Chapter VII

The next day Ariana found her sister's husband in another room of the house, that man for some reason made her feel uncomfortable.

-Hello, Ariana," said Thomas Brown.

-Hello Mr. Brown, I'm sorry to come in without knocking, I didn't know anyone was here.

-Don't worry, Ariana, carry on with your duties.

-Yes, Mr. Brown.

-Ariana, you don't have to be formal with me, we're family.

-I'm sorry Mr. Brown but Lady Michelle does not allow her employees to speak to her without the respect due to them.

-That's nonsense, you're her sister.

Lady Michelle heard voices in her husband's library, so she went to that room in the house and what she heard was not to her liking, as her husband could be so kind to that young woman who was not family.

-You are wrong, dear husband, she is not my sister," she said with great displeasure. -Ariana, I warned you, leave here this instant.

-Yes, Mrs. Brown.

Ariana did not expect her sister to arrive, but she was relieved that she did. She ended up locked in her room without food, feeling imprisoned and missing the little freedom she once had.

Naomi decided to go and visit her dear friend at Lady Danielle's house, so she went early to Witley Court so she could be alone with her.

When the housekeeper arrived, she was taken to a tea room to wait for Lady Danielle and ask her permission to talk to her dear friend.

-Good morning Lady Danielle.

-Good morning Lady Naomi. It is a pleasure to have you visit us.

-Thank you. -How have you been?

-Well, a little uncomfortable because of the size of my belly.

-Ariana told me that it could be two little ones," said Naomi, between small laughs.

- Oh yeah, she told me that too," said Danielle with a smile. Is your visit about her?

-Yes, I'd like to talk to her for a moment, if you don't mind.

-It's no bother, I'm glad Ariana has a friend, but I'm sorry Naomi, she's not here at the moment.

- Oh! I thought she'd stay with you, she said she'd be by your side until you gave birth.

-She did, but she wanted to see my sister Lady Michelle Brown.

-Okay," said Naomi, standing up to leave. Well, that being the case, I'm leaving. It was a pleasure to visit you, Lady Danielle.

-The pleasure was mine. Whenever you like, you can come.

-Thank you, Lady Danielle.

Naomi was surprised that Lady Danielle told her friend to go to Lady Michelle's house, she remembered that they did not usually get along.

Ariana could no longer bear to be at her sister Michelle's house, she ate too little, worked too much and hardly slept at all. This was affecting her health and there was nothing she could do.

But it seems that her sister's husband was not like that, he was always close to her, watching what she was doing and telling her that she was pretty.

One night his sister's husband came into her room.

-Good night, Ariana.

-Mr. Brown, you shouldn't be here.

- Shh! No one will know.

-Please go away," said Ariana in fear.

-You know, you are a beautiful young woman, more so than your sister and what I would have given to see you before her, you would now be my wife.

-Thomas tried to approach Ariana in her bed and stroke her face, but she resisted and walked away.

-I am thinking of leaving her and making you the new Mistress of this house.

-His wife is pregnant, Lord Brown.

-I don't care, you can take care of the baby.

-If you don't go away, I'll scream," he said with some assurance.

-No, you will not. If you try I'll say it was you who told me to come. And I didn't think your sister would like that.

Ariana was terrified, she didn't know what to do, and she was afraid that Lord Thomas would do something very bad to her.

-Don't come any closer, sir," said Ariana in tears.

-Shut up, you will do as I say.

Michelle woke up in the middle of the night and realised that her husband was not by her side, which made her miss him, so she decided to go out and look for him. As she went down and approached the kitchen she heard some noises where Ariana was sleeping, so she went over to see what was going on.

- Thomas! What are you doing here?

-Dear, it was her," said Thomas, pointing to Ariana who was frightened. "She told me to come and see her and was very insistent, I thought she had some problem in which she needed help.

-All right, I think you'd better go back to your room.

-Yes, dear.

-Apparently you are a danger, Ariana, I can't believe you tried to take my husband away from me," said Michelle in pain and anger.

-Michelle, I... I swear that's not true.

-Be quiet," said Michelle in a tired tone. -You will leave here tomorrow morning, I don't care where, but you will, and I hope you never come back.

When Michelle left the room, Ariana cried, she didn't know where to go or what to do, besides she was scared, her sister's husband was about to hurt her, if she hadn't arrived.

The next day Michelle woke up very early and went to where Ariana was.

- I hope you got your things together!

Ariana woke up with a start when her sister came in speaking in a high voice.

-Yes Michelle.

-Well, it's time for you to get out of here.