A New Beginning

Disclaimer: Please see the prologue.

A New Beginning

Ch. 15

Surprises

Not Censored

Author's note: Many thanks to Timeflies who is the only person who reviewed the one time that I actually asked for reviews. I guess its a good thing that I'm writing this for myself more than for reviews or I probably would never have picked it up again. Ah well, on with the chapter.

Madison was becoming bored. Construction was in full swing and required more and more of Erik's time everyday. Her father was also busy as the harvesting season was nearly complete and the end of September approached quickly. They had had a good season, the new corn breed producing a hardier variety that could withstand the long summers better, and her father was too busy overseeing the hired gypsy boys and field hands to entertain her.

She sighed and leaned her head against the alcove wall in her bedroom, then scowled as a stay in her corset dug into her ribcage. Madison had opened one of the windows and was enjoying the slight breeze that ruffled her hair and cooled her sweat.

Her thoughts turned to Erik as she allowed herself to daydream. 'What would it be like to travel to a distant country, to see palaces and marketplaces, to hear the foreign language and learn about another culture,' she wondered. 'He is so intelligent and worldly, I did not think that men like him existed.'

A sharp rap on the door broke her from her reverie. "Come in," Madison called out and smiled as Ummi entered with an armload of clean linen. She looked at the housekeeper who was so much more in reality and rose to help her put the undergarments and blouses away into the bureau drawers.

"Oh no miss Madison, you don't need to help me, ain't proper," Ummi said. She seem slightly flustered but despite her protests Madison could see that the woman was pleased.

"Ummi," she said tentatively, "how did you know, when you met husband?"

The housekeeper looked at her sideways, "what do you mean? How I knew we'd end up together?" Madison nodded. "Well, I suppose it was because every time my mother sent me to fetch water for the laundry Abram would be by the water well ready to pump it out for me. Oh, we never spoke," she said with a laugh "and his face would refuse to look at me, but I knew just the same that he was sweet on me." A sad look crossed her features as she remembered her husband.

"Is is very hard for you here Ummi, with all of your memories of him,of being together?" Madison asked.

Ummi nodded, moisture filling her eyes as she smile sadly at the little girl who was growing into a fine young woman. "It was difficult right after he passed, but I just remind myself that I'll see him again one day."

Madison smiled slightly and embraced the woman who had been like a mother to her over the years, and after a moment of shock Ummi returned it. The hug was firm but reassuring and provided comfort to both women.

Ummi stepped back and wiped the damp from her eyes, "now what's all this talk about knowing who 'the one' is, you ain't got someone in mind already do you?"

Madison blushed and looked away but Ummi was relentless and merely cocked one brow, restating the question. "You ain't still thinking about that architect, are you?"

The daughter blushed an even deeper shade of red when she met the housekeeper's questioning gaze. "Oh Ummi, I don't know what I'm thinking!" she exclaimed. "When we talk I forget about the rest of the world, like it is only him and me and everything, everyone else fades into the background. I thought that I hated him, but now, now I don't know what to think!"

The housekeeper led the flustered girl to sit with her on the edge of the bed, taking her hand and rubbing small circles into the skin of one palm with her thumb. "Do you think that you are falling in love with him?" she asked Madison in a serious tone of voice.

Madison stared into her lap, "I do not know. I barely know the man, barely know anything about him. But when I think about father's demand that I choose a husband soon I can not keep his face from entering my mind. And I know that it is probably absurd but I can not help but wonder what he would be like as a suitor and a husband."

Ummi nodded her head for Madison to continue but did not break the young woman's speech. "I had thought that I would end up married to a plantioner's son or a man from town, someone who would demand that I play the role of mother and pretty hostess without a thought for my own desires or dreams. And now I know that there are other types of men out there, men who travel and have adventures and believe that women are their equal. I do not think that I could be happily married to some country farmer now that I know the kind of life that I would miss."

Madison collapsed in upon herself, hanging her head in her hands which were propped against her lap. Ummi smiled and shook her head, thinking about the tribulations of young love. "I think that you need to talk to him before you make up your mind about anything, get some questions answered."

"You mean the mask that he wears?" Madison asked.

"Yes," ummi replied, "but not just that. Where he comes from, why he came to America; you need to know these answers before anything else happens. Now I have to get back to the laundry or else Lynette is gonna dye the white linen pink with the red drapes in her foolishness."

Madison sat a while, thinking, after Ummi left her. But try as she might she could not clear her head from the questions that swam around in her mind. She sighed deeply and rose from her bed, heading to the door. A walk around the property should clear her muddled thoughts.

As she made her way to the field that bordered the Appleton's property she spotted James surveying the orchard and waved to him. She walked over to where he was standing and returned his smile.

"Going for a walk or coming to see me?" James asked her.

"Just walking to help clear my head."

James studied her serious expression, "anything you want to talk about?" he asked gently.

Madison tilted her head and smiled up at him softly. "Father is still pushing this marriage idea. He's decided now that once that wretched house is finished that we are going to host a ball or some other type of gala for all of Raleigh's bachelor's. I just can not get used to the fact that I will only have a few more weeks of freedom." She looked down, suddenly ashamed that she still resented her father, even if it was only a little.

"Won't you be happy to finally get that house you always wanted? You and I would sit for hours thinking of new impossible rooms and now your dreams are going to come true, it's being built."

Her smile's corners turned down, souring her face, "it is ironic though, I will concede to that, as one dream blooms another withers. At least it will be a pretty cage."

James looked at her with sympathy and a little exasperation. "So have you given any thought to who you might want to marry?" he asked with a sidelong glance in her direction, not having enough courage to meet her eyes.

Madison's thoughts flickered to the strange architect who had invaded her home nearly four months ago and who had begun to invade her thoughts only recently, "no" she replied. But she could not shake the feeling that she was lying to James, and herself.

"I should go, I was supposed to be back ages ago and my father will come looking for me if I don't get back to the house."

Madison waved good-bye and walked away, back up to the plantation house, not seeing James as he turned to catch one more glance at her retreating form.

The next morning's breakfast at the Swift household had been a wonderful affair that morning as Madison and her father were joined by the architect, a rare but not unusual occurrence since the past few weeks.

Madison was enjoying her eggs benedict with thick, smoked bacon as her father tucked into his meal heartily, and Erik sipped a glass of juice, afraid to eat before them for fear of the mask getting in the way and embarrassing him.

Conversation waxed and waned as Johnathan inquired about the progress of the house and Erik answered with a glance to Madison. She seemed reserved this morning, as if her fiery temper had died down a bit and she was now resigned to her fate. He didn't like this new Madison one bit.

Before Erik could conlude his observations on Madison's new and strange timidity the door to the dining room was thrown violently open and the neighbor boy, James burst into the room followed by a very frazzled maid. "I tried to stop him sir, but he pushed right past me," she exclaimed in an upset tone of voice.

Her father calmed the maid, explaining that this was not her fault, and dismissed her from the room. She left warily and with a backward glance at the ill mannered youth who had shocked her.

"Young man, what is it that could not wait past breakfast?" he asked.

James had the decency to blush, finally aware of just what he had done but Johnathan scolded him in a lighthearted tone and a twinkle in his eye.

"I wanted..." his voice broke and he cleared it, wringing his hands in nervousness, "I wanted to talk to you about negotiating a betrothal contract between me and Madison, sir."

Madison's fork dropped to the china plate in her surprise, her mouth falling open in an un-ladylike manner as she gaped at her childhood friend. She barely registered the hiss of air as Erik, in the seat beside her, drew a deep breath in shock and held it as his face turned pale.

"Well, I suppose that that is a topic worth interrupting my meal, come with me to my study so that we can talk," Johnathan said to the young man as he ushered him out with a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Madison sat in her seat too shocked to move or talk as she blinked furiously, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Erik's breathing had returned to normal but his face was almost as pale as his white leather half-mask.

When the events of the past few moments finally registered anger surged into Madison's face. "How dare he!" she exclaimed, too frustrated to extrapolate beyond muttering this phrase to herself a few more times.

Erik turned to her, his knee almost touching hers as he laid his hand upon the table. "A gentleman would have asked the lady first," he said softly as deep hazel eyes turned to meet gold ones.

Her breath hitched and her utterances of 'how dare he' stopped abruptly. Erik refused to release her gaze as he tried to search her face for a hint of repulsion. Seeing none he continued, "he should have asked you first. By asking your father he shows that he does not respect your ability to make decisions."

Madison was unable to reply. She looked at him as if it were for the first time, studying what she could see of his face for a hint of mockery. She found none. Her breath hitched and she swallowed hard, her tongue seemed to have swollen in her mouth from dryness and she did not think that she could talk even if she her brain would have allowed her to form a comprehensible reply.

He held her gaze, afraid that if he broke it then this moment would be lost and that she in turn would be lost to him forever, like Christine had been to Raoul. His palms began to sweat and the room suddenly seemed too warm but he would not relinquish his hold upon her gaze.

As seconds passed and she did not try to look away or flee he removed his hand from the table and slowly, so that she could see, he covered her hand with his own.

His body stilled, afraid that if he moved he would startle her and she would flee, but he could not suppress his slight jolt as she turned her hand over so that his hand now cupped hers, palm to palm, and he saw the delicate, tender expanse of her pale wrist, the veins pulsing strongly in blue tracts against the porcelain skin.

Erik's eyes rose back up to meet hers as the fragile beginnings of hope that had begun weeks ago strengthened.

Author's note: Sorry for the slight delay, my courses are getting ridiculously tough and it's hard to find 5 minutes to myself any more. I had actually planned a stronger ending but this one seemed to fit more. Don't worry though, you'll definitely be getting more Erik and Madison action next chapter.