She looked down at her hands, swinging her feet back and forth,
waiting. She heard the scuff of shoes on the hard packed dirt, and looked
up. There was a young man walking up out of the crowd toward the older end
of the marketplace. He had dark brown hair and a scraggly mustache,
probably no older than nineteen. He wore soft brown breeches and a white
sweat stained tunic. He had a strong jaw and high cheekbones, and walked
with a sort of swaying motion that thoroughly amazed her. The walk would be
more suited to keeping balance on the deck of a swaying ship in the clear
blue Caribbean waters. His skin was golden tan, and his muscles taunt,
ready to haul keel, or carry heavy barrels. Then she recognized him. He was
the blacksmith's son. He was son of the blacksmith that had wedded the
daughter of the Governor of Port Royal. She had seen the wedding picture.
They looked lovely together, Will and Elizabeth Turner. He was their son.
She lowered her head, hoping he didn't stop at her stand. She was shy, especially when it came to men. Her mother hated that about her. It was hard to find a groom for a shy, and not even average looking girl. Especially when she had no dowry. Little Beka already had suitors. Once mother had her married, they would be rich, and Tory would remain a maid for the rest of her life. Thank the Lord.
He walked past her stand, stopping by and old maid's flower stand, and buying a bundle of wilted carnations. They were red, and less dry than all the others at the stand, and Tory wondered whom they were for. He turned, and she quickly lowered her head, blushing a bright red as he came to her stand.
"Hello." He said, his voice husky and kind. She looked up at him, controlling the urge to lower her head yet again. She had to sell something.
"Hello." She was so shy! Couldn't she offer him a brooch or something, for whoever the flowers were for? No, she could barely say anything.
"The ribbons are lovely. My name's Nate. Will you tell me yours?" He smiled at her, and her heart beat faster. She blushed, and smiled awkwardly.
"It's Tory, Tory Taylor. Nice to meet you, Nate." She reached out to shake his hand, and he took it and softly kissed her knuckles, making her face the same color as the carnations in his hand.
"I'll take a ribbon, blue. And nice to meet you, Tory." He handed her a small silver coin, and she reached under the table to give him change, but he shook his head, "No, you keep the change. I don't need it." He took the ribbon, and, tying it around the carnation stems, left. When he had reached the end of the street, he turned and smiled at her. She smiled back, not so awkwardly, and he rushed off to the docks.
She lowered her head, hoping he didn't stop at her stand. She was shy, especially when it came to men. Her mother hated that about her. It was hard to find a groom for a shy, and not even average looking girl. Especially when she had no dowry. Little Beka already had suitors. Once mother had her married, they would be rich, and Tory would remain a maid for the rest of her life. Thank the Lord.
He walked past her stand, stopping by and old maid's flower stand, and buying a bundle of wilted carnations. They were red, and less dry than all the others at the stand, and Tory wondered whom they were for. He turned, and she quickly lowered her head, blushing a bright red as he came to her stand.
"Hello." He said, his voice husky and kind. She looked up at him, controlling the urge to lower her head yet again. She had to sell something.
"Hello." She was so shy! Couldn't she offer him a brooch or something, for whoever the flowers were for? No, she could barely say anything.
"The ribbons are lovely. My name's Nate. Will you tell me yours?" He smiled at her, and her heart beat faster. She blushed, and smiled awkwardly.
"It's Tory, Tory Taylor. Nice to meet you, Nate." She reached out to shake his hand, and he took it and softly kissed her knuckles, making her face the same color as the carnations in his hand.
"I'll take a ribbon, blue. And nice to meet you, Tory." He handed her a small silver coin, and she reached under the table to give him change, but he shook his head, "No, you keep the change. I don't need it." He took the ribbon, and, tying it around the carnation stems, left. When he had reached the end of the street, he turned and smiled at her. She smiled back, not so awkwardly, and he rushed off to the docks.