This is my second fan fiction. All human. Not normal pairings.
Give it a chance :)
Let me know what you think, leave a review.
The Summer of 1918 was one I would never forget.
The summer of my seventeenth year held so many things for me, the year I became engaged to my loving wife, Bella, the year of the Spanish Influenza, and the year I watched part of me die, with her.
At the end of June, three days after my seventeenth birthday, our housemaid quit. She had been getting on in years and was a bore to be around, I wouldn't miss her. My father and mother, Edward and Elizabeth Masen, interviewed a few women, they ended up hiring an Irish girl who was the same age as I. Her name was Colleen Murphy. She would start the next week. I would never forget her.
"Edward," my mother called from our formal sitting room.
"Yes, mother," I answered.
"The new house girl should be here soon, would you show her in when she arrives? Bring her straight to me," my mother looked at me over the top of the book she was reading.
"Of Course, Mother," I said, and smiled.
The war had my attention, I wanted nothing more than to be eighteen and be able to join the war effort. The only thing that would even begin to hold me back was Bella. Miss Isabella Swan, my intended wife. She was beautiful. I loved her. My plan was to marry her and then go off to war and come home a hero. My Mother hated the idea and wanted me to go to college and be a lawyer, like my father, Edward Senior. I pacified her by telling her I would, in fact, go to college, I just left out the part where it would be after I came home from the war.
There had also been stirrings of some unknown illness among the troops, it seemed to be highly deadly, but we hadn't seen it in Chicago and were unconcerned.
I heard a knock on the front door. I was far from prepared for what I would find on the other side.
She was much shorter than me and curvy, unlike most of our Irish house help. Her skin was white, like porcelain, with a light dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She wore a grey dress, with a white apron over top. She had a small watch pinned on her chest. The part I was most fascinated by was her hair. The attempt to pin it into submission had failed, here and there a long curly tendril of fire would find it's way out of the mass she had in a bun atop her head. I desperately wanted to free it, I was appalled at myself for feeling this way. She was help, I had a fiancée, and she was Irish.
"Hello, I'm Colleen Murphy," she sang, the effect of her accent, "I was told to report here this morning. You Must be Master Edward."
She courtesied. She was very well spoke, another shock for me. She looked me in the eyes, hers were a beautiful, clear blue, I was mesmerized.
"Master Edward?" she spoke, bringing me out of the spell she had cast on me.
"Yes, of course. Follow me Miss Murphy," I led her inside, then to my mother.
We walked up the oak stairs, either of us barely making a sound, I could smell her, she smelled of honeysuckle. I was intrigued by it, by her, this wouldn't do. I would call on Bella this afternoon. That would drown this Irish Devil out of my mind.
"Mother, Miss Murphy has arrived," I said, formally.
"Oh good. Hello, I'm Mrs. Masen, you can call me Mistress Elizabeth," my mother smiled widely at the Irish Devil.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance Mistress Elizabeth. Mr. Masen said you like to run a tight ship here. I can help you with that, just familiarize me with what you like to be done," her accent was like a song to my heart, playing all the right notes.
With my mother showing her the house, I left.
I walked to Bella's house, it wasn't far from my own. Her front garden was beautiful, lilac in bloom. The wrought Iron fence had ivy growing along it, adding depth to it. Opening the gate, I went up the walk and knocked on her door, her father, Charles, answered.
"Ahh, Edward, do come in," Charles was always happy to see me, "Bells is upstairs, I will go fetch her."
I needed to see my Bella to undo the damage the Irish girl had seemed even more beautiful in my mind, this had to stop!
"Edward," Bella floated down the steps, I walked towards her, catching her as she tripped on the bottom stair.
" Ah Bella, I just needed to see you today," I smiled.
I loved this woman, even with her lack of grace, the thought made me smile lopsidedly.
"I'm glad you came, though I am getting ready to leave. I have lessons with Mrs Cullen this afternoon," she frowned slightly.
"That's ok, give my Aunt my best," I squeezed her hand, and left for home.
Damn! That visit was much too short, now I would have to go home and face the red haired devil who was disguised as an angle. I marched in the door, went to the drawing room, and sat at my piano, hopefully this would leave me blissfully free from her company. Why couldn't I stop thinking of her. My life was perfect, I had a plan and she was not part of it. It was then I heard the clicking of an unfamiliar footstep, it must be her. I began to play, annoyed.
I watched as she walked into the room, feather duster in hand, she moved with the music. Perfectly matching my tempo. She twirled and seemed to dance, without really dancing. The loose tendrils of her hair swaying with her again I fought the urge to free the trapped silken flame. As she dusted the piano, my song became a lilting Irish tune, she looked at me through her red lashes. Colleen twirled, on purpose this time, allowing her feet to do the step dancing I'd seen some of the Irish girls doing when I'd been on their side of town. My song picked up in tempo and I was amazed at the movement of her feet, more of her hair came lose from the bun and her honeysuckle sweet smell wafted my way in waves. Dusting, she danced around me, so close to me I could feel the heat off her body as her skirts brushed me. I wanted to touch her but to do so would have been highly inappropriate, not that what we were doing now was exactly appropriate. When she finished the piano she danced to the door, turned to me, smiled and bowed, then walked out as if nothing had happened.
My pulse raced. Her scent lingered in the air around me and her eyes through her lashes flashed in my mind.
This Irish Girl would be trouble, but I wanted more.
