Cotton & Lace

The night air was hot, heavy, and almost sticky. The afternoon rain showers had not cooled things down at all. The cicadas, frogs, and crickets had already formed their band for the night and the fireflies were providing the dancing lights. I was sitting on the porch, unaccompanied, well after the house had already went to bed, lost in thought. That's when I first saw it.. It was a glimmer of a light in the corner of my eye. I snapped my head in the direction of the light and watched it for a moment. "What is it?" I thought to myself. It almost looked as though the light was bouncing through the trees but I could not see anything else. I sat wondering about it for a long while until it finally disappeared into the thick darkness. I decided it was time for bed and made my way to my room. ********************************************* "Miss Sadie" the sound of Isla, the housemaid's voice woke me. "It's time to get dressed now, Miss Sadie" she said while pouring steaming hot water into my wash basin and placing a freshly cleaned cotton cloth to the side. I slid out of bed and walked over to the wash basin and began rubbing the milky soap into my skin. I always loved the smell of the handmade soap from Isla's mama . She would add flower petals and honey as a special touch just for me and the scent would cling to my skin for hours to come. I gazed out the window as I used the cotton cloth to rinse my skin. It was a hot and sunny day even at 7am. Isla laid out my dress and under things for the day and then helped me to get into them. It was a mint green dress with tiny pink and white floral print, trimmed in white eyelet with a large eyelet trimmed hoop underneath. She laced up my corset and tied bows around my silk stockings. Isla pulled my hair back into a bun and released some of the small curls to frame my face. She always had a way of adding the perfect touch to finish any look. I looked into the mirror at myself, my skin had been kissed by the summer sun. I pinched my cheeks and bit my lip to bring a little color to my face. Isla held open the door as I left my room and went downstairs to see if my husband had come home last night or not. Breakfast was laid out in the sun room. I could see cooked eggs and cold ham with a fresh bouquet of wildflowers as the focal point. I peaked into the study to see my husband still dressed in yesterday's clothes, passed out at his table. I went to my seat in the sun room and began eating my breakfast. I decided after breakfast to take a walk around the property. I gathered my parasol and asked Isla to accompany me. We began walking through the rose gardens to keep cool under the shade. I glanced back at my home, my husband built it to model Marie Antoinette's country home. It was a large Georgian style with the back made up of floor to ceiling french doors that opened up in the warmer months to keep the house cool. The large archways to the side were dripping in ivy and wisteria. The top floor was lined with grand balconies from each of the bedrooms and the widows walk had large vines that poured down the side of the house. The entire house was surrounded with beautiful gardens of flowers and shrubs brought from different European countries and a huge pond filled with blooming lilly pads. The property and entry way we're lined with weeping willows that danced in the breeze. Some parts of the property had not been kept up and so the tall grass had taken over. This was my favorite place to escape to because no one looked for me here. Isla knew well enough by now that she didn't even argue as I made my way to this part of the property. We laid down a blanket and then laid on the blanket to sunbathe. I know Isla enjoyed this time just as much as I did, although she would never admit it. After some time laying under the blazing sun, we gathered our blanket and shoes and went to the creek that was just on the outside of the tall grass, partially hidden by the weeping willows. We set down our blanket and shoes and then slipped out of our dresses and down to just our shifts and dipped our bodies in the cool spring. I splashed Isla playfully and she squealed loudly and splashed back. We both started giggling and splashing eachother when we abruptly stopped at sound of twigs snapping in the woods. I looked up trying to find the source of the sound when Isla grabbed my hand and whispered hurriedly "Miss Sadie, we need to go. Only two things snap twigs and that's bears and men and I know Virginia don't got no bears now ma'am" Isla was always the skittish type. She pulled me by my hand out of the creek and then grabbed our blanket and clothes and headed back to the field. I lingered for a moment still curious about the sound. Then my eyes spotted him, a man in a billowing dingy white shirt, brown pants that were partially undone, tall riding style boots, blond loose shoulder length wavy hair, a full beard, and striking blue eyes. Our eyes met and I immediately remembered that I was only in my shift so my arms quickly hugged my body in order to hide my breasts that were surely showing through my wet shift. A smirk came over his face and he turned and walked away. I quickly ran to meet Isla, deciding not to tell her that I saw anything. We sat in the sun to dry out before getting dressed and going back to the house. ********************************************* My husband had already left for the evening, most likely to gamble. I picked at my dinner and then went to my room. I had my own room, separate from my husband. This decision was made shortly after marriage. Our marriage was only to keep our two families tied together for money purposes. Splitting the families up would mean sharing the two family's land and neither wanted that. My husband was rarely home and I never asked how he spent his time. We had long ago agreed that after some odd years we would need to try for a baby to appease our families and carry on the business but he seemed to be in no hurry for this at barely a year into our marriage. So for now, I enjoyed my room and bed just for me. I had already dismissed the help and chose to sit in the window seat and read for a bit. The candles started burning low and so I closed my book and took a moment to admire the night sky. Then I saw it again. That very same bouncing light. I didn't even take a moment to think or grab anything as I ran out of my room, down the stairs, and through one of the french doors and towards the tree line. I was out of breath, sticky from the humidity, and sweat as I reached the grassy field. I could still see the light just across from the creek and so I took a moment to try to catch my breath. I tried to adjust my eyes to see what the source of the light was, but I was too far away. I quietly started walking towards the light and as I reached the edge of the creek, I could then see the silhouette of a man. I stared in silence watching him. He had set the light down and was stooped over the creek filling a metal canister with water. Although the fields seemed to be alive with the sound of cicadas and frogs, the woods were relatively quiet outside of the sound of the creek flowing. I stared at him for a long while curious about who he was and why he was here. I decided to leave and as I took a step back, I tripped over a rock and fell backwards, slid down the creek bed and into the dark water. As I pushed myself back up on the surface of the water, I saw him standing there now, the same man from earlier, peering down at me with the same smirk he had earlier. I didn't know what to say and sat in the water in embarrassed silence. He extended his hand to me in a gesture to help me up and said "I see you're head over heels for me" with a soft chuckle. My cheeks increasingly blushed more as I took his hand and allowed him to pull me out of the water. "why are you here? this is my property!" I said rudely. His eyes stared into mine as he said "well ma'am, I'm just passing through, on my way up north to join the good fight.." Ah, he is a soldier then. I thought. "What is a lady like yourself doing out here alone, in her bedroom clothes? Wouldn't your husband want to know why you're running around like this in the middle of the night?" he says while gesturing to my body. I became very aware of my wet night gown in that moment and immediately hugged my chest. He laughed playfully as he said "well what good is that going to do as I've already seen the goods?" I blushed more. He pulled a small blanket out of a nap sack beside his boots and draped it around me. I murmured a "thank you" and pulled it tightly around my body. "Care to join me by the fire for a bit ma'am? it's been a while since I had company. " Every part of me knew I should not be alone in the woods with a strange man, but every part of my boring life begged for even the smallest adventure. So I softly said "I can join you for a little while." He grabbed my hand and led me deeper into the woods to a small camp site lit by some glowing embers around a fire. We both took seats opposite of eachother around the fire. He poured something from a jar into a tin cup and offered me a cup as well. I accepted, not fully aware of what I was accepting. I pressed the cup to my lips and took a big drink, the liquid was cold but tingled on my lips and tongue and burned as it went down my throat. I choked and coughed a little and he laughed. I looked at him and chose to laugh at myself too. I'm sure I was quite the sight right now. "so tell me, what is your name?" he said "Sadie. Sadie Windsor. And what might your name be, man that camps on strangers properties?" I said lightheartedly "Reed Sullivan. Pleased to make your acquaintance Ms. Sadie" he said with a wink and held up his tin cup as a sort of nod to our official introduction. "How long have you been camping out here?" I asked curiously. "A few nights now I suppose" he said. "When do you plan to leave for the war?" I asked. "I am still debating...my brothers left weeks ago. I was the last to go. My father wants me to make a man out of myself and feels the war is the ticket to manhood. But I'm not sure this is my fight.." he said with a wandering look. "Oh. I see." I said quietly. There was a long pause between us and we both stared into the flames seemingly lost in our own thoughts. I wasn't sure how late it was but I could see the moon now, high in the sky and lighting up his small camp site. It was just a hammock made out of some fabric scraps tied between two trees, the fire, a kettle and pan on a makeshift log table, a few clothing pieces draped on branches, and a gun propped against the tree. It seemed so humble compared to my large home but I craved something easy, something that didn't hold me down to what was expected of me and I started to think about how I could run off and live in the woods, fending for myself, sleeping somewhere new every night. My day dream was interrupted by the sound of men's voices coming towards us from somewhere in the woods. I looked at Reed and he was already standing and going for his gun. I stood too and clutched the blanket tightly around my body. In one swift move he was beside me and guiding me by the back of my arm to some nearby thick brush. He whispered "stay here and don't make a sound!" And he was off to the fire, snuffing it out. I kneeled into the bushes listening and waiting. Reed came back and kneeled beside me, pressing his body against mine. We could hear the men coming closer. They were talking and laughing and sounded as though they were drunk. I could feel Reed stiffen beside me. "Sadie, we need to leave right now!" He whispered hurriedly and grabbed my arm and pulled me to the creek bank. He slipped almost silently into the dark water and then motioned for me to come to him. I took his forearms and slid into the water as he quickly pulled me to his chest. The water was deeper here than my normal wading spot. I couldn't touch the bottom here. He pressed his lips against my ear and whispered "stay beside me, I promise I won't let anything happen to you, okay?" I nodded. I could feel something wasn't right. Reed didn't seem the type to get scared over anything. Despite just meeting him, he seemed like a brave and strong man. He pulled me in front of his body with my back against his chest and one arm around my waist as he slowly and quietly moved through the water. He put us under some thick overhanging tree roots that made a small canopy over the creek bank and we floated there while he listened. The men had reached his campsite by this point and from the shadows and flickering lights it appeared they were making themselves at home. It sounded like several men and they were vulgarly describing some lady they had encountered earlier that evening. One man said "I would love nothing more to see what was under her dress!" Another chimed in "if her driver hadn't been around, I would have known what was under her dress!" They all laughed and continued their conversation, going back and forth about things they would have done to the poor unknowing lady. I could feel Reed's arm pull me a little closer to his body as if to reassure me it was okay. Several minutes had passed when one of the men got up and walked to the creek. The sound of clothes hitting the ground thumped too close for comfort. The man began wading in the creek, splashing his face with the cold water, his body now illuminated in the moonlight. I had never seen a man naked before. My husband and I had never spent a night in the same room as per our agreement. My cheeks flushed and I turned slightly to shield my eyes. Reed slowly put both hands on my hips and ever so slowly turned my body to face him. He mouthed "follow me" as he quickly sank under the water. I mimicked his motion and he grabbed my hand as we swam in the pitch black water in the opposite direction of the naked man. After a minute we surfaced for air and continued making our way towards something. The men's voices grew more distant and I could no longer see their lights. Reed motioned again for me to follow him as he once again went under the water, taking my hand to guide me. We swam between some rocks that seemed to open up and then Reed guided us to the surface once again. He lifted me by my waist up onto what felt like a floor and then hoisted himself up behind me. It was a small room like area that was lit up by cracks overhead allowing moonlight to spill in. My eyes began to adjust and I could see that it was a cave. Reed said quietly "we will need to stay here til morning light when the men have either passed out or left" I became especially nervous because what if someone noticed I was gone? Or worse, that I had stayed the night with a man other than my husband. I shuddered from the thought and from the fact I was soaked and had long lost my blanket. Reed noticed and said "you would do better taking that off and hanging it to dry" as he pointed at my night gown. I looked down at myself, the fabric was clinging tightly to my body, leaving nothing for the imagination. I folded my arms to better cover myself but knew deep down this was a lost cause. Reed shrugged and said "suit yourself" as he stripped down to his drawers. They were of some thin white fabric and sticking to his body tightly. I could see the imprint of his manhood and immediately looked away blushing. I kneeled down and hugged my knees. I was cold and getting tired. Reed leaned against a rock, lying on his side with his legs stretched out. He looked comfortable and confident in himself this way. The cave was quiet other than the dripping of his wet clothes. "Come here" he whispered softly "I can atleast keep you warm" I hesitated and calculated my options. I knew we would be here for atleast a few hours and I was infact very cold. I reluctantly walked over to him and sat beside him, our bodies close but not quite touching. He put his arm around my waist and pulled my hip against his chest but quickly scooted back with an elevated "argh! Your clothes are damn near freezing!" I stared wide eyed, not expecting his loud voice. I sighed heavily. He was right. I wasn't going to get warm or dry this way. I rose to my knees and slowly pulled off my nightgown, draping it over a nearby rock. I then laid onto my back, my arms folded over my chest and my legs crossed over the other. Reed chuckled and scooped my body up against his with his other arm under my neck. I turned onto my side to face his and pressed my chest gently against his, wrapping my arm over his side. He pressed his hand onto my back and wrapped a strand of my hair around his finger over and over again. I relaxed in his arms and pressed my face into his neck breathing in his scent. He smelled like cedar, moss, and cinnamon. It was intoxicating. I had never been this close to a man before and I was so nervous yet so calm. He whispered in a husky voice "tell me, what lures a girl like you into the woods during the night?" I playfully whispered back "adventure" with a giggle. He chuckled too and said "has this been enough adventure for you?" "Mmm...I'm not really sure.. the night is young after all" I giggled again. He brought his hand to my chin and tilted my head back so that we were now looking into each other's eyes, our faces close but not touching. "I'll promise to keep you safe if you promise to keep me wild.." he whispered, his thumb touching my bottom lip. The words rang loudly in my head. I dreamed of travels, new places, and someone that would feed me the world on a spoon. Life had always been mundane for me. The same routine day in and day out. The only thing ever changing was the weather and in Virginia, even it had become predictable. I looked into his eyes and almost childlike wonder seemed to play there. I decided in that moment to create my own adventure. I leaned in slightly and pressed my lips tenderly against his, allowing my body to mold against his body.