Cecilia:

A servant boy had found me just as I was exploring the vast kitchen garden of the Clampton estate. I was happily wondering between the rows of courgettes, peppers and pumpkins, envisioning a painting of the three vegetables and colours in harmony, when the boy approached me, gasping for breath.

"Your...Grace..." He managed to say in-between laboured breaths. "House... Dressmaker... Now..." He rasped out. Still not quite understanding the meaning of the boys errand, I followed him back out of the enclosed garden spilling with life and we hurried across the lawn to the house.

By the time we had reached the main hall I myself was on the verge of panting. I thanked the boy, still unsure of his mission and made my way to the front parlour where most guests were, apparently, received. I smoothed down my dress, which was really not appropriate for seeing visitors in now that I was Lady Huntington, future duchess of Wotley, and, after catching my breath, walked into the room with a smile plastered to my face.

I was met by a large woman dressed from head to toe in yellow and pink rather resembling something one might find in a pastry shop, I stifled a laugh at the thought before taking in the rest of the parlour. The chairs and sofas were covered in fabric and ribbons, a mirror had been positioned in one corner and a small meek looking girl was hurrying around the room adding more fabrics and changing ribbons. The large woman turned when she heard me enter and gave me a jolly smile, pushing the thick rimmed glasses up her nose as she did so.

"Oh how nice to meet you, your grace," She gushed animatedly, tottering over to me and opening her arms to embrace me in a motherly hug. "I have heard so much about you," she continued, then she shook her head, letting a bubbly laugh out in the process. "How silly of me dear! I have forgotten to introduce myself!" The jovial woman fizzed, still not giving her identity away. "I am the local dressmaker, Lucille Baxter, at your service your grace," she curtsied deeply to me.

I felt embarrassed at the gesture but I knew I would have to get used to it. The animated woman continued enthusiastically, "I am sorry we arrived early," she gestured to the girl behind her, "Oh by the way, this is Kitty, she is my little protégée," The girl dropped into a curtsey at the mention of her name.

"Where was I again?" She asked, before diving back in, "Oh yes! We arrived so much earlier than we thought we would didn't we Kitty?" She turned briefly to glance at the small girl behind her but did not wait for the girl to reply. "We didn't pass a soul on the way here, rather unusual for this time of day isn't it?" I didn't know whether it was unusual or not but she gave me, like Kitty, no time to reply either way.

"I must say your grace, you are definitely more beautiful than I had heard, the rumours of your looks do not do you justice. Why, I am quite sure you shall be the most handsome of my customers!" She smiled at me affectionately and I blushed in return at the compliment.

"Your husband is a very lucky man to be sure, though he is rather handsome himself is he not? Cor! The whole town was up in arms to see him married off so soon before the girls got a proper chance, but I can see why he was in such a hurry to marry you." The woman winked at me, encouraging another blush from me.

"But law!" The woman cried again, "I have forgotten myself! I do talk so, frightful isn't it?" I shook my head at the round woman who I had taken an immediate liking to.

"Not at all Mrs Baxter," I smiled kindly.

"You are very generous your grace, but golly, I must stop chattering, there is so much to do and so little time! His grace has asked that you are to be provided with a full wardrobe befitting of the duchess of Wotley, he cant have his wife dressed in rags now can he?" She threw me a sympathetic look as she eyed my dress.

"Come now child," she ushered me behind a screen and started to undress me. Once she had finished she handed me a green silk dressing gown which I tied around my waist before stepping out to look over the fabrics she had brought.

A few exhausting hours later I collapsed onto one of the settees covered in the silk, velvet and satin materials. I had been pinned and poked and prodded all morning, Ellis the head butler had provided us with plates of sandwiches and sweetmeats around luncheon which we had greedily gobbled down, who knew being fitted for clothes could make one so ravenous?

The two able seamstresses set about starting on the dresses and had promised to have completed at least four of the outfits today but they would finish the others and have them delivered to the house by the end of the week.

I left the two women to their sewing and decided to continue my interrupted exploration of the grounds. Leaving the grand house I spotted a clump of trees in the distance and decided to ride to them. I hurried out to the stables where Shadow had been moved to and, with the help of an eager stable boy, ascended my mount and set off in the direction of the forest.

**********

I wandered through the large forest that bordered the Clampton Estate, Shadow at my side, as the sun begun slowly to sink in the pale blue sky. We had not walked far when I heard the sound of running water. In the stifling heat the water was eagerly welcomed by both myself and Shadow. Walking in the direction of the sound of the water we soon stumbled upon a beautiful glade, lined by large oak trees with a small waterfall and river running along the lower edge. I led Shadow to the edge of the river to drink the crisp water whilst looking around to determine just how secluded this clearing was.

After examining the clearing and listening for the sound of people and finding it to be a rather well hidden and unfrequented opening in the forest, I decided to strip my heavy clothes from my body and, placing them carefully on a sunny rock, I plunged into the cool depths of the river.

I swam over to the waterfall and stood up on the rocky bed of the river, letting the bullets of water cascade over my sweltering skin. I laughed as the water hit my body and I splashed gaily around in the refreshing water as if I were a child again. No societal pressures, no thoughts of marriage, of Rory, no worries.

I had been bathing in the river happily letting all my troubles and fears wash away with the water, my hopeless marriage being my main worry at the moment, when I heard a horse let out a low whinny. I froze for a second, the horse that had made that sound was definitely not Shadow. I twisted my body to face the bank and let out a startled scream before instinctively clutching my arms to cover my chest as my soaked chemise hid decidedly little.

The person who had intruded my moment had been none other than my oh so dear husband, Rory. I watched, temporarily paralysed with shock, as his eyes raked over my unclothed body. I felt my face burn with embarrassment. It didn't take me long though to find my voice.

"Turn around you disgusting, loose-livered degenerate!" I screeched, my face scarlet with humiliation. I knew he would never let me live this down.

"Is a man not allowed to admire his wife?" He questioned innocently. I felt my cheeks burn with anger, how dare he, the lousy libertine.

"No he is not, not without her permission!" I shouted back, outraged, adding as an afterthought, "How long have you been standing there?" This time it was his turn to blush, I smirked slightly as the usually composed face of Rory turned a rosy colour, before understanding from his blush that he'd been there rather longer than I had supposed.

"You devil!" I shrieked, "Turn around this instant!" Thankfully he turned his back to me as I climbed quickly from the little river and grabbed my clothes from the rock I had placed them on. I hauled on my other undergarments and then picked up the corset that I had been forced into by Edna this morning. "Damnation," I whispered under my breath, then, gathering my courage and putting on a bold collected appearance, I turned to Rory, "Would you please help me with my corset?" I had intended the words to come out clear and crisply but instead they came out hurriedly and breathily, but he didn't seem to notice. He looked at me a moment longer with with wide eyes before hurrying to my side.

"Of course," he murmured in a low voice.

"Thank you," I muttered, still incredibly mortified and infuriated about him seeing me so unclothed. I held my corset up to my chest and smoothed the contraption around my sides to the back. My hands brushed against Rory's as he took the material from me sending tingles through the tips of my fingers where he had touched them. I shook myself, for god's sake, I needed to get a grip. There was no denying he was extremely attractive, but I was acting ridiculously. Why did he have to be so handsome for heaven's sake? If only he wasn't so ugly on the inside...

I waited patiently as Rory fumbled with the strings of my corset, my back tingling as his fingers swept over my skin as he adjusted it. Finally he finished and I thanked him again turning to face him. I noticed his eyes dip to my bust that was pushed up by the corset and I let out an irritated growl.

"Eyes up here darling." I pointed to my face, watching as a blush lit up his face again and I motioned to my dress before lifting my arms.

When I was fully dressed we made our way back towards the manor. The afternoon sun had fallen behind the trees and the air circling around us was cool. I shivered slightly as the chilly air mixed with the dampness of my clothing. Rory turned to look at me and I squirmed under his penetrative gaze.

"You are cold," he said softly. It was said more as a statement than a question. I went to argue that I was perfectly fine but before I could open my mouth he had taken off his coat and placed it around my shoulders.

I looked up at Rory, now just in his light shirt, as we walked out of the wood and down the path that led home. His eyes were focussed ahead of him as I gazed up at him, admiring his features. His light hair had grown and hung dangerously close to his eyes in its loose curls, his jaw was set in a hard line and smattered with a sprinkling of stubble that gave him a manly appearance rather than that of a boy. I realised that he was more man than boy, he was twenty after all. His copper tainted eyes were stony around the edge but they had a softness to them too, like toffee that has been left in the sun too long and has slowly started to melt.

I returned my gaze to the path ahead of us, smiling to myself before I was reminded of why we were riding together and a grimace formed on my face. I would get him back and make him wish he'd never set eyes on me in that river. Yes, I would get him back.

Hello all!

Much love

xxx