Monnlight

Lynn Wright

The night was hot. Josiah lay uncovered in his bed, far from sleep although it was the middle of the night. Sleep had eluded him on a great many nights of late. His thoughts were not of the sort that soothed the spirit; they alternated between worry over the possibility of the town’s discovery of his love for Elizabeth and dreams of completion of that love.

Tonight his thoughts were of her, of her physical being. Her skin, her mouth, her hands, her breasts...he turned restlessly upon his side. It was growing harder and harder to keep himself within bounds. Stolen moments in the schoolhouse, kisses and touches, burned in his memory. Three weeks since that night under the cottonwood tree, and he wondered how much longer they could keep remembering that they were in a dangerous position, that their love was not to be made public.

He wanted her with such passion; when he did sleep his dreams were of her, of her willingness and her response to him, of her body under him, moving with him in loving. Thinking about that was unbearable. He shifted position again, turning to face the door. As he looked up, he stiffened and gasped.

She was there, standing in a shaft of moonlight from the window, her hair silvered by the light, the lines of her body visible through the light fabric of her summer nightgown. He wondered for an instant if he were finally seeing things but she moved, coming closer, and he knew with joy and despair that she was real.

“Elizabeth, for God’s sake, what are you doing? Please, don’t come any closer; I can’t do this! I can’t! God, I love you so...“ She said nothing, only stood bathed in moonlight. Then her hands came up to her throat, and in a moment her gown drifted slowly down to pool at her feet.

He froze, his eyes devouring her, his heart thundering, his breathing ragged, his body trembling. Her body was too beautiful. The moon touched lightly on the tips of her breasts, and he saw them harden under his gaze. The silvery light caressed her body as her fingers came up to touch her breasts and to slide softly down over their tips to caress her flanks, and then moved further down. This was too much, the final step that tipped him into desire only; nothing else was remembered nor did he care now, at this moment.“ God, God...come here to me.” He pulled the sheet away, baring his body, and held out his arms to her.

She came at once, lying down at his side quickly, eagerly; sliding into his arms, pressing her whole length against him. His mouth covered hers, his arms closed around her; he rolled until he was half lying on her. But kissing her was not enough; he wanted all of her at once. His hands and his mouth moved over her in a frenzy of wanting, while he spoke incoherent love words to her, “So beautiful...I want you...love me, oh, love me...kiss me...so soft, so beautiful...my love, my only love....”

Her response was wholehearted and equally uncontrolled. She moaned and kissed him and ran her hands over his body hungrily. Her actions fired his desire even more, and his control was nearly gone when in a lucid moment he realized suddenly what he was doing to her. This was no way to treat an almost totally inexperienced woman. No matter what her enthusiasm for love, she was not ready to be taken by storm. He remembered a thought from the past, that he would be the most tender, considerate and patient lover that ever was. Now was the time when that resolve would be tested.

 

As these thoughts came to him, his rushing emotion slowed, and he gained a measure of control. He moved his body off her and gathered her into his arms, holding her lightly against him but with tenderness rather than the urgency of a moment ago. As he held her he whispered to her, his voice giving no hint of how difficult it was for him to contain his frenzied need. “My love, let’s slow down a little bit. I love you, I want it to be the best for you. This moment right now is so wonderful, let’s stop to enjoy it.”

Her body tensed under his hands. “You aren’t changing your mind? Please, Josiah, don’t push me away now. I love you so, I want you so…” Her words trailed away as she looked up at him with alarm.

“No!No, I won’t change my mind. I can’t.” His hand began to move over her body again. “I’m not strong enough to let go of you now, when I can feel your body, your skin against me.” His hand stroked her back, slid down over her hip, caressed her belly, while his eyes moved back and forth from gazing into hers to watching his hand slide over her. “I’ve wanted so long to touch your skin all over. I want to kiss you everywhere. I want to watch your face when you’re…when you learn what love can be…oh, Elizabeth, I love you so much…God, I want you so much….”.

He could feel it getting away from him again. The touch of her skin was so exciting….so mesmerizing…he pulled his hand away from her body suddenly, and turned his gaze back to her eyes. His face broke into a small smile. “I’m having a little trouble staying in control here,” he explained

She smiled back and raised her hand to stroke the side of his face. “I knew this was killing you…” her eyes dropped for a moment, and she smiled a little. “Well, killing both of us. I can’t stand watching you get thinner by the day. Just love me, Josiah...don’t worry and wear yourself to a shadow, don’t be in control…just love me….touch me…please…”She took his hand and laid it on her breast.

His head came down and he found her lips. Her mouth opened under his and he felt her go fluid in his arms, her whole being open to him. Immediately it was right there again, the flaming need that underlay his love for her. He moaned softly and pulled her closer, his tongue sliding between her lips to caress the inside of them and then reaching deeper into her mouth, while his hand caressed her breast, rolling the nipple between his fingers and pulling it gently.

When he raised his head at last, she smiled up at him. “I love that, what you’re doing…here.” She touched his hand, still covering her breast. “You…know how to make love, don’t you? You have…experience?…But I don’t. I don’t know…how to love you.” She looked down, away from his eyes, uncertain now and unsure of herself. “Show me how to love you? Show me what to do to make you happy? I want to please you in everything, in every way.”

“Oh, Elizabeth, I …” he stopped for a moment, grasping again for control. What I’d like? God! Careful here, Josiah. Go slow! “Well now, what would you like to do?”

She still seemed uncertain, but being Elizabeth the intrepid, she went on. She began to stroke his skin lightly, sensuously, down the side of his face and lower to his neck, touching the hollow of his throat as she had longed to do. She spoke softly while she stroked him. “Um-m…you feel so good.”

His head fell back and his eyes closed, as her hand left his skin sensitized in its wake, tingling and warm with the sense of her loving touch. “I love that. Keep doing it...” Then as her hand continued to move, “Yes...yes…touch me…”

Slowly and softly she continued to explore his body, her hand traveling down his chest to stop at the nipple almost lost in the gray curls there .When she touched it he drew in his breath sharply. “Is this place good for you?” she asked, with wonder in her voice. “Does this make you happy?” Her fingers caressed the little nipple, and he shuddered and whispered, “It makes me happy. And it makes me want you even more that you are so wonderful to me.”

Her hand traveled lower, sliding down the side of his body, over his hip, coming closer to that part of him where he longed for her touch with his whole heart. He hardly dared to hope, but she didn’t disappoint him. Her hand curled softly around his penis, and she squeezed gently, looking up for his reaction. His eyes closed at that touch and he whispered, “My love, my love, you make me so happy.”

“Show me, Josiah. What should I…?”His hand moved down over hers and he began to move it up and down slowly, shuddering and moaning at her touch. “Oh…I see…” After a moment she slid her hand out from under his and moved further down, to touch his testicles gently “Here too, Josiah?”

 

“Oh-h, yes-s… there too…” He was breathing fast now, his body curving up for closer contact with her hand, but after a few moments, he reached down to check her movement. “Love, stop…stop now, you make me crazy….” As she stopped touching him he smiled tenderly at her. “You’ve found what pleases me all right, I can’t stand much more, I’ll…explode!” He looked down the length of her. “Let me…now let me know this beautiful body…”

He sat up on his elbow and just looked for a moment more. “You are so beautiful…so beautiful…” His hand came out slowly and touched the nipple of her breast very lightly with one finger. She shivered, and the nipple responded immediately to his touch. “So wonderful…” His hand curled around the breast, cradling it in his warm palm. She sighed and shut her eyes, but in a moment she opened them again.

“What is it? Is there something…something wrong?” He had stopped. His hand was at her breast yet, but it was still.

“No!No, how could there be anything wrong?” He reached down to kiss her gently, and smiled. “I have you in my arms, more than I ever hoped for…but…Elizabeth, I must tell you. I will not do...what may make you pregnant.”

“Josiah!You said you would...oh please, don’t stop now…”

One finger came up gently to cover her lips.“…Wait…I know, I said I wouldn’t change my mind, and I haven’t. I won’t leave us unsatisfied this time. Let me show you...there are other ways...” and with his mouth and his hands, he began to show her.

The moonlight had traveled across the floor since he saw her standing in it, and now it fell across the bed, illuminating Elizabeth’s face on the pillow. As Josiah made love to her his eyes came back always to watch her face. The expressions that moved across it as his hands moved across her body made him nearly cry with love for her. She was truly an innocent. Every touch, every caress, was a new adventure for her, and she was loving every moment of it.

She sighed and gasped and drew in quick breaths as his hands and his mouth discovered her. When his mouth closed over her nipple she moaned softly and brought her hands up to cradle his head, pulling it closer to her. For long moments he stopped there, laving her nipples with his tongue, teasing them with his teeth, while she writhed beneath him and made soft inarticulate noises. His mouth moved finally farther down her body, stopping for a moment at her navel, which made her shiver and gasp. He was gasping himself, lost in the smooth textures and soft surfaces of her body.

His hand made the move to cover her vee of soft hair slowly, conscious of her innocence always and afraid to shock her, but he needn’t have worried. Her legs moved apart in invitation, and her hand came down to cover his in open encouragement for him to take this most intimate portion of her body. He needed no further invitation. His fingers explored the wet heat he found there, while his excitement grew. She moaned and lifted her body to meet his hand. He began slowly to move his fingers into her body. Her eyes opened, and she looked at him with surprise for an instant, but as his fingers moved she sighed and her eyes drifted shut again.

Josiah had a great deal of experience with women, and being a man of sensitivity and compassion he had learned much from that experience. Slowly and with skill he brought her to a peak of excitement. Both of them were now trembling and breathing hard and fast, and she looked into his eyes in love and wonder at what she was feeling. When she began to move her hips in response to his fingers, he began to touch gently on her small knot of sensitivity with his thumb. Her eyes widened in wonder for an instant and she began to moan steadily. Her soft sounds made what he was doing doubly exciting to him. They moved in a spiral of arousal that could have only one outcome, and when at last her body arched upward and she cried out, her ecstasy took him to his completion along with her.

*********

The moonlight fell across them both now. She lay with eyes closed, a tender smile just showing on her face, stroking his hair softly. He lay with his head on her shoulder, his hand on her breast, resting in peace and contentment.

“Josiah?”

“My love, what?”

“My goodness, Josiah, no wonder people make such a fuss over it! I had no idea!”

She felt him begin to shake with silent laughter. “Elizabeth, you’re so wonderful, I love you so much! What you will say next is a constant delight to me.”

She smiled in sympathy with his laughter, but she was serious in her astonishment.“ I can’t believe what happened to me. Is it like this for everyone?”

“For everyone’s sake, I hope so, but I doubt it. At least it’s never been as good as this for me before. But I’ve never been in love with you before.”

She stretched, yawned, kissed the top of his head, and curled her fingers into his hair. “Will it ever be this good again? Is the first time the best?”

He chuckled. “Like anything else, it gets better with practice. I don’t see right now how it could get much better, but I’m willing to bet it will.” Then he sobered, and lifting his head, looked directly at her. “There is more. I know that you know that. When we’re married, I’ll show you the very best part. Until then, we’ll be happy with what we have. And I am happy, love. I thank you for your bravery in coming to me. You showed more courage than I had. You were right; it was killing us. Now we’ll be able to deal with whatever comes, until we can be together always.

“I’ll wake you before dawn, but right now, let’s sleep for a little. I want to sleep with you in my arms, just for a little while, just this first time. I love you so much, Elizabeth. Will you sleep now, with me?”

  “Mm-hm.”

His arms were around her, cradling her against him, and she curled herself closer to him, and closed her eyes.

Reunion

Lynn Wright

Josiah opened the back door of the church/schoolhouse, and stepped inside. She was there, sitting at her desk, the late afternoon sun from the window behind her gilding the loose tendrils around the edge of her hair, leaving her face in shadow .But without seeing it he knew she was smiling at him, her face bright with greeting. And as she got up and moved into the light, she was indeed smiling joyously “Josiah! You’re back!” She walked straight into his arms, and raised her face for his kiss.

His arms went around her fiercely, and he drew her tightly against him and kissed her passionately, moaning as his tongue searched for hers. Her arms went around him, her hands moving with ardor over the surface of his muscled back, and with equal urgency his hand slid inside the bodice of her dress. The kiss held, and many moments passed as their passion flared into molten life.

At last he raised his head. “God, Elizabeth, I missed you so much! The ride back was endless!”

As the first fiery moments of reunion passed, tenderness came back to his lovemaking, and his mouth came more softly to hers, kissing her again and again, moving to her eyes, her cheeks, her neck, and down to the sweet joining of her neck and shoulder, where he loved to press his face against her. He burrowed down into it, his speech muffled. “I love you, I love you...and I want you...God, so much!” His hands moved down to pull her hips against him, and he rubbed his surging erection against her with passionate intensity.

“Tonight...tonight we’ll be together again, love,” She murmured.  “Soon I’ll feel your hands on me, these hands that bring me such pleasure…oh, I want it right now…now…” his hand was sliding up her inner thigh on the outside of her skirt. “More…do it to me now…”

“My God, woman, I’m going to take you right here on the floor if you don’t stop saying these things…!” He jumped and moaned as he felt her hand stroking his bulging erection through his pants. “God! Stop!”

“However did I live without this for all that time? I’ve missed you so dreadfully; it’s been the longest week of my life.”  She ran her hands over him, caressing his shoulders and his neck with one hand, while the other continued to stroke his penis until he took possession of both her hands and stepped back from her.

“You’re a temptress, Elizabeth! If you don’t keep your hands off me I’ll not be responsible for what happens.” When she grinned and reached for him again, he laughed and moved further away. ”Look!We’re standing far too close to the window!”

He turned and with her held close to his side he walked farther away from it. “Let’s try to be a little discreet, shall we? We don’t want to slip up now and let the world know what’s going on in here.” He smiled down at her. “Because I think that maybe we have a hope of getting out of our predicament. I talked to Nathan about it. We had lots of time to talk on that long ride.  He’s got some ideas. He knows the people in this town who influence public opinion, and he says not to give up hope.”

“Give up hope?  Never! I know with utter certainty that we will be together, because we were meant to be.” Elizabeth’s eyes were bright with her love for him, and with defiance also. “We’re not dependent on this town, either. Say the word, and I’m up behind you on your horse, and we’re out of here!”

“You’d do it, wouldn’t you.” Josiah looked down at her, torn between mirth and tears. “You’d get on my horse and ride away with me, not knowing if you’d ever eat again.” His hand came up to stroke the side of her face, and as he looked down at her, tears did well up in his eyes.

“Elizabeth, I can’t believe it yet, that you love me.” His voice was thickened with emotion. “How could a—a vision of love and happiness like you be dropped from Heaven on a sinner like me? How can I possibly be deserving of the joy you give me by simply being here?”

“Don’t you ever say that you don’t deserve me! You deserve the best that ever was! I won’t hear a word spoken that says any less!”

He chuckled, his tears forgotten in his amusement at her forthright speech. “Do you think you could possibly be prejudiced, just a little bit?”

She smiled back, sunnily. “If I am, it’s only what you’re entitled to.”

“Whatever that means, thank you...I think.” He shook his head, laughing softly. “Now, could we get back to the little matter of our future together?”

“When do we get on the horse? I ride very well, you know.”

“No, do you? Well, if we ever do get on that horse, maybe I’d better ride behind. ”He smiled with amused affection as his arms went around her again, and he bent his head to touch her lips softly with his. “Please, can we discuss this matter now?”

“Yes, we can. I’m sorry Josiah, I’m just so euphoric to be with you again, to be in your arms again. It seems as if you were away for a year!” Her face softened, “I love you so...it’s hard to be separated from you.”

 

“I’m working on fixing it so we’ll never be separated again. I want us to be married so much, and...Elizabeth...,” his face reddened, mystifying her as to what he was about to say. “I…haven’t forgotten what you said about…wanting to have a child with me. I want that also. I…want it very much.” He looked at her apprehensively, as if he had said something that he didn’t think she’d want to hear.

“I haven’t forgotten it either. I think about it very often. I dream about it, Josiah. I have dreamed that I’m holding your child in my arms, that you stand over us looking down on us, and we are so happy, Josiah, so happy!” She raised her hand to his face, stroking his cheek. “Why would you think that I could feel any other way? You looked afraid to say it. I love you, and I want your child in my arms.”

“I—don’t know why. But you’re right, I was afraid. I guess...it seems like such a huge thing to ask of you, such a life-changing, monumental thing.”

“It’s not a favor you’re asking of me, it’s a gift you’re giving me! A child is our gift to each other, the seal and completion of our love. And we will have one...or maybe more than one.” Her eyes danced with sudden amusement. “Maybe lots more than one.”

“Whoa! Let’s leave that for the future to take care of. But I like your words, ‘our gift to each other’. That is truly how I feel, that it would be a gift.” He smiled down at her with great tenderness. “But, there is the little matter of marriage to take care of first. Now, will you let me tell you what Nathan said?”

Planning

Lynn Wright

She opened the door quickly and pulled him inside. “Where have you been? I nearly died waiting! Did something happen?”

Josiah’s arms were around her as she spoke, and he answered from the warm hollow of her neck. “There was a fight in the saloon. I couldn’t get away sooner…Ow!” He flinched as she hugged him to her. “I have come to you slightly battered, but very ready!” He began to unbutton her dress. “I want to see you, God, how much I want to see you! It’s been forever!”

“Josiah, wait…wait now, are you hurt? If you’re hurt we’d better not…”

“Don’t even think about it. I’d have to be dead! It’s nothing, nothing at all. It was just a fist-fight.” His words were blurred by the contact of his mouth with the skin of her neck. He pushed the top of her dress down off her shoulder, his mouth following it down.

“Oh dear, I don’t think I should let you do this…”

He stopped nuzzling her long enough to look up at her and grin. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No!Well, yes…if you’re really hurt, of course I do, but if you think you’re going to live…?” She grinned back.

He chuckled, swept her up into his arms and headed for her bedroom.

********

“Josiah?”She was in some doubt about these new caresses.

“M-m-h-m-m?”

“Is this all right, what you’re…going to do?”

“Do you think it will feel good?”

:I…don’t know yet, but…I expect it will.”

“Trust me, it does.” His mouth moved farther below her navel. “And it is all right.”  He kissed the mound of curls at the juncture of her legs and moved to place himself between them, pressing them open gently. When his mouth came down on her she gasped and started. But in a moment she was moaning, as his mouth moved over the surface of her center with loving skill.

“Oh love, it does, it does,” she whispered, writhing and turning her hips up to make closer contact with his moving mouth.“ Ah-h-h, do it to me, do it…”Her moans and slurred words stirred him to greater excitement, and he began to move his mouth over her with more intensity. When his tongue touched on her clitoris for the first time she jumped and cried out, “Oh-h-h!More, more…”

He slowed instead of following her plea. “Josiah? Make it happen to me? Please.. please?” She was trembling and twisting her hips, trying for closer contact with his mouth, but he moved back, keeping the contact very light.

“Slowly, my love, slowly…” His voice was deep and throaty with his desire. “Let it happen slowly…”

She stilled at his words, willing to follow him, knowing that he wanted the greatest pleasure for her. Her body relaxed and she lay still, letting him make it happen to her. Soon she was moaning again, very softly, still relaxed. The tide of pleasure swelled and swelled until her back arched, and she cried out in ecstasy, holding his head against her as waves of rapturous pleasure beat through her body.

Slowly she came back to reality, to find him leaning over her smiling tenderly. “I think you found it to be all right, didn’t you.” He chuckled at the look on her face.

“I’d have died if you’d quit.” She replied simply, and then she surprised him. “Can I do that for you?”

“Well, yes, of course you can. I’d love it if you would.” He hesitated for a moment.“…But…there are …results…from me, that don’t happen with you.”

“…Oh, yes, I see…” she grinned suddenly. “but I’ll bet it’s good for me.”

His face crumpled with laughter. “Oh, Elizabeth, I do love you. I never will be able to predict what you’ll say next!”

“Let’s see what other use I can make of my mouth, shall we?” She smiled impishly, and reached down to take his erection in her hand.

He was more than ready to have her show him what she could do with it, but he wasn’t quite sure she understood completely what was entailed in what she proposed. “My love, you could do wonderful things for me just with your hand, if you’d rather…”

“Hush.I know what I’m doing. Lie back now, I’m going to make love to you.” And she did, with her intelligence and her loving heart making up for her inexperience.

She began to move her hand slowly up and down his erection as he had showed her, while bending closer and closer with her mouth. When he felt her breathe on him he gasped, and she looked up. “Does that feel good? My warm breath on you? I’m sure it does. But not as good as this…” and she touched the end of his penis with her tongue. He jerked and gulped. Her tongue moved all around the tip, and slowly she slid her mouth down around him, keeping her hand on him also.

“God, you’re wonderful…” he gasped. “That’s wonderful…Ah! Oh, love…” she had taken his testicles in her other hand.

She made love to him slowly and thoroughly, and when he was ready to explode she pressed her mouth down around him as far as it would go, and drew on his penis to bring all he had out of him. He came with a soft cry and convulsive shudders, his body arched up, expelling his seed with frenzied ecstasy, on and on.

He opened his eyes at last, to find Elizabeth looking down at him as he had at her. She smiled. “I think you enjoyed that quite a bit.”

“Elizabeth, you are wonderful, and I love you very much.” He smiled at her tenderly.

“Thank you.” She smiled back, and then looked down. “Um…I wonder if…”

“All right, what is it?” His smile turned to a grin. “Out with it!”

To his surprise, she blushed. “Uh, could you…well, if you’re not too tired, could you…do it again for me?”.

“Oh my precious darling! It would be a privilege.”

 *********

They lay together, serene and contented in the afterglow of their passionate reunion. Josiah’s cheek rested on the top of her head where she lay pressed against him, her head on his shoulder, her leg raised and resting over his hips to bring her as close to him as possible. His arms were around her, holding her against him, comforting and protective.

“Josiah?”

“Yes, love?”

“You were right. It gets better.”

“Oh yes, love.”

“Is this as special as I suspect? How is it that we’re so lucky to have this wonderful closeness?”

“I believe it to be almost unique. I don’t think one couple in ten thousand feels this; we’re inconceivably lucky to have found each other. I believe that we’re mentally and physically perfectly suited.” He chuckled. “Maybe I should check with you on that one, before I stick my neck out.”

“Perhaps you should. I was going to talk to you about the way your mental and physical makeup needs improvement. I don’t know how much longer I can put up with you if you don’t make some drastic changes.” He felt her smile against his chest. “Oh Josiah, my very most precious darling, you are absolutely and without any doubt the most perfect man in the universe. I can say that without any reservations, having intimate knowledge of your mental and physical makeup.”

“I think you may be slightly biased in your opinion, but I’ll accept the title, ‘most perfect man’. Why not? Your opinion is the one that counts.” He grinned and gathered her a little closer.

She stretched and yawned. “We’ve got some planning to do, and if we don’t talk about it pretty soon, we’ll both be asleep, and it’ll be morning. Let’s talk.”

Now you want to talk.” Josiah laughed softly. “This afternoon I couldn’t get two words of sense in a row out of you, and now at 2 am you want to talk. All right, let’s talk. I think I’d better take advantage of your willingness. It seems to be a rare commodity.”

She sat up, moving to sit cross-legged beside him on the bed. “Tell me again what Nathan said. I really wasn’t paying much attention this afternoon .I wanted to touch you so much I couldn’t concentrate on talking.”

“I noticed.”

She grinned at him. “All right, tease me about my susceptibility to your charms. It’s your own fault.  You taught me everything I know about lovemaking. Can I help it if you’re the world’s best lover, and the world’s best teacher also?”

“You weren’t exactly an unwilling pupil. I never saw anyone absorb lessons with such speed and thoroughness.” His hand came up to touch her face, to stroke her neck.

She put her hand over his, pressed it against her quickly, and brought it away. “Quick, tell me what Nathan said, before we get distracted again.”

“All right. Nathan said that what we need to do is get certain people on our side. Two people especially; the new mayor, and Aggie Trimble.

“The new mayor should be no problem. Nathan says he’s an honest and sensible man, and that he admires you very much. He told Nathan that this town was remarkably lucky to get you. And he has two children in your school, so he has a stake in keeping you around. “

“You didn’t tell me that this afternoon, or I would have paid more attention. I’m glad to know that I’m valued by someone! Someone beside you, that is. I know you value me. I can tell by the way you treat me.”

“You bet I value you. I’ll show you how much with just the slightest encouragement. But don’t encourage me yet, we haven’t finished talking.” He grinned at her. “And I did tell you that this afternoon, but you were too busy valuing me to hear it.”

“All right! I had more important concerns than what you were saying. I needed to make sure that you would come to me tonight. I wouldn’t have lived through one more night without you.”

“You’d have lived. If I hadn’t showed up, you’d have been at my door by midnight. But nothing on earth could have kept me away anyway, so the point is moot.” He smiled and slid his hand over her nearest knee. “Now, about Aggie Trimble.”

“That’s the old lady who lives in the big house down by the coulee, isn’t it? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her, but I’ve heard her mentioned a lot.”

Josiah nodded. “That’s her. She’s a bit of a recluse, but she rules this town with an iron hand from that big house. Nathan says that although she’s a formidable old lady, she has a kind heart underneath. He’s applied to her more than once when he comes across a situation while he’s fixing someone up, where money can help; and he says she’s never disappointed him. But she gives him a hard time every time. He says she asks the most pertinent, and impertinent, questions. I’ve met her once, and she is formidable. She says exactly what she’s thinking, without any polite trimmings.

“Anyway, Nathan thinks we ought to go to see her, and lay out the whole truth before her. He says he’s willing to bet that she will be on our side. For one thing, there are some women in this town that she doesn’t like much, and she’d relish a battle over something like this where she thinks they’d be on the other side. She doesn’t think she can lose in the long run, because, as Nathan says, ‘she knows where the bodies are buried’. She’s lived here a long time, and she never forgets anything.”

“I think I’m going to like this old lady. She’s not afraid of anything.” said Elizabeth. “All right, let’s go see her; all she can do is say no. And if she does, then we get on the horse, right?”

 

“Even if she says no, I don’t think the horse is the only option left. Nathan says she won’t say anything if she disapproves. She didn’t get the power she’s got in this town without keeping a few secrets.” Josiah began to smile. “I think that you’d sort of like to get on the horse. It would be an adventure. But trust me on this, it’s the better option to stay here. We both like this town and are liked here; if we can stay I think that would be by far the best plan.”

“All right, I’ll give up the horse if you say so. In the area of riding out of places with no further plans you probably have superior knowledge.” she said, smiling brightly.

“Yes.I do. Trust me.” He grinned back at her. “I’ll call on the old lady tomorrow and make an appointment for us to see her.

“Now...“ he reached for her, and pulled her down on top of him.“ While we’re talking, let’s talk about encouragement. I want to show you how much I value you, but I need encouragement. Encourage me.”

So she did.

Aggie

Lynn Wright

“It’s just Aggie. No one in 70 years has called me Mrs. Trimble. Don’t need to start now.”

“All right...Aggie. This is Elizabeth Herrington, Aggie.” Josiah brought Elizabeth forward, his arm around her. “I told you about her yesterday.”

“I remember. My memory hasn’t gone yet, young man.” The old lady’s eyes snapped. “Hello, Elizabeth Herrington. You’re a very pretty young woman. And from what I hear, a very good teacher. That’s a worthwhile skill. I approve.”

“Thank you ma’am. I’m very happy to hear that my skill is appreciated.” Elizabeth smiled agreeably. “Am I to call you Aggie also? Yes? It doesn’t seem very respectful...but I guess it’s respectful to follow your wishes...Aggie.”

The old lady smiled a small wintry smile. Well, now, what’s all the upset about? What do you need from me? People don’t come to visit me for love of my good temper.”

Josiah and Elizabeth looked at each other. “You tell her, Josiah.” Elizabeth smiled at him, her love apparent in her telltale face. Josiah smiled back, his face softening, his eyes warm. Quick and comprehending old eyes darted back and forth between the two of them.

As Josiah started to speak, Aggie interrupted. “Wait!Maybe I don’t need to hear it. Maybe I can tell you.” She paused.

“Now let me see...we have a young woman teaching school. We have a preacher, somewhat older than she is, sharing the church building with her. We have two people pushed close by circumstances, and we have a town that will not hear of a teacher being a married woman. Does that cover the problem?”

Josiah shook his head, laughing a little and glancing at Elizabeth, who was doing the same. “Yes, I’d say that covers it very well. I can’t think of anything to add, except perhaps that the preacher loves her very much, and has some reason to believe that she loves him also.”

Elizabeth stiffened. “Some reason? I’d like to know what more I could do! Perhaps you’d like me to write it on the blackboard at the next town meeting?”

“That would be good. I’ve been wanting to tell the world since about three days after I met you. It would be specially nice coming from you.” He laughed softly and put his arm around her again.

Aggie looked from one to the other. “Well, I can see that you’re both addled. Not exactly young love in your case, is it, Josiah?” She grinned as she planted the barb. “But it appears to be true love anyway. What do you want me to do about it?”

Josiah sobered, took a breath, and plunged. “We want you to use your influence to convince the women of the town that Elizabeth can still teach school even if she is a married woman.”

“The women? Why the women?”

“Because I believe they will be the deciding voices in this controversy.”

The wintry little smile became evident again. “And I agree. But what makes you think they will listen to me?”

Josiah glanced at Elizabeth, a bit hesitant. She turned from him to Aggie. “He’s wondering if we should be frank. I think we should, and I’m willing to be the one to put my head in the noose. The reason we think you can do it is because it’s common knowledge that your word is the last word in the female community...and because, in Nathan’s words, you ‘know where the bodies are buried’.

The little smile turned to a chortle of delighted laughter. “Child, I like you. You’re like me, not afraid of anything.” Her laughter stopped suddenly, and a piercing look settled on Elizabeth.

“You’re not expecting, are you?”

Josiah drew a quick breath to speak, but Elizabeth put a hand on his arm. “It’s all right. She has reason to ask.”

She turned to Aggie again, her face pink, but her head high. “No, I’m not.”

“But you could be, you’re just lucky that you’re not. Is that right?”

“Well...,” She looked at Josiah with that mischievous look that he had learned presaged something outrageous. “I know what you’re asking, but there’s no chance that I could be, because Josiah wouldn’t do it, not even when I begged him to. However, he’s endlessly inventive, so we did everything else instead.”

Josiah’s head snapped toward her, disbelief in his eyes; he looked at her for a moment, stunned, then his face crumpled into mirth. He dropped his head into his hands, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

Elizabeth’s instinct to tell it all proved correct; the old lady laughed also, until tears ran down her wrinkled cheeks. “Child, come and visit me again. I haven’t had such a good laugh in ten years.” She turned to Josiah, who was still recovering from shock. “This one is a handful. Do you think you can manage her?”

“No, ma’am! No one manages Elizabeth. I’ll just love her, and try to help her out of trouble as much as possible. That alone should be a lifetime job.” He looked at Elizabeth with his love and delight in her plain on his face.

“You’re right about that; it will be. I wish you joy of it! But the chore now is to get you two married.” Aggie’s eyes turned to Josiah, full of sly amusement. “I think it better happen soon, I don’t know how long you’re going to be able to withstand Elizabeth. I give you credit for holding out anything at all against her, but I don’t give a dollar for your chances of keeping her from getting pregnant for more than a couple of weeks.

“I’ll wire John Travis; he’s the circuit judge for this town. I’ll ask him to come to town in about two weeks to marry you. That should give us enough time to get the town in line. We’ll have the wedding here, in the parlor.  Don’t argue with me now, Elizabeth. If I’m going to do the job to get you married, I ought to have the satisfaction of seeing it happen.”

“Aggie, I wouldn’t think of arguing, but there is someone else to be consulted.” Elizabeth looked at Josiah questioningly.“ Would you rather be married in the church? I will do whatever you want in this.”

“No.I don’t care where, I just want to be married to you. Marriage doesn’t depend on churches; it depends on people who care. Who would marry us in the church, anyway? There’s no one there but me.” Josiah grinned at her, “I don’t think it’s legal for people to marry themselves, and Heaven knows we’ve gone to enough trouble to make it legal.”

“Then we’d love to be married in your parlor, Aggie.” Elizabeth took Josiah’s hand and continued in a softened voice, “Thank you, Aggie...I don’t know how to say it in any other way. Just know that we do thank you, from the heart.”

“Well, well, that’s all right.” Aggie was flustered. “Now...about the town.”

“I’ve talked to Oren Robertson, the new mayor.” said Josiah, “He’s perfectly agreeable to having a married school teacher. He doesn’t want to lose Elizabeth, and he’ll do everything he can to help.”

“I’m glad to hear that you’ve done something else besides making love to Elizabeth.” said Aggie dryly. “That’s good about Oren. He can take care of the male objections. He’s a very capable person. And I can take care of the female ones.

“Ella Longworth will be our biggest problem. She’s loud and she’s pushy, and she’s always the first one to holler for convention and against anything that might let people get in bed together; but she won’t stand up to me. And for a very good reason; she knows that I know that she used to run a whorehouse in Abilene.” She grinned evilly. “That news would put quite a crimp in her starchy attitude. But I won’t have to use it; it’ll still be good the next time I need to shut her up and sit her down.”

“That should take care of it then. There’s nothing more for you two to do but rustle up some fancy clothes for the wedding. Just leave it to me, and run along now. I’ve had a very tiring morning, and I want to take a nap.”

Marriage

Lynn Wright

“It’s done! It’s done!” Elizabeth looked up at him with a glowing face. “It’s done, and they’re all gone, and we’re alone, and...and Josiah, I’m so happy.”

“I can’t believe it yet...you’re mine to keep forever. And you want to be here in my arms! You want me!” Josiah’s voice was triumphant as he swept her off her feet and carried her down the hall of her little house, the schoolteacher’s house, now their house.

He rounded the corner of the bedroom door, carried her swiftly over the flowered carpet, and dropped her in the center of the big bed. He let himself down on top of her, smiling into her eyes, lowering his head to kiss her lips, her hair, her temples.

“Yes, I want you,” she laughed up at him, “If you don’t mind, I want you right now.” She began matter-of-factly to unbutton his white shirt.

He shook his head in amusement. “Don’t be shy, Elizabeth. Tell me just what you’re thinking!”

“Why should I waste time being shy when I want you so much? You’re legally mine, and the sooner we start making babies, the happier we’ll both be.”

“I’m ready to do that. I’ve waited a long time to make love to you...all the way.” He sobered, and bent his head to kiss her softly. “Oh, Elizabeth, I’ve wanted it so much. Every night, every day—all the time, I’ve wanted to feel your body enclose me, to bury myself in you, to rest deep inside you.” He stopped for a moment, and when he spoke again his voice was husky and had dropped to a whisper. “Please, my love, let me make love to you...all the way.”

She put her hands up to hold his face between them. “Josiah! oh my dear, I had no idea that you were missing it so, wanting it so. You wanted me to believe that you were satisfied with what we had, didn’t you? And I did believe it. I’m so ignorant of these things .”She smiled up at him. “But I’m learning, I’m learning every day. And now you have something new and lovely to teach me. Shall we begin?”

He rolled over and sat up.

“Josiah?”

He turned to her, laughing. “We have to begin by taking off our clothes.” And he pulled his shirt off, careless of buttons; then stopped and waited. “Well?Your turn.”

She grinned delightedly. “A game? I’ll play!” and she unbuttoned the tight fitting jacket that was the top of her wedding dress, and took it off.

The game continued with much laughter and foolishness, until he had nothing left to take off. Elizabeth crowed, “I win, I win! I’ve still got two pieces!”

“Not for long!” Josiah reached for the tape holding her voluminous bloomers up. As they fell to the floor, she pulled her camisole over her head.

Josiah stopped then, and just looked, at her laughing face and her lovely slim body. His face sobered, and he spoke intensely. “I can’t believe it; that I’m here with you, that you love me, that you want me to take you to my bed.” He reached for her, and pulled her into his embrace. “God, I want you so much, I love you so much.” He bent his head and captured her mouth with his.

The kiss deepened and lengthened, and he moaned softly as he kissed her. His hands stroked her everywhere, and he pulled her hips against him to ease his surging maleness. When he raised his head, he was trembling. Elizabeth’s hand came up to stroke the side of his face. “What is it, Josiah? Why are you shaking so?”

“I just...want you...please, love, lie down and let me make love to you. Let me go inside you, Elizabeth.”

She turned quickly to the bed and pulled the covers down, then laid herself on the pillows and smiled up at him. “I’m here; I’m waiting for you. Come into me, love.”

He lay down beside her, then rolled until he was half on top of her. He kissed her deeply again, a long and passion filled kiss.

When he lifted his head at last, his trembling had increased, and his breathing was hard and short. “I’m sorry...I’m so sorry, my darling, but I can’t slow down, Elizabeth, I can’t wait. I need to be inside you now.”

She smiled a tremulous smile. “Do you know how exciting it is to me to see you wanting me like this? It’s the most wonderful feeling, that you can’t wait another minute. I love it that you find me so irresistible. It excites me until I want you just as much. Come into me, Josiah, now!”

He moved until his body was over hers, and as he kissed her deeply he felt with unbearable excitement her legs come up around his waist. Then with exquisite pleasure he entered her, slowly sliding his length deep into the place he had longed for with such passion, and for so long.

Through his excitement he felt her response, felt her hips come up to meet his, heard her panting breath. Miraculously, she was with him. In spite of his inability to wait, to lead her carefully into this new experience, she was with him; was sharing his rapturous excitement. With a great groaning sigh he relaxed into joy. As he moved within her he heard with delight her voice telling him wordlessly of her ecstatic pleasure, little sighs and moans adding to the blissful pleasure of being inside her at last.

He knew he couldn’t last very long, this was the culminating pleasure of his experiences with her, but she was with him, she was feeling what he was feeling. A rush of love and tenderness came over him even in the midst of his vaulting excitement, and Elizabeth felt tears fall on her face. She looked up quickly, only to find him smiling down at her through a few tears of happiness.

“Oh, love, finish it. I want to feel you explode inside me” Her tears joined his on her cheeks. Her hands came up to hold the sides of his face, and she whispered to him of her pleasure. “It’s too much, it’s coming, I can’t….oh love…”

And together they toppled over the edge into ecstasy.

********

They lay peacefully together, half asleep, her head pillowed on his shoulder.

“Josiah?”

“Yes, love.”

“Remember you told me that you would show me the best part when we were married? You were right. It’s the part where we become one, isn’t it? The rest is just pleasure. ”She smiled.“ Oh, listen to me...‘just pleasure’. The pleasure is wonderful and loving and close, but this part is...beyond that. I felt when we were connected in that way that we were truly one. I don’t wonder now that you longed for this so much.”

“It’s a moment of not being alone in the world. A moment of connection that has no match anywhere on this earth. And I wanted it so badly with you...and for you.” He looked down at her and smiled tenderly. “And we have it. For the rest of our lives, we have it. I love you so much, Elizabeth.”

“Oh, Josiah, I love you; I love making love with you, and I love talking and walking and laughing and just being with you. Thank you for being who you are, and for wanting me as much I as want you.”

“My love, my love, the thanks are due you. I thank Providence every day for the miracle that brought you to me.” His arms tightened around her, then relaxed again into the peace and comfort that surrounded them both.

“Josiah?”

“Yes, love.”

“Did you see that Aggie was crying?”

“I did. It was one of the things I’ll remember. The one I’ll remember most, though, is your face when you said “I will”. If ever there was an angel on earth, you were it at that moment.”   He bent his head to kiss her hair.

“Can we name the first girl after Aggie?”

“Are we counting chickens?”

“You don’t think there’ll be any girls?”

He chuckled.“ All right, I give up. Yes, we can name the first girl after her.”

“And the first boy after you. After that...hmm, I’ll have to think about that.”

“You do that. Can’t be prepared too early in a situation like this.” He began to grin. “Don’t think you should talk to the ladies of the town about it just yet, though. I think that it’s generally believed that a young married woman doesn’t know where babies come from for at least a year after the wedding.”

“Stuff and nonsense! I’ll talk about whatever I want.  I’m a married woman now. Why do you think I married you anyhow? I wanted to quit watching my tongue all the time; it’s the only reason. Well, possibly there was one other. The sex, you know.”

Josiah exploded in laughter. He laughed until the tears ran down; and when he finally could talk again, he said, “My darling one, I can’t wait to hear what you’ll say next. It’s impossible to imagine, much less to anticipate; I can only wait to hear it, and hope that it will be something that won’t get us into too much hot water.

“Our life is going to be full of the unexpected. And my love, my adored wife, I’m going to love every minute of it, this great adventure we’re starting together.”