Free Lilah by Gemma Liviero

like myself, similar places to be with Lilah. Unlike me, he was
upfront and confident and she smiled politely and answered his various
questions. Andrew had the look of a bird of prey before it swoops and I
realised that whether Lilah wanted to accept the attentions or not, she should
be warned.
    I could not put in words how disheartening it
was to see my brother in action this time. Never had it bothered me as much but
it had become personal and I couldn’t sleep that night wondering if he was
visiting Lilah to charm her with his talk of false love.
    By morning I was nearly indisposed with my
chest hurting, not only from my condition but also from more emotional ailments
of the heart. I sought out Lilah and told her of the girls who had worked
before her. Words against Andrew poured out suddenly, and there was no hiding
the jealousy in my voice.
    ‘It is alright,’ she said calmly. ‘I have seen
the mischief in your brother’s eyes and reject such inconsistencies. There was
a knock on my door last night, which I refused to answer. It was Andrew and I
knew perfectly well what he intended.’
    I was amazed at the perception of this girl
– the fact that she was so clear in thought and not subject to my
brother’s charismatic courting.
    ‘The question is: what are your intentions?’
    This question shocked me and I stammered that
my feelings had always been honourable.
    She smiled tenderly and touched my cheek. I
could not help myself and held her wrist gently. It was my expression that gave
me away. My father would say that I could never hide anything I felt, that I
would look guilty even when I was not.
    ‘I’m feeling that I might love you.’
    ‘I knew that,’ she said.
    I took her in my arms and held her. When I
tentatively found her lips with mine, the kiss was everything I had hoped:
earnest and inviting. My desire for her was magnified as a charge went through
my body.
    ‘What’s this, brother?’ Andrew stood in the
doorway resting one hand haughtily at his hip. His bemused expression was
undoubtedly a prelude to mockery.
    ‘It looks like you have won the prize this
time, Emil,’ he said.
    ‘She is not a prize. She is a girl and someone
I…’
    ‘Love?’ he queried mockingly. ‘I heard. Well
it’s alright to bed the servant girl and take your
pleasure but don’t get ahead of yourself, brother. They are not worthy of any
further intent.’
    ‘My intentions have nothing to do with you,’ I
replied, now annoyed at his intrusion and authority. I was the elder son, after
all.
    ‘Ah yes, but they have everything to do with
father. You talk of such love around him and he will beat you and send the girl
away. And if she should disappear in her travels then no-one would care.’
    ‘Get out!’ I ordered.
    ‘I’m just warning you, brother,’ but there was
no care in his tone. Instead, I heard an underlying resentment in the fact that
for the first time a girl had not acquiesced to his demand, preferring my
company.
    When Andrew was gone our former mood had
evaporated. Lilah was concerned. ‘I should leave here. It does not sound safe for
either of us if I stay.’
    ‘Please…not yet. I will talk to Andrew. I will
bargain that father hears none of this until I decide
what we can do. There are other places to live than here. My cousin, Ivan,
lives north of here and he would welcome us.’
    Lilah appeared pensive. Everything had happened
so fast. The next morning when I saw her, she wore the stress in her eyes
ringed with darkness. It was obvious that neither of us had a much sleep.
    I was informed by my mother that
Andrew had left that morning to stay with his future in-laws, that he would be
gone for several days . She had also had word that father was returning.
    Chapter 6

 
    Lilah

 
    I could not stop thinking about
Emil. I had felt his sickness and knew that I could cure him. Once he trusted
me enough, I would do so. But what would he think of me then, a freak, an angel of darkness?
    His