “Besides,” I nudged him, hoping to make him smile again. “I would’ve never had the honor to become your wife.”

The soft puff of air caressed my earlobe when he chuckled quietly. “T-the honor. I a-am certain t-that is t-the case.”

We arrived at his estate and I felt a small pang of uncertainty at the thought of the divide between us. Will it be growing further or will we be able to escape its clutches?

Baxter jumped off his horse then once again carefully swept me into his arms. He kept a slow pace as though worried about making any sudden movements and hurting me.

“Miss!” Janine squeaked anxiously the second we reached my chambers. “Are you alright?”

“I am fine, thank you Janine - for fetching help.” I sent her a grateful fleeting smile, but my eyes were trained on Baxter who was about to leave.

“I-If you n-need anything, s-sent Janine t-to get m-me, all r-right?”

“You’re leaving?”

It was as if my lips had a life of their own. The words that flooded out of my mouth made him pause. He seemed conflicted, with his brows snapped together and his eyes rounded with awe.

“I…” He appeared taken aback. “Y-You would l-like me t-to stay?” It was a question filled with uncertainty and wonder.

But I didn’t want him to feel pressured into staying. “Only if you wish.”

While my words came out slowly, his were fast – almost too fast.

“Yes,” he tried to hide his deepening blush with a cough as he covered his mouth. “I m-mean. I-I would, M-my Lady.”

I patted the spot next to me, encouraging him to sit down. I observed his robotic-like motions and evident hesitation as he proceeded to move forth.

“I don’t bite, Your Grace,” I let a tinge of humour seep into my otherwise serious tone.

He looked completely horrified as he sat beside me, his posture stiffer than a board. For God’s sake it seemed as though he was barely breathing. My eyes darted down to his twitching hands and back to his nervous gaze.

“Your Grace? You mustn’t hold your breath any longer.”

Baxter’s lips twitched slightly. “T-that’s an a-astute observation, M-my Lady – I s-should not.”

“Enough with My Lady, it’s awfully formal. We are married after all, aren’t we?”

“A-All right… L-Lady?” He scratched his head with confusion.

I couldn’t help but laugh at him. “Oh, Heavens, Your Grace. Please just call me Ashlyn.”

His face turned crimson when he probed the word on his tongue. “A-Ashlyn?”

I nodded, satisfied. “Yes, that’s much better.”

“T-Then I h-have to i-insist that y-you call m-me Baxter.”

“Well then... Baxter, I don’t want us to ignore each other anymore. I want us to try and be friends, can we do that?”

His smile turned so bright akin to a child’s when opening a gift on an early Christmas morning. “I-I would b-be glad, M-my Lady. Ashlyn,” he hastily corrected his mistake.

So just like that I’ve opened a new chapter in my life and for the first time after the wedding I felt relieved. I was through with crying, through with self-pity and mostly done with looking back at everything I had lost as it won’t change my fate. So instead of being stuck in the moment, I decided to burry a hatched with my husband.