THE LOVELY LADY

Two girls who worked at the farm were looking at him as he went ahead on his chase.

“There he goes again following the Harrison family, I am telling you one of these days he gonna be in real trouble and then all of us will have to pay for his frenzy.” Yanka said in frustration, one of the girls, both of which secretly had a crush on Darius.

“I don’t know why he keep chasing white skirts anyway when we all here gotta them better merchandise.” Her friend, Shelley replied

“Who gonna want a man with his manhood under question anyway. The man must be greatly troubled, no wonder he living in a fantasy.” Yanka continued

“Excuse me, are you by any chance acquainted with Mr. Darius.” Coby asked the two ladies

Yanka: “Sure do. What you cute boys doing here anyway?”

Shalley: “They must be here for one of their research assignments. You are student at Rossfield aren’t you?”

Coby: “Yes, we are students from Rossfield here to do some research about ah… Do you perhaps happen to know why he is following them?”

Yanka: “If I have to put it in simple terms you boys can understand I’d say it’s because boys will be boys even when mountains fall.”

They both were trying to hide their intent by speaking harshly about Darius. Though their words carried some truth

Shalley: “Yes even when pants are on fire.”

After an elaborate chain of insults, they went to do their duties and left Coby and Vin standing in the yard.

Vin: “It’s getting late man, let’s just go back.”

Coby: “No, I think they are hiding something and may a bullet go through my head if I won’t find out what it is. Let’s follow him!”

Darius was closely following behind the prestigious family, completely unaware of the deadly trap that laid ahead of him.

Darius was over the clouds in anticipation of his secret meeting with Katherine when suddenly he heard a voice behind him say, “So you’re the creep who’s been following us this whole time. Trying to rob us!? Tell me why I shouldn’t put a bullet in your thieving head right now!”

It was Titus, the brother of Katherine, the beautiful white girl in the carriage. He was pointing a gun at Darius, unwavering in his intent to shoot him right then and there.

“Titus, what’s going on out there?” Katherine alarmed, looking outside from inside the carriage. She then hurried out to see what was happening. The moment she realized it was Darius, down on his knees about to be shot, she screamed.

“Titus Stop! Don’t shoot him.”

Titus: “why? You know this thief?”

Darius: “No, she doesn’t. How can a beautiful lady like her be in any way acquainted with a cowboy like myself? Please, sir, just deal with me. Leave her out of this!”

Titus: “You think I’m going to shoot my sister? Wait, you two know each other?”

Katherine: “Darius, please, just for once, don’t hide who you are. You have nothing to be ashamed of, and life is too short to worry about other people’s opinions.”

Darius: “People like me don’t get to choose what we get, milady. We are what we found ourselves to be. We just accept it and go with the flow.”

Katherine: “I told you not to call me that. I am just Katherine to you.”

Titus: “Outrageous! Doing this in front of me? How insolent! You dared to defile my sister!”

Titus was getting serious. He couldn’t bear to watch as the two publicly declared their deep love for each other in front of his attendants. To him, it was the worst insult he couldn’t condone.

Katherine: “Please don’t hurt him. He is just a friend who offered to show me around the estate.”

Titus: “A friend, you say? Look at the way he is looking at you. He surely has despicable amorous intentions.”

Darius remained on the ground, looking at Katherine. His eyes conveyed the deep affection he had for her. He wondered if confronting his deepest fears and accepting all emotions was what he intended to do in the first place.

Darius: “You know what, Katherine? I love you! And I think I have loved you since the first time I saw you.”

Titus: “Is this negro begging me to fix his brains with a bullet?”

“Don’t!” Katherine screamed. “He’s a manager at Rossifield’s farm.”

Titus: “So what? I can do whatever I want. I’ll say he was trying to force himself on you.”

That’s when Darius found the strength to confront the truth.

Darius: “I have been a coward for most of my entire life. Now that I look back, every decision I made, everything I did, was to please others. But after I started spending time with you, I slowly found myself becoming more honest with the way I feel. To be honest, I deeply hated your people. I had a terrible teenage experience and many life-threatening encounters because of my former master. But you made me realize that it’s not the color or the missing parts that distinguish people. Rather, it’s the mind that does. Everyone has their own mind, thoughts, and opinions on things. You broke the walls I built in my mind and opened it to a splendiferous view. Katherine Harrison, here today, in this moment in time, I reveal this to you not in haste or with amorous intentions. When I say, you not only make me an honest man but you also give me a reason to continue living despite the hardships I face. And I love you.”

Katherine: “Oh, Darius, I love—”

“That’s enough. It’s time to put a stop to this charade.”

Titus turned the barrel of his gun and was about to open fire when Katherine jumped in front of Darius to stop him.

Katherine: “Don’t! If you want to shoot him, you will have to kill me first.”

Titus: “Kath, move away now!”

Katherine: “I won’t. Please, Titus, just let us be. If you want to kill this man for loving me, then kill me too. I am the one who approached him and made him fall in love with me. Darius, go for now. I will handle this.”

Darius: “I won’t leave you!”

Katherine: “Please, just go for now. I will meet with you at the usual place.”

Darius got up and left them standing on the road in the middle of the cornfields. Titus was enraged by his sister’s reaction, but he couldn’t do anything. So, they continued on their way to the estate.

Titus was a man who considered himself to be very noble. He always avoided arguing with his family in front of the workers. So after arriving at the estate, he took Katherine to his study to give her a piece of his mind.

Titus: “What do you think you are doing, embarrassing our family like this? For goodness’ sake, you are engaged. Do you know what that family will do to us if they find out about this?”

Katherine: “I already sent a courtship termination letter to the Wellingtons in Melvic. It’s over!”

Titus: “What? Are you crazy?”

Katherine: “I know you are trying to look out for me, but you can’t force me to marry someone I don’t love.”

Titus: “I promised Father to protect and keep you safe from individuals like him! This is a dangerous world, Kathy!”

Katherine: “Don’t give me that nonsense! And screw you; we shouldn’t be proud of what we’re doing here. And we both know you just want to snatch my inheritance.”

Titus: “How can you say that! After everything I have done for you all these years?”

Katherine: “And I appreciate it. But I am a grown woman now. I’ll marry Darius, get my inheritance, it’s what mom would want for me. I’ll go meet up with him, and you won’t stop me.”

Titus: “You think I’ll allow that man to take my family’s fortune? Over my dead body. Peter!”

Peter, a denizen foreman of the estate, came running upon his call.

Titus: “Tell the boys not to let her out of this house. There appears to be a wild, dangerous animal on the loose. Bring three men; we’re going hunting.”

Katherine: “What are you doing? Don’t do this, Titus! Lay a hand on him, and I’ll kill myself!”

Titus was not one to listen when furious. So he equipped his men with weapons, got on their horses, and went on a search-and-kill hunt for Darius.