5

Seline woke in the early morning to intermittent taps on her window. She had fallen asleep in her clothes instead of laying them out by the fire and she did not brush and braid her hair so it was sticking up in all directions. In short, she was a mess. Another tap at the window brought her back to her senses, and she sat up and looked out the window.

It was Will standing below. He saw her in the window and waved for her to come down. Seline bounced out of bed ran a brush through her thick hair as quick as she could and smoothed her dress. She opened the door to her room and snuck very quietly down stairs. She reached the back door and very quietly went out. She took the egg collecting basket with her when she went.

Will was waiting for her when she came out. She put her finger to her lips and grabbed his arm and dragged him to the chicken coop with a rather confused and surprised look on his face. Once inside Seline whirled around and asked “What are you doing here so early? You can’t be seen here again. “. Will was even more confused. “Aren’t you glad to see me? Did your father talk to you last night? What do you mean again?”

Seline sighed. “Yes, Will I am always glad to see you, and yes Papa did talk with me last night, but from your tone I don’t think your Papa talked to you last night.” She said in earnest.

She put her hand on his forearm “Will someone saw us leaving the barn yesterday morning. They sent my father a note telling him that they had seen one of his daughters with a man that was not her betrothed leaving the hay loft early in the morning. They did not tell him which one. They told him that he had to go out yesterday and break off my betrothal agreement with your father and set one with the Widower from down in the hollow. They also made him set up a betrothal agreement between Alene and Mr. Glassman. In order to save the life of the daughter that had been seen he did what the note said. The announcement is to be made tonight. “

Will stared at her stunned. The bliss that he had been feeling since yesterday morning when his father told him that he had arraigned a match between him and Seline had quickly melted into sorrow.

“How? Who was it that saw us do you know?” Will’s tone became urgent. He grabbed Seline’s upper arms and held her fast. “Do you know who saw us?”

She shook her head. Tears had begun to fall and Will could not help himself he wrapped her in his arms and consoled her. He rested his chin on top of her head and held her. Realizing at that moment that this would be the last time that he would be able to hold her. Tonight she would be betrothed to another man. He pulled her face back away from his shoulder and looked at her tear stained beautiful face. At that moment it felt like they were the only two in the world. He bent his head down as he placed his fingers gently under her chin and lifted her face to his. His eyes searched hers for a moment as he looked for the same feeling in her eyes that he felt for her. With a heart breaking look Seline began “Will I” and he leaned down and kissed her. Holding her closer to him he felt her soft warm lips, smelled her sweet rose water scent. He could feel her feminine curves pressed against him. Exerting her own pressure she gave in to the kiss making him want more. He moved his tongue along her lips as he deepened the kiss. He pushed his tongue forward and explored her mouth. She pulled him closer as she wrapped her fingers in his hair. He ran his hand down the curve of her back as they each began to explore the other completely forgetting the outside world. Seline felt a fire begin to burn inside her that she had never felt before. It started as a warmth in her belly and as it moved lower it tingled and grew hotter. The tingles of pleasure quickly spread to every spot on her body that Will touched. Will reached up and grabbed her hair. He had always wanted to touch it. He ran his fingers through it. Each movement made Seline tingle more. She felt the sensation of her nipples rubbing against the rough material of her bodice as they hardened. Seline wanted to feel what it was like to touch Will’s chest. She reached up and untied the top of his shirt and as the top came open she reached her hand up and ran her fingers along his hard muscled chest.

“Seline, are you out here?” Came Rose’s voice. Seline and Will jumped apart. Seline turned to look out the tiny window in the side of the hen house and called out it. “I’m getting the eggs.” When she turned around to say something to Will he was gone. Seline collected her thoughts and then the eggs and went back in the house.

Rose was sitting at the table talking to Henni when she came in. “Seli are you okay? You look very flushed. Your not getting sick are you?” Henni said surveying Seline. “No, I’m flushed from chasing that darn red hen again. She got out.” Seline quickly lied to cover up for the rush of blood in her cheeks from kissing Will.

Rose turns to Seline “So did Papa tell you who you will be betrothed to tonight?” Henni and Rose had most likely been discussing their guesses as to who the lucky man would be.

“Yes, but it is a lot more complicated than that. Has anyone seen Alene this morning?”

“No, not yet why?” Rose looks concerned. “Papa wanted to talk to her after me last night. I wanted to make sure that she was okay.”

Henni and Rose exchanged looks with each other. “Papa isn’t marrying her off too, is he?” Seline nodded her head and as Rose and Henni began to giggle Seline shushed them both with out stretched hands. “Shhh! Quiet. Let her tell you. Act surprised.”

“Poor Alice. “. Henni said as she went back to kneading her bread. “She will be here all alone for a year before she will be betrothed if your father makes her wait.”

Rose gets a gleam in her eye and says “maybe not. Papa got up early this morning and went out. As he was kissing Mama good bye I heard them mention Alice’s name and Mr. Evans. Maybe he intends to marry her off to young Will.”

Seline froze and her heart sank. Would her father really do that. Use Alice as a consolation prize to Mr. Evans just so he could get the land promised and keep the peace. Seline selfishly hoped not, but deep down she knew that is exactly what her father would do. He was a businessman and his daughters are just like any other commodity that he bought and sold.