Heather`s heart fell into her stomach. It was now apparent that the family financial
troubles were even bigger than what Papa had told them. So big in fact that they were in
danger of losing the farm. She could not believe the enormity of it and she was caught off
guard as her father called out to her to fetch the Captain a drink. Jumping as if caught
doing something she should not be doing, she wiped her hands on the worn white apron that
was tied around her waist. She hurried to the old ice box to hastily chip some of it off
into two glasses before filling them with the fresh squeezed lemonade. Then she brought
both glasses out to where the men sat talking on the porch.
Handing the glass to the Captain, Heather, for the first time, felt a little
embarrassed about the way that she looked. She was wearing a dress that was, to be
truthful, too small for her. At sixteen she was still growing and should have had a larger
sized dress some months ago but they could not afford it and so she had to make do.
Taking needle and thread she had sewn some lace about the neck, wrists and hem to
where it made it look longer and covered her cleavage which the too small neckline
threatened to expose. Still the old blue dress was faded from too many washings and it was
too tight in the bodice so that her breasts strained at the material and it also fit to
snugly over her hips. And her skin, tan from exposure to the sun, stood starkly out
against the white lace attesting to the fact that the dress had long ago ceased to be her
size.
Her hair, a sandy brown and so long that it hung down past her waist, was piled
on her head because of the heat and having to work in the kitchen though tendrils had come
lose from the bun and hung down the back. As she turned to give her father his drink her
deep brown eyes widened in a question that he could not answer and he shook his head at
her, nodding towards the kitchen, letting her know it was time for her to return so that
the men could speak.
Bowing her head a bit, she turned to return to the kitchen and fixing dinner hoping
that the man would not stay that long as the food would not stretch and he would surly not
find it comparable to the meals he was used to eating.
He took the glass with a smile, his teeth very white against his tanned face, and a
soft, “Thank you.” Then his eyes ran over the form so well revealed by the worn blue
dress as it hugged full breasts for one so young.
Breasts that looked heavy and whose tips pressed out against the fabric even though
not hardened, large and apparently prominent nipples and he wondered how sensitive they
where. The breasts rode high on her chest as the dress and perhaps a shift or slip was
all she could have on under the old blue dress. The flare of her womanly hips straining
the seams changed to a view of firmly muscled and rounded buttocks tightly hugged by the
snug fitting dress and when she bent to hand the glass to her father.
This Heather was the tastiest morsel of female flesh he’d seen since his return
home. Unless you counted the young wife of old Henry Thompson who often met him at a
clearing in the woods for what she craved, and not just the sex either. For Susan
Elizabeth also had her own dark desires and needs that he willingly fulfilled for her.
When the girl went inside an idea began to sprout as he sat thinking as he’d told
Matthews he’d do. At last, after another drink and wiping his forehead with his muscular
forearm, “Matthews, if I give you a month can you come up with the money you owe me? I
can give you that much time, but not any longer without looking the fool to my other
tenant farmers.”
Matthews sat in a quandary. He knew the offer was fair and actually generous, but
he had nothing he could see that would give him the three hundred dollars needed for the
half-year’s rent that was overdue. If the next crop came in good and he didn’t keep any
money for anything but seed for the following one and enough for starvation level eating
he could just barely cover the entire year. However, the next crop wouldn’t be ready to
harvest for another two to three months, much too long away.
Finally, “Ca-captain that’s more than generous of you, but being truthful I don’t
see how I can get it up for you in a month. My crop won’t be ready for at least two and
maybe three months. If it’s a good one I can cover the whole year’s rent if we scrimp and
tighten our belts a notch or two, but that’s all I can do.
“Can’t sell the horse. Couldn’t plow if I did. Only have the one milk cow and a
few chickens for eggs and an occasional meal when they stop laying.”
He gave a long sigh and asked, “How soon do you want us out sir?”
“I suspected that would be the way of it Matthews. I truly wish it was otherwise,
truly I do.
“However,” Jason said after a short pause, “there maybe a way to save the family
farm for you and yours Matthews. I’m not sure it would work out, but if you’re interested
I’d be willing to give it a try.”
“Sure Captain, I’m damned interested,” Matthews said, hope in his voice and eyes.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Well I have some of the Squire’s, my Daddy’s, Indenture Contracts at the house. It
happens I need a personal maid at the house to take care of my personal needs and me and
to take some of the load off the housekeeper.
“If I took on your girl, what was her name Heather, as my maid and trained her to
fill that role I could justify not collecting your yearly rent. Her work could be payment
for it and if she learned quickly, was obedient and did an outstanding job I could even
pay her maybe five dollars a month extra too. Of course I’d supply her clothing as well
as room and board.
“Since she’s not old enough she’d have to sign the contract and you would too.
Since as her Daddy, as you’re responsible for her. Naturally any disobedience, disrespect
or the like would be punished just as you would yourself if it happened here in your
home.
“Don’t make a decision now. Think it over, talk it over with her and I’ll ride back
tomorrow to get your answers.
“If either of you decide against it no harm done and you can have the three weeks
until the end of the month or a bit longer to find another place to live,” he says as he
stands up. A long swallow finishes the lemonade and he hands the glass to Matthews, who
also stands up.
Hands are shaken and the Captain mounts up and rides off toward Hill House.
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