The Angel

Chapter 4

Rian raced home. He had to finish his painting. Her beautiful face was fresh in his mind. He kept thinking of the way she had smiled when she refused to tell him her name. It was a small, secretive smile. She had to know he was a MacCarthy.

And she had to be a Dawley.

He sprinted up the stairs and opened his study door. He grabbed a clean brush and began painting her delicate features.

He finally finished his painting. It was the best painting he had done so far.

He smiled at his finished product. He signed his initials at the bottom right corner.

RM.

When this was dry it was going in his room, so he could gaze upon her beauty anytime he wished. He would automatically be taken back to those electric blue eyes.

He was finally able to relax. He couldn't help the goofy smile on his face.

He walked outside and sauntered over to the stables. His horse was white and peppered with black spots all over it, which is how he got the name Pepper. He was the fastest horse they had.

Rian had found him as a colt wandering the forest on shaky legs. His mother, a wild horse, had been killed by wolves. He had bottle fed him and nursed Pepper back to health.

He brushed his long, black mane and his tail. Pepper nudged him in the shoulder with his nose. He scratched under Pepper's chin.

"You miss me boy?" He scratched behind his ears, "I know I've been scarce." Pepper snorted in response.

"You should see her. She's beautiful, Pep. Maybe I'll take you down to the river so you can meet her." He smiled and Pepper leaned against his arm as he brushed through his hair.

He gave Pepper a handful of oats, which Pepper gladly accepted.

He became lost in his thoughts for her, the Angel. He remembered how she had closed her eyes in delight when she took a deep breath of the flowers.

He had never liked a lady like this. He always looked right past them. Sure he appreciated a beautiful woman but he had never been to caught up with one, not enough to disrupt his very being.

He thought of how she had been secretive of her name.

He knew she had to be a Dawley.

He grew sad at the thought. His parents would never allow him to court a Dawley. They had history, his family and the Dawley's. Bad history.

How he wished old men's disputes would not affect a young man's life.

His mother sent her maid to fetch him for dinner and he returned inside the house, kissing Pepper on the nose as he left.

----

She basically pranced all the way to her room. The guards had watched her strangely as she passed by, as if it was written on her forehead. She was embarrassed by her own behavior. She snuck a vase from the kitchen and placed the wildflowers inside. She removed the silk ribbon and laid it on her dresser. She set the flowers in the windowsill of her room.

She ate dinner with her nieces and sister-in-law. They discussed silly things like which bird sang the sweetest melody and which horse had the prettiest mane. They were so innocent and precious. She could not imagine tainting such beautiful spirits. Her sister-in-law was a sweet girl but very meek, she had many a time cried at the hard words of Vi's father.

Which was not an uncommon thing. Many ladies, and men, had been hurt by his words. He was not someone to trifle with.

A maid brought Vi her mail at the end of the meal. It was from her father. Vi excused herself and vanished into her room. In the privacy of her room, she broke the wax seal and opened the letter.

Vi,
As you know your 19th birthday is almost upon us. I have made arrangements for your hand to be given to Mr. Cassidy at this time....

She stopped reading. The letter dropped from her hand and landed silently at her feet.

Tears fell from her face without her knowing.

Mr. Cassidy?

She had known she was betrothed but she did not know to who or when it would take place. She had not guessed it would be so soon and with Mr. Cassidy. He was her father's new partner. He was at least 10 years older than her and was just as harsh as her father. He was power hungry and greed stricken.

Her birthday was at the beginning of fall. It was late spring.

Her heart felt crushed.

She laid back on her bed and let her tears flow. She deserved a good cry this time.

----

"You were right." His mother whispered to him at the dinner table while his father talked away with the cook. Rian guessed his father was complaining or "suggesting a new method" as he put it.

He gave her a confused look.

"About the project. Absolutely beautiful." She smiled at him knowingly, "My new favorite."

He swelled with pride. He had no one other to thank than the parents of the Angel.

His father sat back down at the table.

"Who is she?" His mother asked.

"Who is this she?" His father asked with his eyebrows furrowed together.

"An angel." He responded.

His parents stared at him in confusion. It was true, sort of. Well she had the looks of an angel.

"An angel?" His father asked.

"Yes." He simply answered, turning his attention back to his dinner.

His mother simply shook her head once and finished her dinner.

His father remained quiet but sent worried glances his way all throughout the meal.

----

He placed the painting of the Angel in his room. It made everything in his room look bland.

He smiled as he climbed into bed. He drifted off to sleep with ease.
----

So the picture at the beginning is kind of how Rian would dress and possibly what he would look like, but with green eyes. The log split in half is supposed to give you an image of his bridge. Pretty creative? I'd like to think Rian is a smart guy.
Sawyer :)