The Forbidden Fruit

I followed him to the stables.
We both mounted the horse and I wrapped my hands round him as we rode to the meadow were he had once proposed to me.
He walked ahead of me, his footsteps expressing his fury. We reached the river and he came to an abrupt halt, dramatically turning round to face me. The smile I had proudly worn had now long faded. Something was not right. He looked serious.
"Elise?" he said, breaking the silence, "I need to know the truth. Do you truly love me? Do you wish to marry me? Forgive me for my uncertainty, I just need to know were your heart lies. Do I fully hold it or only just the half of it?"
I looked at George. His eyes were filled with sorrow. My heart shattered into a thousand pieces as I saw the pain deep inside him. Was I the reason for his suffering? Is this why he hadn't spoken to me?
I wondered what had brought this up. Had he heard Darius confessing his love for me? He must have. He must have been standing at the door for a while. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words "I love you" would not come out.
But I did love him...
If that was the case, why was it taking every morsel in my body to harness the strength to say those three words?
"Is that your response, Elise?" he choked, "I have never had the love of a family or a woman. I was orphaned at a very young age and growing here, girls would look at the young master and not myself. I never felt any jealousy nor hatred towards him. I did not feel anything for the girls either. That is when I met you. The moment our eyes met, I knew that you were the soulmate I had been searching for. I put so much effort into our relationship. I wanted to make you happy. That was before I saw you and the young master kissing in Albert's chambers after you had accepted my proposal in his very presence. I pondered upon it for night, trying to figure out the sourse of action. I thought that there was a possibility that I may have misunderstood the situation. That maybe he had stolen the kiss from you against your will. I decided that even if that was not the case, I would not stop loving you. For my love for you is ever so deep Elise. If you were to ask me to cut of my arm for you, I would do so without hesitation. I would sail the seven seas. There is nothing I cannot do for you. So tell me Elise, what do you wish me to change about myself. I can become better. I shall become perfect for you Elise.......Please do not torture me with your silence. Tell me you love me Elise. That is all I wish to hear. Say it all over again. Assure me that I am still yours."
"George.." I whispered. My heart aching at his speech. I had never thought that someone like him existed. Deep inside I felt assured that he would be understanding if I told him what had happened, my relationship with Darius, the kiss he had seen, "please, let us sit for a while."
We sat under a tree, my head rested on him. I cried and talked and cried some more. He listened quietly, not saying a word. In him I found comfort. He was rubbing my back as I spoke. I finished speaking and looked at him. He wiped away my tears and embraced me, before letting me go.
"I promise you, Darius shall never make you cry again," he said as he kissed my forehead, his words warm, his eyes kind, "I love you Elise, even though you are defiled. I do not love you for your body. I do not care that you fornicated and did an act of immorality. I do not care that you are his mistress. I am just happy, that you trust me enough to confide in me. I shall take care of the rest. You need not worry yourself any longer."
I wondered what was going on through his head, but I just smiled. He had been understanding and he handled the situation a lot better than I had thought he would. I certainly had underestimated the potence of his love for me.