"You are blood. You are sisters. No man can break that bond." ― Kim Boykin, A Peach of a Pair
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Rose was startled to hear the name of the man who she and her sister had just talked about to appear in front of them. Being polite as their gazes met, Rose offered the man a smile which was failed to be returned and she noticed how Mr. Harding appeared to be stunned after looking at anything. It caused Rose to look at behind her as there was where she felt Mr. Harding's gazes were directed at.
"Good afternoon," greeted Josie who tried to put a better smile on her lips so she wouldn't appeared too rushed and excited. "It's nice to see you here."
Jayden seemed to be taken by something behind him and Josie turned her eyes after noticing how the man had settled his gaze for too long, ignoring her words. She looked behind finding only Rose and her head turned again to the man, "Mr. Harding?"
"Ah, yes," Jayden answered, it took him a while to pull himself together from staring at Rose which the Josie hadn't noticed yet. "I apologize I didn't quite catch what you heard, Miss Maury."
"Oh no, I don't mind it," Josie replied for a pink blush to appear on her pale skin and Rose went to her sister's side slowly. She saw how her sister's eyes brightened at the man's greeting for her to smile widely.
"And this is...?" Jayden's eyes went to Rose asking for her name as he hadn't known the younger girl of Maury Family until today, and a part of him thought of how it was a shame for him to not know the existence of the beautiful lady until this day, feeling that he had missed the chance.
For the past few days, Rose had seen how Josie had always waited for her time to meet Mr. Harding. While it was Rose's first time to meet Mr. Harding, the man was similar to the good rumors people posed him to be.
The man was one of the few handsome men in their village. Not to forget, a kind and polite one with a respectable job as a shoemaker. Many women found Mr. Harding as charming as Josie did and indeed he was, standing beside Josie, Rose can't help but to think of how well suited they are together. She heard that it was one incident in the market that had caused Josie to fell head over heels for the man and seeing them together, Rose thought that he might be the perfect man for her sister.
Being the polite girl she was, Rose curtsied with a polite smile, "I am Rose Maury, Josephine's younger sister. I am glad to finally see you. As my sister had said you are a fine man, Mr. Harding," very worth to be her sister's husband, was the unspoken words Rose kept to herself. She didn't want to openly expose her sister's feeling without consulting with her.
Mr. Harding showed a wide smile while staring at her and Rose wondered why the man continued to stare at her but brushed it off as it was their first meeting, "I hope it is only great things that you heard from Miss Maury?"
"Josie regard you with high words, Mr. Harding that she hardly mention any negative words when speaking about you, You can be at ease," said Rose politely before she turned to look at her older sister who seemed to be in a daze while looking at Mr. Harding for a moment before breaking her daze and looked back at her. A little smile came on her lips when she thought that this might be the first step to her sister's future marriage.
"I am glad to hear that," said Mr. Harding and he meant his words. He never saw Rose before but seeing her now, it was almost impossible for him to tear away his gaze as he had been spellbound by her. With a difficult wrestle with himself, the man finally looked away to the elder girl, "I didn't know if I made a good impression to you, Miss Maury. To hear that you regarded me with high words, I am very glad."
Josie noticed how Jayden's eyes lingers at her younger sister but thought it was the curiosity, not knowing his interest had been caught by the wrong sister. Rose watched how Josie's cheeks grew redder by time and heard her sister say, "You are a fine man, Mr. Harding, worth of the praise. Are you on your way to the market?" Josie asked with interest, wanting to know what the man had in plan.
"Oh no, I will be leaving to deliver some of the shoes that had been ordered," explained the man with his polite smile on his lips, lifting the box that he had on his hand.
It appears that the man never run of work, thought Rose and she could tell that Josie had been wanting to meet the man and have a private talk. Not wanting to be the third wheel and turned as the bridge to her sister's relationship she bowed again, "Well then, I still have errands to complete, Mr. Harding, please take care of my sister. She might be shy but she is a very friendly girl," said Rose before she bowed her head again to duck away from the fence when she saw the man come closer toward her.
"If you are leaving to the market I can accompany you there," offered Jayden and for a moment Josie who was standing in front of the man felt her heart stung.
Rose was also startled by the offer. Didn't Mr. Harding said he need to deliver the shoes?
Quickly, Rose shook her head, "I would only be delivering letter, nothing too important. Please enjoy your time together, excuse me." It would beat her intention to let her Josie spend her time with Jayden if the man comes with her to deliver the letter. Before she could leave, Josie gave her a look of questioning as they were both told to leave together but Rose shook her head, indicating that she would be fine alone and encourage her sister with a wide smile.
Rose had heard how Mr. Harding often greeted her elder sister, and Rose was sure the ship of her sister and Mr. Harding would sail. Like any other younger sister out there, Rose found herself in delight to see that there was a man who seemed to be very taken by her older sister.
Not dwelling any longer from the path, she hurried her steps to the town. Before she completely left, she turned and look back, expecting Josie and Mr. Harding having the nice talk but unexpectedly, she met the man's gaze on her that seemed to have been lingering for long which had her to subtly frown.
Was there something on her face? Rose shook her head and left to complete her mother's errand, maneuvering her way to the postman's building near the market.
The mailbox where the postman gathered the letters and envelope they have to sent to wasn't too far from her house. It took Rose only ten minutes of turtle walking to reach there before returning her way back to home empty handed but feeling quite refreshed.
On her way back, she saw the women who gathered so closely to each other on the side of the road, with some men who was the husbands of the women, "Ferocious beasts they said..."
Ferocious Beast? Is this about the wild beasts from the forest around their village again? Rose questioned in her mind, having her curiosity piqued over hearing the words which slipped from the people's discussion. She came closer to listen one of the woman, whose name was Eleanor to say in horror. "It was werewolves they said!"
"I wish I knew how to quit you." —BrokeBack Mountain, Annie Proulx*******The talk the people had went heated for another round. Rose was not a gossip monger but she had heard something which she cannot let go. Since young, she had been a curious person who would always be interested in things that piqued her curiosity and would never be able to let go of the burning curiosity until she had the answer.In time her curiosity was piqued, Eleanor who was in the center of the conversation noticed her and waved her hand to call Rose from afar. "Rose! Here you are dear. You cooped yourself for so long inside your house that I begin to wonder if you will become a tale and only once in a week would I see you."Rose smiled in response to the woman's words, not taking it as noisy or intrusive. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Eleanor. I overheard your conversation from earlier. Was it about werewolf?""Yes!
"Of two sistersone is always the watcher,one the dancer." ― Louise Glück, Descending Figure****Without knowing Mr. Anonymous's condition, Rose went back home while wondering if the man was truly alright. They didn't spend more than ten minutes and it made Rose wonder why that man continued to linger in her mind despite the brief meeting?"It must be a concern," claimed Rose to herself. When she arrived back home, she was quickly greeted by Josie whose hair was tied in a bun. There were a few men who gathered around the fence and talked with her but once Rose appeared and Josie excused herself, the men scattered. Rose noticed how most of the men appeared to be peeved that they had to part away with Josie that caused Rose to smile.Since she was young, Rose noticed how her sister had always been the most beautiful in the village but her sister didn't seem to notice how the men regarded her as
Rose went down to the first floor of their house. She was a little taken aback and she won't lie by the question Josie had asked. She then remembered about the lingering look that Mr. Jayden Harding had when looking at her."No way," whispered Rose. She wasn't convinced the man would like her when yesterday was only their first meeting. Walking toward the kitchen, she found her mother."Oh my dearest, have you delivered the letter?" The older woman, Mrs. Maury wore an apron over her dress to stop the dusts from smudging over her dress."Yes I did, on my way I heard about Mr. Hearst's accident again. They said there are possible werewolves amongst us in the village," answered Rose as she quickly went on her mother's side, "I will clean the plate," she said dutifully, knowing that her mother need rest.Mrs. Maury let her daughter take over, taking her kindness, "That's impossible. We know there are not
It had been a week since he had been saved by a clueless woman who thought she could help him by a mere umbrella and somewhere with the days passed, he couldn't forget the girl who had took his interest and her sweet scent that still linger in the back of his mind even though days have passed. He knew he had a keen smelling sense, but the girl's scent was something different that even rain couldn't cease him from enjoying her sweet scent.He had threaded the thought of meeting her again and ordered his subordinate to quickly find the woman who he had been wanting to meet again. As for what he wanted to do when meeting her again, he put the thought on hold; thinking to choose what to do when he met her again who he had named in his mind as the rabbit of rose.When a knock came across his room, the man walked over the room and open the door. The maid who stood before the door had her eyes widen when she looked at his hair that was dampened and
The atmosphere in the room turn stifling but Dominic was full of smile. Unlike others he quite entertain the hobby of seeing other squirm on awkward situation and to create the situation. He took a seat in front of his parents, "Tell me, mother and father, I supposed I am called here for a reason, am I not? As your obedient son, I will listen to all your every commands. What can I help you with?"Dominic's affluent words sounded sweet to the ears when only lady Ashley and Cain could hear the exaggerated sarcasm he accentuate in every words he said. No one could take offense of his polite yet poisonous words."We have been thinking, Dominic," Lady Ashely started, her painted lips were pulled wide.Dominic raised one of his eyebrows. His "beloved" step mother was a woman who take offense on the littlest thing even if she falls, she was the type of someone who would blame the floor instead of her own goddamn legs that often
In Dominic's eyes there was sparkling interest. The girl had caught his attention like no one ever did. He didn't really feel attracted of kindness but no one had ever been kind to him. Through one small gesture of lending an umbrella, the woman caught his interest for she appeared not only a pure heart but a very peculiar line of thinking which attracted him.He had to be honest, he had never seen a soul so compassionate who would worry more about him than herself against the face of danger. She wasn't naive and now that it was dangerous, the little trembling of her slender fingers against his chest was still memorable to Dominic until now. She was only and simply kind.Cain had never seen the expression on Dominic's face despite being with him since they were young. He didn't know why this girl could attract Dominic's interest as not many could. And for those who did, they are now mostly turned into skeletons for they had attracted only th
"A crash never occur suddenly. It all started with fissures and the unseen cracks. How fearsome it is."**********Rose held the handle of the pot, bringing it toward the table where the cover had been set. On the front side of the seat she took was her mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Maury while on her left side was her sister, Josephine.When the dinner begin, Rose can't stop marveling at the taste of the soup, was there anything more fulfilling than ting a warmth bath or eating a delicious food after a tiring day? Well to Rose there was nothing. She recalled her cousin's remark where she commented about how mundane her days must have felt with how simple they live. But Rose thought it was the opposite.To have her family on the dinner table, together while sharing stories, she felt nothing more fulfilling and rewarding. God's mercy was by bringing her a peaceful day like today was.
Rose spent her time staring at the ceiling, feeling no sleepiness coming to her."Josie?" She asked, thinking to talk but it didn't appear that Josie was awake. Sighing a little, Rose decided to push herself from her bed. She pulled herself and walked out of the room. Josie who hadn't been able to sleep as well finally turned her head. Seeing the empty bed, Josie sighed and turned her head to the side of the wall, pulling her other pillow to her head.In the morning it was warm but now that night come, it was very cold to the point Rose's body shivers. She had opened the back door of her house, standing at the backyard to admire the star in the night.Rose thought about a lot of thing. She thought about her mother's relationship and came a question in her mind. Why does Aunt Mary avoid them so much? Of course she knew how she detested the poor so much that she would frown whenever she came to the village. If she could, A