The next morning the Colonel had woken to discover his horse had broken its
ankle during a wake-up run with some of the servants, and informed his
young friend Sarah of this as she joined him for a late breakfast (or
perhaps an early lunch). She wasn't too displeased, as this gave them an
excuse for getting home later due to a long walk.
Dressed in his usual black Brandon led her out on his left arm to the luxurious garden path and for a while they talked simply of the delicate April weather and the rainfall expected to ruin it this evening. She noted that his eyes couldn't take themselves off her, but unlike previous suitors (what few she had due to her shy nature) they were focused on her face, more specifically her eyes. He never once looked at any other part of her, nor at his feet, mainly because there was no lack of conversation or common ground.
During this period Sarah discovered that there had in fact been a Mrs. Marianne Brandon at some point but that she was now deceased and he was clearly avoiding it. She tried to steer the conversation back into a more favorable topic in his defense. "Have you lived at Delaford long?" "It was my grandfather's originally, but during the war it was taken and so my father did not own it. I had it restored and I've resided here ever since." He wasn't being as short with her here, and she eased the commute further with a sweet smile.
Sometime around the seventh hour the sun began to set over the greenery, and he took her arm to lead her back down the path to the house. "I do believe I'll go over to the stables and see if my horse is suitable to go riding with Mr. Ferrars at dawn." "Yes, but it is late, and I do believe the pianoforte is in use so I think it is due time to retire." He nodded, agreeable, and the thick silence further engorged itself as they stood together, shifty-eyed and shuffling their feet awkwardly. "Sarah-" the Colonel suddenly said, but he didn't continue. Out of nowhere his lips met hers in the gathering darkness, and she took in the fullness of his kiss, the light fingers playing at her skin, tangling voluntarily in her blonde locks, but before she knew it he was stumbling toward the stables after his stallion and she was heading upstairs, looking forward to a blissfully dreamy night.
Dressed in his usual black Brandon led her out on his left arm to the luxurious garden path and for a while they talked simply of the delicate April weather and the rainfall expected to ruin it this evening. She noted that his eyes couldn't take themselves off her, but unlike previous suitors (what few she had due to her shy nature) they were focused on her face, more specifically her eyes. He never once looked at any other part of her, nor at his feet, mainly because there was no lack of conversation or common ground.
During this period Sarah discovered that there had in fact been a Mrs. Marianne Brandon at some point but that she was now deceased and he was clearly avoiding it. She tried to steer the conversation back into a more favorable topic in his defense. "Have you lived at Delaford long?" "It was my grandfather's originally, but during the war it was taken and so my father did not own it. I had it restored and I've resided here ever since." He wasn't being as short with her here, and she eased the commute further with a sweet smile.
Sometime around the seventh hour the sun began to set over the greenery, and he took her arm to lead her back down the path to the house. "I do believe I'll go over to the stables and see if my horse is suitable to go riding with Mr. Ferrars at dawn." "Yes, but it is late, and I do believe the pianoforte is in use so I think it is due time to retire." He nodded, agreeable, and the thick silence further engorged itself as they stood together, shifty-eyed and shuffling their feet awkwardly. "Sarah-" the Colonel suddenly said, but he didn't continue. Out of nowhere his lips met hers in the gathering darkness, and she took in the fullness of his kiss, the light fingers playing at her skin, tangling voluntarily in her blonde locks, but before she knew it he was stumbling toward the stables after his stallion and she was heading upstairs, looking forward to a blissfully dreamy night.