Smugglers

An affair of the eyes

Shayne's POV
This continued for the next few days, I would convince myself to go walking in the woods. But each to me I was more saddened. Maybe it had been someone else or my mind had tricked me. But still everyday I would take the same walk. By the end of the week I had given up all hope and found myself sat at the edge of the wood with my head hung into my palms. That when I heard footsteps again. Tapping on the wet path, calmly and casually. I shot up and stepped back again into the trees before looking through the trees. A small man came into my eyeline and walked jovially down the path with his hands in his coat whistling a tune. Rain began to spit and I leant myself against a tree and sighed. I must have been mistaken. Again I heard footsteps more rapid this time running from down the path. I thought it must be that man running to avoid the rain. I heard them approach and then running up the path. Curiously I stepped onto the path and looked up the road. I gasped watching her running up the road with a coat.
She was really here, I just had no idea why. There I stood in the rain staring at the distance in awe and astonishment.
Courtney's POV
I Charged home through the rain, it was cold and I didn't want to be unwell. Alfie had left a few days ago and told me he would be going straight to London after so I would see him in a week or so. While I missed him terribly I was glad that I was in an unfamiliar place, it meant I had things to do and places to see. I had began taking a walk in the afternoon and sitting in a small clearing I found in the wood. An old glorious tree sat contently just beside the road and often I would sit and read there. Not only that but I had been riding twice with Beatrix the youngest maid who's company I enjoyed.
The house was lovely and I felt comfortable however it failed to feel like home. It was very empty at night after the workers left but the mornings were gorgeous when the light streamed through the windows and the birds sang.
"Would you like tea ma'am?" Beatrix asked
"Yes please, I'll take it in the living room" I said.
Shayne's POV
The next day rolled around quickly and once again I found myself stood in the trees longing to see her once more. I couldn't speak to her, if I were too I have no idea what I would say. As far as she's concerned I'm dead and have been a long time, and as far as the law is concerned I am a fugitive. I couldn't return to America, and I could never offer her a life, She would be the wife of a fugitive. But I couldn't help but stare,
If she stayed here in England I would leave eventually, maybe the Caribbean would be welcoming. I waited patiently before recalling her running past the day previous. I walked down the woods more looking through the trees ever few metres or so, I came to a mammoth tree in the centre of a circle of smaller trees, I sat against it in defeat leaning my head back on it's rough exterior. I closed my eyes and listened to the birds sing but after a moment I caught a whisper in the air. I opened my eyes in confusion before listening again. There it was a soft mumbling, seconds passed before I realised it was her muttering the words of a book to herself. Where on earth was she sitting? Quietly I stood and stepped back into the trees. I walked around and then saw her sat on the opposite side of the tree wielding a leather bound book. I felt my eyes welling and the prickle of tears, the image was overwhelming. I thought I would never see her again but there she was laid in the arms of a tree cradling a book. I wasn't sure how long this could last but ever moment was precious to me. I stumbled making a loud crashing noise in the leaves. "Hello?" I saw her turn. I whipped my face around to the woods. "I see you there, are you okay?" She asked kindly
"I'm fine, don't worry" I grunted in a low voice before walking quickly up the wood.
Courtney's POV
"Oh-" I slowly sat back down. "That was odd" I muttered to myself. Watching the bearded figure walk away. Maybe they reside in the small cottage in the wood.
After finishing my page I made my way home. The fire was crackling and I could smell dinner, I dined with the workers now as it was awful eating alone and I had found friends in them. Beatrix and I often spoke of the fabulous fashion in Paris and the lavish clothes of London. She was a fair young woman with strawberry blonde curls and bright blue eyes, I hoped she could see the things she wished to see eventually. I also found Francais and Walter among my company, Francais was the son of two french refugees. He was a quiet young man and had dark smooth skin and a set of polite brown eyes. Water on the other hand hailed from Yorkshire which was obvious when you heard his clunky accent, while he could be grumpy at times he cared for his friends and occasionally you could catch him gushing about his wife and telling Francais you should treat a woman as a goddess. There was also a boy called Roy and his mother Patricia, they both worked in the kitchen as well as Roy's brother Michael, he was older than Roy and a little older than Beatrix, he looked after the horses and stable. Often you could find Beatrix there staring at him with big longing eyes and a girlish smile not that he seemed to mind. We all called him Mickey and he took to calling Beatrix Trixie and acting like she wasn't there.
Shayne's POV
I went to visit my maternal friend Michelle again after spending an hour or so wallowing in my cottage. I wondered if she could cheer me up. Of of course as I entered the shop Annie looked at me with a guilty frown. I stepped towards her and sighed
"I'm sorry Tide" she muttered
"It's fine, I'd just rather you kept that to yourself" I smiled lugubriously
"of course!" Her face brightened and quickly I turned away to her mother.
"Tide" Michelle smiled happily
"Hello are you busy?" I asked
"No, no I do have some pastries in the oven though which I must remember" she shrugged
"Ah- "
"I'll send Annie for them actually" she said before shouting to Annie
"You look pale, is something wrong?" She asked kindly.
"No I'm fine, just tired"
"You look pale, have you been eating well?"
"As well as I usually do" I shrugged
"Ah.." she sighed
"Anyway, would you join me at the pub I'd rather not drink alone" I sighed
"of course" she smiled
Courtney's POV
"This smells gorgeous Patricia" I smiled
"Thank you ma'am" she grinned
After we said our graces and thanked Patricia the meal was well under way. "Walter didn't you say you settled here forty years ago?" I asked
"Yes ma'am, I married my wife and came here at twenty one to build a life with her" he smiled shyly
"And do you know the locals well?"
"Well enough I suppose"
"What about the cottage down in the forest, do you know it's owner?"
"Can't say I do, I thought that pile of bricks was left to the elements a long time ago."
"I'm sure it's inhabited"
"It is" Beatrix nodded
"By who?" Walter asked
"Well lizzy told me he was a young handsome man"
"Such scandalous talk" Walter grumbled
"Is he an odd fellow?" I asked
"I'm not sure, apparently he has a small circle of acquaintances in town and tends to keep to himself."
"I should really visit and bring a gift, he's our neighbour after all" I sighed
"I could cook him a pie ma'am" Roy said
"We could" Patrica nodded
"Yes, please do. I can give it to him on my afternoon stroll.
"of course" she nodded happily