Old Secrets, New Discoveries

Chapter One

And another dedication to SophieKrarup for the cover :D 

Not sure that anyone was reading this story...but it's back anyways :)

I am currently not working on this. I eventually plan to re-write and finish it, but just a heads up. It's certainly not my best work, and is not likely to be updated soon. 

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Chapter One

Rachel sighed, snapping her book shut and pulling herself into a sitting position. With a slight frown, she brushed off the front of her dress, for she had been lying on her stomach in the hay loft. Not a wise thing to do when one was expecting important company, perhaps, but she did not care. Besides, wasn’t company meant to keep you from getting lonely, not to ridicule you? The time and effort put into visits from certain people was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. Rachel nodded to herself, mentally agreeing with a statement that she had just  thought.

At the sound of horses, she ran through the hay, and grabbed onto a large beam, leaning out over the open space of the barn bellow. They were here! Mama’s rich friend and her family. Eyeing the wealthy party and their beautiful carriage, the girl grudgingly admitted (though to whom she could not have told) that perhaps there was something logical behind all of her mother’s preparations. Rachel hung precariously, but had no fear of falling, not with her hand wrapped as firmly around the pole as it was. Her dress swayed, dangling over, and her hair tumbled down away from her as she watched with curiosity.

And curious she might rightly be, for her mother was rarely so excitable. For the past month, Mama had been strangely nervous and anxious. Rachel attributed the strange behaviour to the fact that she had not seen her friend in many years, although they used to be closer than sisters. All day she had been reading up here, impatiently waiting for the arrival of her long anticipated guests- and avoiding a certain someone named Tristan. Although avoiding him in a place where he worked was a difficult feat to accomplish. Ah, well, what could she say? Challenges were fun.

The stable did not by any means belong to her family, they were public, but she loved the scents and sounds and this was a favourite haunt of hers. Ever since she was small she had been climbing up here, something many people were unable to do as there was no ladder. In fact, when she was only seven people had begun calling it “Rachel’s Loft” and the name had stuck all through the next ten years, Rachel was seventeen now and it was still called that.

The sounds from bellow grew louder, as the carriage stopped directly beneath her perch. Two people were already busy with the horses, while the family disembarked from their fancy travelling coach. Rachel began to feel nervous, knowing how much her making a good impression would mean to her mother, especially as she was the only member of the family here to greet them. Stepping back, she more thoroughly brushed herself off, gently pulling hay and straw from her hair as well as she tried to smooth it down and look the part of a young lady.

A young lady indeed! Using those words for me must be the overstatement of the century, Rachel thought, shaking her head quietly at nothing in particular. She was perhaps the only person who would think thus though, as she was generally viewed as the gem of the village. Not that anyone would tell her though, no, not ever, never in a million years. Who would dream of telling such a sweet thing that she was viewed so highly? No one in their right mind, of course, for to do such a thing would be to spoil her with her own vanity. If a person were to ask what vanity, as Rachel appeared to have none- pride was a different matter- then they would probably be promptly informed that she would get it if praised.

“Rachel!” one of the stable boys called to her with a grin and a wave, “Maybe you’ll escort your guests back to your house for me? I have other work still.”