Sarah 's POV
I didn't know how to react to his pitying gaze at me. So I smiled, foolishly.
Having almost zero social circle is sometimes beneficial. You don't have anyone to ask you consistently about how you are doing? Or how is it going? About your family, or your life. It makes it easy, you don't have to explain it all the time. But sometimes it gets a little lonely. Maybe a little bit more.
Why was he looking at me like that? with his dark gaze.
Maybe it was darker than the dead of the night.
After we were done with breakfast. Mrs. Lancaster suggested me to have a short tour of the town. To what I agreed, happily. I was sure, It won't disappoint me. The beauty of Ashwell was something I always wanted to see with my own eyes.
The car came with the driver. I followed Mrs.Lancaster with her maid helping her to walk to the car. Also she was holding a stick. I stopped and turned to see where he was. He was standing in the entrance, doing something on his phone. His eyes were looking down at his phone. I walked towards him.
"Aren't you coming with us?" I said, causing him to look at me. Which made me nervous.
"No." he said shortly. It was a direct answer. Just like the way I would have expected it, from him. Rude and cold. It lacked the warmth I felt last night, when I clung to him like my life depended on it. My body shivered at the memory as I walked towards the car.
"Isn't he coming?" Mrs. Lancaster with a frown on her lips.
"No, he has some work to do. So, it'll be just me," I said with a cheeky grin on my face.
The beauty of Ashwell was alluring. Nature was truly filling my soul with pure bliss. My eyes were feeling so comforted because of the vast greenery. I felt bad for living in London for all my life while I was visiting this place today. And the reason for that was very unexpected.
There were many folk tales related to each beautiful spot. Mrs.Lancaster told me all of them. Little naive beliefs of people that made these places special for them. Some were about fairies, some were about princesses and princes. Love was a common topic for them. It made me wonder, how important is love for life? The life I was living was not something I always dreamt of. I remember dreaming about a charming prince when I was a little girl. I used to believe that love can solve all the problems. Despite never seeing my mother with the right person and also I had never been with someone. I still think love is something that will make me a bit happier. Although, I had never been in love. But I never hated the idea. Yes, having boyfriends was not something on my list. But relationships and love are two different things. Love is such a spontaneous process. You don't have to work. It's the magic that works itself on you. Maybe it hurts, but I am sure It will hurt. It was such a hopeless romantic concept. But I had never voiced my thoughts to anyone, not even to myself.
"I know Harry is mostly to himself. His work is always so important to him. I was always worried about him. About that attitude of his. The reckless attitude will never help him find his soulmate. It always feared me. In the picture, I saw him smiling at you. It was not reckless. It made me wonder if he is in love. Seeing you, I felt so relieved," her eyes were shining with pure intention. We were sitting on a rock under an oak tree, beside a small stream. It was the place Harry once lost his wooden guitar., when he was a kid. He cried three nights for it and never came to this place again. This is what she told me, with a smile on her smile. Her eyes crinkled at the memory, like it happened yesterday.
She was the one who always cared for him. Someone who was always by his side. I was a bit jealous. He was lucky to have her in his life.
"I know he seems a bit careless. But he is with me, when I need him the most. And I think this is all that matters," For some reason the words I said without any script surprised me. What was I talking about? And somehow it was making sense.
"You are such an extraordinary girl, Sarah ." she said, as she patted my back.
"This is where Ashwell ends."
"Really?"
"What? You wanted to see more?"
"No, I was always getting the feeling like it was the end."
"Oh dear, really? How come?" her frowned eyebrows indicated her confusion.
"It is the most beautiful of all the places I visited here. I have a theory about beautiful things," I said, throwing a pebble in the stream that caused ripples in the peaceful water body.
"I would like to hear it," she said with curiosity,
"I think beautiful things always come in the end. If it doesn't it means it's not the end" I blinked my eyes at her.
She was smiling and nodding at me. Like she was getting everything I was saying.
Sun was almost bidding goodbye, but still a golden shimmer was decorating the sky.
"I think we should go."
I stood up and offered my hand to her which she took. She stood up with a bit of struggle and we started walking to the car.
When we came back I saw Harry standing in the yard with a phone in his ear. Marylin and other maids came, and offered me some juice and herbal tea to Mrs. Lancaster. We sat on the blue patio chair in the middle of the yard. After a few minutes, I saw Harry coming towards me, his eyes were tense or maybe it was his work face. Standing in front of me, he said in a very declaring tone.
"We should leave now." To which I just nodded silently.
I stood up, beside him. Mrs.Lancaster hugged him with teary eyes. He was consoling her, ridiculously.
"Why are you crying now Grandma? I did what you said," well he questioned her. stupid of him to not think of another possibility of her teary eyes.
"She is just sad, that you are leaving," I said in a polite way not in a mocking way as I meant to say. He turned to me,
"Thank you for the information," he said in a sarcastic tone.
"Your welcome," I mimicked his voice.
Embracing for a good five minutes, I assured her I will visit her again. Even I wasn't sure myself. But this was my job, making promises to people thoughtlessly.
"Really?"
"Yes, it was her hair on his chest. I saw it in the morning."
"They must have done it last night,'' I heard mischievous giggling of Marylin with other maids. I was already ashamed at the information, but the amused sight of him looking at me, made my cheeks flushed. And I was sure he noticed it and he heard that too.
good.
Walking to the car after we were done with the whole goodbye session was scary. We were finally going to be alone. The last time I recall myself being with him alone, was something I wanted to forget. I sat in the passenger seat, wishing to fall asleep the whole journey. I waved my hand to Mrs.Lancaster and to other servants. I heard a thud of the car door. And we started our journey to leave Ashwell. I didn't know if I was going to see this again. So I turned to him,
"Can you slide the roof off?" I was polite.
"No," he said without looking at me.
"Why? I just want some air," my mouth frowned in annoyance. Can he not be a j*rk just for a minute?
"Window is open. You are not going to die."
I swear, I would have punched him if he was not driving. Well not exactly like a punch.
"Open it, open it, open it," I was almost shouting. The way I was behaving caused him to look at him. And I repeated my act.
His phone rang. Putting his phone on his ear, he put his finger on his lips.
Doing the complete opposite I started my whining again.
"Yes, Mr. Backer," he said professionally. But his eyes were ready to come out of his socket.
"Ooopeeen itttttt," I was almost singing the words, that made me chuckle and his annoyance was increasing.
"Uhh, no. It's nothing," he huffed.
With that he finally surrendered, pushing the button the roof started to slide off. I stood up, peeking my head out. I let the cool breeze of Ashwell brush over my skin. My hair was flowing. Raising my hands, I closed my eyes. It was such a magical feeling. I felt the tension in my body vanishing. Like I was flying. I heard him saying something inaudible to me on the phone. I opened my eyes and looked at him. He moved his gaze from me at the moment I saw him. I turned my head to see the beautiful dancing meadows of Ashwell.
It's always light. The nature. Humans make things heavy. Controlling everything according to their desires that's what messes things up. Taking things in your hand. Breaking the natural flow.
I was smiling at the serenity I was feeling at that moment.
"Sit down. If you are done with it." I heard him say.
"What if I don't?" I said, turning my head to him. My tone was sassy.
"Then I will push you out of the car and drive all the way to London, peacefully." I was sure he was just saying, right.
"Oh, go on," I said, trying to pretend I was not scared. But as the words slipped out of my mouth. He pushed the breaks. Causing a sudden jerk. That I almost stumbled on my feet. I saw him getting out of the car and turning in my direction. My eyes followed his whole movement. With a neutral expression on his face I saw him opening the door.
"Get out," lowering my body, I sat on the seat.
Suddenly , I felt a strong grip on my shoulder and before I could react it shoved me out of the car. I balanced my body to not fall on the ground.
"What- what are you doing?" My voice was not normal. It was very low and breathy.
"Doing as I said," without looking at me he closed the door, forcefully. I saw two cars behind his car stopped. The cars that were with us when we came here.
"Carry on," he shouted, ordering his bodyguards.
Faces of the men seated on the front seats were not affected by the scene; they all just nodded their heads to the command. No one was sparing even a glance at me. He started walking to the other side of the car, swiftly.
"H-Harry!" I stuttered at his name. He didn't stop and shut the door after seating himself. I ran to his side of the door.
"No, please stop. Don't leave me alone," I begged as I found myself slapping the widow. He didn't even flinch at my pleading. I felt the tears rolling out of my eyes. He started the car and the whole scene was blurry to me. As the tears in my eyes were making the sight of him leaving me unclear.
Darkness was there. Same as the darkness in his eyes as I saw him sparing a glance at me from the side mirror.
No mercy just the blackness of his heart peaking through his eyes.