Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 30, 2008 18:45:50 GMT -5
***SEVERAL WEEKS LATER***
*Robbie morosely ran the currycomb over the patient horse before him, brooding deeply over the torturous feelings awakened within him by his encounters with Johanna. Had she meant to do this to him? Did she know? Robbie knew nothing of how these society ladies worked. Or French ladies. Or ladies at all, for that matter. His hurts had healed well enough, and yet as winter came on, he found himself feeling increasingly ill--dizzy, headaches, pains and stitches and a heartbeat that rocketed out of control at the least glimpse of the blonde miss.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 30, 2008 18:54:22 GMT -5
*Johanna herself was no better off--she often found herself neglecting her horse in order to avoid him, but at the same time she made excuses to go in that direction merely to catch a glimpse of him. Which was stupid, and she knew it. She didn't have the least idea about anything that went on between men and women, whether emotionally or physically, and certainly had absolutely no idea what in God's name as going on.*
*But one day she decided that truly, she couldn't go on ignoring her mare like this. She made her way down, hoping but dreading the possibility of one of the other stableboys being down there instead of Robbie.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 30, 2008 19:03:37 GMT -5
*As a voice rang out at the far end of the stables, Robbie's ears caught the faint details of the words spoken.*
"Good afternoon, miss," *said a gruff voice in French.
Robbie didn`t around for the humiliation of having to face her and whatever game she was playing with him to amuse herself. She had been avoiding him, and it made him sick. Well, two could play at that game.
He bolted towards a ladder leading to the hayloft and disappeared up it, not daring to look back or below.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 30, 2008 19:09:40 GMT -5
*She quietly made her way to the mare's stall, carrying with her a comb. She softly murmured to the horse as she groomed her, about nothing in particular. After a while, though, she rested her forehead against the chestnut's warm, glossy neck and whispered.*
"What am I to do?"
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 30, 2008 19:51:06 GMT -5
*Robbie's head fell back amongst the hay with a soft rustle. He could still hear her soft voice, clear as a bell. She must be in the stall right below him.*
Damn.
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 30, 2008 19:58:33 GMT -5
*She fed the mare a sugar cube, before going to get her own tack. She was perfectly capable of saddling a horse...*
*It took her a while but she got it eventually, talking all the while.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 30, 2008 20:08:44 GMT -5
*Robbie lay still, listening to her moving about below, waiting until she was gone. Until it was safe.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 30, 2008 22:03:34 GMT -5
**A FEW DAYS LATER**
*She knew it had been a terrible idea to go to the ball alone. She'd known, and she'd decided to go anyway, and it had only ended up in her, sitting on the floor of her mare's stall and sobbing like a small child. Her ballgown was ruined and her hair was completely a mess, and her face was a puffy red all over.*
*Some viscount, too drunk to count to ten or even four had dragged her into a back room and ... she didn't want to think of it. She was still intact, but something of the innocent faith in true love was lost now, and very likely could not be regained.*
*So she sobbed, loudly, messily, in the one place her family wouldn't think to look for her.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 30, 2008 22:07:43 GMT -5
*Robbie paused in pushing the great, rough broom across the floor, listening. Distantly, low, muffled sobs and moans, echoing slightly in the stables as most of the horses now slept and everyone except Robbie had gone to get their supper and bed. Robbie, unable to sleep well these nights until he had pushed himself past exhaustion--past thinking of her--worked at half-idle tasks until the wee hours of every morning, now. He frowned, setting aside the broom, and followed the sound to its source, scarcely stopping to think that it might be her from whence such unhappiness came.
Robbie faltered, but did not move away.*
"...are you alright miss? Are you ill? Shall I call for a doctor?" *he asked softly, hanging back uncertainly.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 30, 2008 22:13:03 GMT -5
*She looked up, red eyes peeking out from over the fold of silk skirt she'd been holding to her face. At the sight of him she just fell into more sobbing, unable to stop herself. She'd been banking on nobody finding her, least of all him.*
"I... I'm-m f-f-fin-ne" *She sputtered weakly, trying to pull herself together.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 30, 2008 22:19:54 GMT -5
*Robbie shook his head.*
"Ye're not," *he insisted, then reeled slightly at his boldness.* "...beggin' yer pardon miss, an' I know it's not my place t'say...but...yer not well, miss. Please, let me fetch someone t'help ye."
*His voice was soft, pleading...somehow it hurt him to see her like this, and the pain shivered like silver threads shot through his silken tone.*
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 30, 2008 22:26:15 GMT -5
*She shook her head vehemently.* "N-no, I c-c-can't l-let anyone s-s-see m-me..." *She blew her nose into her skirt.* "l-lik-ke th-this-s..." *Still valiantly attempting not to collapse into sobbing again, she stood, as if to prove she was perfectly fine when she so obviously wasn't.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 30, 2008 22:28:10 GMT -5
"Miss...ye...ye..." *he reached out to catch her elbow as she swayed slightly.*
"--ye can't let yer pride hurt ye like this...please...if there's anythin' I can do t'help ye..."
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Johanna
- Ingenious Pilot -
in the bloom of 17
Posts: 235
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Post by Johanna on Sept 30, 2008 22:32:05 GMT -5
*But then she just collapsed onto him, sobbing again, her words near-unintelligible but discernible were the words 'ball', 'viscount', and 'back room'.*
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Robbie
- Ingenious Pilot -
Posts: 211
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Post by Robbie on Sept 30, 2008 22:34:47 GMT -5
*Robbie may have been stupefied, but he wasn't stupid. Involuntarily, his arms tightened around her, his breath stirring the soft tendrils of her hair.*
"Oh..." *he sighed.* "...shh...miss..."
Miss.
*He tried to pull away without dropping her. With trembling hands, hard, yet gentle, he brushed the damp little curls back from her face.*
"...miss...I--"
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