The Diarist

In

Fall

By Atonia Walpole

From her diary: You wouldn’t think twenty hours could make a difference. I woke this morning in my room without Alex and felt completely alone and hurt. Somehow this house has made me feel loved today. It’s cold and windy whereas yesterday the sun was out and it was warm. I needed a sweater this morning when I went out early to the bluff.

The room down the hall is ready for whoever is coming today. I haven’t been in there, haven’t wanted to let go of Alex for a moment. I’m almost hoping he won’t come. it’s already mid-day. Maybe this House has taken pity on me, but I think not. I’m going to have a look in the room down the hall now.

It’s certainly different and yet I think of the same era. It’s old fashioned-looking and done in shades of blues, heavy sturdy-looking furniture, a soft faded quilt on the bed. I can’t imagine…the scent is different, much different from Alex’s. His was all grass and rain, this is, I don’t know, fresh air, a cool scent, blue.

I hear something. I’m going out and see what it is, definitely not a car.

Hard Fall

At

The House of Four Seasons

Part 1:

He came in from the sea, circling the house once and waving his wings in case she was watching, but he didn’t see anybody. He continued on past the tables and the wheat field, looking for the flat strip of road he knew was there. Now to bring her in nice and slow. Softly he touched down and rolled to a stop.

Hallie saw the plane as it flew over the house and ran from her balcony down the stairs and out of the front door. She ran up the road toward the stables and stopped, watching it circle once and come down from the sky, almost like a leaf settling, she thought. It landed some ways up the road from the stables and she walked quickly up the road to see who it was.

He removed his goggles and  tossed them in the seat, climbed out of the yellow plane and unzipped his jacket. Certainly warmer down here. He saw her then walking up the road where he’d landed, jeans and an outsized sweater wrapped around her, blond hair blowing in the wind, and he smiled. That would be Hallie Madison.

She stopped a little ways from the odd-looking little plane and shaded her eyes. She had no idea who he was. He appeared to be wearing a uniform, had chestnut hair, windblown in his eyes.

“Hi, there, you must be Hallie!” he called to her and began walking toward her.

“Yes, I am. I’m afraid I don’t know you.”

“Lachlan Currie, at your service.” He made a little bow and came up with a warm smile that lit up his eyes.

“Nice to meet you.” She offered her hand and he took it awkwardly, kissing the back of it. He was younger than Alex, she thought, probably not much older than she was.

“You, too. Sorry I’m late; the winds are pretty strong today. I had to alter course a little.”

Hallie looked at the plane. “It hardly looks big enough to fly in.”

“Yeah, but she does. She’s a beauty.”

“It’s female, huh?” she smiled.

“Oh, yeah, never a doubt. I’ll take you flying when the wind dies down a bit.”

He was an Aussie like Andy was. She recognized the accent. “Oh, you will? I don’t have anything to say about that?”

“No.” A simple answer. “You’ll like it, Hallie. You can become addicted to it.”

“Are you?”

“Yeah, I think I am.”

“Are you in the Australian Air Force?”

“Air Corps I'm a flyer.”

He kept looking at her with the bluest eyes. She felt a little uncomfortable for some reason and stuck her hands in her pockets. “Would you like to go to the house? It’s about time for a meal.”

“Yes, I would. I’m about ready for tucker.”

“Tucker?”

“Food,” he smiled, falling into step beside her. “Sorry, I do know how to speak.”

“I like your accent.”

He glanced at her quickly, “Ta.”

Lunch was on the terrace and Hallie grinned when she saw what was on for today, hamburgers and fries. That was something she’d missed since coming here. For some reason the house liked balanced meals. Then she thought it might have been for Maximus and Alex.

“I saw the beach down there when I flew over. Have you been down?”

“Yeah, spent a lot of time down there this summer, there and the pool.” She couldn’t think about summer and swallow. She reached for her glass of tea.

“Hope it will stay warm for awhile.”

“Me, too. It cooled down today. Funny, two days ago we were in the pool.” She had to stop this.

Lachlan noticed her expression changed and thought he might know why. He quietly finished his meal.

“Have you been here before?” she asked.

“No, I haven’t. I read up on it and thought it sounded good. Looked good from the air.”

“I’ll have to show you around.” She pushed her plate away.

“Go walkabout?”

Hallie smiled, “Okay…walkabout. I like that.”

“I’ll have you speaking the language,” he smiled and leaned back in his chair.

“Depends on how good a teacher you are.” Hallie stood up.

“Oh, I can teach.” He nearly tipped his chair back too far and sat up, a little embarrassed. “Walkabout?”

“Which direction?” she asked.

“I saw what looked like a pond. How about that?”

Hallie bit her lip. “Sure, the pond it is.”

Lachlan  was interested in everything, looking into the little equipment building where he found outdoor playthings for all seasons, poking into the boat house. They sat on the bench for awhile and he skipped rocks across the pond.

Hallie kept looking at the gazebo. Had it only been two days, two days ago she was married.

“What is it, Hallie?” Lachlan asked.

“Oh…memories.”

“Good ones I hope.”

“Yeah, the best. I may as well tell you. I’m married, two days ago to Alex Ross.” She glanced at him and back at the pond.

“I know,” he said quietly. He also knew he was going to have to follow suit, somehow.

“That’s always my luck, you know. All the women I care about are married.”

“It’s different here.”

“Is it?” He looked at her a moment. “I’m not so sure. You fall in love…get married, but it takes two.”

“Easier for you maybe. You only have to do it once.”

“Don’t think I don’t know that, but it also puts me in an awkward position. I’m coming in after Alex and he’s already won your heart. I have to do the same, Hallie, and it’s not going to be easy for either of us.”

“Why does it have to be that way? Why not just give me a ring and say we’re married?”

“I can’t…we have to love each other and right now we don’t,” he met her eyes, “but I think it might be possible.”

He held her eyes until she looked away. It was hard for her to think about loving somebody else. Alex’s warmth had barely left her; it was way too soon. She reached down and picked up a rock, trying to skip it across the pond, but it went plunk.

“Here, let me show you. Hold it like this. It’s all in the wrist.” Lachlan’s pebble went skipping across the pond. Hallie picked up another and he touched her wrist, adjusting her hand slightly. “Now try.”

She laughed. At least it skipped three times. “Hey, I could get into this.” She picked up another and tried it…plunk, “or not.” She smiled. The moment was past and they were out of the seriousness that had claimed them a minute ago. “You know I used to have a rock collection. It lived in a shoebox in the bottom of my closet.”

“Any special ones?”

“Odd shaped rocks that I could identify, like the egg rock, step rock, you know, silly stuff.”

“You know I did, too. I was always looking for rocks. I liked the ones with sparkly veins. Mum wouldn’t let me bring them in the house so I had them lined up on a shelf in the barn.”

“You lived on a farm?”

“It wasn’t really a farm but we had a barn.”

“You were growing up a half a world away collecting rocks the same time I was. How old are you, Lachlan?”

“Twenty-seven, a couple of years ahead of you, but not growing up the same time if you think about the time period.”

“I don’t know what that is because I haven’t seen the movie. What’s the name of it anyway?”

“You are behind, aren’t you? It’s called For The Moment and it’s set back during WWII. I was trying to get my wings in Canada.”

“Oh, so you hadn’t actually been in the war yet?”

“No, but at the end I get my wings and then…who knows? Hopefully I survive.”

“I hope you do, too.” She looked at him a moment then back at her feet, brushing them through the grass under the bench. “What’s it about, your movie?”

“You should watch it and find out.” He cocked his head

“Maybe I will.”

Part 2:

The evening passed quickly, dinner, a card game, a snack and then bedtime. They said good night in the hallway, going to their separate rooms.

It seemed strange to Hallie, but they were not lovers, only becoming friends. She shuffled her DVD’s and watched his movie. She found herself crying several times and really liking Lachlan. She could understand why the woman fell for him. Everything about him endeared itself to her. Afterwards she put the DVD back in the case and saw Rough Magic. She still had not watched that one and she decided to save it for another night. Just his picture on the cover made her ache for him…Alex.

She saw him at breakfast. “I watched your movie last night.”

He seemed almost embarrassed by it. “Ya did? Well then, you know I am attracted to married women.” He grinned and cleaned out the marmalade jar.

“It was more than that, Lachlan. I’d love to hear you recite that poem sometime.”

He looked up over his coffee. “Maybe.”

Lachlan had spent a rough night. It was worse than he thought. Alex really did a number on her and now it was up to him. It was going to be a long drop before he’d feel an updraft. He wasn’t going to give up, though. It wasn’t in him to do that.

“Looks like a nice day. Any plans?”

“I’ve already been outside. If it doesn’t change, I’ll take you flying. How’s that?”

Hallie widened her eyes. “I don’t know about that.”

“Are you scared? Don’t be. You’ll be safe.”

Lachlan tossed her a jacket and a pair of goggles. “Gets pretty cool and windy up there. You’ll need these.”

“Ooo, Lachlan!” She was still scared.

He helped her climb in, strapped himself in and started the engines. Soon they were coasting along the road and then they were airborne. He circled the field, heading toward the ocean. He could hear her “Aieeeee” when they took off. He flew along, following the coast and pointing out things below. He banked and flew inland over farms and villages.

Hallie was really enjoying this. He would dip down low and then climb higher and higher, bank and turn in another direction. She had a bird’s eye view of the area where she was living now. She’d forgotten her fear. He was climbing higher and higher and into a cloud. It was like cotton wool. She understood what he meant about addiction. How could you not want to fly again? He was back on the coastline again following it down. She could see the house and they passed by that and on over Gloucester and back out to sea, where there were fishing boats out.

Finally he brought the plane back to the house and landed on the road above the stables. Hallie would have been content to fly all day. He helped her out of the cockpit and to get her goggles off.

“What did you think?” he asked, biting his lip.

“It was thrilling!” She finished unzipping her jacket and looked up, meeting his eyes. “I could have stayed up there all day. I loved it. I really did, Lachlan. Thank you.” She kissed him on the cheek.

Lachlan was all smiles and mentally made himself a tick in the right column. “I’m about dried out. Think we might get a drink?”

“Oh, me, too. I can’t get over it. I wasn’t afraid at all once we got up. You’re a good pilot.” She smiled, giving him a side glance.

Lachlan casually took her hand as they walked back to the house.

They had Cokes on the terrace, enjoying the sunshine.

Hallie had a new appreciation for Lachlan, flying coming on the heels of the movie she’d watched. He really was something special. She was chatting away about the flight and Lachlan was listening to her enthusiasm and excitement, liking her more every minute.

“Did you always want to be a pilot, Lachlan?” she asked, sipping her Coke.

“No, actually I didn’t, but the war came and I thought I might be safer in the air than on the ground. I joined the air corps. I don’t think I knew what I wanted to do before the war, spent my time larrikin about.”

“It’s hard for me to think about the war. I know I studied it in school and my great grandfather fought in the Pacific. He was in the Navy.”

“I guess the good guys won. I never get out of it, you know, the training.”

“Hmm, the good guys. I guess that depends on who you ask Are there ever any good guys when you’re killing off tons of people?” That was Alex’s influence on her talking.

“I look at it like this. We didn’t start it but we’ll bloody well stop it. It has to be stopped. Civilized people don’t behave like that. The time for world domination is over, was over in Napoleon’s time. Sorry, I didn’t mean to get on a soapbox.”

“No, no, I see you’re passionate about it. Nothing wrong with that, but I wonder if the desire for world domination will ever be over. We’ve had the cold war with Russia and now Russia is all broken up. Who’s to say another Hitler won’t rise up someday.”

“I sincerely hope not, Hallie. People deserve to live in peace.”

“I believe that, too. Human nature being what it is and ignorance rampant over the world; it may happen someday, though.”

“You’re pretty passionate about it, too,” he smiled.

“I was a history major in college.”

“Are you going to teach?”

“I don’t know. I don’t look like a teacher. Nobody would take me seriously.”

“I would.”

Hallie smiled at him and finished her Coke. “We could go get some fish and chips. Bet you’d like that.”

“Bonzer idea,” he smiled and stood up, holding her chair for her.

Hallie drove them to Gloucester and found a fish and chip shop. They took their meal outside, eating on the wooden picnic benches.

“This was a great idea, Hallie.” Lachlan bit into his fish.

“I like going out, you know, away from the house. We probably could have had the same or better there.” She turned her bottle of beer up.

“There’s a movie complex near Boston. Maybe we could go down there sometime.” She’d gone with Alex and knew where it was.

“Sure, I like movies. Comedies are the best, I think.”

“We’ll have to check and see what’s playing.”

“What else do you like to do?” he asked.

“Oh, I don’t know, just hang out, you know.”

“Uh, no, I don’t know what that means.”

Hallie swallowed the last of her fish. “Walk around, window shop, stop for a drink. There’s a bar in Gloucester that has a band on Friday and Saturday nights. I don’t know if you dance but maybe we could listen.”

“I think I could do all that…hang out,” he smiled and shook his head.

“You think that might be ‘bonzer?” she laughed.

Lachlan laughed  with her. “Separated by a common language.”

Hallie noticed just how cute he was, and how much fun to be with. Maybe the fall season wouldn’t be so bad after all. They finished up their beers and walked down by the waterfront. Lachlan again took her hand and she let him.

Back at the house they watched TV for a little while then went up to bed, saying goodnight in the hallway.

“Thanks, Lachlan, for a great day. It was a lot of fun.” She kissed him on the cheek and embarrassed herself. She’d expected him to kiss her back.

“Thank you, Hallie, for being with me today. It was great, no, it was bonzer,” he smiled and waited while she opened her door, awkwardly going inside.

From her diary: Lachlan Currie has been here for two days. I really like him and think it’s going to be okay. Strange thing is, unlike with Maximus and Alex, we are sleeping separately. He hasn’t so much as kissed me yet. Maybe I’m crazy but I wanted him to tonight. Am I being unfaithful to Alex? I can’t be. Lachlan has to marry me for everything to work for me and Alex. I don’t know if he’s going to ask me or not. He said we have to love each other and we don’t. He might be easy to love but I’m not sure I want to. What about Alex?  I am so confused.

The next afternoon they went to the beach, thinking the warm weather wouldn’t hold for long and they’d better take advantage of it.

“Here let me carry that for you.” Lachlan reached for the insulated bag she had over her shoulder. He already had the blanket and a bottle of wine.

Hallie handed it to him and walked with him to the bottom of the cliff. They weren’t sure how cold the water was so decided to change clothes on the beach. Hallie had her bikini underneath her shorts and long-sleeved tee shirt.

She kicked off her sandals and waded in the edge of the water while he changed. “Feels good to me!” she called out.

She turned and saw Lachlan emerging from the shrubbery, his clothes in his hands and wearing a pair of swim trunks. She smiled, liking what she saw.

“You say the water’s still warm enough?”

“I think so. Here, let me take your clothes and put them on the rocks.” She walked over to him and he handed her his things.

“Wow! Is that what sheilas swim in nowadays?” He looked her up and down.

“Well, yeah, this is quite conservative compared to some.”

“I like it!” he grinned.

She folded his clothes, set them up on a flat rock and turned around. He was still staring at her.

She didn’t want to appear to be staring at him but she had to look. He was lightly tanned and fit. Well, he would have to be since he was in the military. His body was leaner than Alex’s and not quite as muscular but he was well built.

“Are you going to get wet or just stand there gawking?” she teased him and he ran her into the waves.

They played in the water. He would go under and swim up to her legs, grab them and pull her under and she’d try the same with him but never could dunk him. She came up sputtering one time and he grabbed hold of her.

“Are you okay?”

“No, I’m drowned, Lachlan!” She wiped the salt water from her eyes and then laughed, “Let’s go eat something and dry off a little.”

Once out of the water the air was a little cool and they put their shirts on. Lachlan opened the wine and she brought out the sandwiches the House provided. They ended up sharing their meal with a little crab that crawled out from the rocks.

“He’s cute. I wonder if there are any more in there.” She looked toward the rocks.

“Probably not. They’re territorial. He would fight off another crab.”

“What if it was a female?”

Lachlan smiled, “Why do you think he’s got that big claw? He’d say ‘come here, ya little shelia’ and drag her kicking and screaming back under the rock.”

“Really…why would she kick and scream? He’s a good-looking little crab. Maybe she’d like to go with him.”

“Would she? Do you think she would?”

Hallie turned to him. He wasn’t talking about the little crab. “I don’t know. Maybe she’s got another boyfriend under one of those other rocks.”

“Yeah, that’s what I reckon. She likes him better.”

“Maybe she’s confused and doesn’t know what she wants.”

“She can’t have them both at the same time and she can’t have one without the other. Poor little crab, she might end up with neither one of them.”

“She doesn’t want that.”

He smiled suddenly, “That’s why he has the big claw!” He reached over and quickly grabbed her big toe. “That’s where the kicking and screaming comes in.”

Hallie laughed and wrestled her toe back. Lachlan lay down on the blanket, hands behind his head. He was wishing he had a big claw.

His shirt was open across his chest and Hallie curled her fingers and dug them into the sand. She wanted to put her hand on his chest, feel his skin. She watched his stomach rise and fall as he breathed, took a breath and looked out at the ocean. She wasn’t being fair to him. He was doing all he could. What did she think was going to happen with him? She didn’t want it to happen, did she? How could she be true to Alex…it was all impossible. She picked up a pebble and tossed it toward the ocean.

“It didn’t have sparkles in it, did it?” he asked.

“Oh, I didn’t look.”

He sat up. “That’s okay. I gave up on rocks a long time ago. Too heavy to carry around in your pockets.”

“Me, too. Mine all went into the garden border. I don’t collect anything now, no place to keep it.”

Part 3:

Lachlan watched the little crab running around, and not finding any more morsels of food, he retreated to his rock. He glanced at Hallie. He had no rock to climb under…he didn’t retreat.

“Hallie, we’ve got three months minus a few days…maybe I’ll grow a claw.”

Hallie smiled, pulling off her shirt. “Maybe, and maybe you won’t have to.” She got up and ran back into the ocean.

He sat on the blanket and watched her diving into the waves. He couldn’t figure her out. Did she want him to grab her with a big claw? That wasn’t his style. He wanted her to want him for himself and not because it was necessary. He wasn’t going to just take her.

“Are you coming in?” she called.

Lachlan pulled his shirt off. “Sure, get ready!” He ran into the waves.

They splashed and swam for awhile and then called it a day and came back to the blanket.

“Need to finish up this wine.” Lachlan poured out the last of it into two tumblers.

It was getting late in the day, shadows now covering them from the cliff. “It’s getting cooler.” She took the tumbler from him.

“Do you want my shirt?”

“No, thank you. Then you’d be cold.”

“Yeah, but I’m a bloke. Tougher, you know.” He smiled slightly.

“Why do guys have to always be tough?”

“If we weren’t, who would you lean on, who would be strong when you felt weak, who would catch you when you fall?”

“You…you would?”

“Yes.”

They looked into each other’s eyes. Hallie knew it was going to happen. No matter how she fought it, she was going to fall in love with him. It almost hurt her to realize this.

He reached over, ran his finger down her face, tilted his head and smiled. There was time.

It was mid-September and Lachlan continued to woo Hallie. He took her out to eat, to the dances on Friday night and slow danced with her. They went to the movies and ate popcorn and downed enormous Cokes. They laughed and joked and played over the property.  They still maintained their separate bedrooms and although he had kissed her briefly, nothing else had happened.

Lachlan saw the expectant look in her eyes sometimes when they were close but he held himself apart from her. He thought he would know when the time was right for them. Hallie’s growing awareness of him worked on her, kept her awake at night and she poured her feelings into her diary.

Excerpt from Hallie’s diary: I know he likes me. I mean a woman knows these things. Why won’t he take me in his arms? I want him to kiss me. I want him to. I shouldn’t even write this. I finally watched Alex’s movie last night. I need him here with me because I’m going to…I know I am and I don’t want to. Oh, Alex, how can this happen?

I guess the nights are the worst time. This morning I feel a little better. I wanted to be a whole complete woman and now I am. I wanted to experience love and I have. Lachlan is up, I heard his door close. Something has to give here, somebody has to go first.

She found him in the kitchen making a cup of tea. “Good morning, Lachlan.” She went for the coffee pot.

“Hiya, Hallie. I thought if you don’t have any plans for today, we’d go flying. Might be the last of the good weather for awhile.”

“Oh, can we? I’d love to!”

After a hearty breakfast they walked up to the plane. It was a cooler flight this time but still Hallie loved it, loved the wind in her face and hair. He tried a few aerial maneuvers and although she clutched the seat she wasn’t afraid, and her laughter caught on the wind and blew by Lachlan and his wide smile. They flew for two hours and he brought the plane back down.

“Why did we quit?” she asked as he helped her out of the cockpit.

“You didn’t see the clouds rolling in from the ocean. Rain by two o’clock.”

“Oh, no, I didn’t. I was having too much fun.”

“No such thing as too much fun,” he smiled, stowed their gear away and covered the cockpit with a tarp.

Hallie wandered across the road in into the edge of the wheat field and sat down, waiting for him to finish.  “Have you ever flown in the rain?” she called out to him.

“Yeah, it’s wet and cold.” He came over and joined her.

“I bet I could make a flyer out of you,” he smiled and sat down.

“I don’t know about that. I like being a passenger. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for all the knobs and gauges. I’d rather trust you to take care of it all.”

“Thank you for your trust.”

“I do…trust you.”

He looked at her a moment. “Maybe you shouldn’t. My motives are not always honorable.”

“That’s hard to believe. You’ve been the perfect gentleman.”

“No man is perfect.” He pulled a shaft of wheat and began dislodging the seeds.

“I know that.” She pulled a shaft of wheat herself and ran it through her fingers teasing the hairy end, thinking about Alex. He wasn’t perfect. He put up a false bravado sometimes, hiding what was inside him. She recognized that in him, but Lachlan…she really hadn’t found any faults. She met his eyes and smiled, “Some are pretty close to perfect.”

“In your long years of experience you’ve come to that conclusion?”

She grinned, “Not years, only a few weeks. I’m trying to give you a compliment.”

A flock of crows descended into the wheat field and began chattering and feasting. “Don’t you wonder what it is they’re talking about?” Lachlan watched them, his eyes narrowed.

“Quality of the wheat this year, who’s moved on from the flock, gossiping about the newcomers.”

Lachlan chuckled and looked back at her. “Life doesn’t change from one species to another.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Their life is a lot simpler, though. They don’t have to contend with magic for one thing.”

Hallie dropped her wheat shaft. There was only a week left in September. Time had gone by so fast.  Had she wasted it, all this time with him? Only two more months. It seemed to her they had a long way to go. “I always thought of magic as something fun…until I came here.”

“It could be fun, Hallie, if you let it. You’re going to have to let him go or we aren’t going anywhere.” As soon as he said it he wished the words back. Her face changed and she got up, running back toward the house. Lachlan sighed. He didn’t know what else to do. As soon as he felt like he was getting close she pushed him back.

Hallie was in tears by the time she ran up to her room and fell on the bed. He didn’t understand. He just didn’t.

Lachlan got up and walked back to the house but passed it, going to the garage. He’d noticed it before, the motorbike. He checked it out, gunned the motor and took off. He was a little angry, a little hurt, and wishing he’d never been called to come here.

The House was becoming exasperated with these two. It had provided all the accessories to romance, all the encouragement it could give creating atmosphere, but to no avail. They were like two stubborn children.  It quite understood her love for Alex but Alex was summer and this was now well into fall. They were well suited to one another. It felt it had made no mistakes there. It certainly would not let any harm come to either one of these beautiful people…but something must be done.

Hallie cried herself to sleep. It was some time later when the thunder and lightning awoke her, the balcony doors, swinging in the wind and rain blowing in on the hardwood floors. She got up, closed the doors, went to the bathroom and washed her face. She felt she owed an apology to Lachlan. She left her room and softly knocked on his door. It opened but he was not there.

Running down the steps, she looked over the house for him. He was nowhere to be found. She’d left him in the wheat field. Where else would he have gone with a storm threatening? Running out on the front porch, she prayed he hadn’t taken the plane up again and was relieved by the sight of the bright yellow wing beyond the stables. She called out loudly for him but the rain drove her back into the house. She’d looked from every window in the house. He was nowhere to be seen.

“He knew it was going to storm. Where could he have gone?” she said aloud to the empty kitchen. Thunder made her jump. She’d never liked storms and really began to worry about him. She thought she could take the car out and look for him but he had the plane parked in the road.

The afternoon darkened and the rain continued to pour down. Hallie was beside herself. She felt guilty, was worried sick. Something had happened to him. That couldn’t be! She couldn’t stand it if something happened to him. No, not Lachlan! He was so, so...and she did, she did love him. She thought maybe he might have taken shelter in the stables and pulling out all the rain gear she could find she swallowed her fear of storms and ran out into the rain, up toward the stables. She stopped and caught her breath. He was not there. On past the plane she slogged in the rain, losing her balance and falling in the slippery muddy road. She remembered a cabin from their flight over the property. It would be over the rise and the road would fork off to the left. That’s where it was. It was a long walk.

Lachlan was on his bike when the rain started. It came on fast and he turned and headed back for the house but took a wrong turn and after riding a way saw the cabin tucked up in the trees and headed for it. He was soaked to the skin and cold. He built a fire in the fireplace and had started taking off his dripping clothes. He walked over to the window first to see if it might be letting up a little and couldn’t believe what he saw. Jerking the door open, he ran out and down the path and caught her as she was about to slip and fall.

“Lachlan!” she screamed and grabbed his neck. “Oh, Lachlan, I have been so...you’re okay...I’m so sorry.”

“What are you doing out here in this storm? Come inside. Why are you out here?”

“You, I was looking for you.” He set her down inside the cabin, pulled the dripping slicker off her and tossed it on the floor. As soon as her arms were free they were back around his neck. Lachlan put his arms around her, holding her close.

“I can’t believe you came out in a thunder storm looking for me. You could have been hurt, Hallie.”

“I had to. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you.” She looked up into his wet face, hair dripping.

“Do you care that much you’d risk yourself?”

“Yes, I didn’t want to, I didn’t…I love you, Lachlan.”

He kissed her, no brief brushing of the lips this time, but a hungry kiss.

Pulling away from her, he asked, “Are you sure about this?  Are you sure you want it?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I’m so sorry.” She lay her face on his wet jacket, trying to stop the tears that kept coming.

“Hey,” he pushed her wet hair from her face, “stop being sorry. We need to get out of these wet clothes.”

Lachlan threw some more wood on the fire and lit a lantern, setting it on the little wooden table. He took off his wet uniform. Hallie had her wet things in a pile by the bed.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, kissing her again, “so sweet.”

They lay down on the bed and loved each other.

It had taken her a long time to come to him, but it had been worth the wait, he thought, as he cradled her in his arms. He didn’t know how such a tiny little thing could mean so much to him, but she did. Hallie was emotionally and physically exhausted and she drifted off to sleep.

Outside the storm raged for a while longer, becoming a drenching rain that continued all through the evening. It was a snug but rustic cabin that belonged to Egan, who rarely came to the House. He came bringing horses the last time when the owner was present. There was a little wood stove, the bathroom was a small house behind the house, and water came from a cistern which was now brimming after the rain. Magically it was stocked with a few canned goods and tea and coffee makings. A tin of biscuits completed the pantry inventory.

Lachlan’s arm was asleep and had been for awhile, but he hated to disturb Hallie and he held her head with his right hand while he eased his arm from under her. She woke anyway.

“What…Lachlan?” She smiled and he kissed her.

“My arm’s asleep. Sorry to wake you.”

“What time is it?”

“I don’t know, dark time.”

“Oh, it’s still raining.”

“Yeah, but the boomers have left us. Looks like we’re stuck for the night. I need to put some more wood on the fire.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, feeling around for his damp underwear.

“I like this. It’s so cozy.” Hallie huddled under the old quilt.

“There’s no bathroom.”

“What? Wel,l how…where?”

“There’s a path behind the cabin leads to an outhouse. I’ll bet you’ve never been in one of those.”

“No, I can’t say I have. Have you?”

“Yeah, at my oldies, my grandparents' house.”

“Hmm, I should get up and hang our clothes so they'll dry.”

“You stay put. I’ll do it.” Lachlan picked up her muddy jeans and wet sweater. “I’m not sure these are gonna make it, Hallie.”

“Throw them away then.”

Lachlan pictured her going home in his uniform jacket and nothing else and smiled. He hung his own clothes up, noticing a wooden chest at the foot of the bed and opened it. “I found the wardrobe.”

“What’s in there?”

“Shirts and jeans and sweaters, big sweaters,” he looked up. Pulling two shirts out, he handed one to her. “At least it will keep the chill off.”

He pulled on a white tee shirt. “I think I’ll get the stove going. Looks like we could have a cup of tea anyway.”

“We haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Hallie buttoned up her shirt and got out of the bed. She surveyed the choices on the shelf. “Chicken soup?”

“Yeah, soup and tea.” He managed to get the little stove going.

“You’re handy to have around,” she smiled, impressed with his fire skills.

“I’m glad you noticed.” He gave her a soft kiss.

They became lovers and from that day forward they slept together, played together and discovered each other. Hallie fell hard for Lachlan and didn’t want to let him go.

The weather turned cold, the house decorated itself for Thanksgiving, and the scented candles burned among bowls of spicy potpourri. Hallie knew their time was coming to an end and it hurt, it hurt deeply. He was so sweet, so honest, so loving, she couldn’t imagine the season ending.

Lachlan also fell in love with Hallie. He’d had the ring in his pocket for two days, waiting for the right moment. It came on the Friday after Thanksgiving. There was frost on the ground and it didn’t go away. He told her it was waiting for winter and then it would snow. They were bundled up, had been for a walk and sat down on the bench at the edge of the cliff.

“You asked me one time to repeat that poem. Would you like to hear it now?”

“I would. It really touched me, you know.”

He held her in his arms her back against his chest and quoted the poem to her. When he finished, he slipped the ring on her finger, a simple platinum  band.

“I marry you, Hallie, forever.” He kissed her and drew her close to him, resting his head on hers.

Hallie looked at her hand and felt hot tears running down her cold face.

ON TO WILD IN WINTER

BACK TO SUMMER ROMANCE DISCOVERED 

BACK TO SPRING AWAKENING

BACK TO A VACATION FROM LIFE

BACK TO HARVEST OF HOPE

BACK TO SUMMER IS SUMMONED

BACK TO A PAINTERLY EYE ARRIVES

BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE ORIGINAL HOUSE STORY

BACK TO INDEX OF ALL THE HOUSE STORIES

BACK TO LIBRISCROWE