The Accidental Countess (Forever His Series Book one)

Chapter 6

The sun is still beaming and trickles of sweat are dripping down my cleavage.
The heat is unbearable and I sigh with the need of a cool drink of icy water. My muscles ache and my hands are blistered from repeatedly tying rope around the Wheat bundles.

"Stop!" Shouts the stern overseer – he reminds me of an army drill sergeant but with none of the charm of a sexy uniform.
"We shall pause now for sustenance – You there!" and he points directly to me.
I stand rooted to the spot in shock, unsure of myself. "Me?" I ask.

"Yes you – take the boy and bring back two pales of water from the River. We shall await your return"

He hands one bucket to me and one to the boy in the group who has been gathering the wheat all morning.

I pause unsure of which way I'm facing; "This way Miss, I'll show you to the river" the boy smiles at me and I happily follow him, grateful that I'm getting a bit of a rest.

It takes a few minutes for us to reach the river and along the way I admire the countryside – it's funny how I never really notice it at home, maybe it's because it's choked by car exhaust fumes and road works. It's so picturesque and I feel a strange sense of calm and safety come over me as I wander idly behind the young boy who is humming and whistling to himself. I don't know why but I feel at home – I mean I am really, just not the right time!

"Not much further Miss – just through these trees and down the gulley!" he shouts ahead of me and I'm drawn back to the present and the enticing thought of that drink.

We amble through the tree branches and I can hear the flow of water getting louder and louder as we near the water's edge; leaves slap me in the face as I struggle to get to the source of the sound.
One final push forward and we emerge onto a beautiful river bank enclosed by trees that gives it the impression of being completely private and secluded.

The boy makes his way down toward the water with his pale and I follow his lead, feeling so hot and sweaty in this bloody dress and thinking that a quick paddle would be bliss.

He fills his container and gestures for mine too, I pass it to him as I sit down on the bank and remove what passes for shoes in these times.

My toes hit the air and I wiggle them in the breeze, ahhh bliss...

"Here you go Miss" and the boy hands me one of the pales and gestures for me to take a drink out of it.
"Oh, thank you" I smile at him and cup my hand into the water before slurping through my fingers and sighing with relief.

"So what's your name?"

"Thomas, Miss" and he blushes at me, what a cutie.

This is the first time I'm getting a good look at him since this morning; he's skinny and long legged, dirty blonde hair and brown eyes peer at me in bashful silence.

His clothes are dirty and with patches sewn into them – no doubt from all the hard work in the fields – but I can tell from the patches that he's loved and looked after as well as he can be in this time.

He looks about 13 but I can tell it won't be long before he's kissing the girls and making them cry.

"Well, hello Thomas, lovely to meet you." I smile at him.

"An' you Miss" he smiles back and I know I've made a new friend. "Is it true?" he blurts out.

"Is what true?!" I ask intrigued at what he will ask me.

"That you and his Lordship are in love?"

I gape at him and stifle a laugh, "You're quite direct for someone so young" I tease and smirk, "But no, I only met the Earl for the first time yesterday. That's not really long enough for two people to fall in love, is it?"