After dinner, Sylvie was once more escorted to her chambers. This time, it was by Whitley. She feared she had gotten Bouvier in some sort of trouble since she was not here to escort her for the night. Dinner had been uneventful. Her father-in-law did not attend, and neither did Louve.
It was just her and the servants who served her. She had to sit quietly through six courses of delicious food. She barely had an appetite but felt awful for not having one, so she took a bite of each dish she was served. She was secretly thankful she was able to eat in peace. Before Whitley escorted her to the dining hall, she had found some of her husband's clothing and shoes.
She was unable to locate the clothing she had worn when she was kidnapped by those two men almost a week ago. It felt longer. The days here seemed to pass at a snail's pace. Maybe all of that would change if she were able to have a moment of freedom. She had said very little to Whitley as he escorted her back to her room.
She waited until she heard him lock the door before running over to her hiding place, located under the bed. She quickly slid the clothing out from under the bed and made quick work of getting dressed. Everything fit except the boots. They were far too big. They seemed to swallow up her feet and ankles. She didn't let that stop her.
She went to her wardrobe and located a pair of brown leather boots that looked like they were to be worn more for style and not their substance. She put them on. They fit a little snugly, but she couldn't complain. They were some of the most expensive and beautiful boots she had ever owned. The final touch was a hat she had found. She tucked her long hair underneath as she walked over to the window.
She didn't bother to open the curtains. Instead, she disappeared behind them and slowly opened the window. She looked down. She could see no one. She waited and watched for several more minutes, just to be certain.
When she felt it was safe, she opened the window wider. She stepped out onto the small ledge and carefully lowered herself down the trellis, making quick work of it. She was down within minutes. She had always been a very adept climber. When she reached the ground, she looked up and saw it was quite a climb.
She had been so focused on climbing down the trellis safely, that she had neglected to pay attention to the lush, beautiful red and white roses that grew intertwined on it.
She had never had the pleasure of smelling a rose. Sylvie leaned forward and inhaled the flower's sweet scent. She loved it. It was light, yet sweet.
She felt the urge to take one but decided against it. She knew it would die, and she enjoyed the flower's beauty too much to allow that, so she decided to leave them be. She turned on her heels and surveyed her surroundings. The air smelled different. She couldn't smell the ocean.
It smelled clean. The air was almost sweet. She realized she was near some gardens. She walked around the large area until she saw an opening in a grass clearing. It was relatively quiet.
She couldn't believe she hadn't seen anyone else.
She had felt like her old self once the fresh air hit her lungs again. She didn't know where she was going. She didn't know where she was. She didn't think it would be safe to run away at this moment. She couldn't run away if she wanted to. The people of Canis Island's life depended on her.
She would just explore a little more of the outside of the manor, and then she would go back inside. It would be her secret. She had tried to follow her husband's rules, but it would seem that maybe she wasn't cut out for the lifestyle she was now adapting to. Why did he do this? It was a question she had pushed to the back of her mind, but she asked it now as she walked over to the clearing.
She was a good distance away from the manor when she stopped, turned around, and looked at the large home. It was now her gilded cage. She had always been a free spirit. She hoped her husband wouldn't stifle that. She knew he wanted her to be safe while he was gone, but the people she had interacted with since her arrival had made her feel more than out of place.
They had made her feel like she wasn't good enough.
A feeling she wrestled with when she had lived on her own on the island. The same desperation and anxiety she had fought off all these years were finding their way here, inside this house. She didn't know if she would have the strength to endure it. On the island, she at least had Caleb and her wolf. Here, she had even fewer allies.
She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. There was a reason she was here. The Universe was interfering in her life. She recalled the conversation she had with Caleb about not getting married. She had been so sure of her fate.
She wasn't so sure now. She turned around and saw a figure riding a black stallion coming toward her. She wondered where he had come from and why she hadn't heard him or the horse. She had chalked it up to her being engrossed in her thoughts. She was able to make out who it was only when they were less than 20 feet away.
She would never forget those features or that face. It was her husband. He looked very attractive riding a horse. She was elated and nervous to see him. She thought Whitley had mentioned his return being in a few more days.
She remembered she was not supposed to be here. She kept her head down as he passed. She thought he would recognize her, but he kept riding past her as if she wasn't there. She thanked her lucky stars and ran back to the manor. She was out of breath once she reached the trellis.
She looked around to make sure no one saw her and quickly made her way up the trellis. She accidentally scraped her hands, but she kept going until she made it to the ledge. She crawled onto the ledge and toppled back inside. She quickly jumped up and closed the window. She made her way out of the curtains and undressed as fast as she could.
She folded her disguise and decided to find a new hiding place. She chose a hat box in her wardrobe. She quickly put the items in as well as put her boots back. She was naked. She was still fixing the hat box when she heard the door unlocking.
She knew who it was. It was her husband. The door opened and he walked in, being careful to close it behind him. He didn't seem to notice Sylvie. She had no time to grab a sheet to cover herself so she stood there naked. She saw her husband's facial expression change from dark to smoldering in a flash.
"This is how you welcome your husband home," Randolf said...