Chapter 1

Ava was merely sixteen when she met him, handsome, regal and strong upon the back of his midnight black hunter. She and her young sister Catherine had been left to alone upon the family farm while their father made the daylong journey to New York, to collect their new mother.

Ava dutifully kept up with her chores ensuring that Catherine, who seemed prone to fanciful daydreams, maintained hers as well while she gathered eggs from the henhouse and Catherine distracted the birds with feed.

When suddenly she heard hers sisters urgent voice through the door, “Ava, come quick” Catherine nervously called out, something in the young girls voice alerting Ava that this was not one of her sisters usual interruptions.

Hurriedly Ava gathered one final egg, gently placing it into the basket before heading out to find the cause of her sister’s interruption.

Their family was accustomed to travelers taking light upon their meager farm while they travelled north towards the bustling city of New York, yet this young gentleman was not of their usual guests. He was dignified, refined and carried an air about him that spoke of wealth.

At first, Ava had been taken aback by his beauty, with long lashed sapphire eyes that sparkled brightly and a rich crop of silky chestnut hair that gleamed in the late afternoon sun. Suddenly very aware of her presence in her dingy cotton gown she blushed “Good eve, Sir,” She greeted shyly with a poor curtsy.

Henry Grant glanced in mild interest at the fair young lady that stood before him, “Might I speak to your father?” he spoke in his most dignified voice as he silently took a closer look at the girl that he estimated to be about 15. Still for as youthful as she was he could not deny that she was beautiful, with enchanting mossy green eyes and hair that seemed to fall in silken strands of fire beneath the waning sun.

Henry knew New York was still a day’s gallop away and Storm, his hunter was tired for they had already been traveling for over ten hours. Gracefully he dismounted and took a look about the meager farm, nearly deciding on continuing his travels right then, especially when this wide-eyed girl stared at him in such an irritating fashion. Did she not realize whom she was in the presence of; did she not understand that when a vis-count asks you something you are to respond?

In dismay, Henry gazed to his left catching sight of a quickly dilapidating barn and next to that, the hen house in which she had come from, by the look of the eggs she carried in her basket. Yet the worst of the property was the tiny shack that sat directly in front of him, a home that daresay could be considered a home by its size. Yes, he silently prayed that her father could give him directions to the nearest hospitable place of rest.

Still something about these simple girls piqued Henry’s interest, never before had he experienced a pauper’s life and the older of the two girls caught his breath. It was as if he knew her; with those haunting eyes, fair skin the color of cream with roses in her cheeks, and a delicate beauty befitting of a lady rather than a simple farm girl. “Might I speak to your father?” Henry re-iterated beginning to grow annoyed at her lack of comment.

His voice was exotic with an unfamiliar English tone, it’s melodious tune stirring her heart and yet Ava could not understand the annoyance that encircled his words, “Our father has gone to New York, not to return until tomorrow” she murmured, attempting to bite back the irritation that filled her at his uppity position towards their humble home.

Henry’s face drooped with exasperation at her words and he whispered something under his breath. “Very well, what of your mother?” he sighed out, trying to hide his frustration at her comment.

Ava had to remind herself that this man, whether he was a gentleman or not had no way of knowing the circumstances of their being, “our mother passed nearly eleven years back, tis why our father left, he went to fetch our new mother.” she explained fighting a losing battle with her patience at his impertinence.

Henry sighed with obvious displeasure at the beautiful young woman, “I am stuck with two young girls in the middle of nowhere and there was not to be a parent in sight” He thought to himself in frustration as he turned and began to walk towards his horse. “Can you at least tell me how far it is to the nearest town where I might get a room for the night?” he snarled angrily without turning around to face her.

Ava was floored by his blatant agitation, “We are the last stop to New York, which is still a day’s journey” she responded boldly her agitation apparent.

For a moment he heard the quiet indignation of well breeding and swore she carried a British undertone, what he could not seem to fathom was how any self respecting family of breeding would live in such a dump. For a brief moment, he indulged in a fairy tale of sorts, quickly dismissing the notion as fancy. “If our humble farm is not of your liking you may take your horse to the trough and I will give you some bread for the nights venture.” She offered ever so sweetly, her voice dripping sarcasm, for as young as she were the flame of indignation burned within her eyes, those enchanting eyes.

Ava’s indignant tone did not fail to hit its mark, causing Henry’s last remaining strands of civility to fray, in a fury he stormed towards her stopping merely inches from her face. “Do you know who I am?” He snarled, incapable of understanding how someone so below his stature could dare speak to him in such a manner.

Ava could not believe him, “No sir, but I do not believe you could be the king of England and still carry a right to so blatantly disrespect a hospitable place of welcome.” She fired back, her eyes turning black with anger.

“Do you really believe that a King would put up with your mouth?” Henry cried out in frustration not only because of this young woman’s fiery temperament, yet the onslaught of emotions that swirled about him as he stood there, so near to her he could smell the soap on her skin.

He turned away for the briefest of moments, as he tried to remove his focus from her full mouth. “You are in need of a sound lashing little girl,” Henry murmured as he tried to talk himself out of doing the unthinkable, it was not common to marry a girl as young, if she were fifteen as he suspected she was by the evidence of woman hood that began to show across her face. Although he had heard of several of his fellow genteels that had done so within their stature. Yet she was not of his stature and Henry barely eighteen himself; was nowhere near being ready to enter a marriage.

Henry watched in amusement as Ava’s cheeks turned a bright crimson and her mouth fluttered open and shut as she tried to form words, obviously frustrated at his comment. “You Sir do not have a place to judge me; if the king behaved as you, then I would still insist upon him being nothing more than a horse’s ass, and most definitely would tell him to leave my land immediately.” She eventually snarled clenching her delicate hands into fists and dropping them to her sides where she stoically held them.

“What right do you have to call me a child,” Ava stammered, “When you’ve no idea my duties within this house?” She fumed, her cheeks burning with anger.

Especially when he’d no idea that she'd had the duty of raising her younger sister since Ava had been but five, being not only a sister but a mother as well, a mother with no idea how to be a mother because she had been so young when her mother passed.

Yet despite her anger, Ava could not turn him away despite every ounce of her soul wishing she could; but the sun had already begun its departure down over the horizon. Mustering all the grace she could Ava set her jaw and turned to him. “Sir, I know our way of living is not what you are suited to, but the sun has already begun to set so if you care to take your horse to the barn I will make supper.” She nearly choked and her stomach fluttered with nausea at the prospect of having such a spoiled ill-tempered person on their land, worse yet she had to swallow her pride.

Ava had caught Henry off guard by the way he took a step back, he had thought surely she would call the hounds of hell upon him to send him scattered into the night. “Thank you miss, I shall appreciate that” he offered his head spinning; never had he known that such a young lady could attract his fancy and despite the way she spoke to him, Henry found it quite entertaining. The memory of her fury brought a faint smile to his lips; she did not fear anything and obviously could care less his position in society, which to him was both a blessing and a curse, for she could marry for love and happiness. Whereas he must marry for position and worst of all he could never dare explore these newly found emotions that he felt for this free spirited young woman.