Summary: Daphne begins to understand distance isn’t the biggest problem in her relationship.
Early May 2018
As the passengers began to disembark from the flight coming from Cordonia, Daphne rushed to the gate, excusing herself to pass through the crowd. Chewing on her nail, she glanced from the departures board to the arrival gate, her patience slowly running out, allowing worry to cloud her judgments. Ernest’s last visit was quite brief and he spent most of the spare time with his mother and they only had lunch or walks in the park between meetings a couple of times. He still seemed passionate during calls, but somehow she could shake away the feeling that something wasn’t right.
Just then, her eyes sparkled with joy. Wearing a charcoal coat over a back striped cardigan, a white shirt, and black trousers, Ernest walked down the passageway carrying his luggage, a timid smile m forming on his lips and an eyebrow raised as he spotted her. She beamed, heartbeat racing inside her chest at each step he took into her direction and her body relaxed as his arms locked around her waist, reveling in the scent of his cologne. “I missed you,” she whispered.
“I missed you too,” he replied, then pulled away to look at her. “New clothes?”
“Uh… Not exactly,” she simpered, shoving her hands inside her oversized sweatshirt. “I’ll explain later.”
The young couple ambled to the airport exit, where Edgewater SUV waited for them, but before they reached the sidewalk, flashes and paparazzi chanting her name stopped them on their tracks.
“Crap,” she mumbled and turned away.
“Excuse me?” Ernest furrowed his brows in confusion but followed her.
“Sorry, uh…” she scratched her head. “Go ahead and take the car. Tell Jonah to go to the airport staff exit and wait for me there.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“I’ll explain in the car, okay?” Daphne rose on her toes to kiss him. “Go!”
Ernest watched the paparazzi trying to follow her, but she quickly disappeared into the crowd, as if she has done it before. As instructed, he climbed into the car and gave the driver her orders. When they finally exited the airport, he turned to her with a curious, yet unamused look. “Are you going to explain what is going on?”
“You don’t want to know about that now. You must be exhausted. Can we talk about it when we arrive at Ledford Park?”
“You said we would talk about it in the car. We’re in the car,” he stared at her deadpan.
“I don’t want to bore you with courtly gossip.”
“If it involves you, it certainly won’t be boring.”
She began to chew on a nail again.
“Whatever it is, it can’t be worse than knowing you spent a night in jail, is it?”
A line appeared between her brows.
“Daphne?” His eyes went wide.
“It wasn’t as bad,” she looked down at her hands. “It was sort of an accident.”
“Sort of?” He arched an eyebrow.
“I was at the tennis club this afternoon for the benefit match and while I was playing against Donna, I saw Theresa with my brother.”
“Is she still trying to fancy him?”
“Yeah, Henrietta is pushing him to go with her. I was so mad at him for telling us he doesn’t like her then going out with her. Briar was at the courtyard too and she looked so upset to see them together watching the game, laughing. I had to do something.”
“So you shot the ball at them,” he concluded.
“No! I shot it at Ed. Theresa may be obnoxious, but he’s the one in a relationship, not her. Though, when I made the shot, he bent down and it hit Theresa’s head.” She scratched the back of her head, avoiding eye contact.
Ernest’s lips quirked up. “I knew you wouldn’t hit her on purpose.”
“How did you know about this?” She stared at him wide-eyed. “You said you were at a meeting all afternoon and then you went straight to the airport.”
“I did have to wait to embark and Cordonia happens to have WiFi everywhere,” he smirked. “I figured the article that was sent to me was exaggerating when they mentioned your expression of shock as if you weren’t sure you’d actually hit her. I taught you well enough to know you’d hit her if you wanted to and through the video I saw, she clearly wasn’t your target.”
“You saw that?! Who would send it to you?” Her cheeks turned pink.
“Aside from our friends, almost every noble person I know did. Though Harry was the one who showed me your new meme.”
“Oh my god…” Daphne covered her face with both hands.
“Hey, don’t get upset,” he took her hands in his. “I thought it was funny. And she didn’t press charges, which is good.”
“I apologised, but I doubt she would’ve accepted if Eddie and Dad haven’t explained to her family it was an accident. She never liked me anyway.”
“I’m sure you meant every word you said to her,” he gave her an encouraging smile.
“Aren’t you mad at me for causing a scene again?”
“No. My concern is your well being while you run away from paparazzi in public places.”
“I’ll be okay. My reputation as a lady may not survive though,” she bit down her lip.
“I know you can salvage your reputation and still the lady Edgewater needs you to be. The story will die out soon.”
“Do you think so?”
“I know so.”
“Thank you,” she smiled timidly.
Slinging an arm around her shoulder, he pulled her close and kissed her temple while the car finally reached the countryside of Edgewater, approaching Ledford Park manor.
…
The next days were a blur. Between her volunteer work with kids, drawing and photography classes, Daphne kept herself busy in an attempt to forget the little time she had with Ernest lately. In a similarly complicated situation, Briar grew apart from Edmund, which led the two of them to spend more time comforting each other.
“It seems like you had quite a night then,” Daphne concluded.
“It’s not like we ever had a problem in that department,” Briar shrugged. “Sometimes, it feels like nothing has changed. But I know it did,” she frowned, taking a spoonful of raspberry sorbet to her mouth.
“This is Henrietta’s doing. I can feel it,” Daphne gestured with her spoon. “Last time I was obligated to share a meal with her, Edmund could barely keep up a conversation with her without eye-rolling.”
“But that was also the same party he spent the night dancing with her and the Countess started to push him into Theresa’s arms.” She looked down her sorbet cup, toying with the spoon.
“Briar, he’s with you,” Daphne shifted on her seat to face her friend. “I’m not trying to defend him because he’s my stepbrother but I can tell he adores you. I’ve never seen him as happy as he is around you and Harry said the last time Edmund was excited about someone was when Salah signed for Liverpool FC.”
Briar chuckled softly.
“What?”
“Nothing, I just remembered the night we spent our anniversary watching a Euro Cup match at the stadium wearing Liverpool T-shirts and eating greasy food with beer. He said it was the best anniversary ever.” Her smile began to fade. “That feels like a long time ago now,” Briar’s bottom lip quivered. “I think I’m losing him, Daph.”
“You’re not,” the noblewoman took the cup of sobert from Briar’s hand, placing it on the side table and wrapped her arms around her friend, stroking her hair gently.
“Edmund can’t say no to his mother. She told him to pursue Theresa and he is, now she’s probably telling him to avoid me.”
“Briar, look at me.”
She pulled away and stared at her friend.
“You’re the one for Edmund. You’re funny, smart, thoughtful, you have so many things in common and he’s head over heels for you. And you know what? I’ve had enough of this pining thing between you two. Give me your mobile,” she got out of the bed and extended her hand to Briar, who gave her the phone. “Lose the nightie.”
“What?!”
“You heard me.”
“But—”
“Oh please,” she scoffed. “You’ve done this several times in my bathroom and then bail our slumber parties or wait for me and Ann to fall asleep so you can sneak into his suite. And I know you’d totally do it later if you weren’t so sad tonight. Now take off that bloody Hello Kitty nightie and give me your best sexy pose.”
“Just so you know, he likes my Hello Kitty nightie,” Briar stuck her tongue out and pulled the large night t-shirt over her head, throwing it at her friend.
Daphne feigned disgust, but as Briar laughed, she snapped a few pictures, guiding her friend through the impromptu photoshoot. When they were done, she returned the mobile to her friend.
“Whoa… I look hot!” Briar murmured as her thumb tapped the screen. “I forgot how good you are with this.”
“I’m glad you like the results, but I can’t take all the credit. You’re pretty and photogenic on your own. All I did was use the right lights and angles,” Daphne explained.
“I should call you to do this every single time.”
“Unless you start to pay me, I’ll pass. Just pick one photo and send it to Ed.”
Briar tapped the screen a few times and beamed. “Done. But I still don’t understand why you’re not following your gut and applying to other art schools.”
Daphne gave her a sideways glance.
“I know, I know. Lady Dominique said Business is the best option for you and you applied to all the good nice Business schools here,” Briar rolled eyes. “But I’m with Ernest on this one. You should do what you love doing.
“Why are you insisting on this?” Daphne asked, trying her best not to seem annoyed.
“Because it’s your goddamn life and you should follow your instincts for once. You already applied to a Cornodian university art school and you could still send a few more letters.”
“Most good art schools in Europe won’t receive late submissions.”
“There are also schools in The States…”
“Briar, I’m engaged. I can’t go back to the States on my own just because.”
“Then talk to your fiancee! Annabelle and I sent applications to Cornell. It’s a great school, in New York, where your title won’t mean that much, people won’t care if you punched a guy to tried to grope you during Women’s March or if you hit a ball on a nobleman chaser during a tennis match to defend your friend’s honor.”
Daphne pursed her lips, but couldn’t hide a smile.
“Think about it, okay?”
The viscountess nodded.
“Oooh…” Briar grinned reading the text on her phone out loud. “‘Put a coat on. I’ll pick you up in fifteen.’ You’re a miracle worker, Daphne Wang.”
“You’re welcome. And since my work here is done, I’m calling Jonah. You go have fun,” Daphne stood up and began to change clothes.
“You can still sleep here. Mom won’t mind.”
“Yeah, I know. But I want to watch a movie with my dog.”
Briar looked at her friend finishing the call to her driver and staring at her phone. “Call Ernest.”
“What?”
“Daph, your grandmother taught you well and your poker face is good, but I know you since kindergarten. Drake is a wonderful company even when he snores in the middle of the night, but at the end of the day, he’s just a dog and it’s not your pet that you’re missing right now. Leave him a voicemail, send a text, a nude.”
“I’m not sending him a nude!”
“You know what I mean. Talk to him. Even if he doesn’t pick up the phone right now, he’ll be pleased to know you’ve been thinking about him while he’s at his office being bossman Sinclaire.”
Daphne bit down her lip.
“Again, think about it. Anyway, Edmund is here and I’m leaving,” Briar put on a coat, shoved her phone in one purse and gave her friend a hug. “Call me if you need anything.”
“You say it as if you will answer any texts or calls tonight,” Daphne gave her a knowing look.
“Yeah, you’re right,” she giggled. “Call Annabelle. Maybe she’ll knock some sense into your head.”
Daphne shook her head and waved to her friend as she watched her close the door.
…
“Are you sure I’m not bothering you? If you’re too tired, we can plan something for the weekend,” Daphne suggested as her dog ate a few baby carrots off her hand.
“Absolutely not. I’m almost done here and I won’t wait until Friday if I have the chance to hold you tonight. I’ll meet you by the lake in ten minutes,” Ernest replied.
A light shade of red tinted cheeks. “Okay.”
After hanging up the phone, she beamed at her dog, kneeled to scratch behind his ears and grabbed her coat to leave. But as she reached down the hallway leading to the backyard, two familiar male voices echoed through the walls.
“I apologise for taking so much of your time, sir,”
“It’s not a problem. I’m glad to help a friend. Besides you only found yourself in this position after publicly supporting Daphne after her trial.”
*“I couldn’t simply watch her face backlash. She’s my fiancé and I’ll always support her, even if I have to sacrifice business partnerships. I just wish I didn’t have close the deal with hypocrites as the Viscount of Lochdale to prove my family’s company is worth the investment.”
“I’m not going to lie to you, Ernest. Alfred isn’t going to make this partnership easy for you, but he’s your best option, all things considered. You’re a clever young man and I believe the company will thrive again in your hands. And when it comes to my daughter, I didn’t expect anything less from you. I’m sure you’re going to make her happy. Just be wise about the choices you make.”
“Thank you, sir. I’ll take it under consideration.”
Daphne frowned and walked out of the house in silence. Closing her coat tightly around her body, she sat down on a bench outside and gazed at the ducks, peacefully swimming in the lake, replaying in her mind the conversation she just heard over and over. He closed deals with people he loathed because of her and wondered how many deals has she jeopardized over the years for her father. Should Ernest live with this because they’re engaged? This isn’t fair…
“Penny for your thoughts?” Ernest queried while taking a seat beside her.
“Huh?” Her complexion went pale.
“Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, I…” she nodded with a smile. “It’s nothing.”
“You know, this smile you learned how to fake over the years is good. It looked quite similar to your genuine smile, except for the lack the sparkle in your eyes.”
Daphne looked down at her hands.
One of his hands reached for hers. “Will you tell me what’s troubling you? Perhaps we can solve it together.”
Daphne shifted in her seat to stare into his eyes. “Am I making your life difficult?”
“Excuse me?” His brows knitted together.
“Am I making things difficult for you in any way?”
“No. You’re the one thing in my life that keeps me hopeful,” he caressed her cheek affectionately. “Where is this coming from?”
“You said you weren’t bothered by gossip involving my name, but I was wondering if our relationship is jeopardizing your reputation or your career in any way.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Were you eavesdropping my conversation with Lord Vincent?”
“Not intentionally. I was going to let Dad know I was leaving to see you and kiss him goodnight. I didn’t even know you were here. When you said you’d meet me in ten minutes, I thought you were coming from your house.”
“What did you hear?”
“You closed a deal with The Viscount of Lochdale because you had problems with some business partnership after you publicly supported me during the trial for assault charges.”
“That’s true.”
“I’m sorry,” she tried to fight back tears.
“Don’t be,” he said, closing the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her. “I brought this on myself. I could have ignored the gossip and acted as if nothing happened. But I couldn’t look the other way. It wouldn’t be fair to you or to any other woman that man ever tried to assault. I chose to stand by you at that moment and I will always choose you before anyone else.”
“But wasn’t he the son of an important client of yours? What if it happens again? I’m not saying it will, but you know these people better than I do and they’re full of shit.”
Ernest chortled. “I agree. And I’ll stand beside you for as long as you want me to.”
Daphne rested her head on his chest. “You’re amazing.”
“Compared to the young lady who broke the nose and humiliated a thirty old arse known for only hiring and giving raise to women who accepted his sexual advances, I’m quite ordinary.”
Daphne looked up at him, cupping his face with both hands. “Well, I respectfully disagree,” she purred, guiding his lips to hers. Locking her arms around his neck, she deepened the kiss as Ernest pulled her into his lap, hands delving under her coat and sweater, searching for the warmth of her skin. “Darling?” she asked between short breaths.
“Hmm?”
“It’s cold out here.”
He pulled away and chuckled. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“But I know your bedroom is quite warm and cozy.”
“I don’t know about that. The bed doesn’t feel as cozy it used to be when you slept on it,” he murmured, then kissed her softly.
“Oh, this is bad. We can’t have that,” she smirked.
“Should we fix this issue now?”
“Yes, please.”
Ernest grabbed her thighs, locking them around his waist and stood up, taking her to the manor while they shared smiles and sloppy kisses.
Not so far from them, a female figure watched them and talked on the phone. “They’re in. Is it all set?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Excellent. We’ll talk in the morning.”
