Wildflowers | S.Jy

| 24 |

I licked my pointer finger gently before turning the page in my book. I would only have a little more than eighty pages to go before it was finished, and it was only an hour after lunch. I would even be done with the book before dinner.

After lunch I had situated myself in the sunroom to read my book. I had found myself comfortable in the arm chair near the windows that looked out over the lake the Winchesters lived by. My feet tugged up under my butt as I mostly leaned on my right hip - my skirt all over the chair. Yet, I didn't care how my skirt laid, I was simply too engrossed in my book.

"Millie?" my grandmother's voice called out and I hummed mindlessly, flipping the page yet again, "Millie."

"Yes?" I questioned, still not looking up from my book.

"I expect you to look up when I am speaking to you," she stated and I looked up, getting quite shocked to see Mira in the room as well, her arms crossed over her chest. Secondly my grandfather was also standing in the room, hiding behind my grandmother.

"Have I done something?" I questioned in confusion, closing my book, keeping a finger on my page, "did something happen?"

"You tell us, has anything important happened lately?" my grandmother questioned calmly folding her hands in front of her.

"Uhm... no, I wouldn't think so," I shook my head after a few seconds of thinking. Quietly smiling in amusement at the sight of my family members in front of me.

"So if I was to bring up you and mr. Sim, nothing new would pop up in your mind?" my grandmother questioned and I snickered slightly. Firstly confused as to if she was hinting at the courting or what it was.

"Just admit it!" Mira loudly exclaimed, almost screamed by the rasp that came from her throat.

"That we're courting?" I questioned and opened my book again, nonchalantly continuing to read the words on the page in front of me, "I thought it was natural that that was the next step. Was it not, grandmother?"

"You don't think there should've been a conversation with us about it?" my grandmother questioned sternly with an arched brow.

"I wouldn't see why," I shrugged and glanced up at her, "he asked grandfather when he was over for tea a while back. We even visited mother and father the other day. All the permission needed is given."

"You allowed this?" my grandmother questioned my grandfather and I looked at them in amusement. My grandfather seeming to shrink slightly under her look of disbelief.

"You can't possibly be mad," my grandfather excused calmly, "have you not seen the way she talks about him? Now, I know I was the only one who greeted them after the ball, but I had no bad feelings about giving my permission for the courting."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Mira loudly complained once again, crossing her arms tighter over her chest to further prove her protest, "I was supposed to be courted by mr. Sim!"

"I am fully convinced that the feelings mr. Sim has towards Millie is something near pure love, if it isn't already," my grandfather defended and I smiled quietly in return, "and she clearly is infatuated with him."

"So what's the plan now? He's going back home soon," my grandmother reminded and I nodded at her.

"As I have nothing important to do around here, and neither does he, we've set off specific days in the week to do things together," I calmly replied and closed my book once more, "tomorrow he'll take me on a horse ride, most likely through the valley. Besides, most courtships start together and develop through letters. Is that not right, grandmother?"

"It was how we developed our-" my grandfather started and my grandmother immediately cut him off.

"I am well aware of that," she hissed, only turning her head partially to look back at him, "what I am convinced is that Millie does not have any idea of what she's getting herself into."

"Oh, I am fully aware," I assured her, "mrs. Lee call it a companionate courtship... if that was the right word. It is a courtship based on mutual feelings and not practicality," I assured with a small nod, "and I am fully aware that it might entail engagement and as of now there's no other man in the entirety of England I'd rather be engaged to, thank you very much."

"He'll break your heart, Millie," my grandmother coldly pointed out and I frowned slightly, my amused smile not disappearing yet, "city girls have their charms. They know how to get the boy they want. The ladies in Cambridge are dazzlingly pretty. He'll change his mind once he go back home."

"I decide not to believe so," I quickly stated and opened my book once again, "now if you'll excuse me... I've promised Jake to finish my book before our ride tomorrow, so I can tell him everything about it. I do not intend to disappoint him."

My grandmother scoffed in offense before simply walking off with my grandfather trailing after her. I knew Mira hadn't left, her presence was a bug that continued to brother me in the corner of my eye. Refusing to leave my sight.

"Can I be of any more help to you Mira?" I questioned and turned my page.

"Grandmother was right... city girls are incredibly pretty, especially the girls in Cambridge," Mira quietly murmured, "you would think the city air is what does them good."

I glanced up towards her as she turned on her heel and walked off. Even though all of their claims had sparked a doubt deep down in the pit of my stomach I had to shake it off me. I knew I had to. I should not let endless doubt paint the last few weeks I had left with Jake before he would leave to go back home again.

If he was any sort of the person I had made him out to be these past months then he would not just change his mind once he got to Cambridge. That is regardless of how pretty and charming the girls might be in Cambridge.