Chapter 25: A united, devoted couple
The motorcar rumbled steadily along the winding road, leaving the mansion far behind. Roman was mesmerized, his forehead pressed firmly against the glass as the world blurred past in a smear of green. Eilika held him close on her lap, though the weight of a growing four-year-old was beginning to strain her still-recovering strength.
"Roman, come to me," Damian said, reaching out. He had been watching Eilika’s posture stiffen and noticed the slight paleness returning to her cheeks.
"Go to your father, darling," Eilika encouraged, shifting her legs.
Roman shook his head stubbornly, burying his face in Eilika’s shoulder. "No, I want to stay with my mother."
Eilika offered Damian a weary but triumphant smile, clearly touched by her son’s affection.
"You will tire her out, Roman," Damian countered, his voice firm but not unkind. "Remember, your mother was very ill only a few days ago. She needs to rest if she is to play with you when we reach ham."
The mention of his mother’s health worked instantly. Roman scrambled off Eilika’s lap and climbed onto his father’s. Damian settled him securely against his chest, his large hands steadying the boy on his strong legs. Roman looked up, feeling a strange, budding sense of security in his father’s presence.
"Father, what are those distant trees called? The ones with the white clouds on them?" Roman asked, pointing a small finger toward the horizon.
"Those are blossoming cherry trees," Damian explained, his gaze softening as he looked out the window with his son. "They bear flowers in the spring, and soon the fruit will follow. If you watch closely, you might see the petals falling like snow. But they get visible upon going close."
"Mama, let’s go when we return to watch those trees," Roman said, his voice filled with childhood wonder as he turned his tiny head to look at Eilika. She nodded, a warm feeling spreading through her chest as she realized this trip was already bridging the vast distance between Damian and his son.
The humming of the motorcar and the repetitive blur of the passing landscape acted like a lullaby. Eilika tried to fight the fatigue, yawning behind her palm, but her strength was still fragile. Eventually, her head grew heavy, her breathing evened out, and she slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.
She jolted awake sometime later, disoriented by the strange darkness. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she realized with a start that her head was resting comfortably on Damian’s shoulder. He was sitting perfectly straight, providing a steady anchor for her. Outside, the sun had long since vanished.
Roman was still tucked into the crook of Damian’s arm, sleeping peacefully.
"You didn’t wake me up," Eilika murmured as she shifted away, her face flushing in the dark. "I can hold Roman now. Your legs must be stiff from the weight."
"It is fine. We are going to reach our destination soon," Damian replied. He didn’t move an inch, his grip on the boy remaining firm. "His sleep might be disturbed if we move him now."
In the front seat, Maurice caught the exchange in the rearview mirror. A small, knowing smile played on his lips as he turned back to the dark road ahead.
"Roman is going to remember these moments," Eilika whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the engine.
"Will he?" Damian asked, a genuine curiosity coloring his tone. "Don’t most memories of childhood simply fade as we grow?"
"Some linger in your mind forever," Eilika answered softly. "I remember how my father used to take me on trips with my mother before she passed away. Those were the only truly beautiful days of my childhood."
Damian turned his head, his gaze lingering on her face in the dim light of the cabin. Her expression was tinged with a melancholy he hadn’t fully considered before.
"I always wished we would be a happy family," Eilika added. "But I suppose not everything goes according to plan."
Damian looked back down at the sleeping boy in his arms. He realized then that her deepest yearning was simply for the belonging of a family.
’Is this why she is so devoted to Roman, even though he is not her child?’ he wondered. ’She is indeed kind at heart. Most women in her position would resent the son of a first wife, yet Eilika has never uttered a single complaint. It is as if she sees her own lost childhood reflected in him.’
The car slowed as they were finally in front of a small cottage situated in the heart of ham.
"We have arrived," Maurice announced, his voice snapping the tension in the car.
Eilika stepped out into the night air of ham. Damian followed, moving with surprising grace as he stepped out while shielding the sleeping Roman from the chill. At the entrance of the manor, the butler and a small assembly of servants stood in a rigid line, bowing deeply as they approached.
The butler led them through the dimly lit halls to a small, cozy bedroom prepared for the young master. Damian leaned over and lowered his son onto the mattress with practiced care. Eilika immediately moved to the bedside, her fingers nimble as she unlaced Roman’s shoes and eased off his socks. After tucking the heavy duvet up to the boy’s chest, she looked up at the staff.
"I will stay here tonight," she said quietly.
"But Your Grace, the master suite for you and the Duke is prepared just through the adjacent door," the butler responded, his voice hushed but confused.
"Yes, we are heading there now," Damian interjected.
Eilika caught the sharp look in Damian’s eyes and felt a jolt of realization. They were far from the sprawling isolation of their home mansion now; in this smaller house, every movement would be scrutinized. To the staff and the people of ham, they had to appear as a united, devoted couple, not the strangers who lived in separate wings of a mansion.
"Let’s go. Roman is going to sleep peacefully," Damian said, grasping Eilika’s hand and taking her out.
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