Bloom

Unshed Tears

"Where have you been, young lady?" Adeline's father exclaimed at her the moment he was within a few feet of her. "And who is this lad?" He asked, glaring at his daughter's slinged arm and the boy's empty shirt sleeve. "Boy, if you have hurt her, it could very well be the end of you!"

"I fell off my horse, Father, and he made a sling for my arm that way it could heal more quickly." Her father stared down distastefully at the sling before answering.

"Lies! He probably told you to lie for him," he glared at Hugh, "to save his worthless skin." Her father spat as he grabbed Adeline by her left arm. She let out a cry in pain. Hugh's golden eyes flashed as he instinctively took a step forward. Her father's sharp grey eyes challenged his, daring him to move an inch closer.

"It's not a lie, sir, that truly is what occurred."

"Enough! I despise liars and most of all vagabonds!"

"Now sir, please don't go making assumptions. I am not a vagabond, in fact I've been working the same job for quite some time now." Her father huffed at the audacity of Hugh's words. He thrust Adeline away from him and into the surprised arms of Emmanuel.

"Take her back to the house. A lady should not be present when men argue." Emmanuel gently pushed her away from him, wrapping his giant hand around her slim right wrist, practically dragging her away.

"I never want you near our property again, do you understand me? You can leave this town for all I care or you can leave the state but I never want to see with my daughter ever again, do you understand me?" There was a pause of silence as Adeline strained against Emmanuel's hand to try and hear Hugh's reply.

Tears welled in her eyes as she heard him say, "Yes, sir." By then the two were too far away that she could no longer hear their conversation.

By now night had fallen, completely enveloping the landscape in blackness, so dark that she could barely see Emmanuel striding in front of her. The stars twinkled above her like a thousand diamonds, seeming to wink at her every now and then as her escort led her toward the Johnson home. But the nearing front with its' brown clouds seemed to be devouring the stars, swallowing up their light as it slithered across the black sky.

"Now tell me, Miss Adeline," Emmanuel turned back to look at her, at least, she thought he did, "why were you with that boy?"

"That boy's name is Hugh and he is very fine doctor." Her heart pounded at the thought of never seeing him again. It's for the best, it's better this way.

"Oh is he now? Did he work any of his poor folk magic on you? Only using herbal remedies from The Great Mother Nature to heal their wounds instead of seeing an actual doctor?" Adeline huffed in annoyance.

"He is not one of the poor folk!"

Emmanuel whirled around, Adeline guessed he was glaring at her but it was so hard to see. "Then what is he, Miss Adeline?" Yes, Addie, do tell. What is Hugh?

"He might not live as fashionably as we do, but," she added when Emmanuel tried to speak, "he doesn't act like a poor person. He holds himself with self-confidence and dignity."

"If I looked like him, Miss Adeline, I don't believe I'd have any dignity!" Her hand seemed to have had a mind of its' own as it went across Emmanuel's cheek, stinging his face as well as her hand. She heard him gasp as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Emmanuel, I-" But he cut her off.

"Well now we know how you actually feel about him!" He exclaimed, stalking away. She watched what she thought was his silhouette as he walked towards the barn. Adeline continued toward home, the house's outdoor gas lanterns being the only light on at the house. Thank God no one is up to ask any questions!

She walked up to the back door, wiping away her tears as she turned the doorknob, pushing the stubborn door in as she stumbled inside.

"Where have you been, young lady?" Came a clipped voice in front of her as Adeline's mother glared down at her, a candle in her hand, a nightgown flowing around her feet, her long brown hair framing her face.

"Why Mother! Why are you up?" Adeline asked as she stood up, trying to hide her sling but her mother's quick eyes immediately saw it. She held the candle up higher as she stepped closer to her daughter.

"Never mind why I am up, what happened to you?" Her mother gently brought Adeline's left hand closer to the candle. Adeline let out a yelp of pain as the candle holder, released her daughter's hand, frowning. "Why have you been crying?"

"It looks like I have been crying?" Her mother frowned.

"Yes, your eyes are red and still slightly full of unshed tears, tell me Adeline, what is wrong?"

"Nothing," her voice wavered, "everything is just fine." She said as she made her way around her mother, walking down the hall to the main stairwell as she began to make her way to her room.

"Adeline!" Her mother hissed, climbing the stairs rapidly as she gripped her daughter's right arm. "You are going to tell me what happened right now!" Adeline glared at her, yanking her arm away from her mother's steely grasp.

"And what if I should not?" Her mother's eyes narrowed at her stubbornness.

"Then your father and I shall just hold a family meeting, he might know why you are so upset." Tears filled her eyes as Adeline thought of Hugh and her father's cruel words.

"He is the one that caused me to be upset!" She exclaimed as Adeline ran up the rest of the stairs, slamming her door more loudly than she would have liked to. She cried into a pillow, shedding all of her unshed tears.