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Samantha pulled on a shawl and hastily buttoned it over her dress, shivering a little. It was just after breakfast, and so very cold. Perhaps a walk wasn't such the best idea...But no, there was Eddie, on the porch,waiting. He offered her his arm, and she took it, suddenly feeling brazen and bold and…wonderful.
"It's been so long since I've seen Mount Bedford," he said almost wistfully.
"Well, I'll give you a regular tour," she laughed, and they walked toward Main Street in companionable silence, the stillness broken only by the noise of their shoes crunching the frosty ground.
She laughed suddenly, and he turned to her, grinning like the old days.
"What?"
She blushed.
"Oh, I was just thinking... what if the old gossips see us now, arm in arm?"
He scoffed, then his whole face lit up.
"Hey, Sam, want to give 'em something really shocking?"
So it's 'Sam' and 'Eddie' now. Samantha nodded, and he tugged her arm.
"Race you!"
They ran until, breathless and laughing, they collapsed on a snowy bench near the courthouse.
Samantha showed him the shops and pointed out old friends for a good half hour before they stopped at the corner of Main and Elm, where a rosey-cheeked little boy was selling newspapers.
"Terrible disaster, read all about it! RMS Lusitiana sunk by German submarine!"
"I don't believe it," Eddie muttered, fumbling for change in his coat pocket. The youngster took the money and gleefully scampered off after handing him the paper.
He scanned the article, then tossed it to Samantha.
"Read it, Sam."
She read it quickly, eyes widening in shock.
"Oh, Eddie, all those poor people..."
He looked her in the eyes. "Exactly! That's why I want to enlist. Freedom's something worth fighting for, and we have to show that we don't take it lightly. Armies shouldn't blow up innocent civilians! This is 1915, not some barbarian age."
"Well, we'll enter the war any day now, won't we?"
He scoffed.
Samantha looked up at him. He was tall and lanky, and good looking, but now his handsome face was scrunched into an almost-sneer.
"Wilson's too worried about violence, Sam. He doesn't realize, yet, that freedom doesn't come free. He's got to realize there's a cost!"
They turned the corner, heading for home.
"But what about your mother, would she let you enlist?"
"Hardly. She acts so helpless, Sam. And I know she's not. Why, she has all those servants, and enormous sums of money, yet..."
He broke off.
"I'm sorry. Why am I telling you all my troubles?!"
She smiled slightly.
"Some people find me easy to talk to."
They were at her house now, and he escorted her to the door, tipping his hat. As he turned to go, he added,
"Well, I sure do."
She stood, framed in the doorway, and watched him walk to his pitch, shake the snow of his coat, and go in. Nellie came up behind her.
"Walking, in this cold! And with Eddie Ryland, no less!"
She danced about the room.
"Samantha' s in love, Samantha' s in love..."
"Nellie, what happened to your practical side?"
"Oh, Samantha, the most glorious thing happened today that I forgot all about practicality. I'm a teacher!"
