The Virginian Love Massacre of 1871

Chapter Six

"What did he do?"

I groan at the question, one I have answered many times in the last day.

Willa was there for the entire conversation I had with my family over my short walk with Joseph, but of course she thinks there is more of a story to tell. "What did he say?" She tries again.  "Was he a gentleman?"

I give a glare with no heat and turn my head to the front, saying nothing.

From the side, I can see her grin wickedly."He tried to charm you, I know he did."

Charm isn't quite the word I would use. I would say he questioned me the entire time.

He asked me about school mostly, questioning and quizzing my intelligence as if he couldn't believe a woman could know much of anything.

Funny enough, there were a lot of question surrounding my brother. How close we were, how involved he was in the family, when he was leaving next, all of that.

"Willa, you heard everything that I told my family. That was all that happened." I tell her firmly, hoping she will drop the subject all together.

She gives me a disbelieving stare. "He took you around the property and asked you about school? You expect me to believe that is all?" Willa sounds completely unamused.

"It is!"

"Was he odd?"

He was odd, yes. The whole affair was mixed with random compliments and questions of my family.

"Of course he was, he is a very strange man." I tell her. seeming uninterested.

"And he did not show any affection for you whatsoever?"

If this is how she feels when I tease her about my brother, I understand why she hits me all the time.

She laughs loudly, causing a somewhat violent feeling to consume me. "He complimented me."

"You are blushing."

Finally, and with reason, I hit her hardly on the arm. She winces. "I am uncomfortable. I was uncomfortable the whole time." I explain. "The whole thing was very strange. There is something about him that is not right."

She shakes her head. "You only think that because he likes you."

"No, I think that because it is true." I defend.

"Grim does not trust him either." Willa mentions, seemingly for no reason.

Well, if Willa is going to offer a change of subject, even if she does not mean to, I am most certainly going to take it. "Oh yes, he helped you in the gardens yesterday, please tell me how that went." I ask her, maybe a bit too eager.

She keeps her eyes locked on the town around us, refusing to spare me even the smallest of glances."I would rather we sit in silence."

Oh, she is blushing. I just know it.

"Not fair. I told you about Joseph." I huff.

Willa makes an exaggerated gasp."I think I see Wesley from here, he looks very focused, you should be concentrating on the competition as well."

From Joseph, to my brother, to Wesley. I begin to wonder when the topic of our conversations revolved around men.

"Wesley always looks focused. Really, he is just thinking of different ways he can kill me and my family." I offer. It is true, he always has an angry little twitch in his eyes. Even when he doesn't know that I'm in the room.