Of Night and Dark Obscurity

Val almost groaned. She stretched out her hand and he entwined it with his.

“Val?” She asked sleepily.

“Yes dearest?” He let the endearment slip out and she said nothing.

He looked over at her and saw her eyes were closed. She was a lovely thing. In sleep she looked angelic and innocent. She was the perfect match for a devil as she had called him.

“Don’t leave me,” she said suddenly. Her voice a whisper.

“I won’t. We should be home soon.”

“And then we can plan our engagement,” she whispered.

Val smiled. “Yes. Then we’ll plan our engagement.”

The carriage seemed to last an eternity and Val was stuck in a beautiful, hellish heaven. He could smell the jasmine perfume that clung to her and when she fell asleep her arm draped along the inside of his thigh. He would give his soul to kiss her mouth and press her against the cushions, but he would never take her in the carriage like some doxy.

He ached for her but even sober he could do almost nothing. The kisses he had stolen up until this moment had been exquisite bits of torture that had happened and nothing more.

Societal dictates were in place and she was a well brought up daughter from a good family so it ended there. As the carriage swayed in the night, he imagined a life with Caroline. Coming home to her each night, a quiet dinner with only the two of them. Reading, attending the theater, discussing the latest books. He would come home and relay his cases to her; she would tell him about her social work.

And at night. He sighed. At night he would spend his time making sure she never forgot how much he adored her. Then with the natural occurrence of time, children would follow. Caroline was loving and kind, she would make a good mother.

He looked down at her sleeping face and smiled. She must be protected and looked after.

When they finally arrived in Mayfair, Val watched as the maid walked a very drunk and sleepy Caroline upstairs to her room. He would see her again soon enough. They had plans for the next morning to see the house he might purchase.

???

Caroline opened her eyes slowly and even the soft morning light from the windows was jarring to her.

“Oh god,” she muttered.

Dressing slowly for breakfast she went downstairs and was greeted by her father and grandmother.

“Dearest,” her grandmother said smiling.

“My head hurts and the sun is far too bright,” she told them both in an almost whisper.

Her father grinned. “Perhaps, daughter, you drank too much champagne last night.”

“I don’t remember that,” she said.

“I daresay you don’t remember the night at all,” he teased.

She sipped on her coffee and looked up. “I remember the night Father. I remember talking to Val quite a bit and the party.”

“Val?” Her grandmother quizzed.

“The Inspector.” Caroline clarified.

“Yes. He took you home.” Hubert nodded and returned to his newspaper.

“He took me home?” Caroline repeated.

“Yes. You were a bit too tipsy, my dear and it was still early. So, he offered and I saw nothing wrong with it. He’s a Detective Chief Inspector after all.” Hubert reasoned.

“It was a long drive, but fine,” she said though she remembered very little of it. “We’re supposed to meet this morning. He wants my advice on a new house. He’s thinking of a change.”