The walk back to the Williams's estate was longer than Adeline anticipated as the sun began its' decent to the horizon. Adeline guessed it might be three o'clock or near there. Early evening at the absolute latest.
Gardenia was anxiously pacing the gazebo floor when Adeline finally emerged from the forest, her legs weighed down by unanswered questions that spiraled through her mind; how could I have let Camilla elope with Lewis? Will I ever see them again? How will Father and Mother react?
"Addie! Dear God! Where have you been this entire time? No one can find Camilla or Lewis. Many people say," she paused to take a breath as Adeline ascended the gazebo's sagging steps, "some say that they have eloped. Do you really believe Camilla would go through with such a thing? I mean, of course she told us she was, but I never thought she would have the nerve to do it."
Adeline opened her mouth, contemplating whether to lie or tell the truth. If she did tell the truth, the couple would most likely be found because of the limited amount of churches in the city, nearly all the church attendees attended one specific church.
"I..."
"Addie, do you know where they went?" Gardenia's piercing eyes nearly made Adeline shiver. They were two deadly silver daggers, aimed right at her wall of strength.
She took a deep breath, attempting to calm her racing heart. "No, I do not."
Gardenia glared at her older sister, scrutinizing her face for any sign of weakness. "I believe you do."
"Gardenia!" Adeline exclaimed much too loudly, her false shock clearly heard. "How dare you say such an idiotic thing!"
"I am not the one lying for someone that stole my finance," her younger sister's face burned in her agitation. Adeline swallowed, busying herself with straightening up her scattered art supplies.
"Camilla," she said to a blue colored paint brush, "is my sister and I will stand by her no matter what circumstances occur."
Gardenia sighed in annoyance. "Will you even stand by her when she gets her heart destroyed? Did you at least warn her about Lewis's fickle nature?"
Adeline's head snapped up to stare at Gardenia in shock for saying such a frank thing. "Lewis is not fickle."
"That, is not what I observed this afternoon." Gardenia glared at her older sister.
"You, Miss, are overstepping your boundaries. I understand of course that you are wise beyond your years but that does not give you the right nor privilege to go and accuse people of something that they may or may not be."
"Why are you being so defensive? Why are you defending someone that hurt you? Why are denying Lewis's fickleness?"
Adeline sighed exasperatedly. "This conversation is not going in any direction whatsoever. Excuse me, I have a sister to search for." She brushed past Gardenia on her way down the gazebo steps.
"Addie-"
"What Gardenia?" Adeline snapped, glancing over her shoulder to glare at her younger sister.
"I was just going to say that I believe your searching will be cut short." Both girls turned to look up to see their mother, looking extremely agitated, as she stalked through the crabapple trees.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"I cannot believe Camilla! If we ever find her, she is never going anywhere without parental supervision!" Their mother huffed as the carriage settled into an uncomfortable silence. Iris fiddled with a ruffle in her dress, Gardenia stared down at her shoes, and Adeline stared absentmindedly out the carriage's window.
A passerby caught her eye, making her straighten up as the carriage rumbled past him. He was quite a young lad, possibly near her own age. His bright blonde hair was partially hidden underneath a cap with a ruffly sewn patch in it, the cap hiding most of the boy's facial features. All Adeline could see was that he had a tanned face with brown eyes, chocolate like. He was quite tall, possibly six foot, but it was so difficult to tell because he was several feet away.
He was carrying a pail in his right hand, the side of his body that was facing away from her, but to her utter surprise she saw no left arm swinging by his side. Instead she saw an empty shirt sleeve. He only has one arm! The moment she thought this, the stranger looked up at the passing carriage, almost glaring at it as he walked in the opposite direction the carriage was going.
However, the moment his eyes met hers she saw his face softened. A ray of sunshine briefly showed down on the stranger, illuminating his face. Adeline's breath caught in her throat at the sight of his eyes. They were like two squares of her favorite milk chocolate except it was as if someone had taken her mother's prized gold jewelry and melted it down, mixing it in with the chocolate. His eyes were a concoction of chocolate and gold flecks all melted together into one.
He smirked slightly at her gawking, his chocolate golden eyes lighting up as his lip twitched upwards with a half smile.
"Addie!" Her name brought her back to the present, forcing her to look away from the stranger as the carriage rumbled past him.
"Yes?"
Gardenia narrowed her eyes at her older sister, her mouth set in a frown. "Who were you just staring at?"
Adeline blushed, looking out the carriage window once more as she replied. "No one, Gardenia."
"Then why are you blushing?"
She glared at her younger sister, not daring to look at her mother's quizzical eyes. "You must be mistaken, Gardenia." Adeline said through her teeth.
"I just cannot believe she would do such an idiotic thing," their mother mumbled absentmindedly as she rung her hands in her lap. Their father put a hand out to stop her, enveloping her two hands in his one.
"My darling, we will find them." He smiled reassuringly at their mother but Adeline already knew that the chances of finding her sister were very slim. They might be in the next county by now.
The carriage slowed to a near halt as the estate's gates were opened, the ancient and slightly rusted gates squeaking rather loudly. "Remind me to tell Emmanuel to oil the hinges," Her father whispered to her as the carriage began its' climb up Johnson Hill.
After several winding bends, the estate at last came into view. Its' majestic red brick and two white columns might have reminded some of southern houses but columns were quite the fashion for any household, North or South. Several wide windows proclaimed the front of the house as their home, allowing sunlight to filter inside and place shadows on the walls of hallways. A balcony sat above the columns, allowing a view of nearly all of the family's land and the surrounding area.
Adeline sat straight up at the sight of someone standing on the balcony, their arms propping them up against the balcony's railing. Could it be?
As the carriage crawled closer, at last coming to a stop in front of the prized house, Adeline looked up at the balcony once more but no one was there. Had I been mistaken? Had my mind just been playing tricks on me? She again glanced up at the balcony but there was still no one there. Was that Camilla?
"Mother?" Adeline asked as her mother exited the carriage.
"Yes?"
"Do we have any visitors?"
Her mother's face furrowed in concentration and confusion. "No, I do not believe so. Why?"
"Curiosity," Adeline replied too quickly as she followed Gardenia out of the carriage. Her mother's eyes narrowed but she did not question her daughter's answer.
"Your hand, Miss." She nearly fell out of the carriage due to her scattered thoughts had the footman not caught her.
"Thank you," Adeline gently pushed away from him, her face turning as bright red as a freshly picked rose.
"Your most welcome, Miss." The footman gave her a small smile before turning to help Iris down.
"Father, may I?" Adeline glanced at the stables, that were at the far right corner of their lawn, where Charlotte was awaiting her.
He sighed deeply, scrutinizing her face before answering her. "I suppose, my dear." Her face broke out into a grin as she thanked him before running off.
The Johnson's stables were housed in a red barn, to match the red bricks of the house, however for guest's horses they were housed in a stable closer to the estate.
Adeline heaved the door open, its' hinges clunking and shaking as it at last swung open. "Emmanuel?" She called out into the dark. Why has he not lit a lantern?
"Miss Adeline?" Came a voice from the dark.
"Emmanuel, please light a lantern!" Adeline demanded as a sudden gust of wind made the door careen back into place, its' force pushing Adeline into the darkened barn.
"Oh yes! So sorry Miss, I forgot for I jus got here!" He said as she heard him fumbling around, searching for a lantern. "I found one!" He exclaimed as light illuminated the barn, bathing everything it touched in an orange glow.
"Thank you, Emmanuel." His dark face broke out into a white toothed smile at her words.
"Why you most welcome, Miss Adeline. You prolly wanna ride Charlotte, doncha?" He picked the bridle and saddle off the wall but Adeline reached out to stop him.
She stared down at her pale white hand against his dark brown skin and pulled away instantly. "I-I am so sorry. I do not know what came over me. I was just trying to stop you from choosing the sidesaddle. For you see," Adeline glanced briefly into his eyes before continuing, "I would like to use the man saddle."
Emmanuel's eyes flashed. "Why Miss Adeline you and I knows that I'd be in big trouble with Mister Johnson if I lets you ride a man's saddle. And what would the Missus say? Why she send me away faster than you can say sidesaddle!" He waved his arms around widely as he spoke, his hands finally settling on his hips as he glared at her.
She laughed quietly, brushing past him to pick the man's saddle off the wall. "If you are questioned you will tell them the truth."
"And that would be?" He asked, taking the saddle out of her hands. Adeline huffed in annoyance which brought a barely noticeable smile to Emmanuel's lips.
"That you attempted," she took the saddle out of his hands, "to stop be but since I am your employer's daughter, you must obey what I tell you."
He glared at her, making her shrink away from him. "I hate it when you say it so proper like that."
"Say what?"
"'Employer's daughter, you must obey what I tell you.' You make me sound like a slave." Emmanuel's eyes flashed at the word, ripping the saddle away from her and placing it back on its' hook.
"I never implored that! And if I should by accident, please do not get upset. I hate to see people upset," she bit her lip, wishing that the last line had not left her mouth. What are you trying to say, Addie? How will he respond to such a hinting comment? I had not even meant to make it hinting!
Surprise openly displayed itself across Emmanuel's face as he took the man's saddle off its's hook. "I hate to see you upset as well." His eyes bore into her soul, sending shivers up her spin.
"Thank you, Emmanuel." She smiled tightly as she took the saddle, vowing to always think before she spoke around him. "Could you saddle Charlotte for me?"
"Of course," he pushed himself off the wall and took the saddle from her, opening one of the stable doors and leading Charlotte out.
Adeline stared at her horse with a balloon of happiness rising from the pit of her stomach and expanding until it reached her heart. Camilla and Adeline had raised Charlotte from a foal but it had been decided that Adeline would be the one to ride her. Camilla loved animals but could not for the life of her muster up enough courage to ride one.
Emmanuel quickly cinched up the girth and put the bridle on up over her head, the bit in her mouth. He handed Adeline the reins as Charlotte thrust her head joyfully into the air, letting out a whinny. Adeline smiled as she settled herself into the saddle, pulling up her dress ever so slightly that way she didn't sit on the fabric. Emmanuel cast her a worried glance before opening one of the barn's doors.
"Be careful," he said as Charlotte walked out into the sunlight, shaking her head happily.
"I will," Adeline smiled at him, "Oh and Father said you need to oil the gate again." She called over her shoulder as Charlotte took off at a gallop down the grassy knoll.