Too little, too late
Chapter 23

I move the plot ahead a bit in this chapter. I hope you enjoy it .                                                                 On a totally different note can we talk about mamamoo's new M/V and how it's just pure perfection seriously.                                             These girls should be illegal. 

No one's POV

Solar woke up from a peaceful nap while still in Moonbyul's arms. Seeing the bright sunlight coming through a small gap in the curtains, she quickly guessed is was nearing lunch time and she couldn't miss that as they were having guests.

She got up quickly, "Oh my, I cannot miss lunch. What time is it?"

Moonbyul who was awoken by her, suddenly getting out of bed, muttered. "There's a clock on the mantle above the fireplace."

Looking quickly, she could see it was just before 11:45. That meant she had 45 minutes to get home and clean up. She needed to get cleaned up as she smelled like . While she didn't mind it here, at home it was simply not an option.

Moonbyul sat in bed with a saddened expression as Solar quickly grabbed her dress and put it back on. Once dressed, she looked at the sad looking Moonbyul and her heart sank. Solar then quickly kissed her on the cheek and then whispered in her ear...

"For the first time, I felt like a true woman. I wish we could be together longer, but I must depart."

"Thank you," the Korean rebel said quietly.

After a strangely awkward moment, Solar made a half smile and left.

Though the morning had been wonderful. Solar, as soon as she left began to feel guilty----dirty. While she was with Moonbyul, she felt safe, beautiful, loved, wanted and in general she felt right.

After returning home, she quickly got a basin of water and cleaned herself off. When Mrs. Bailey asked why the water was needed, she told her that she had sweated a lot from the heat of the day. It was in fact a rather hot day, so her explanation was perfectly plausible.

After eating lunch and conversing with their guests, she felt like she needed some time to think, so she took her horse out and did some riding. A little while later she found herself sitting alone on  a isolated hilltop, trying to sort out what just happened and how she felt about it. Was it just her giving in to her urges, with the sole intention of purging them or was it much more than that?

Solar would sit there for a long time, trying to decide things. Even when she went to sleep later that night, she stayed in her mind.

Moonbyul on the other hand was happy, at least until Solar left. Then her own doubts and worries started to creep in as well as the rest of the day ticked on. She did try to occupy herself with a good horror novel but she had a hard time concentrating on it.

Though Solar was now her lover, Moonbyul was still very much a fraud and that stuck firmly in her mind. Not to mention she did not tell her about Eric. She was scared to, scared to say anything that would break the wonderful spell between them. That was why she didn't tell her. It all worried her tremendously.

Moonbyul would lay awake for hours that night, wondering how if ever she would explain this. Then maybe Solar could fall for the real her.

The next day if was all like it normally was, or at least it seemed that way. Moonbyul arrived at 6AM and helped Thomas, the cook, and Emily prepare breakfast. Deep down, she was worried. She was worried that Solar would say something or reject her or even her saying something to blow it.

'What if I say I love her and scare her off?' Moonbyul thought, as she started her tasks for the day.

The thing about yesterday that really bothered her was that it was largely physical. Little of anything important was said. No relationship was established, no secrets were whispered as the lovers held each other and so on. 

Moonbyul wanted more than just with Solar, and she craved a much deeper connection. Something that her relationship with Krystal was lacking. 

7:30 rolled around and it was time to serve Solar and her father breakfast. As Moonbyul grabbed the tray of eggs she was to carry, she found that worry inside of her suddenly turn into paralyzing fear. It felt like a strange kind of nervousness one would get just before a first date. Where a thousand scenarios would run through your mind. Would they like me? Would we hit it off? What if the date's a dud? 

"You alright, Moonbyul?" Asked Emily with a look of concern, jolting her out of her paralysis. 

She nodded quickly, "I'm fine, thank you." 

"You just looked a bit pale----erhm I mean paler than normal for a moment." 

"That is nothing, and thank you again. Let's serve breakfast before Mr. Ferrer gets cross." Moonbyul said as she moved into the dining room. 

Though she was very scared, she took a page from Mr. Green the actor and simply acted as if she wasn't. 

Entering the room, Moonbyul instinctively looked at Solar and for a moment their eyes met. She gave Moonbyul a pleasant but somewhat natural looking smile than her usual customary greeting. 

"Good morning Moonbyul, how are you this fine morning?" 

Solar than also greeted Emily, who had come in right behind Moonbyul much in the same fashion. That didn't help Moonbyul's nerves one single bit. But like a good actress, she didn't break character and served breakfast. 

She retreated into her character and went about her duties, trying to ignore the worries that were plaguing her. About an hour later, Moonbyul was in the process of making the beds. Mrs. Bailey normally did that chore, but when she was busy elsewhere she had Moonbyul preform the duty. 

Her mind was still on the Korean-Latina, despite not having seen her since breakfast. She was partway through making Solar's bed when she suddenly felt a pair of hands slip around her waist from behind. 

Startled, she turned around to see it was Solar who had a rather mischievous smile on her face. Looking over at the door then back to her did Moonbyul realize she was so engrossed in her thoughts she didn't hear her come in, close the door and sneak up on her. 

"What?" Said Moonbyul with wide opened eyes. 

Solar merely put her finger over her lips to silence Moonbyul, then planted a tender kiss on her lips. 

After a brief but intense kiss, Solar moved her lips to Moonbyul's ear and whispered. "I couldn't go another hour without stealing a kiss."

She then giggled, let Moonbyul go and left the room without another word. 

Moonbyul felt alright again, more than alright. She in fact did a little victory dance in Solar's bedroom, but stopped when she remembered she had to clean the chamber pots. 

"How fair is it that I kiss her one minute, then clean her piss next? Someone upstairs has a demented sense of humor." Moonbyul said with a shake of her head as she finished making the bed. 

Things for the rest of the day went well for her, considering she had to work her off as she always did every day. But that evening, after she got finished she received a knock at the door.

It was Solar of course, having told her father she was going on a nighttime walk. The only place she walked was straight to Moonbyul's bed. 

And so it continued. During the day, Solar would frequently steal a quick kiss or a gentle touch. Moonbyul was just a bit nervous to initiate these little encounters. But in any case, Solar seemed to enjoy it. Since she was busy working all day, Solar would come to Moonbyul's cabin at night where they would make love. 

The next few weeks seemed to zip by, with Solar and Moonbyul carrying on their clandestine affair. If there was one constant thing with their little sessions together, it was how very little would be said. 

No declarations of love were made, nor any plans for the future. When they talked, there seemed to be a strange awkwardness that seemed to develop more and more over time. 

Moonbyul of course was caught up in merely being with Solar. She knew she had to "drop the bomb" so to speak, but she kept putting it off. The more she was with Solar