Chapter 11

In the morning I work up to roosters crowing as the sun peeked over the woods. Ben's arm was over me and his head tucked in my messy braid, I turned my head and smiled at him. His eyes flickered as the rooster crowed again, I smiled and rolled myself into him. He grunted as I skimmed my finger tips lightly down his back and planted gentle kisses across his chest. He didn't speak, his hand moved from my back down to my leg, he pulled it up and flipped to his back causing me to sit up on top of him. I giggled and leaned down kiss him, his hand grabbed my back side and shifted me so he slid in me. I drew a deep breath in breaking our kiss, as my body trembled. "Are you ok?" He asked. I nodded sitting up, my eyes still closed, bitting my lip, this was a deeper feeling than last night. His hands slipped up my thighs and rested on my hips, I lifted myself up and down watching his face relax with pleasure. I glided up and down again and again watching intently as he tried to remember how to breath, something came over me as I watched the affect, I had on my husband. I continued to move a pleasing smile crossing my face, the more I pleased him. His hands began to skim my body, he stopped on my breasts and sat up taking each one in his mouth kissing and sucking them. My arms wrapped around his neck my head falling back as a moan escaped me, as I continued a rocking motion. Ben's arms wrapped around me and his hands pressed into my back, encouraging me to quicken my pace. It wasn't long before he rolled me to my back taking over the speed, he was thrusting so deep I felt as though I might come apart. My hands wound into his hair as I fell into the climax, throbbing around him sending him into his climax, moaning my name. We laid there his head resting in my breasts, and I hoped we always be this way. "I need to go let the chickens out," he said eventually pulling himself up. "Do you have to?" I asked. He kissed me, "You don't make it easy to leave, that's for sure," he replied with a smile. He got dressed and headed downstairs, while I looked in the drawers. There was a couple changes of undergarments, when I looked in the closet there were a church dress and a few skirts. I put on some clean undergarments and a tan floral every day dress from the closet and headed downstairs. I walked out to the barn and found a bucket and headed to the chicken coup, I was a little hesitant to go in, I stood at the door trying to work up the courage, "Whadya doin?" Ben called from the barn. I turned to face him, "Getting eggs," I replied. "Never seen anyone get eggs by standing at the door," he said with a smile. "Don't make fun, I've never done it before," I scolded. He walked over and opened the door, "Come on, I'll go with you this one time," he told me. I was a little frustrated, so I turned my nose up and went in. A few chickens were still in the nesting boxes, "Well, go on," he said. I grabbed the eggs out of the empty boxes first. "Are you afraid of them?" He asked watching me. "No, but shouldn't we leave a few to hatch?" I asked. "Fine, but you can't leave a few every morning," he laughed. "Why are you so mean," I chastised and walked past him. As I did he spanked me, "Cause you're mine," he smiled grabbing me and kissing me. It was hard to stay mad at him, I gave him a half smile and went back inside. I found some pans and started frying eggs and potatoes. I hadn't had a chance to make bread and I'm sure the potatoes came from his parents garden, so I was doing the best I could. Once I got everything done, I walked out and found Ben milking a cow. "Breakfast is ready," I said. He turned, "Bout time," he replied. I walked over, "Well, if someone would've let me outta bed sooner I would've had it done earlier," I joked. He stood up, so close to me, "My apologies, I was over come with your beauty," he said raising an eye brow. He put his arms around my waist and kissed me, "Let's go eat, I'm starved," he said grabbing the milk.

We walked out of the barn hand in hand, I was startled when I saw my brother standing on the porch. I gasped and stopped grabbing Ben's arm, "Lucy," he called a little confused. "Clarence," I paused, "You scared me." We walked up to the porch, "Ben," Clarence acknowledged. 'Clarence," Ben nodded his hold on my hand tightened. "I heard you two got married yesterday," Clarence stated cross. "We did," Ben answered. "Don't you think you should've let me know my sister was alive," Clarence said. "Clarence," I began but Ben stopped me. "We didn't mean any disrespect," Ben told him. "That's not what it looks like," Clarence replied his nostrils flaring. "Why don't we go inside and have some breakfast," I tried to ease the tension. "My family was killed and you show up four days later and marry my sister, who I thought was dead, without my consent, and "You think that wasn't disrespectful," Clarence said getting loud. I looked at the ground and hid behind Ben, he laced his fingers in my, knowing I was scared. "I'm sorry Clarence, but it was the only way," he began. "Killing my whole family was the only way you could marry her?" Clarence interrupted getting angrier. "No, he didn't kill anyone," I spoke up again. "How do you know?" Clarence nearly yelled. "I was there, I saw Fred McNally kill Alice," I said matching his anger and stepping out from behind Ben. "You what?" He barely responded. "I saw him standing in Alice's blood," I repeated angry. "How did you get out?" He asked. "Ben showed up and got me out of the house," I explained. Clarence went ridged, "Convenient that he was there," he replied. "No he wasn't there before, I was in the garden when I heard Alice scream. I walked through the house and I didn't see anyone till I got upstairs," I told him. "I can't believe you married him. What am I supposed to tell your fiancee?" Clarence asked disgusted. "Tell him, I'm not trash," I answered. "What?" He questioned back confused. "He'll know what it means," I told him. He shook his head and left, I turned and fell into Ben. He wrapped his arms around me, "You don't have to defend me, I don't care what the gossip says," he whispered. "I love you," I breathed into his chest. He held me a few more minutes, before releasing me, "Let's go eat a cold breakfast," he joked. "I need to make some bread," I told him while we ate. "There's flour and other ingredient in the cabinets, my mom went to town and stocked it for us," he explained putting another bite in his mouth. I smiled, "What?" He asked. "You haven't complained about breakfast," I pointed out with a giggle. "Give me some time, I haven't finished," he joked back.

After breakfast Ben went out to work in the field, I got the bread started and cleaned the dishes. I didn't know what else to do, so I looked through the cabinets to see what exactly we had. I found a coffee and searched through to find a maker, finally I found it and closed my eyes, he didn't even say anything. I found the kettle for tea, and found some tea behind the coffee, I started wondering how did his parents know. I wasn't sure what to make for lunch, I stood in the kitchen trying to think, I felt limited. I didn't know my own house, but I also hadn't cooked much. I sat down in the living room and began crying. I didn't know what I was thinking trying to do this myself, "Lucy," I heard Ben call from the back porch as we walked in. I tried to wipe my eyes, "What's the matter?" He asked stand next to the sofa I was on. "I don't know what to make for lunch," I answered trying hold it all in. He knelt down in front of me, "Did you look in the root cellar?" He asked. I looked at him puzzled, "Come on," he said pulling me into the kitchen, there was a door on the ground and he pulled it up. There were stairs to a cool cellar with a few wrapped meats and some vegetables, "See, you don't need to cry," he said. "I feel like an idiot," I responded meekly. "Don't, it's going to take you some time, to get use to everything," he assured me. "Why is there so much food in the house?" He asked. "I may have been living here since I finished it," he confessed. I shook my head a grabbed a few things for lunch, "How come you didn't remind me to make coffee?" I asked. "Luce, have you ever taken care of a house before?" He questioned back. I shook my head, "Ok, until you get your footing I'm not going to make demands. You need to get use to everything," he explained. "I don't know how to make coffee," I admitted. "Ok, you make lunch I'll show you," he said with a smile. I began to feel more at ease, the fear Samuel had drove into me was beginning to leave, the more patiences Ben showed the more my guard was coming down. After lunch he went back to the pasture, branding some new cows, I spent my afternoon continuing to explore around my house, I found a hand powered washing machine. It looked used, but it was going to make life a little easier, so I was grateful. I wasn't sure how Ben afforded all of this, but I felt good that he had tried to make my life comfortable. We would probably never live as my parents did, but he was trying, and it showed.

Ben came home in the evening before sunset and we ate dinner, "You seem to be getting your footing," Ben remarked taking a bite. "I explored a little this afternoon and found some useful things," I replied with a smile. As we went into to a lull of eating, I knew after Clarence's visit I needed to go to town and talk to the sheriff about what I knew. I just wasn't sure when I was going to get the chance, because I knew Ben didn't want me to. I stared out into the dark as I washed the dishes, while Ben made sure all the chickens and cattle were safe. I tried to figure out how to get to town, I needed a reason other than talking to the sheriff. I didn't even hear Ben come in as I mindlessly circled the plate with a rag, "Where are you?" He whispered against my ear coming up behind me. I smiled and tilted my head to one side as his head rested on my shoulder. "Just thinking about Clarence," I answered. "He'll come around," Ben responded kissing my neck. As I finished the last dish, Ben grabbed my hand, "Come on, let's go to bed," Ben said pulling me from my thoughts.