Eileen led Theodore up the steps of her home, she briefly entered Agath's room, thinking Tamara was with them. However, she wasn't.
"Sisters? Where is Tamara?" Eileen asked.
"She went back to her room, Eileen," Ruth responded.
With a small smile, Eileen backed away from the door frame, but with the door open enough, they managed to glimpse Theodore as he followed Eileen.
"Did you just see that, Agath?" Ruth asked.
"What? What, Ruth?".
"I just saw Mr Theodore...".
"Mr Theodore??" Agath began. "What is he doing here at this time?".
"I don't know... I- I guess... We'll find out when we ask Eileen...".
Eileen knocked on the door of Tamara's room, and with Theodore right behind her, he spoke up, "Thank you, Ms Eileen...".
In response, all Eileen did was look back toward him before nodding her head in acknowledgement.
Opening the door, and peering her head into Tamara's room, her eyes met her sister sitting on her bed, a book in her hands as her eyes were darted toward Eileen.
"Tamara, you have a visitor...". After speaking, Eileen moved out of the way, leaving confusion across her face.
It wasn't until Theodore entered her room that she felt her stomach drop to the ground. Immediately, Tamara stood up on her feet. "Mr Theodore?".
"Ms Tamara...". Saying her name, Tamara saw a small smile, just almost, make its way to his lips.
Without either noticing, Eileen left the room, giving them both privacy.
Only when he turned around did he notice Eileen's absence. As if that was his sign, he turned his head back around, looking at Tamara.
"My apologies for such a late, spontaneous visit to your residency, Ms Tamara..." Theodore began speaking. "But I couldn't wait until the morning...".
"Mr Theodore..." Tamara spoke of his name once more, confusion churning within her. "B-but, I thought you were in Veursau...".
"I returned not so long ago.".
"I am sorry to hear about your father's passing..." Tamara kept her voice low and subtle.
In return, the small smile returned to Theodore's lips. "Thank you...".
From there, mere silence lay between them both as he looked at her and she at him. Tamara was silent to hear what it was that Theodore wanted to say, all the while, Theodore kept mute as he tried to build up enough courage to say what he wanted.
"Mr Theodore?..." Tamara called out, worry filling her up ever so slightly from the quiet.
"M-may I sit?" he asked, pointing at the bed.
"Yes, yes.". With him sitting down, so did Tamara. She let another moment pass before speaking up again. "Mr Theodore... is there something bothering you?".
As if hitting the bull's eye, he felt something ignite in his chest. 'Yes... yes, there is' he wanted to shout out there and then, but he didn't. He turned his head before gazing back into her eyes.
With them being so close, he noticed the beauty of her eyes once more. A lump formed in his throat as he thought of another man looking into her eyes. His mouth began to go dry. "I don't want you to marry him, Ms Tamara..." he voiced out in almost a whisper. "I can't let you, not yet. Not before I tell you how I feel, Ms Tamara.".
It took a few moments for Tamara to try and begin digesting his words. "What do you mean by that, before telling how you feel?... What is it you feel, Mr Theodore?".
"For the longest time... Ms Tamara... I've made myself suffer and I've buried my feelings without even realising... And now I've come here to... to follow through with this strong urge I feel within me. There's something you must know, Ms Tamara.".
The irony began to spread within him, he knew nothing more of what to say, despite him writing romance as his hobby. "I... I've..." he began once more. "I've succumbed to a- a feeling, a strong emotion that I haven't felt in a long time, Ms Tamara.". Theodore allowed himself a pause, all the while Tamara tried to further acknowledge his words.
Keeping her eyes on him, she saw the way Theodore's face softened ever so slightly. "Now that I think back to it... It must be your beauty, Ms Tamara... or perhaps it's your utter kindness, thoughtfulness... your intelligence...". His brows furrowed ever so slightly. "No, no... it has got to be all of your qualities, all the goodness you possess that has me utterly bewitched by you, Ms Tamara.".
"Mr Theodore, I-... I-". Though without intention, he interrupted Tamara.
"I love you, Ms Tamara..." he finally let out. He kept his gaze on her, but he noticed the way Tamara furrowed her brows. "I thought I should let you know before it's too late. I wouldn't want you to marry Pavel... But if it's mutual and if you want to marry him too. If you find him more amiable, more worth your pursuit than I. I shall accept your choice and the harsh reality of my ignorance to recognise how I felt about you before, and I shall leave. You'll never hear from me again, Ms Tamara.".
"I declined his proposal for marriage," Tamara spoke almost too quickly, averting her eyes off Theodore.
"But... but I heard you did... I heard he proposed and you agreed...".
"That is incorrect, Mr Theodore. He did propose, but I didn't accept his hand in marriage," Tamara said. "How do you know about his proposal? Who told you that?".
"My mother...". And then, after hearing himself, he further stopped, letting his words settle within him. His mother told him as such.
However, Tamara proceeded to go back to silence. "And... what about Agath?... What about Mr Hemshire?...".
Theodore furrowed his brows at Tamara's words. "Your sister and Mr Daryll? What about them?".
Tamara looked at him in silence, his question sounding stupid to her. "You told him my sister was of no benefit to him. That he deserves a better partner than my sister...". She paused, examining Theodore's facial features as they changed. "He said he is due to go to Veursau, where he'll pursue his wish of studying at a university... Our assumption is that you brought him along with you to Veursau...".
Distraught by all the new information, he swallowed the lump that grew in his throat.
"Ms Tamara..." Theodore began. "Firstly, I hope you know that I would never say any bad word against your family, I would never offend your family, especially when taking into consideration everything that you have done for Diana...". He took a break to clear his throat, "Secondly... Daryll did not accompany us... It was only Victoria, Marissa and I who went to Veursau.".
Tamara paused. "But... but why did he say that you're the one who told him as such?... and if he didn't accompany you, where is he then?".
"I... I really don't know..." he began. Silence descended upon them once more. 'Could... could it be that Elisabeth knows about this too?'.
"But I will find out..." he added seconds later. With that, he stood up before beginning his way toward the door. Stopping and turning around, his gaze met Tamara's once more. "Thank you for your time, Ms Tamara. I'm sorry for any disturbance caused...". Looking back toward her table, that was when some pages caught his attention. It was the notes he gave her the last time he was in the house.
And just like that, exiting her room, he left the house and galloped away on his horse.
Tamara had her eyes out the window, she was still trying to digest all of what had happened. She couldn't believe it all, or perhaps maybe didn't want to.
She had so many questions, of which she merely got her answers.
By the doorway, Eileen caught Tamara's attention. "What was all of that about?".
Tamara merely shrugged. "He said he loves me, Eileen...".