Fade to Grey

by Ilena Holder

  He covered her body now and she buried her hands in his black hair. He kissed her ears and her throat until she heard herself moan in anticipation. She opened her eyes to gaze into his and he felt him nudge her legs open with his knees. Slowly, he pressed into her wetness. She accepted him quickly and easily. She didn’t expect him to be surprised, since she figured he knew she wasn’t a virgin at her age.

  Silently, they began to make love. He pressed her down into the mattress with his weight and she eagerly pushed back with her pelvis. His strong thrusts were matched equally by her acceptance and hunger. She was not shy in letting him know that she was pleased. They rolled and briefly she was on top of him, straddling and moving in a wanton manner. He looked up at her and smiled, encouraging her on.

  He rolled her once more and she locked her legs around his waist, encouraging him with feral impatience in their mating.

  Suddenly, he groaned and his body stiffened. Donna could feel him spend quickly and rapidly into her. Though Royce was immediately still, Donna was still not sated. Yet she felt satisfied in a way Royce would not have understood. Their lovemaking was too hurried, too abrupt for her to reach the peaks she wanted.

  Royce rolled off her and exhaled loudly. “You’ve done me in, Donna.”

  She caressed his chest hair and draped her leg over his hip. “I must be going soon. You understand.” She let her fingers trail down onto the moist skin of his stomach.

  “Yes, I know. Go ahead and start dressing. You have less hair now then when you came. Perhaps we should just plait it into a long braid and place your cap back on.”

  As Donna quickly dressed herself, Royce got off his bed and found a wide toothed comb. He stood behind Donna and ran it through her hair, separating it neatly into three equal strands. He flipped the side lengths over her shoulders and then nimbly began plaiting with the center section. Quickly, he had it neatly braided and secured with a piece of black string he pulled from his shirt pocket. He took the small mirror off the wall and handed it to Donna so she could admire his handiwork.

  He was pleased to see her smile.

  “This is beautiful! Where did you learn to braid like this?”

  “I do it all the time on the horse manes and tails. It's pretty and the women ask me to do it, especially on market days when we all go to town.”

  “Thank you so much, Royce.”

  “It's my pleasure, Donna.”

  She headed to the door, but he went ahead of her and motioned for her to wait.

  “Go back to the house and don’t mention you were here. It won’t bring up awkward questions.”

  Donna brushed past him, with nary a backward glance. However, she waved her fingers behind her back as a sort of secret goodbye. He smiled. She intrigued him and he wondered if her tale was true. What would she have to gain by it? Certainly nothing from him, but would she harm or rob the Bradentons? She didn't appear to be an evil woman; he hoped his gut instinct was correct.

  He watched her as she walked up the lane and then disappeared through the trees. “I believe you, Donna, if no one else will. I’d like to hear what the future is like.”

  Chapter Eight

  The remaining afternoon and early evening had been relaxed and once again, Donna seemed to blend into the household’s daily routine. Part of this was the maid’s keeping in their station, and the owners’ rather lax lifestyle. All this was to her advantage, because questions remained unasked. Empty time was good for Donna to ponder her choices and plan her actions. Mr. Bradenton was receiving an unexpected visitor, a neighbor who wanted to discuss renting out some acreage for crops in the next year. Donna had been reading and, since the library was huge, she didn’t feel that she should excuse herself while the two men discussed business. Finally, when their discussion dragged on, she shut her book and decided to go upstairs to visit Mrs. Bradenton and see exactly what was going on with her.

  She saw that her door was ajar and knocked lightly to let her know who was there.

  “Come in, come in!” Mrs. Bradenton called out with a low and thick voice. Donna wasn’t sure if it was from pain or medication. She pushed the door the rest of the way and walked in. Mrs. Bradenton was propped up on a large pile of pillows, a cup of tea at the bedstead and a book face down on the coverlet. She seemed unexpectedly happy after the morning’s events.

  “I was reading and then your husband had a visitor. So I thought I’d come up and see how you were doing. You gave me quite a fright this morning!”

  “Yes, I had a spell. And I hate that you saw me that way. But sometimes it happens.” She sighed and looked out the window. “How is the weather outside?”

  “It’s strange.” Donna now pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed. “It seems like a warm front is coming in and it feels like summer.”

  “Oh, good! The heat is better for my ache and pains!” Mrs. Bradenton said. Donna patted her arm. “You’re too young to be feeling bad!”

  “I know. Only twenty-five and look at me. Flat on my back like an old decrepit woman. I hate it.” She brushed some stray hairs that peeked out from underneath her head scarf. Donna was glad. Now that she knew Mrs Bradentons real age, she could pinpoint her in the timeline of the family tree.

  “Did the doctor give you anything for the pain?” Donna examined a bottle on the table and a variety of packets of powder.

  “He gives me the same items every time. Silly aspirin packets and another bottle of liniment. Rubbish. I get more relief with a good mug of rum.”

  Donna laughed. “The aspirin sounds like it would cure a lot of ills. I recommend it.” She uncorked the brown glass bottle to sniff the liniment.

  Mrs. Bradenton was now the one laughing when she saw the look of disgust on Donna’s face.

  “It’ll curl your nose, that’s for sure!”

  “Phew.” Donna quickly corked the bottle. “That’s some strong stuff. I bet that’ll warm up your back.”

  “Oh yes, Rose will rub some on me in a little bit, warms up right quick, too. It’s got wormwood in it.” She sank back into her pillows.

  “I won’t stay much longer.” Donna thought she had stayed long enough. She knew nothing was more miserable than having company when you felt under the weather.

  “Don’t let me scare you off! I’m just resting a bit. My back seems to be feeling a bit better,”

  Mrs. Bradenton said. “I haven’t been a very good hostess, have I?”

  “Please don’t worry about that. You need to get your back on the mend. I can amuse myself.”

  “I feel so guilty.” Now Mrs. Bradenton fluttered her hands.

  “Missus Bradenton, please! It’s no matter! I am enjoying your house completely! And the food is wonderful and my room is beautiful!” Donna stood to open the curtains a bit more. “Here!

  Let’s enjoy the beautiful sunshine! Perhaps it will perk up your spirits!”

  “No, I feel we should be entertaining you more.”

  “I can spend my day with walks and your wonderful library! I’ve been enjoying reading in the quiet. Fallow Field is the exact opposite of Chicago!”

  “Really, Donna. We should be taking you on buggy rides and visiting neighbors while you’re here.” She looked up at Donna with her large, beautiful blue eyes. “Young people like amusements!” She sighed with guilt. “I know! When George comes up to visit me in a while, I’ll make a suggestion to him.”

  “What’s that?” Donna asked.

  “That he should at least take you out for a buggy ride tomorrow. Or saddle up a few mounts. Would you like that?” Her face lit up.

  “Tremendously! I can’t think of anything better with this warm weather!”

  “Yes, that’s a start! I will feel tons better, knowing you are having some fun while here!”

  Donna blushed at the mention of fun. If Aunt Elizabeth only knew what she had been doing, she would faint.

  * * * *

  Donna awoke early and realized the room was very warm. She had kicked off the covers s
ometime during the night and didn’t know it. The warm front had continued to blow in after dark. It was strange, she thought, because now she had no way to see weather forecasts for the upcoming week or month. Seeing them on the Chicago television had become a daily necessity, and now she realized she was at the whim of nature each and every day. October was usually a dreary and cheerless month, even in the future.

  She washed up in the basin using the pitcher of water left over from last night. Loosely brushing her hair, she pinned it back with a clip. Dressing in a comfortable shift covered by a plaid robe out of one of the trunks, she padded downstairs.

  The maids had not even arrived yet to begin breakfast. She peeked out the front door and saw Edward had already brought a fresh bucket of milk, covered with a lid. She had to admit, the foods she had eaten since her arrival had all been delicious. All the ingredients were fresh and made almost daily. It was a big change in her diet compared to what she was used to in Chicago. A typical breakfast was a carrot muffin and latte from Starbucks. Lunch was a frozen dinner microwaved at the office at noon. Supper was more frozen or canned food, or occasionally, Chinese take-out from the restaurant down the block.

  She walked around the downstairs, checking out the rooms one by one. Everything was tidy and in place. She peeked into every room, looking at the furnishings, the fireplaces, and the lanterns and candles. It seemed so strange to her not to have electricity at the flip of a switch. Of course, she thought, you can do without it, but it’s such a convenience. Each window had heavy drapes, probably to keep out the cold Michigan winds. Draft control was probably of high importance on the maids tasks. All the floors were wooden, not wall-to-wall carpet like her Gran’s house had in 2010. There were carpets, but they were thin in some places, probably Persian. In other spots, you would see a hand-woven or crocheted rag rug, some fairly large in size.

  Clanking bowls and pots drew her back to the kitchen where the maids had arrived to begin breakfast preparations. In one way, she wanted to watch them cooking and baking, but another told her to mind her manners and find something else to occupy herself for the time being. Walking to the dining room, she pulled up a chair and thought she’d look out at the meadow through the picture window. It was something she’d always enjoyed doing when she was a girl. Happy memories of the times she spent with her grandmother in this same room ran suddenly through her mind. How she wished she could hold and kiss her again. Traveling back in time had been bittersweet. The thought struck her as odd when she sat on the brocade cushion. The chair was different, but the window and the house were the same. Perhaps some of the saplings she was now gazing at were mature trees in 2010.

  Something moved. She looked harder at the undergrowth by the large stands of trees. A large herd of deer walked close by the house. They began eating something off the ground. Donna knew there were pin oak trees there, so there might be some acorns. The hickories would have nuts underneath them, though she was unsure what time of year they ripened. Seeing nature so close and unafraid was thrilling, better than seeing them in a movie. She was so absorbed by the animal’s grazing that she failed to see Mr. and Mrs. Bradenton enter the room.

  “Good morning, Donna!” Mrs. Bradenton hobbled carefully over to the table. “Do you enjoy watching my deer herd?”

  “Are they really your deer herd?”

  “She thinks they’re her pets,” Mr. Bradenton said. “But when I shoot one for the smokehouse, she’ll speak a different story.”

  “Oh, George, don’t joke so about the beautiful animals.”

  “Beth, you know all the creatures on earth were put here for our sustenance.”

  Donna lived and worked with so many vegetarians, it seemed funny to hear people talking about killing and smoking deer for the table.

  “I know what you believe. But sometimes I think we should let the deer roam free and just kill a fat calf when we want some meat.”

  “Cattle are good, but good lean venison is the best when I have the cooks make some jerky for me.” He picked up a brass telescope to sight in on the deer better. “And yes, I know you snitch a few pieces of the jerky for yourself, too.”

  Lilly stuck her head through the door.

  “Mister Bradenton, will you want some oatmeal for breakfast?”

  “Yes, Lilly. Thank you. That’ll be fine. And fry up a rasher of bacon, too. Make sure to get some of that good white fat off the side too. You know how I like it.”

  Donna cringed inwardly. These folks sure didn’t worry about fat and cholesterol content.

  “Here, I’ll bring you a pot of hot tea while we make breakfast, then.”

  In just a few minutes, Lilly came out with a tray with cups and saucers, cream, sugar and spoons. She arranged everything for them, then turned and started laying out the kindling for a fire.

  “Just make a small one, Lilly. Enough to take the chill out of the room,” Mrs. Bradenton said.

  “Yes ma’am.” Lilly bent to her tasks, piling up the dry wood and arranging some crumpled paper in a pattern that was pleasing to her. She stood and took a small ash bucket into the kitchen to fetch a hot coal from the stove.

  “No need to waste a match,” she said, poking the hot chunk of coal amidst her kindling. The flames leapt up quickly, licking the kindling and turning the paper into black crisps. After rubbing her hands in front of the small flames, she placed the fire screen back into place and returned to the kitchen.

  Mrs. Bradenton poured herself some tea, then added sugar to her liking.

  “So, tell us, Donna. How long can we expect you to stay with us?”

  Donna expected this to come up sooner or later so at least she had an answer ready.

  “I hope you don’t mind me staying on a while longer. At first I didn’t really plan to stay but a few days extra after your Halloween party. I got to thinking how pleasant it was here and if you didn’t mind I would like to stay a month or so. I am on an unexpected break from tutoring a friend’s child in Chicago. The family decided to travel to the Continent and take the little girl with them.”

  Mrs. Bradenton nodded and smiled at what Donna said.

  “At first, the girl was going to continue her studies while her parents were gone. They planned to leave her with a spinster aunt for the duration.”

  “What happened to the little girl?” Mr. Bradenton asked. “Did the parents decide they would miss her? I know a trip to Europe can take a good three months to do the Grand Tour.”

  “It wasn’t so much that the parents would miss little Emily. It was that the spinster aunt had a secret romance brewing with a man and decided to up and marry rather quickly!”

  “Oh, ha! What a good story,” Mrs. Bradenton said, clinking her cup into the saucer. She seemed to be in good spirits this morning and with no appearance of any back pain. “A quick romance and then an even quicker marriage! I love it!”

  “With this change of plans, I don’t have to be in a rush to get back like I first thought.”

  She was glad they didn’t quiz her much on her family back in Chicago. She still was of the mind that they were confusing her for someone else. Perhaps if she gave enough vague disinformation they might give her more hints to go on herself.

  “Well, we love having you here, my child. And since you’re from Uncle Grayson’s side of the family, that’s even better.”

  Yes, yes, Donna thought. Finally I am figuring out where I fit into the family tree!

  The maids began bringing food out. A pot of oatmeal followed by a platter of bacon and scrambled eggs. Everything looked delicious and smelled heavenly. Lilly began scooping food onto each plate and then set the plates in front of Donna and her hosts.

  Placing her napkin on her lap, she sprinkled some salt on her eggs.

  “Good old Uncle Grayson. God bless him,” she said.

  Mr. Bradenton looked at her strangely, and then picked up a piece of bacon.

  “Er, Grayson is feeling alright, isn’t he? I know he had a spell of gout a few years bac
k. I should keep in touch with him. He has a stable of wonderful horses—used to anyway.”

  “Oh, Uncle’s doing fine.” Donna took a chance and thought she’d give an update. At least he’s alive she thought or they would surely have heard word to the otherwise. “He tries to stay busy with the horse sales when he’s not at the bank.”

  “Remind me, which bank does he own in Chicago?” Mrs. Bradenton asked.

  “Planters and Merchants Bank. It’s—er—new, actually.” Donna felt sure this misinformation couldn’t be easily checked, at least not for a while. Planters and Merchants sounded generic enough to be plausible. Anyway, if they did check it out in the near future, she might be gone for good, back to her own time. More importantly, she now knew they were trying to figure her out, discern her background and familial ties. And the vaguer they were kept, the better off she was. She continued eating and they nodded their head in acceptance of what she said. Fine. Exactly what she hoped.

  “Donna, dear,” Mr. Bradenton started.

  “Yes?”

  “You simply must begin calling us by our first names. George and Elizabeth. Now if you don’t want to do that, at least Aunt and Uncle will suffice.”

  “I’d love that! I hate being so formal, but you know, it’s better to err on the side of politeness I always think.”

  “Oh, I feel so much better now!” Elizabeth said. “We are blood relatives you know. And I feel as if I’ve known you all my life anyways!”

  Chapter Nine

  Uncle George had told Royce earlier in the morning to clean and prepare the horses for their outing. He told Donna to go change her footwear; it was safer if she replaced those flimsy shoes she was wearing. He said to meet him outside the front door and they would walk to the stable together.