A/N: First off I want to say thank you for those who have reviewed. I can't reply to those submitted by guests but they are very appreciated and do a lot to keep me encouraged and focused. Now for something completely different I want to talk about dialect. I don't often write in dialect because 1. I much care from reading it myself and 2 It's hard for me to write in an accent. I'm a southern myself but when I'm writing I tend to think in a bit more proper English than I normally speak in. That being said, I hope the tone of my dialogue is consistent enough. Well, hope y'all enjoy my latest offering.

Disclaimer: I don't own it, and I'm not making any money.

Maude would have been perfectly content to get married right then and there and it was only after several minutes of persuasive talk that Patrick convinced her to return home. Even when he'd argued that she would need to pack some things before she left home for good she had weakly protested that she would have a hard time sneaking away again. In the end it was only after he promised to meet her outside of her house in three days that she had reluctantly agreed. "Three days, Baby." He said as he kissed her gently. "It can wait three days." Maude nodded. She didn't want to wait but she knew Patrick was right.


Maude set in her room that night looking through her things. It had suddenly occurred to her that she would really have to leave her entire life behind her. She had a single carpetbag that would hold all that she would be taking with her, and it wouldn't hold much. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make for Patrick but it was still an unsettling thought.

She had told Patrick that leaving this life behind might be for the best, and it most likely would, but the reality of walking away from everything she had ever know was freighting. As she stood in front of her wardrobe looking at her gowns, the gowns she had worn to so many parties and balls and social functions over the past two years, she felt tears fill her eyes. She wouldn't be able to take any of these with her. In fact, she would most likely only be taking one other dress with her and how was she supposed to pick a single dress out of all the clothing she owned. Day dresses, gowns, riding habits…everything she had ever wanted and more. She turned from her wardrobe with a shaky breath. She could live without gowns and bonnets and shoes, she couldn't live without Patrick.

Going over to her vanity she picked up the silver combs that had been her mother's and there was the brush and mirror set that her oldest brother had sent her for her birthday, she couldn't leave these behind. Her mother had also left her a string of pearls and a couple of rings that she had to take with her. There were a few other pieces of jewelry and trinkets that she wanted to take as well, mostly things from her brothers, things that held to many memories for her to leave. Setting the combs down she sighed, thankful that at least all the things she felt she had to take were small enough to fit in her bag without any trouble.

A knot formed in her throat as she gazed around the room that had been her home for the past seven years. When she had left Patrick this afternoon three days had seemed like an eternity, now she feared they would pass far too quickly. Silent tears began to roll down her cheeks but she did nothing to try and stop them. She didn't understand. As much as she wanted to marry Patrick the idea if leaving this place still filled her with dread. Could she be a wife? She couldn't cook and she wasn't sure she would keep a very good house either. Did Patrick really understand what he was getting in to?

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "Maude, may I come in?" Her aunt asked.

Maude quickly tried to wipe the tears out of her eyes. "Yes." She called putting on the smile and trying not to look as torn as she felt.

Aunt Millie breezed through the door with her usual cheerfulness but stopped when she noticed Maude's red eyes. "Maude, are you crying? What's the matter dear?"

Maude wiped her eyes again before realizing there was no need to pretend. Her aunt knew she was getting married, she just didn't know it was going to be happening so soon. "I was just thinking about leaving here, about being a wife.

Her aunt came over. "Oh, my dear, you have nothing to worry about. You're marrying a good man who will be able to take excellent care of you."

That brought a genuine smile to Maude's face. Yes, she was marrying a good man. "Do you think I'll be a good wife?"

"You'll be a fine wife."

"I can't cook."

"You won't have to worry about that. Rupert can hire a cook if that's a problem."

Maude repressed a sigh as she forced another smile. Maybe Rupert could hire a cook but she'd gotten the distinct impression he wasn't interested in that. Besides, Patrick couldn't hire one. "But what if I want to cook for my husband?"

"If it's that's important to you, dear, I'm sure you'll get better with practice." Maude hoped so. She wanted to be everything Patrick expected her to be. "That's what I wanted to talked with you about." Millie continued. "Not cooking but about marrying. I know you don't care much for Rupert but try not to think about love so much. You may not love him now, you may never really love him not the way you want to, but you will learn to live with him." Maude barely hid her horror at that statement. Was that really what her aunt and uncle wanted for her, just to learn to live with someone? "Now, stop your fretting." Her aunt went on, far to cheerfully. "Every girl sheds a few tears before she marries and you have some time to adjust to the idea before the wedding. Everything will be fine." She leaned over a kissed Maude's forehead. "Get some sleep. Things will look better in the morning."

"Thank you, Aunt Millie. Good night." Maude deadpanned as she watched as her aunt left in the same perky matter she had entered with. Leaving here was the right thing to do; her aunt's words had just proven that. She still had a feeling of unease about leaving behind everything familiar but she didn't doubt for a minute that marrying Patrick would be one of the best things she ever did.


Three days later, a little after two in the morning, Maude quietly made her way down the back stairs, the servant's stairs, and exited the back door. She walked the familiar path to the courtyard where she and Patrick had shared their first kiss feeling both giddy and anxious. Just beyond the courtyard was a large oak tree; that was where Patrick was to meet her.

When she reached the oak, Maude moved around to the backside of it so she would be hidden from sight should anyone in the house happen to be up at this time and look outside. No one should be up till at least dawn but Maude wasn't taking any chances. Patrick wasn't to meet her till three but she couldn't wait any longer.

As she rounded the tree she felt someone clamp a hand over her mouth. Maude let out a muffled scream, her heart jumping. If Uncle Charles had found out about her plans to elope he would have her married off to Rupert today and she never would see Patrick again. But it wasn't her uncle who had grabbed her. "Maudie, shhhh…it's me." Drawled a familiar voice.

She whirled on her 'captor'. "Patrick Standish, you oughta be ashamed of yourself!" She whispered sternly.

Patrick grinned. "Didn't want you to yellin' out when you saw me. I didn't figure you'd be expectin' me this early."

"Well, I should say not. You weren't supposed to be here for another hour." Maude huffed doing her best to be at least a little angry with him.

"I been here since midnight darlin'."

"Have you really?" Maude felt her forced anger fade at his admission he'd been waiting so long for her.

"It seems you were in a bit of a hurry as well." Was Patrick's only reply. The two of them stood in the dark silence for a moment. "Maude, are you sure you want to do this?" Patrick finally asked hesitantly, almost as if he were afraid to hear the answer.

During the silence Maude's anxiety had started to mount once more but at Patrick's tentative question, excitement and determination pushed their way through. There was nothing left for her here. Any future she had lay with the man in front of her. "Yes, Patrick. I'm sure."


Patrick and Maude immediately left for Atlanta and from there they caught a coach to Carrollton. It was midmorning before they arrived and Maude was thinking that with any luck Charles, who had always been a late riser, wouldn't notice her absence until at least then…hopefully longer. Once they got to town finding a preacher was easy enough. A man at the stage station was only too happy to help as he pointed them in the right direction with a knowing smile.

It was only a short distance to the preacher's house and Maude and Patrick made the walk in silence. Maude didn't know what was going through Patrick's mind but doubts were beginning to worm their way into her's. Not that she didn't want to go through with the marrying him; she did, but she couldn't help but wonder about Patrick. Was he as sure? Had he changed his mind? And most importantly, would he tell her if he had?

What Maude didn't know was that Patrick was having similar thoughts about her. He had noticed she had seemed nervous most of the day and that had him worried. Maybe he was just a novel distraction, and Maude was realizing what a terrible mistake she'd made running off with him. Maybe she was thinking the price she'd had to pay for this was too high. If she was would she tell him, or would she suffer in silence? Would she marry him anyway and regret it forever?

Patrick stopped Maude with a hand on her arm just before they reached the preacher's house. "Maude, are you sure about this? You don't have to go through with this. I can take you back home and…."

"Patrick, stop. I don't want to here about how you're not good enough any more. I do want this, more than anything, unless you don't want it. Are you sure, Patrick?"

"Yes." Patrick told her without hesitation. "Yes, I want it. But you know I can't promise it will always be easy. I don't have much to offer you. Bout the only thing I can promise is that I love you and I'll always do the best I can by you."

Maude smiled. "And I can't promise I'll keep an immaculate house or always prepare you fine dinners." She reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "I can also promise you that I will love you every day for the rest of my life and I do want to marry you."

Patrick gave her his crocked grin. "Then let's go find the preacher."

That day in the town of Carrollton, Georgia, Maude James became Mrs. Patrick Standish.

A/N: So glad they are finally together. I'm getting antsy to write about a certain green-eyed, charmer...and I don't mean Patrick :)

Sorry this was a little shorter than usual but it seemed like the right place to end it. And I've already started on the next chapter so hopefully it will be up before to long.