Chapter 6

Louisa awoke to an incessant noise at her window. She opened her eyes, still bewildered, and looked around until she realized where the sound was coming from. She sat up in bed, rubbed her eyes, and crawled out from under the covers. She brought her face closer to the glass and a face appeared out of nowhere. She brought her hand to her mouth to stifle the scream that almost escaped. As soon as the scare wore off, she recognized Benjamin. He motioned for her to meet him outside. She thought about not going, just because he showed up there with that terrible girl, but she wouldn't go down that low. Louisa took a deep breath, grabbed her robe and walked towards the door, careful not to wake her parents.

When she opened the kitchen door to leave, Benjamin took her arm and pulled her to the back of her house, where there were no windows.

"What do you want at this hour?" she asked irritably, almost whispering.

"I wanted to be close to you. We haven't even spoken with each other since I arrived." Benjamin said, lifting his hand to caress her face. But she slapped his hand lightly. "Ouch!"

"Of course we didn't speak. You pretended I didn't even exist! You arrived with that girl stuck to you like a tick! And don't even say it was because of your mother! You and I have our secret code and you pretended you didn't even know me!" Louisa complained and turned around, ready to head back inside the house. Benjamin grabbed her arm to make her stop and pulled her close to him, almost touching her back to his chest. Benjamin had grown a little taller, now he was taller than Paul.

"Forgive me. I was an idiot." He said, his face buried in her hair. He inhaled the scent of her hair. Flowers. He rested his chin on the top of her head after that.

"Why?"

"Paul is my friend and Jaqueline is his sister." He paused, and Louisa repeated the girl's name in her mind, with some contempt. "I didn't want her parents to think anything wrong about me. This is the first time they come here."

"And what wrong could they think? That you talk to your servants?" Louisa questioned him and Benjamin closed his eyes, sighing.

"They are not very much in favor of this kind of interaction between different social classes." Louisa pulled away from him so she could turn around and face him.

"And is that the kind of people you make friends with, Benjamin?" He frowned as he heard her say his name. She'd been calling him 'Ben' for over a year.

"They have this flaw, but they are good people." He tried to argue, but Louisa let out a mocking laugh.

"Good people? Oh, please!" She had both hands on her hips. "How can you be friends with people who despise people like me? Actually, you and I are very different from each other, right?"

"They're not bad, Louisa!" Benjamin insisted.

"That girl doesn't seem very nice to me. She looks like a spoiled, disgusting girl!" Louisa was screaming as low as she could. Benjamin couldn't say that Jaqueline wasn't spoiled and mischievous at times.

"They'll get used to it." He said.

"With what?" she asked, not understanding.

"With you and me being friends." He said and tried to approach her, but Louisa took a step back. Now she was sure the romance was just in her head.

"Friends?" she repeated.

"Yes, that's what we are. Right?" Benjamin replied. Louisa bit her lip and turned away, for she felt her eyes welling up with tears and she didn't want him to see her cry.

Benjamin caught up with her in seconds and turned her to face him. He wiped her tears away and cupped her face with both hands.

"Why are you crying?" And then he realized why Louisa was crying. "Did you think the two of us were more than that?" he asked, low and, with her loudest sobs, he had his answer.

"I-I thought that w-what..." Louisa could say no more. Benjamin hugged her.

He felt a more than special affection for her. She was fourteen, almost fifteen, and already looked like a girl Jaqueline's age, eighteen. Louisa was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, and she didn't need silk dresses or jewelry to look magnificent. However, the problem with her social status remained the same as it was two years ago. And he blamed himself for giving her hope. To both of them, in fact.

Benjamin knew that marriage to Paul's sister was desired by both families. And very convenient, however, he didn't like Jaqueline that way. He put up with her because she was his friend's sister. He didn't even see her as a friend to begin with. He was reluctant to ask for Jaqueline's hand, however, he knew that it would be inevitable.

Feeling Louisa in his arms was wonderful and terrible at the same time. Even if she was rich, there was still the question of age. He felt weird feeling anything for such a younger girl, even though she didn't look her age.

"You and I can never be more than friends, Louisa." He finally spoke. Louisa pulled out of his embrace.

"You like her, don't you?" she asked, sniffling.

"Yes." Benjamin answered. He thought it best to lie, for if he said it was just a matter of convenience, Louisa might continue to think there was a chance for both of them.

"Be happy." She said and looked into his eyes. "Goodnight." She turned and walked back to the house. Before she entered, he got hold of her hand.

"And there's one more thing. Stay away from Paul. He is not reliable."

"He is your friend. Why are you talking like this about him?" Louisa questioned him.

"He's a womanizer and he thought you were pretty. He probab-"

"Thanks, but that's not your business." She entered the house and closed the door.

Benjamin stared at the door, not believing that she had practically slammed the door in his face. He refrained from entering the house and continuing to talk to her. He huffed and walked back to the mansion.

Jaqueline was looking out the window. From where she was, she couldn't see the servants' house. She just saw that Benjamin had left and after a good few minutes, he was coming back. She'd find out where he'd gone, when morning came. And it was a good thing it had nothing to do with that stupid little girl.