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Authors: Marcia Lynn McClure
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I have known but one day?” she asked.
“Faith in your father or flounder. Those are your choices. I leave it to you.” And he walked past her and away.
Cassidy considered on his words as she stood before the glass in her chamber brushing her hair. She would retire soon and could only pray for respite in blessed sleep. But there came a sudden knock on the door , and before she could bid the person enter, Ellis let himself in, closing the oaken slab tightly behind him.
“Cass,” was all he could say, the pity and pain at knowing she was leaving evident in his voice and eyes.
“Would Father send me to anywhere that he knew I would come to harm? That he knew I would be unhappy?” she asked him. She had been considering this ever since her discussion with Mason in the library.
“Absolutely not,” came Ellis’ s firm reply. “It’s all that gives me cause to restrain myself from complete rebellion.” Cassidy nodded , and he continued, “Further, Mother would never allow it! There must be good in this thing, Cass. Though neither of us can see it now…there certainly must be good in it.”
“Faith in Father or flounder, you’re telling me,” she mumbled, repeating Mason’s words.
“Yes. Though it would be the hardest thing of my life…I could do no less myself.”
“Have you asked Father, Ellis?” Cassidy questioned. “Have you asked Father if arrangements have been made at your expense?”
“No,” he answered. “But he offered the information to me for my own knowledge and peace of mind. He has seen your torment and is repentant in not telling you sooner. At least in part.”
“And?”
“And…I’m left to my own choice for a wife.” Cassidy sighed heavily, and, misunderstanding, Ellis said, “Do you hold great resentment for me, baby sister…in that I’m allowed to choose my own way and you’re not? I couldn’t bear your resentment.”
Smiling, Cassidy turned to him and embraced him tightly, drinking heavily of the familiar scent of him. “Darling, Ellis. I could never resent you! You are my Ellis Bear, remember?”
Ellis returned Cassidy’s embrace, chuckling at the memory. “Your Ellis Bear. How I could have hung you from the nearest tree when you called me that in front of all my friends from school that one summer.”
“I was but six. You can’t blame me for being ignorant to the pride of young men at such a young age. After all, I had always called you Ellis Bear.”
Taking her face in his hands, he chuckled and smiled at her for a moment before his expression went severe once more. “You will summon me, Cass. For any reason and need, you’ll summon me to your side , and I’ll come.”
“I know,” she whispered, raising herself on her toes and kissing him lovingly on the cheek. “Now go. I need my rest, for Mother and I travel to Carlisle Manor on the morrow.”
“And I go north to do business. I cannot bear this house without you for long.” Kissing her in return, he left her.
Cassidy realized at that very moment that it was hardest to leave Ellis. For Ellis, with all his teasing and sarcasm, was her best friend and protector. Her heart would bleed with missing him.
Chapter Three
It was a cold and rainy morning as Mason readied the coach and coachman for their departure. Ellis had said his good-bye sometime earlier. Cassidy now stood at one of the front windows of the house watching her betrothed astride his magnificent bay. He shouted orders to the stablehands tending the team that would take the carriage to Carlisle Manor.
“Trust in the man, Cassidy,” her father said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “He will do you only justice.”
Turning to face him, tears in her eyes, Cassidy said, “He has done you justice, for he’s more faithful to you than to me.”
“You asked him your questions then?”
“I did.”
“And his response?”
“Faith in your father or flounder,” she repeated his words once more.
Cassidy saw the heavy
“Faith in your father or flounder. Those are your choices. I leave it to you.” And he walked past her and away.
Cassidy considered on his words as she stood before the glass in her chamber brushing her hair. She would retire soon and could only pray for respite in blessed sleep. But there came a sudden knock on the door , and before she could bid the person enter, Ellis let himself in, closing the oaken slab tightly behind him.
“Cass,” was all he could say, the pity and pain at knowing she was leaving evident in his voice and eyes.
“Would Father send me to anywhere that he knew I would come to harm? That he knew I would be unhappy?” she asked him. She had been considering this ever since her discussion with Mason in the library.
“Absolutely not,” came Ellis’ s firm reply. “It’s all that gives me cause to restrain myself from complete rebellion.” Cassidy nodded , and he continued, “Further, Mother would never allow it! There must be good in this thing, Cass. Though neither of us can see it now…there certainly must be good in it.”
“Faith in Father or flounder, you’re telling me,” she mumbled, repeating Mason’s words.
“Yes. Though it would be the hardest thing of my life…I could do no less myself.”
“Have you asked Father, Ellis?” Cassidy questioned. “Have you asked Father if arrangements have been made at your expense?”
“No,” he answered. “But he offered the information to me for my own knowledge and peace of mind. He has seen your torment and is repentant in not telling you sooner. At least in part.”
“And?”
“And…I’m left to my own choice for a wife.” Cassidy sighed heavily, and, misunderstanding, Ellis said, “Do you hold great resentment for me, baby sister…in that I’m allowed to choose my own way and you’re not? I couldn’t bear your resentment.”
Smiling, Cassidy turned to him and embraced him tightly, drinking heavily of the familiar scent of him. “Darling, Ellis. I could never resent you! You are my Ellis Bear, remember?”
Ellis returned Cassidy’s embrace, chuckling at the memory. “Your Ellis Bear. How I could have hung you from the nearest tree when you called me that in front of all my friends from school that one summer.”
“I was but six. You can’t blame me for being ignorant to the pride of young men at such a young age. After all, I had always called you Ellis Bear.”
Taking her face in his hands, he chuckled and smiled at her for a moment before his expression went severe once more. “You will summon me, Cass. For any reason and need, you’ll summon me to your side , and I’ll come.”
“I know,” she whispered, raising herself on her toes and kissing him lovingly on the cheek. “Now go. I need my rest, for Mother and I travel to Carlisle Manor on the morrow.”
“And I go north to do business. I cannot bear this house without you for long.” Kissing her in return, he left her.
Cassidy realized at that very moment that it was hardest to leave Ellis. For Ellis, with all his teasing and sarcasm, was her best friend and protector. Her heart would bleed with missing him.
Chapter Three
It was a cold and rainy morning as Mason readied the coach and coachman for their departure. Ellis had said his good-bye sometime earlier. Cassidy now stood at one of the front windows of the house watching her betrothed astride his magnificent bay. He shouted orders to the stablehands tending the team that would take the carriage to Carlisle Manor.
“Trust in the man, Cassidy,” her father said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “He will do you only justice.”
Turning to face him, tears in her eyes, Cassidy said, “He has done you justice, for he’s more faithful to you than to me.”
“You asked him your questions then?”
“I did.”
“And his response?”
“Faith in your father or flounder,” she repeated his words once more.
Cassidy saw the heavy
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