Her heart pounded against her already tight feeling chest. Charlotte asked her maid to lace her corset loose but at this moment she felt like she couldn't breathe. The excuse that she hadn't been to the barn since that day was she was letting her sprain finish heeling. While that was true, she was also avoiding this very moment.
Rasputin looked up from the hay he was tossing into a large wheelbarrow with a pitchfork. His eyes locked with Charlotte's and he caught the slight flush brush across her cheeks.
"Good morning, Miss Charlotte," He smiled slightly at her as he finished tossing that load of hay and stopped.
"Good morning, sir," She broke eye contact. "I will not be in your way. I am only collecting Belle to practice our routine before our matinee show."
"So your wrist fully healed?" He leaned against his pitchfork.
She fidgeted with the lowest button on her tan linen, "Yes, thank you for your concern."
"I glad to hear that. Belle has missed you. I try to run routine with her but she stop half way."
Charlotte's breath hitched in her throat. He practiced with her? He still cares about her, me, the show! She felt tears welling her eyes, "Excuse me."
She ran fast towards her zebra's stable to make an escape. Leaning against the door she covered her face with her hands and took fast breaths. Why must he still care? Could he just be mean instead?
The zebra whimpered from behind the stable door. Charlotte rubbed her eyes and stood up, "Alright, Belle are you ready?"
"Oh dear, Charlotte you're going too fast!" Rose exclaimed wrapping her arms tighter around Charlotte's waist.
Charlotte laughed as she whipped the reins and the zebra's gallop picked up speed.
Rose screamed. She closed her eyes and buried her face into the younger girl's back. Rasputin looked up from pitching hay into the elephant's feeding trough upon hearing the hoofbeats, laughing and screams. As the zebra ran into the field behind the stables, Charlotte pulled on the reins and yelled, "Up! Up!" In almost slow motion, Belle dug her back hoofs into the ground before pushing all her weight and the weight of the two riders back onto them. Next thing her front legs and front half of her torso were up on the air. Feet still in the spurs, Charlotte stood up from the saddle; pulling up Rose partly up with her still wrapped around her waist.
"Charlotte no!" Rose screamed.
Charlotte laughed but she held the reins tight, "Good girl, Belle! Hold…one…two…three…Down! Down!"
Rasputin chuckled to himself as he watched the last part of the show: Rose frantically getting off the zebra once all four legs were down on the ground.
"How could you do that to me!" Rose fanned herself with her hands. "I saw my life ending before it even started!"
"Good girl, Belle," Charlotte wrapped her arms around the zebra's neck.
Both young women looked up upon hearing a light clap. "That was beautiful!"
"No that was a nightmare, sir," Rose smoothed out her pink skirt.
Rasputin walked up to the young women, "No you funny, Belle was beautiful, you Charlotte were perfect."
"Excuse me, I am going to let Belle rest," Charlotte held her head up and turned the zebra's direction towards the stables.
The air hung heavy with the noise of the amusement park as Rose smiled at Rasputin. "I am going to wait here for my fiancée to catch up if that is okay? I am glad you found my fright entertaining but I am not used to such fast riding and was not expecting that little trick at the end."
Rasputin chuckled again to himself, "Charlotte always do that. She do same thing to me when we rode back from show opening night. She actually make Belle do more tricks with me. But I like. She control and connect to animal because she have nice spirit deep down…" The tall man removed a handkerchief from his pant's pocket and wiped his forehead looking away.
Rose's smile spread ear to ear, "If I didn't know any better, I would say you were sweet on my future sister-in-law."
Rasputin could look away but he could not control the flush that came to his cheeks, "I must finish feed the elephants." He stormed off faster than he approached them.
Rose laughed and instead of staying in place headed the direction the zebra went.
"Oh, Charlotte, Charlotte!" She exclaimed standing in the doorway of the open stable, clapping her hands. "That Russian stableboy is sweet on you! You should have seen how he blushed and nervously wiped his brow as he talked about your nice spirit and the connection you have with animals."
"Don't be cruel to me," Charlotte finished pouring a bucket of water into Belle's water trough before pushing past Rose.
"Why do you say that?" Rose followed Charlotte to the water pump not minding her shoes were collecting dirt and mud. "He talked of how you did that same awful trick to him but that he liked it and how you showed him more." She found herself holding the bucket and Charlotte pumped water into it.
"Why do I say don't be cruel?" Charlotte paused mid-pump, huffing. "Because he also thinks I'm spoiled and selfish and mean…and I can't make him feel for me the way I want him to."
"There you are!" Gustave trotted up to the girls. "You ran Belle off faster than I could keep up!"
"Yes, she did! It was terrifying!" Rose exclaimed.
Gustave laughed, "This coming from the woman who loves the roller coaster?"
Rose's perfect pink lips turned into a pout, "Does this mean you will not take me on it later?"
"You know I can't say no to that face," Gustave leaned in and kissed that pout. He took the bucket from her. "Water for Belle?"
"You two disgust me," Charlotte crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"I'll take that," Rose smiled at Charlotte. "Was it only a month ago you hated me because Gustave and I got engaged?"
Charlotte rolled her eyes, "I didn't hate you, I…Oh dear…he's right…"
"Lotte?" Her brother looked at her puzzled. "Who's right? What are you talking about?"
"Give me the bucket, Gustave. You and Rose go ride the roller coaster. Go enjoy being in love."
"No Charlotte, Rose and I said we'd spend the day with you. We don't even have to say at the park."
"I appreciate it, but I have been mean and selfish trying to keep you for myself," the young girl wrapped her fingers around the bucket's handle on the opposite sides of her brother's. "You've already given me your summer with the show; Rose deserves the weekends she visits."
She yanked on the bucket hard but Gustave did not let go. As a result, water splashed up on the girl's tan linen dress. She gasped and in response to the whole event, the young man finally let go of the bucket. As it fell to the ground, the remaining water completely drenched Charlotte's dress. It soaked through the thin cotton of her summer petticoat and bloomers clinging tightly and accenting her legs. The now wet thin cotton chemise under the linen exposed her harden nipples as the under bust corset did not cover her breasts.
"Why didn't you just give it to me?" Charlotte screamed.
"Oh my God, Lotte I am so sorry!" Gustave's apology turned into a giggle.
"This isn't funny, Goose!" Charlotte balled her hands into fists at her sides. "I was trying to be nice!"
"Yes, yes you were," Rose giggled as well. "Oh, Lotte, it is a bit funny."
"Charlotte! Are you okay?" Rasputin ran into the stables, stopping short upon seeing Charlotte's wet dress making her an almost indecent sight.
"No, Rasputin, go away!" Charlotte cowered hiding as much of her body as possible.
He did not leave. Large six fingered hands swiftly unbuttoned his blue jacket and removed it. The Russian approached the boss' daughter holding it out. Her doe eyes wide, she stood tall and let him put it on her.
"You no look silly at all," he smiled at her.
"You lie," She returned his smile.
"Take her home, let her change. I finish filling Belle's water," The Russian commanded.
As the three returned to the house in silence, Charlotte put her hands into the pockets of the jacket. There was a bottle of Coca-Cola in one of them.