It was now July, it was a hot summer day and I'd been sweating horribly. I had been hiding out at the Hatfield home for a month now. They'd welcomed me with open arms and promised to protect me. They had told me that McCoys would keep trying to come after me because I was involved with them. My father and brother agreed and came to see me often. They agreed that they wouldn't be able to protect me properly with only two of them and tons of McCoys. Cap and I had become very close in the past month. He was working on building that cabin in the clearing, a mile down from his current home. I'd often go with him and read a book while he worked. On days he wasn't working on his cabin, he worked at his father's timber field. Either way, I always brought lunch to him that his mom and I made together. She's taught me to cook like a pro, not as good as her yet though.

Today was like any other, I was with William at the clearing reading as he was building. I heard the hammering stop all of a sudden.

"Is everything alright, Will?" I asked. I never used his nickname anymore because I found it to be inappropriate. His family calling him that was different.

"Yeah, just hot out here darlin'. How's that book a yours?" He asked.

"It's very good. It's a romantic novel."

"Them things will rot your brain girl."

"How so?"

"Giving you weird ideas and false hope of an ideal man."

"I already know what I want in a man. I don't need a book to tell me what I want."

"That's good then. I'm gonna get in the lake and cool off. You should join me.."

"I'm not going to get into that lake naked with you." I laughed.

"Why not? I've seen ya naked before."

"So? I haven't seen you naked." I protested.

"Do you want to?"

"No! I mean yes, but no. I mean I don't want to see you naked because we aren't married."

"Come on. I promise I won't look. I'll go in first and turn around."

"Fine then." I smiled. He began to get undressed right there in front of me and I covered my eyes quickly. "William! Oh my gosh!"

"What? You covered your eyes." He laughed.

"Yeah, just in time." I then heard him jump in and start laughing.

"Your turn darlin'!" He shouted.

"Well turn around then, so I can get undressed."

"Alright, fine." He turned around and I took off the clothes I was wearing. I'd been borrowing Will's sister's clothes for quite some time now. Mine were all huge fancy dresses that were too hot to wear. These clothes were a lot easier to get on and off. I also took my hair down so it laid across my back and over my shoulders. I then put my foot in the water to test it and screamed because of the cold temperature.

William turned around quickly to see why I had screamed.

"William! Turn around!" I screamed.

"I thought something was wrong! I'm sorry!" He stopped and stared at me in awe. Like he'd never seen a naked woman before. I had an arm across my breasts and a hand over my sex.

"Um. William, are you going to turn around so I can get in?" I asked nervously.

"Yeah sorry." He said as he turned back around. I quickly got into the water and wrapped my arms around his shoulders and laid my head against his back. It was so warm and masculine.

"What are you doing, Cassie?" He asked nervously.

"I'm hugging you and listening to you breath. I like listening to your voice boom when you speak." I answered him.

"You're beautiful. You know that right?"

"You tell me all the time. How can I not know?"

"I only say it because it's the truth." He then turned around to face me while my arms stayed locked around him and his wrapped around me. He looked right into my eyes and then kissed me. It wasn't just a peck on the lips, it was a full deep kiss. He used his tongue like the french do, but I had to say that I honestly liked it. Our naked bodies were pressed tightly together and I could feel everything and I did mean everything. Finally, we broke the kiss and just looked at each other.

"William-"

"Shh." He put a finger on my lips and traced them. He then brushed a loose curl behind my ear and caressed my cheek. It gave me wonderfully feeling butterflies in my stomach. I wanted to let him just take me now. I wanted him so bad. No-I needed him. I loved this man and I knew that now. I wanted to be the lucky woman to live in that beautifully built cabin here on the lake with a huge family with him.

"Cassandra?"

"Yes, William?"

"I love you." I felt a tear roll down my face.

"I love you, too, William. So much it hurts. I think I fell in love with you that first day when we met at the general store. Your eyes are so beautiful."

"Marry me."

"What?"

"Cassandra Romary McKnight make me the happiest man in all of the world and marry me. I want you to be my wife. I promise I'll take care of you and protect you. I'll make you so happy, the happiest woman in all of Kentucky and West Virginia. I'll give you anything you want and as many babies as you want. You name it, I'll do anything for you, darlin. Just marry me. I love you."

"William, I love you, and I would love to be Mrs. William Anderson "Cap" Hatfield." I smiled and he kissed me again.

We then got out of the water and got dressed. We decided to go back to his house quickly to spread the news that we were engaged. I was so happy to be engaged to William. I know I'd only known him a little over a month, but that didn't matter to me because we had become so close in that little about of time. I guess his mother was right after all.

When we arrived at his house, we could see that everyone was there, along with the woman that William had told me was Roseanna McCoy. She had been brought back here the same night I had. The only difference is that I was knocked out and didn't even know she was there. Apparently her and Johnse have been involved. She's been here ever since I have, except she wasn't really welcome, she just had no other place to go. We would talk here and there and she would tell me about how her and Johnse planned to marry someday. I felt for her because I knew it would never happen. She kind of made me uncomfortable, her and Johnse I knew had slept together already.

"William, she's back." I whispered.

"I know, baby. Don't worry about her."

"I'm not, I just know that she's going to throw a fit when we announce our engagement. Her and Johnse both."

"I don't give a rats ass what the two of them think. They should have known not to get involved."

"You can't help who you love. Just like I love you. You don't plan on falling in love with someone."

"I know baby. I know if you could have chosen to fall in love with someone, it wouldn't have been with someone with one eye." I then smacked him in the back of the head. "What? It's true." I smacked him again. "Alright I get it." He laughed.

"That's what I thought. I love you for you, not because of some eye. I don't care at all about you not having two good eyes. I love you."

"I love you too, darlin."

We rode up to the house and was greeted by everyone. Will jumped down from the horse and then grabbed me and got me down as well. We both had huge smiles on our face and walked up to the porch hand in hand.

"Well what's going on here? You too look like you've been up to no good." Uncle Jim laughed.

"Well we have some news. William tell em." I couldn't help but act all giddy.

"Ma, Pa. We're engaged. We're gettin married."

"Oh son that's wonderful!" Levicy came down from porch and hugged the both of us.

"It's about time, son. Cassie is one in a million." Anse said.

"Wait- what the hell! This ain't fair! Why is it that Cap can go an get married to whoever he wants and Roseanna and I can't?" Johnse protested.

"Shut up boy! You two arn't gettin married and that's final. Now Cap, you go ride into Pikeville and get Cassandra's family. Bring em out here so you can ask her daddy proper. Then we will celebrate!"

Everyone was happy about me and William being engaged. Will's mother, sisters, and I were all sitting out in the yard planning the wedding already. William rode into Pikeville to get my family. Johnse got mad and ran off to the saloon, leaving poor Roseanna here by herself. She was sitting inside at the kitchen table on her own. I could see her from outside. I felt bad for her, so I excused myself and got up and went in to talk to her.

"Roseanna?"

"Yeah?" She had been crying. It made me sad.

"What's wrong, Roseanna?"

"Isn't it obvious? I can't marry the man I love while everyone around me is gettin married to the ones they love. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be cross."

"It's ok, I understand. I wish that I could help you. I wish I could change their minds for you. I'd love for you to be happy. What else is bothering you?"

"Can you keep a secret, Cassandra?"

"Of course."

"I ain't had my flow in a month." She began to break down and cry again. It was upsetting. She'd just admitted to me that she was pregnant.

"So, you're with child?"

"I think so. I've never missed before."

"Well, my brother will be over later. Maybe he can check secretly."

"That would be good. I'd like that. I met your brother awhile back when you were still knocked out. He was really nice."

"He's a good man, you know. He truly is." I had a feeling that Roseanna fancied my brother, but that she was afraid of what might happen if she got involved with him. I wouldn't care because Johnse, I know, wasn't going to ever marry the poor girl.

"Come outside with us, Rose." I said. She followed me outside and sat next to me in the grass. I told the others that she would be helping to plan. I didn't like leaving her out. She was a sweetheart and she was pretty. It's not her fault what's happened.

"So how do you feel about white roses, Cassandra?" Roseanna asked nervously.

"I think that sounds beautiful." I responded and everyone shot we a weird look like I shouldn't be agreeing with her. I didn't care though, I was my own person.

Just then we saw the boys all riding up. My brother, my father, and my handsome fiance. I got up and walked over to him as he jumped down from the horse.

"Hey beautiful!" He hugged me then we turned to my father who had just got down from his horse.

"So why'd ya'll bring us out here for?" My father asked.

"Sir, I've asked your daughter's hand in marriage. We're in love and we'd like your permission." William said.

"Really now? And how does Anderson feel about all of this?" My father asked.

"I think it's a miracle." Anse spoke up,

"Oh yeah? Well...I don't know...you're awful young." My father said with a smile on his face, rubbing his chin like he was really thinking on it.

"Daddy, stop!" I laughed.

"Oh alright! Did you really think I wasn't gonna let my little girl be happy with the man she loves?"

"Oh, I love you Daddy!" I hugged my father tightly and saw out of the corner of my eye, my brother talking to Roseanna. With everyone distracted they walked off together. I assumed for him to check on her pregnancy.

The rest of us went into the house and began drinking. I didn't get drunk, though.

"Hey little lady, do ya mind if'n we take your man out to the saloon to celebrate?" Jim walked up to me.

"Hmm...I don't know about all that..." I trailed off, standing there with a smile on my face and my arms crossed.

"Oh come on darlin'. I'll be with ol' Uncle Jim, your daddy, Johnse, and Cotton. Ain't nothin gonna happen. Besides I love you too much for that." He said as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed me. He then started to tickle me. I was laughing so hard, I couldn't stand it.

"Ok, ok! Just stop tormenting me! You wreak!" I laughed.

"Oh you love it, baby. I'll be back by the morning, doll." With that he kissed me and walked out the door with the others.

I was so happy. Who knew though that happiness could be so short lived though?

Alright, that wraps up another adventure from Cassandra and William. But Whatever did she mean by happiness being so short lived? Stay tuned to find out.