An Early Visit

'Mother, may I go back to my drawing? I must draw the stranger I served at the bar.' Missy smiled to herself.

She could still see the nervous stranger she served at the bar the previous day. She knew the details of his face and wanted nothing more than to preserve that memory in one of her papers.

'You reckon your father hates to see you draw. From now, we must go out more. The men must see you clinging to my arms so that they may come to seek your hand.' Donna plaited the tip of the last braid and tapped her daughter's shoulder.

'Okay, mother. I shall ask father to buy me new dresses.' Missy stood up from the stool she sat and looked at her mother.

'You must get sleep now. I shall go to the tavern.' Donna said.

'What for, mother?' Missy asked.

Missy knew that her mother never went to the tavern unless it was of utmost importance.

'Worry your head not child. I shall return to the house shortly.' Donna continued looking at the flickering light from a room in the tavern. Surely, she knew the occupant of that room and she had business with them.

Missy went back into the house in hopes to get a drink of water from the kitchen before going to bed but her cousin, Gina was there.

Gina could not get any sleep because her mind was busy thinking about life with Ansley, the man who had declared his intentions to marry her.

'Gina, whatever are you doing here at this hour?' Missy asked.

'I have come to make some tea for myself. I could not sleep.' Gina took the kettle that was boiling from the fire and moved it to the table at the center of the kitchen.

'Enthralling. Is there not a thing you cannot do, Gina?' Missy asked for she was highly enthralled.

'I never learned how to work the needle. My father tells me my mother was a great seamstress, but that gift never came to me.' Gina poured the water from the kettle into a cup.

'I have come to have a drink of water. I shall be out of your hair now.' Missy walked to where the drinking water was stored and poured herself a cup.

'Missy, I must apologize for my behavior earlier.' Gina looked at her cousin.

She was truly sorry, or maybe it was the fact that she knew no one liked her as much as Missy did. If she lost Missy's respect, then it was surely going to bring her end in her uncle's family.

'You must have been too thrilled to think right. I forgive you and now, I shall await my noble man.' Missy began drinking the water in her cup.

'You have a suitor?' Gina asked with enthusiasm.

'Not quite but when the snow touches the earth, then I shall have a suitor.' Missy smiled as she clung to her mother's words as a baby clung to its mother's bosom.

'Is he not from around here? Shall he be coming from afar?' Gina asked.

Anyone could get as confused as she was in the situation. Why was her cousin waiting for the snow to get betrothed?

'You must wait till then to find out. I shall leave you to your tea now. Have a good night, Gina.' Missy walked out of the kitchen.

The confusion that befell Gina made her thoughts on Ansley disappear and that was good enough for her.

But there was nothing Missy could do the next morning to make Ansley disappear from the house.

Ansley arrived early that morning in hopes to talk to Gina. He wanted the family to welcome him and recognize how much desire he had to make Gina his wife.

While that was going well for him, it was eating everyone up differently.

For Gina, she was simply annoyed that Ansley was showing his face at the house. For Missy, she was jealous that Gina had a caller, and she did not. Benedict and Donna shared in their daughter's woes while Marlow simply did not like Ansley.

'Gina, you look more radiant at the break of every day.' Ansley praised.

'We must let Gina discuss with her betrothed.' Benedict announced.

'Yes, but I shall not let you leave your own home for us. Gina and I shall make our way to Oaktree valley.' Ansley laughed.

Oaktree valley, the place where people in courtship advertised themselves. It was the place where Gina wanted to go to, but with Richard.

'We must discuss here, Ansley.' Gina said with disgust on her face.

'You shall call your Lord by his title, child.' Donna said.

Gina could not bring herself to call Ansley 'Lord.' it was a title she reserved for Richard, and nothing could make her give it to another man. Even her father, Edmund who she was terrified of could not make her do it.

'Until his dowry is settled, I shall call this man Ansley.' Gina said with a straight face as she looked into Ansley's right eye.

'Worry not, whatever the child wishes to call me, then she shall.' Ansley kept smiling.

They all knew that something was not right. They all knew that Ansley only smiled when he had the upper hand at a dirty game.

But alas, they were not playing a game. It was real and there was trouble lurking in the shadows. They could all feel it.

'Whatever is it, Ansley? Whatever is bringing you such joy, do well to share with us.' Benedict said.

Benedict avoided Ansley like a plague because he knew the man was up to no good. But there was nothing he could do to avoid him for the flower he sought was living under his roof.

'I must speak with Gina in private at once. What I need to say must not be heard by any other ear.' Ansley looked at the five pairs of eyes before him and tapped his left foot rhythmically on the floorboard.

'Then you shall take her with you to Oaktree valley.' Donna suggested.

'We shall talk outside, aunty.' Gina said and walked away.

She was sure that Ansley was going to follow after her and he did.

'Wait, we have gone far enough from your family.' Ansley said as soon as he got outside the gate of Benedict's house.

'Whatever is this game you seek to play?' Gina demanded.

'I know of the shed.' Ansley did not stop smiling.