********************************************************************************************
I stood at the top landing of the long staircase, my hand resting lightly on the polished wooden railing. I looked down and saw my father, his back turned to me, waiting expectantly. His black hat was set at a jaunty angle over his powdered wig, and he leaned on a thin silver cane.
An air of confidence suddenly flooded through me. I didn't hate myself for having betrayed my sentiments to a maid. No, Anna would not let loose her tongue- she would keep my secret.
I now understood myself- all I wanted, all I needed, was love. Someone to love and cherish me, as Will did Elizabeth.
I caught my breath at the thought of Will. I would see him today. Maybe there was still a slight chance...no. The wedding was this afternoon. He was, is, and forever will be, Elizabeth's. There would be another for me.
I held my head high and stepped gracefully down the stairs, smiling. My father turned when he heard the sound of my feet strike the wooden steps. I saw the look of surprise flash across his face as he looked me over, quite proud of what he saw. He held out his hand, and I took it gingerly. The governor drew me near.
"Elizabeth?" He shook his head in disbelief. "You look just like your sister. Mary, child, I must say- you are looking absolutely lovely."
My cheeks flushed at the praise. I turned around and caught sight of my reflection in the window- I could have sworn I saw a sparkle in my eyes. I jumped slightly as I heard someone knock sharply at the front door, and turned to see Will entering, shaking the dirt off his boots. He looked up, and our eyes met.
I gawked at him. Butterflies began to spiral wildly about in my stomach. I felt dizzy, lightheaded. The mental image I had kept of Will for the last four months did him no justice. He was even more beautiful than I remembered, if that was possible.
I came to my senses and dropped a sweeping curtsy before I looked foolish. At least I hadn't forgotten my manners.
Will just gazed at me, a strange light in his beautiful eyes. He held his arm out to me, looking questioningly over to my father, who nodded.
I was finding it quite difficult to breath as I floated to his side and hesitantly placed a trembling hand on his outstretched arm. A shock ran through me as my hand made contact with his. I melted.
Will led me outside to the gardens. Roses bloomed abundantly surrounding the governor's mansion, and their sweet scent wafted through the air as we sat on a small white marble bench.
For a moment, we both sat there, looking at each other and feeling awkward.
Will searched my face with his eyes.
His eyes. They captivated me. Deep and brown. They looked so innocent. A bitter look flashed uncontrollably across my face as I remembered the past four months of seemingly endless and unspeakable pain I had undergone.
And it was all his fault. He had no idea what he had caused me to go through.
He looked at me questioningly. I saw hurt, my hurt, reflecting back from his eyes. Slowly, he reached out and caressed my cheek. I leaned my head- no, my entire being- against his touch. I have yearned for it my entire life. His hands. Those of a blacksmith, rough. But caring.
A moan of pleasure and yearning escaped my lips, and Will cupped my delicate face in his strong hands.
"Mary." He was breathing hard.
I avoided his eyes now, ashamed of my brazen behavior.
"Mary. Look at me," he insisted. He brought his face close to mine and looked deep into my eyes.
"Why do you do this to me?" I wanted to shout at him. "I was just recovering from losing you, and now you have to come and do this. Make me fall for you all over again!" My heart felt like it was breaking in two. It already was in pieces.
I reluctantly brought my eyes up to meet his. I melted at his look, his touch. He was so close, yet so far... The anguish I went through was tragic. I had just gotten over loosing him.
"Mary."
I loved the way he spoke, said my name. Lovingly.
Did he truly, then, love me? Or was it just my imagination running wild, giving way to my unquenchable desire?
"Mary, what's wrong?"
Tears began to form in my eyes. "I cannot cry here," I thought frantically. "He already thinks me a child- if I cried, it would only incourage that belief!"
"Will," I breathed, savoring the sound of his name on my tongue.
I needed to let him know, even if my heart was to break once again. "Will, I love you. More than you could possibly know..." I trailed off and bit my lip anxiously. What would he think of me?
"Oh, Mary..."
I allowed myself to give way to hope- maybe he did love me, he just never expressed it...
Will sat awkwardly. He didn't know what to say.
My emotional high came crashing down. He didn't love me. I knew it, deep inside. I didn't blame him.
"Will, I'm...I'm sorry-" I stuttered, scrambling for the right words to say. "I, I don't know what's wrong with me..."
What had I done?
I stood suddenly, and the blood rushed to my head. I lost my balance and would have fallen on the meticulously trimmed lawn if Will had not jumped up and caught me.
I clung to him, as one drowning would cling to a piece of driftwood- a lifesaver. A tear trickled down my cheek and Will held me close.
"WILL!"
We jumped as we heard Elizabeth draw near. Will set me down as quickly as he could manage and throwing me an apologetic glance over his shoulder, ran towards the sound of her voice.
It brought back memories, of eight years ago, on a ship. When I had first met Will... nothing has changed.
************************************************************************
Hey you guys, hope you like the latest update- its a lot of fun to write. Try writing a depressing story sometime, it'll make ya feel warm and fuzzy all over ;)
Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews!!
I stood at the top landing of the long staircase, my hand resting lightly on the polished wooden railing. I looked down and saw my father, his back turned to me, waiting expectantly. His black hat was set at a jaunty angle over his powdered wig, and he leaned on a thin silver cane.
An air of confidence suddenly flooded through me. I didn't hate myself for having betrayed my sentiments to a maid. No, Anna would not let loose her tongue- she would keep my secret.
I now understood myself- all I wanted, all I needed, was love. Someone to love and cherish me, as Will did Elizabeth.
I caught my breath at the thought of Will. I would see him today. Maybe there was still a slight chance...no. The wedding was this afternoon. He was, is, and forever will be, Elizabeth's. There would be another for me.
I held my head high and stepped gracefully down the stairs, smiling. My father turned when he heard the sound of my feet strike the wooden steps. I saw the look of surprise flash across his face as he looked me over, quite proud of what he saw. He held out his hand, and I took it gingerly. The governor drew me near.
"Elizabeth?" He shook his head in disbelief. "You look just like your sister. Mary, child, I must say- you are looking absolutely lovely."
My cheeks flushed at the praise. I turned around and caught sight of my reflection in the window- I could have sworn I saw a sparkle in my eyes. I jumped slightly as I heard someone knock sharply at the front door, and turned to see Will entering, shaking the dirt off his boots. He looked up, and our eyes met.
I gawked at him. Butterflies began to spiral wildly about in my stomach. I felt dizzy, lightheaded. The mental image I had kept of Will for the last four months did him no justice. He was even more beautiful than I remembered, if that was possible.
I came to my senses and dropped a sweeping curtsy before I looked foolish. At least I hadn't forgotten my manners.
Will just gazed at me, a strange light in his beautiful eyes. He held his arm out to me, looking questioningly over to my father, who nodded.
I was finding it quite difficult to breath as I floated to his side and hesitantly placed a trembling hand on his outstretched arm. A shock ran through me as my hand made contact with his. I melted.
Will led me outside to the gardens. Roses bloomed abundantly surrounding the governor's mansion, and their sweet scent wafted through the air as we sat on a small white marble bench.
For a moment, we both sat there, looking at each other and feeling awkward.
Will searched my face with his eyes.
His eyes. They captivated me. Deep and brown. They looked so innocent. A bitter look flashed uncontrollably across my face as I remembered the past four months of seemingly endless and unspeakable pain I had undergone.
And it was all his fault. He had no idea what he had caused me to go through.
He looked at me questioningly. I saw hurt, my hurt, reflecting back from his eyes. Slowly, he reached out and caressed my cheek. I leaned my head- no, my entire being- against his touch. I have yearned for it my entire life. His hands. Those of a blacksmith, rough. But caring.
A moan of pleasure and yearning escaped my lips, and Will cupped my delicate face in his strong hands.
"Mary." He was breathing hard.
I avoided his eyes now, ashamed of my brazen behavior.
"Mary. Look at me," he insisted. He brought his face close to mine and looked deep into my eyes.
"Why do you do this to me?" I wanted to shout at him. "I was just recovering from losing you, and now you have to come and do this. Make me fall for you all over again!" My heart felt like it was breaking in two. It already was in pieces.
I reluctantly brought my eyes up to meet his. I melted at his look, his touch. He was so close, yet so far... The anguish I went through was tragic. I had just gotten over loosing him.
"Mary."
I loved the way he spoke, said my name. Lovingly.
Did he truly, then, love me? Or was it just my imagination running wild, giving way to my unquenchable desire?
"Mary, what's wrong?"
Tears began to form in my eyes. "I cannot cry here," I thought frantically. "He already thinks me a child- if I cried, it would only incourage that belief!"
"Will," I breathed, savoring the sound of his name on my tongue.
I needed to let him know, even if my heart was to break once again. "Will, I love you. More than you could possibly know..." I trailed off and bit my lip anxiously. What would he think of me?
"Oh, Mary..."
I allowed myself to give way to hope- maybe he did love me, he just never expressed it...
Will sat awkwardly. He didn't know what to say.
My emotional high came crashing down. He didn't love me. I knew it, deep inside. I didn't blame him.
"Will, I'm...I'm sorry-" I stuttered, scrambling for the right words to say. "I, I don't know what's wrong with me..."
What had I done?
I stood suddenly, and the blood rushed to my head. I lost my balance and would have fallen on the meticulously trimmed lawn if Will had not jumped up and caught me.
I clung to him, as one drowning would cling to a piece of driftwood- a lifesaver. A tear trickled down my cheek and Will held me close.
"WILL!"
We jumped as we heard Elizabeth draw near. Will set me down as quickly as he could manage and throwing me an apologetic glance over his shoulder, ran towards the sound of her voice.
It brought back memories, of eight years ago, on a ship. When I had first met Will... nothing has changed.
************************************************************************
Hey you guys, hope you like the latest update- its a lot of fun to write. Try writing a depressing story sometime, it'll make ya feel warm and fuzzy all over ;)
Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews!!