The Secret of the Letter

"Lily," one girl whispered into the darkness. "Are you asleep?"

“No,” answered the other. “What happened?”

— Do you know what’s wrong with our maid of honor?

The rustling of a blanket echoed in the stillness of the night. The older sister rolled over onto her side, facing the younger Haley.

• And what?

— Well... I saw her crying. I went to her place last night, wanted to scare her with a joke, and she... she buried her face in her pillow and started crying. So I left. Didn't you notice anything about her?

"She's in love, Hayley," the older one said with a sigh.

“In love?!” Hayley asked curiously.

• Yeah...

The girls fell silent, and the darkness of the room continued to keep a strange, not at all childish secret.

You were a lady-in-waiting in the home of relatives of the imperial family. Count Edward Whitmore was a longtime friend of the family and often came to the estate to spend time with the girls. But you knew the real reason for his visits was you.

One day he arrived with gilded envelopes – invitations to his own wedding.

“Count, how did you... how did you agree to this?.. I thought... I thought you had feelings for me too... Was I wrong?..” you asked, choking back tears, looking at him through the moisture.

"Please don't shed tears... It's just a formality! My mother insisted on marriage to strengthen ties!"

"Do you really think this justifies you?" you asked quietly, your voice betraying a break, and your heart, it seemed, along with it.

He left. There was only one day left before the wedding. Late in the evening, a messenger delivered a letter to you.

"My light, tomorrow I will be led to the altar, but my soul and all my thoughts until my last breath belong only to you. I made a mistake by succumbing to someone else's will, but I cannot leave without an answer. Please come to our place in the garden before midnight. If you come, I will abandon everything. If not, I will understand and, accepting your choice, disappear forever."

You froze by the window. It was almost midnight. Your heart skipped a beat, and you took off running into the night garden.