Chapter Twelve

Chapter 12





I sit on the edge of the pond with Will. Will is reclining as I sit. I feel complete contentment as I look out on the water. The pond is our special spot. This is the place we went to all the time when we were kids. It’s a week since that wonderful Independence Day. We have not told our news yet. We wanted to wait, give Josephine and Arthur some time to bask in with their news. We plan on telling everyone tonight after supper. I fill with excitement when I think of telling everyone.
I packed a picnic lunch for us. Will lies on the blanket as I sit and look at the water. I look at Will and see the adoration in his eyes. If I live to be one hundred I will never get enough of seeing that in his eyes. He reaches up and teaks my nose with his fore finger. I smile. With the same finger he traces the line of freckles on my face. I love how he loves my freckles. My entire life I hated my freckles, and Will loves them. I lean forward and he places a kiss on my nose. I close my eyes to treasure this moment. I pray God gives me and Will many, many more of these special moments together.
Will stands and reaches for my hands. I place my hands in his and he pulls me up. He pulls me close and I place my cheek on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. I wind my arms around his waist. He strokes my hair. I have never felt so secure than right now in Will’s arms. He whispers words of love in my ear. He kisses the top of my head. I smile to myself. If someone had told me a year ago that I’d be in Will’s arms with him whispering words of love in my ear I’d have laughed. Now I just sigh and smile.
He releases me reluctantly. I step out of his embrace. I start picking up the food. He folds the quilt, and places it on top of the basket. I am hesitant to leave the pond. This is my favorite spot in Whispering Hills, next of course to Dot’s store. I turn to Will.
“Ya still mess up skippin’ rocks?” Will asks me with a teasing grin.
“Now, Mr. Duncan, are you insinuating that me Miss Winthorpe messes up anything?” I place my hands over my heart dramatically and say in my best Southern Belle impersonation. He grins. I smile sweetly and bat my eyelashes at him. “Well, Darlin’ we’re just going to have to fix that now aren’t we?” I sashay to the edge of the pond and pick up a small rock. I toss a grin over my shoulder at Will who’s walking towards me. “Watch and learn, Mr. Duncan.” I flick my wrist as I toss the pebble into the water and watch it sink. Will is now standing next to me and leans his head back and laughs. I turn to him with a mock upset look on my face. “Oh, do stop laughing. Do you not know it’s not polite to laugh at a lady’s actions?”
“More like miss actions milady.” He flashes that big grin. I swat his arm and pick up another pebble. I try again with the same results. I stomp my foot. I never could get this right. I glare at Will, and he laughs harder. I pick up pebble after pebble and get the same results with all. I turn to Will and see him successfully skip a rock across five times then see the rock sink. He turns to me with a big grin.
“Lizzy, it’s all in the wrists. If you flick your wrist the right way it’ll skip. Here. Watch.” He picks up a rock and it skips four times. He turns back to me with a that’s-all-it-takes look on his face. “Ya want me to teach ya?”
“No, thank you. I’d rather leave that pass time to people who’d enjoy it.” I turn back and head towards the basket. “We should start heading back.” I throw over my shoulder. I hear Will jog to catch up with me. He stops next to me. He picks up the basket and hands me the quilt.
“Want to race back?” I ask him. I see the amused glint in his eyes as a yes. I hike up my skirts and start running towards home. I look back and see the bewildered look on his face and see him running after me. I pick up my speed.
I feel my foot hit something then the throbbing pain in my toes. At the same time I stop to look, I hear Will yell then feel the impact of his body slamming into mine. The momentum of him hitting me causes me to tumble down the hill. I roll down feeling rocks and sticks jamming into my body. I hear Will rolling slightly above me.
I land on level ground, panting and feeling sticks and grass in my hair. During the roll my hair-pins have fallen out and my hair lies in a pile of matted black mess. I see Will finish rolling down landing next to me. I hear his throaty laugh and start laughing as well. We lay there on the ground with grass and twigs in our hair laughing.
I do not know how long we laid there. Once we stopped laughing we started pointing out things in the clouds. Around us things from the picnic basket lay scattered all over. I see the sun wants to set. I sit up and look at Will. He sits up as well. We start picking up the things that fell out of the basket. We needed to be home long ago, but I am having such fun I do not want this day to end. Once we finish picking up, we start walking towards home once again. This time in a much slower pace. I thank God once again for allowing me to have these kinds of moments for the rest of my life.



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We are all seated in the parlor, Ma knitting, Pa reading the paper. Josephine and Arthur are in their own world. Gamma and Anna are playing a game of chess. Grandpa is helping Anna. Will and Mr. John are sitting on the sofa next to me. They are discussing current prices for horses. I sit here nervous as to what the reaction will be to Will and I’s announcement. I look around the room and analyze what I think their reaction will be. I catch Will’s eye sharing a secret smile with him. I catch Mr. John’s gaze and see him smile rather proudly. I wonder what that’s about. I look back at Will. He smiles and winks. He grabs hold of my hand and squeezes. I nod. He stands up and pulls me up with him. He clears his throat to get everyone’s attention. I see eight pairs of eyes turn to us. Will takes hold of my hand again. I see him look at each person and then back to me. Pa puts his paper down and smiles encouragingly at Will. I look back at Will. Pa knew? How did he know?
“Lizzy and I have an announcement” Will says. Everyone gives us their full attention. “Well, I have asked Lizzy to be my wife and she has accepted!”
Looks of bewilderment, then shock and finally joy show across everyone’s faces excluding Pa. Ma jumps up and hugs me then Will congratulating us, welcoming Will officially to the family. Gamma and Grandpa follow suit. Anna jabbers of how she knew all along and was just waiting for it to happen. Arthur and Josephine are more refined they hug us and congratulate us. Mr. John is last. He saunters over and slaps Will on the back.
“Will my boy, I don’t think you can get any better then this little lady here. I’m tickled pink, like a hog after a bout of rain rolling in a mud puddle. It’s about time ya do something about these feelings son.” He hugs me then sits back down. I share a smile with Will. He squeezes my hand and leads me back to the sofa and helps me sit down. I agree with Mr. John. I’m tickled pink, like a hog after a bout of rain rolling in a mud puddle.


God bless!