The air in the house was still overly warm, but the breeze had helped tremendously. It was comfortably warm, but the humidity was making her sweat terribly and she felt very sticky. Seeing the fire was still going, she poked at it once again and swung out the arm again, this time hanging the large pot of beans over it. Hopefully, it was enough time for it to be ready when Cole returned. He had said to toss in a piece of bacon, which seemed strange to Elizabeth, but she did as he asked. Cole knew better than she and she would follow his directions without question.
When cleaning the house and dusting, she had found a small tin tub and decided to wash some of her things. She had never washed clothes before and assumed it could not be that difficult a thing to do. If Cole returned prior to her finishing, she would offer to wash his as well since he had been kind enough to offer the house to her.
Elizabeth dragged the tin tub out the back door of the small house to the pump she had seen. Grasping the metal handle, warmed from the sun, she pumped it several times until the water began to flow. Proud of herself and beaming, she realized the tub was ready but still had no soap. That would have to be remedied sooner rather than later she decided. She needed it to clean, launder and bathe properly.
Shrugging, she gathered her stockings and clothes from her room dumping them proudly into the tub that lay on the wood planked decking. Elizabeth eyed it, stood back and frowned. Her stockings in the water had air pockets, and they looked just as dirty as before. Kneeling beside the tub, she poked at it several times trying to push the fabric under the water to no avail. Elizabeth let out a sigh and rolled up her sleeves to her dress, determined to make sure that the clothing was clean and ready for the next wearing.
She sunk both hands into the cool water and let out a groan of appreciation at the temperature.
My goodness that feels good
, she thought and decided that once she was finished, if it was still warm in the house- she would cool herself down out back by putting her feet into the cool water. Pleased with her idea to overcome the heat from her corset and layers, she excitedly punched at the wet fabric in the water.
Elizabeth began swishing it around, swirling, sloshing it repeatedly in an attempt to clean her clothes. She held up her stockings, a bit better than they were and eyed the area trying to decide where to put her wet things now that they were ready to be dried.
The strange tree seemed to be the one with the lowest branches and she carefully draped her stockings to dry. Water dripped heavily from them onto the ground as she inspected her work cleaning them. Satisfied that it would have to do, she moved back towards her wash bin and spied the brown tinge to the water. Frowning, she emptied the tub over the edge of the planks of wood and refilled it with the cold water. Again, throwing herself into cleaning her heavy skirts and trying to make herself useful.
She pulled the waterlogged fabric from the tub and laughed aloud as the sodden fabric plastered against her, cooling her immediately. Carrying it over to the same tree, she changed her mind and, instead, attempted to drape her skirts over the frame above the well. She carefully placed the fabric and prayed it did not fall into the well water below. As heavy as the wet fabric was, she was not sure she would be able to pull it out if it fell in. Imagining her few articles of clothing falling into the well, she quickly grabbed the dripping fabric once again and decided, instead, to spread it in the grass to dry. There would be no losing it this way!
Elizabeth brushed her hair from her face, repining it and went to check on the dinner. She stepped back inside, checked the pot and noticed the little bubbles forming on top of the water. Poking the fire, she added another piece of wood and hoped the beans would cook quickly but not burn.
Elizabeth grabbed her remaining items along with her bag, deciding she would just clean it all since she had time and was unsure what else to do until Cole returned. She enjoyed the cool water greatly and doing her own laundry gave her quite a sense of accomplishment. She again spread out her things in the grasses and along the crooked limbs of the tree. Once finished, she dumped the water once again, filing it a last time.
This time was for her.
Soaked from her efforts and needing to dry her clothes, she decided to make the best of it. Hopefully, the water would evaporate from her person sooner rather than later. She knew she was alone but refused to remove her blouse. Everything else she owned was wet and on the lawn. Grinning from ear to ear, enjoying her solitude, Elizabeth hiked her skirts up and pulled them through her legs, tucking it boldly into her belt and fashioning loose bloomers with the large amount of fabric. She stepped happily into the basin and kicked about splashing and enjoying the decadent feel of her bare legs in the water in the late afternoon sun.
Cole pulled up in front of the house, a bit dejected at the daunting task before him. He asked to go out into the world to make something of himself, he never expected it to be handed to him in his lap at his very own home. The amount of work that was needed by one person was overwhelming. He had not even a true chance to inspect what was to be his new home. He hoped the hay in the barn would not be rotted and prayed that the hammock and hooks his father had fashioned inside years ago would still be there and hold him. If not, it would not be the first time he had slept on the ground. Just the first time he had slept on the ground at his own home.
Cole glanced up at the fluttering cloth wrapped in his mother’s fig tree. She loved that tree and made jam every year when he was growing up. Silently, he circled the building, listening to the splashing and laughing that he recognized as coming from Elizabeth. As he grew closer, he realized the material in the tree was Beth’s undergarments. Rounding the corner of the house, he stood immobile. The sight that he was presented would be burned in his brain forever.
Beth stood in the old wash bin, her shirt almost sheer from a combination of the sun shining behind her at the horizon and water on the cotton material. Cole could clearly see the outline of her corset, along with the stays and fastenings. Her legs were almost completely revealed by the skirts tucked up around her waist and the long, white, shapely limbs looked better in real life than what he had pictured in his mind’s eye this morning. Several tendrils of hair had escaped her bun and swirled around her head like a dark halo. It was mesmerizing and he found himself drawn to her physically. Cole did not realize he was even stepping forward until he heard her exclaim “Cole!” loudly as she smiled at him.
Her innocence tempted him like no other ever had. She moved and his body craved to move. She smiled and his heart leapt. She had been attractive before, but this new side of her was intoxicating. This was dangerous territory he was in and watching her smile fade from her lips and part in desire was worth every hot thought crossing his mind right now.
Elizabeth saw Cole out of the corner of her eye and cried his name happily. A wave of emotions washed over her. She was so pleased to see him, proud of her efforts, satisfied that she had prepared dinner, embarrassed that she had been caught in dishabille… but more to the fact, she was taken unawares by the rush of desire in her body from the heated look on face as he grew closer to her. She gasped as she felt his arms snake around her waist, pulling her from the water against him. Her eyes shot up, met the hot coals of his dark eyes just as she watched his sensuous mouth descend onto hers.
Cole’s lips were soft but firm, her mouth meeting his of its own accord. Beth heard him groan as his tongue tasted hers. At her soft sigh, she felt his arms tighten further as if to meld their two bodies into one in the dusk. The cool fabric against her skin, combined with the heat burning through her torso made her breasts ache from the pressure of being pulled so close.
Just as suddenly as he grasped her, he quickly freed her and stepped away. Elizabeth felt almost bereft and caught herself reaching for him. She stared at her hand in the foreground against his back of his shirt ahead of her, confused and unfocused.
“Cole?” she heard herself whisper, feeling muddled at the emotions and thoughts his kiss evoked in her. Watching him walk around the house quickly away from her, she felt frustration well up and tears. Both of which she did not expect. She did not want a man or a husband, but she did not want the kiss to stop so suddenly…and why did it? Was it her?
Mortified by his abrupt dismissal, she stepped out of the basin, untucked her skirts and shook them out. She needed a moment alone before she faced him again. Elizabeth busied herself by emptying the water and checking on her clothing to see if it was dry yet. She grimaced at how sopping wet the skirt and shirts were still. Even her hosiery was still damp! Sighing at how her wonderful afternoon had turned so sour, she squared her shoulders and prepared herself for anything as she rounded the house to join him inside.
Cole could not think, his body was racing and aching. He needed to step back and get away before he did something completely inappropriate and irreparable. What was she thinking? Just because they are secluded out here on eighty acres of land doesn’t mean that they were actually completely alone! You never knew when someone would ride by or there might be a visit as to investigate what was going on. The fireplace was lit and smoke could be seen easily from a mile away. Her stockings were fluttering in the breeze advertising that there was a woman here… a woman who was enticingly dressed in wet clothing with bare legs that made a man want to crawl across hot coals.
Cole shook his head to clear the mental picture and grasped his saddlebags, anxious to be busy and to think of anything else. He had already crossed a line with her by kissing her, but the feeling of her body against his would be something he dreamt about for quite some time.
My God she was tiny and fit against him perfectly
, he thought heatedly, imagining where things could have gone if he hadn’t stepped back so fast. When he heard her moan, he realized what his traitorous body had done and practically dropped her.
Stepping onto the front porch, his steps echoing loudly in the dying light, he was greeted by the smell of the beans cooking and was desperate for anything to take his mind off of Beth. He dropped the bags quickly, returned back to his horse and grabbed more to carry inside.
Cole saw Beth round the corner of the house and he couldn’t quite look at her yet. Her lips were still reddened from his and her eyes asked so many questions he was not ready to answer. He wanted to! Oh, he wanted to touch her and hold her, but it was not the right time and neither of them was ready to make that move.
His body was betraying his mind.
His brain told him he didn’t need a woman in his life. He hadn’t wanted one before. What had changed? Elizabeth’s candid openness and refreshing honestly, combined with her enticing looks had put a tailspin on the road he wanted to originally travel down. Making it on his own had been his top priority for quite some time. Now? That was still there, but it also included a diminutive, dark-haired woman he had just met not long ago and felt very protective of.
He finished unloading the horse and Elizabeth stood silently watching him from a distance. He grasped the reins and took the horse to the barn, calling out that he would be in shortly once he was finished- disappearing into the darkness.
Elizabeth watched him unload the horse into the house and then guide it to the shadows of the barn ahead. As she watched him disappear, she walked into the house feeling so very alone and insecure right now. Did she do something wrong? Was he regretting her staying? Would she be asked to leave?
Maybe she did belong in the whore house after acting so boldly today, exposing herself and look what happened! She felt sinful and full of desire- and liked it. She relished her afternoon and felt so free. She enjoyed his kiss so much and felt so wanton. It was exhilarating and scary at the same time.
Stepping inside the house, she lit lanterns in the dim light. The house smelled divinely of smoky bacon and felt so welcoming. Elizabeth carried one lantern outside to the porch and hung it on the post, seeing that Cole had lit a lantern as well inside of the barn where he was at.
She silently set the table, preparing their meal and steeling herself for the discussion that was sure to come. Beth just hoped that it did not involve her leaving. She liked how she felt here and this was her first true day of freedom, surely she didn’t blow it already?
Sitting patiently at the table on the wooden bench, she waited for him to enter. After quite some time, her bottom growing sore from the hard seat, she moved to the seat near the fireplace and gave a stir to the beans. Elizabeth leapt out of the chair at the sound of his footsteps and jumped to her feet preparing to do battle to stay.
Cole walked up the porch and hesitated at the door, he did not want to barge into his own home.
How ironic
, he thought and gave a tentative knock. Cole would have normally grinned at this turn of events, but the sad thing was that he crossed a line that had huge repercussions. He kissed her. Cole had proclaimed that neither of them wanted to be tied down, neither wanted a marriage…but then he tasted her lips. The kiss was extraordinary and he had no idea what he wanted now. Cole kissed her and wanted to do it again.
Her.
Beth.
Elizabeth.
Cole shook his head and gave a second gentle knock. He had to change that line of thought, didn’t he? Did he want to go down that road that would lead to others? Yes.