140: Hidden love (3)

Hidden love (3)

Amidst the cheerful chirping of birds outside the window, a young woman sat at her desk, penning a letter.  0

"Catalina, where are you?" a voice called from outside the house. 

"I am here!" the woman responded, and the door to her room swung open. 

"Writing letters again?" Isabella asked, coming to stand beside her. "I told you it was unsafe to pass messages like this. You don't know if he is an old man, or someone deceiving you."

Catalina offered a smile in response to her younger sister's remark, and she said, "I don't believe he falls into either of those categories, and I have been careful to not share my real name, but use an alias instead, in case he does prove to be crazy. But I am thinking of giving him my true name when we meet."

"And you don't even know how this man Dante looks," Isabella pointed out before picking up the letter to read it. "He says he knows how to cultivate land, and chase sheep. Have you fallen for a shepherd or a farmer?" 

"Does it matter?" Catalina asked, taking the letter back and folding it. She was aware that a connection had developed between them, even if she hadn't openly confessed her feelings. "From what I know, he seems to be a man who articulates his thoughts well and is straightforward. He said he wants to meet me, and he plans to visit in three weeks."

Isabella hugged her sister, and said, "Well, there's no one here who suits me, so I might as well move when you do. You won't send me away, will you?" 

"Why on earth would I? I am sure you will find someone suitable wherever we end up," Catalina assured her, adding, "Let me go and post this one." 

When more than two weeks had passed, the long-awaited day finally arrived when the man with whom Catalina had been exchanging letters entered the village. However, as they had not set a specific date, Catalina happened to be away buying supplies when the said pen pal unexpectedly arrived at the address to which he had been writing. 

Catching sight of a dark-haired woman hanging laundry on the clotheslines, he approached her and discreetly cleared his throat. 

"Moana?" 

Isabella turned around, her eyes widening as she beheld a man she had never seen in the village. He was undeniably the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes upon. Clad in a suit, his dark hair was neatly combed to the side, and his face bore a serious expression. 

Having perused the letters twice or thrice, she knew his name and inquired, "Dante?" 

"Yes," Dante replied, a glimmer of hope emerging in his eyes. He continued, "I knew you would be as beautiful as your words have been. I have been waiting to meet you for a long time, to finally come face to face with the person who has been corresponding with me."

Not wanting to pass on the opportunity or to correct the misunderstanding, with her heart racing, she said, "My name is not Moana. It is Isabella… a name I hadn't revealed for safety reasons. I have been waiting to meet you too." She added the last words with a smile. 

When Catalina returned, one of the village women exclaimed, "Congratulations, Catalina! Looks like there is a wedding that I need to prepare for."

"Wedding?" 

"Aye, Isabella is engaged in conversation with an exceedingly handsome gentleman, who came looking for her. I will see you later!" The woman walked away with a basket of laundry in tow. 

Baffled, as her sister had not previously mentioned any suitors, Catalina headed towards her house just in time to spot her sister sitting with a man. The two appeared deeply engrossed in conversation, immersed in a world of their own as they spoke. 

She watched how her sister looked happier than ever before, and before she could get closer, the man pulled out a ring. He uttered something before gently sliding the ring onto her sister's finger. 

Upon spotting her sister's arrival, Isabella's smile briefly flattened, but she quickly introduced them, 

"This is my sister, Catalina."

"Good afternoon." Catalina saw the man offer her a polite bow. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss. I am Dante Blackthorn."

Catalina's eyes widened in shock at the unexpected turn of events. Because this was a man she had developed feelings for, and now he was engaged to her sister, who seemed utterly delighted. The man then shifted his gaze to her sister and expressed, "I am a lucky man to have the opportunity to marry you, Isabella. After everything we have shared between us, I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

She wanted to ask how this mistake had occurred, given that she considered him an intelligent man. However, Catalina was unaware that her sister had leveraged the insights she gleaned from her letters to swiftly cement her relationship with the man, leading him to believe that it was her who had been writing to him all this while. 

"Who is that young man?" inquired one of the villagers passing by. 

And while Catalina stared at her sister, who stared right back at her with a prolonged, wordless gaze, it was Dante who took the initiative to introduce himself. With a bow, he said, 

"I am Dante Blackthorn, hailing from Twarby, and I am engaged to Miss Isabella."

"Oh! When and where is the wedding?" the villager asked, while Catalina's heart grew distant at the realisation that they were indeed engaged, and so quickly. 

Isabella looked away from her sister and answered, "The wedding is set to take place in Twarby, and soon, as we can hardly contain our excitement to be wed." 

As evening descended, Catalina found her sister alone and insisted they speak in the backyard.

"Isabella, what are you trying to do?!"

"Ow!" Isabella pulled her hand away abruptly and retorted innocently, "What do you mean?" 

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