CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN – THE DISTANCE HURTS

One starlit evening, Charlotte found herself staring out her window, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. The sight of Richard, pacing the balcony of his room across the courtyard, mirrored her own restless anguish. Suddenly, a flicker of movement in the bushes below caught her eye. It was William, the kind old gardener, shuffling towards a hidden corner of the garden. Curiosity piqued, Charlotte watched as William crouched down and retrieved a small object from beneath a rose bush – a folded note. A surge of hope surged through Charlotte. Could this be a way for her and Richard to communicate without raising suspicion? She relayed the information to Anya, who in turn, passed it on to Richard. The next day, under the guise of tending to the rose bushes, Charlotte managed a brief exchange with William. He winked and muttered something about "helping young love bloom." With William's aid, a clandestine communication network was established. Notes, filled with stolen moments o