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The situation in which Eileen turned turned out was far from the calm and ordered conversation which she initially planned, as-if two opposite edges of the continent.
She with all forces tried to restrain the tears.
But however she tried, to stop the flow of tears didn't work out.
Too already complex were her feelings.
She scarcely found in herself the courage to set him a question, but when she turned out before Cesare, she unexpectedly was gripped by fear.
The door in which she knocked to pain in hands so and didn't open.
She feared that he would turn away from her, having dared to set an inappropriate question.
But suddenly the door opened.
Having appeared as-if in a dream, Cesare first thing took care of Eileen.
His question, whether she is not crying, was distributed almost painfully warmly.
When she was suffocated by the approaching tears, Cesare simply embraced Eileen.
By this he took her by the chin, not giving her to hide face, and attentively examined.
Her eyes, already reddened from tears after the conversation with Senon, set about to swell.
If she continues to cry, she will completely lose look.
But the quiet whisper of Cesare didn't calm her, but only evoked a new wave of tears.
"Who indeed this offended my wife?"
Tears gushed as-if from an open tap, and he, reaching out a handkerchief, cautiously blotted her flaming cheeks, continuing: "Tell the husband."
Eileen didn't withstand and muttered through tears: "Cesare..."
She managed to come to herself before than she finished speaking, but also of these words was sufficient so that Cesare understood in what was the matter.
In his red eyes flashed a cold spark.
Cesare for a bit was silent, then pronounced: "This is because of Lucio Gaetani?"
Eileen shook head.
Lucio was not the primary cause.
"Let's continue the conversation inside."
Cesare lightly caught Eileen on hands.
Having lifted her with the lightness of a child, he nodded to Senon.
Senon, all this time having stood by the "at attention" stance with a gloomy face, gave a clear salute.
Then he approached to the soldiers guarding the perimeter of the house.
While Senon talked with them, Cesare entered into the house with Eileen.
This was a space where she didn't expect to fall.
Wiping tears with Cesare's handkerchief, Eileen looked around.
The not too big wooden house stood by the very entrance into the forest.
For the villa of Grand Duke Erzet it was too modest.
Inside it was quite modest.
There was not even a bed, only a spacious table, chairs, a large chest of drawers and drawers, likely, for storage of various things.
It seemed this place was used only from time to time.
Possibly, he came here for hunting—on the walls hung rifles of different kinds.
*‘But really Cesare is carried away by hunting?’*
Cesare rarely told of himself.
But since they knew each other so long, Eileen was in the course of his tastes and preferences.
Cesare sometimes shared details of his life, and if he said that he was at hunting, then only because his brother Leo invited him, or other aristocrats.
For all the time that she knew him, she not once heard so that he himself suggested to hunt.
Even in the social chronicle, where they savored each trifle from the life of Cesare, never was mentioned that he loved hunting.
With a light bewilderment Eileen glanced at the open rear door.
It lead straight into the forest.
Usually behind the rear door they set up although a small platform, even if not a garden, but here there was nothing.
Judging by the scent of grass issuing from Cesare, he just now had been in the forest.
Eileen looked at the black forest visible behind the open door.
The boundless forest thickly grew with trees.
The thick foliage didn't pass sunlight, and even by day there it was dark.
From the look of the black thicket along the body ran goosebumps.
Although she knew that Cesare will protect her if from the forest bursts out a predator, she became scared.
To her even it seemed that in the wind blowing from the forest was felt a weak scent of blood.
In this moment of instinctive fear she even forgot about tears.
"Sometimes I use this place for hunting." Cesare, having followed after her gaze, took away eyes and continued: "Must be, you are first time inside."
He too remembered the events before the sending to the front.
She wanted to ask why he then didn't open, but she understood that now was not the time for this.
While she looked around, tears unexpectedly ceased.
With cheeks reddened from crying Eileen opened lips:
"Now let me go..."
Even inside the house he continued to hold her on hands, clearly not gathering to let go.
But Eileen firmly decided to talk with him seriously.
In such a position to lead a serious conversation was impossible.
Having gathered with spirit, she repeated:
"Let me go.
Please, Cesare."
Her firm tone forced Cesare to lift a brow.
Without superfluous words he lowered her on the floor and closed the open door.
When the wind from the forest ceased to blow, her body, shackled by tension, finally relaxed.
Cesare pulled a chair and seated Eileen.
Then he took yet one chair and sat opposite, close to her.
One and the same chair seemed spacious for Eileen, but to him it was clearly uncomfortable.
The tall man slightly spread long legs, crossed hands on chest and looked at Eileen.
Seeing that she didn't decide to start talking, he began first:
"Your senpai is still living, Eileen."
"..."
"If you want, I can preserve to him life."
He lead himself as-if offering a candy to a capricious child.
Eileen understood that he as-before didn't guess what she wants.
If she’d have taken this "candy," the atmosphere immediately would have softened.
To her it wouldn't have had to fear that Cesare will be angry at her.
But then their relations wouldn't move from the spot.
She would continue to live in ignorance, as-if in a golden cage, with a constant fear that one day she will turn out outside its borders.
"Cesare." Eileen with difficulty opened lips.
Not taking away reddened eyes, she cautiously asked: "You... as-before consider me a child?"
Visible, he didn't expect such a question.
Cesare slightly tilted head on the side.
It seemed he tried to understand the course of her thoughts, long and intently looking at her.
Finally he calmly answered:
"If this was so, I wouldn't be undressing you."
Eileen yet more firmly squeezed the hands folded on knees.
Trying to cool the flaming face, she moved lips:
"I have come not to request to save senpai."
Cesare silently waited when she would continue.
Not hurrying and not interrupting, he gave to her time.
Eileen gathered all her bravery having dissipated in the air.
"How this... happened...
That is, I woke, and already all happened.
And in the newspapers suddenly these articles..."
She wanted to speak clearly, but from excitement words were tangled.
But she believed that Cesare will understand her.
He always listened to her.
Eileen expressed her most cherished desire:
"Once Cesare left me as Grand Duchess, I want to do all possible.
To be not simply a nothing knowing child under protection."
"I know." His calm answer forced her to startle.
"You always did all possible.
Even ready were to give life for the sake of my honor."
Cesare looked unperturbed.
But in distinction from his level voice, the eyes were such same dark and deep as the black forest behind the door.
In his scarlet pupils was hidden an incomprehensible darkness.
"Therefore, Eileen, I don't want anything to tell you." He ordered to her: "Promise not to die for sake of me.
Then I will tell you."
His words, cold and deep as the forest darkness, shackled her.
"Whatever you’d not want to know."