Music Recommendation: The Pier- Rachel Portman

He wished he could see Eve one last time. To leave after seeing her... but he knew it was his wishful thinking. Yet simultaneously, the heart wanted what it craved, even though he had accepted it long ago...

Noah's thoughts went back in time, as his mind tried to move through flashes of the memories he had made until now in his life. And he paused it where Eve resided before her marriage. It was one evening when he was travelling back towards Woodlock and had found Eve sitting on a small bridge all by herself. He couldn't miss her long golden blonde hair that looked nothing less to the rays of the sun.

'Stop the carriage,' Noah ordered his coachman.

'Here, Sire?' Kieran confirmed by turning behind to see through the little window where Noah nodded, whose eyes were looking outside the window.

'Yes, stop at the side and wait for me,' Noah ordered. Before the coachman could open the door, the young Duke had already opened the carriage door and had made his way to where the young woman sat on the little bridge with her legs dangling in the air.

He noticed she wore a formal dress and held a scarf in her hand, staring at the horizon with a hint of sadness. He asked her,

'Enjoying the scenery?' Noticing her body jerk, he apologised, 'I didn't mean to startle you.'

When Eve's eyes fell on Noah, the earlier sadness marring her face dissolved, and a bright smile appeared on her lips. And he caught that little shift in her mood, knowing he had caused it, and it brought a tranquilness that nothing else could compete in the world.

'Duke Noah!' Eve was ready to stand up from where she had been sitting when Noah waved for her to be seated.

To Noah, Eve was that window in his darkened room that brought light. The only light he had.

'I wouldn't have known there was good scenery in here if I didn't catch you sitting here. A little far away from home, isn't it?' Noah inquired politely before he crouched and sat down on the edge of the bridge along with her, but with two steps of the distance between them.

He could tell that his action took her by surprise.

Eve smiled before a sigh escaped from her lips. She said, 'I needed some time alone... to think about it.'

Noah turned to look at Eve. The side fringes of her hair blew to the side, coming to hover in front of her face, and he clenched his hands tightly, watching her tuck her hair behind her ears. He asked her genuinely,

'Is there anything that I can help you with?'

He noticed her pursing her lips as if wondering if she should tell him. He doubted it was because she didn't want to share it with him but because she didn't want to burden him with her life. But then she said it,

'I started applying for the job of being a governess and I have failed in the last three of them. Failed in them quite badly.'

'I doubt you could be bad in anything, Genevieve,' Noah spoke in such confidence that brought a slight awkward smile on Eve's lips.

Eve said with an embarrassed face, 'Today in one of the houses when I went to get interviewedI, my umbrella flew from my hand and hit the lady's lips.'

Noah stared at Eve before a chuckle escaped from his lips which he hid behind his hand and then said, 'There's always a first time for everything. Next time you will learn to hold the umbrella tight. We should probably get you another umbrella.'

'No, not at all,' Eve shook her head, rejecting the idea of parting from the purple umbrella, and she said, looking him in the eye, 'It was a gift from you when we were at the fair. And quite an expensive one.'

'It is something you could use everyday,' Noah had seen her previous umbrella on the verge of breaking and thought it was something she could use.

It was always the women from the high society who often carried colourful and delicate umbrellas in their hands, while the ordinary women often carried the dull black umbrellas with them, and by giving the umbrella to Eve, he had already assumed and given her the courage to step into the high society. To be part of it.

Noah said, 'The first employment is always hard, but I am sure you will land a decent family to work with. Who will appreciate you and your work.' He paused and then suggested, 'If you don't mind, I could always--'

'I will be okay by myself. I mean I appreciate your kind thoughts, but I want to do this without anyone's help, Duke Noah,' Eve smiled at him warmly, and he returned the smile.

'I wish you the best, Genevieve,' Noah wished her from the bottom of his heart. With the sun setting, he offered, 'Let me drop you at your town.'

Eve nodded. She didn't see any point in refusing it when she could use the ride. Not to mention, Meadow came before Woodlock. It wasn't the first time she had taken a ride in his carriage.

Noah was the first to get up swiftly on his feet, and noticing Eve holding her purple umbrella in one hand, he offered his hand in front of her. Her blue eyes fell on his open palm before she unhesitatingly placed it in his. He held it firmly, somewhere, not wanting to let go and wanting to hold it a little longer. But he let go anyway, knowing it was for the best.

He was satisfied with the way things were...

At least, that is what Noah had thought back then.

Right now, in the cave, Noah's vision was not just blurry, but it had darkened, and he felt something crawl and grasp around his heart, making it harder for him to breathe. His lips moved with the inaudible name 'Genevieve' uttering from it, before the poison stopped his heart and breathing.