Katrina discovered the more she became involved and participated in Edge’s way of life there never seem to be enough hours in the day, between cooking and cleaning, sewing and looking after the animals, and now they had started to plant their potato crop.
It felt like her previous life in Linden Hall had just been some sort of dream,
Not that there were days when she would have liked to sit and back and wished there were still servants to do everything for her, but she never complained because although life was harder and more laborious that many a night she just fell into bed and was fast asleep in minutes, she had a sense of contentment and achievement she never felt before and sharing it with Edge made it even more worthwhile.
She decided that there was no point in looking back on her old life, it had gone, but sometimes reminders came back to haunt her unexpectedly.
She was planting the potato seedlings into the ground where Edge had furrowed and ploughed the soil, he was working ahead of her further up the field, it was quite a mild day and Edge had removed his shirt because he was working up a sweat with the ploughing.
Katrina would stop now and again, and watch him when he was not aware of it and had his back to her, ‘and a wonderful back it was too’ Katrina found herself thinking admiringly, then she heard voices, the male one sounded familiar as a horse and carriage trotted along the roadside just at the other side of the hedge from the field where she stood.
As it got closer she recognised it and the owner. It belonged to her one time fiancé Paul Gilson, in the carriage next to him was a pretty fair haired young woman. She had heard he had become betrothed again.
There was no time for her to move, and before she could lower her head she found his hazel eyes on her as the carriage drew past. His expression turned from a smile to that of shocked recognition, his talking ceased. Then as if hastily remembering the female sitting next to him he gathered his wits about him again and he hurriedly turned his attention back to her, not acknowledging Katrina in any way.
Katrina’s heart was hammering in her chest as she watched the carriage drive past and continue on up the narrow road, she imagined the horses had picked up a faster pace as it did so.
It had been as much as a shock for her as it had been for Paul. It was the first time she had set eyes on him again from the day he had broken of their engagement, she had almost put that incident out of her mind until now. It had shaken her a little
He had certainly recognised her, and she could imagine why he had been stunned to see her in a potato field, dressed in a simple rather dowdy gown, with a scarf tied around her head to stop her hair getting in her face. No wonder he had decided it was better not to speak to her, it would have been a rather awkward moment, especially with his new Fiancé sitting next to him, It would have been laughable if it had not been such a strained situation she decided
She thought she should feel a certain bitterness towards him, but she didn’t. Strange how she thought she had been in love with him, yet the kisses and holding hands and courtship they had had melted into nothing compared to the way Edge made her feel.
“Are you alright?” the sound of Edge’s concerned voice made her swing round to find his green eyes scrutinising her thoughtfully.
Had he spotted the carriage going by also and recognised its occupants?” She pondered a little worriedly, she couldn’t deal discussing it with him right now, she was still trying to sort out her own mixture of emotions, so she put on a bright smile
“I am fine” she assured him, and on impulse dropped the basket of potato seedlings on the ground to go over and wrap her arms around him, not caring about the sheen of sweat covering his bare torso. His arms came around her and she was grateful of their support.
“Why don’t we go back to the house and have some lunch, I forgot how hungry I was until now” she then said brightly, forcefully banishing the image of Paul Gilson’s face from her mind
“Sure” Edge replied, “I am kindda hungry myself” he admitted
*****************************************
She thought she had safely escaped the subject of Paul as they sat at the table in companionable silence whilst eating some bread and cheese. It was then that Edge spoke up
“Must have been a bit of a shock for you” he remarked in an almost casual tone
She just looked at him enquiringly.
“Seeing yer man, the one you were betrothed to, riding by like that”
Katrina’s heart sank realising Edge had witnessed the little scene, and was now probing her
She manage to shrug “It was a bit of a shock, but then living in the same district I suppose it was bound to happen” she pointed out philosophically
“Must have been strange for you though” Edge then remarked, his green eyes resting on her in a way that made her want to squirm
“I’m fine” she insisted staring at the bread in her hand as if it held great interest
“I don’t know how he sleeps in his bed at night” Edge then remarked, which made her look at him again
“What sort of a man deserts the woman he is going to marry when she is down on her luck and needs him, he should have stood up to his parents told them to hell with convention and society and stood by you married you anyway if he loved you enough, that’s what I would have done”
“I have no doubt you would have” Katrina smiled, “But then perhaps he did not love me enough” she finished quietly
“More fool him,” Edge remarked
“And just think, you might have not been stuck with me after all if he had” Katrina then pointed out her eyes scrutinising his for a reaction, wondering if that was what he was thinking about.
“Then his loss was my gain. Though I could never give you the comfort and wealth he could provide, but I would like to think that you are not unhappy” Edge said as he reached out to squeeze her hand in his, it was more of a comforting motion, she realised it was something he would say in an attempt to boost her low spirits, to try and make her feel better, he was such a sweet man.
As she looked into the warmth of his eyes she suddenly felt lost and overwhelmed by her feelings for him, with the realisation it wasn’t just that she cared or felt grateful to him anymore and he didn’t even realise how happy he made her, she had come loved him with every fibre of her being
The power of this revelation in her heart made her suddenly get up from the table. The depth of her feelings for him suddenly made it hard for her to face him, she realised she hadn’t known what love really meant until now, and the knowledge brought a mixture of emotions.
“I am sorry if all this has upset you” Edge spoke up as she walked away keeping her back to him, “I shouldn’t have brought the subject up, it must be still painful for you”
“It’s alright” Katrina manage to reply, realising Edge thought she was probably upset about seeing Paul, but it wasn’t that at all.
She didn’t give a damn about Paul Gilson, she knew he could have never made her as happy as Edge had done, despite the wealth and comfort he offered. But how could she explain it to Edge?
How could she let him know she was deeply in love with him, when all he felt for her was mostly based on pity and his strong sense of honour and chivalry, He probably still loved and mourned after his dead wife, and she felt sure she could never replace Juanita in his heart.
How awkward would he feel realising her feelings for him where far more stronger than he could return? She cared to much about his feelings, and did not want to put him in the position. Which was why she couldn’t face him right now, feeling tears welling up in her eyes at the hopelessness of her newfound situation
It felt like her previous life in Linden Hall had just been some sort of dream,
Not that there were days when she would have liked to sit and back and wished there were still servants to do everything for her, but she never complained because although life was harder and more laborious that many a night she just fell into bed and was fast asleep in minutes, she had a sense of contentment and achievement she never felt before and sharing it with Edge made it even more worthwhile.
She decided that there was no point in looking back on her old life, it had gone, but sometimes reminders came back to haunt her unexpectedly.
She was planting the potato seedlings into the ground where Edge had furrowed and ploughed the soil, he was working ahead of her further up the field, it was quite a mild day and Edge had removed his shirt because he was working up a sweat with the ploughing.
Katrina would stop now and again, and watch him when he was not aware of it and had his back to her, ‘and a wonderful back it was too’ Katrina found herself thinking admiringly, then she heard voices, the male one sounded familiar as a horse and carriage trotted along the roadside just at the other side of the hedge from the field where she stood.
As it got closer she recognised it and the owner. It belonged to her one time fiancé Paul Gilson, in the carriage next to him was a pretty fair haired young woman. She had heard he had become betrothed again.
There was no time for her to move, and before she could lower her head she found his hazel eyes on her as the carriage drew past. His expression turned from a smile to that of shocked recognition, his talking ceased. Then as if hastily remembering the female sitting next to him he gathered his wits about him again and he hurriedly turned his attention back to her, not acknowledging Katrina in any way.
Katrina’s heart was hammering in her chest as she watched the carriage drive past and continue on up the narrow road, she imagined the horses had picked up a faster pace as it did so.
It had been as much as a shock for her as it had been for Paul. It was the first time she had set eyes on him again from the day he had broken of their engagement, she had almost put that incident out of her mind until now. It had shaken her a little
He had certainly recognised her, and she could imagine why he had been stunned to see her in a potato field, dressed in a simple rather dowdy gown, with a scarf tied around her head to stop her hair getting in her face. No wonder he had decided it was better not to speak to her, it would have been a rather awkward moment, especially with his new Fiancé sitting next to him, It would have been laughable if it had not been such a strained situation she decided
She thought she should feel a certain bitterness towards him, but she didn’t. Strange how she thought she had been in love with him, yet the kisses and holding hands and courtship they had had melted into nothing compared to the way Edge made her feel.
“Are you alright?” the sound of Edge’s concerned voice made her swing round to find his green eyes scrutinising her thoughtfully.
Had he spotted the carriage going by also and recognised its occupants?” She pondered a little worriedly, she couldn’t deal discussing it with him right now, she was still trying to sort out her own mixture of emotions, so she put on a bright smile
“I am fine” she assured him, and on impulse dropped the basket of potato seedlings on the ground to go over and wrap her arms around him, not caring about the sheen of sweat covering his bare torso. His arms came around her and she was grateful of their support.
“Why don’t we go back to the house and have some lunch, I forgot how hungry I was until now” she then said brightly, forcefully banishing the image of Paul Gilson’s face from her mind
“Sure” Edge replied, “I am kindda hungry myself” he admitted
*****************************************
She thought she had safely escaped the subject of Paul as they sat at the table in companionable silence whilst eating some bread and cheese. It was then that Edge spoke up
“Must have been a bit of a shock for you” he remarked in an almost casual tone
She just looked at him enquiringly.
“Seeing yer man, the one you were betrothed to, riding by like that”
Katrina’s heart sank realising Edge had witnessed the little scene, and was now probing her
She manage to shrug “It was a bit of a shock, but then living in the same district I suppose it was bound to happen” she pointed out philosophically
“Must have been strange for you though” Edge then remarked, his green eyes resting on her in a way that made her want to squirm
“I’m fine” she insisted staring at the bread in her hand as if it held great interest
“I don’t know how he sleeps in his bed at night” Edge then remarked, which made her look at him again
“What sort of a man deserts the woman he is going to marry when she is down on her luck and needs him, he should have stood up to his parents told them to hell with convention and society and stood by you married you anyway if he loved you enough, that’s what I would have done”
“I have no doubt you would have” Katrina smiled, “But then perhaps he did not love me enough” she finished quietly
“More fool him,” Edge remarked
“And just think, you might have not been stuck with me after all if he had” Katrina then pointed out her eyes scrutinising his for a reaction, wondering if that was what he was thinking about.
“Then his loss was my gain. Though I could never give you the comfort and wealth he could provide, but I would like to think that you are not unhappy” Edge said as he reached out to squeeze her hand in his, it was more of a comforting motion, she realised it was something he would say in an attempt to boost her low spirits, to try and make her feel better, he was such a sweet man.
As she looked into the warmth of his eyes she suddenly felt lost and overwhelmed by her feelings for him, with the realisation it wasn’t just that she cared or felt grateful to him anymore and he didn’t even realise how happy he made her, she had come loved him with every fibre of her being
The power of this revelation in her heart made her suddenly get up from the table. The depth of her feelings for him suddenly made it hard for her to face him, she realised she hadn’t known what love really meant until now, and the knowledge brought a mixture of emotions.
“I am sorry if all this has upset you” Edge spoke up as she walked away keeping her back to him, “I shouldn’t have brought the subject up, it must be still painful for you”
“It’s alright” Katrina manage to reply, realising Edge thought she was probably upset about seeing Paul, but it wasn’t that at all.
She didn’t give a damn about Paul Gilson, she knew he could have never made her as happy as Edge had done, despite the wealth and comfort he offered. But how could she explain it to Edge?
How could she let him know she was deeply in love with him, when all he felt for her was mostly based on pity and his strong sense of honour and chivalry, He probably still loved and mourned after his dead wife, and she felt sure she could never replace Juanita in his heart.
How awkward would he feel realising her feelings for him where far more stronger than he could return? She cared to much about his feelings, and did not want to put him in the position. Which was why she couldn’t face him right now, feeling tears welling up in her eyes at the hopelessness of her newfound situation
Ver nice annj, who would not fall in love with Edge...I really enjoyed picturing him working in the field shirtless. NICE indeed
