At least she would feel better for having tried.
There was another knock at the door and Callie’s voice called for Amalia.
‘I’d better get ready,’ Amalia said.
‘I’m really glad I got to see you again,’ Elsie said. ‘I’m so sorry I couldn’t say goodbye properly last time.’
Amalia nodded and turned but Elsie hurried to the door and pulled the girl into a hug. For a split second Amalia stiffened and Elsie wondered if she’d done the wrong thing. But then Amalia hugged her back, her grip tight.
‘Travel safe, Elsie,’ Amalia mumbled.
‘I will,’ Elsie promised. ‘And I’ll be in touch. I have your personal email now.’
Amalia chuckled. But Elsie meant it. She wasn’t letting Amalia down again. Even though she’d end up hearing about Felipe and that would hurt. But she could never avoid all news about him and Amalia was too important.
Moments later, alone again, she touched the mandolin case with trembling fingers. It was so precious, so thoughtful of him. And it said everything, didn’t it? How special he was. All those emotions flooded her.
Could only one day change everything? Could it change her?
One moment could change everything. One moment could mean life, or death. Bigger things happened in less time. Trusting this? Trusting her own instincts? Believing in what she felt? She owed herself that. She owed him too. She had to do the right thing. For herself and for him. Which meant she had to take her own advice and try telling him.
She had to speak the truth and not hold back. Holding back meant misunderstandings and loneliness. At the very least he would know and she would’ve released it from her own hold. Keeping secrets. Staying silent for fear of rejection? She was so over that. Saying what she needed to say mattered—there was freedom in that even if rejection was inevitable. She would process the emotion eventually, but not if she didn’t recognise it, acknowledge it, appreciate it. She had nothing else to lose and she wanted to gift it to him. She wanted him to know he was loved.
But it was too late. She was stuck in her suite in his palace. Their time had passed. She couldn’t break into his private wing.
She would never see him again.