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Authors: Yelena Kopylova
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being named. It's so nice, though." She shook her head, unable to find further words to describe the apparent treatment of his cows.
Then they visited the stables, the tack room, the boiler house, and the barn; and so to the round of the animals,
from the sow and its litter to the two shires in the meadow; then he pointed out the cut hay that had been turned and was just about ready for gathering in.
Her amazement grew as they walked and he described the routine that went to the making of a farm year, season by season.
When they reached the stone wall bordering his land, he pointed beyond it, saying, "Here begins the Ramsmore's estate, and over there, to the right lies the village church. You see the church belfry sticking up above those trees? It has one of the oldest bells in the country, so it is said. Old Crack, they call it."
With her elbows resting on the top of the wall, she stood looking down over the slope, and her voice was low as she said, "It's all very lovely, but not quite real."
"What do you mean? Not quite real."
"Well, all this." She spread out her hand before turning to him and looking up into his face.
"And you, too, Ward," she said, 'you're not quite real. "
"I am real enough. Fanny. Oh yes, I'm real enough. And you're real enough to me; and have been from the first time I clapped eyes on you and felt something stirring here." He tapped his breast with his doubled fist.
"It was as if I'd known you from my beginnings, and I was just waiting for you to come to life. I can't believe this is only the sixth time I have spoken to you, although I have looked on your beautiful face nine times. You you know what I feel for you.
Fanny? "
"Yes, Ward. But I ..."
"Don't finish it. Don't finish it; just hear me out. I love you. Dear God! How I love you. It surprises even me self I wake up in the night and wonder what's hit me. I never thought to feel like this, never in me life. And now I ask you, do you like me?"
"Oh yes. Yes." Her head went back and she gazed up into his face and she repeated, "Oh, yes, Ward. I like you. I like you very much; but .
but I must be fair, my feelings aren't the same as yours. You see, I've known you such a short time. Yet I am well aware you are a man of the finest character, and it wouldn't be fair to accept what you are offering .. "
"Don't say any more, dear. Don't say any more. Just listen. I'll wait.
I'll wait as long as ever you like, until your feelings change. That's if you want it that way. But--' Slowly he shook his head.
"What am I saying? I say I'll wait as long as you like. But who will I be waiting for? The week after next you'll be gone ... where? I
don't know.
Travelling from one town to another; and you'll meet all kinds of men who will make you offers. And you've likely had them afore now. "
She now put her hand out and gently placed it on his shoulder as she said, "Yes, Ward. I've had all kinds of offers but not one such as you are making me now, for I assume it is marriage you are suggesting?"
"Of course! Of course; nothing else. Why! who would dare ... ?" He clutched at her hand.
"Oh' she smiled gently at him 'many would dare;
they would call such an offer "protection" I have had offers to be protected since my people died. But the only protection I wanted was that of Mr. and Mrs. Killjoy. Now they are worried for me because
they hope to retire soon and the thought of me being on my own troubles them. But I love to dance. You see, Ward, I cannot remember when I first walked, but I can remember when I first danced. My mother was a dancer, a beautiful dancer. She taught me all I know. As she said, she never, what they called, bounced me on her knee, I stood up and danced from my earliest days; and this being so I could never imagine not dancing again. Yet, having said that, at times I get tired of the routine, I mean of travelling, of boarding houses and back-stage
conditions, and, I must confess, of some types of audience, especially the Friday
Then they visited the stables, the tack room, the boiler house, and the barn; and so to the round of the animals,
from the sow and its litter to the two shires in the meadow; then he pointed out the cut hay that had been turned and was just about ready for gathering in.
Her amazement grew as they walked and he described the routine that went to the making of a farm year, season by season.
When they reached the stone wall bordering his land, he pointed beyond it, saying, "Here begins the Ramsmore's estate, and over there, to the right lies the village church. You see the church belfry sticking up above those trees? It has one of the oldest bells in the country, so it is said. Old Crack, they call it."
With her elbows resting on the top of the wall, she stood looking down over the slope, and her voice was low as she said, "It's all very lovely, but not quite real."
"What do you mean? Not quite real."
"Well, all this." She spread out her hand before turning to him and looking up into his face.
"And you, too, Ward," she said, 'you're not quite real. "
"I am real enough. Fanny. Oh yes, I'm real enough. And you're real enough to me; and have been from the first time I clapped eyes on you and felt something stirring here." He tapped his breast with his doubled fist.
"It was as if I'd known you from my beginnings, and I was just waiting for you to come to life. I can't believe this is only the sixth time I have spoken to you, although I have looked on your beautiful face nine times. You you know what I feel for you.
Fanny? "
"Yes, Ward. But I ..."
"Don't finish it. Don't finish it; just hear me out. I love you. Dear God! How I love you. It surprises even me self I wake up in the night and wonder what's hit me. I never thought to feel like this, never in me life. And now I ask you, do you like me?"
"Oh yes. Yes." Her head went back and she gazed up into his face and she repeated, "Oh, yes, Ward. I like you. I like you very much; but .
but I must be fair, my feelings aren't the same as yours. You see, I've known you such a short time. Yet I am well aware you are a man of the finest character, and it wouldn't be fair to accept what you are offering .. "
"Don't say any more, dear. Don't say any more. Just listen. I'll wait.
I'll wait as long as ever you like, until your feelings change. That's if you want it that way. But--' Slowly he shook his head.
"What am I saying? I say I'll wait as long as you like. But who will I be waiting for? The week after next you'll be gone ... where? I
don't know.
Travelling from one town to another; and you'll meet all kinds of men who will make you offers. And you've likely had them afore now. "
She now put her hand out and gently placed it on his shoulder as she said, "Yes, Ward. I've had all kinds of offers but not one such as you are making me now, for I assume it is marriage you are suggesting?"
"Of course! Of course; nothing else. Why! who would dare ... ?" He clutched at her hand.
"Oh' she smiled gently at him 'many would dare;
they would call such an offer "protection" I have had offers to be protected since my people died. But the only protection I wanted was that of Mr. and Mrs. Killjoy. Now they are worried for me because
they hope to retire soon and the thought of me being on my own troubles them. But I love to dance. You see, Ward, I cannot remember when I first walked, but I can remember when I first danced. My mother was a dancer, a beautiful dancer. She taught me all I know. As she said, she never, what they called, bounced me on her knee, I stood up and danced from my earliest days; and this being so I could never imagine not dancing again. Yet, having said that, at times I get tired of the routine, I mean of travelling, of boarding houses and back-stage
conditions, and, I must confess, of some types of audience, especially the Friday
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