West Virginia part 3
The night was a restless one for Piper. Every time she decided that she would go she would switch back to not going. Needless to say when she got up she was not at her best.
Everyone was waiting for her at the breakfast table. Her father looked her over once or twice and said. "Are you feeling okay my dear?" Piper looked over at him still mad at him from the previous night. "As well as could be expected" she said a little harsh. Her father decided to let it go but not before giving her a stern look.
"Well as you know ladies we have count Gordon over today for and early dinner, so I expect all of you ladies to be here!" victor said with a pointed look at Piper. "Oh father not count Gordon!" Piper started. "Piper!" victor's stern voice interrupted her. "He is a man of high standards and he is coming specially to see you, I have a suspicion that he wants your hand in marriage, and I am so inclined to let him have it." He continued.
Piper looked over at her sisters for help. But both Paige and Phoebe kept their heads down concentrating on what ever was on their plate. Piper opted not to say anything for the moment. But one thing was sure for now. Where she had, had still doubts about meeting Leo, now she was sure. She would meet him. And her father be damned.
Count Gordon. Of all people why him? She had met him on several functions and thought him to be an overbearing oaf. His idea of a wife was a subservient little twit with no mind of her own. And if she could avoid being his wife she would try in every way possible. Even if that meant going against her father and the rest of her family if must be. She asked if she could be excused and found her way back upstairs.
Paige and Phoebe followed shortly. "Eww Count Gordon! Phoebe said in disgust. "Well you could have said something to father earlier!" Piper snapped at her. "Why don't you guys ever open your mouth?" she asked her two sisters as she was getting out of her gown. "Why would we? You never did until last night!" Paige said walking over to help Piper get the last buttons undone.
"That's not true, and besides it is about time we opened our mouths, we are no longer little girls we are woman with our own minds and our own choices". Piper went on. "Yeah and might that choice be Leo?" asked Phoebe. "I didn't say that..." Piper started. But got interrupted by Phoebe. "You didn't have to Piper it is written all over you!" "She has got a point there Piper, and if you are meeting him." "What do you mean if!! She is going to meet him aren't you Piper?" Phoebe asked. "Yes I am, and so what of it?
"The what of it is, what if father finds out?" Phoebe pointed out. "There is no what if, he will find out!" Paige interjected. "He always does!"
"he is not going to find out and you two are going to make sure he doesn't right?" Piper asked her sisters pleadingly "No he won't" both sisters said in unison. How they were going to do that was a mystery to both of them. But they both loved their sister and would do anything for her. Just like they knew Piper would do anything for them. Piper finished getting dressed in her riding skirt and then Paige and Phoebe made sure she could make a clean getaway.
When she got to the stables she wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe she should have found out more about Leo before she went to meet him. But it was to late for that now. She had about an hour before she had to meet him. So she took the long way to the pond that she was to meet him.
Leo was standing under the willow tree. He was an hour earlier and he was having second thoughts of his own. Why had he invited her out here? Like he didn't have enough problems right now! Why would he need a woman right now? He didn't know. But he knew he had to meet Piper again even if it was only this one time. She had taken his breath away the moment he had seen her across the room. Cole had told him that she was Hannah's Cousin. That alone should have put him of from her. But he just couldn't. it had been a long time since a woman had made him feel this good. Hell made him feel at all. After the last few months he wasn't sure he had had any feelings left. But one evening with her had changed all that. If not for any other reason then that. He had to at least thank her for that. Or so he had convinced him self.
Piper came around the bend and saw him standing under the tree. He was half an hour early. But then so was she. He hadn't heard her yet. She stopped her horse and got of and softly walked his way. He looked so handsome standing under that tree. The sun right behind him made his hair glow almost like he was wearing a halo around his head. An angel she thought, smiling. He had looked good last night when she had seen him. But yesterday paled to today.
It was as if he felt her presence before he saw her. Because there was no way he could have heard her coming. He slowly turned around and his heart climbed to his throat. God she was even more beautiful then he remembered. He pushed himself away from the tree to meet her half way.
"I am so glad that you decided to meet me, Piper" he said as he took the reins from her hand. "I wasn't sure if I should come." She said softly. "Why not?" he asked her. "It is not proper for a lady to meet a gentle man with out an escort." She told him. "Then I am even more honored that you came to see me." "Why did you want to meet with me?" Piper dared to ask. "I don't know, before I knew it I had put the note in your purse." He smiled. "I just had to meet you again"
Piper smiled back at him. "I am glad that you put the note in my purse." She told him. Leo had wrapped the reins of the horse to one of the low branches of the tree and the both of them walked slowly to the edge of the pond. Neither was sure what to say next. "How did you know my Cousin Hannah?" Piper asked for lack of anything else. "Oh we have know each other for years" Leo said but did not elaborate on it. So Piper didn't mention anymore of it. Suddenly she didn't feel so comfortable anymore. "I think I should go?" she said as she turned to go back to the horse.
Leo stopped her by putting his hand on her arm. "No, please don't leave yet, you just only got here!" "Yeah but what am I doing here, it seems we don't have anything to talk about. And I have to be home to get ready for dinner." She said softly. "Please Piper a few more minutes?" he pleaded with her. Piper nodded her head and both turned back to the pond.
Leo's hand had never left her arm and it had moved down to capture her hand. At first she had wanted to take it back. But it felt she good to hold his hand she left hers right where it was. "Piper?" "Leo?" they both said at the same time. "You first." Leo said with a smile. "No go ahead" Piper said smiling as well. "I don't know where to start, but here it goes." He said almost shyly
Piper looked at him and took his other hand as well. "Are you okay, Leo?" she asked him concerned. Leo gave her a smile and continued. "For the last 11 months or let's just say for the last year. It seems like I have been lost. I didn't know what to do with myself or where to go. I didn't have any direction where to even go. Until last night. Until I saw you. It was as if everything fell into place.no wait before you say anything. I know how could it be? We had only met a few minutes before. I can't explain it Piper. I don't even want to explain it. All I know is that when I saw you I knew we had to meet again. That we where meant to meet again." He concluded.
Piper had just listened to him and had not said a word. "I know what you mean Leo, not that I have been lost or anything. I didn't even know that I wanted something or someone until I saw you last night. You had been missing from my life and I didn't even know it. You know what I mean?" she asked him. Leo pulled her closer and put his arms around her. "Yes Piper I know what you mean." He said softly in her ear.
Piper pulled back a little and looked into his eyes. His eyes had found his way to hers and he could read her desire as much as he could feel it. He pulled her closer and placed his lips softly on hers. searching making sure not to scare her. Piper closed her eyes. Her first kiss. Her first kiss from a man besides her father's. a kiss she felt clear down to her toes. Leo deepened his kiss holding her closer to his body. She felt so good. Like she belonged there. Like she had always belonged there.
Suddenly Piper pulled back. "No, we cant do this!" she said shocked. "Piper I am sorry, did I hurt you?" Leo asked concerned. "No, oh god no. it isn't that." She said with a broken voice. "We cant do this, this is not going to work out, Leo" she said a tear now slowly making its way down. "Why not Piper. I will go and talk to your father. We can make this work . what ever he wants I will do it!" he said wiping the tear from her cheek. "Oh Leo if only you could, but you are to late!" Piper said and turned to run back to the horse.
Leo caught up with her before she was even half way there. "What do you mean I am too late" he asked her. Turning her towards him. "Just let it go Leo, just forget about me. Find another lady. Please." She said now full out crying. Leo wrapped her in his arms. "I can't Piper, I have just only found you and I cant just let you walk out of my life!" Piper but her cheek against his chest and she could hear his heart beat going a mile a minute. "Ohh, Leo why did we have to meet now, why not a week ago, now everything is to late". "What Piper?" Leo asked her again pulling her away from her so he could look at her.
"The dinner tonight, Leo!" "What about that dinner?" "My father invited count Gordon. He ..he." Again the tears came. "He what Piper?" Leo asked. But he had a fair idea of what she was going to say and he didn't like it one bit. "He is going to ask for my hand in marriage and my father said that we where a good match and that he would accept, but oh god Leo I don't want to marry him." She said burying her head against his chest.
Leo held her tight against his chest. He never wanted to let her go. He had heard about count Gordon and knew him to be a mean and cruel man. He would never let a decent woman come anywhere near him least of all his Piper. He pulled her from his chest again and lifted her head with his finger. "Don't worry Piper, we will find a way" she said softly. "How Leo, you don't know my father. When his mind is set to something he wont change it for anything in the world". She almost whispered. "Leave it me okay, my love?" Piper nodded her head again. He bends his head and captured her lips again. The kiss was even better than the one they had shared before. And this time it was Leo who broke the kiss. "Go now my love, I will find a way!" and he helped her on her horse.
He watched her ride of and then got on his own. He needed to find his friend Cole and have little talk about a dinner party he was going to attend tonight.
When both of them where far of in the distant Hannah came from the bush she had been hiding in for the past hour and half. "Oh no dear little Cousin of mine, he is not going to find a way for the two of you to be together and if he by some miracle does, I will make sure you will not want him anymore. You will gladly walk into the arms of count Gordon you mark my words" she said with an evil smile on her face.
The night was a restless one for Piper. Every time she decided that she would go she would switch back to not going. Needless to say when she got up she was not at her best.
Everyone was waiting for her at the breakfast table. Her father looked her over once or twice and said. "Are you feeling okay my dear?" Piper looked over at him still mad at him from the previous night. "As well as could be expected" she said a little harsh. Her father decided to let it go but not before giving her a stern look.
"Well as you know ladies we have count Gordon over today for and early dinner, so I expect all of you ladies to be here!" victor said with a pointed look at Piper. "Oh father not count Gordon!" Piper started. "Piper!" victor's stern voice interrupted her. "He is a man of high standards and he is coming specially to see you, I have a suspicion that he wants your hand in marriage, and I am so inclined to let him have it." He continued.
Piper looked over at her sisters for help. But both Paige and Phoebe kept their heads down concentrating on what ever was on their plate. Piper opted not to say anything for the moment. But one thing was sure for now. Where she had, had still doubts about meeting Leo, now she was sure. She would meet him. And her father be damned.
Count Gordon. Of all people why him? She had met him on several functions and thought him to be an overbearing oaf. His idea of a wife was a subservient little twit with no mind of her own. And if she could avoid being his wife she would try in every way possible. Even if that meant going against her father and the rest of her family if must be. She asked if she could be excused and found her way back upstairs.
Paige and Phoebe followed shortly. "Eww Count Gordon! Phoebe said in disgust. "Well you could have said something to father earlier!" Piper snapped at her. "Why don't you guys ever open your mouth?" she asked her two sisters as she was getting out of her gown. "Why would we? You never did until last night!" Paige said walking over to help Piper get the last buttons undone.
"That's not true, and besides it is about time we opened our mouths, we are no longer little girls we are woman with our own minds and our own choices". Piper went on. "Yeah and might that choice be Leo?" asked Phoebe. "I didn't say that..." Piper started. But got interrupted by Phoebe. "You didn't have to Piper it is written all over you!" "She has got a point there Piper, and if you are meeting him." "What do you mean if!! She is going to meet him aren't you Piper?" Phoebe asked. "Yes I am, and so what of it?
"The what of it is, what if father finds out?" Phoebe pointed out. "There is no what if, he will find out!" Paige interjected. "He always does!"
"he is not going to find out and you two are going to make sure he doesn't right?" Piper asked her sisters pleadingly "No he won't" both sisters said in unison. How they were going to do that was a mystery to both of them. But they both loved their sister and would do anything for her. Just like they knew Piper would do anything for them. Piper finished getting dressed in her riding skirt and then Paige and Phoebe made sure she could make a clean getaway.
When she got to the stables she wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe she should have found out more about Leo before she went to meet him. But it was to late for that now. She had about an hour before she had to meet him. So she took the long way to the pond that she was to meet him.
Leo was standing under the willow tree. He was an hour earlier and he was having second thoughts of his own. Why had he invited her out here? Like he didn't have enough problems right now! Why would he need a woman right now? He didn't know. But he knew he had to meet Piper again even if it was only this one time. She had taken his breath away the moment he had seen her across the room. Cole had told him that she was Hannah's Cousin. That alone should have put him of from her. But he just couldn't. it had been a long time since a woman had made him feel this good. Hell made him feel at all. After the last few months he wasn't sure he had had any feelings left. But one evening with her had changed all that. If not for any other reason then that. He had to at least thank her for that. Or so he had convinced him self.
Piper came around the bend and saw him standing under the tree. He was half an hour early. But then so was she. He hadn't heard her yet. She stopped her horse and got of and softly walked his way. He looked so handsome standing under that tree. The sun right behind him made his hair glow almost like he was wearing a halo around his head. An angel she thought, smiling. He had looked good last night when she had seen him. But yesterday paled to today.
It was as if he felt her presence before he saw her. Because there was no way he could have heard her coming. He slowly turned around and his heart climbed to his throat. God she was even more beautiful then he remembered. He pushed himself away from the tree to meet her half way.
"I am so glad that you decided to meet me, Piper" he said as he took the reins from her hand. "I wasn't sure if I should come." She said softly. "Why not?" he asked her. "It is not proper for a lady to meet a gentle man with out an escort." She told him. "Then I am even more honored that you came to see me." "Why did you want to meet with me?" Piper dared to ask. "I don't know, before I knew it I had put the note in your purse." He smiled. "I just had to meet you again"
Piper smiled back at him. "I am glad that you put the note in my purse." She told him. Leo had wrapped the reins of the horse to one of the low branches of the tree and the both of them walked slowly to the edge of the pond. Neither was sure what to say next. "How did you know my Cousin Hannah?" Piper asked for lack of anything else. "Oh we have know each other for years" Leo said but did not elaborate on it. So Piper didn't mention anymore of it. Suddenly she didn't feel so comfortable anymore. "I think I should go?" she said as she turned to go back to the horse.
Leo stopped her by putting his hand on her arm. "No, please don't leave yet, you just only got here!" "Yeah but what am I doing here, it seems we don't have anything to talk about. And I have to be home to get ready for dinner." She said softly. "Please Piper a few more minutes?" he pleaded with her. Piper nodded her head and both turned back to the pond.
Leo's hand had never left her arm and it had moved down to capture her hand. At first she had wanted to take it back. But it felt she good to hold his hand she left hers right where it was. "Piper?" "Leo?" they both said at the same time. "You first." Leo said with a smile. "No go ahead" Piper said smiling as well. "I don't know where to start, but here it goes." He said almost shyly
Piper looked at him and took his other hand as well. "Are you okay, Leo?" she asked him concerned. Leo gave her a smile and continued. "For the last 11 months or let's just say for the last year. It seems like I have been lost. I didn't know what to do with myself or where to go. I didn't have any direction where to even go. Until last night. Until I saw you. It was as if everything fell into place.no wait before you say anything. I know how could it be? We had only met a few minutes before. I can't explain it Piper. I don't even want to explain it. All I know is that when I saw you I knew we had to meet again. That we where meant to meet again." He concluded.
Piper had just listened to him and had not said a word. "I know what you mean Leo, not that I have been lost or anything. I didn't even know that I wanted something or someone until I saw you last night. You had been missing from my life and I didn't even know it. You know what I mean?" she asked him. Leo pulled her closer and put his arms around her. "Yes Piper I know what you mean." He said softly in her ear.
Piper pulled back a little and looked into his eyes. His eyes had found his way to hers and he could read her desire as much as he could feel it. He pulled her closer and placed his lips softly on hers. searching making sure not to scare her. Piper closed her eyes. Her first kiss. Her first kiss from a man besides her father's. a kiss she felt clear down to her toes. Leo deepened his kiss holding her closer to his body. She felt so good. Like she belonged there. Like she had always belonged there.
Suddenly Piper pulled back. "No, we cant do this!" she said shocked. "Piper I am sorry, did I hurt you?" Leo asked concerned. "No, oh god no. it isn't that." She said with a broken voice. "We cant do this, this is not going to work out, Leo" she said a tear now slowly making its way down. "Why not Piper. I will go and talk to your father. We can make this work . what ever he wants I will do it!" he said wiping the tear from her cheek. "Oh Leo if only you could, but you are to late!" Piper said and turned to run back to the horse.
Leo caught up with her before she was even half way there. "What do you mean I am too late" he asked her. Turning her towards him. "Just let it go Leo, just forget about me. Find another lady. Please." She said now full out crying. Leo wrapped her in his arms. "I can't Piper, I have just only found you and I cant just let you walk out of my life!" Piper but her cheek against his chest and she could hear his heart beat going a mile a minute. "Ohh, Leo why did we have to meet now, why not a week ago, now everything is to late". "What Piper?" Leo asked her again pulling her away from her so he could look at her.
"The dinner tonight, Leo!" "What about that dinner?" "My father invited count Gordon. He ..he." Again the tears came. "He what Piper?" Leo asked. But he had a fair idea of what she was going to say and he didn't like it one bit. "He is going to ask for my hand in marriage and my father said that we where a good match and that he would accept, but oh god Leo I don't want to marry him." She said burying her head against his chest.
Leo held her tight against his chest. He never wanted to let her go. He had heard about count Gordon and knew him to be a mean and cruel man. He would never let a decent woman come anywhere near him least of all his Piper. He pulled her from his chest again and lifted her head with his finger. "Don't worry Piper, we will find a way" she said softly. "How Leo, you don't know my father. When his mind is set to something he wont change it for anything in the world". She almost whispered. "Leave it me okay, my love?" Piper nodded her head again. He bends his head and captured her lips again. The kiss was even better than the one they had shared before. And this time it was Leo who broke the kiss. "Go now my love, I will find a way!" and he helped her on her horse.
He watched her ride of and then got on his own. He needed to find his friend Cole and have little talk about a dinner party he was going to attend tonight.
When both of them where far of in the distant Hannah came from the bush she had been hiding in for the past hour and half. "Oh no dear little Cousin of mine, he is not going to find a way for the two of you to be together and if he by some miracle does, I will make sure you will not want him anymore. You will gladly walk into the arms of count Gordon you mark my words" she said with an evil smile on her face.