Page 59 of A Governess' Forbidden Flame
Amelia
She hoped that she would feel comforted after having written this letter, but she did not. She folded it quickly in an effort to ready it for sending. Seeking solace and a temporary reprieve from the haunting allure of Sebastian’s presence, she sneaked out of the manor house, looking about as if she were an intruder there. She knew where Sebastian was meant to be working in the garden with Nicholas, so she chose an unfamiliar path, the one she had rarely taken before.
The air felt a bit cooler, with the hint of impending change in the weather, as the sun dipped in the sky. As she wandered, the garden unfolded before her like a secret oasis hidden from the main thoroughfares.
A tapestry of colors greeted her, each petal a brushstroke in nature’s canvases. Delicate roses, their hues ranging from blush to deep crimson, intertwined with vibrant lavender and clusters of daisies. The scent wafted through the air, a subtle symphony of floral notes that danced with the gentle breeze.
This part of the garden was secluded from the rest of it, which was a carefully curated haven, bearing witness to the skilled hands that tended to its every need. Nicholas had truly poured his heart out into this place, and with Sebastian’s help, Amelia knew that it would be a garden beyond compare.
She walked slowly, languidly, allowing the sights to wash over her senses. A wrought-iron bench nestled beneath a flowering arch, inviting those seeking solitude to rest amidst the blooms. She inhaled deeply, entranced by the botanical spectacle, marveling at the intricate design and the meticulous care evident in every petal and leaf.
As she continued to stroll along the less-trodden path, she found herself drawn to a cluster of enchanting flowers that adorned the base of a stone wall. Their vivid colors and delicate petals beckoned to her for a closer inspection. She indulged her curiosity, approaching them. However, as she did so, the blossoms seemed to frame something more profound, something she was not expecting to see.
To her astonishment, the vibrant flowers unveiled an intricately carved symbol etched into the ancient stone wall. She gasped suddenly, pressing her hand to her lips. She could not believe her eyes, but she was certain of it. Absolutely certain. The symbol bore an uncanny resemblance to those she had encountered in the journal belonging to Sebastian’s brother and in the other cryptic Templar documents they had gone over together. The discovery sent a shiver down her spine as if thepast and the present were converging in this secret corner of Ravenscroft Manor.
Beneath the enigmatic symbol, partially concealed by the flourishing foliage, stood a weathered wooden door. Its graying wood blended seamlessly with the surrounding stone, creating an illusion of obscurity. The door, ancient in appearance, held an air of mystery that intrigued Amelia, leaving her to wonder about the secrets it might guard.
As she traced the lines of the symbol with her fingertips, Amelia felt a connection to the hidden histories woven into the fabric of Ravenscroft Manor. The flowering bush, with its resplendent blooms, stood as both guardian and keeper of a door that seemed to bridge the gap between the past and the present, beckoning for the curious to unravel the mysteries concealed within.
She did not know what mysteries the door might reveal, but at the same time, she knew that it was not her privilege to be the one to open them. She dared not think whether this could possibly be the place where the treasure was hidden. But that did not matter at a moment like this.
She wondered if it was possible that Sebastian had already discovered this place in the past or even recently, but the way the door was concealed by the flowering nature around it assured her that it had been untouched by a human hand for a long time.
Whether or not Sebastian knew of its existence, she was aware of the urgent fact that she needed to share this knowledge with him. She got up, feeling her heart beating all the way down in her heels, urging her to rush immediately. She had to find Sebastian, whom she expected to be working in the other part of the garden, which was concealed from where she had been standing.
Just as she turned around, she bumped against a tall, strong body that had to belong to a man, but she didn’t look up in time to see who it was. She felt two hands grip her shoulders to help her remain on her feet and then a voice addressing her.
“Miss Wycliffe, why are you in such a rush?”
Chapter 30
It was only then that Amelia’s confused mind recognized Sebastian’s cousin Frederick. A million thoughts started to swarm inside her mind like furious bees. Did he follow her there? How long had he been watching her? Did he see her find the mysterious symbol and the door? There were so many questions and not a single answer, especially to the question of why he was standing in her way now, keeping such a firm grip on her.
“I…I found something,” she finally mustered the courage to say through this sudden surge of surprise and unease. “I need to speak to Sebastian immediately.”
This should have been indication enough that she demanded to be let go. Only…he did no such thing.
He tilted his head a little as if to take a closer look at her, but he didn’t let go, nor did he loosen his grip on her shoulders. This made her even more apprehensive of him because it was obvious that he had hidden intentions, those he was still unwilling to reveal as they stood alone, out of sight of everyone else.
She wanted to run away, to scream, to do anything, but she felt that her body was no longer her own. Fear had paralyzed her. She did not dare move for fear of what might happen, of how he might react. After all, she stood no chance against a man almosttwice her size. She felt frozen in the spot, at the mercy of this man she did not know anything about, and they were away from everyone’s sight, behind the house. There was nothing she could do but listen and see where his words would lead her.
“What did you find, Miss Wycliffe?” he asked, not sounding at all bothered by the situation they found themselves in but rather curious regarding her discovery. His deep, penetrating eyes refused to look away even for a single moment. “It must be very important for you to be so flushed and in such a terrible rush.” He smiled as he spoke those words, but she had no inclination to smile back. The fear was suffocating her.
“I um…” she started, but she didn’t want to reveal anything. Her discovery was for Sebastian’s eyes only, and this man was standing in her way. Mustering the courage to push him away if need be, she spoke in a more confident manner. “I need to find the earl immediately. He will tell you all about it himself.”
However, that did not seem to do the trick either. Frederick grinned at her, revealing a row of uneven teeth that looked even more yellow-stained in the sun. She had never considered him a handsome man, but now, he was downright hideous. Was it her fear that painted him in those dreadful colors? She was certain it was not only that, but the darkness that was now flooding the surface of his being, showing his true colors.
“Does your discovery perhaps have anything to do with the Templar treasure?” he asked in an amused tone of voice, watching her reaction and evidently reveling in it.
The revelation that he was aware of the Templar treasure and her connection to it sent a chill down her spine. For everyone, it was merely a myth. Nothing else. No one paid any attention to it, nor did they give it any value. This man, however, seemed to believe it. He also seemed to know her every move, what she had been doing just now. As she looked into his eyes, a seed of doubt took root—perhaps Frederick was not the person he purported to be. Was he even Sebastian’s cousin or just some treasure hunter without morals and scruples who would shy away from nothing to get what he wanted? He seemed like the sort of man who had nothing to lose, and those people were the most dangerous ones.
“From your stunned silence, I take it that I am right,” Frederick continued, glancing about, obviously to assure that they were alone, of which Amelia had been most afraid. She wondered if she called out for help if Nicholas might hear her, or if Sebastian was even outside in the garden, as she hoped he was. There were too many unknowns, and she needed to rely on something that would safely get her away from the clutches of this man.
“But I’m afraid that I cannot work with silence,” he continued, and Amelia realized that he was entangled in the same web of mysteries as Sebastian’s brother.
A silent shock gripped her. Did this man have anything to do with the death of Sebastian’s brother? Was he the secret pursuer Henry wrote about in his diary? Fear settled inside the very core of Amelia’s being, wondering what the right course ofaction ought to be. She knew that she couldn’t tell him what she had found. At least, not before she shared this knowledge with Sebastian first.
“I will only speak to Sebastian,” she replied, staring at him straight in the eyes, defying him, although every fiber of her being was trembling with fear of uncertainty.
