by Dagny Rand
I didn’t have the heart to tell grandma I didn’t know how to dance. Never seemed something I needed to learn. I never thought I would ever be going to a dance. I quickly took the dress off and headed for the stream. I wanted to tell Nathan about my dress. When I got there I saw him under the tree. No matter how many years had passed I always knew Nathan would be there waiting for me under that tree. I took off my shoes and rolled up my pants and like the first time Nathan would carry me across the stream and we’d sit on the other side and spend the afternoon enjoying each other’s company. I looked at the fishing pole and smiled back at him.
“Hey Nathan did you get any fish?”
“No, but I wasn’t really trying. I was just sitting here waiting for you to show up.”
I looked at him
“You seemed pretty sure I’d be here weren’t you?”
“Well seeing the look on your face I’m glad I am here. What wrong Darcy?”
I looked at him I was hoping I wouldn’t have to tell him but since he was the one to bring it up I decided to tell him.
“Well there’s this dance in two weeks.”
“I know everyone is talking about it are you going?”
“Well yea but I well I have a problem ...”
“Oh I know you need someone to take you. No problem I’ll be happy to take you.”
I looked at him with a glare in my eyes.
“Nathan! Can you just let me finish the sentence? I can’t dance.”
“You can’t dance?”
I looked at him and his question seemed to hurt me more than if he had laughed.
“Oh if that’s the only problem I’ll teach you.”
“You would?”
He put his arm around my shoulder.
“Heck you know I’d do anything for you Darcy. Ever since that first day I took you across the stream I knew you were something real special and always will be.”
I turned and looked at him and suddenly he leaned forward and kissed me. It was a tender almost gentle kiss but a kiss just the same. I opened my eyes and there he was smiling at me.
“Don’t forget you’re my girl and you can ask me anything. I’ll never let you down.”
“When can we start?”
“What about now?”
He got up and held out his hands to help me up. He looked at me and smiled.
“Now remember is real easy. I’ll start you with a waltz. Now watch my feet one, two, three, one, two, and three.”
He placed my hands in his and he proceeded to move and count.
“See I told you it wasn’t hard.”
I had to agree he did make it seem so easy, and we spent the rest of the afternoon dancing or practicing how to dance. I wasn’t totally ignorant to the subject I had seen people dance before. I remember seeing my parents dance at a wedding two years ago. Oh my mother was like an angel floating across the floor as pa swirled her around. She was the prettiest woman there.
Every afternoon after school I would meet Nathan at the stream for our dance lesson. It seemed I was doing nicely and with the dance only two weeks away I thought I could pull it off. I often wondered what if someone had gone by and saw us dancing there near the stream, but then again we were only dancing and having a good time but it would seem differently to someone else. A class mate Etta Mae Collingsworth followed me home from school one day. She had always liked Nathan and she had a feeling that he was interested in Darcy. Now that was not possible, after all everyone knew Darcy’s family lived on the wrong side of the tracks and also Darcy’s grandmother was part Cherokee. Well she followed Darcy to the main road and then noticed she turned off to a large tree stump that lead her to the stream. There she saw Nathan give her a hug and they preceded so sit and talk. All Etta could think of was what would Ms. Leta think when she told her this. Her Nathan with that lower class Meadows girl, oh she just had to go and tell her right away.
Etta wasted no time to get the Gower farm. It was in the living room; Etta saw Ms. Leta and the Col. She proceeded to tell them both of the rendezvous that Nathan was having with the Meadows girl. It seems they were meeting down by the stream that cut through both properties. Etta continued to say that they had been dancing and she stated she saw the Meadows girl hug Nathan. It was Ms.Leta who was totally shocked and stood up from her seat.
“Well we thank you very much Etta for bringing this to our attention. Matters like this should be nipped in the bud and I intend to get to the bottom and also stop this type of behavior as soon as Nathan gets home.”
“Well I better get home my mama has to get the final fitting on my dress for the dance in two weeks.”
Ms. Leta walks her out to the front porch and waves as Etta heads for home
“Good bye Etta and thank you very much.”
As she leaves Ms. Leta goes back into the house. She walks back into the living room where the Col. is still sitting and sits across from him.
“Well I hope you’re happy Carter. Your son feel he has to go behind our backs and be with this this…”
“Her name is Darcy Meadows and she happens to be a lovely girl.”
“Oh you would think so.”
“Now what is that supposed to mean?”
“Oh don’t tell me you think its fine for our son to go around with do you realize he could end his chances for getting into West Point. After all there has always been a Gower at the Point.”
She begins to sob and for the life of him the Col. has no idea what all the sobbing is for. The boy is friendly with a young girl as far as he knew it’s been happening since the beginning of time. He saw nothing wrong with the friendship and liked the girl as far as he knew about her.
Leta had to realize her little boy was a man and it’s time for her to see this.
Chapter Two
By the time Darcy had gotten home Ms. Leta had send a note to the Meadows home as to what their daughter has been doing. It was the cold stares of her father and mother that Darcy faced as she walked into the house. It was my pa who spoke first.
“Where have you been girl?”
“Nowhere special just walking.”
“I’m only gonna say this one more time, where have you been all this time?”
“I’m telling you I came from the short cut across the stream. You all know I’ve taken that short cut for years why are you asking me about it now? ”
John Meadows looks at his wife then back to Darcy.
“You mean to tell me you were not at the stream with the Gower boy?”
I knew he caught me someone had found out . Well I might as well come clean,
“I was down at the stream with Nathan he was teaching me to dance.”
My pa looked as though he would take a swing at me but walked the other way. It was
My ma’s turn now.
“Darcy, dear why did you have Nathan teach you how to dance? You could have asked your father there was no need to have a stranger do it.”
I looked at her
“Nathan’s no stranger ma he’s my friend. Why we’ve been friends for years. He’s my best friend. If you can’t ask your best friend to do you a favor who can you ask? Didn’t you always tell me a best friend is worth more than gold?”
My father looked at me and gave me my punishment.
“You are never to see the Gower boy again and you are not going to the dance that is my final ward on the subject.”
“But pa.”
“My final word Darcy, I’m sorry but I’ve made up my mind. Now go to your room.”
I looked at all three of them and then headed for the stairs and up to my room. I still didn’t know what was so bad about what we were doing. It was only two people dancing. There was a gentle knock on the door and grandma’s soft voice
“Darcy, are you alright?”
I dried my eye and opened the door slowly.
“Darcy, you’ve been crying.”
“I can’t help it grandma. I worked so hard to learn how to dance and ma made
this beautiful dress for me and now, now pa won’t let me go.”
“ But why did you ask the Gower boy to teach you ?”
“ Oh grandma have you ever seen Nathan Gower? Why he’s the handsomest man in the county. His smile just lights up a room and his eyes have you ever seen eyes like his anywhere? He’s..”
The old woman smiles
“And you’re in love with him.”
“Does it show that much?”
“My question does he feel the same way?”
“I don’t know grandma. There are sometimes I feel he does and then there’s times I don’t know. I do know that I have loved him since the first day I saw him and we have been friends all these years. “
“Well you hang in there dear I have a feeling you two were meant to be together.”
“Do you really think so grandma? I mean sometimes I just feel it would be the right thing and now with pa the way he feels I don’t he’d let Nathan near the house.”
Downstairs John and Mary were still discussing the dance.
“John you’re going to break your daughter’s heart because of what someone said. Since when did what someone said bother you?”
“Mary, maybe you are not worried about our daughter’s reputation but I do.”
Mary began so laugh at her husband.
“John what are you talking about? What is wrong with her reputation by her talking dancing lessons with Nathan Gower? I fail to see where that will affect her reputation in anyway. ”
“First it’s dancing lessons than who knows.”
“Oh stop it you know Darcy and she would never do something to hurt you and I still think you are wrong not letting her go to the dance.”
Across the stream the dinner table at the Gowers Ms. Leta is talking to her son.
“So tell me Nathan what were you doing down at the stream today?”
“Down at the stream? Well I was helping a friend.”
Leta contoured.
“Helping a friend do what?”
“Mother if you must know I was teaching Darcy Meadows how to dance. “
Leta was a bit surprised at his tone of voice.
“I’m not sure I like your tone of voice Nathan.”
“Well mother I find is strange to have to answer to you for every move I make. After all mother I am seventeen years old.”
“Yes and that’s what I want to talk to you about. You know that we your father and I have been hoping to get you to go to West Point next year on your eighteenth birthday. “
“And this would not happen if I taught lessons to Darcy Meadows because?”
“Well for one thing it’s her background. I mean Nathan you have to understand you both are in different circles in society. Her great grandmother was a Cherokee, why is even talk that her mother’s side were responsible for some of the raids on the early settlers. I just feel it just wouldn’t be to your advantage to be seen with that girl.”
Nathan got up from his chair and looked at his mother
“That girl has a name mother and it’s Darcy Meadows and for your information I will see her and been seen with her with or without your permission. I don’t care what her mother’s family did in the past. That’s in the past not now mother.”
On that note he turned and left the room. Leta composes herself and looks at her husband.
“He would never have spoken to me that way a year ago. I tell you it’s that girl. She’s changing my son and she will end his chances of going to West Point. I won’t hear of it. I’m am going to put a stop to this before it gets out of hand.”
It was her husband who felt she was taking things out of proportion.
“Leta, what harm did he do by giving a young girl a few dancing lessons? After all it’s not the end of the world.”
“Sure a dance lesson today and then what? She’ll try to pass herself off as a lady and oh my Carter she’ll want to live here at the family home. I won’t hear of it. I must stop Nathan from making a big mistake. “
“Leta what are you talking about?
“The marriage of course. We can’t let Nathan marry that girl.”
The Col. looks at his wife in total amazement.
“Leta you’re are blowing things out of proportion, I think you should just calm down.”
“Well it’s obvious that I will have to make him understand. He’ll understand that I know what is best for him.”
“Leta, leave the boy alone, he’s no longer your little boy.”
“Carter, I’m not having him lose his chance in the military over some, some...”
The Col. looks at his wife.
“Leta, its best you stop before you’ll say something you’ll regret.”
She looks at her husband
“ Carter our son will be seventeen next July and he will be going to West Point whether he wants to or not. I know what’s best for my son.”
Chapter Three
Leta Gower wasted no time in making sure her son’s chances for West Point were secure. Leta had planned a pre celebration a week before the spring dance. It was a party to celebrate Nathan’s going to the Point even though nothing was definite yet. Sparing no expense Leta had invited some of the most prominent families not only in town but in the county. There was even talk that the governor was attending. Before the party Nathan slipped away and he wandered down to the stream under the tree like he’s done for the past week. Every now and then he would look up and see if Darcy was on the other side waiting to come over. He had heard that her pa told her she was to stay away from that Gower boy and Darcy obeyed his wishes. It was the night of the big party at the Gower Farm and he could hear from the road wagons heading to the party. As the carriages drive up the Col. and Ms. Leta are on the porch to greet their guests. It was Nathan who got in through the back door and up the stairs to change. All heads turned as the governor’s coach came up the driveway. As the coach came to a stop the Col. opens the door and offers his hand to the governor’s wife to get out of the coach. The governor emerges to the applause of the guests and kisses Ms. Leta’s hand as she offers it to him. It was at that moment Nathan emerges from the house all dressed in a suit . The governor greets the Col.
“Carter, it’s good to see you. “
It was at that moment that Nathan emerges from inside of the house and is greeted by the governor.
“And this must be the lucky gentleman who will be moving on to the Point.”
Nathan shakes his hand and looks over to his mother and father.
“Well nothing’s really certain governor but you know how my mother is.”
He gives a smile to his mother and she looks at the governor than back to Nathan.
“I think you should tell him Leta.”
“Tell me what?”
The governor looks at Nathan
“Well your mother had contacted me and told me how much you had wanted to attend the Point since the Col. had and so had his father and well Nathan I’m proud to say you will attending the Academy next September as a cadet.”
Leta looks at her son and has tears in her eyes
“I was going to have the governor announce it at the party tonight, you will act surprised won’t you?”
Nathan looked at his mother. Once again she had her own way. All this was just to prove she got her son into West Point. As the Col. escorts the governor into the house Etta and her family ride up. Leta sees Etta and smiles.
“Nathan, do help Etta out of her carriage.”
Etta smiles at Leta
“Ms. Leta it’s good to see you. Thank you Nathan.”
“I’m so glad you could come Etta. Oh Nathan would you show Etta inside?”
Nathan takes her hand and escorts her into the house. Once through the huge front doors the house seems so massive as much of the furniture has been removed for this party. Through the side massive glass doors is the patio where the party continues and the food and music are on the patio. Nathan looks at Etta.
“Would you ca
re to have some punch?”
“Oh yes that would be lovely Nathan.”
Across the other side of the stream Darcy was sitting by her window. The music from the party floated through the night air. AS I sat and listened tears rolled down my cheeks. Seems grandma had heard Nathan would be leaving for the Point next year after his birthday. The party was to be his pre celebration and of course I was not invited. Of course the two most important functions of the season and I’m not attending either of them. So here I sit looking out the window listening to the music.
Downstairs my ma and grandma were in the living room.
“It’s a darn shame Darcy couldn’t attend this party also.”
My ma looked over to her mother.
“Mother let’s not go through that all over again.”
“I’m not but I’m sure it was all so innocent. I’ve seen the Gower boy and he really was just a friend.”
“Maybe so mother, but have you ever seen Darcy’s face light up when she speaks about him?”
The older woman nodded and smiled.
“Yes but that was when they were in grade school. A simple girl crush nothing more.”
“Maybe but I’ve seen that look in her eyes when she was six and it’s still in her eyes now.”
“ She loves that boy, always has. The bad thing about it is his folks and your husband will never let it happen.”
My ma looked at her.
“Happen? Let what happen?”
“Oh come Mary are you that blind”
“I’m sure Darcy will find the right man when he comes along.”
Grandma nods her head and goes back to her knitting as my ma sips her coffee.
It was the evening of the spring dance and I sat quietly in my room. My folks had gone to Howards for supper. Pa and Mr. Howard worked together and both ladies have been trying to get together for months. I heard grandma call me from the hall.
“Darcy, can you come down for a moment?”
“Be right there grandma.”
I headed out of my room and down the stairs. As I got to the doorway of the living room Iswa grandma smiling.
“What do you need grandma?”
She stepped aside and there stood Nathan.