8 Changes

"You can't possibly expect me to ride all the way home with Duncan by myself!"

Delaney sighed as she rushed through their room throwing her last few things together into her trunk. She had told Selina she would be riding home alone with Vincent and the woman hadn't stopped expressing her unhappiness since. The other girls were sitting awkwardly on the beds observing.

"Delaney you must be serious," Selina demanded, "How will it look for us to ride that far alone in a carriage with a man?"

"They're not random men," Olive interjected gently, "They're your future husbands. I don't think anyone would begrudge you spending some time getting to know them."

"With as shy as Duncan is you probably still won't know him after the ride," Constance mumbled but not quite quietly enough. Selina shot her a look.

"But they won't think that's what we're doing will they?" Selina glared at Olive now, "People will think we were wrapped up in the carriages for hours kissing and touching and who knows what else! Is that what you want Lady Violet to think Delaney?"

"Lady Violet will believe whatever her son tells her and if she doesn't she will still pretend and convince everyone else to believe him as well," Cora snapped, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"Bernard is here as well," Olive added, "I will be riding home with him. If you and Duncan want to ride with us though I'm sure he wouldn't argue."

"Oh, you're not going to try to smash all of you in a little carriage to appease her," Cora stood and threw her hands in the air, "I'll ride home with the picky princess since Miles couldn't come home. Constance can ride with Olive and Bernard. None of you can ever question if I care for you after the suffering I'm going to have to go through today...."

Selina's mouth dropped open in offense but Cora didn't care. The little blonde stormed out of the room without another word. Behind her, Olive and Constance fought to hide their smiles.

Selina turned back to Delaney who had turned to the mirror to hide her own giggles. She was now finished packing and checked herself in the mirror. She was tired and couldn't hide it but she hoped Vincent wouldn't mind too much. She suddenly found herself looking forward to this chance to speak to him alone.

"You're really going to ride with him all the way home? You don't think it will be uncomfortable? What if he's too forward?"

Delaney smiled and hugged her friend, seeing how worried Selina was for her. "I'll be just fine," she whispered to her, "I'll see you very soon." When she stepped back, she saw tears in the other girl's eyes and felt some gather in her own.

"It feels like everything is going to change now," Selina whispered.

Delaney took her hands and squeezed them, "You've been my best friend my whole life. Your future husband is best friends with my future husband. We'll never have to be apart for long if we don't want to be." Selina nodded biting her lip as more tears slid down her cheeks. Delaney dashed her own away and with one last quick hug, slipped out of the room and down to the waiting carriages.

Downstairs, Delaney slipped on her cloak and the man waiting at the door opened it for her, saying he would send someone to get her trunk. She hardly noticed him speaking though for as soon as the doors opened she saw Vincent waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her.

With the tall wooden door swinging open, Vincent looked up and saw her standing there. A happy little smile played across his lips and Delaney couldn't stop herself from reflecting it with her own. Their eyes met and it was as if they already shared some secret.

Vincent took the stairs two at a time to reach her and hold his hand out for hers. Delaney didn't need it but she liked the feeling of him helping her down the stairs. She felt like he would do what he could to make sure she never came to harm.

His hand was warm in hers and worn from holding a sword for so many years. Even now he had a long blade strapped to his thigh. She imagined the power that he could wield with the blade and all his strength behind it.

The carriage was one of his own from his estates and it was large and ornately decorated. A footman stood holding the door open for them. Vincent helped her in, where Delaney found thick grey cushions on the seats and pillows to match with golden tassels. She had never ridden in anything so elegant. Behind her, Vincent sent his men to get her things before climbing in and joining her, closing the door behind him.

Then there they were, closed in alone together. He sat across from her but when her trunk was loaded on the carriage the movement made their knees brush together then settle against one another. Vincent didn't move to separate them and Delaney found she didn't want to either.

He leaned back against the seat and watched her with a content smile. She watched him too but looked away after a moment, blushing. A chuckle rumbled from his chest as the carriage creaked into motion.

Delaney looked out the window and saw her friends standing on the stairs waiting to leave. She watched until she could no longer see them and then turned back to Vincent. She realized at that moment he really was all but a stranger to her. Now, she had more than a day's travel with him. She would be spending that time alone with this deadly handsome stranger.