RESOLVE
Ese gazed absently at the book in the Davies’ large Library of her. She could hear muffled voices outside the library and wished she had gone to her father’s quiet office. Although she knew it was a futile attempt to read anything with her mind so occupied.
It had been two weeks since her visit to the Ecclesia estate and she had only left the confines of the house to go to church with her family. No one had dared to speak to her about the duke for fear they would throw her into gloom again. The Wednesday after her discovery of Samuel’s true identity, he had visited with Gideon, but Ese instructed Afa to send the men away and charged her with a message for old Carrigan to ensure that the gate to their fields remained shut to the men. Even when Afa had brought a message from Samuel, she had insisted that she would not hear it.
Ese did her utmost to fix her eyes on the page she had been trying to read for the past hour. She tried in futility to ignore the face of the man that haunted her thoughts. She heard the door of the library open, but did not look up. She was seated at the round table in the middle of the library and fixed her eyes unwaveringly on the book. Since she had no desire for any interaction, she hoped whosoever it was would politely leave.
“Ese.” It was not a servant’s voice as she expected, but a baritone voice that she had become too accustomed to. Her head flew up instinctively and she beheld the face she had longed to see, even against her will. Even with his hair ruffled, like he had run his hand through it too many times, he still looked as beautiful as he did the first day they met.
“Ese.” He said again, taking a hesitant step towards her. Ese immediately snapped out of the trancelike state in which his sudden appearance held her, and frowned.
“How in the heaven’s name have you gained entry into my home, sir!” She said in the harshest tone she could muster.
“Please, Ese, hear me…” He begged desperately.
“I do not have the desire to listen to any more of your deceitful words, sir.” She interrupted, doing her utmost to contain the rush of mixed emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
Running his hand through his hair and taking a deep breath, he spoke again. “Forgive me, Ese, I know I should have told you of my true identity, but knowing you believe us to be a wicked malicious group, I simply wished for you to know that we are not all…”
“If it was your intention to prove you are better than the rest, I can assure you, that you have been quite successful, for of all the evils I have seen performed by members of your class, yours is the worst.”
“Ese, need I remind you that you also are a member of this social class that you so despise?” Samuel asked, sighing dejectedly.
“No sir, for my family, is ranked amongst the lowest groups of social elites, and would never have been if my father had not been granted the title of baron by his majesty.”
“Regardless of class, status or rank, could you not consider me for the man I am, my love?”
“No, I shall not! For I do not know who you are, sir. You have deceived me so terribly, that I question how I could ever have trusted you. To think you even told me you were born in the stables on our first meeting…”
“I meant it as a figure of speech. I only meant I have been taught to ride horses from my child hood. It is just like the saying of being born with a silver spoon. It does not mean that one was truly born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth.” Ese considered his words for a moment. She had known that his words at the time, had been a figure of speech, but had interpreted it to mean he had trained as a stable’s man from a young age. She knew she could not blame him for her own misunderstanding. But still, she just could not forgive who he was.
“Even if I were to put your deceitfulness behind me, I cannot ignore your position. In this kingdom, we could never be separated from our social status and what it shapes us into. In your case, a pretentious class, whose sole aim is to step on every one lower than they, with the obsession for fame and power.” Ese said strongly, but continued when she noticed Samuel wished to speak. “Please sir, spare me, for my mind is quite made up, and I do not wish to speak any further on this matter. If you will not leave, I shall,” she said and made a gesture to do as she said, but Samuel raised his hands.
“No, please, do not. I shall take my leave now.” He said, looking down at her intensely, but she turned away, unwilling to be beguiled by what looked like sincerity in his beautiful eyes. She kept her face turned till she was certain he had left, before allowing the unshed tears in her eyes to flow freely.
“Stubborn sister of mine, why would you not give the man an opportunity to prove that he is worthy of your hand?”
The sound of her sister’s voice made Ese wipe her eyes and turn to the younger woman, who had just entered the room. “You little traitor!” she said indignantly.
“Now Ese, surely you are not crossed with me because I permitted him to see you. Even if you are, I am convinced you shan’t be when I tell you the reason, I allowed him entry. ” Afa said with a coaxing smile, but Ese remained unmoved, raising a questioning brow at the young offender.
“Well, it better be that he held a knife to your throat, for nothing less shall suffice.”
“Don’t be silly, Ese. You know very well that Samuel is too much of a gentleman to use such forceful methods.” She said, grinning. When her sister did not return her smile, she sighed and continued. “You can be sure that as soon as his presence was announced, I told him to take himself off, for you do not wish to see his face.”
“No, I can never believe such incredible nonsense, Afa. I am in fact quite certain you did not say anything close to such words.” Ese responded dryly.
“Well, no, not in those exact words,” Afa said admittedly. “You see, unlike Gideon, Samuel, is a sweet soul, and I did not wish to break his heart any more than you have. So, whilst, I did tell him, you did not wish to see him, I also told him I was in hopes that he could win you over. I do not know why you are so crossed with me, for even when he asked for my help with his suit, I told him I am your sister and would not go against your wishes.”
Ese gave her an incredulous look. “But you did, Afa! For how else did he still gain entry to see me? Do not tell me the servants allowed him, for they would never do such a thing.”
“No they would not. I did allow him entry, only because he asked for a challenge and to my utmost surprise, he won. The prize was that I grant him a chance to see you. I gave him three arithmetic problems that even I, needed three days to solve. I was certain he would fail and drop the thought of receiving any aid from me, but in just half of the hour, he completely solved all three formulas. Whatever could I do but concede? You cannot be crossed with me, for I have never been so impressed in my life. I could have given anything he asked from Papa’s wealth. A request to see you seemed of little significance.” She laughed heartily, but ceased when Ese gave her a sharp look. “Oh, do forgive me already, dear sister. You must own it takes quite a lot to impress me and I shall have no one of less intellect for a brother-in-law.”
“You may rest easy on that head, for I have no desire to be wed to anyone. I shall only forgive you, if I have your word that you shall never perform such an odious act, ever!”
“You have my word, dearest. Now, am I forgiven?” Afa asked smiling, as she pulled on her sister’s cheeks. Although Ese pushed her hand away, she could not resist the urge to return her sister’s infectious smile. She could only wonder what she would do with the feelings in her heart. After seeing Samuel again, it became quite apparent that she had utterly failed in her quest to cease loving him.
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THE WRITTEN FAITH 
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