A naive young girl marries a sexually and emotionally jaded older man
(Thank you Gustavca for your help in editing this story)
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My name is Cassandra "Cassie" Randolph Grafton.
I grew up the beloved and pampered daughter in a family of three older brothers on a fair sized horse ranch in Shelby County, Texas. My birth was the result of my father's singular indiscretion with another woman, but by the time I came along, my mother and father were again a happy loving couple. Despite this unfortunate beginning, I grew up in a safe, sheltered home, loved and protected by my parents and my brothers.
I was a bit of a tomboy growing up (I did have three brothers after all), but, fortunately around the age of fifteen, I stopped being the grimy little tomboy running about in the stables and blossomed into a reasonably attractive, well mannered young lady. Daddy says I inherited my looks from my natural mother: 5'4", 105 lbs, slender but shapely, firm, high breasts, small taut waist and a tight, rounded behind. Long, thick unmanageable auburn-colored hair accented my face and I think my best features were my large green eyes framed by long, lashes and a full sensual mouth, all physical qualities she possessed.
When I was sixteen, I went to San Augustine to stay with my Aunt Sadie, Daddy's sister, and lived with her for the next two years while attending school. After graduating, I returned home to take the post of the new temporary, teacher at the town's only school.
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Robert Grafton was the son of a well to do businessman and owned one of the largest and most prosperous farms in the county. I had known of Robert from a distance since I was a little girl. I remember as a child I would often go with Momma when she visited Mrs. Grafton, Robert's mother and during those visits, I would occasionally see Robert. He was much older than I was and seldom spoke, but if I saw him, I would always smile and wave. I don't think Momma liked Robert very much, and though she never said anything, I know she was relieved when he became engaged to and married a young widow from Jasper, a neighboring town.
When I moved back home, I reconnected with an old friend from my childhood by the name of Jack Wilkinson. Jack was the brother of my best friend Johanna. Johanna was engaged herself by that time and very involved with her fiancé and planning her wedding. Though it was never a romantic one, my friendship with Jack was valued and special and I always thought of him as not only a friend, but also a brother.
Jack and I enjoyed each other's company and were constantly together. It was quite common to find us seated together during church services, attending various social events and dances together, in fact, my renewed acquaintance with Robert occurred at our church's Annual Summer Picnic. I think seeing Jack and me together fanned Robert's desire for a new sexual conquest and, for whatever reason, sparked a jealousy of Jack and his relationship with me. Recognizing me as the little girl who often visited with his mother, Robert approached me and introduced himself. There was obviously something between us, and we spent the balance of the day, talking, laughing and reminiscing.
Robert and I began courting within weeks of my returning home. He would visit at my parent's home once or twice a week, but aside from a cursory hello or stilted conversation at the dinner table, in the beginning of our courtship, I was never alone with him
.
Robert had been married once before and, I gathered from the rampant gossip in town, his first marriage, fueled by his wife's infidelities ended in divorce. Initially despondent and angry, Robert never lacked for female companionship and soon recovered from the unfortunate affair, his injured pride soothed by women, gambling and alcohol. I think when Robert began courting me, he saw me as a malleable possession he could shape, dominate and control. So sure of himself and me, regardless of the times and social mores, he had no qualms about explaining and discussing with me what he called his needs. While trying not to frighten me, Robert made it clear he wanted sex with me. I was still an innocent, foolish girl, who fancied herself in love. I barely knew what sex was, but I knew I couldn't give him what he wanted, and begged him to wait until we were married.
Of course, we kissed when we had an opportunity to do so, and to placate him I would occasionally allow him to slip his hand under my skirts and lightly finger me, igniting physical sensations that I had never experienced before, but enjoyed very much. Robert was a man of thirty-five and I was just eighteen and knew very little about marriage and its responsibilities, other than there were 'wifely duties' I was expected to perform and allow after we married. In my naiveté, I looked forward to Robert teaching me those duties.
I was flattered someone like him, rich, tall, good looking would want to marry me. I loved the attention he paid me, and the looks of envy on the faces of the other young women when they would see us together in town.
*****
Having grown up on a horse ranch, I loved horseback riding. I would often ride my favorite horse along the tree-lined road that ran through the woods behind our out buildings. I was on the road riding home, enjoying the warm, balmy weather as I did most evenings during the late summer, when I had that unsettling, prickly feeling at the back of my neck and turned to see another rider following me at a distance. Alone on the secluded road I started riding faster, but the other rider sped up and quickly caught up with me and blocked my path. I looked up and saw Robert astride his magnificent Bay and with a sense of relief, I smiled and said good evening.
"What are you doing out here?" I questioned him.
Ignoring my question, he countered with one of his own. "A better question is what are you doing out here? You shouldn't be out here alone Cassie," he said, dismounting and stepping closer to my horse.
"Thank you for your concern Robert, but I'm perfectly safe," I said as he helped me from my horse. "I'm near home, and anyway, I ride this road almost every day." Looking at me intently, he took another step toward me and I instinctively stepped back in response to the narrowing distance between us.
Feeling uncomfortable by his closeness, I began to walk around him, "Well, my folks are probably waiting dinner for me, so I'd better get on home," I said nervously. As I tried again to pass, he took my arm and pulled me to him, forcing his large, rough hand inside my shirt. Though I had let him take some liberties before, it had been different . . . gentle, pleasurable. This assault was hurtful. I screamed in shock and embarrassment and began to struggle against him trying to break his hold as he lifted me off the ground, half dragging me toward a small copse of trees.
"Hey, who's in there, what's going on in there?" A voice thundered out of the darkness. "This is Reverend Michaelsen, I know you're in there, I saw from the road . . . so come out."
"This isn't finished, Cassie," Robert whispered as he took my hand and pulled me along behind him. "It's me, Reverend, just me, Robert Grafton." The Reverend smiled and shook Robert's hand and I watched as his expression changed when he saw me. "I think you know Cassie Randolph, don't you? We were just talking a bit," he said casually with a broad conspiratorial grin on his face.
The Reverend, however, was having none of this, and seeing the discomfort on my face turned to me and said reassuringly, "Miss Randolph, I know you two are engaged, but you really shouldn't be out here unchaperoned. With your permission, Mr. Grafton and I will ride along with you and we'll escort you home. Your folks are probably wondering where you are."
