Every Rose needs a Thorn

Meeting again

5 years later 1856

Rose’s POV:

The night started off well, since I become of age I was invited to more ball’s, but I was honestly never interested enough with anyone, to go to a lot of these evenings, I gave my heart away a long time ago, and I didn’t think I would ever get it back, that love was never reciprocated, but I still loved him, I still thought of him.

The evening air felt a little more electrifying and I had knots in my stomach.  There was definitely a change in the air, a foreboding if you will.

I could feel someone staring at me, I felt the persons eyes on me, and that honestly made me a little more nervous.  Some of the young men approached me, I just made the usual social niceties and then moved to side so that I could scan the room.  Something just felt wrong and the feeling made me nervous.

When I turned my head, I knew what it was , The shock at seeing him again was all consuming, I was frozen to the spot.  I couldn’t believe I was looking at the biggest mistake I ever made, regret and shame flooded my senses.  I couldn’t stop looking at him.  The love he had for my sister was special and pure, I realized this now, but Emily never loved him, she was just playing with him and off course she was pregnant and needed a name for her baby.  I knew now it was jealousy on my part, I loved him, truly loved him, and seeing him now, I still felt the same, but I knew he could never love me.  What I did to him was unforgivable.  I could see the disgust in his eyes when he finally looked into my eyes and realized who I was.

My eyes darted quickly to my father, hoping he didn’t notice him and also searching for my sister now Lady Ainsworth, Knowing that there was not any way they could not notice him, his large stature made sure he would always be noticed, the broad shoulders and strong legs and arms that you can only get from working hard and those magnificent black eyes, always seeking, that arrogance was something new to his nature.  He used to be kind and happy.  The scar across his face did fade a little but was still very noticeable, but he was still beautiful.  I was reminded of how that happened and guilt clouded my mind, I could feel the tears stinging my eyes.  I blinked the tears away.

The rush of bodies seemed to disappear as he locked eyes with me and started moving in my direction.  Panic flooded my limbs, I was frozen in place and I could feel the blood drain from my face as he focused on me, his eyes locking me in place.  There must have been a stricken look on my face, I felt panic rush me, but I also felt something else that old familiar feeling of being in love with someone you could never have.

Frozen in that moment I waited for him.  He was escorted by Sir Johnathan Blake, the host at his estate in the Cape.  I only noticed Sir Johnathan now, when he came to stand right in front of me

“Lady Rose” my I introduce you to my good friend, Mr Thorn Alistair,  he has been off the continent for a while but we are happy to welcome him back. 

Thorn looked at me with hatred “We’ve met”  He answered abruptly –  running a finger down his scar and looking away – he couldn’t even look at me.

“Yes off course, I forgot you were acquainted”  Sir Blake looked nervous, he was obviously remembering the scandal with Emily.  When Thorn left the Cape my father was quick to let everyone know that he chased him off because of his unrequited advances to my sister. 

My throat felt constricted I couldn’t say a word and then the worst happened, I realized with a shock that my father finally saw whom I was standing with, he rushed over almost knocking the serving boy over.  This was no going to go well.

My father with a murderous gleam grunted out the words “What are you doing here, Alistair”

Thorn looking bored with a champagne glass in his hands finally answered him after a long pause “I was invited”

“You should have stayed away from here, you already disgraced one of my daughters with your unwanted attention, is it your purpose to ruin another girls reputation, your type is not welcome here”

“Father please your making a scene”

“He should have stayed away,”  Henry Cummins looked straight at Thorn with disgust  “your father disgraced his name and the title by breeding with someone which is not of his own class, do you think no of us new of his little secret”

I was confused by my fathers statement, I turned to Thorn and I saw the quick flash of hate in his eyes.

“Father please let’s just leave”

I then noticed my sister and her husband now also coming over.  I knew my sister is only being spiteful, because she knew how I felt about Thorn.  Emily new the power she had over Thorn and her coming over here will only worsen the situation.

My sister walked over with her fancy London coiffeur and best designer outfit.  I was still jealous of her after all these years, because of Thorn, his love for her.  My sister walked over as if she still had his love.

“Good evening Thorn, my I introduce my husband Lord Arthur Ainsworth”

“No you my not, and you my call me Lord Allistair” Thorn hated all these social niceties and I was glad to see that Emily was very taken aback by his denial to meet her husband and her. In that moment I felt pure joy, it looked like Emily lost her hold on him. He my never forgive me but Emily is no longer in his heart either, and the way he looked at her, there was actual contempt in his eyes.

“You insulate devil how dare you snub my daughter and her husband.  After what you did to her.”

Thorn looked at my father with pure hatred and for a second it looked as if his eyes turned even blacker.

“what I did to her, your daughter wanted to marry me because she was with child and the child wasn’t mine.  There is a word for women like that”

I heard my sisters quick intake of breath, I saw her hand come up to cover her mouth and turned hurriedly around to see if anybody was listening.   My father turned a bright purple and looked as though he was ready to kill Thorn.  Thorn looked as if he was hoping my father would try.  The insult was directed at my father and Emily, it also had the effect Thorn was hoping for.

“you, you ……….

“please father lets go”  I grabbed my fathers arm and tried to pull him away, he just shoved me off and glared at Thorn.

My father, Sir Francis Cummins finally turned grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out of the ballroom.  Everyone was staring at us, but I was only worried about one pair of eyes.

I could feel Thorn’s eyes bore into the back of my head.  As I turned around, I observed that Emily and Lord Ainsworth was also trying to get away as quick as possible.  It looked as though Lord Ainsworth was genuinely scared of Thorn.  Thorn was smiling that little devilish smile that made my hart skip a beat, and then the man had to go and wink at me. 

Outside the ballroom my father stared at me with his piercing glare. 

“Rose did you know he was back”

“No off cause not father”

“You will not ever be seen with that man, he has brought enough disgrace to this and his own family, he will not disgrace us any longer.”

I looked passed my father to the approaching carriage – I couldn’t answer him, my throat felt constricted and I did want to see him again. I’ve known I loved him the first moment I saw him, unfortunately he never loved me and after what I did to him, I could never love me, but my heart would always be his.  I wanted to scream at my father, that it was Emily who had disgraced us, but it was not worth infuriating him more.  We should just leave, but I could already feel my hart coming to live again.  If only our live turned out differently.