Chapter 3
It was the final evening of his stay at the ranch, he was heading back to the logging camp tomorrow. The day had been uneventful and he lay on his bed and thought about his time here. It certainly wasn't what he'd expected. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined what transpired here. He arrived as a shy boy with no real life experience and although his life experiences hadn't expanded much in his time here, his knowledge and experience in the ways of women, physical ways of women at least, had expanded beyond his imaginings. He had to admit that women's minds were still a mystery to him. Perhaps one day he would find someone to teach him that too. He was still musing about women's minds when his teacher, as he'd come to think of her, entered his room. His body reacted automatically.
"So, you're leaving tomorrow…." Will nodded his reply. "I'll miss you. Will you come back next spring?" she asked. "I'd planned on moving on, perhaps back to Montreal. I haven't decided yet." "Well I hope to see you again Will but if I don't I have some words of advice. You are a handsome young man Will. The girls will swarm around you like flies. Don't be tempted. Wait for the right girl to come along and when she does give her your heart, and your body. Don't be the kind of man that just takes what he wants. Always remember that in satisfying your lover you will satisfy yourself and ultimately get greater pleasure." Then she was gone.
He didn't see her the next day, neither did he see Alice, actually he hadn't seen much of Alice since her stepmother had started coming to him. He had missed their conversations but understood why she had stayed away. He collected his last wages and the old ranch hand drove him to town where he could get transportation to the logging camp.
William shook his head. That was quite the summer. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined the experience he'd had. It really did almost seem like a dream … almost. He'd always remembered what she'd said to him before he left. He had saved himself, first for Liza, then for Julia. Oh how long he'd waited for Julia but tomorrow she was to become his wife. He may not have used all the knowledge he'd gained that summer but he'd never forgotten it. Now he wondered, what would he do on their wedding night? He assumed that Julia thought him a virgin, what would she think if she knew he was not only NOT a virgin but had, at least once, been a skilled lover. Should he pretend to be a novice or should he unleash all his skill on her on their wedding night. Obviously he wanted to make love to her in a grand way to let her know in no uncertain terms what she meant to him. What would she think if he did that? Would she be upset that he'd kept the secret all these years or would she be pleased that she wouldn't have to 'break him in'? What should he do? He drifted back to sleep still thinking about the problem.
The next day dawned bright, sunny and warm. It was finally his wedding day and what a glorious day it was. The dreams and thoughts of the previous night had gone. He decided he wouldn't think about it today and whatever happened, happened. Now he had to get ready, they still had work to do to clear Mary Thompson's name.