Amelia's Story

by C.P. Murphy

  Chapter Thirteen

  Saturday came and Amelia decided that it would be the day that her life would change. Throughout the night she had tossed and turned; her mind was too consumed to sleep. Thoughts of Patrick flooded her mind. She recalled how her younger sister, of all people, had asked her if she loved Patrick. It was a question that was never answered but Anna would get the answer she had been waiting to hear. She thought about all the times she had been in Patrick’s presence and how she felt like she was floating on clouds just to be near him. Whenever she was close enough to feel his skin, whether it be his hands or arms, she was overcome with tingling sensations that made her skin produce thousands of goose bumps. It might have taken her a while to realize how she felt, but she loved him and would tell him. Amelia prayed that he loved her too.

  She sat in front of her mirror and brushed her hair and then tied it up into a bun above her neck. There was something in the reflection that caught her eye. She turned around and looked at the wedding dress that hung on the other side of the room. Amelia wanted to wear her mother’s dress but not to marry Thomas Van Martin. She would first wait to hear how Patrick felt and if he returned her affection, then she would tell her father she wouldn’t, under any circumstances, marry Thomas. She wasn’t sure how she would call the marriage off or what she would do to make her father change his mind but she knew that she would think of something. Until then she had to handle the situation like she had been doing, defiant like her mother had.

  Henry sat at the breakfast table and noticed a change in Amelia. There was something different about her he couldn’t put his finger on. She must have had a good night of rest. She refused to come out of her bedroom after he had given her the wedding dress. He remembered how he tried telling her it was still many hours of daylight left, too early to retire, but she wouldn’t budge. She was stubborn, he already knew that, but remaining in her room for the better of the day was beyond any reasoning he could understand. He smiled at her. It occurred to him she might have come to her senses, at last, and accepted her new life. It was about time, he thought. He looked up and secretly thanked his beloved wife for saving the wedding dress. Telling her about their marriage was just what she needed to brighten her spirits. He waited until she looked at him and then asked, “Are you excited about the social tonight?” He knew he was. It was his opportunity to be with Ruth, dancing close to her, with no one suspecting anything.

  Amelia swallowed her food and then wiped her mouth with the clothe napkin she held over her lap. “It’s going to be wonderful,” she exclaimed. It wasn’t a direct answer to his question, but it was the reply he was looking for. “In fact, right after we’re done here I have to bake for the dessert table. Should I bake a cake or a pie?”

  “Cookies, cookies,” Henry Jr. and Charles said in unison. They were not shy at all about saying what they wanted. Amelia always made the best cookies.

  She laughed at their enthusiasm and nodded her head in agreement. “All right then, the youngsters get their way,” she expressed and the two boys cheered with joy. Even Henry and Anna chuckled over their excitement.

  “I’ll help,” Anna had tuned into the conversation. “If you would like me too,” she questioned Amelia. She couldn’t figure out why her sister looked so thrilled to go to the dance. All she knew was that she didn’t want to attend because she would have to behave ladylike and Anna was tiring of proper behavior.

  “That would be perfect,” Amelia answered. “There is something I want to talk to you about,” she began but was cut off.

  “You want to talk about the dance?” Henry quizzed. He heard her say yes, but he hoped that she would say they would talk about her wedding. After breakfast was over, he left the girls to clean up the kitchen and to get on with their baking. He hurried the boys along and told them he would take them to visit their cousins for the day. They never turned down the opportunity to go play, and they both jumped up and raced outside.

  “What did you want to talk about,” Anna asked with flour splattered all over her arms and face. She was learning how to cook and clean the house but she was yet to master baking without getting the ingredients all over herself.

  Amelia couldn’t help but giggle at her sister. She looked ridiculous with all the flour plastered to her face. She took a hand towel and wiped Anna up. “I’m in love with Patrick Buchanan,” she straight out stated. It felt great to say it out loud. She longed to say it again.

  Anna dropped an egg on the floor and shrugged knowing she could always clean it up after she was finished helping Amelia. “What?” Amelia’s announcement was out of the blue and it took her off guard.

  Amelia thought she was clear but maybe she needed to clarify what she had said. “You asked me once before if I loved Patrick and now I’m telling you. I do.”

  Anna was delighted for her sister and she gave her a giant hug to prove it. “I’m so happy for you,” she shouted. Amelia had returned the embrace but then pushed Anna away in a joking manner.

  “You’re a mess,” Amelia joked. “Get off of me.” The two girls laughed and threw food at each other. They continued to bake the cookies as Amelia told her sister about the way she came to realize that she loved him. Anna had asked what she would tell their father and what she would do to get Thomas away from her but Amelia couldn’t give any of those answers yet. She still had to figure them out for herself. Anna was enjoying herself throwing eggs shells and flour at Amelia but when she stuck her hands in the sugar jar, Amelia objected, “Oh no Anna. Not the sugar, it’s very expensive.” Anna removed her hand from the jar and apologized. Amelia’s forehead leaned on Anna’s as she whispered, “It’s okay,” then kissed Anna’s nose.

  They took several hours to finish the baking and clean up the kitchen. Afterward Amelia sat in the parlor and worked on her needlepoint and was happy to have Anna join her. Her little sister had grown up so much during the last couple of weeks and Amelia thought of her as a good friend. Amelia asked Anna if she would help her keep Thomas away once they were at the dance and Anna was honored to help. They plotted until it was time for them to continue with their chores.

  Amelia prepared an early dinner so the family could get ready for the social dance. She didn’t make too much food because there would be food and drink at the dance. Her family had come into the kitchen to eat their evening meal and it was all Amelia could do to keep her younger brothers away from the delicious treats she had baked earlier with Anna. After they ate, everyone cleaned up and dressed for the event. Amelia wore the same dress she wore to both Minnie and David’s weddings. She had spent so much time making the dress and even though she would be escorted by Thomas, she felt that the social was a good event to wear it to. Besides, she thought, Patrick would be there, and she wanted to look her best for him. It was the same color blue as her eyes and it flowed down to her ankles. The sleeves were long and formed along the back side of her hands but Amelia was fine with the length since the nights had been getting cooler. When she was finished preparing, Amelia glanced in the mirror and was pleased with her appearance and hoped that the man she loved would be too. Amelia helped Henry Jr. and Charles put on their little bow ties. They didn’t wear them that often, not even to church, but they both wanted to look nice for the dance.

  Soon it was time for them to leave and head down to the Meeting house where the social was held. “I’ll take the boys with me,” Henry told Amelia who would wait for Thomas to pick her up. Then he turned towards Anna and asked, “Do you want to ride in the carriage with us?”

  Anna looked over at Amelia. She said nothing but Anna could tell that Amelia didn’t want to be left alone. “No thank you, Father,” she turned him down. “I would rather walk if you don’t mind.” She wanted to wait and leave after Thomas picked up Amelia.

  Henry smirked; he knew that she would want to be independent. “Suit your-self,” he replied. Then he put a hand on each of the boys’ shoulders and told them it was time to go.

  A few minutes l
ater, Thomas had shown up to escort his fiancée to the dance. He was looking forward to the evening since he had yet to be seen in public with Amelia. Many people questioned whether he was courting the girl. He would show them all at the dance and he couldn’t wait. They would be the most handsome couple there and all the single men attending would be jealous that he was the one holding her arm as they entered. He stopped his carriage in front of Henry’s house and walked up to the door. Amelia didn’t give him the chance to knock. She had opened the door and was standing there with a platter of cookies in her hands. “Aren’t you going to invite me in for a drink before we leave,” he questioned as he moved closer to her wishing she didn’t have her hands full.

  “Not a chance,” she answered. She ignored what her father had told Thomas about entering the house and insisted that they remain proper.

  Anna stepped out of the door just seconds after Amelia and Thomas groaned upon seeing her. He thought she would have ridden to the Meeting house with her father. It didn’t matter, he thought, he would not offer to take her. He had planned an enchanting evening with his betrothed and wouldn’t let a pesky younger sister interfere. He didn’t want Amelia to get upset with him from the start so he said, “Anna, I’m afraid that my carriage only carries two people.”

  Anna shook her head. She had planned to walk and wouldn’t accept a ride from him even if he offered but she knew that he was lying. She had seen Thomas ride around with his friends and there were always three or four people in the carriage. “Don’t worry any,” she scorned. “I’m walking.”

  Amelia stepped closer to Anna and kissed her on the cheek. “You’ll be coming along soon, won’t you?” Anna nodded and Amelia looked at Thomas as if to say she was ready to go. She headed towards the carriage when Thomas stopped her. “Where are you going with those?” He quizzed while looking at the platter.

  Amelia wondered where his head was. Many women had prepared dishes and desserts to pass at past socials and he must’ve known she would too. “To the social,” she answered.

  Thomas smirked. She was going to the dance in his carriage and he wouldn’t be seen walking into the Meeting house with a platter of pathetic cookies. He wanted her hands free to hold onto him and show her love to all who watched them enter. “No, no. Anna, you take them.”

  “Anna is walking, Thomas,” Amelia reminded him. “Here, I’ll put them in the back,” she said as she moved closer to his carriage.

  Thomas stepped in front of her and insisted that the platter wouldn’t go with them. “She is more than capable to take some measly treats with her.” He took the platter and shoved them into Anna’s hands.

  “My cookies are not measly treats,” Amelia argued. He had a nerve to say such a thing to her. She reached over to retrieve the platter from Anna’s hands as she said, “I have one of the best cookie recipes in all of Millersport.”

  Anna sensed Thomas’ anger as he and Amelia argued over who would take the cookies to the dance. She didn’t want to cause trouble for her sister and even though she wasn’t keen on carrying the platter, she had agreed to take them. “It's fine, Amelia,” she assured her sister. “I hope that the frogs don’t jump onto them when I stop along the way to go catch them.”

  Amelia laughed but Thomas didn’t look amused. She knew that her sister wasn’t serious and that the cookies were in good hands. “Okay then,” she told Anna. “Then take them to the back door of the Meeting house. You’ll see where to place them from there.” Amelia thanked her again and then turned to climb up into Thomas’ carriage. She knew that if she took her time he would rush over to her to help so she did it as fast as she could. She didn’t want his hands anywhere near her. Thomas gave her a look of disapproval and then got himself into the carriage.

  People were coming from all directions, making their way to the dance so Thomas knew that he couldn’t take Amelia for an extra-long ride. Tonight there would be dancing but he wished that he could dance privately with her before displaying her in front of everyone else. They arrived at the Meeting house and Thomas pulled the carriage over. He turned to Amelia and warned her not to get down on her own. She didn’t look thrilled to have him help her down, but she listened.

  The night had only just begun but already Amelia was embarrassed to be there with him. She noticed the men and women outside of the building looking over at her and Thomas. He looked as proud as a peacock. Amelia was glad that Patrick hadn’t yet arrived because she didn’t want him to see Thomas making such a spectacle over her. “Thomas really,” she hissed, “I can get down myself.”

  “But why would you when you have the most attractive man in the village willing to help you?”

  “Oh,” Amelia couldn’t help but correct him. “Where? I don’t see him.” Again, Thomas wasn’t amused.

  Even though Henry had left the house before Amelia, he arrived at the same time because he also picked up Ruth. He wished that he could hold her close as they walked in but for now they had to play the part of in-laws joining each other for the night. Nobody was surprised to see them together, they were family. Henry even thought of surprising them all by planting a huge kiss on her lips but knew that it would cause talk and he didn’t want to take away from the coming out of Amelia and Thomas. People have heard that the two were courting but until now, nobody had seen them together. He looked over to his daughter who was being helped down from the carriage by Thomas. She didn’t look happy, which had surprised him because he thought she had come to terms. He hoped that the other attendants wouldn’t notice how she looked. The boys took off as soon as their feet touched the ground and Henry was left standing there with Ruth. He glanced at her and then the two of them walked over to Amelia and Thomas. “Shall we all walk in together?”

  Thomas didn’t like the idea but he could tell that it put Amelia at ease. He didn’t want to chance upsetting her so he pretended that it was a grand idea. “That would be delightful,” he sarcastically said. “Wouldn’t it, sweetheart?”

  Amelia felt like getting sick. He didn’t need to call her such pet names; she wouldn’t be calling him anything special. Nothing nice at least, she laughed at the thought. She smiled. It was directed at her father and Aunt but, like usual; Thomas assumed it was guided towards him. She felt him reach over to hold her hand as the four of them made their way towards the main entrance. It felt like a parent holding onto a child’s hand while walking through a crowd. In no way did it feel tender and sweet like she had always hoped to feel. As they walked in the door, she could feel hundreds of eyes staring at them.

  The decorating committee had the Meeting house looking very charming. The social was held in the dance hall on the second floor but there were chairs in the hallway on the main floor for villagers to rest and feel fresh air coming through the open doors. Streamers were twined through the railings of the staircase going up as if the attendants would have to be reminded that the event was upstairs. Up in the dance hall, there were more chairs lined up against the longer walls for anyone who preferred to sit instead of dance. The girls who had not been asked to dance sat on one side, bashfully looking across the room. Shy boys stood on the other side until they got the nerve to ask one girl to dance. There was a quartet of musicians in the far right corner that had already played a beautiful melody with their instruments though there weren’t many couples out on the dance floor. The opposite corner displayed a table with a lace covering and on that table sat a large bowl of punch and fragile cups for anyone who desired a drink. Amelia knew from experiences that later on in the evening someone would bring out fresh coffee and hot tea along with delicious scones. The wall in between the dessert table and the quartet held a buffet of food like salads, fresh meats, baked rolls, and cheeses. There was no reason for anyone to leave the festivities with an empty stomach. The biggest attraction to the room was the direct middle, the dancing area. Ribbons and streamers were strung from corner to corner and confetti sized paper dusted on the floor just ready for dancers to step on them as they s
wirled from one side of the room to the other.

  Soon after their arrival, the room filled up, and the music became more festive which invited more people to display their dancing abilities. Amelia stood awkwardly next to Thomas. She knew at any moment he would ask her for a waltz and she dreaded having to agree with him. When he asked, she wanted to laugh at him and tell him never but she knew that she had to present herself as the respectful girl that her father raised. From a distance she spotted Emma and Jacob and wanted to be social. She would’ve preferred to leave Thomas behind but since he was chums with Jacob, she grabbed his arm and walked over to the other couple. “Good evening,” she said to them when they noticed her approach. She watched Thomas shake hands with Jacob and then bowed to Emma. Amelia wondered why he only behaved so well when there were others around. Amelia and Emma moved away from the men, just far enough were their conversation wasn’t heard. “Emma, you look absolutely beautiful tonight,” Amelia confessed to her friend.

  Emma had worn a peach colored dress that was just the right color to bring out blushing of her cheeks. Her hair was gathered down by her neck into a ribbon that matched her dress. The hair that hung down curled. Amelia could tell that it wasn’t just the dress that made her look beautiful. “I can see how happy Jacob is making you and I’m glad for you,” she said and meant every word.

  Emma smiled at her friend and then gave her a hug. “It has been way too long, Miss Samuels. I’ve missed you.” She was happy to see that Thomas was behaving himself around Amelia and in return Amelia didn’t seem to be bothered by his presence.

  “And I’ve missed you too,” Amelia returned the feeling. “I have so much to tell you,” she said but couldn’t finish due to Jacob, who had cut her off.

  “Shall we dance?” He asked Emma while holding her hand and pulling her closer to him. She jumped to the opportunity as if she had been waiting all of her life for him to ask that one question. They walked out to the middle of the dance floor and then swayed to the music.

  Thomas didn’t ask Amelia for a dance, he grabbed her hand and led her to a spot on the floor where everyone could see him hold her. Amelia knew that his good manners would not last once there was nobody left to show them to. She tried to squirm to get away as he pulled her close. She thought it was unacceptable behavior, but he showed her other couples who were dancing just as close to one another. Amelia thought she should make the best of it and made small talk with him. “What do you think of the decorations?”

  He didn’t answer because he was too busy looking around the room to see who was looking at him. It was the longest song Amelia had ever heard and was relieved when it was over. The audience applauded and dwindled off the dance floor until the next melody began. Amelia noticed Patrick walking in and was reminded of the anxiousness she felt. She had to get rid of Thomas because she wanted to tell Patrick how she felt about him. “Thomas, can you get me some punch?”

  Thomas had seen other men get the drinks but felt he didn’t have to behave like they did. They were wooing their dates, but he had his girl and she didn’t have a choice. He decided that if she was that thirsty then she could get her own drink. “No,” he simple answered.

  She wasn’t surprised at his rudeness at all. She feared that he wanted another dance, so she thought that asking again would delay him from pulling her out on the floor. “But I’m very thirsty.”

  “Then get it yourself,” Thomas snorted.

  She didn’t mind getting away from him. “Fine,” she told him, “But I’m not bringing one back for you.” She stormed off towards the punch table but as soon as she mingled into the crowd and was unseen by him, she bolted off to find Patrick.

  Patrick felt uncomfortable walking into the Meeting house. People close to the entrance had turned to look at him. Though their stares were not as obvious as the day he went to the loading docks, he could still feel their eyes on him as he passed by. He saw Amelia standing near Thomas. It was hard not to see her, he thought, her natural beauty made her stand out from the crowd. Patrick continued to walk through the crowd. He noticed that Amelia was walking away from Thomas and he wasn’t ready for her to find him. She had a spell on him he couldn’t explain and knew that being around her would blur his vision. Patrick had to be on his toes until he found the man who funded the British. He zigzagged through the crowd trying to both avoid Amelia and find a spot where men might stand trying to get away from their wives. He thought that the man he was searching for would want to talk business and thought he wouldn’t do that in front of female witnesses. It was just a hunch but one he had been correct about. Several minutes later, he had edged his way into a room was on the lower level of the Meeting house.

  He could smell cigar smoke and wondered if there was still someone there. There were no candles burning inside but the lights from the festivities filtered in just enough for him to spot two men inside the room talking. They didn’t hear him enter. He stayed in the shadows so that his arrival would remain unannounced. He recognized one voice, it was the man he had been looking for but he didn’t recognize the other man. As luck would have him, he could get a good look at the man and could now point him out if he could get the authorities to agree to travel down to Millersport. It was enough for him and he was about to head back towards the dance but realized that there were other men standing just outside of the door. He was stuck there for a moment. As he stood waiting for the men in the hallway to leave, his luck grew. The men inside the room talked about funding the British and Patrick was surprised to hear that the other man was also against it.

  He remained still to listen to them. The man who wasn’t at the docks talked, “So Henry, you are telling me you had stopped the funding completely.”

  “Yes,” Henry had said to Daniel, “Can’t you see, I have already got myself in boiling water? You are holding something dear over my head but I’m getting off easy. If anyone else found out then,” he stopped. He thought he had heard something but then realized it was just passing people outside the room.

  Daniel finished the sentence for him, “Then you would be number one on the state’s execution list!”

  Patrick didn’t feel the need to stay there any longer. He now had a name, though not a last name, it was at least a great help. It was more than he set out to find. He slid out of the room as quietly as he had entered and then looked for Amelia.

  Amelia couldn’t find Patrick anywhere. Her search was constantly interrupted by villagers she hadn’t spoken to in weeks. One by one, they stopped her and asked about her relationship with Thomas. She hated to put on a charade but yet still didn’t have it in her to tell them how cruel her father was being. She couldn’t wait to get away from all the nosey women. There was something more urgent that she had to do, she had to find Patrick and be able to speak with him before Thomas would realize how long she had been gone and would come to find her. As she made her way past the food table, she wondered if perhaps Patrick wasn’t able to find her and went home instead. Amelia had hoped not because she couldn’t wait to see him again.

  She rushed down to the entrance to see if he was anywhere near the building. She walked out the main door and stepped out into the dark night. Amelia turned towards the side of the building and jumped when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you,” Patrick said when he found Amelia. He was relieved to have his business done for the night and was looking forward to seeing her.

  Though she was initially scared, Amelia smiled when she realized that it was Patrick. She was nervous about Thomas trying to find her and decided it was best to tell Patrick about her feelings somewhere else. “Let’s go for a walk,” she flirted with him.

  “Okay, but I thought you wanted me to meet your father,” Patrick replied to her. He loved getting away with just her but knew the real reason she wanted him to attend the social. She wanted him to meet others in the village.

  “I want to tell you something,” she answered. Amelia grabbed his han
d and ran behind the Meeting house and entered a wooded area. It was an area that Amelia knew well and wasn’t afraid of, even in the dark. The moonlight guided their way. She stopped in an area of the woods clear of trees and shrubbery but yet far enough into the woods were nobody would see them or even think to look for them.

  “Where are we,” Patrick queried. Leaving the social was unexpected and Patrick wasn’t sure what to think of her behavior.

  Amelia blushed but didn’t know whether he had noticed. “It’s just a clearing I discovered when I was younger. We won’t be spotted here, don’t worry.”

  Patrick wasn’t nervous about being caught with her but found it a little uncomfortable. The people in the village wouldn’t trust him since they didn’t know him and they would accuse him of taking her there instead of the other way around. “Amelia, maybe we should head back out,” he said out of nervousness. “What do you suppose people would think if they caught us here?”

  Amelia laughed though she knew he was very serious. “Trust me, they won’t even look here.” She had no doubts that Thomas would eventually wonder where she was and look for her but she knew that he would never expect her to be in the woods. “Besides, when I was looking for you earlier I saw my sister, Anna, and told her if anyone should question where I was then she should tell them I felt a headache coming on and I went home to bed.”

  Still a little uneasy, Patrick could see the glitter in her eyes. “So, it’s okay?” The smile across her face told him she knew what she was talking about. “Well then, young lady, what is it you want to tell me?”

  Amelia wasn’t as nervous as she thought she would be. She had been thinking about this moment all night long and now it was about to happen, she knew that the timing was perfect and so was their surroundings. She stood tall and said it with no hesitations, “I realized that I’m in love.”

  Patrick was quiet for a minute. He hadn’t expected her to say that. It was apparent that she was coming around to her marriage. He was afraid that she wouldn’t want to be his friend now she was settling down. Though, she seemed happy about her decision and he didn’t want to ruin it for her. “Congratulations,” he started with an choppy voice. “When are you and Thomas going to get married?”

  Amelia gagged on the thought but realized that she was unclear. “I can’t stand Thomas Van Martin. I refuse to marry him whether my father approves or not.”

  “Oh, I thought,” Patrick explained, but he didn’t need to finish.

  “No Patrick,” she couldn’t take it anymore and needed him to know that she was calling off the marriage so she could be with him. “Don’t you see?” She thought for a moment and then continued, “I love you. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling, but I knew it was something I’ve never felt before.” After her words were spoken, Amelia felt another lump in her throat and butterflies in her stomach. She hadn’t thought of what she would do if he didn’t return the feelings. The moment became awkward, and she wondered what would happen.

  Patrick was overwhelmed with emotions. Hearing her say she loved him was more than he could have ever hoped for. He too had feelings for her but had denied them because of her commitment with her fiancé. He couldn’t believe that she was telling him she loved him. “But,” he asked to make sure he wasn’t dreaming, “What about your marriage?”

  She shed tears she hoped he wouldn’t see. It wasn’t the way she thought it would be. She wondered how she could have been so wrong. “I don’t love him and my father can’t force me to take vows. I refuse to marry him.”

  Patrick noticed that she was crying and reached over to wipe the tears off of her face, “Don’t cry. This is a happy moment, right?”

  He pulled her close to him and said, “I love you too.”

  Amelia was overjoyed for the first time in her life. She thought she would never experience the emotions that ran inside of her; the tingly feelings and the skip of her heartbeat. For the first time in weeks things were looking up. Patrick was holding her close to him and she embraced him while looking into his eyes. They sparkled in the moonlight. The hands that rested on her back were tender the way she had always thought hands should be.

  He stood there holding Amelia close to his chest and wondered if she could feel his heartbeat. It was beating fast, but he knew it wouldn’t be broken again. He brought one hand up to the back of her head and held it back at an angle. The whole time she kept her eyes locked with his. They were close enough for him to feel her breathe on his face; it was warm and inviting. He leaned in closer and placed his lips onto hers. When he discovered that she didn’t pull away, he pressed them harder until he felt her lips respond. They were sweeter than anything he could imagine and had a taste he couldn’t get enough of. For every pucker he gave her, she returned to him.

  Amelia closed her eyes as Patrick kissed her. She never knew that a kiss could be so delightful. She pressed her lips in line with Patrick’s. They paused for a brief second but neither one of them wanted to stop. She opened her eyes and saw him moisten his lips and she knew that he would award her with another. She never knew that it could be so beautiful and felt she could go on that way forever.

  The moonlight was shining down on them and a breeze had blown by but they were too involved to notice. Several minutes later their kiss had ended, but he still held her close to him as he told her he loved her again. He moved his hands over her face and traced her lips with his finger and then rubbed her cheeks. She never felt so happy before and promised herself that she would do whatever it took to guarantee she remained that happy.

  Thomas walked around the room and shook hands with some of the men he knew from the village. They had made comments about the girl he had escorted to the dance and he smiled in pride. He knew that they were all jealous of him for there wasn’t a man in Millersport who could deny that she was beautiful. With her in mind, he pulled out his pocket watch and noted the time. Amelia had left him quite a while before getting herself a drink. He assumed that she would return right away. From where he stood he looked over toward the punch bowl and she was nowhere in sight. He growled and excused himself from the group of men he was talking with. He scanned the room for his prize but she was nowhere to be seen. She wasn’t preparing a meal for him nor was she fetching a drink for him either. His first thought was that she must have been making herself more beautiful in the powder room. Being with him would make any girl want to apply more powder. He marched right up to the entrance of the room and asked a young lady if Amelia Samuels was in there. She had told him she wasn’t and Thomas smirked. If she was dancing with someone else, it had better of been her father or one of her brothers if she knew what was good for her. He walked on the dance floor and squeezed his way past all the couples waltzing.

  Thomas didn’t see her on the dance floor either and he got very annoyed. He walked up to Jacob and Emma and interrupted their conversation, “Have you seen Amelia?”

  The couple looked annoyed that he disturbed them. Jacob had looked at Emma and she at him but neither of them knew of the girl’s where- a- bouts. “No, not since before you danced with her,” Jacob told Thomas before continuing his conversation with Emma. She nodded her head in agreement with him.

  Displeased with their answer, Thomas marched off determined to find out where she had been hiding. He called her name out loud and noticed the looks on the faces that heard him but he didn’t care. All he cared about was locating his fiancée who was supposed to be making him look good. He was fuming in frustration. He noticed Anna standing against the wall, waiting for a dance, and he walked straight up to her. If anyone knew where Amelia was, perhaps it would be her. “Where is Amelia?” he demanded to know.

  “She went home,” Anna stated as she looked around the room and not at him. Like her sister, she wasn’t impressed by his demeanor and didn’t want to give him any of her attention. She could sense him still standing there getting angry over what she had just told him. She wasn’t afraid to tell him exactly what Amelia told her to tell
him. Others might have been, knowing it would upset him but Anna was one of those few people who couldn’t care less if Thomas was angry.

  Thomas’ face became red with anger. He held his fists to his side and felt them tighten up. She must have lied to him about going to get a drink when all along she was just trying to get away from him. “What on blazes for,” he asked.

  Anna laughed at his behavior. She might have been young and immature but she could tell that he couldn't care less what the reasons were. “She had a headache, and I’m understanding why,” Anna defiantly answered him.

  Thomas was now steaming. He could feel his hot breath exhaling in places he hadn’t even realized could breathe. Headache or not, she would come back to the social with him and put on the best show coins could pay for. He didn’t bother to excuse himself from Anna; he felt he didn’t need to. She was just the pesky little soon-to-be-sister-in-law. He left her standing where he found her and rushed off to the main entrance to go retrieve his possession. As he was trying to squeeze past the crowd of people, he overheard a group of men talking about the stranger in the village.

  “He didn’t stay long. You would think that he would want to meet people,” one man had said. Then another man answered, “Or maybe he met the one person he was hoping to meet. I thought I saw him strolling with that pretty Samuels girl.”

  Thomas’ blood was boiling. Anna had lied to him and he had half a mind to go back to where she was standing and box her ears but he had more important things to do. Thomas had to get his bride away from that stranger before he hurt her more than Thomas planned on doing once he had her in private.

  He pushed his way past the crowd and out the front door. He looked around to see if he could spot her out there. It wasn’t long before he realized that she wasn’t around. He paused for a moment and noted the places she could have taken the stranger to be alone. He remembered a time when he would follow her around the village in secret. It wasn’t long before he thought of the wooded area that wasn’t far from the Meeting house. She would be an absolute fool to take a stranger there, especially since the sun had gone down and darkness had set. It wasn’t long before he had come to the clearing and spotted her. As much as he wanted to storm into the clearing and punish her, he remained hidden behind a tree.

  He was outraged by what he saw; Amelia was with the stranger in an embrace. The stranger didn’t appear to be hurting her but just the opposite; he was cuddling with her. Thomas watched as Amelia pressed her red lips against the man’s and right away he was overcome with jealousy. He couldn't care less if Amelia gave her heart to that man or not, she was his fiancée and there was no way she could stop what was meant to be. He thought about the kiss he witnessed. She had pushed him away many times when he kissed her yet she lovingly kissed the stranger. “Little tramp,” he whispered. Thomas was too far away to hear what the couple was saying, but he didn’t dare to inch closer in fear he would be heard. He felt furious when he noticed the way Amelia laughed with the man. He was nothing in Millersport but a stranger. Nobody knew of him but Thomas now had his own thoughts. He was a woman stealing son-of- a-bitch who would pay for making moves on Thomas’ girl. Thomas vowed that the man would never be near Amelia again. He pondered how he would do that. If he were to announce to the public that the stranger was kissing his girl, the people would ridicule the stranger and drive him out of the village. Although, he thought, doing so would also let the people know that he couldn’t control his bride-to-be and in return he would be the one ridiculed. Seeing enough of his devious fiancée, he returned to the Meeting house where he would continue to mingle among the villagers and carry on as if Amelia went home to tend to her headache. He would think of something to split Amelia and the stranger, and a way to discipline her, as the night went on.