Chapter 8 Leaving Willingden

The next morning James packed and met Charlotte and Zeus for a ride to the Post.

The sun was just cresting the horizon as they waited at the crossroad, in awkward silence. They dismounted the great beast and James took Charlottes bare, calloused hands in his. He rubbed the rough spots and she gave an embarrassed laugh.

"Not exactly the hands of a lady." She looked down at his hands holding hers and recognized their similar condition, caressing his scars. He brought her hands to his lips and she watched him slowly kiss them one at a time.

"Here." he reached into his coat pocket and took out three paper packets. "This is for your mother. This is for you and, if you allow, this is for me."

The first packet contained a formal mini ink portrait of Mr. Heywood.

"James! This is beautiful. My mother will love it. Such an uncanny likeness. Thank you. Where did you get it?"

"I do a bit of drawing. Open yours." She gave him a surprised smile.

She carefully opened a locket sized portrait of James eye. She gasped, in awe of how accurately he captured his look. "Is not this called, a lovers eye?" She whispered and tilted her head with an eyebrow raised.

"Perhaps. This is mine. If you don't mind my having it near me." He showed her a larger gesture drawing of herself sleeping.

"James! Did you draw that the other night?"

"I apologize but...yes. I will destroy it if you prefer I not keep it. I promise to never show it to anyone."

"You may keep it. Just keep it secure." she was flattered.

He smiled his brilliant white smile. Charlotte loved the way his eyes crinkled and his lips curled.

She handed back the picture of herself lying in bed with her nightgown slipping off of one shoulder, her hair down and her hands tucked under her cheek to James who received it with a bow. She tucked the precious others carefully into her pelisse pocket and reached up to take his face in her hands. She wanted to kiss him worse than anything.

Maybe it was gratitude or unadulterated desire but she pulled his lips to hers and very slowly kissed him. It was a kiss that sealed his complete attachment to her. Their hearts thundered like wild horses at full gallop.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and securely pulled her to him while tasting her softness over and over. Soon it was clear that the sound of thunder was truly the post coming and they pulled away from each other quickly.

Charlotte, mounted Zeus and started across the field. She turned to wave as he got atop the post. In his heart, a hole was beginning to form. He was not sure he could bear being apart from her. Her warmth had seeped into his soul. He raised his hand in recognition.

He watched her bring Zeus to a full run and couldn't take his eyes away until she was completely out of sight. A draft horse was no match for her riding skill. She sped across the field, standing in the stirrups, her skirt tucked between her legs and her chestnut mane flowing behind her. Charlotte, in her black clothes on her black mount flying across a golden scene.

"She's a force of nature that one!" The burley gentleman sitting next to James lit his pipe and made himself comfortable.

"Aye. That she is." James agreed.

On her way back to the farm Charlotte took Zeus for a drink at their cow pond which gave her time to think about all that had happened to her without distraction. Her lips still tingling from the pressure of their longing. She stayed atop the beast leaning back all of the way so that her head was on his haunches and she was looking at the sky. It was going to be one of those sunny fall days that brings with it torrents of flaming leaves falling from the trees.

For Charlotte comparing the kiss of Mr. Sidney Parker to that of Mr. James Stringer was like comparing the city and the sea. Sidney was a true Londoner, troubled and dangerous. He had kissed her first from pure attraction but James kissed her back with the passion of the surf that surpassed desire.

James had wonderful lips. Not as full and pouty as Sidney's but eager and agile. She wondered what it would be like to be ravished like the heroines in all of the forbidden novels. She was embarrassed her imagination ran away with her. She felt a guilty pang thinking this way while in mourning but her musings would not stop.

She remembered how James felt in her hand and how his song soothed her. She began to get damp again thinking about the ticklish heat of his hand on her bottom. She remembered something that Clara Breford had said to her once, about "taking Sir Edward in hand." She wondered if that was what they were both so worried she saw. A laugh escaped her lips and Zeus looked around to make sure she was OK. She continued her musings as she gave the horse a comforting pat on the neck and started back home with a slow walk.

In Sanditon, she accidentally previewed Sidney's physical assets that day she happened upon him coming out of the ocean like Poseidon. He was impressive but his frame was more sinewy than James Stringers. James, on the other hand, had better developed upper body musculature and strength. His neck, chest and shoulders had developed since she had left Sanditon. He did not have to box or swim to be fit, like Sidney. No. James worked and worked hard and Charlotte respected that.