This story is set in the late 1800s. I apologize for any glaring falsehoods to the times, but it was the time frame I needed. Don't let the idyllic start fool you, there is a story coming.
This is completely different from my other stories, so if you are familiar with them you are forewarned. Then again, my stuff really refuses to stick to a genre. Enjoy!
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The air was crisp and scented with pine and raw earth as we rode through fields and woods that gorgeous April morning. Gerald, that is Fitzgerald Montgomery Chalmers, III, had been courting me for just over six months, and I was sure he had intentions. Still, when he chose a spot beside a pretty pond to rest and relax, I was surprised when he dropped to one knee to request my hand. Surprised and thrilled!
"If you will have me, Camilla, I would like very much to make you my wife," Gerald asked, taking my breath away.
All I could do was nod my head as the tears began to flow and Gerald stood and took me gently into his arms, kissing the top of my head. When I had settled enough to speak, I said, "Of course I will be your wife." Then he kissed me on my lips, which I had never felt before, and it was quite intoxicating.
Gerald was perfect. He stood a dashing figure, taller than average, thin yet muscular, with short blond curls, blue eyes, and a fetching mustache. He was also the sole heir to the Chalmers' Estate, and as his father had died not long after we began courting, he was a very rich man (or so I was told by my father, who always knew these things.)
As the second daughter of a moderately successful businessman, my prospects were not unlimited, but not without merit. My entire family had been mildly surprised, but highly pleased, when Gerald requested permission to call on me after we met at a local cotillion. He claimed that my beauty and intelligence set me apart from all of the other debutantes, and wished to become better acquainted.
I had always considered myself very average, but to hear Gerald speak of it, I was extraordinary. He claimed that while my height was not exceptional, my figure and carriage elevated me heads above the other young women. He said my auburn waves caught the light with shimmers of gold and bronze, that coupled with my emerald green eyes, made me shine like fine jewelry. He often called me the jewel upon his arm.
With only a few weeks left until our scheduled Wedding in June, Gerald had become especially attentive. While most men show little interest in the planning of the nuptials, Gerald had wanted to be a part of almost everything, so he had been in my home nearly every day, often staying past the hour when my parents would retire for the night.
On several of these occasions, Gerald had begun to push the limits of propriety. His kisses began to be quite arduous, and he had attempted to touch me in ways only my husband should. He argued that he practically was my husband, so there was no harm in it. Still, I was somewhat relieved when he told me his best friend from University would be arriving shortly, and that he would likely be tied up with him most evenings until the wedding.
Liam did arrive the following day, and both men joined us for dinner that evening, at my parents' insistence. The pair could not have been more dissimilar. Liam was a hulking man, several inches taller than Gerald, and broad-chested in a way that made him appear massive. His hair was a longish mass of shiny, nearly black waves, and his dark eyes seemed to pierce you to your very soul. While his face may have been handsome in an angular, chiseled way, he wore a constant scowl that turned everyone away from making more than a few attempts at pleasant conversation. In short, he was actually quite scary!
After dinner the men retired to my father's study for a drink, and my mother and I went to her sitting room to sew on my bridal gown.
"Well," my mother began, "Liam seems...intense, don't you think?"
"That is a nice way of putting it," I returned, shaking my head, "He's quite off-putting."
"Yes. It makes me wonder how he and Gerald ever became friends. Did Gerald tell you anything about that?"
I thought about it for a moment, but couldn't recall Gerald ever mentioning how they had met or what drew them to become close friends. "No, he never said."
Mother was quiet for a bit, then responded, "Men often change quite a bit during and just after University. Perhaps they were more similar when they met."
That seemed to settle the discussion and we continued to work in companionable silence until we heard the men emerge from the study.
I rushed down the stairs to say goodnight to Gerald. He opened his arms to me as I nearly fell off the last step, launching into him.
"Umph," he let out as I slammed into his chest in a most un-lady-like manner, "I love the enthusiasm, Camilla, but you may wish to be careful when flying down stairs," he laughed, sliding his hands up my sides and grazing my breasts as he set me upright, then leaving his hands with both palms against the sides of my bosom as he perused me, winking slyly.
My blush was surely crimson as I regained my footing and took a slight step back, in the hopes of being released from his embarrassing touch, but finding he only held tighter, pulling me back towards him.
"I didn't want you to leave without saying goodbye," I squeaked out, leaning into him for a light hug to hide my face. He slipped an arm securely around my waist and tugged me closer, kissing me below my ear before releasing one hand and half-turning to speak to my parents.
"Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Corbett. Thank you for your hospitality. Dinner was superb as always," he said, smiling to them before turning us both for the door.
