Chapter - 9

As time passed and the warmth around them slowly faded, the sun began its quiet descent beyond the trees. The golden light that once filtered through the leaves gradually dimmed, and the evening air turned cooler.

Plumette stirred softly before opening her eyes. For a moment, she didn’t move. Then she realized she had been resting against something warm — no, someone.

She quickly pulled back, her eyes widening as she noticed she had been using Jacob as her pillow.

“Sorry, Lord Jacob. I didn’t realize I would fall asleep like this,” she said, shifting away from him and sitting up straighter, her voice carrying a hint of embarrassment.

Jacob straightened slightly, though he had not moved much while she slept.

“It’s fine. I understand that you’re tired, Lady Plumette,” he replied gently, trying to ease the flustered look on her face.

She exhaled softly, still embarrassed, before her gaze drifted past him. That was when she noticed how dim everything had become. The orange glow of sunset had nearly disappeared, leaving streaks of purple across the sky.

Her eyes widened.

“Lord Jacob…” she murmured, slowly rising to her feet. “The sun…”

Jacob followed her gaze, then stood as well.

“We’re late,” she said suddenly, panic creeping into her voice. “We were supposed to meet them before sunset. We completely lost track of time.”

Her thoughts began racing, imagining the others searching for them.

Jacob stepped closer, his voice calm and steady. “It’s alright. We’re not too far from the main grounds. We can still return safely.”

“But they must be worried,” she said anxiously.

“I’ll explain everything,” he assured her. “Leave it to me, Lady Plumette.”

The steadiness in his tone helped her settle, even if only slightly.

Without wasting more time, Jacob moved to retrieve their horses. The atmosphere had shifted now — from peaceful stillness to quiet urgency. Plumette mounted her horse quickly, and the two of them began riding back through the darkening forest.

The trees that once felt serene now seemed taller, their shadows stretching across the path. Plumette instinctively kept her horse close to Jacob’s, not wanting to lose sight of him as the light continued to fade.

After riding for some time, distant voices broke through the quiet of the woods.

“Lady Plumette!”
“Lord Jacob!”

Several soldiers appeared ahead, lanterns in hand, clearly searching for them. Relief washed over Plumette at the sight.

Jacob guided his horse forward first.

“You can stop searching for us now,” he called out firmly.

The soldiers gathered around them, expressions shifting from worry to relief. Without further delay, they escorted the pair back toward the center grounds, where the others were waiting.

By the time they reached the center grounds, several figures were already waiting. The lanterns placed around the area flickered softly in the night air.

The moment Plumette dismounted, Grace rushed forward.

“Plumette!” she exclaimed, pulling her into a tight embrace. The worry on her face was unmistakable, though relief quickly followed once she saw her clearly.

Zachary stepped closer as well, his eyes scanning her carefully. “Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice firm but laced with concern.

“I’m fine,” Plumette replied quickly, still slightly overwhelmed.

“Where have you been?” Grace continued. “Do you know how worried we were when we couldn’t find you?”

Before Plumette could attempt an explanation, Jacob stepped forward, drawing the attention of everyone gathered.

“I owe you all an apology,” he began calmly. “I promised to catch some animals for Lady Plumette. While we were out, we came across a small rabbit and followed it deeper into the woods. We ended up spending more time exploring than intended and lost track of the hour.”

He bowed his head slightly. “It was my fault for not informing anyone beforehand. Please forgive us.”

A brief silence followed.

Elias, standing a short distance away, simply shook his head, clearly aware that the story had been simplified. Still, he said nothing.

Chester let out a long sigh before stepping in. “What matters is that you both returned safely,” he said, his tone firm but no longer tense. “Let’s go inside.”

With that, the group gradually began moving toward the house, the earlier panic slowly dissolving into tired relief.

Only Jacob and Elias lingered behind for a moment.

Elias let out a quiet chuckle as he approached him. “I thought you were still pursuing her,” he said lightly. “But it seems things are progressing faster than I expected.”

Jacob tilted his head slightly, his gaze lifting to the calm night sky above them.

“Well… it looks like it,” he replied.

A small, almost unconscious smile appeared on his face as fragments of the day replayed in his mind.

Elias noticed it and patted his back with quiet approval before the two of them finally headed inside.

Dinner had already been arranged by the time they entered.

“Why are you both late even to this dinner?” Chester sighed as they stepped in after everyone had taken their seats.

“We’re only a minute late. Don’t exaggerate it, Young Master,” Elias responded teasingly, taking his seat.

The tension from earlier had softened considerably.

Jacob sat across from Plumette. He offered her a silent bow, subtle enough that only she noticed. She returned it with a small nod.

Neither of them spoke during the meal, yet the quiet between them felt anything but empty. Their thoughts lingered on the hours they had spent together — the laughter, the stillness, the unspoken understanding. There was a shared awareness between them now, something neither dared to voice openly.

Both of them knew they had treasured that time more than words could properly express.

When dinner concluded, preparations to leave began shortly after.

Plumette walked beside Zachary toward the gates where their carriage awaited. The night air had grown cooler, brushing gently against her cheeks.

Yet despite walking forward, her thoughts lingered behind.

She wanted to see him once more before leaving.

Just once.

Jacob remained toward the back of the group, walking alongside his friends. As if guided by instinct, their eyes met almost immediately.

The moment stretched — brief yet heavy.

But she quickly looked away, warmth rushing to her face.

She entered the carriage first and sat quietly while Zachary remained outside, exchanging a few final words with Chester.

The faint sound of conversation drifted through the night — until a soft tapping interrupted her thoughts.

She turned toward the window.

Another gentle tap.

Carefully, she leaned closer and slid the curtain aside.

Jacob stood there.

“Lord Jacob, what are you doing here?” she asked, her surprise evident.

“I just wanted to make sure you were alright,” he said, his voice lower than usual. “Earlier… when our eyes met, you looked away immediately.”

There was hesitation in his tone — subtle, but present.

Plumette instinctively glanced past him to confirm her brother was still distracted. Seeing that he was, she turned back.

“It wasn’t like that,” she replied softly. “I was simply caught off guard. Our eyes met so suddenly… it almost felt as if you were already watching me.”

The moment the words left her lips, she felt heat creep up her neck.

Jacob stepped a little closer to the carriage. He lifted his hand and placed it beside hers against the glass, separated only by the thin window.

“I was looking at you, Lady Plumette,” he admitted in a whisper. “You didn’t imagine it. Whenever you step into a room… my eyes naturally search for you.”

The sincerity in his voice made her breath falter.

He gently placed a small wildflower in her hand — something he must have picked earlier — before stepping back.

At that exact moment, Zachary climbed into the carriage.

“Plumette, are you alright?” he asked, noticing her distant expression.

She blinked, snapping out of her daze. Her reflection in the window revealed flushed cheeks and wide eyes. She lowered her gaze to the flower resting in her palm.

What did he mean by those words?

The question lingered throughout the carriage ride home, weaving through her thoughts no matter how much she tried to steady herself.

A short distance away, partially concealed behind a tree, Jacob remained standing.

Only now did the weight of what he had said truly settle in.

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.

He hadn’t planned those words. They had simply escaped him.

A part of him felt uneasy — uncertain how she would interpret them.

Yet another part felt lighter.

Relieved.

Because for the first time, he had spoken honestly.

And as he watched the carriage disappear into the night, he allowed himself to hope.