James Taylor, the eldest son of Duchess Isabella who ruled Manchester, visited the market every Sunday to assist his mother in governing the city. His father, Edward Taylor, had tragically died in a sea storm on his way to England from Denmark, leaving James with the responsibility of helping his mother.
One Sunday, as he strolled through the bustling market, James noticed a new shop. Curious about its owner, he approached and found a very beautiful girl around his age. His body trembled as if he were standing in the chill and shivering cold afternoon. Nervous, since he had never spoken to any girls other than his sister and mother, he left the bakery without saying a word.
The girl, named Scarlet Connor, noticed that a boy had come in but didn't say or buy anything. She was used to receiving flowers from boys and children who visited her shop, so she thought he might be an admirer like the others.
Determined to make an impression, James decided to give her some flowers instead of talking to her directly. The next day, he entered her bakery carrying a bunch of beautiful English roses grown by his sister Mary in their garden. He nervously handed the flowers to Scarlet, who hesitated for a moment, recognizing him as the formally dressed young man from the previous day.
"Hi, may I help you with something?" Scarlet asked.
In response, James nervously said, "Uh, h-hello, I'm James Taylor. Yesterday, I, um, saw you, and... I've, uh, been feeling... something ever since."
Scarlet smiled and replied, "I too felt something. Boys and children often give me flowers and leave in shyness, but you seem different. Can we talk sometime later? I've got customers now."
James's heart raced as he said, "It's okay. I'll send a letter tonight. I am leaving now," and he left the bakery.
That night, James wrote a letter and sent a guard to deliver it to Scarlet. However, he accidentally used an envelope meant for official royal purposes instead of an ordinary one. When the guard handed the letter to Scarlet, she was puzzled as to why a guard from the duchess's house would bring her a letter. Checking the address, she confirmed that the letter was indeed for her.
Scarlet pondered if James could be the son of the duchess, but she trusted the process and read the letter:
Dear Scarlet,
Since the moment I first saw you, I have been captivated by your beauty and grace. My heart has yearned to express my feelings, but my shyness held me back. I would be honored if you would join me for a conversation over tea. Let's meet at the café near Debdale Park this Saturday at 9 AM.
Yours sincerely,
James Taylor
Scarlet read the letter and felt a wave of excitement wash over her. "I love you too," she whispered to herself, a smile forming on her lips. Before going to sleep, she checked on her sick brother Ronan. Tears welled up in her eyes as she wondered why he had to be the one born with an illness that had no cure. She kissed his forehead gently and whispered a prayer for his health.
The next Saturday, Scarlet went to the café near Debdale Park and saw James waiting with tea and muffins. He smiled warmly as she approached, and they began to talk.
"It's nice to finally get to talk to you," James said, his voice shaking slightly.
"It's nice to talk to you too," Scarlet replied. "I must admit, I was surprised to receive your letter."
James laughed nervously. "I wasn't sure if it was too forward, but I couldn't stop thinking about you."
Scarlet blushed. "I've been thinking about you too. But I have to tell you something about my past."
She opened up about her tragic past, recounting the war that had killed her parents. She told James how she and her brother were taken in by a kind lady named Diana, who helped many children she rescued from war-torn Northern Ireland. Scarlet had studied business diligently, almost losing track of time as the calendar changed due to an error found by physists that the first time was noted way earlier and the current year was to be changed from 1940 to 1965.
James listened intently, tears streaming down his face as he heard her story. "I'm so sorry for everything you've been through," he said.
Scarlet gently consoled him, saying, "All that happened is just a sad past. And it does not make me sad too, you know."
Months passed since their first meeting. On a lovely July night, murderers broke into Isabella's manor and stabbed James as he woke up and went to drink water. His scream of pain brought his sister Mary running. The intruders fled through a window as she arrived. Mary rushed James to the hospital and tried to contact their mother, but the line wouldn't connect. Desperate, she called Scarlet and told her everything.
"Scarlet, it's Mary. James has been attacked. Please, come to the hospital. We need you," Mary pleaded over the phone.
Scarlet ran to the hospital, her heart pounding with fear. The doctors reassured them that James would be fine but needed several weeks of rest to recover fully. Both girls felt a wave of relief.
Mary, worried about Ronan's treatment in Edinburgh, nervously asked Scarlet if she could take care of James in her absence. "Scarlet, I know this is a lot to ask, but can you look after James while I take Ronan to Edinburgh? He needs treatment, and I can't do both."
Scarlet agreed, sending Ronan with Mary and dedicating herself to nursing James back to health. "Of course, Mary. I'll take care of James. You can take care of Ronan."
Over the next three weeks, Scarlet cared for James, tending to his every need. One day, while he was sleeping, Isabella returned from London and thanked Scarlet for her dedication.
"Thank you, Scarlet," Isabella said. "I don't know what we would have done without you."
Before James woke up, Scarlet quietly left the manor, returning home to find dozens of letters from Ronan and Mary, asking about her well-being and James's recovery.
A week later, James ran to Scarlet's house and embraced her, thanking her profusely for her care. "It's nothing," she said softly, "I'd do anything for my loved ones."
James then handed an invitation to the Christmas ball hosted by Duchess Isabella. "I'd be honored if you would attend the Christmas ball. And, if it's not too much, could you bake the cake for the event? It's a request made by the duchess"
Scarlet accepted and designed a seven-tier rainbow cake, each tier a different color and flavor, adorned with edible Santa Clauses, ornaments, reindeers, and holly. Once the cake was complete, she asked James to store it at the manor due to its size.
On Christmas Day, Scarlet entered the ball wearing a white skirt with scarlet and green accents, a belt with holly on a white top, and white shoes with green lining on one and red lining on the other. She adorned her shining silver hair with real holly, catching everyone's attention as the most beautiful guest at the party. Isabella, usually feeling that something was missing each year, was finally satisfied.
Toward the end of the ball, James proposed to Scarlet in front of everyone, and the crowd erupted in applause. "Scarlet, will you marry me?" James asked his eyes full of hope.
Scarlet gasped, tears filling her eyes. "Yes, James. Yes, I will."
However, Isabella watched with fear and anger. After the celebration, she called Scarlet aside and shared a troubling story: a curse placed by a saint whom her grandmother had wronged. The curse foretold that the husband of a woman in their line would die after their second child.
"Scarlet, I can't let you marry James," Isabella said, her voice trembling. "Our family is cursed. Any man who marries a woman in our line dies after their second child."
Scarlet understood and, with a heavy heart, promised not to speak to James again. "I understand, Duchess. I promise to stay away from James."
The next day, she decided to leave Manchester. She went to the manor to say her final goodbye to James. Isabella gave her one condition: to blindfold herself with a black cloth. The cloth was slightly transparent, but Scarlet did not reveal this. She was led to James's room, where he was locked in a glass box. "James," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I have to go. Goodbye."
James broke open the glass wall with his fist and ran to her with glass shards on his foot, grabbing her hand and ran to the station and they took a train north to Edinburgh, while Isabella sent guards after them with orders to bring James back and dispose of Scarlet