MY SECRET LOVER

CHAPTER EIGHT

HOMESICKNESS

SOPHIA'S POV

It's been a week since I came to Lucien's house.

I haven't seen him again after his last command to me in the sitting room.

I settled down quite well after that. George, the house keeper, was quite nice, polite and quite handsome too but he had this serious air about him that reminded me of Mistress Wood.

I do miss her dearly, my dear Mistress Wood. She had come to fill a motherly position in my life and it made us closer than the rest of the staff dad hired around the house.

I miss my room too, the familiarity of it, of everything.

It wasn't all that bad staying at Lucien's, I guess it's because he hasn't been around. I had a feeling he'd avoid me as much as he could but currently I doubt he has been in the house after the day I arrived.

He has quite the presence that you'd find difficult to ignore even if he isn't in your presence.

Valentino has been driving me to school, so there's still some semblance of normality whenever I have to go to school.

I guess dad arranged things that way to prevent people from noticing so soon about his absence.

I sat on the chair before the kitchen work surface to go through what I may probably prepare for myself, but I felt a wave of sadness wash through me.

“Ugh, What's with the mood today?” I ask myself, rubbing my palm on my forehead.

“Are you unwell Miss?” George asks, startling me quite a bit.

“Oh! George, I am okay, I was just talking to myself,” I said with a sheepish look on my face.

I felt a bit mortified for being caught talking to myself.

Mistress Wood always said it was an unladylike thing to do but I always kept doing it anyway.

I sighed and turned to face George who was still staring at me unsure if he should believe my words or if he should take an extra measure to confirm if truly I am okay.

“I was thinking about my home, and my dad. Being here has been amazing but a little bit too quiet for me, at home I always had Mistress Wood who tolerated my whims and indulged my conversations.”

George stared at me a bit and then sat on another chair beside me. He brought his hands together and cleared his throat.

“I may not be Mistress Wood, Miss Sophia, but I am a pretty good listener if you need someone to talk to.”

I looked up at George and felt something warm within my heart.

“I don't make my own meals George, not that I am complaining, I enjoy the process and I seem to be pretty good at it. I just miss Mistress Wood,” I replied softly, feeling my eyes become hot.

“Oh Miss, come here,” he says and grabs me in a warm, comforting hug.

“You are just feeling homesick. Is this the first time you've stayed away from home?” George asks me quietly while patting my back.

“Yes George, it is. This is also the first time my dad also has to leave me for a really long while. I am so scared George, I don't pray but I've been practicing prayer these past few days. If there's any god listening I pray that they bring my father back to me in one piece.”

The tears start rushing in torrents this time.

I couldn't hold back as I cried and let what I have been holding inbcome out.

“That's okay Miss, you'd be surprised at the impossible situations your father got into but still made it out unscathed.”

I'd already soaked his suit jacket with my tears and snot.

We stayed in that position for quite a while until I felt myself calm down a bit and felt embarrassed immediately.

“I ruined your jacket, I am sorry,” I said in a croaked voice unable to look at George.

He laughed and patted my shoulder.

“Don't worry about that, I'll change into a new one. Are you feeling better now?” He asks me, peering at my face, waiting to see if I'd lie to him.

I actually felt okay, so I stared at him with a small smile and replied,

“Yes, George, I am. Thank you.”

“You are welcome Miss,” He turns to walk out but stops suddenly and clears his throat.

“Mr. Thorne!” George calls in a surprised voice.

I look up and see Lucien standing at the entrance to the kitchen, he had removed his suit jacket and the blue shirt he wore with it was unbuttened revealing a defined hairy chest.

“You guys look quite cozy, George,” Lucien stated in a sly voice, looking like he felt entertained by watching me cry on George's shoulder.

I felt quite tired at that moment and stood up to escape to my room.

“Good day Mr. Thorne,” I said in a very small voice as I tried to walk past him to the room George assigned to me.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me back.

“What? You are cozying up to my house keeper and I am asking about it and you wish to escape without answering my question?”

His voice increased in volume at the end of the question, his hand tightening painfully on my arm.

I truly didn't care at that moment and was in no mood to say anything to him so I just stood there looking like I didn't give a f**k what he did at that moment and studiously ignored the pain radiating from my arm.

George cleared his throat again, he always likes doing that before talking.

“Mr. Thorne, Miss Sophia here was just feeling homesick and worried for her father.”

“I wasn't asking you George,” Lucien growled at George.

It was then that I realised that George could get into trouble because of me and I didn't want to lose the only friend I have made, albeit in a very emotional moment, here.

So I looked up into Lucien's eyes, I saw surprise flash through his eyes probably because of what he saw in them.

I wasn't sure, and I didn't care.

“Mr. Thorne, is it wrong to seek comfort from someone who is willing to offer it to you in a strange place that has made me feel more alone than I have ever felt in my entire life?” I asked in an even tone.

“If so then George has committed the grievous offence of offering me comfort and I, the weak, little princess, is guilty for feeling homesick and instigating George to offer me comfort.”

Lucien stared at my face in dumb silence.

I must really look the sight with dry tear marks running down my cheeks and my nose looking red and swollen.

He sneered at me and threw my arm away from himself like he was holding a poisonous stick.

“George, I will let this, whatever both of you say it was go, but please don't forget about courtesy and manners when dealing with our guest.”

I could hear so much poison dripping from his words but I didn't bother to look at him.

I was just glad that George won't be getting into any trouble.

He scoffed and walked out of the kitchen in his very arrogant and imposing manner.

I sighed and looked back at George.

“I am sorry, I may have brought some unwanted strain between you and your boss,” I said, looking at George.

He smiled at me warmly and then walked out of the kitchen himself.

It was at this point that rage bloomed within me and I picked one of the glass cups from where it was kept and smashed it on the floor.

“f**k!!!”

I walked out of the kitchen feeling a bit better.