Chapter - 4

“C’mon Renee, it’s just some strange hobo. It’s nothing that we haven’t seen before. It’s common for them to take shelter in the forest. You know that. We’re already late as it is, and our parents are going to kill us if we aren’t home before dark,” Erick said.

Renee chuckled, “You’re right. I’m sorry.” 

Shelly put her arm around Renee. She laughed and mocked her for the way that she had acted when she saw the strange hobo in the woods. 

“That guy sure was creepy. Maybe he was waiting there for you! Are you sure that you don’t have a secret admirer?” Shelly teased. 

Renee playfully slapped Shelly’s arm and scolded her, “That’s not funny Shel! Ya hear! There was something about that creep that wasn’t right. He didn’t seem like an ordinary hobo to me.” 

“Sorry Rain, I didn’t see anything unordinary about him. I’m sure he’s just a harmless hobo, looking to find the right place to set up his camp and stay warm for the night,” Shelly smiled and replied soothingly.

Renee’s tummy grumbled at the thought of food, “Say, are your parents alright with us coming over for dinner? Your mother makes the most amazing beef stew that I have ever tasted!” 

“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. After all, the three of you come over after school for dinner quite often,” Shelly told her. 

A few twigs snapped in the forest behind the group, and they turned to look behind them to see if anyone could possibly be following them home. They quickly cast that thought aside because there wasn’t anyone in plain view, and they come to the end of the dirt path and arrive safely in the small village of Willowdale.

As the cottage came into view, the door flew open and Shelly’s mother stormed out. She walked down to the end of the old wooden fence and tapped her foot on the ground while she waited for them to get closer to her. As the four of them approached her, she glared from Shelly to her friends and then back at Shelly and gave her the death stare.

“You’re late…Do you realize just how worried I have been about you?! Your father is downtown at the square putting on a play while you and your friends here gallivant around having fun. It’s bad enough that I worry about him. With all the disappearances and murders going around in this town, the least you could do is come straight home from school, where I know you’ll be safe! I shouldn’t have to worry if my only daughter would be found laying out there dead somewhere!” Sybil scoffed.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Bradford. I’m the reason that Shelly’s late. I just needed to discuss our notes for school because we’re having a big test tomorrow. I didn’t mean to worry you,” Austin lied.

Sybil sighed deeply, “Thank you for your honesty, Austin.”

“Mama, I know it’s late and you have been very worried, but I promised Rain I would ask. Can my friends stay for dinner?” Shelly asked. 

“Only if you have enough for all of us. You make the best stew than anyone in the village. But we won’t stay if you don’t have enough food for us all,” Rain added. 

Sybil smiled slightly, “Of course you all can stay for dinner. We always have plenty to go around. Make sure your parents know you’re here. They’ve probably been worried just as much as I was.” 

“Yes, Ma’am!” Erick and Austin said in sync. 

The two young men headed out to inform their parents of their dinner arrangements. After they left, Rain and Scarlett set the super table and Sybil wiped up the broth from the stew on the counter she had spilled. Momentarily, Erick and Austin returned to the cottage and knocked on the door and Sybil answered. 

“You didn’t have to knock. I was expecting your return, but I appreciate the respect. Please, come in,” Sybil told the boys with a smile. 

Erick and Austin followed Sybil into the dining room to find Shelly and Rain sitting at the table patiently. The front door of the cottage opened and slammed shut. 

“Darling, I’m home. Is anyone here?” Daniel called out. 

“Yes, Dear. We’re in here,” Sybil said loudly. 

Daniel entered the dining room and placed a kiss on Sybil’s cheek, “It smells good in here. You’ve been busy. What’s for dinner?” 

“I made my famous beef stew everyone likes so much,” Sybil replied. 

Daniel took his usual place at the dinner table and Sybil hers where they ate and enjoyed each other’s company. 

“How was the play, Papa?” Shelly asked. 

“It was great! We were completely sold out, and we’re sold out again for tomorrow night!” Daniel replied. 

“That’s great, Darling!” Sybil said proudly.  

“How about you Shel? How was school?” 

“School was good, but also a bore. I’m sure glad to be almost finished!” Shelly replied. 

Rain sat stirring her bowl of stew, thinking about the strange looking hobo out in the forest. She knew something was off about him and her first thought was telling Shelly’s parents about him. But they already didn’t like the fact Shelly was going to school, and she didn’t want to ruin Shelly’s chance at any sort of schooling when her father was against it to begin with. Daniel always said girls didn’t have any business going to school, and boys were the ones who should be educated so they could support their family. It was Shelly’s mother who had gotten her father to agree to schooling Shelly. Her friend had come so far in her education, so Rain decided to keep her mouth shut. 

“Earth to Rain!” Shelly called out. 

“Hmm? What?” Renee curiously asked.

“Is everything alright?” Sybil asked worriedly. 

“Oh yes. I’m sorry Ma’am. I must have just spaced out. The stew is great!” Rain replied and took a spoonful. 

“It just looked like you had a lot on your mind, or maybe there was something you wanted to tell us,” Daniel said. 

“No, Sir. I think it’s just because I’m tired. I haven’t been sleeping well. Something has been bothering the horses lately. Countless nights Erick and I must go out to the barn and calm them. Somehow, they have been getting out of the stables. Luckily, the pastor is fenced in, so we don’t have to go far to put them back inside where they belong,” Rain replied. 

After dinner, Shelly and Rain washed the dishes while Sybil put the leftovers away and Daniel retired to his study. Erick and Austin waited patiently in the sitting room so they could walk home once the dining room and kitchen were cleaned up. With the three of the ladies cleaning everything up, it didn’t take long before it was finished until tomorrow’s meal. 

“Thank you, Rain for staying and helping out,” Sybil said appreciative. 

“You’re welcome Ma’am. It’s the least I could do for allowing us to stay for dinner,” Renee replied. 

“I’m afraid I need to lay down ladies. I’ve grown quite tired and sunrise will be here faster than we think,” Sybil said. 

“Goodnight Mama,” Shelly said and placed a kiss on her mother’s cheek. 

“Goodnight. Don’t be too long getting to bed. Our guests should be getting home at a timely matter before their parents come knocking on our door,” Sybil said. 

“Yes Mama,” Shelly replied. 

With that, Sybil retired to her room upstairs and was soon joined by Daniel.

“What’s going on with you and Austin?” Renee asked curiously. 

Shelly stood, frozen in place and tried to act surprised, but Rain knew something was going on between them. Afterall, Austin had told her that morning he’s in love with Shelly and was going to ask if he could court her. 

I’m not sure…” Shelly began but Rain quickly interjected. 

“Oh, don’t pretend that you don’t know what I’m talking about. It’s written all over your face! Besides, he’s already told me that he’s in love with you. Even asked me what he should do because he didn’t want to ruin your friendship. So, I sort of gave him a little friendly advice,” Rain explained. 

“You’re the one who told him to write the note?” Shelly gasped in disbelief. 

Rain chuckled and asked curiously, “Are you gonna allow him to court you?” 

Shelly’s eyes widened and she slapped Rain’s shoulder, “You know my father will never allow him to court me. If I so much as look at another man I get scolded and threatened to be sent to the nunnery until I’m thirty! I can’t agree to it. I just…can’t!”

Rain leaned over and whispered in Shelly’s ear, “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. How do you think anyone ever courted me? My parents never knew anything.”

“Rain, you sly dog!” Shelly whispered in return and playfully slapped her arm. 

Rain smiled and said, “Do what makes you happy Shel. We can’t always let our parents run our lives. Just because he courts you, doesn’t mean you have to give up your virtue. You must keep that, but our parents can’t control our hearts or our minds. If he makes you happy, let him court you!”

“I just may. I will speak to him after you and Erick head home. I’m not making any promises though,” Shelly replied. 

“That’s all I can ever ask for. C’mon, Erick and I should be heading home. That way you and Austin can talk, “Rain said. 

Shelly gave a nod in agreement and followed Rain into the sitting room where Erick and Austin were playing a game of cards. 

Erick looked up from his hand of cards, “Ready to head home?” 

“Yes, we need to head home before Ma and Pa decide to never let us out of their sight ever again,” Rain said. 

Erick and Austin shook hands and gave each other a manly hug. Shelly hugged Rain tightly. After the 4 broke their embrace of hugs, Rain and Erick grabbed their slates.

“Goodnight. We’ll see you all in the morning,” Erick and Rain said and headed home for the night. 

Austin plumped back into the setl and Shelly sat next to him. He held her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. He had never felt this way about anyone before. His heart beat rapidly, and his stomach had butterflies. He was so nervous he couldn’t find his words. He gazed into Shelly’s eyes lovingly and she smiled in return. A piece of his hair fell over his right eye, and she gently tucked it behind his ear. She glanced out of the window nervously. Other than her Papa, she had never been alone with a boy before and this made her nervous. She could see Austin was loving, caring, and he indeed loved her, but her reputation was on the line. They lived in a small village where rumors spread like wildflowers, and the villagers gossiped. If word had ever got out, she was alone with him she could easily be ruined. 

“Shel…I just wanted to say I meant no harm when I wrote that note. I just wanted you to know how I feel about you. If you say you’re not ready for me to court you at this present time, I’ll back away. I hope you don’t, but I understand completely if you do,” he told her softly. 

She smiled slightly, “It’s not that I don’t want you to court me. It’s my father. I know he’ll never agree to it. He’s always giving me a big speech about how he won’t allow me to be with anyone until I’m of age, and it has to be someone he chooses.”

He frowned and said, “I understand. Would it help if I speak to him? He seems to kind of like me.”

She sighed deeply, “If it’s one thing you’ll come to find out, Papa doesn’t like anyone. No one will ever be good enough for his little girl.”

A moment of silence spread between the two. Shelly’s mind went back to the conversation she had earlier with Rain in the kitchen, and Rain’s words kept repeating themselves in Shelly’s head. 

‘If he makes you happy, allow him to court you. What your father doesn’t know won’t hurt him,’ she could hear Rain say. 

She leaned over and whispered in Austin’s ear, “I’ll allow you to court me, but Papa mustn’t find out. Rain was right. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

His eyes widened, “Are you sure about this? I don’t want to get you into any trouble.”

Shelly caressed Austin’s cheek, “I have never been sure about anything before in my life. I can’t allow my parents to control me forever. I have a life too and I should be able to choose who I want to court me, and I choose you! Will you court me, Mr. Hawthorne?”

He gazed deeply into Shelly’s eyes and ran his fingers through her hair and softly said, “Of course I’ll court you. You needn’t ask.”

Austin’s hands moved from her hair and cupped her cheek, his thumb caressed her soft lips and the two shared their very first kiss. She closed her eyes and coiled her arm around his neck and his hand slid around her waist while his other hand continued to hold hers. His lips on hers were like magic, the way his connected with hers. The world seemed to have melted away and time had completely stood still. It was right, and somehow among all the dizziness and the clinging to him like a lifeline, something inside of her changed, never to be reversed. This new feeling could be dwelled upon later, because, for now, she was content to feel his breath come and go with hers. 

Tenderly, he gripped her chin with his index finger and thumb and eased back from their kiss. Gently, he tilted her head up and her eyes met with his and caressed her lips once more with his thumb. She smiled and opened her eyes. She had always dreamed about her first kiss and how romantic it would be, but she never dreamed it would feel like the way it did on this very night. 

Austin smiled and said, “I would ask if I overstepped any boundaries, but I’m pretty sure you would have slapped me if I did.” 

Shelly chuckled and said, “You’re right about that. I know it’s late and you should head home, but I really don’t want you to go.”

“I don’t want to leave, but I’m pretty sure your father would skin me alive if I stayed here for the night. He might even try if he knew I was still here. I best be going before one of them wakes up and checks on you,” he told her.

 

She knew he was right, and she hated it. She hated the fact she didn’t have a say of what should happen in her love life. She followed Austin out of the living room and by the front door. He grabbed his cloak and wrapped it around his shoulders, and Shelly tied it for him. He then kissed her on the cheek and flung the hood of his cloak over his head. Shelly lit a lantern that sat on a nearby table and handed it to him. He quickly kissed her lips and stepped out into the night. She slowly closed the door behind him so it wouldn’t make a sound and watched Austin walk down the dirt path until the light from the lantern could no longer be seen. She then entered the living room and grabbed the candle from the mantle and headed upstairs. She skipped the few steps she knew that creaked so no sound would be made. The house was dark, quiet, and everyone was asleep but her. When she landed at the top of the stairs, she could hear her father snoring as if his life depended on it. She shook her head and entered her room and got ready for bed. 

After she had dressed for bed, she kneeled at the side of her bed, elbows leaned onto the mattress, folded her hands and placed her chin on them. She closed her eyes and began to pray for her family, but most of all, she prayed if somehow her father did find out about her and Austin, he would allow him to continue courting her. She then climbed into bed, blew out the candle, and quickly fell asleep. 

The following day after school, Shelly was in the kitchen baking some tarts when Austin came over. He knocked on the door and Shelly answered. His dark brown hair was combed back, and his honey brown eyes gazed into hers.

“Aren’t you gonna invite me in?” Austin chuckled. 

“Oh…uh… yes! Sorry,” Shelly replied and held the door open for him. 

Austin stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The sweet, delicious aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar wafted from the kitchen to the foyer of the cottage. Shelly rushed into the kitchen and he followed behind her. 

“Something sure smells good! What are you making?” he asked. 

“Apple tarts,” Shelly replied and opened the earthen door to check on her deserts.

She grabbed a peel and slid it under the trays of deserts and pulled them out of the earthen. She then turned around and slid the trays onto the table behind her. When she turned back around to wash the dishes, she came face to face with Austin and almost sealed a kiss. 

“I’m sorry but we can’t do this right now. My parents will be home soon. Unless you’re only pretending to drop off my homework, you can’t stay,” Shelly told him. 

“I didn’t come here to pretend anything, Shel. I came to speak to your father. I want to court you in the open and not have to hide. Shel, I love you. I have always loved you from a distance, and I don’t want to continue to love you from a distance,” he informed. 

“You can’t be serious! You can’t speak to my father. He’ll never allow it and he’ll send me to the nunnery if you speak such things! This must be kept a secret! You mustn’t slip your tongue to anyone, not even your parents,” Shelly gasped and demanded. 

Austin sighs, “Alright, Shel. I won’t speak to your father, but eventually we’ll have to tell him something. Sneaking around will only get us caught.”

“Not if you meet me where my father would never take a single step,” Shelly says. 

“And just where would that be?” Austin questions. 

“He never goes into the stables. We have a man who works in the stables and he brings my father’s horse to him. Another place we can go is in the forest. I know of an old abandoned cottage there. If it should rain or get cold, we’ll have shelter,” Shelly informs. 

Austin places his hands on her shoulders, “We can’t go into the forest without others knowing. It’s dangerous out there! Your father would never forgive me if something would happen to you. We can meet in the stable where it’s safe.”

Shelly smiled in agreement. 

The front door opened closed and two voices call out, “Michelle? Honey are you home?”

“Something smells delicious!” Daniel told Sybil. 

Shelly held her index finger up to her lips and whispered, “Not a word of what we just spoke about. They can’t know we’re together.”

Shelly peaked around the corner and said, “We’re in here.”

“Who’s here with you?” Papa asked. 

“I forgot my basket at school. Austin was nice enough to bring it to me. I was in the middle of baking tarts and had him come in for just a minute. I had to take the tarts out of the earthen,” Shelly lied. 

“That was mighty kind of ya, Mr. Hawthorne,” Daniel said. Daniel reached inside his pocket and pulled out one shilling and held his hand out, “Take this as a token of my appreciation.” 

“I’m afraid I can’t accept, Mr. Bradford. I was happy to bring Shelly’s basket to her. You don’t need to give me anything in return,” Austin replied.

“Oh…ah…Good lad. I like him already,” Daniel said. 

“I must be going though. I must help my Pa in the vineyard this evening. It was a pleasure to see you again Sir,” Austin told Daniel. 

“Like-wise. Tell your father hello for me,” Daniel said. 

“I’m just gonna walk him to the front door and then I’ll help with dinner,” Shelly told her parents. 

Her parents agreed, and Shelly followed Austin right to the front door. He swung the door open, and the two stepped outside and Shelly closed the door behind them. Her green eyes locked into his honey brown and the two got lost into each other’s gaze for what seemed like hours. 

“Your father said he’s starting to like me. Maybe that’s a good sign,” Austin said. 

“In a friendly way. Not in the I want you to court my only daughter way,” Shelly said. “Meet me out at the stables later tonight. I wanna see you.” She whispered. 

“Alright. I’ll throw a few pebbles at your bedroom window when I get here,” Austin whispered in return. “Just which window is your bedroom again?”

Shelly smiled, “The one on the right.”

“Alright. I’ll see you tonight,” Austin said and headed down the road towards his house.