This chapter is dedicated to dcevezbp1000 for her continuous support, not just for Through My Eyes, but for my other stories too. You are awesome! I love you!!
Chapter Twenty-Three
I am sitting at the dressing table and a maid is pushing some final pins into my hair. The door opens and aided by a gust of wind, Master Phillip rushes in, his cheeks flushed, his eyes wide.
"You may leave." He says to the maid. "I have some business with my daughter-in-law."
The maid scurries out of the room obediently and I stand up, turning to face Master Phillip. "What is it? Is Damon alright? Has something happened?"
Master Phillip beams excitedly. "I will tell you nothing. Are you prepared for a little travelling?"
"Whatever do you mean, Master Phillip?"
Ten minutes later, Master Phillip and I are seated in a coach, being swayed by the potholes in the road. Master Phillip is fidgeting like a mad man, his hair ruffled from his repeated tampering with it, a manic gleam lighting his eyes, a bright grin splitting his face. I sit still, watching Master Phillip warily, wondering what is going through his head. He had bundled me into the coach so fast, that I could barely see Lady Elizabeth and Emmanuel waving goodbye to me.
I did, however, see Emmanuel's warning glare which meant 'Do not try to escape or else'.
I glance at Master Phillip, who gets more excited with every corner we turn. I sigh. "Master Phillip, please can you inform me of where we are headed?"
"No." He replies curtly. "You will see for yourself in a little while. Stop being so impatient!"
I glare at him. "With all due respect, Master Phillip, I am not the one fidgeting like a five year old in a boatload of sweets."
Master Phillip ceases his fussing and smiles. "So I am. Excuse me for my childishness, I am rather excited today!"
"But what are you excited about, Master Phillip? What is going on?" I ask.
"Eloise, my dear, dear, child. You will see soon, just while away time before then." Master Phillip smiles and then resumes his fidgeting. I sigh and return my attention to my clasped hands, letting my mind drift to the past and the happiness it had brought. The past, meaning Damon. Damon is all I remember of my past life. Even Mother's beatings are not a highlight of my life as a bachelorette; all of those minor events seem irrelevant now.
A sudden gasp from Master Phillip catches my attention. He jumps up and down in his seat. "We have arrived!!" He says in a sing-song voice.
"Master Phillip, compose yourself." I say in a calm voice.
Master Phillip just beams as the coach rolls to a stop. "Come on, my dear! We are here! Ooh, that rhymes!"
Master Phillip jumps down from the coach, narrowly avoiding a puddle of water. I am helped down by the coach man and plant my feet nimbly on the ground. I look around and my breath hitches in my throat.
So much chaos.
There are market stalls set up a few feet from each other, with their owners screaming out their wares, attempting to lure customers in. People jostle each other, carrying baskets of food and flowers and dishes and cutlery and everything you can think of. Smells of steel and aromas of food rise and mingle with the air, providing a sickly sweet smell. Children rush to and fro, clutching rag dolls, their smeared faces lit with glee. Hunched, wrinkle-faced women stumble around, their palms turned upwards, searching for alms from the more fortunate. I see how they are swerved by others, who avoid them in order to continue their bargaining and shopping. The cobbled floor beneath me is rough and uneven. I have no idea how the children aren't falling over, what with the amount of running around that is being done.
I turn to Master Phillip, "What are we doing here?"
In response, Master Phillip just takes my hand. "Come with me." He leads me through a narrow, deserted alleyway that I had not seen amongst the colours and chaos. We walk swiftly down it, emerging in another square just as tumultuous and anarchic as the last.
We walk straight across the square and barge through a house with a brown door. There is a woman with her back to us and her posture is strangely familiar.
She turns at the sound of the door shutting behind us and I wrench in a breath.
"Eloise?"
"Mary?!" I choke out. Unable to bear another second of being away from her, I leap forward into her arms, wrapping my arms around her, crushing her into me. I press my face into her all-too-familiar shoulder, breathing in her light lemon-y scent, fighting the tears that are tempted to ruin this moment of joy.
I pull back, staring at her face. "Mary, I have missed you so."
"Me too, my dear. Me too." Mary says, stroking my hair gently. "My, my, you have gotten so thin. Do you not eat there?"
"I am surrounded by monsters, Mary. Would you have an appetite?" I ask, in a rather audacious manner, I must admit.
Mary just smiles sadly. "I suppose not, my dear."
"Yes, yes, you have missed Mary extremely. What about me?"
My eyes widen at the recognisable voice and I look at Mary. She just nods, her eyes warming considerably.
I turn to my side slowly, my breath hitching in my chest, longing to be free. My throat is not ready to let it leave just yet, though.
He is more slender than he was before, although his muscles of labour are still present. His dark hair is shorter, his blue eyes piercing but more dull than before, his cheekbones more prominent, his bow-shaped lips still as full. One thing that definitely has not changed is the way his eyes drink me in, allowing me to bask in his glow, in his warmth.
I walk at a minute speed towards him, afraid to move too fast, in case he disappears like an apparition. Like me, he approaches with caution. I hold a hand out, ready to touch him, to feel the warmth of the blood that runs through his veins, to relax in the familiar proximity of his cinnamon scent.
We near each other and our hands meet. Then I cannot get near him fast enough. Like I did Mary, I leap forward, throwing myself at him, holding him close, nestling my face into the crook of his head and shoulder. He holds me just as tight, his mouth buried in my hair, mumbling something indecipherable.
Master Phillip says something and Mary walks over to him. The door shuts behind them.
I pull away from him and raise my palm, cupping his face. I finally find the courage to say his name.
"Damon."
He sighs, his shoulders relaxing, that gleam returning to his eyes. "Eloise. You do not know how I have longed to hear your voice."
"You do not know how I have longed to see your face." I reply, gazing up at him with an intense admiration.
Damon shakes his head. "You left me. I win this one."
"I have to live with Emmanuel instead of you. I win, Damon." I counter, raising an eyebrow, daring him to argue.
Damon scoffs. "I've spent the last month in turmoil because of that knowledge. I think I win."
"You had to know about it. I had to live it. I win, there is no question of it." I shrug my shoulders.
"No, Ellie, I disagree. I win."
"No, I do not think you do, Damon!! I have been affected more by circumstances, I win!"
"No, you have not been affected more than me. I knew I loved you years before you knew you loved me. Therefore, I have been affected more, so I win!"
"Damon, you cannot win everything. You always win! I win this time." I insist, crossing my arms in a huff and turning away.
Damon chuckles and his arms lace themselves around me, pulling me to his firm chest. I lean back into him, unable to resist his touch.
"Okay," He says. "You win this time. You can win every time, if you wish."
I smile and turn to face Damon. "How long is it going to be before you are ready to come and save me? I do not think I can bear being around those people for much longer. I only have two outlets for my tension; Master Phillip and Chastity."
"Chastity?" Damon frowns. "I thought Chastity was at your mother's house."
"She was." I reply, sitting down in an armchair. Damon settles in the armchair opposite me. "Chastity was brought to Emmanuel's house by him as an apology present."
"Apology? I do not understand, Ellie. What did he need to apologise for?"
I remember Master Phillip's words about not informing Damon of Emmanuel's heinous actions, to ensure that my escape from his home runs smoothly and without any kinks in it. Cursing my big mouth, I attempt to come up with an excuse that seems believable.
"Well.... erm, you see... Emmanuel was just being his monstrous self and we underwent an argument. The next day, he was eager to apologise and he presented Chastity to me."
Damon seems suspicious of my vague response, but quickly dismisses the issue, taking both of my hands in his and gazing intently into my eyes.
"Are you okay, Ellie? Is he bothering you excessively? If so, please tell me. Do not hold back your feelings. Tell me, so I can help you. I will speed everything along so that I can be with you, I just cannot bear to have you staying there in turmoil, suffering at the hands of that devil and his mother." Damon says, his eyes silently pleading with me.
"Damon, I promise you, there is nothing that I cannot bear. I have grown accustomed to his games and I can overcome them, each and every one of them. I have devised my own methods to annoy and irritate him and they work beautifully!"
Damon beams. "Really? What do you do?"
"Well..." I say. "I think it was a week into the marriage when Emmanuel was quite lethargic and would not rouse himself from his sleep. The maid had attempted everything to wake him up. I was becoming rather irritated, mostly because I just wanted to go downstairs and eat sometthing, but I was not permitted to come downstairs without Emmanuel, if there was by chance any guests present. So, I went into the restroom, I got a jug of water and I proceeded to pour the contents of the jug all over him. He woke up rather rapidly after that."
Damon guffaws with laughter, bringing my hands to his face and kissing my knuckles. "That's my Ellie. I am glad to see he has not changed you at all. Stay this way. Stay beautiful."
I nod slowly, my insides heating up with love for the man before me. "Damon, I do not want you to rush anything. I want everything to go smoothly and as you have planned it to be. However, I do want you to come for me soon. I can only live without you for so long, no matter how entertaining it is to torture Emmanuel."
Damon nods. "I promise, it will be soon."
I smile.
Damon then proceeds to say, "I need you to tell me something. On your wedding night, did Emmanuel..." He trails off, his gaze pained, his face caught in a grimace.
I shake my head reassuringly. "I locked myself in the restroom. Emmanuel has never touched me."
Damon grins, pulling me on to his knee, holding me close.
For the rest of the day, I was in Damon's arms, just enjoying his company, basking in the rays of his glorious attention while I could. It was rather relaxing, just listening to the inhale and exhale of his breathing, tipping my head back occasionally to look at him or enjoy the touch of his lips against mine, hearing his chest rumble with laughter whenever I commented on something that amused him.
It was a beautiful day and I have no one to thank but Master Phillip for this.
As evening began to descend upon us, Mary and Master Phillip pile into the room, their cheeks and noses painted red by the wind. I sit up straight, lifting my head from Damon's chest and meet Master Phillip's apologetic gaze.
"We must leave now, Eloise. Elizabeth must be wondering where we are. We have already missed tea. She will be worried, or God forbid, suspicious of our whereabouts."
I nod reluctantly, looking back at Damon. He smiles sadly, running a hand through my hair. I stand up, slipping my feet into my shoes. Once I am decent enough to be presented to the world, I leap back into Damon's arms, wanting to be comforted by his proximity one more time before I have to leave. Damon crushes me to him and then seems to wage an inner battle; his arms relax and tighten around me methodically. Finally, he steps away minutely and then plants a gentle kiss to my forehead.
"I will see you soon, Ellie." He promises.
I nod, "I love you."
Damon sighs and says, "I love you too, Eloise."
I allow myself to be in his arms for another moment, breathing in his scent. I then scoop Mary into my arms and say goodbye to her. The coach is waiting outside as Master Phillip and I leave the house.
Mary and Damon watch as I am bundled into the coach. I peer out of the coach until the house is but a speck into the distance and we turn a corner, relieving the house from my sight altogether.
I sigh and sit straight in my seat, mourning the loss of my Damon for the second time. The journey is spent in a roiling silence, both Master Phillip and I contemplating the events of the day. My arms feel empty without Damon being there to be held in them, my face feels numb without Damon's butterfly kisses to warm it up, my throat constricted because of the void of laughter that Damon's words coax from it. I feel void of emotion now that Damon isn't here to be loved by me.
When we arrive at the house, I am welcomed with enthusiasm. Taking advantage of Emmanuel's happiness, I request for permission to ride Chastity for a while. Thankfully, my request is met with a smile and a nod.
I ride Chastity with a renewed vigour. Happily, Chastity races around the gardens, her mane flying in the wind, neighing erupting from her throat. We laugh together, enjoying the intimate company only a horse and it's rider can have. The familiar sound of Chastity's hooves grazing the ground lull me into a trance-like state and for the hour that I ride her, all I think about is how beautiful the darkening sky is as the sun retires for the night.
Chastity and I watch the sunset together, my upper body slumped on her neck, my breathing heavy from being rocked on Chastity's back as she ran to and fro. I stroke her mane softly as the sun finally ducks beneath the horizon, satisfied with the rays it provided for the day. Until tomorrow, it seems to say as the sky is flooded with pinks and oranges, a glorious sight to behold. Chastity begins the trek back to the stables, where I brush her and kiss her nose before walking back to the house to face Emmanuel.
I shut the door slowly behind me, my riding helmet still on my head, my breathing calmed from watching the sunset with Chastity. I approach the door to the parlour and stop when I hear plainly distressed voices.
I stand by the door, opening it just a crack, peering in to see what is going on.
"Phillip!" Lady Elizabeth is saying. "Just tell us what happened today! What do you want to inform us of?"
Master Phillip turns towards his wife and Emmanuel. "Today, something very untoward happened. Eloise and I, we did not visit one of my friends. She went to visit Damon. I was stuck at a stall, trying to deflect a beggar from my presence and when I turned, she was gone. I saw her dress so I followed her. She went into a house and she was with Damon. I saw them with my own eyes. She came out of the house two hours later, her hair was dishevelled and she was putting her gown to rights."
I gasp, tears rolling down my face. How can he do this? How can he lie so severely?
"What?!" Emmanuel chokes. His whole body is overcome by shudders of fury and he turns to someone beyond my line of vision.
"Richard, assemble our guards. Father, you join Richard and give him the whereabouts of Damon. We will hunt him down tonight, without fail. I will kill him this time. I will not give him any mercy."
I back away from the door and then turn, dashing silently down the corridor and through the door. I burst into the stables and hop onto Chastity's bare back, urging her to go.
I emerge into the road and Chastity gallops at breakneck speed. I just hope I remember the directions.
"Damon!" I burst into the house, raking in breaths like it is my last.
"What happened?" Damon stands, abandoning the bowl of soup.
"Damon, you and Mary must leave immediately!" I inform him. "Master Phillip betrayed us! I have just overheard him telling Emmanuel and Lady Elizabeth of your whereabouts! He is assembling a mob to kill you. You have to go, Damon, now!"
"What?!" Damon exclaims. "Mary! Mary!"
Mary dashes into the room, stopping when she sees me. "What are you doing here, Eloise?"
"There is no time for that, Mary!" Damon says, picking up a bag from behind the fireplace. "Master Phillip has betrayed us to Emmanuel. We must leave!"
Mary nods and she produces a bag of her own. "We will drop you back at the house."
"No." I tell her. "I brought Chastity. I'll ride her back. You need to be safe. Please, go."
Mary nods. "I'll get the coach, Damon."
She leaves. Damon walks over to me, his eyes shining with unshed tears. He pulls me into hisself, holding on to me tightly, his lips pressed against mine. He pulls back for air and strokes my cheek, "Just a little longer, Ellie. A little patience and we will be together, okay?"
I nod silently. "Go, Damon. Go now. Be safe."
Damon presses his lips against my forehead and then leaves the house. I do not retreat from the house until the noise of the coach has died down. I could not watch him go without breaking down.
I ride back to the house, entering the field from the back of the estate, riding round to the front. Emmanuel is there, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Where were you?!"
I feign ignorance. "I was riding Chastity. I was just in the orchard around the back."
Emmanuel pulls me off Chastity roughly, "Come with me, Eloise. Get in the coach. We're going to visit a friend."
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