One Enchanted Summer

by Jane Erickson

  Mia looked expectantly at Dominic since he was her employer, but she was confident he would refuse. There was an awkward pause while everyone waited for his decision.

  “That’s very kind of you,” Mia began, when it seemed that Dominic had no intention of saying anything at all. All three of the men had two bottles of ale or wine in their hands and she set upon an excuse to decline. “But we haven’t anything to share in return…”

  “That sounds delightful,” Dominic interrupted her, and he stepped smartly off the dirt road towards the welcoming fire.

  Chapter 12

  A picnic didn’t sound delightful in the least, but Dominic realized he could not be alone with Mia a minute longer. He had thought it was the close proximity in the cottage that was making him mad with longing so he had suggested traveling to the fair – a situation where he was sure to meet more people, maybe come across a few acquaintances that would remind him there was more to the world than one sweet smelling, but completely unacceptable, woman with whom he should spend his time. At the last moment, he invited her along, despite his very good intentions to stay far away from her very kissable lips. He would simply remind himself the whole day of the rules of his excellent upbringing and the difference in their stations.

  But she was making his good intentions feel like a Herculean challenge.

  When she wasn’t verbally teasing him, she was brushing just past him or bending over to examine some frippery and showing off rounded curves usually hidden by aprons and layers of petticoats. She had even worn that teal gown with the gold leaves again, the only one in her wardrobe that fit her properly.

  Of course, he wanted her physically. That was just human nature. Men had to accept that human desires went unmet when it didn’t fit societal structures. He had a dozen reasons why he should ignore Mia’s attractive form completely but when she tried to tweak his nose over nonsense, he wanted to back her against a tree trunk and kiss her like he had at the cottage so she would be reminded he wasn’t some adolescent that she could flirt and tease without fear of reprisal.

  If he were truly honest with himself, he wanted to repeat that kiss and far more even when she wasn’t teasing him, when she was merely frowning adorably while threading a needle or when she fanned her face after being hit with a blast of steam from the oven door opening. It seemed there was very little she could do that would not cause him to simmer with lust.

  Well, that wasn’t entirely true. When she revealed the hardships of her childhood, he wanted to enfold her in arms or wrap her in gauze and put her in a safe place where she could never be hurt again. He wanted to berate her father for dragging her about the country and curse out her mother for abandoning her and plant a seven-acre flower garden around the cottage just to see her smile when she looked out the window.

  He had only insisted on carting Traversley’s spoons home so his hands would be occupied for the walk back.

  When the petite and rather buxom redhead offered him a chance to put some emotional if not physical distance between him and Mia, he jumped at the opportunity. If not, he’d be trying to remove Mia’s gown before nightfall.

  Though the astonished disbelief on Mia’s face made it appear as if she didn’t appreciate his noble sacrifice at all.

  After making his way to the clearing, Dominic was relieved to see more people coming down the lane, including older women and children. He nodded his head in greeting just as the redhead looped a hand through his arm and declared that she would introduce him to everyone.

  Ten minutes later, with his head spinning after hearing a dizzying number of names, Dominic concluded the group was all related by blood or marriage but none of them had ever met a stranger. A half-dozen women entreated him to sit down and soon he had a bottle of lukewarm ale in his hand and was alternatively being offered food and being peppered with a million questions.

  Mia was receiving the same treatment though her inquisitors were mainly children who were delighted to find a kind-hearted, childless adult, someone who might be convinced to act as a playmate since their own parents, exhausted from shepherding their offspring through the fair, refused. She was dragged off into the open field where her role quickly shifted from participant to judge after a squabble erupted after only a few seconds into the game.

  Dominic tried to keep an eye on Mia…she was his employee, and he did have some duty to protect her much like a brother or father would… but the redhead - she reminded him twice that her name was Adelaide – kept pestering him, giggling at every word he said, and giving him a half-smile he was sure she had been told was both mysterious and alluring.

  To her credit, she was a pretty girl. Her rounded figure and bright hair would have caught his eye at almost any other time. He had never been with a redhead – all of the copper-topped women he’d met were servants or whores and neither profession made him all that keen on discovering for himself if redheads were more passionate and wilder than other, more dull hued females.

  And Adelaide did seem to fall into that category of intense female…her light brown eyes stared at him avidly, her wide mouth laughed a little too loudly, and even her hair screwed wildly away from her head in tight corkscrew curls. Despite her rather humble surroundings, she appeared articulate and intelligent even if she wasn’t highly educated. He would never offer her a ring but, at another time, he might have been tempted to break his strict rules of only indulging with his own kind.

  But he wasn’t interested.

  In fact, he couldn’t even focus on one word the woman was saying because she kept blocking his view of Mia. He stood on the pretense of fetching another beer only to see Mia standing off to the side of the field with some lumbering oaf who was grinning like a lack-minded idiot and obviously trying to cajole Mia into taking a walk with him. Though Mia’s face was turned away from him, Dominic was certain she needed saving from the uncultured bumpkin’s attentions and he strode through the crowd, intent on sending the lout off to sniff at some other girl’s skirts.

  He had nearly reached the pair only to see the fool lean forward to whisper in Mia’s ear, clearly trying to seduce her with whatever guttural grunts he could manage with his garbled version of the Queen’s English, and then the bastard had the temerity to run his meaty finger up Mia’s shirt sleeve. A low buzzing began in Dominic’s ears and swiftly moved to his brain, shutting off all thoughts except for the desire to rip the offending hand right from the interloper’s body.

  Finally reaching the twosome, Dominic snagged Mia’s arm and dragged her a few steps away.

  “What’s your problem?” the towering form rumbled in a voice like thunder, obviously angered at the interruption to his wooing. Now that Dominic was closer, it was apparent the man was half-giant with the strength of a Belgian draft horse, but Dominic had right on his side and held his ground. Dominic barely glanced at him before addressing Mia.

  “Are you interested in this…?” He tilted his head toward her would-be lothario since he couldn’t think of the word to convey whatever this courtship was. He wanted to send the boor off with a flea in his ear, but he didn’t have that right. Mia was an unwed adult; she could very well be enjoying the man’s pawing.

  Mia gazed back at him, her periwinkle eyes twinkling beneath the brim of her bonnet. She didn’t appear to be terrified of the colossus; instead, she looked amused at the whole situation.

  “Not particularly,” she whispered back, those damn dimples flashing again.

  “I don’t believe the woman wants your attentions,” Dominic explained in the calm but authoritative voice, the one that sent maids scurrying and men stumbling over themselves to do his bidding.

  “She doesn’t seem to mind me.” The giant looked at Dominic over and sneered, completely unimpressed with Dominic’s aristocratic accent or expensive clothes. “And why do you care what she does, anyway? She said she weren’t yourn.”

  Dominic stood there with his mouth open and glanced at Mia, her head cocked slightly to the side, her wide bl
ue eyes both curious and amused as if she knew he had backed himself into a corner and now had no reasonable explanation for his behavior.

  He lifted his chin so he could better stare down his nose at the hulking brute and declared, “She’s my fiancée and I’ll thrash you soundly if you touch her again.”

  ∞∞∞

  “But why did you say we were engaged?” Mia demanded in exasperation. “You could have said you were my brother or my cousin. Even my employer!”

  Really, the man did not know how to sell a lie. Mia had played various roles growing up, most of them having to do with being some sort of pitiful waif but the best lies were the ones closest to the truth. Now that she thought of it, the pitiful waif wasn’t far from her childhood reality.

  “I was saving you from a ruffian,” Dominic responded incredulously as if she should be swooning that a handsome prince had saved her from an ogre, and she was just too unreasonable to express gratitude.

  “A ‘ruffian’?” Mia imitated his snooty tone. “He was a bit too friendly but completely harmless, especially in a crowd. And I certainly don’t need a fabrication of a fiancé to convince a man I don’t want his attention.”

  To be honest, Matthew Housman had seemed a decent prospect though he was a bit intimidating being as tall as Monaco and possessing shoulders oxen would envy. He owned ten acres, including the very land they were currently occupying, and his barn sheltered two horses and three very productive milk cows. He had white, straight teeth, a nose that was neither too large nor lumpy, and his ears didn’t stick out. He certainly couldn’t hold a candle to Dominic’s looks but no woman would have turned up her nose at his features and most would wonder if all of his proportions were as large as his massive hands and feet.

  Not that Mia had considered any of his fine attributes because her foolish mind had wondered what that ebullient redhead could be saying to Dominic even as Matthew Housman grinned charmingly at her.

  If Matthew Housman hadn’t looked pleased at Dominic’s announcement, Adelaide had looked positively livid. Mia had thought they should gracefully forgo any further revelry and start down the long road home, but the other guests wouldn’t hear of it…mostly because now they had an even better excuse to drink every drop of ale since they were celebrating an engagement. More wood was added to the fire, food was tossed into cast-iron pots to warm, and blankets were spread over the ground.

  Mia and Dominic were plunked down by the flames and a crowd surrounded them, all eager to hear new stories instead of tired old tales and reminisces they had heard from relatives a thousand times over.

  “So how did you two meet?” Adelaide demanded, her nearly amber eyes darting between Mia’s plain gown and Dominic’s finer clothes. “Not at a house party, I’m assuming.”

  Willing to play the game that Dominic had created, Mia easily fielded this question.

  “I work in his home. Well, his mother’s home. She’s a regular old dragon who will likely live to be a hundred. She tries not to let her darling boy out of her sight and thinks he’ll be safe from grasping females at home. But that is where he saw me and fell instantly in love. I kept putting him off, but he was so persistent that I finally capitulated.” Mia held up her hands as if her resistance was futile, but Dominic looked distinctly insulted at being cast in the role of besotted suitor.

  “Why didn’t you tell us you were engaged when you first came? Neither one of you mentioned your relationship then.” Adelaide’s pretty lips were twisted in annoyance and her nostrils flared as she huffed in annoyance. “I did ask.”

  “We were so accustomed to hiding our feelings that it’s become second nature to us.” Mia nodded sadly at the injustice of it.

  “Yes, both our societal and economic situations differ greatly, and we knew that many people would fault us for ignoring those social structures with our engagement.” Dominic nodded gravely in agreement before stiffly adding, “And my mother is not as detestable as Mia is insinuating. Mia is just overly critical because my mother is both her current employer and future mother-in-law.”

  Someone in the crowd gave a low whistle in supposed terror at such a relationship and the rest of the party shook their heads in sympathy.

  “But she definitely wants to keep us apart!” Mia yelped defensively, eager to keep the crowd on her side. “That is, she would if she knew about us.”

  “Yes, she’d definitely disapprove which is why we’re eloping soon.”

  “What?! I’m not having a havey-cavey ceremony over an anvil!” Mia protested hotly. “I’m having banns read and being married in a church by Reverend Martin like a decent woman.”

  The men either hooted delightedly at her demands or rolled their eyes at meeting yet another difficult female but the women nodded approvingly and glared at Dominic for trying to bypass a proper church ceremony.

  A young girl sat by Mia’s feet, her fourteen-year-old face glowing after hearing the lovers’ story, and she was eager to finish the argument before it could escalate further.

  “M—Mia,” she interrupted shyly. “Tell us why you fell in love with him. Three good reasons. And no mentioning his looks!”

  “No mention of his looks?” Mia pursed her lips and tapped her chin thoughtfully with one finger. “I don’t know…if you take away his golden hair and broad chest, is there anything else to be fond of?”

  Suggestions and good-natured jeers were promptly supplied by the crowd.

  “Is he good with a lathe?” “I bet he could pitch hay all day with those shoulders!” “Those soft hands have never seen an hour in the fields!” “He’s like a crab apple tree…pretty in the springtime but can’t satisfy a woman’s hunger!”

  Dominic rose, clearly disgusted with his person being dissected, but Mia pulled him back to his seat, laughing at him for being irritated when he had clearly brought this upon himself.

  “No, no.” Mia barely controlled her giggles and looked somberly around the crowd. “He has many good qualities. Let’s see. He has a lovely and expressive voice.”

  Dominic shot her an almost panicked look which Mia took to mean she shouldn’t reveal that he read aloud or mention the multitude of character voices he utilized. Men could be so ridiculous about their pride even amongst strangers.

  “And I…I actually appreciate how much he cares for his mother and sisters.”

  A collective ‘Aw’ went came from the crowd, though some of the younger men curled their lips derisively. Mia inwardly grinned with satisfaction when she found a third quality that should amuse the crowd without revealing any deeper feeling she had for him.

  “And in all the time I’ve worked for him, he’s never had me empty a chamber pot!”

  Many voices called out approval though just as many chorused that such considerate behavior would be over the moment she became his wife.

  “Now it’s your turn, sir.” The young brunette turned her eager face to Dominic. Mia was slightly irritated that he warranted a ‘sir’ while she could be called by her first name. Even among strangers, Dominic’s superiority was clearly evident.

  With a laugh, Dominic shouted, “Well, it’s not for her cooking!”

  All men older than twelve guffawed but then fell instantly silent again when Dominic held up his hands in a quieting motion. Dominic tilted his dark eyes to the cloudless blue sky and thought for a moment before turning back to Mia, his face so intensely serious that her breath immediately caught in her throat and her chagrinned smile faded.

  “I love how she hums while she works but only when she hasn’t realized I’ve walked into the room. I love the way her hair always smells like lilacs.” Dominic’s almost tender gaze drifted from Mia’s wide, blue eyes down to her mouth. “I love that when she smiles, truly smiles, she has dimples that I find completely irresistible.”

  Mia’s hands flew to cover said dimples, dimples that a man had once mockingly said were the size of ha’ pennies, and she blushed hotly while furiously blinking back tears. It seemed foolish to cry in fro
nt of so many people just because a man complimented her.

  “Kiss her! Kiss her!” A man shouted and the crowd quickly took up the chant. Dominic leaned forward as if he would buss her cheek, but Mia latched onto his lapels and pressed her mouth firmly against his, telling herself she was only doing it to satisfy the crowd and not to savor the feel of him against her one more time.

  As they broke apart, the crowd cat-called and wolf-whistled their approval and Dominic held up a quieting hand before speaking gravely again.

  “Mia is one of the most determined women I have ever known. If you asked her to swim to Ireland and help them win their independence, I’m sure she would have it done in a fortnight.” He smiled approvingly at her before turning a sly grin to the crowd. “I’d say she’s almost as strong-willed as my mother.”

  The group roared with laughter and then approval when Dominic came to his feet and called out, “Now, let’s have a drink to my dear mother!”

  A new barrel was tapped, and the mugs were passed around, half of the foaming drink falling into the grass and mud before it made its way to its proper recipient. Many mugs and bottles were snatched from children’s hands not a moment too soon and sometimes too late.

  Mia was pulled into the usual motherly conversations of house cleaning, child rearing, and wifely complaints. After nodding and exclaiming at the appropriate moments seemingly endlessly, Mia tried to catch Dominic’s eye, but he had joined a cluster of men that were arguing horse racing and then farming techniques which then somehow turned into a shouting match over politics. As the hours drifted by, Dominic seemed able to argue equally well for either side of the debates, especially since he didn’t appear to feel passionately for any subject but when the conversation turned to boxing and Dominic shed his jacket to spar with an overly eager Matthew Houseman, Mia declared it time to go.