The Last Kiss

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Waking up in her bedroom Lindsey had no idea what had happened. She could remember the weight of the news that Lord Manning had given her. It had felt like a load of bricks hitting her all at once, or was that the pain from her head. Her head was aching with pain. She was guessing that when she fainted she must have hit the table next to the chair. She didn’t realize that she been standing, but she must have been. That would be the only way for her to get the large bump on her head that she felt with her hand. She was now laying in the comfort of her bed, but who had moved her. Surely her butler wasn’t capable of moving her, he was well beyond his years. He had enough trouble keeping up with the door. Puzzled and very much in pain, she searched her memory of what had happened in the study. She kept trying to think of who could have brought her to her room? Who had undressed her?

Gasping at the thought of whom it must have been, she quickly pushed the idea away. That Lord Manning could have been the one. Until she turned her head and he was staring at her with his bright green eyes. She clutched the blankets tight. Not sure what was about to happen and why this man was in her bedchamber. No one else was there, when there should have been a maid or someone. Anyone would have worked. Anyone that is, except for him.

“Well, I see our little sleeping beauty has finally woken up” with a broad smile on his face.
Lindsey could do nothing but glare at him. Her sapphire colored eyes could have been daggers thrown at his heart. Mumbling something threw her gritted teeth, Ashton leaned in closer so he could hear her. She could breathe him in. He smelled like sandalwood. The same scent her father had used when he was alive. He propped his body up on her bed, almost like he owned it. Did he? She wondered. He had come through her door this evening with the news that he did in fact own her home. The place where she had given birth to her children only a few short years ago. The place she had known with her happy family, or what she thought was a happy family.

“What are you doing in my bedchamber, sir?” She said with all the strength of her being.

Seeing a grin on his face she had to know, “and who undressed me, and let my hair down. Surely, it was not you?” He gave a small chuckle. Smiling brightly the entire time. Did he find her question funny? She knew she wasn’t trying to make him laugh. Finally Ashton moved the smile somewhat off his face.

“Well, if truth be told, it is now my bedchamber and no. Your maid, Josie, I believe, undressed you,” he said coyly. Lindsey noticed she was holding her breath again. Another bad habit she had when she was getting angry at someone.

“Don’t tell me you plan on kicking me out tonight? I haven’t had a chance to make any other arrangements for me or my belongings. Are you also going to tell me he lost those too? That I have nothing to my name anymore? Where is Josie now anyhow?” she shot back hoping not to make him laugh again, a sound that haunted her mind.

Trying to hold back his laughter, since it seemed to bother her, he coughed in effort to mask his amusement. He wondered if she was always this dramatic? Was this a special show just for him? He found her very emotional and very full of spirit. Ashton wondered if she knew she held this inside of her. The way he saw her earlier she almost looked dead.

Clearing his throat and his head of the thoughts of her, he replied “no, ma’am, I was merely trying to make you smile. From the way you responded, I’m guessing it did not have the desired effect I had hoped for. I was going to tell you earlier before you fainted.” He looked directly into her eyes. “That I have no intention of taking you home at all. I came here to ask you if you knew your husband was doing this? As far as your maid goes, I sent her on her way some time ago. I’m sure she has better things to do than wait around here while you sleep.”

Lindsey hoped he was through. That he was getting ready to leave. When he stood up, but instead he sat back down on her bed. He was even closer to her, making her gasp. With all her energy she tugged on the blankets even more.

“Sir, I had no idea of what my husband had been doing. If that is all you came here to say, then you are finished and can be on your way. Now do get out of this dreadful weather we have been having.”

Smiling once again, he said “I don’t think I have explained myself fully. I have a plan. That would involve you and your home.”

She had no clue what he was talking about. She knew that she was stuck here, under her blankets. She had to listen to his plan. She was at a loss. She had no idea of his intentions. He wasn’t here to take her home. However, it was still his. Then dread entered her heart. She just thought of it. He was there to make her pay more. To raise her payments on something she was so close to owning free and clear. She had been lucky enough that her husband had made double payments on this house. He hadn’t wanted the burden of it any longer than he had to. For that she was very lucky. Her records showed that she had less than a year of payments to make.

“Well, I see your not going to swoon as of yet. So, I’ll continue, any objections?” He looked at her. When she didn’t say anything, didn’t even move her head, he went on. “Since I contacted the bank that holds the note on your home, I now know the amount owed on it. Here is what my plan is. I’m going to move in until this place meets my approval. I noticed walking through it after you had fainted, that it had many things that need repaired and replaced,” her mouth fell open. He paused to see if she had anything to say so far. Nothing came out. Ashton found this rather funny, but thought it best not to laugh just yet. Instead he spoke more of his plan.

“The bank had told me you have more than three years left, well to be exact you have forty-four months left. Which is a total of twelve-thousand pounds. By looking at this place it needs a great deal of work. I thought I would stay here to ensure the work needed gets completed correctly, since I will be paying for it,” he concluded.

Slowly shaking her head, Ashton’s words finally started to sink in.

“And that amount is wrong. My account books clearly say I only owe less than eight months on my home. So you have been misinformed. Also, why would you need to stay here? You have a grand home across the city. What do you have planned to have me do? While you are living here? You made no mention of me in your plan.”

He nodded as she finished speaking. He knew she was right. He hadn’t said a word about her. In truth he wasn’t for certain he even knew what he should do.

Ashton could see the tears well-up in Lindsey’s eyes. Not sure why, she was about to cry. He had no idea what to say, or what to do. The only thing that came to mind was she needed a hug, some sort of comforting. Something his own mother would do when he was a child, after falling off a horse and breaking his leg. Reaching over to Lindsey, touching her soft skin, that felt like silk, he took her into his arms and gave her a hug. Lindsey wasn’t sure how to act, she wasn’t even sure what was going on. All she did know was this man that smelled so much like her father had his arms around her. At this moment she was more lost in this world than she had ever been in her entire life. Her mood had gone from dark and dreary to devastating and desperate all within a few mere hours.

Then Lindsey did the last thing she ever in her right mind thought she would do. She burst into tears. In front of a complete stranger. The tears just flooded her eyes. She almost shocked by what was going on. She pulled back from Ashton and his warm hug. Why had he hugged him? She had no clue.

Doing his best to help this lady in his arms, he pulled back and gave her his handkerchief so she could wipe her tears away.

“My lady, I had no idea of what to say or do. I’m not even sure if its my place to do or say anything.” He said with all his heart, continuing “I would like to say that I thought about what you said a minute ago, I assumed you would move into your husband’s estate,” thinking of what he just said, he quickly stopped talking.

He knew about the rumors. It just came to mind with the look on her face, that those rumors just might be true.

Shaking her head again, Lindsey whispered “no, no I can’t and will not move to my husband’s estate. In case you have missed the mumbling in the ball rooms, my husband has left me. Taking everything I hold dear to me, including my two children. The only thing I have left was this house. Which seems to me, if what you say is true, is now yours. So now I have nothing. Please tell me if my husband lost anything else I might have left. Like maybe my furniture? My jewelry? Or perhaps my clothing?” she said with a blank look on her face.

“No, nothing like that, those things still belong to you. Although the settee in your library is rather nice. I really like that shade of blue. Where ever did you have it upholstered?” he said jokingly, hoping to keep Lindsey from crying again.

“Sorry, my lady, but no the house was the only thing other than money that was lost during the game,” he said. Trying to improve his standing in her eyes, not sure why it mattered what she thought of him.

She didn’t have anything to say that would not be rude. So in a very calm and polite manner , she said “I see, sir.”

Suddenly she was full of words to say, “so, now that you own this place, I do wish to know how it is we shall share it, and not stir gossip?”

“I thought you would never ask, but, fact is, I don’t go about during the day, and not often at night. I am sort of a hermit when it comes to the social events.” He was telling the truth. He didn’t like the stuffy rooms, the green girls all looking at him like a piece of meat.

“That’s not going to take care of the servants, they have tongues that will wag. Besides, it would not be proper for me to have a man staying with me. You do know I am a married woman after all” he cut her off, not letting her finish.

“Yes, but you said yourself that you and your husband are no longer together. In that sense he will be coming to visit,” his words hit her hard. She could have been struck with lightening just then and wouldn’t have noticed. It hurt! The fact that he was telling the truth. Her marriage was over, very much over. Lindsey hadn’t faced the fact that Robert was never going to return. Not like she was looking for his company, but her children, that was something she missed with all her being.

“No, I suppose not,” trying not to show how his words had pierced her soul.

“Then it has been settled, I shall have my things brought over tomorrow, and the work on this ‘thing’ you call a house will begin, and just to have you know,” he said looking at her as he turned and left the room. Before she could even disagree with what he had said.

Lindsey wasn’t sure how to take his words. Was he trying to be funny or just rude? All she knew was that this man, no, this stranger was to be living under her roof. No, she was wrong again, his roof, with her. There was nothing she could do or say to stop him. She had noticed he was headstrong, but tried to use his humor to hide how he was. Being able to get his way with everything. She wondered if this was something he was use to, or something he was doing just for her sake. For now, Lindsey would be stuck, better yet, she was trapped.

Swimming deep in thought, Lindsey slid down into her bed. Tucking one of the pillows under her arm, holding it close as she might a lover. She had a headache, again. Something that seemed to be more common in the last few weeks. With the pounding in her head, the thoughts almost took leave, giving room for the pain. The pain was something she had never had before. It started making her feel ill. Not feeling well to her stomach she got up and went to the wash basin. Pouring some water on a small cloth, hoping maybe the cool water would help with the pain. Instead it made it worse. Getting dizzy, Lindsey sat down on the floor, and fainted.

Down stairs Ashton wrote some messages, while waiting on his carriage to be brought around to the front. Giving the messages to the butler. Entrusting him not to tell any of what was going on to Lady Payton. Stating that she would find out soon enough, with a smile on his face. He then took his leave, telling Sam that he would be back later in the night. Not to stay up. He would find his own way through the house.

***

On the other side of town, a group of men were settling in for a game of cards. The same group that had played cards in the tavern just two nights past. All of noble blood, all with money to win or loose. Much the same as the last time they played, the tavern was full of unknown faces. Many of who, wanted to escape their dreary everyday lives. They indulged in the pleasure of drinking and flirting with a barmaid that might spend the night with them. The tavern was a release.

Tonight would be nothing for the predator. He might even take a loss. This night would not be the time to work on his plan. Instead, tonight he could have fun. The prey was sure to come. He needed to win tonight. After the loss of the last game. Ashton could use this night to understand his prey even more. Making things even better by tying up one of the few loose ends he had. So his plan would work.

“So, my good friends, are we ready to play?” Thomas asked looking around at his companions.

Glaring in the direction of Ashton, Robert said “more than ready, my friend.”

“Well, all is good then,” Thomas said cheerfully. He looked at Alex, “get those cards shuffled and deal.”

Alex smiled, “Thomas, are you so eager to loose your money?” he said with a small laugh.

“Ha, you’re the one that lost the last time, leaving early,” Thomas said laughing.

“Well, tonight I have a plan,” with that all the men of the group laughed.

“Oh, so is your plan to cheat?” Ashton asked with a broad smile on his face.

“You know well enough that I can play. Damn good even!” Alex said puffing his chest out. Trying to sound proud.

Ashton and Thomas nodded. They both knew Alex could play, when he was not drunk that was. Tonight would be fun. As it was many nights they all had played. They had known each other for a few years. Ashton knew that Thomas and Alex had been friends from childhood. Robert on the other hand was somewhat new to the group. Any other time they would not have let someone new join but they needed a fourth. Sometimes they where not sure if it was a good choice on their behalf. He often had a temper when he had too much to drink. His anger would swell easily.

Dealing to the other men and himself, Alex said “let the game begin,” with a big grin.

Each of the men took a quick peek at their cards. Then each tossed out the opening bid. Not wanting to speed up his plan, he tossed away his pair of aces. Instead getting nothing for that round of cards. Ashton laughed in his head, ‘ha, not like I’m in need of money, I can loose tonight all while working on my plan.’ The thought made him smile, getting the attention of the other players. Making them think he had a good hand. In truth, he only had a small pair of two’s, nothing to win with.

After playing a few more rounds, Thomas took his leave. Claiming to have an early morning. Truth was he was ready to make his affections toward barmaid known. Alex, well on his way to having a great game, stayed. Not wanting to break his good luck streak. Robert, on the other hand, drinking even more, was trying to keep his temper under control. Everyone knew he was not happy with not winning every hand that had been dealt.

Standing, Ashton bid good evening to the other two men. Taking his leave before his anger at Robert grew to something even he would have trouble handling. He walked toward the door. Ashton tossed some coins at the bartender as he walked out. Taking a deep breath outside the tavern, he flagged his coachman.

“Smith, take me home.” he said almost in a moan.

“Sir, which home?” said the confused coachman.

Taking a few seconds to think about what his coachman had said, he replied, “take me to my new home.”

Climbing inside and shutting the door, he rapped at the top of the carriage. Smith cracked his whip and the team of horses were off. Sitting back against the cushions of the carriage, Ashton relaxed for a few moments. Going over the motions of this evening, he smiled. His plan would turn out very well and with little effort. The thought of this made him very happy. Then, as if struck by lightening, he had a very shocking pain in his stomach.

Opening the window to the carriage he yelled “Smith, make hast, something is wrong!”
With that the tall man whipped at the horses, yelling “Come on you beauties, run.” Giving the coach a bit of a jolt.