Cecilia:

Christmas was steadily approaching and the snow had already started to fall in soft, velvety flakes around the manor. The work in the fields had almost stopped and Rory believed it would be the last christmas at Clampton.

I rose early to aid the last of the workers in the fields, it would soon be too heavy in snow to work but for now we had to do the best we could with the land. I was stopped by Ellis in the hallway who handed me a letter, "This came for you late last night your grace."

"Thank you," I smiled at the old butler but was confused as to what the letter could be about. On closer inspection of the envelope I could determine the constable's seal clearly embossed on the front.

Good lord, could they have finally found him? With excited fingers I tore open the envelope and read the letter. I read it again, and then another time. Was it possible? Might we be...

It was impossible, but it wasn't, and it sat before me in writing clear as day. I ran up to Ellis and placed a kiss on his cheek before dashing out of the hall and down the steps of the manor. I hurried into the stables and grabbed Shadow off a startled James, I had to tell Rory.

I rode as fast as I could to the fields and scanned the area for Rory, I spotted him almost immediately in the centre of the field, sending out commands left right and centre.

"Rory!" I squealed as I dismounted from Shadow and sprinted across the field. His head swivelled around to face me as I approached him.

"Rory," I clutched my side as I regained my breathing.

"What is it? Are you okay? What has happened? Cecilia?" His voice and eyes were worried as his eyes flitted over my body looking to see if I had been hurt.

"Rory," I smiled up at him, "We are saved!" I watched as emotions flickered through his eyes before they turned doubtful.

"Saved? No, 'tis not possible." He shook his head and lowered his eyes from mine ashamedly. I lifted his chin so that his eyes returned to mine.

"My father, he has died, a heart attack apparently. They found him two days ago but I only received the constable's letter this morning." I noticed the dark look that crossed Rory's eyes at the mention of my father.

"I should've liked to see him hanged," he said in a forbidding tone.

"That is not the best part though, it turns out that my mother left me a large sum of money but I was only entitled to it once I turned eighteen. My father evidently chose to keep this a secret from me but a lawyer from London is coming up to see us and pass the funds over to us."

Rory's eyes filled with renewed hope as I disclosed the contents of the letter to him. "How much has she bequeathed you, I fear we need at least some fifty thousand pounds." He shook his head again.

"Rory, there is some two hundred and fifty thousand pounds in her will." My smile was so wide that my jaw was beginning to ache.

"Can it really be?" He asked, his eyes pleading that it might be true.

"It is all in here," I waved the letter in front of his face, "Read it for yourself." I prompted, passing him the letter. I watched as his eyes furiously scoured the paper a growing smile forming on his face. Suddenly I felt his arms around me and my feet lift from the ground as he spun me around in the air.

"Oh Cecilia, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He beamed down at me as he placed me back on the ground. I couldn't help but laugh and Rory joined me, his arms still around me. We were saved, Clampton was saved, this would not be the last christmas here.

We turned our heads around at the sound of the nearby worker's cheers as they whistled and clapped. "Well done yer graces!"

"Give us a kiss!" One of the younger men clamoured resulting in another round of cheers as the men egged us on. I looked up to see Rory's face colour, something of a rarity for the usually cool and collected Duke of Wotley.

In a moment of emboldened euphoria I reached my hand up to the back of Rory's neck and planted my lips on his. Around us I heard the whoops and shouts of the workers as Rory's hand automatically snaked around my waist, drawing me closer to him.

Remembering we were surrounded by our employees I broke the kiss and lowered my eyes feeling myself blush. The excitement of the news really had gone to my head.

"If you'll excuse us," Rory spoke up, "You may all have the rest of the day off." He smiled at this workers who waggled their eyebrows and wolf-whistled, most likely they were thinking we were about to run off and 'celebrate' our good fortune. I rolled my eyes, but I was curious myself as to what it was that Rory wanted with me.

His arm still wrapped securely around me we made our way to where the horse were tethered whilst the workers began to disperse from the fields as they headed home to their families, whooping with delight.

We had been riding in silence but I noticed that Rory kept looking at me, once or twice he opened his mouth as if he were about to say something but he'd shut it shortly after and shake his head.

The silence was abruptly interrupted by Rory who seemed to have finally decide to say whatever it was he had been contemplating.

"Cecilia," "Yes?" His voice sounded tense as he turned to look at me his eyes swimming with anxiety and uncertainty. Taking a deep breath he continued.

"What... What are we?" I felt the air sucked out of my lungs as the dangerous words left his lips. Would he ridicule me if I told him how I really felt, but maybe he felt the same way?

No, surely not... But he had kissed me on more than one occasion... So maybe he was just attracted to me, that didn't mean he held feelings for me. Had he not always abhorred me? But then again had I not always detested him equally?

Thinking of Rory snubbing me for wanting him hurt me more than I thought it would have. Was he just teasing me? Was this another one of his games? I couldn't completely let my guard down, although hadn't done that a lot already and he had not hurt me? He wanted to protect me didn't he?

My mind was a whirlwind of emotions, I had trusted my father, I had loved him even though he refused to look at me, but in one night he had destroyed that. Rory could so easily do the same. What if Rory sought other women, that would hurt more than any physical pain.

I felt a strong stabbing pain in my heart at the idea but I ignored it. My mind had been made up. I had been broken by one man and I would not allow myself to be broken by another.

"We are two people whom, by unfortunate circumstances, were forced to marry each other, that is all." The words sounded harsher and colder than I had intended them too but I could not allow myself to wholly place my trust in another man.

Rory slowly nodded his head, his jaw clenched as the happiness of only minutes earlier left his face. "If you'll excuse me, I think I left something in the fields." He bowed his head in farewell before taking off back in the direction we had come.

I remained where I was, my body numb as I watched Rory's retreating figure. He took the fork right in the path, the opposite route to the fields, he was going to Stillers hill. With every step further that he took I felt myself losing him.

Soon he was hidden by the low hanging trees and he disappeared completely from my sight. He was gone.

The pain of his ridicule would have hurt but this hurt more. I felt a single tear trickle down my cheek and I made no attempt to stop it. Why oh why had it taken me so long to realise just how irrevocably in love I was with my husband.

Hey guys,

short chapter I know - sorry! Dramaaa, anyone else always say the wrong thing and then regret it afterwards? Constant life struggles... Hope you enjoy the chapter though! Have a great day and please continue to vote and comment, it means so much every time I get another nice comment or vote! Thank you!

Much love

xxx