Before I knew it, it was the night before Christmas. I went out to the barn like I always did but something was different this time. I went to work with my usual chores; I stalked the troughs with food, sheared the wool around the sheep’s eyes, and sat down to milk the cows. Finally, I had gotten back to my old routine. It was oddly satisfying. I was, on the other hand, nowhere near calm; my head brought forth a tornado of alarming thoughts. Part of me believed that I could stay here forever, content with my life with Andrew. The other half of me was afraid of change; I was afraid of walking into a whole new world with a man I was just getting to know. Why did I have to be thrown into this situation? Why did Mama have to put that stupid ad in the paper? Why did he have to be so goddamn attractive? I will still be contemplating my emotions when Andre walked into the barn carrying a bucket of hay.
“Hey, I’m going to go check on the horses.” He placed it down in front of him, “Dad came down with the flu this morning so I don’t think he got a chance.”
“Horses?” I gasped in surprise, “You have horses here!?”
“Of course! What kind of farmer doesn’t have horses?” He snorted.
“Well, you see, in France we focus mainly on the cattle.” I explained, “The horses are kept in stables, separate from the other animals, and they’re usually owned by specialists or…”
“Cowboys.” He smiled, tipping his hat at me.
“Cowboys.” I grinned in reply.
“So, I’m guessing you’ve never dealt with a one up front and close before.” His eyes narrowed at me.
“No,” I shook my head, “never.”
“Well, my dear,” he held his hand out towards me, “I guess there’s a first time for everything.”
I placed my hand in his and he interlocked his fingers in mine. Andrew had me follow him down a long twisty path leading from the barn to the stable. It was a tall wooden structure which looked as if it was barely standing. He told me about how he, his father, and Tom had spent entire summer building it themselves. They went into the woods to chop the planks of wood and stuck them together with tools they had bought at the local hardware store. Then, they took an extra month to paint it a milky white.
“It makes it look a lot classier.” I told him.
“Mom said the same thing.” He said, holding the gate open for me. The moment I stepped inside, I came face to face with rows and rows of horses.
“Are these all yours?!” My mouth was agape.
“Ha! I wish!” He laughed, “The first three are ours. The rest belong to city folk who have nowhere to keep them.”
“They’re gorgeous.” I exclaimed.
“He’s my favorite.” Andrew pointed to the third stall, “His name’s Black Beauty, like the horse in the books.”
I slowly walked over to the long-legged stallion, slightly terrified that I might spook him. He had jet black skin with a silky mane to match. His name was an amazing fit; he was exactly like the horse in the book. He had light grey eyes that held such an intense gaze that he almost appeared human. I was blown away. Andrew, noticing my amazement, took my hand and brought it over the stallion’s face. He gladly nuzzled his nose against my skin. It created a sensation similar to pins and needle that spread throughout my entire body. He was, without a doubt, the most beautiful creature that I had ever seen.
Andrew and I finished filling their troughs and went off to do our usual chores. I was really looking forward to heading to the pub with him again but once we returned to the house, his Mom was completely against the idea. Of course, I had forgotten it was Christmas Eve. She had us help her prepare food for the next day; apparently Andrew’s entire extended family was coming over to celebrate. Part of me couldn’t help but to think that it had something to do with the fact that I was there.
Later that night, while I was preparing for bed, there was a sudden tap at my bedroom window. When I went too look outside, Andrew was getting prepared to throw another pebble at the glass. I knocked hard to show him I was there. He squinted into the darkness but eventually let out a smile when he saw my face. He then mouthed out the words, “Open the window.”
“Andrew?” I pushed on the glass, “What are you doing outside?”
“It doesn’t matter, just get dressed and meet me at the stables.” He yelled.
“But it’s the middle of the night.” I furrowed my brow.
“Don’t worry about it.” He waved my answer away, “Just hurry”
I didn’t bother questioning him. It sounds corny but I felt like I would follow him anywhere. So I threw a pair of overalls on top of my pajamas, pulled on a clean pair of boots, and made my way over to the stable where Andrew was waiting for me.
“What are we doing.” I asked him.
“Shh,” he placed a finger over my lips, “just follow me.”
When we walked into the stable, Andrew made a bee-line for Black Beauty.
“Are we doing what I think we’re doing?” A cold shiver ran down my spine.
“It depends what you think we’re doing.” He replies while strapping a saddle onto the stallion’s back.
“Andrew Briar Williams,” I say with a tinge of bitterness, “I’m not getting on that horse.”
“I don’t remember giving you a choice.” A devilish grin slid across his face.
Before I could protest, Andrew threw his arms around my waist and hoisted me up onto Black Beauty. He then pulled himself up in front of me.
“A-Andrew,” My voice began to quiver, “I’ve never ridden a horse before.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” He reassured me, “Just hold on tight.”
Just as the horse kicked itself up onto its hind legs, I wrapped my arms tightly around Andrew’s waist. Black Beauty let out a loud whinny and took off into the night.
We were at the very edge of the forest behind his house when Andrew brought the horse to a stop. He hopped off to one side and reached back over to pull me down as well. He then took me by the hand and led me to where the trees ended. It turned out that the forest overlooked a large cliff. I clung to his side, suddenly aware of how steep the drop would be.
“What are we doing here?” I asked nervously.
“Common,” He teased, “you really think I’d do something as crazy as make you jump?”
“We’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks,” I pointed out, “Remember?”
He sat on a nearby log and took in a deep breath, “That’s a long time if you ask me.”
“I’m cold,” I whined as I hopped from foot to foot, “Andrew, seriously, what are we doing up here?”
“You look like you need to take a pee.” He burst out laughing.
I immediately stood ram-rod straight. My cheeks turned a bright red as I felt the embarrassment sink in. He noticed my sudden change in emotion and tried his hardest to stop; it was useless. Even I started giggling at one point. Andrew tapped the log beside him and I gladly took a seat.
“I’m sorry.” He grinned.
“You’re an ass.” I smiled.
Andrew ran his fingers through my hair and gently placed his hand on my cheek, “Oh honey, please don’t tell that you just noticed that.”
“God, you’ll drive me nuts.” I swatted his hand away.
Everything suddenly became silent. He turned to look at me.
“Bethany,” Andrew whispered, “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?” I felt my heart get caught in my throat.
“Earlier, I-” He paused, then shook his head as if reassuring himself, “I didn’t go off to war to get away.”
“Oh but then why-” he cut me off mid-sentence.
“I didn’t want to talk about it before but if this is going to work between us, I need to be honest. Okay, so here it goes.” He let out a deep breath, “After I found out about Triss, remember I told you I locked myself up in that barn?”
I nodded, my heart beating faster than a speeding bullet.
“Well… you see… I was hurt. Everything just hurt, really bad. My life up until then seemed worthless all of a sudden. It was like my soul purpose was to get up every morning and feed the cattle; it was the only thing I was good for. That’s when I decided…. Well I decided that I wanted… I wanted to die, okay?”
“Oh.” I could barely say a word.
“Yeah… Anyways, one morning I got the idea to enlist. I didn’t want to seem like a coward so I decided that if I was going to die, I was going to die for something good. But, when I got to the front lines, everything changed. The men there were fighting for the people they loved; they weren’t throwing everything away like I was. I realized how utterly selfish I was being. I had parents who loved me and who wanted me to make a family of my own. That’s when I decided to reach out to you. I was still on the battlefield when I sent that letter but I got your reply as soon as I got home. I chose to fight for someone and that someone just happened to be you.”
I didn’t say anything at first; I let the world around us fall silent. Even the crickets refused to chirp. He had put me in shock but, at the same time, left me relieved. There was no holding back anymore. I knew I could trust him with the truth.
“Hey, I know this is a lot and I know you may look at me like some weak little boy but please, give me a cha-” He began to plead with me but I immediately cut him off.
“When I was seventeen ye-” I cleared my throat, making room for the words that I’d never let out before, “When I was seventeen years old, I hung myself from the loft in the barn.”
“What?” his eyes widened.
“Mama and Papa went into town that evening and Ethan was at a friend’s house.” I explained, “As soon as I was alone I took Papa’s lasso, climbed up to the loft, and hung myself from one of the rafters. It didn’t work, though. The rope broke and I fell on my arm and broke it. I told Papa it was an accident; he didn’t say too much about it. Although, Mama was the one who really pissed me off. She didn’t even ca-”
“Bethany, why would you do something like that to yourself?” He placed his hands over his face.
“Things had gotten real bad for me… like with what happened with you, my life had no meaning all of a sudden. I felt like a complete burden on my family… Mama had taken Ethan away from me at that point… and no one in town would talk to me because I was a ‘farmer’s daughter’… you see, I just- I felt so alone. Nothing mattered to me anymore; I wanted to disappear.”
“How do you think your family would have reacted if they actually lost you?” He asked.
"Drink the night away, I guess." I replied blatantly.
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow, "So... they're big alcohol fans?"
"No, didn't mean it like that." I shook my head, "All I'm saying is that my parents would probably be glad to finally get me off their hands."
"Why do you say that?" He asked, a concerned look washing over his face.
"I'm not exactly the 'ideal' woman. I don’t prance around in long dresses; I don’t keep my opinions to myself; hell, I don’t even know how to cook." My eyes dropped to the floor, "That night, I should've died right there and then. It would've been easier on everybody..."
"Don't say that, Beth." He grabbed me by the shoulders and forced me to face him, "Listen, in that letter you sent me, you didn’t hesitate to speak your mind. I don't know anyone else who is brave enough to stand up to a veteran. You're a strong, smart, independent woman; don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
“A-Andrew…” I stuttered as he moved his face closer.
“Shhh.” He whispered before planting his lips over mine.
His mouth was warm and inviting; I didn’t hesitate to let him in. Tasting the honey suckle sweetness of his lips, I let myself slip away in his arms. Everything just felt so achingly right. That’s when I knew that this is where I belonged; right here with Andrew by my side.
The next morning, an icy frost settled on the farm, bringing the Christmas spirit. Andrew’s mother was hard at work preparing sweets and his father was busy cleaning for their long anticipated guests. I debated helping them but it occurred to me that I had a more pressing task at hand. Only an hour after I woke up, I strode straight into Andrew’s room. He didn’t notice right away so I just stood there for a brief moment and examined his odd positioning. His back was flat on the ground while his feet rested on the side of the bed. He was also reading a copy of “Black Beauty” upside down.
I knocked on the side of his doorway which made him jump from his awkward seating to an upright position.
“What are you doing?” I laughed.
“Reading.” he replied
“Upside down?” I raised an eyebrow and pointed to the book that was now on the floor.
“Yup.” He grinned. I gave him a smile in return but didn’t bother to question him any further. Andrew was a strange guy but that’s what made him perfect. He patted his thighs and I gladly took a seat on his lap. His arms enveloped me into a warm embrace as I let my head rest gently on his chest. I traced his inner bicep which suddenly caused his heart beat begin to quicken. Blushing, I buried my face into his neck.
“Bethany,” he swallowed, “this is a problem.”
“What?!” I shot up and looked him straight in the eye.
“Yes, I believe this a huge problem.” His gaze intensified.
“And why is that?” I scowled.
“I think I’m falling in love with you.” He smiled.
“Ass.” I punched him in the chest, “Really, Andrew, you need to stop playing these games with me.”
“I’m afraid that’s impossible.” He laughed, “You’re just too fun to play with.”
I punched him again, this time in the arm. However, as soon as I did, he brought his lips over mine and kissed me hard. His mouth was hypnotic and left me in a daze. Before I could protest, he finished me off by biting my lower lip. I let out a loud moan but slapped a hand over my mouth right after. My cheeks turned a bright red as I blushed in embarrassment. Andrew ran his fingers through my hair and brought my head back to his chest.
“I mean it Bethany; I love you.” He whispered.
“You know something?” I let my lips tickle his ear, “I love you too. Andrew, I want to stay with you. Here, in America.”
“Well I should hope so,” He smiled, “otherwise that kiss would’ve been pointless now wouldn’t it?”
“True.” I nodded, keeping as serious of a face as I could, “Hey, could I ask a favor?”
“Of course, I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t do for you.” He rested his head gently on top of mine.
“You need to stop buttering me up here.” I blushed, “Anyways, I need to go home to give my parents the news. So… I was wondering… would you mind going with me?”
“No! Not at all!” He hugged me tighter, “I would love to meet your parents.”
And so it was settled. In a week, Andrew would accompany me home to get my things and break the news to my parents. For some weird reason, I was actually excited. I wanted Papa to know that I was in good hands and share with Mama the fact that she had actually done something good for me. And as for Ethan, I wanted him to meet his new brother-in-law. Andrew did an amazing job at sharing his life with me; I just wanted to return the favor.
Later that night, Andrew’s entire family came to visit. They came bearing gifts and homemade sweets. I greeted each of them with shear excitement and they all beamed brightly when they realized who I was. I introduced myself as Andrew’s girlfriend but it was clear to everyone that we were obviously more. His mother and father had asked me to help them serve dinner when there was sudden commotion in the living room. I froze when I realized what was happening.
“Everyone, I have an announcement!” Andrew walked in, clanging a metal fork against his glass, “I would like to make a toast!”
My face flushed a bright red as he made his way over to me. His entire family crowded around us giggling and whisperin
g to each other.
“To Bethany! For giving this broken man a chance.” He hollered before getting down on one knee, “I love you, Beth, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
My heart felt like it was about jump out of my chest. A sudden rush of tears streamed down my cheeks as Andrew pulled a small box out of his pocket. He snapped it open, revealing a silver ring which seated a large diamond.
“Beth, I’m asking you here and now, once and for all,” He looked me dead in the eye, “Will you marry me?”
I let the warmth of the atmosphere swallow me whole. Then, I gave him my answer.
“Yes.”
*****
THE END.
Butler Love
Mail Order Bride
CHRISTIAN MICHAEL
Chapter 1 – It’s Duty
“Thank you, Brahms, that will be all.”
Charles Brahms bowed and closed the door behind him. He had finally reached the top of the line. He was the butler in his own mansion. Well, in his master’s mansion. He was the butler for one of the wealthiest families in the countryside, and it felt great.
Most of the time, anyway. There were still times when Charlie felt as though there were other things in life he would rather have. Today he helped Sir Hanes to dress for his wedding ceremony. Charles had been friends with Sir Hanes as a boy, and now they were both grown, and Sir Hanes was getting married.
Charlie liked the girl his friend and employer was marrying. She was kind, pretty, and new how to handle herself well. She was just the kind of girl Charles hoped to marry himself. But of course someone that was going to marry Sir Hanes was not the kind of girl that was going to marry a servant.
[2016] Widow Finds Love Page 43