Aunt Juliana paused for a moment. ?Since Thomas and William have left for work today and I have things to do, you?ll have to go alone. Are you sure you?d still like to go?? she questioned thoughtfully.
?Of course I?d still like to go, I?d love to go!? I cried, laughing. ?As soon as I?m done with this, I?m going to get ready and go. Unless of course, you have something else for me to do??
?Oh no, darling. I?ll finish up here and you can go get dressed.? I said thank you and blew her a kiss before rushing up the stairs.
I looked through my closet and decided to put on a ruffled white dress with sea green lace strung through it. The dress was in the current style, close fitting to emphasize the tiny waists and ballooning hips that were so popular now. Of course, hardly any women had this natural figure without a lot of extra help from the corset.
Strange it was that in today?s times it seemed all the dresses exposed breasts and clung to curves. I didn?t need a corset, for the dress was like a corset itself. Inheriting my mother?s figure didn?t hurt either. I got a parasol from the closet and walked down the stairs.
?Don?t stay out too long,? warned Aunt Juliana from the kitchen as I walked out the door. She ran to me and gave me a purse filled with some money. ?In case you want to buy anything or eat or something.?
?Thanks,? I whispered, hugging her and walking down the street.
Aunt Juliana lived almost in the center of the city, so it was a short walk downtown. I got the stares of many admiring young men, but I never returned them. My mother had always taught me to never give any man his time of the day until they absolutely worked for it.
I wondered when my family would come and visit me. Though I was in no hurry for Helena to come nor my mother in the state she was yesterday. I couldn?t believe only yesterday I had made the trip from Oakwater to Charleston.
After a couple of hours of walking around, I began to grow hungry so I stopped to buy an apple from a local merchant. The man, who introduced himself as Daniel Merlethen, offered me a whole basketful of apples for the price of one. I simply shrugged my shoulders and said yes, thinking Aunt Juliana could have use for them. Daniel seemed crestfallen when I turned to continue walking instead of staying to chat with him with the bit of conversation he had started.
The smells and sights intoxicated me. I, who was used to nothing but the simplest, albeit a father who spoiled, a father who never said no. As my head was turned to the other side, I ran smack into something solid and warm, causing my apples to spill in the street.
The man, who was dressed in fine clothing, went right down with me to pick up the apples. ?I?m terribly sorry,? he kept saying, in his strangely educated voice. ?It?s okay,? I would reply, nervously laughing. Occasionally, our arms or heads or other parts of the upper body would bump together, causing us to lose the apple we were both going for.
Once we had them all together, he stood up and then helped me up. He was handsome, like some Grecian god come to enlighten us with his good looks and attractiveness. His thick flaxen blonde hair was framed in the sun, making it seem like a halo floated above his hair. It was just wavy enough to be utterly perfect. His eyes were a clear cerulean blue, much lighter than my own eyes. They sparkled when he smiled or laughed and would surely enchant any woman he set those eyes on. His fine Roman nose was flawless and his mouth was finely shaped, his bottom lip puffing out just slightly. Easily enough, he was over six feet, perhaps six feet two. Handsome.
?Sorry about that,? he said, his eyes burning into my own. ?I?m Garland Foxworth, it was a pleasure to meet you in such a way,? he joked, ?Miss??
?Farthingfield, Corinne Farthingfield,? I finished for him, a smile lighting up my face as he took my hand gently and pressed a whispery kiss against it with his soft lips.
?A pleasure to meet you, Miss Farthingfield,? he said softly, his voice sending shivers up my spine and causing my heart to flutter.
?Likewise,? I said unsurely, surveying the area around me. I noticed a carriage on the side of the road and Garland noticed my stares. He chuckled. ?You see, Miss-Corinne, if I may.? I nodded. ?Well then, Corinne, I was in my carriage and I noticed a beautiful young woman walking all alone. And I thought that someone such as yourself should be walking alone was surely not correct so I stepped out. Obviously, I didn?t plan for the apple spectacle. So, I suppose I shall ask you what I set out to ask you in the first place. It?d delight me to have the pleasure of your company and so, would you honor me with your presence by kindly accepting my offer of a ride home in my carriage??
I just couldn?t say no for fear that he would be severely disappointed, he sounded that sincere! And I also wanted to ride with him in what looked like a very luxurious carriage. I smiled and nodded my head. ?I will accept your offer, thank you.?
His face beamed and he ran over to the carriage, escorting me by the elbow. I walked almost awkwardly, unable to keep up with his long legs while I was in this confining dress. He held out his hand and helped me into the carriage, whispering in the ear of the driver something I couldn?t hear.
Garland turned back to me. ?Corinne, you must tell me every little thing about yourself. How you got here, why you got here. Everything, I mean it.?
I stared at him, a look of puzzlement crossing over my face. ?Well,? I began hesitantly, ?I was born in Oakwater. I don?t know if you?ve heard of it, it?s a little town just north of here. I have an older sister. Um, let?s see, I just came here yesterday to live with my aunt. I?m seventeen years old. I think that?s about it.?
Garland was always smiling, something that delighted me. ?I?m sure there?s more you could tell me.?
By the end of the buggy ride, I had discovered he was rich, not just any rich but one of the richest men in the country. Both his parents had died. I learned he had an older brother and a younger sister, Jonathan and Adelaide. Jonathan had almost given up his claim on the Foxworth fortune, he wanted to make his own way in life. It was Garland?s mother that insisted Jonathan receive an allocation and even wrote it into her will. Adelaide wasn?t even nineteen so Garland was almost the sole heir.
We arrived at the house and I felt that I just couldn?t leave it at that, just a conversation and a carriage ride. ?Garland, would you like to come for dinner tonight?? I asked, praying he would say yes.
Garland seemed surprised I would ask him and heartily agreed. ?Great, then just come at 6:30.? He exited the carriage and arrived at my side, helping me out. ?See you then, Corinne,? he said cheerfully after relinquishing the hold he had on my hand.
I waved goodbye and entered the house.