Love at First Glance (6 page)

Chapter 8

           
The ride back the manor was quiet. Lillian replayed every moment of her rendezvous with
Johnathan
Bailey. Every touch, every kiss. She could still smell his scent on her. She sat silently in the back seat of the car next to Elizabeth. She was about to burst at the seams.

           
Lillian couldn’t even be sure that this wasn’t all just a dream. She barely waited for the car to come to a stop in the driveway. Their chauffeur came around and let Elizabeth and Lillian out of the car.

           
Lillian grabbed Elizabeth’s hand. “Come with me to the gardens. I want to bring some new flowers up to my room this evening.”

           
“Good day, Milady,” the chauffeur said tipping his hat.

           
“Thank you ever so much,
Mr.
Russell. Will you please tell my parents that I am off in the garden with Elizabeth and that I will be in in time for dinner?”

           
“Yes, Milady.”

           
Lillian pulled Elizabeth along as they made their way down to the gardens. The sound of the ducks in the pond and the fountain sprouting water immediately relaxed Lillian. They walked around to a bench in the topiary garden and took a seat.

           
Elizabeth stared at Lillian anxiously. “So, I can see the glow of love on your face.”

           
Lillian paused. “A true lady doesn’t kiss and tell, but I think I am falling in love with him.”

           
“So quickly?”

           
When the words escaped Lillian’s lips, she knew how absurd it sounded. How could she possibly be falling in love with a man that she barely knew?

           
“I’m not totally sure, but there is a passion between us that is undeniable. I’ve never felt this way about any man before. So I’m quite sure that this dizzying feeling that I have is love.”

           
Elizabeth shrugged. “I’ve never been in love really myself to be the judge. I believe you if you say so. But do you really know this
Johnathan
Bailey? Where is he from?”

           
“He was born here in England. His parents are Brits, but he was reared in America. He says that his family travelled a lot when he was a child.”

           
“Do you think you can trust him?”

           
Elizabeth posed a wonderful question.

           
“He offered that we should spend some time getting to know one another. And get this, he has the same philosophy on love as I do. He doesn’t believe that it’s forced. He believes that two hearts must come together, it would be on their own time and that it would be right.”

           
“Well the two of you seem on one accord in that instance. I wish you the best, Lady Lillian.
Johnathan
Bailey may just be the one for you.”

 
          
Lillian got up from the wrought iron bench and began strolling the garden. Elizabeth followed as well.

           
“Please don’t breathe a word of any of this to my family. I will pick the perfect time to let them know about
Johnathan
.”

           
Elizabeth nodded. “Your secret is safe with me, Milady.”

           
Lillian was happy that she had someone to confide in about
Johnathan
. There was no way that she could contain all that she felt for him. She had to express it somehow to someone and she knew that no one in her family would understand what she was feeling. So she resigned to count down the days until she met with her lover again.

           
She wasn’t sure how all of this would work out. All she knew was that she’d fallen for him so quickly and so deeply it had to be love. And she was willing to keep that feeling in her life at any cost.

Chapter 9

           
Friday did not come soon enough. Each moment she waited, Lillian felt like she was losing her mind. Partly because she had this amazing secret that she could not tell anyone about. Mostly because her body was on fire waiting to be extinguished by
Johnathan
.

           
At night, she lay in bed, her mind replaying her and
Johnathan
in his bed. The way he touched her was so tender and the way that he whispered in her ear just what she needed to hear was soothing.

           
It was amazing that she’d found this man that knew just what she wanted and just what she needed. In the few hours that she’d spent with him, he managed to treat her like a princess. It was something that most of the men that she’d been made to court by her mother hadn’t managed to do.

           
She knew that she should tread carefully though. Things were happening so fast. But was it possible to turn off feelings and slow them down?

           
This was the love that she sought for so long. Or was it something else?

           
Lillian wasn’t sure what was happening to her. She found herself daydreaming even more so as she sat at meals with her family. When she thought of
Johnathan
, she got a queasy feeling in her stomach. She didn’t have anything else to measure her feelings by. She knew for certain that her mother and her father couldn’t have felt the way that she felt about
Johnathan
.

           
She never saw them kiss or hold hands. She’d never seen them show any affection towards each other. Her mother showed affection towards her children, but that was as far as it went.

           
Lillian knew that she would have to figure love out for herself. Whatever it was that she was feeling with
Johnathan
would eventually come to light. And her family would just have to understand that she was going to explore those feelings and that
Johnathan
could quite possibly be the man that she would marry.

           
But she knew that she didn’t know much about him except what he’d told her. She didn’t know what he did in his everyday life. She would definitely have to meet his family before considering marriage. That would mean a trip to America. She’d never been to America and never considered going at all until
Johnathan
said that was where he was from. Maybe now would be a great time to travel. Maybe he would invite her to come out and visit with him and his family.

           
She craved
Johnathan
in her very soul and being. How could this be?

           
Lillian got up and dressed that morning, not saying much to Elizabeth. She didn’t want to share her feelings much with anyone.
Johnathan
was her secret that she wanted to hold dear to her heart. And in London, she had a little more ability to be seen with him in public than she did in
Lanchester
.

           
Lillian boarded the train to London alone. She’d made trips to London in the past and no one thought any different of this trip. She went often to the family tailor and to soak of the city and make a few social calls.

           
This time, she did arrange to stop by the tailor for a few dresses, just in case anyone inquired, but she planned to spend the rest of the time in
Johnathan’s
arms. She would catch the train back out to
Lanchester
in the early evening.

           
Watching the countryside through the windows, Lillian smiled to herself. She felt like a woman for the first time in her life.

           
The train ride was not a long one and she was thankful for that. She’d given
Johnathan
the time and place to meet her and she hoped that he would be there on time.

           
London was usually pretty dreary, but today, the sunshine peaked through the clouds. Lillian took that as a sign that today was lucky for her and
Johnathan
.

           
She took a taxi to their meeting spot. Lillian took a seat to wait for her lover. As she watched the people outside enjoying the day, she saw a family with their children running carefree. Could that quite possibly be her one day with
Johnathan
?

           
Maybe she was moving too fast. This was only their third encounter and here she was thinking about marriage and children.

           
She sighed to herself. “Slow down, Lily. Slow down.”

           
“Talking to ourselves are we?”

           
Lillian turned to see
Johnathan
walking up behind her. She jumped up and hugged him tightly.

           
“Oh
Johnathan
, these past few days have been almost unbearable without you.”

           
He stared his beautiful woman in her brown eyes. “You my dear have been almost impossible to live without.”

           
Their kisses came in a flurry. Neither of them could control themselves. Right there in public,
Johnathan
kissed Lillian as if his life depended on it.

           
She was out of breath and feeling faint. Then she remembered that they were standing in the middle of the street kissing in public. Lillian shyly pulled back.

           
“
Johnathan
, we are in the middle of the street.”

           
“I know that,” he said as he cuddled her even closer. “Remember, I’m American. I don’t really care about all of that proper
behavior
stuff.”

           
He kissed her again and she melted into him.

           
“How are we going to spend our day?” she asked, trying to change their focus.

           
The couple began walking, Lillian following
Johnathan’s
lead.

           
“I have a lunch planned for you. Then a few other surprises before I have to let you leave me.”

           
They were arm and arm as they walked.
Johnathan
reached in his coat pocket and pulled out a long stemmed rose.

           
“I know that you mentioned that you love gardens and flowers. I can’t compete with the garden you have at home, so I bought you one rose to show my affection and my love for you. Eventually, I will buy you enough roses to create a garden of them for you.”

           
Lillian blushed at the gesture. “It’s beautiful.”

           
They spent the morning on a carriage ride around downtown London, then they had lunch at a local pub. Lunch at a pub was not something that Lillian would normally do. She was not used to socializing with commoners, but she agreed to it just to be with
Johnathan
. It turned out to be a wonderful time.

           
They were taking a stroll along the river when she remembered her afternoon appointment with the tailor.

           
“I surely can’t forget this appointment. If my parents find out that I didn’t go, there will be all sorts of questions about how I spent my time in London for the day.”

           
“Well then we will go.”

           
Lillian put her hands against
Johnathan’s
chest. “I can’t have you go in with me. The tailor has been the family’s tailor for a very long time. I don’t want anyone asking questions just yet. Not until we are ready to reveal our love to the world.”

           
Johnathan
shoved his hands in his pocket. “Whatever the lady wants, the lady gets. I will wait for you though.”

           
“Perfect.”

           
They made it in good time to the tailor. Lillian was fitted for her dresses and the appointment went off without a hitch.
Johnathan
waited for her at a pub on the next street.

           
When she was finished, she went over to meet
Johnathan
.

           
He saw her coming as he stared through the windows.

           
“Do I finally get the chance to spend some time alone with you, Milady?”

           
“I would love nothing more. But where will we go?”

           
“My family has a home very close to here. We can walk there if you’d like. It’s such a beautiful day.”

           
“I would love that.”

           
They walked arm and arm along the streets of London until the happened upon a brick home with lovely flower boxes in the windows.

           
“Your home is beautiful.”

           
“Thank you. It’s actually my mother’s home. She stays here whenever she comes to London. So beware. It has a woman’s touch to it,”
Johnathan
said jokingly.

           
They stepped inside and Lillian was immediately comfortable. It was not luxurious, but it was quaint. She loved it. It seemed like the type of place that a woman could really relax away from the cares of the world.

           
She immediately began to look around. There were pictures of an attractive woman and a man standing on a busy street.

           
“Are these your parents?”

           
Johnathan
walked over to where Lillian was standing.

           
“Yes, it is. They are just married in that picture. My parents are wonderful people. I’d love for you to meet them one day.”

           
“That would be lovely.” Lillian continued to look around. Doing so helped her feel closer to
Johnathan
and feel like she was beginning to learn more about him.

           
“How long do I have with you?”
Johnathan
asked wrapping his arms around Lillian.

           
“I have to catch the seven thirty train back to
Lanchester
. My parents will be expecting me.”

           
“Of course they will. And I will make sure that I have you back on that train. Such precious cargo.”

           
Johnathan
held her hand in his, pulling her into his broad chest. Lillian looked up into his sparkling green eyes and suddenly felt safe with him.

           
It wasn’t long before they gave into their desires. It was almost impossible to just stand there and not be wrapped in each other’s arms.

           
Lillian went in for the first kiss. It alarmed her that she made the first move. She just didn’t want to waste any time.

           
Johnathan
kissed her with all of the passion inside of him. Her lips were soft and
pillowy
.

           
“I find myself falling for you more and more each day, Lillian. It seems impossible to do that when we are just meeting.”

           
“I understand what you mean. But I’m willing to see where this leads. I want to be with you
Johnathan
.”