Sisters

•Chapter 15•

Augustus Blair has to be the most charming man I've ever met. With the small winks he gives me when no one is looking to the way he makes sure to include me during conversations. Lord knows that I would marry him without a second thought.

"One of the hands will bring in your things. You just sit right here as Lucy gets your meal ready. I know you missed lunch and you must be exhausted!"

Augustus smiles at her politely, "that would a delight, but unfortunately I have to go into town to get more ink and paper for tomorrow".

I move away from the kitchen door where I had been eavesdropping and over to Daddy's study room.

"Daddy!", I say barging in.

"Delilah you must learn to knock".

I sigh, "my apologies but I must know what is Augustus doing here again?"

Daddy looks up at me with a raised eyebrow, "you mean to say Mr. Blair?"

My checks warm and I look down, "uh yes, Mr. Blair! Why is he staying here?"

"Mr. Blair is moving here for about month because we're closer to town than Joe is-"

I nod, "but why does he need to be closer to town?"

Daddy shakes his head, "that's Mr. Blair's personal information to give out".

I frown and walk out only to bump into Augustus.

"Miss. Jones, I see we meet again".

I smile, "it appears we do. To where are you going?"

He slips his hat back on, "to town, I'm in need of more supplies".

I follow him outside, "supplies for what may I ask?"

He grins, showing off his pearly teeth, "I suppose you may I ask and I'm going to be studying with Mr. Evan's".

"The Lawyer?"

He nods, "yes, I already finished school but I want to follow him for a month before taking over".

He climbs on the horse and I stroke it's mane, "well I reckon I should come along-so that you dont get lost".

He shrugs, "whatever you'd like Miss".

"Well Mr. Blair, riding bareback is not proper for a woman".

He frowns, "goodness I was not aware of such a rule".

"Oh there many rules around here and not surprisingly all of them seem to have a biased against my gender. Almost as if I'm being punished for something I couldn't control".

He reaches his hand out to me, "well I'll have you know Miss. Jones, that some rules were meant to be broken! Now watcha say about climbing on and living in the moment?"

Looking around, I catch Daphne making her way back to the house and her mouth drops when she sees me take Augustus' hand and climb up.

"I suppose you stand correct. If freedom is not given It must be forcefully taken".

He gets the horse galloping to town where we walk around laughing and talking as if we were the only people in the world. Augustus had a way of making me feel like that. Of making me feel special and more important than my class. Nothing seemed to get by us, not the dirty looks and not the whispering.

We bought his supplies and went back home to where everything was crashing down. I dont know how it went over my head that I should have definitely asked permission before taking off.

"Delilah where were you?"

I pull my kitchen chair out and slide down, "I was in town showing Mr. Blair around, ma'am".

Miss. Jones glares at me, "you went into town riding bareback, with a bachelor while unchaperoned!?"

I wince, "yes ma'am but it wasn't even like that. We didn't see it as that".

She throws her apron off, "well that's exactly how it was! Everyone in town saw you guys and Ofcourse it'll come back to me about how one of my slave is a whore! Is that what you want people saying about you?"

I clench my fist, "if I am only but a slave than why does it matter what I do or what people think about me!? I'm beneath them!"

She slams her palm on the table, "because it reflects on me! It makes me look bad!"

I nod slowly, "so it was never about me and my reputation. It was always about your pride".

She slaps me as soon as the words leave my mouth, "how dare you! I raised you since you were an infant and you dare to disrespect me like that? How do you expect me to find you a husband when all the men in town have caught wind of what you've done?"

"I dont! Because I wont wed! Daddy makes you cry just about every week! If that's what marriage is, then I refuse!"

Her mouth drops, "are you so stupid? Mark my words Delilah you will wed!"

"I'm a slave!" I scream at her.

"You are free the minute you turn eighteen! And that same day you will marry whoever I find!"

I stand up knocking my chair over, "have you no mercy! You free me only to put me in bondage to a man again!?"

She throws the water pitcher at the wall and the loud noise makes Daddy and Augustus run in.

"What on Earth is going on here! Maureen what is the meaning of all this?", he looks over at me. "Delilah whatcha git yourself into now girl?"

I swallow and look at Mrs. Jones praying that she doesn't tell him where I went. If he knows it'll be the end of me leaving the house and I'll get Augustus in trouble aswel.

"Maureen?"

She bores her eyes into mine and I nod in submition to her will.

"Nothing Phillip. The issue has been resolved".

He nods slowly, "Beth! Git this mess cleaned up. Delilah git your sister for dinner and Augustus you can wash up out back".

I make my way outside and turn around when Augustus who followed behind, grabs my elbow.

"I apologize, I was not aware of the trouble I would get us in with my antics".

I remove my elbow from his grip, "not 'us', just me".

He doesn't get the chance to say anything because Miss. Jones come up from behind him and gives us a disapproving look.

"Augustus the pump is out back not in the front".

He nods, "Ofcourse Ma'am".

When he's out of sight, Miss. Jones turns her hard eyes back on me.

"You are not to be alone with that man anymore. Or with any man for that matter. And if you leave this house with a bachelor, you best be chaperoned if you ever want to think about stepping outside this house again before your married off. Are we clear?"

"Yes ma'am", I grit out.

She nods and I turn back to making my way outside to find Daphne but stop when I see her seated at the steps that lead upstairs.

"No need to go searching for me. I've been right here".

I narrow my eyes on her smug smile, "you told? You did this to me?"

She laughs, "I guess I'm not as stupid as ya thought I was huh?"

I grab her bicep to stop her from walking away, "no Daphne, you most certainly are".

I release her and leave her standing there confused and angry as I make my way up to my room.

Daphne really did make a big mistake of coming for me. I would have left her alone if she never told on me and our parents found out through the town gossip but she did this out of spite. She did this because she knows I'm falling for Augustus. She did this because she doesnt want to see me happy.

Well, I'll just have to play along and unfortunately for her, I know exactly who I should hit to get to her.

If I cant have Augustus, than it's only fair that she can't have Wesley either.