Rory:

I sat in my study, a glass of whisky in my hand as I cast my mind back on the day. I watched the amber liquid whirling around the crystal tumbler, shimmering in the dim light of the fire.

"I have others to do that for me." Why had I said it? Heck it wasn't even true! And why on earth had I winked at the girl afterwards? I had noticed the nervousness in her eyes and body when we stepped foot inside the house but it had taken me a moment to figure out why she was so worried, when I realised she thought she was going to have to share my bed I almost laughed. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind, for heaven's sake this was Cecilia, I wasn't going to lie with her solely because society told us to consummate our marriage.

Even so, I thought, it wasn't really necessary to imply I had mistresses at my beck and call. I would never wish to inflict that degradation upon sort of any woman, regardless of the fact that I despised the girl, I wouldn't humiliate her in such a way, but then again, isn't that exactly what I'd just done? I let out a growl of bitter resentment, why did I even care whether I had hurt the chit's feelings or not?

I threw the remaining contents of my glass down my throat letting the familiar burning sensation numb my spiralling mind. I got up from my armchair and left the warm study for the cold bed that was awaiting me. I climbed the stairs tiredly, loosening my cravat from my throat where it was threatening to choke me before opening the door to my room and wandering over to the bed.

The maids had lit a fire in the grate opposite the large and intricately designed bed and two oil lamps in the room illuminated the place, allowing me to see what I was doing. I changed into my nightshirt and was about to climb into my bed when I noticed a small indentation in the left side of the bed.

The sheets had crumpled around the dip as if someone had been recently sitting there. I frowned in confusion, I lifted my eyes to search around the room for anything out of order or missing, my eyes falling upon the slightly ajar door that connected my room to Cecilia's. What the devil? I padded over to the door, pushing it open further. Flames flickered in her hearth and her oil lamp still burned by the side of her bed. I walked closer to her bed, drawn to her by some ungovernable force.

I moved around to the side of her bed and turned the lamp off, stupid girl forgetting to turn off her lamp, she could've set the whole place alight, I scolded her in my mind. I turned my head to observe her face in the glimmering firelight as it cast delicate shadows across her face.

In the crepuscular light she looked angelic, her skin pale and smooth, her hair messily plaited to the side, her eyelashes brushing against her porcelain skin lightly. Her lips were ever so slightly parted as she breathed a steady, gentle rhythm against the sheets.

As I looked closer I noticed rivulets of silent tears brushing her ivory skin. I felt a slight tug in my heart as I watched the salty water follow its course down her cheeks and over her lips. Stop it, I told myself, you've seen plenty of little girls cry, they're all weak, she's just another silly crying girl. Try as I might though, I couldn't help feel ever so slightly pained by the soundless tears slipping down her face.

With one last stolen glance at her sleeping form I retreated quietly from her room, closing the door properly behind me. Releasing a sigh of frustration I pulled back my sheets and climbed in to the cold bed, letting out a shiver as I did so. Turning on my side I rubbed my arms to generate some heat thought my body, welcoming sleep with both arms.

**********

As the first light filtered through the stone window frame I blinked my eyes open slowly. I groaned as the letter from yesterday re-entered my mind. I picked it up off my bedside table, reading over it for the hundredth time. I wasn't ready yet, I couldn't become the Duke of Wotley yet, I was only twenty years of age, I hadn't learnt everything I needed to know. I couldn't do it.

I supposed I should visit my dying father, apparently he had caught a cold whilst travelling in Scotland that had taken a turn for the worse. I let out another groan of frustration, I didn't have the time to be dealing with this, I had to attend to my workers and oversee the running of the estate.

My father would just have to wait. I did not particularly desire to see him anyway. I ran my hands through my tousled hair, I still had not forgiven my father for forcing me into this marriage nor his behaviour when he'd been living under Clampton's roof, and had no wish to spend more time in his company than was absolutely necessary, on his deathbed or not. I felt a twinge of guilt but ignored it. Just because polite society sought me to hold an audience with my moribund father did not mean I had to honour their view on conventional behaviour.

Father had moved out of Clampton before the wedding giving the excuse of not wanting to 'intrude' so as we might come to a better understanding between the two of us. I thought I had made it clear to him that I had no interest whatsoever in getting to know that girl any more than I already did, but obviously my communication hadn't quite reached him. I angrily pulled on my trousers, shirt, then boots. So engrossed was I in my own anger with the old man that I did not realise I had put my shirt on the wrong way round.

Could this day get any worse? Another groan escaped my lips as I readjusted my shirt exasperatedly. Pulling my fingers through my tangled hair one final time, I left the room, taking the stairs down to the dining room two at a time.

"Morning Ellis," I managed a sort of smile at the butler. I noticed my darling wife was not up yet and let out a relieved sigh, I really didn't want to have to deal with her ridiculousness right now, I had enough on my plate as it was.

"Although my plate seems rather empty," I chuckled looking at the empty place mat at the head of the table, out of the corner of my eye I saw Ellis roll his eyes.

I turned from the table of food I was examining and addressed the old butler, "I'm hurt Ellis," then I turned back to face the table, "Alas, I fear I cannot employ staff who roll their eyes at me behind my back." I managed to keep my features serious as I turned to face the spluttering Ellis.

"I - Sorry your Grace - it was only - it won't happen again - I only..." The grey haired butler trailed off as he noticed the smile appearing on my face before I let out a hearty laugh.

"Oh Ellis, we could hardly get rid of you, you're practically part of the furniture, don't know what we would all do without you commandeering this household." I smiled at the fatherly figure of our head butler before returning to a serious expression and adding, "Although I am still hurt that you do not find my wit to your liking." Ellis smiled fondly at me before returning his features to that which his position as butler demanded.

He cleared his throat and in a gravely voice said, "It won't happen again your Grace." I swivelled round to see two of the younger footmen had entered the room and recognised the shift in mood. Of course Ellis had to set an example to the younger staff. I nodded my head at him in understanding.

"Very good Ellis." I returned to my role as master of the household, I treated all my staff fairly and well, but Ellis would always be a close favourite of mine, simply because he had been here when I was but a little boy growing up.

I remembered coming home from Eton for the summer holidays to be greeted by Ellis who would slip me a piece of apple pie Cook had made for me or some other sweet treat. I smiled in reminiscence before my mind was reluctantly drawn back to the present day. I frowned, picked up a piece of toast and grabbed an apple before leaving the room and heading out to the fields.

**********

I rode along the rows of grape vines, looking dejectedly at the diminishing number of workers gathering the fruits. There was nothing I could do, truth be told, the estate was running out of money. The crop this year would not be large enough with the few hands working on it to keep the costs of the estate. We needed more men to help not only here but in the fields beyond. It was the perfect time to be preparing the grass to be cut and turned into hay.

I scratched the back of my neck, what could be done? I couldn't afford to pay the men any more than I already was paying them, a generous sum too as it stood, but they always wanted more. I was sure it wouldn't be long until half the men had refused to work, I was just waiting to hear the inevitable bad news from my overseer.

I walked over to a group of men standing around one of the vines, "Excuse me," I addressed the small group, "Is something wrong here?" The group looked up at me, shielding their eyes from the sun with the backs of their hands, they pushed one of the men forward who gave his comrades a pleading look before turning around to face me.

"It's my wife and little boy, your grace," The man held his hands clasped tightly in front of him, his head held low muffling his words. I nodded at the man encouraging him to continue. "I've just been given news to tell me they have come down with the fever, your grace, my boy, he's just a bairn..." the man's voice waned as his eyes began to brim with tears.

"Where do you live...?" I hesitated, not knowing the man's name.

"Jacob, your grace, my name's Jacob Spyre." The man, Jacob, looked up at me, hope shining through his watery eyes. "I live on Tenton Street, just passed Bloomington's."

"I know the place," I replied grimly. The area was a poor one, hidden away behind the wealthier parts of the town. "I shall fetch a doctor immediately for them Jacob," I promised.

"Thats very kind your grace, but I'm afraid we cannot afford to pay the doctor." He hung his head in shame, not daring to look up at me. I grimaced, I had always had the best doctors and everything I'd ever wanted, I'd never had to experience hardship like this man. I furrowed my brow thinking of the best way to tackle the situation.

"Right," I said jumping down from my horse, "Can you ride?" I asked the man hopefully.

"Yes, your grace," The man replied, looking up at me in awe.

"Take my horse, get back to your family as fast as you can, I will fetch a doctor, you need not worry about the cost, I should be more than happy to cover any expenses. We shall be with you as soon as we possibly can." I handed the reins of my horse over to the gawping man. "Well get on with it man!" I said loudly causing the man to jump to attention. He hooked his foot into one stirrup before clumsily mounting the horse.

"May God thank you," the man whispered before bolting across the fields in the direction of the town. I turned to face the huddle of men in front of me, all staring flabbergasted at me.

"Was that all?" I asked the cluster of men. They nodded their heads in unison, all still goggling me, eyes wide and mouths agape. "Well if that is it, I have a doctor to find, back to work men." I gave the group a nod of my head before dashing back in the direction of Clampton, the lives of three innocent people depended on me.

**********

I left Tenton street later that day with the worker's family safe from death's greedy hands. The doctor had arrived just in time to stop the fever spreading and becoming fatal. I had paid the doctor a handsome sum for his work, asking him to visit the family for the next few days and check up on their health.

I decided to walk back to Clampton, Arrow's reins dangling loosely from my hands as he trotted beside me. We walked along the dusty track that led through the forest of Obern until I crossed the boundary between the forest and the Clampton Estate. The only sounds were of the birds and the soft sound of Arrows hooves. The stillness of the forest was suddenly interrupted as the sound of laughter tinkled through the flourishing greenery.

I twisted my head in the direction of the sound of giggling and running water. The noise sounded vaguely familiar, I paused a moment before it clicked in my head. It sounded just like Cecilia. I furrowed my brow, she must have gone for a walk. Having disregarded her all day, leaving her in an unfamiliar setting, I figured it would only be polite to offer her some sort of greeting. I paused, hadn't I said I wasn't going to try be civil with her? I ignored the thought and began to walk through the wood until it opened up into a small clearing.

Light poured into the small grassy opening, engulfing the area in a warm halo of ethereal, golden rays. I recognised her stallion, Shadow his name was, tied to a nearby tree but it was a moment before I saw her, and when I did I couldn't draw my eyes away.

A small stream ran along the bottom of the glade, the water clear and cool looking. A small waterfall poured water down into the river beneath it joyously, and it was beneath the waterfall that I spotted her. I took in a sharp breath of air.

Her raven black hair fell down her back, splaying out as it met the waters surface just above her waist. Her lack of proper clothing revealed much more of her creamy skin that shimmered in the afternoon light as she moved her hair to rest down her front. She let out another girlish laugh as she was pelleted with small water droplets.

I gawped at the beautiful girl before me, although her back was turned to me her shapely curves were unmissable through her wet, clinging chemise. God she truly was an angel. I stood gawking at her a moment longer before Arrow let out a whinny of boredom and she spun in the water, turning her body until her round aquamarine eyes landed on me.

Hello all!

Here's chapter nine of Chasing Cecilia, hopefully a slight insight into Rory's true nature for you all! Please continue to vote and comment as it means a lot to me! Have a great day!

Much love

xxx

(Picture of grape vines)