Rory:

I shifted restlessly beneath my duvet. It felt as if the goose feathered cover was trying to suffocate me, my lungs felt constricted and my brain was doing somersaults in time with the churning of my stomach.

At the first glimpse of pale light darting through the slit in my curtains I threw the stifling covers from my uneasy body, tossing my legs out of the bed and pulling myself into a sitting position. Running my hands through my hair for the hundredth time I took steadying breaths, my anger still not having fully subsided from the news of my impending marriage, or life entrapment as I called it more appropriately.

I sighed in annoyance, my lack of sleep not helping my foul mood. I wondered if she knew, the girl probably planned it all along herself to get my money the contemptible child. As much as I wanted to believe it though, a voice in the back of my head told me that she wouldn't do that, our hatred for one another was clear to everyone, she wouldn't submit herself to me willingly. I thought back to our last encounter, she hadn't acted peculiarly, maybe she did not know yet.

"God help me," I muttered darkly as I remembered our meeting in the woods today. I'd have to see the poor excuse for a girl in but a few hours and surely someone would have informed her of the arrangement by then.

Checking the time on the grandfather clock I stood up and walked across my room to a chair where my clothes were lying. I picked up the riding breeches, shirt and jacket and dressed myself before pulling on my polished boots and descending the stairs.

I strode towards the stables where I was greeted by one of the stable boys. "Morning Jim," I smiled at the lad before heading over to my magnificent mount, Arrow.

After climbing up onto Arrow's strong back I bent down to tussle his mane, feeling his muscles rippling beneath my hands as I did so. I straightened up again and clicked my tongue once, nudging my heels lightly into his sides.

Without another word the horse began to trot across the back courtyard and out onto the verdant expanse that stretched before us. I smiled, this was what I needed. The breeze rustled the trees overhead and caressed my cheeks as Arrow and I headed towards Stillers Hill.

As we galloped through the tall grasses I let my surroundings take control of my senses, relief flooded my veins, giving me a new lease of energy. All thoughts of marriage and Cecilia drifted from my mind as we reached the crest of the hill.

The view still took my breath away, grassy pastures stretched before me in one viridescent vastness. I let out a sigh of content, my mind at rest, if only for a short period of time. After riding along the flat of the hilltop for a while longer I began my descent and headed in the direction of Obern forest.

**********

When I entered the small clearing the others were already there, huddled together chatting about insignificant matters. Snippets of conversations about the militia arriving and how 'gorgeous' they looked in their regimentals were amongst the scrabbled words drifting over to me. Girls, I thought sighing, nothing changes with them.

I looked over to see Denny scowling slightly as Sybil and Lacey animatedly discussed the new addition to the county. I chuckled at my friend's obvious interest in Sybil and his obliviousness to her feelings. Someday they'd admit their feelings to one another, I only hoped it wouldn't be too late by then.

I climbed idly down from my horse and pulled Arrow with me towards the boys, I could do without the goggling eyes of the loved up girls. Looking back at the giggling girls I noticed the absence of one particular girl. Maybe she'd been given the news and had decided not to come, coward. If she was going to be my wife she would have to get used to my presence, and I would need a strong willed woman to run my household, not a weak minded milksop.

I cursed my laughable luck. I would be the one to end up being forced into a marriage with a silly little girl. I wasn't besotted with the idea of falling in love like the two men next to me, however, I had always hoped I'd marry for love rather than out of necessity. I hoped that I could've at least chosen an agreeable wench, but no, it was not to be, I was tied down to Cecilia of all girls.

My focus was drawn back to my friends as Denny waved his hand in front of my face, my attention snapped back to the small party in front of me, "Sorry," I muttered, "My thoughts were preoccupied," The boys gave me a quizzical look that I returned with a scowl.

We remained in the clearing we had met in for an hour or so, talking torpidly about the events of the week and other hollow small talk. The sun glanced down through the gaps in the canopy, spraying the ground with a light smattering of amber light. The leaves brushed softly against one another in the gentle breeze, nuzzling each other tenderly.

I stared, as if in a trance, at the laced light that threaded through the greenery, it reminded me of something I used to do with my father when I was younger. I closed my left eye and admired the way the light fell onto the forest floor, before suddenly closing my right instead and seeing the light move. I continued to repeat the actions in quick succession watching the light filtering onto the ground in new motifs, dancing across my eyes.

I abruptly stopped my actions when I was brought out of my stupor by the loud laughter of my friends. I looked up to try and understand the source of their mirth before realising with irritation that they had been watching me. I glowered at them all as I felt a red tinge crawl up my neck, suddenly feeling hot I loosened my shirt's neckband, undoing the top buttons in agitation. The sun was high up in the sky and for the first time since arriving everyone else seemed to note Cecilia's absence, "Maybe she's ill?" Mused Lacey, to which I let out a snort.

"Ill-favoured definitely." The girls shot me a look of disapproval as the boys stifled laughs.

Just at that moment the still air was broken by the sound of hooves pounding against the earthy floor and the sound of branches whipping in the wind. I looked up just in time to see a small figure on a large horse gallop fiercely into the clearing, she ground her steed to a halt causing a cloud of dust from the cracked earth to float up in front of her.

Her cheeks were glowing from her seemingly hasty journey and her sapphire eyes shone with life as she sat atop her black stallion. Her long ebony hair fell in tangled waves, a small brown rag woven into her locks to keep her hair in some sort of order. I took a sharp intake of breath, she looked bewitching. I shook my thoughts and chuckled to myself, she was far from ill-favoured.

It suddenly felt like I was seeing her for the first time, she was undeniably attractive, I was at a loss as to how I could have overlooked it before. I cursed myself, this was Cecilia, what was I thinking?

My humour quickly vanished as I was reminded of our looming union, just as the thought passed through my mind our eyes met. I watched as her round orbs widened and I saw a flicker of emotion cross her flushed face, it looked akin to fear but it came and went so quickly it was hardly noticeable.

She lifted her chin slightly higher a defiant look now painted across her face, she gave me a hesitant nod of acknowledgement which I countered with one of my finest scowls.

I would make it clear to her that I did not want this marriage to take place and that I was only doing it out of requirement. I watched as the light in her eyes dimmed slightly as she turned her back on me and dismounted from her horse and moved to tie him to a nearby willow tree.

"Where were you Ce?" The two girls asked Cecilia as she walked towards them.

"Were you with someone?" Lacey asked, her eyebrows waggling as she winked at her. I felt my chest constrict slightly at the suggestion of Cecilia entertaining a lover. I was reminded of my encounter with Cecilia's 'friend' in the forest, the one word returned to me, "everything." I shook my head of the memories of the previous night, turning back to the girls I watched as Cecilia's face turned a crimson red and she lightly swatted Lacey's leg.

"Of course not," she hissed, "I fell asleep in the garden that's all." Lacey raised her eyebrows.

"Alone!" she exclaimed exasperatedly as her two friends laughed. I released a breath I hadn't realised I had been holding as I heard the reason behind her tardiness.

"Just as well you're getting used to sleeping alone." My mouth opened of its own accord, spelling out another insult. I caught her eye and the look of hurt that flickered through them made my chest tighten again, what was wrong with me today? Snubbing her wasn't giving me the usual satisfaction, instead I felt almost a twinge of guilt at my attempts to belittle her.

I found myself paying Cecilia more attention than usual, observing her more closely than I was accustomed to. She seemed quieter than usual, her head remained bowed most of the afternoon and she seemed less animated than was customary for our meetings with our friends.

I found myself noting small details about her out of the corner of my eye more than once, noticing minute things about her appearance that I had never noticed before, the creases at the sides of her eyes and the small dimples on her cheeks that deepened when she smiled.

I realised I had been staring at her for longer than was deemed proper and quickly shifted my eyes to the boys on my right. However, before I could avert my eyes completely she raised her head and for the third time that day our eyes locked. She appeared irked but her eyes held a questioning look in them too.

I felt my cheeks redden as I realised she'd noticed my intent gaze. I twisted my head away from hers swiftly hoping she didn't see the heat rising on my face. As I whipped my head around I cricked my neck and swore harshly under my breath. I felt her eyes on me for a moment longer before she striked up a conversation with William.

The day passed pleasantly enough, we had played like children again by the river that ran through the forest and had enjoyed exploring through parts of the forest we had not yet discovered. We were all still young yet we only had a few more years, months maybe, to enjoy the freedom of youth. We could still behave like children occasionally when away from our homes, but soon that would all have to change especially with my impending marriage.

I groaned in frustration, why oh why did this have to happen to me?

I felt my eyes rest once more upon the laughing face of Cecilia, it was all because of her that things would change, once married things would be completely different, of that I was sure. I felt my temper rise again as my thoughts were consumed with our forthcoming matrimony.

I strode over to Arrow, pulled myself into the polished saddle and without another word I left the glade we had been in and headed off in the direction of the Wotley estate. Not long after I had set off from the group I heard another pair of hooves join the sound of my own and I was soon joined by a figure I knew all too well.

Hello readers!

Much love

xxx

(Picture of Eddie Redmayne as Denny)