by Allison, Kim
"Elyssa, Daniel was thrilled to find you'd returned Greystone to his hands. I say thrilled....rather he was numb, surprised. He has become somewhat of a recluse. Blake said Daniel drinks a lot and is quick to anger. He is worried about him."
"And my letter?" Elyssa softly asked.
"I am sorry, Elyssa, but Daniel told Blake the only way he ever wanted to lay eyes on you again is if you are on your knees, begging his forgiveness. And even then––,"
"I thought as much," Elyssa said, a tear falling from her eye.
"Still," Sophie encouraged, "he didn't say he never wanted to see you again, and surely that counts for something."
After leaving her cousin’s home, Elyssa told the driver on the spur of the moment to take her to Greystone. It was already nearing dusk, and although the elderly driver voiced his concerns, Elyssa insisted that they hurry.
By the time they reached Greystone it was long dark. Fat raindrops had begun to fall, the thunder and lightning coming soon after. The mansion was dark. It looked as if no one were home. But Blake had mentioned that Daniel never went anywhere unless it was to romantic onslaught
Her hands shaking, Elyssa relied solely on her instincts, which bade her to stay. Daniel had to be there, whether it was upstairs or in the stables, or perhaps even in the gardens. She would find him. Her clothes soaked, Elyssa banged on the front door, but received no answer. She tried the door, surprised to find it unlocked. Shoving the heavy door inward, she tentatively looked about before entering. Calling out for anyone, the only answer Elyssa received was an alarming crack of thunder.
Remembering where the candles were kept, Elyssa made her way over and lit one. It didn’t do much to dispel the creeping sensation traveling up her spine at being alone in the huge monstrosity that was Greystone. She headed toward the staircase and carefully made her way up. Images of she and Daniel flashed through Elyssa’s mind and her heart squeezed at the precious, long buried memories. She called out for Daniel again, for anyone, but was met with only empty silence.
She paused by her old bedroom door, reaching down to turn the key left in the door. Swallowing nervously, she entered the room that had been both her heaven and her hell.
Hell when she was Percy’s virtual prisoner in their brief, loveless marriage. She’d never thought she would survive that life, and yet now the memory of Percy was a faded, mostly forgotten chapter in her life.
Heaven when she had naively lost her heart to Daniel so quickly and thoroughly. He had captured her heart at first sight of him, so sinfully beautiful a man. Her first and only. Her forever. Even if he chose to never see her again.
The room was in tatters, obviously Daniel’s wish that it remain in a permanent state of neglect. Her eyes filled with tears at the raw hurt she knew Daniel must have felt. Well, damn it, she had been hurt too! Whether or not he’d actually planned to confess the truth to her about Percy’s will, about his somewhat-relationship with Catherine, really didn’t matter now. And somehow she had gotten past it all. Why the bloody hell couldn’t he!
It was plain to see Daniel was not within Greystone. She should proceed downstairs and check out the stables and the surrounding grounds before giving up for the night. Candle still in hand, she walked to the window to scan the grounds. Seconds later she was shocked to see Daniel standing in the distance out in the storm. Indeed, she feared his visage a haunting illusion as his eyes met hers a moment later.
CHAPTER ">Her breath catching in her throat, Elyssa dared not wait one moment longer. She turned and rushed toward the door, her gown flying behind her as she verily flew down the stairs. Fear warred with excitement as each hurried step brought her closer to the only man she would ever love.
_______________________
Daniel lifted the half empty bottle of brandy up to his lips as he stood in the torrential downpour. His unbuttoned shirt hung loosely on him, his bare feet cold against the wet ground. He flung his arms out to the side and dared the lightning to strike him. Welcomed the Almighty to put an end to his miserable life.
"Go ahead," he roared as the golden liquid slapped against the sides of the bottle. "What do I care?" Elyssa's daintily written words would be forever etched upon his mind. "Damn her!" he bellowed. With her nerve to allow him to be arrested for murder. Without even questioning him about it. Just assuming he was guilty and unlovable as everyone in his life always had. And only after someone else had proclaimed his innocence did she have the nerve to feel guilty. Well, he wouldn't accept her fucking apologies!
It didn't matter that Elyssa had declared her undying love for him in the disgustingly sweet letter. Nor the fact that she'd scorned herself a bloody fool for not having followed her heart in the first place. For falling prey to falsehoods and suspicions. Elyssa confessed her sorrow that she had left him at the church that day. She begged him to forgive her ignorance. Dare to be mine, she'd written. Please, Daniel.
Bitter tears splashed down Daniel's cheeks along with the rain. His face remained upturned as his eyes closed in misery. He couldn't take it anymore. Could not take living in this dark void. Doing nothing more than drinking by day and sulking by night. Lashing out at anyone that came near him. romantic onslaughtexhi d f
Hating Elyssa.
Wanting her.
Seeing her, as his eyes opened. The bottle dropped from his trembling hands as Daniel wondered if he were merely drunk or had gone mad, for he could swear he saw Elyssa’s image at the window of her old room. Candlelight surrounded her, giving her an ethereal appearance. He blinked his eyes and she was gone.
Perhaps he was already dead––Elyssa haunting him, to be his personal hell. Even his ears betrayed him, for Daniel could hear the faint cry of her desperately calling his name. And then he saw her again. Elyssa stood not more than ten feet in front of him. She looked a breathless mess. The hem of her dress was soaked and muddy. Her hair was wild and tangled about her face. Her lips were set in a troubled expression, her eyes on the verge of tears. And she had never looked more beautiful.
Stepping tentatively toward Daniel, Elyssa's heart beat furiously within her chest. Her heart ached at the forlorn sight of him. His bearded face and weary stance bespoke of not caring about himself. In his eyes was a bitterness, an aching, and Elyssa knew she was to blame.
She was only a few feet from him by now and Daniel held up his hand for Elyssa to stop. Closing his eyes briefly, Daniel struggled to keep his anger intact. "Go away," he bit out. Ignoring his command, Elyssa kept toward Daniel until she stood directly in front of him. His words were urgent and raspy. "I beg you to go away."
"Please don’t make me leave, Daniel," she softly cried. "I would as soon die as live without you." Recalling the words he'd confided to Blake after reading her letter, Elyssa dropped to her knees at Daniel's feet. A sizzling crackle lit the sky as lightning struck much too close for comfort, Elyssa’s humbled position eerily illuminated.
Daniel looked down at Elyssa’s huddled form, her skirts about her in the wet mud. Her gaze was downward in deference to him, the slight movement of her shoulders evidence that she was crying. His hand reached out to touch her hair, to pull her up against his body, but he could not allow himself to give in to her momentary lapse in judgment. He despised her. No matter if his heart was presently beating out of his chest at the romantic onslaughtDo secondbeautiful, desolate sight of her.
How could he hate her, for he’d been the one to first pursue her, had been to fault for her falling in love with him. Hadn’t he sworn to do whatever necessary to regain his inheritance? Elyssa had been an innocent before she’d had the misfortune of knowing him.
And yet, how could he ever trust her again? She had made him believe in love for the first time in his life, only to callously leave him standing at the altar on their wedding day. She’d believed the lies of others, had thought him guilty of murder. What kind of life could they ever hope to build together?
Astonishment and dread took hold of him as Elyssa grabbed his right hand. She pla
ced a tender kiss on the faint scar across his palm, and he cursed her inwardly for making him remember the day he’d done that to himself. Bound himself to Elyssa for all eternity, isn’t that what he’d told her? Her lips still branding his palm, she slowly looked up into his eyes. Daniel’s jaw clenched as he glared at her, pulling his hand from Elyssa’s grip.
He saw the look of pain flash across her perfect features before she looked back down in silent defeat. His fist covered his heart in a futile attempt to assuage the deep aching within. A muffled sob sounded as he fought the impulse to join Elyssa on the ground and weep aloud for what they’d both foolishly thrown away.
"I know what I ask is impossible for now," she said, her gaze returning to his eyes. "For you to trust me, to love me. But without you I swear I cannot go on."
"No," Daniel retorted. "I won't hear this. Our time has come and gone."
Elyssa grabbed his hands before he was able to turn and walk away. He saw the tears streaming down her beautiful face. Recalled a similar night when he'd seen her in such disarray and on such a stormy night as this. And the memory of it made his heart squeeze painfully.
"You are a part of me, Daniel, and by all that is holy, I pray I am still a part of you. So I beg you, my darling, please don't turn your back on me again. On us."
Angry at himself for being so close to giving in to her, Daniel pulled Elyssa to her feet and grabbed her roughly by the arms. His dark eyes burned in wrath as he said, "How dare you accuse romantic onslaughtexhi d fme of turning my back on us, for that is precisely what you did! The day you allowed me to go to prison, and the even darker day you didn’t show up at the church."
She reached up and touched his cheek, her eyes softening at the inner pain she knew Daniel was going through. He was trembling with rage. At Elyssa for begging him so, and at himself for further weakening toward her pleas.
He wanted to hurt her, knowing full well that words would be much more cruel than any physical pain he might inflict. "I have hated you since that day," he forced out.
"I have never stopped loving you," she replied desperately, her lips stealing a sweet kiss against the corner of his mouth, hurt deeply at the cruel words he spoke.
"Well, you shouldn’t," Daniel hissed, his jaw clenching from Elyssa's nearness, from her soft touch and her feminine scent. “There is obviously something in me undeserving of anyone’s love.”
Shaking her head in denial, Elyssa said, “I used to wonder, when I was growing up, if there was someone out there for me. Not just any man, but just that one man I couldn’t bear to live without. The only man I could ever love.” He continued glaring at her, not wanting to hear her foolish young dreams of love. “It is you, Daniel. You are that one.” She pressed her lips against his mouth once more.
Pride mocked him and Daniel wondered how he could ever trust Elyssa again. She had put him through hell. Had more than thoroughly punished him for his many sins. And Daniel knew he may as well die if he let her leave.
Sensing his reluctant willingness, Elyssa clung to Daniel, searching his eyes for any sign of forgiveness. What she saw was her own tortured soul mirrored in his bleak expression. A look of despair so deep, so painful, it was almost beyond hope. And ">