stretched across the rolling foothills, and in the distance, small mountains rose up from the pines, a foretaste of the mighty Appalachians that lay beyond.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked him as she led the way down a narrow cow path that cut through the tall brown grass. “I used to play here when I was a girl.”
Christopher was none too pleased to plod through a field, but he agreed that it was breathtaking. “Who owns this?”
“People have been trying to buy it up – or at least, pieces of it – for years, but nobody’s ever located the owner.”
They came to an ancient oak, whose shady branches spread out like an enormous umbrella above them. An old rope-and-board swing hung down to the ground, a testament to the children who had once played there.
“Push me!” Laurel laughed as she plopped into the weathered seat.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” Christopher asked, studying the rope all the way up to the sturdy limb of the tree.
“Then don’t push me too high,” she argued, giving the ground a good stab with the toe of her boot.
He pulled the ropes back while she held on tight, then let them go, sending her swinging through the air. The branches creaked and groaned with every pass, the tree grumbling like a stiff old man. Despite its protests, it never gave out, and Laurel enjoyed a few moments of feeling the wind whipping through her hair as she cut through the air.
“I always dreamed of living here,” she said as she looked out across the seemingly endless grassland. “The Meadows, I would call it.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The ticking of the spinning machines droned on as Laurel worked her sides. Down one row and back again, she fixed broken threads and helped the doffers exchange full bobbins for empty ones. As she did so, the supervisor walked over, inspecting her work.
“I guess everyone has an off week. Just don’t make it a habit,” he said, finding no fault in her. “His Lordship wants to see you, and while you’re up there, I think you should thank him for letting you keep your job.”
She had not seen Christopher at all that week, except for passing him in the hallway or when he walked through the spinning room. Laurel tried her best not to run down the aisle and up the stairs, instead taking them step by step. It was only when she was in the safety of his office that she let her true feelings show.
“I couldn’t take it any longer,” Christopher confessed as she enfolded herself into his arms. “I had to see you.”
He took her face in his hands and trailed kisses along her cheek. When his lips met hers, Laurel lost herself. It was not until she felt her back slam against the cold wall that she realized what he intended to do.
“Not here!” she said. “Someone will catch us.”
Christopher paid no attention to her protests, and hiked her heavy skirts up around her waist. After fumbling with the buttons on his trousers, he drove himself into her with enough force to make her yelp. Laurel wrapped one of her stocking-clad legs around his waist as his hips thrust again and again. She could feel his warm breath in her ear, his face buried against the wall. Everything shook from the vibrations of the spinning machines, and Laurel was just beginning to feel the surge of passion welling up inside her when the front door to his office burst open.
It was his secretary, and she looked right into Laurel’s face.
Their eyes met as the young woman stood transfixed, unable – or unwilling – to move. Laurel tried in vain to stop him, but Christopher held her trapped between his heavy body and the wall. She was forced to endure the woman’s gaze until she felt every muscle in his body tighten simultaneously, and the tension drain with each shudder.
The door clicked against the frame before Christopher could turn around.
“She saw us!” Laurel cried. “ Oh God! Now everyone will know.”
“Go back downstairs and finish your work. I will try to handle this.”
Laurel
“Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked him as she led the way down a narrow cow path that cut through the tall brown grass. “I used to play here when I was a girl.”
Christopher was none too pleased to plod through a field, but he agreed that it was breathtaking. “Who owns this?”
“People have been trying to buy it up – or at least, pieces of it – for years, but nobody’s ever located the owner.”
They came to an ancient oak, whose shady branches spread out like an enormous umbrella above them. An old rope-and-board swing hung down to the ground, a testament to the children who had once played there.
“Push me!” Laurel laughed as she plopped into the weathered seat.
“Are you sure it’s safe?” Christopher asked, studying the rope all the way up to the sturdy limb of the tree.
“Then don’t push me too high,” she argued, giving the ground a good stab with the toe of her boot.
He pulled the ropes back while she held on tight, then let them go, sending her swinging through the air. The branches creaked and groaned with every pass, the tree grumbling like a stiff old man. Despite its protests, it never gave out, and Laurel enjoyed a few moments of feeling the wind whipping through her hair as she cut through the air.
“I always dreamed of living here,” she said as she looked out across the seemingly endless grassland. “The Meadows, I would call it.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The ticking of the spinning machines droned on as Laurel worked her sides. Down one row and back again, she fixed broken threads and helped the doffers exchange full bobbins for empty ones. As she did so, the supervisor walked over, inspecting her work.
“I guess everyone has an off week. Just don’t make it a habit,” he said, finding no fault in her. “His Lordship wants to see you, and while you’re up there, I think you should thank him for letting you keep your job.”
She had not seen Christopher at all that week, except for passing him in the hallway or when he walked through the spinning room. Laurel tried her best not to run down the aisle and up the stairs, instead taking them step by step. It was only when she was in the safety of his office that she let her true feelings show.
“I couldn’t take it any longer,” Christopher confessed as she enfolded herself into his arms. “I had to see you.”
He took her face in his hands and trailed kisses along her cheek. When his lips met hers, Laurel lost herself. It was not until she felt her back slam against the cold wall that she realized what he intended to do.
“Not here!” she said. “Someone will catch us.”
Christopher paid no attention to her protests, and hiked her heavy skirts up around her waist. After fumbling with the buttons on his trousers, he drove himself into her with enough force to make her yelp. Laurel wrapped one of her stocking-clad legs around his waist as his hips thrust again and again. She could feel his warm breath in her ear, his face buried against the wall. Everything shook from the vibrations of the spinning machines, and Laurel was just beginning to feel the surge of passion welling up inside her when the front door to his office burst open.
It was his secretary, and she looked right into Laurel’s face.
Their eyes met as the young woman stood transfixed, unable – or unwilling – to move. Laurel tried in vain to stop him, but Christopher held her trapped between his heavy body and the wall. She was forced to endure the woman’s gaze until she felt every muscle in his body tighten simultaneously, and the tension drain with each shudder.
The door clicked against the frame before Christopher could turn around.
“She saw us!” Laurel cried. “ Oh God! Now everyone will know.”
“Go back downstairs and finish your work. I will try to handle this.”
Laurel
Similar Books
