Killarney, Ireland, 1846
Aislyn was standing next to the well, the one that most townsfolk used to water their animals when they were out on the commons as her family\u2019s sheep were now. Though he had no animals and no reason to be congregated near the watering hole, he realized he was approaching, and there was nothing he could do to prevent himself from doing so.
At fifteen, she was just as lovely as ever. Her hair was longer still, and she almost always wore it in a single braid down her back, though he still liked it best free and billowing in the wind. She had the loveliest green eyes and the kindest smile. Her porcelain skin looked soft and creamy, and though he\u2019d never run the back of his hand down her cheek, he\u2019d imagined doing so would feel like touching fine silk linen.
He\u2019d taken to speaking to her whenever he could, and he was beginning to think perhaps she fancied him, though he knew she couldn\u2019t be nearly as fond of him as he was of her. Still, as he came to an abrupt halt before her, only a few grazing sheep and old Ms. Sutton within earshot, her smile broadened, and she looked up at him through long, thick lashes.
\u201cGood day, Miss O\u2019Malley,\u201d Aaron said, not able to hold back the grin that spread across his face. \u201cHow are you this day?\u201d
\u201cOh, Aaron, you\u2019re always so formal,\u201d she replied, smoothing her worn blue frock. \u201cYou know you may call me Aislyn. We\u2019ve known each other since we were wee ones.\u201d
\u201cAye, we have, though tis true that neither of us are so wee anymore.\u201d She peered at him for a moment, her brow furrowed, as if she were not sure what he was alluding to. \u201cThat is to say, I\u2019m seventeen, and you\u2019re nearly sixteen, aren\u2019t you?\u201d
She nodded. \u201cFifteen and a half.\u201d
Continuing to smile at him, she began to hoist the bucket up from the well, and he took hold of the rope, brushing her hand as he did so. She blushed, and he said, \u201cPardon me. Would you like some assistance?\u201d
\u201cIf you don\u2019t mind,\u201d she replied, letting go the rope, and running her hands along her frock again.
Still feeling the warmth on his hand where he had made contact with hers, Aaron lifted the bucket out of the well and emptied the contents so that the animals may drink from the nearby trough. \u201cThere you go.\u201d
\u201cThank you,\u201d Aislyn said, still smiling. \u201cOur flock has gotten much smaller lately. It isn\u2019t such a chore to herd them as it used to be, though Mac is quite helpful, as you can see by his attentiveness.\u201d
Aaron laughed as she gestured at the skinny black and white dog who lay in the shadow of one of the many trees that offered shade to the watering hole. \u201cHe is a hard worker indeed,\u201d he agreed.
Aislyn glanced up at him and then away again, back toward the dog, biting at the corner of her lip as if she were about to speak, but it took her a moment to ask, \u201cAre you plannin\u2019 to attend the cross-roads Sunday? I don\u2019t believe I\u2019ve seen you there. I know you never attended when the dance master visited, but I\u2019ve heard you are still quite the nimble performer.\u201d
Feeling the color rise in his face, Aaron cleared his throat. While he had also heard his dancing skills were above par, he had always hesitated to attend the popular dances held every few weeks at the intersection of two nearby roads where many of the young people of his village gathered to enjoy each other\u2019s company for fear of embarrassing himself in front of Aislyn. Kian was always ribbing him, saying he should come and look the fool if it be so; at least he\u2019d have an opportunity to speak to her away from church or randomly bumping into her in town\u2014though lately these chance meetings had become much more calculated on his part. \u201cMy reputation may leave one wanting, but I had considered making an appearance.\u201d
\u201cYour sister, Genty, is often there. You could accompany her,\u201d Aislyn offered as one of the sheep nudged itself against her leg.
\u201cPerhaps I could accompany you.\u201d Aaron was a bit taken aback at his own boldness, and as Aislyn\u2019s cheeks turned a light pink, he heard Ms. Sutton break into laughter on the other side of the well.
They both turned to face her, and she said, \u201cAw to be young again! If I\u2019d known then what I know now\u2014that Tommy Lynch would be the only one to ever ask for my hand\u2014I\u2019d have married that ox of a man before Peggy Monahan snatched him up. Listen to the words of an old woman, little lass, you\u2019ve got a fine lookin\u2019 young man in the McReynolds lad here. Don\u2019t be foolish like me. You\u2019ll regret it someday when you\u2019ve only a skinny cow and a lazy dog to call your own.\u201d And with that, the buxom woman took the lead on said cow and began to teeter away back toward her home, the yellow dog she\u2019d referred to following at her heels.
Aislyn broke into a fit of giggles, and seeing her genuinely joyful, Aaron began to laugh, too. Her laughter continued until, in an effort to keep from losing her balance and toppling over, Aislyn rested her hand on his chest, and with her touch, Aaron regained his composure, the feel of her warm palm permeating through his shirt. Her other hand was resting atop the well, just inches from his own, and realizing they were now alone, he slid his hand over a bit to rest on top of hers.
She suddenly became quite serious as well. Her green eyes flickered from her own hand where it rested near his shoulder back to his eyes, and though she looked hesitant, she did not pull away. With his other hand, he reached up and encircled her delicate fingers so that her hand was confined to his chest. He said nothing, only looked into her eyes and smiled. This was by far the closest to her he\u2019d ever been.
Aislyn returned the smile, though she couldn\u2019t maintain the eye contact, and blushing, dropped her gaze to her own boots. \u201cI\u2019d love to attend with you, Aaron,\u201d she said glancing up to him. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what my Ma will say. Perhaps we should meet there.\u201d
\u201cI do believe your Ma is partial to me,\u201d he reminded her, readjusting their hands that still rested on the well so that their fingers were intertwined. \u201cShe always speaks to me at mass, and she\u2019s yet to chase me off your property with a broom whenever I stop to say hello.\u201d
The giggling had returned, and she wore the pink blush again. Aaron brought her other hand up to meet the one resting on his chest so that both of her hands were clasped between his. \u201cShe is fond of you,\u201d Aislyn admitted. \u201cIt\u2019s only that I am her last child living at home, and I fear she\u2019ll miss me if I\u2026 leave.\u201d
Aaron felt his heart catch in his chest at the realization that she\u2019d been about to say \u201cmarry\u201d instead of \u201cleave,\u201d an indication that she may actually be willing to become his wife. Though he\u2019d hoped and prayed for such an outcome for longer than he could remember, the idea that she might potentially become his one day in the not so distant future made him feel lighter than air. He couldn\u2019t help but grin at her, and though he wanted to acknowledge her words, no sentences would form.
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d Aislyn asked, eyeing him cautiously, though she still smiled. \u201cHave I said something peculiar?\u201d
\u201cNo,\u201d he assured her. \u201cNot at all. I will be more than happy to meet you at the cross-roads on Sunday evening.\u201d
Her smile reached her eyes, which twinkled with glee. \u201cGood. Then I shall take Ms. Sutton\u2019s advice and consider myself a lucky lass.\u201d
\u201cAye, and I shall know for certain that there isn\u2019t a man in all of Ireland as fortunate as I,\u201d Aaron replied watching the pink turn to crimson and turn the exposed skin above her chest a telling red, which began to crawl up her exquisite neck.
\u201cYou make me blush, Mr. McReynolds,\u201d she said, dropping her eyes.
\u201cWho is being too formal now?\u201d he asked. Momentarily releasing her hand, he brushed a fine strand of red behind her ear, and as he did so, his knuckles kissed her cheek. Though it was nothing more than a fleeting glance, he now knew for certain that her skin was as soft as silk. Recapturing her hand, he returned it to its former position, just above his heart.
Aislyn surveyed their surroundings, and though no one approached, her sheep were beginning to wander, the dog unconcerned. \u201cI should be going,\u201d she said, her voice revealing that she was truly in no hurry to do so.
\u201cIf you must,\u201d Aaron replied softly, unwilling to release her just yet.
\u201cThe day grows long, and we\u2019ve much to do,\u201d she reminded him, though her feet did not shift and her fingers were still interlaced with his.
With a sigh, he replied, \u201cThen I shall release you to your duties, my sweet Aislyn.\u201d He let go of her hands, but they lingered on his chest for a moment before she leaned forward, her head tipped down, her eyes closed, and took a deep breath. Even as she began to step backward, she did not open her eyes, and Aaron watched in wonder at the marvel of the beautiful young lady who unfathomably seemed almost as enraptured with him as he was with her.
\u201cI shall see you soon,\u201d she said with a small smile as she placed her hands behind her back and turned to go.
A grin pulled at the corner of his mouth as he watched her walk away, hoping that the sheep either knew their part and went along, or she realized she\u2019d forgotten them before she made it all the way home. The dog continued to rest in the shade, though it did appear to Aaron that he was also smiling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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