Love at Twin Oaks Pt. 1
#1 of Love at Twin Oaks
The petite doe nibbled on her lower lip as she studied her reflection in the looking glass in front of her and, after much deliberation, announced, "One more should do it, nanny."
Behind her the aging badger groaned and retorted, "One more of them big curls and your head's gonna tip right on over to your shoulders, missy."
Freda threaded her charge's fine blond hair over the heating rod once more, twisting the silken smooth strands close to the heat. When she released the rod the new curl bounced pertly just behind Therese's delicate left ear. The saucy ringlets were the last touch in a toilette that had taken hours. She wore a mauve silk day gown with bows along the hem and white lace at the throat and shoulders. Underneath, a pink taffeta petticoat crinkled and swished as Therese paced the room. Her small hands were encased in white kid gloves and on her slender hooves she sported pale leather lace-up boots with feminine bows at the base of the laces. On her cheeks blushed a hint of forbidden rouge pilfered from her mother's dressing room.
The reason for all the fuss was soon realized when, with a squeal, Therese rushed to the window, exclaimed, "He's here!" , and immediately rushed out the door and down the stairs.
Therese's beau, Florien, stepped down from the driver's seat of his buggy and stroked the nose of the dark bay gelding hitched to it. His father had recently purchased the animal from Twin Oaks and he thought it a fitting choice for an outing with Twin Oaks' beautiful debutante. He looked up when Therese bust through the door and only just managed to prepare himself before she threw herself into his arms.
"Oh darling, I was worried you wouldn't come." she pouted, "Charlotte said she saw you at the train station on Friday and I would just be so upset if you went on a trip without saying goodbye. You know how I do love our Sunday drives."
Before she could speak another word the trim buck gripped her waist and twirled her around, making her skirts twirl around their legs. He looked into her bright blue eyes and whispered, "How could I leave you when you look this beautiful?" Florien placed a gentle kiss on her reddening cheek before releasing her and beckoning toward the passenger seat of the buggy.
Therese stepped up into the front and sat, arranging her skirts around her. Florien jumped up on the opposite side and gripped the reins. Before they could depart, however, Freda rushed out of the house with a pink parasol. "Therese," she scolded, "do you want to get freckles, what would your mother say!"
Finally prepared, the couple wheeled around and sped off though the gate and onto the road.
The badger sighed, "Young love..."
Therese smiled contentedly and, the threat of freckles forgotten, tipped her sweet face up to the sun. She looked out from under her lashes at the handsome young buck who was her driver and date on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. Florien was also thinking about his luck; after all, how many other fellows in the county had such a bonny lass so willing to ride in their buggies?
When they reached the bank of the river Florien pulled the carriage off the main road and turned down a faint path to their favourite picnic spot. The small clearing was ringed by five huge weeping willows and dipped in a gentle slope to the sandy bank of an oxbow perfect for wading. The wind whispered its way through the canopy and the short grass was soft and fragrant as it crushed under their blanket.
The couple knelt on the blanket and began unpacking the basket packed by Florien's family cook. Inside were several cucumber and cress sandwiches, ripe pears, and slices of roast chicken. Therese gasped appreciatively as Florien pulled the final item from the hamper: a whole dish full of peach cobbler, the first of the season!
"You spoil me!" she teased, and he agreed, "But you're worth it."
Florien reached for her hand and grasped it between his own. "Therese, there is something very important I want to tell you, and I thought you should be the first to know."
"Yes?" she breathed, daring to hope that today was the day she had secretly been hoping for ever since the attractive and youthful son of the local judge had begun to call on her. Especially since he couldn't be bothered to spare a glance for any of the other young ladies in the county.
"I have been thinking about the future... specifically our future, and I have come to an important decision. "
TO BE CONTINUED