Luxton Manor - part 7

The sun rose above the horizon earlier then usual. Summer was approaching and the long, hot days had everyone feeling lazy and tired. As dawn broke, Elizabeth tried to make her way out of the manor quietly. Usually she succeeded, but today the master caught her as she made her way down the staircase.1

' Elizabeth, can you come here a minute please?'2

' Yes father.' She turned round and slowly made her way up to her guardians side, without looking too suspicious.3

' Today i need you to gather a few things for your journey to the Baldwin manor... Is there something wrong Elizabeth?'4

It struck her. Today she was to be leaving to meet her future husband. She had completely forgotten.5

' No, nothings wrong. I'm okay.'6

' Okay, if your sure. Be ready for dinner, we will be leaving straight after.'7

' Yes, i will be ready.' He gave her a smile and kissed her forehead.8

' Have a good day.' And with that final note he left and headed back into the room from which he emerged. Horror struck, Elizabeth made her way, zombie like to the stables. Her last day here before she met her spouse-to-be. What a nightmare. She couldn't believe she had forgotten such and important piece of information. And what about Henry? It would break her heart to leave him. She quickened her pace and arrived at Donners stable a lot quicker then she had thought she would. Lost in her thoughts time seemed to fly. She entered the stable and wrapped her arms around the bay mares neck, crying into her soft blond mane.9

*10

'Henry, it's a glorious day. What are you doing in there?' Doris shouted through the closed bedroom door. She received no reply and refused to waste anymore time trying to coax Henry out of his pit. He was working on his picture and refused to let anyone see it until it was finished. To his agony, it had to be small enough to fit in the locket and painting a detailed picture so small was proving a real problem. Often Doris had heard him growl in anger if he had made a mistake, yet she just grinned to herself. He would perfect his painting eventually. Tearing herself away from the door behind which her grandson sat she made her way to the kitchen in order to prepare lunch. Her eyes landed on a small hunched figure, laying low in the overgrown grass in the land behind the house. She moved her face closer towards the window in order to study the figure more.11

' Henry! Henry! Go round to the back! Quick!' She waited a minute. Her grandson appeared and ran the the small figure. He lifted the girls chin up to his face. A look of sorrow passed through his eyes before he closed them and embraced his love. Doris looked away, offering some privacy for the two.12

' But you won't be gone for long, will you?' Henry asked but the silence confirmed his worst fear. He buried his face into her soft hair, not daring to say a word.13

' I'm so sorry. I don't want to go. Please don't hate me.' Elizabeth cried softly. Henry's heart broke at the sound.14

' Today will be special. We will make it special! I promise.' Elizabeth looked up into his face and fresh tears welled in her eyes. 15

' No more tears. Come on now, I'm not that ugly am i?' He grinned at her causing her to laugh at him. She smiled and he wiped a tear away.16

' That better have been the last one! I refuse to wipe them away anymore. I don't know what your contaminated with!' She pushed him over so he fell on his back and tickled him until he cried for mercy.17

The rest of the day was spent in the woods, enjoying each others company. As the stars began to appear in the deep blue sky the couple laid down together in a clearing and lost their innocence to one another, and neither of them would ever regret it.18