Author's Note: Thanks so much to everyone who's read or reviewed this story!! I love you guys—you make it so much more fun to write! So, this is the end of Buy Me Love . . . sniff . . . I'm kind of sad. However, I've started writing another story, called "Captivated", and I'll be posting the first chapter sometime in the next few weeks. So, if you liked this story, you should probably check out that one too. Okay, enough of my shameless self-promotion, and on with the story!
Buy Me Love
EpilogueAidan lay stretched out across the window seat, the large window flung open so that the breeze could wash across her. She could see Darren from here—just barely, but she was sure it was him. He was out in the fields, overseeing his workers.
There was a soft knock on her door. "Come In." Aidan answered, and the door was opened by one of Darren's servants. (Servant, not slave—Aidan was having trouble getting used to this. She was having trouble getting used to a lot of things, actually.)
"Good day to you, Miss." They all called her 'Miss' here—she liked it quite a lot, finally being the one with the title. "Is Mister Darren in here? A letter arrived for him, and he's not in his quarters so I thought he might be in yours."
"No he's not here." Aidan pointed out the window. "He's inspecting the fields."
"Thank you miss, I'll go and give it to him."
"Wait." Aidan called after her. "I'd like to take him the letter, if you don't mind."
"Alright." The servant handed her the letter—the words scribbled across the envelope had no meaning to Aidan—and she made her way downstairs.
Aidan breathed deeply as she made her way towards Darren, cutting across a growing cornfield, careful not to step on the vegetables. She would never grow tired of the sun, of the gentle caress of the wind; every time she stepped outside she wondered why she ever ventured back into the house again.
She snuck up quietly behind Darren, barefoot as always. He had provided her with more than enough shoes, but without the feeling of the ground against her feet, Aidan felt as though she had lost one of her senses.
Darren brushed his dark brown hair back from his face. He was sweating slightly under the hot sun. Aidan threw her arms around him and stood up on her toes so she could kiss him on the cheek.
"Aidan!" The delight was apparent in his voice. He turned and kissed her lightly, sweetly on the lips. They broke away and she smiled. "A letter came for you."
The breeze blew her strands of her golden hair across her face. He brushed them out of her eyes carefully, marveling at its color in the sunlight.
He took the letter from her and his face paled.
"What is it?" She asked, concerned.
"It's from my Uncle Farmond."
"Oh." She said softly, the color draining from her face. There had been one nagging fear bothering her all week, the one thing that had kept her from floating away on a cloud of bliss.
What if they demanded he return her? Although Darren had left money, he had still technically stolen her—Aidan couldn't bear returning to that house, not after this taste of freedom.
Darren ripped open the envelope. Aidan's hands were trembling as he pulled out the letter.
Darren read it quickly. His Uncle started with the usual pleasantries, saying he hoped Darren had enjoyed his journey and so on. "Here." Darren said. "He mentions you."
"I hope you are enjoying the slave you purchased from us." Darren read aloud. "I understand that there is a shortage of slaves in your country, and if you ever find yourself in need of another, we would love to do business with you." Darren quickly scanned through the rest of the document.
"That's all he says."
"So you don't think he's going to try to take me back?"
Darren shook his head. "He would have said something. Threatened me."
The letter was knocked from his hand as Aidan jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. He kissed her back with equal passion, ignoring the catcalls of the workers behind him.
Everything would be all right, Aidan realized finally. Nothing would ever force her back there.
She and Darren toppled to the ground together, their lips never parting as they rolled in the dark, sweet earth.
The End