Ansley With Tabitha?

But Richard was done. He had achieved what he wanted both for her and himself and so he stood up and began putting his clothes on.

'Whatever are you doing?' She asked.

'I must return home, Esme. And you have Archibald, your husband.' He said.

'Richard, have you finished with me yet again?' She looked up at the muscular man in front of her.

'Do not make mention of this to any soul.' He said.

Esme did not understand. Had she been reading his actions wrong? Did he not have her because he still loved her? Was she not a part of the reasons he returned to Saur?

'Richard, you must tell me what this is. Shall you leave me this way?' She got up and began to clean the sand that had stuck to her body.

'Good night, Esme.' Richard said and after dressing himself, he left the shed. He had left Esme for the second time.

It was a rainy Sunday in Pumford the next day. Benedict and his family went to watch the wrestling match like they always did, and Gina was with them.

Gina did not pay much attention to her surroundings as she was thinking of her conversation with Rudd Emberton, the son of a noble that had called on her the previous day.

Rudd had been the perfect gentleman. He spoke softly and his words were often too advanced for Gina, but she continued to listen to him eagerly. For the first time, she had feelings for a man other than Richard.

But she knew it was too good to be true. He had mentioned seeing her before and that surprised her. Gina knew of the noble Emberton, she also knew of his sons and daughters, but she had never set eyes on any of them.

'Gina, you must watch this match. The winner from the last match shall fight another man.' Missy said hastily.

'My eyes are not sewn shut, I can see, Missy.' Gina looked at her cousin.

'You do not need to speak to me in that manner, Gina. Whatever is making you act this way?' Missy looked away from Gina.

Missy noticed her cousin's change after her walk with Rudd. She had questioned Gina tirelessly, but she did not discuss what had transpired between her and Rudd.

'Father, you must place a wager this time.' Marlow's voice disturbed Gina's thoughts.

'Marlow, you are man enough, you shall place the wager yourself. Whoever do you reckon shall win?' Benedict asked his son.

Marlow looked at the wrestlers. There was a man from Pumford and another from Pilet, the hometown of Donna, his mother.

The two men had good body builds and so he could not tell who would win but he remembered the man from Pumford had won his matches three times in a row.

'I reckon Pumford shall win the match. I must place my wager on him.' Marlow pointed to the wrestler that wore sand-coloured knickerbockers. He was the wrestler from Pumford.

'Shall I give you two silver coins then?' Benedict asked his son.

'I must give my all for I know I shall win this wager. Father, I request you give me ten silver coins instead!' Marlow sprang to his feet.

He had been thinking about his debt to Baxter, his childhood friend. There was no better way for him to earn ten silver coins than from a wager.

Baxter had threatened to involve Benedict in the issue and so he wanted to do everything within his power to pay his friend back.

'Ten silver coins? Whatever do you need that much money for? Whatever happens after you lose the wager?' Benedict asked.

'Father, how can you tell that I shall lose? I have studied the wrestler from Pumford. He shall not go home defeated.' Marlow was sure of himself so much so that Benedict began to see the wrestler from Pumford as the champion too.

'Very well then. But you shall owe me ten silver coins in the case that you lose this wager.' Benedict reached into his coin pouch and counted ten silver coins.

'Whatever happens when I win?' Marlow asked.

'Then you shall have twenty silver coins to your name.' Benedict handed the coins over to his son and smiled.

Something about Marlow's agility excited him. He was happy that his son was becoming a man who could think for himself.

But alas, Benedict had no clue about his son's addiction to placing wagers. Neither did he know that that addiction had stemmed from Marlow watching him place wagers.

'Thank you, father!' Marlow ran to the man in charge of handling the money.

'That child shall sorely make wagers his source of joy. Why do you continue to indulge him?' Donna asked her husband.

Donna was concerned for her son. She did not want to worry about him in his later years like she was worried about Missy.

'Let the boy live. Do you not enjoy watching him happy?' Benedict watched Marlow place his wager. It gave him so much pride, that he could not help but smile.

'I hope we do not regret this like we do Missy's work at your tavern.' Donna had forgotten Missy sat beside her and so she spoke normally.

'Whatever do you mean, mother? Whatever is this talk about regret?' Missy turned sharply to her mother.

'Never mind your mother, Missy. The match is starting, we must enjoy it.' Benedict smiled at Missy.

He knew that was not enough to make Missy forget what Donna had said but it was enough to push her questions until later. At least that was going to be enough time for him to come up with a lie to tell her.

Gina continued thinking about Rudd. She wondered if what he had told her was true. Was it possible that her cousin, Missy, was better than her? The question distracted her from the match.

'Gina, make haste, we must head home now.' Missy said.

Gina looked around and saw that the rain was still pouring down heavily. How could they move around in the rain? Surely her dress was going to get soiled.

'Do you not recognise the rain when you set eyes on it?' Gina asked. She was irritated by her cousin.

'Father expects an important visitor and we must not keep him waiting.' Missy said.

Gina looked around and saw the bleachers were empty and the rest of her family had left.

'Shall I walk in the rain then?' Gina asked.

'The carriage is here.' Missy pointed to a group of carriages nearby.

Gina wondered who the important visitor was, for her uncle rarely hosted people. She wondered if it was going to be a suitor for Missy or if it concerned his tavern.