“Miss Priscilla, if you will kindly get to the point? What is it you require from me?” He had forsaken any indication of humor and stared at her balefully, willing the words from her lips. A gust of air escaped her mouth and she frowned.
“To discuss our wedding, of course,” she replied angrily. “It is only a month from now, after all.”
Chapter 2
Laughter filled the courtyard and Elizabeth Follett rushed forward to gently push her older sister, Frances again before darting back. She cast her brother, David a secretive glance. She pressed her finger to her lips to caution her younger sibling into silence and waited for Frances to react.
“I will find you!” Frances called, her child-like voice filled with determination and glee. Her long arms reached out, the blindfold still covering her eyes as she spun around, seeking her siblings.
“No you will not!” Elizabeth giggled. “Blind man’s bluff!”
Once more, Frances spun but caught her ankle-length boot on a stone and stumbled forward. She fell, extending her arms too late to catch herself from tumbling to the grass. Elizabeth and David gasped in unison, one close to tripping upon the other to attend to Frances.
“Oh, Franny, are you injured?” Elizabeth cried, worry piercing her heart when she arrived at her older sister’s side. Frances remained on the ground, unmoving but when Elizabeth removed the blindfold, she saw the girl’s eyes staring vacantly into the blue of the sky above. Nothing appeared hurt but her very fragile ego.
“I do not like this game,” Frances grumbled and Elizabeth exhaled with relief.
“We shall not play again,” she assured Frances. “Shall we, David?”
David shook his head in solidarity and assisted his oldest sister to her feet. Frances reluctantly accepted his arm but the pout did not leave her face.
“We shall forever strike the wicked game of Blind Man’s Bluff from our memories,” David agreed. “It shall be a forbidden game henceforth.”
The younger siblings exchanged a worried glance when Frances did not smile. Thinking quickly, Elizabeth attempted another way to earn a beam from her.
“I daresay, David, did Ruth not make fresh cheese this morning? Do you think it has set?”
David looked pensive and nodded his head in a serious fashion.
“Indeed, Liza, I believe you speak in truth.”
As Elizabeth suspected, a twinkle of interest glimmered in Frances’ hazel eyes.
“Cheese, you say?” the older girl murmured. “Are you certain?”
“Surely there is only one way to know for a fact,” Elizabeth replied, raising her dark eyebrows. “We must go look.”
Her foul mood dissipating, Frances squealed with delight and danced forward through the field not unlike the bantling she appeared to be. David cast Elizabeth a sidelong look as their sister skipped away, and sighed deeply.
“I do worry about her,” he muttered. The words only echoed Elizabeth’s own thoughts. It was one that both the Follett siblings shared often, their concern for Frances only growing as the young woman matured in body but not in mind. Elizabeth quickly dismissed the gloomy notion and smiled.
“You need not,” Elizabeth replied brightly. “She is happy here, protected.”
“How happy can she be with the mind of a child?” David insisted. “I ask myself every day how we can make her life more comfortable but I fear I always find myself without answer.”
“David, our sister is kind and sweet. She is loved and cared for. You need not fret for her when she does not fret herself,” Elizabeth insisted. “Our concerns for her are far greater than her concerns for herself, I am certain. Moreover, I feel sometimes that she is much less simple than we believe. I think she oftentimes uses her simplicity to have us bow to her whims.”
“But she will never find love, be married,” David insisted. “What kind of life will she have as an old maid?”
Elizabeth could think of worse things to be than a high-born but unwed lady. Frances would always have the love of her family, after all. She wanted for nothing and led a comfortable life, even if it did not meet the expectations of some of their peers. Elizabeth did not offer her insights to David on the matter, however. She knew it would only result in an argument from him.
“What do you know of love? You are barely sixteen,” Elizabeth teased. “Have you begun a courtship?”
The tips of David’s ears tinged pink and Elizabeth stopped in mid-step to gape at him when he did not deny her question.
“Youhave!” she choked. “Who is she? Does Father approve?”
“I do not wish to discuss it!” David protested, his pace increasing to walk away from her. Of course, Elizabeth would have none of it and dashed after him, her voice rising to fill his ears.
