Page 69 - RotalTutor

She looked up at him. “Even if I am awful and stupid?” He shook his head. “Another person’s actions should never dictate my own. Besides, I will never forget this night, and I thank you for it.” She nodded and smiled weakly, thinking about how unkind she had been. “I’m just glad we could be friends.” His voice quivered as he replied. “I just wish it could have been longer.” Something in the way he said it struck fear into her heart. What did he mean? Something was definitely wrong. He held out the lamp to her. “Here, you take this. I will be fine getting back to my room.” He turned to leave, but she reached out and grabbed his arm. “Alexander, what is it?” He turned back, but did not look at her directly. “Like it, or not, you got your wish of having me out of your life. Your father has asked Sir Phillip to be your escort from now on. He has commanded me to leave for military training by noon. He said, after last night’s events, he wanted someone better to be your escort. He said now that you are eighteen, he wants...” Alexander paused, choking back the emotion in his voice before he continued. “He wants someone more worthy of you.” With that, he looked into her eyes, smiled sadly, reached out and kindly touched her face, and was quickly gone into the shadows of the night. 67