Mary was not sure she made a mistake.
At first, of course, she had doubts about this, but she managed to get over them, saying that they were just the inherent pleasures and hesitations.
Source: 1069thefox.com
It was, however, an important step to leave the places so familiar. She left London, to Scotland, to a friend who had invited her there and who was expecting her with a job and a home with all the comforts. Her London girlfriend said it was not good to do that, but her daughter was the reason for her to take this step. Yet Maria looked at this departure with skepticism, nervousness. His husband had died, and this step would have taken her from all of so painful memories. Since her father had died, Clare had become a problem child, and this was reproached by her grandmother to Maria, who had moved her from a private school to a state school closer to home. Because they did not get along with the paternal grandmother since Edward died, she made that decision after all. Clare would have been willing to move away from that environment forever, but she was somehow afraid of what the future would be. Little by little, Maria felt confident in her decision to leave London, and if things were not going to go well, they could go back there anytime. Looking at the train’s window, she managed to ignore Clare’s upset and enjoyed some good minutes of scenery. She has not even been out of London in recent years, so that trip would do well. When the train stopped in Glasgow, she wondered if she had made a big mistake. Clare was stubborn to communicate with her mother, and the tears … she hoped to keep her from leaving London. She had only spoken a few words during her journey, when Mary had asked her something. A man between two ages offered to help with their luggage, then he advised them on what to take to the final destination. When they got out of the train, a man looked at them as if he knew them. He was a man with a messy hair, dressed with a leather jacket and he did not seem to be from the train. After studying them carefully he headed for them.
– Do you need some help?
He had no Scottish accent and Mary realized he was not from there. She refused that gentleman’s help and rushed to look for a baggage handler. Clare was curious about that man. He was the brother-in-law of Emma, the Scottish girlfriend , who had business through Glasgow and had come to take them to the apartment. She knew from Emma that she was of noble birth, and his appearance did not bring anything in that sense.
– The car is outside. Shall we go?
He led them to the apartment and he politely said goodbye. Emma did not ask him to do that, but he had offered himself. He was eager to meet Maria. At home, his mother was curious to learn about Maria, the woman she knew since she was a child because she knew her family. Rafael, that was his name, was a widow also. His wife died, and now, for the first time, a woman gained his interest. Maybe because she was more reserved, he still did not know why he was attracted to her. Mary gazed at the window at the gorgeous view of the autumn, at the mountains that stood over the entire area. For the first time after many years she saw them. Maybe it was still too early, but she felt like this was his place. They would live in an upstairs house, not in an apartment as she had originally understood. Clare begun to be interested in Rafael and she was trying to gain her mother’s interest, also.
– Have you seen what long eyelashes he has?
She did not want to answer this question, she just looked at Clare. While they were having a poor dinner with what they found in the refrigerator, they heard a knocking at the door. It was Emma who stepped inside, leaving behind her a very powerful perfume. They hugged and talked about the house, if everything was okay, then Emma asked with whom they arrive there with. Maria was surprised, because Rafael said that Emma sent him to take them from the train station. And Emma was also surprised to learn that Rafael had taken them, she did not understand from where did he know and how he went to pick them up from the station.
The next day she woke up confidently, wearing a thin enough shirt for the temperature of the house and looked out the window to the gorgeous landscape. She put the kettle on the fire and thought of Emma’s reaction when she found out that the count had come to take them from the station. She could not believe that Rafael was a count. She did not quite understand why he had done this, and she was somewhat curious to find out.
She poured herself a cup of tea, she put something on, and she went to the central boiler where she probably had to let go of the heat and make hot water for the bathroom. As she was putting her fingers through the ashes, she heard a beating in the kitchen window. It was Rafael, smiling. She winced and opened the door.
– Good morning! Did you manage to adjust yourself? I found a bag on the bench and I came to bring it to you.
Mary was gloomy and ashamed about how she looked and did not invite him in, but he invited himself and offered to help her with the fire. She refused, but he insisted and he told her to serve him with a cup of hot tea with milk.
– I’ll send someone every morning to bring you two liters of milk starting from tomorrow!
– Thank you a lot, but you do not need to bother!
– There is no disturbance, it is my pleasure!
He lit the fire and then waited for the promised cup of tea. Mary was intimidated by him, by his eyes, the fact that he was a count, and she was just a mere employee. He then drank the tea and left, pointing her to the doctor’s office where she was going to work, to Emma’s father.
The next day on the steps of the house Maria found two liters of milk and eggs. She took them to the kitchen and she suddenly started thinking about Rafael unwittingly. Emma’s parents told her a few things not quite right about Rafael, about how he had become after his wife died, but Mary was not affected by these things. The next day Rafael came again under the pretext of going to the city and he could take the two of them to shop. That time Mary was dolled up, not as in the first morning. She initially refused to go, but Rafael insisted and after all, she accepted also for Clare’s insistence, of course. She began to feel chills on her spine when she was looking at him. For the first time she felt like this when she was next to another man since her husband died. It was nearly a year since his death, and she never thought she would feel something for somebody else. She turned to take the kettle off the fire and she got burned at the hotplate. Rafael rushed to help her and he grasped her wrist, helping her not to feel the pain. They felt the warmth of their bodies, they were so close to each other! Her husband never made her feel that way. She felt his breath in her hair, then he approached her lips, kissing her lightly. She was having butterflies in her stomach. She was kissed by a count, someone who could not even think of it. So this was the first step to the romantic story she lived with Rafael, whom Clare also grew found of him very much. They started to date and their romantic story was the subject of discussion in Emma’s home, her parents were slightly envious.
The first night of love was different than with her husband. She never thought she could ever feel that for a man. She realized she had never been practically alive before, and what she was living now was a real extravaganza.
