Roslyn straightened and wiped her brow with the back of her gloved hand. The family garden was both her blight and her boon. While she loved to watch the plants grow heavy with the fruits of her labors, it was taxing to tend by herself in addition to her other chores. Leaning back down, she grasped a weed and yanked it free of the soil, or that was what she had intended. In actuality, the stem snapped and she fell back in an undignified sprawl upon the path. Just in time for Virgil, Walker, and Thomas to round the corner of the manor. Her father had hired the brothers to help harvest the fall crop of wheat and keep an eye on his daughters while he attended to business in the city, generally they were sweet men and in possession of more brawn than brains.
The three men stopped their joking and laughing to study her with her skirts around her knees. Blushing furiously Roslyn shoved her skirts back into place and attempted to rise, only to find Thomas there pulling her to her feet with his big hands firmly under her arms. "Rosy, you need to be more careful!" Thomas gave her a sweet if slightly vacant smile as he held her in his arms. Roslyn regained her balance and removed herself from Thomas's embrace; the poor boy seemed to labor under the impression that they were to be wed. As a result, he was forever trailing after her like a besotted puppy.
"Thank you Thomas, I'll try to be careful weeding in the future." The sarcastic comment went completely over Thomas's head. He gave her another smile before leaving her alone in the garden. Just as she was about to return to her weeding, a shriek sounded from inside the cottage that had been her family's home for the past two years.
"Oh Virgie, how I've missed you!" Tessa's voice was exuberant and Roslyn was sure her older sister was fawning excessively over her fiancé who had crept out of her bed early that morning. Not to be out done, Nadia's simpering soon floating through the window as she fed Walker his breakfast. Breakfast Roslyn had cooked early that morning. Maybe that was why Thomas thought she would marry him, with both her sisters engaged to both his brothers it must seem logical to him that they be wed as well. Poor delusional boy, Roslyn had no intention of marrying anyone, let alone him.
Roslyn attacked the offending weeds with renewed vigor. Since her father had hired the three brothers, her work load had doubled. She was now cooking to feed their massive appetites, washing to ensure her sisters' best clothes were clean, and performing her other duties about the farm. All the while she watched as her cherished sisters lazed their days away in town or more commonly now, constantly underfoot. With out her father's supervision, they had grown steadily worse and whined about having to perform even the simplest of tasks.
A soft breeze floated by caressing her face and neck. Closing her eyes she leaned into it like a physical touch on her over heated flesh. This time of year the breeze had a bite to it that heralded winter's swift approach. This breeze was different, it was a soft touch that smelled of roses and honeysuckle, just as she recognized how odd the breeze was, it ceased to be. Feeling a watchful gaze on her, she opened her eyes she looked around the silent garden but she was alone, except for the forest at her back. Stifling a shiver, Roslyn threw down her gloves and went inside, telling herself she had worked in the garden long enough.