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Melanie was bored. For hours and hours she had been sitting in Ravenswood Manor’s little teahouse, nibbling on cookies freshly baked by Anna, while Gabrielle had tried to engage her in a conversation about the latest fashion trends from Paris. It was not as if Melanie didn’t like her aunt. On the contrary: Ever since her uncle Arthur had married this young woman of French descent while being on a business trip and then brought her back to Thunder Mesa Melanie saw her as a friend rather than an aunt. Maybe even an older sister for Melanie was an only child und Gabrielle only a few years older than her while at the same time displaying a very sweet and charming personality.
But there was something about Gabrielle that Melanie found deeply unsettling. She actually LIKED it here. Gabrielle Ravenswood seemed to find her new situation perfectly comfortable, spending most of her time in the garden or the library, painting, playing the piano and on her brother-in-law’s orders helping her niece improve her French.
Melanie on the other hand had been thinking for quite some time now that if nothing exciting happened in the near future she might as well die of boredom. She hated being confined to the manor, with nothing do to and no permission to visit Thunder Mesa if she liked. Not that such a small town might be THAT interesting, but still. What was the point of her recieving the education of a young lady with no social events (or even basic social interaction, for that matter) where she could put all these manners and clever wits to use? French being the most useless subject, for not even her parents spoke the language. Arthur had learnt a bit because of his business trips and later taught his niece, but compared to the words and grammar Gabrielle used without effort, both Arthur’s and Melanie’s French seemed… basic, to put it friendly.
Of course Melanie had asked Gabrielle about it. Why she, who had grown up in the large cities of the East Coast, could be so content in a tiny mining town at what felt like (and probably was) the end of the world. But the older woman had just smiled, telling her niece that people in love just needed each other to be happy, no matter where. Not that Melanie would know. Martha and Henry Ravenswood did not love each other. Not the way a married couple should, without the constant fights and bickering. And without permission to even leave the grounds of Ravenswood Manor Melanie’s own chances of meeting someone her age, someone she might like and fall in love with, seemed next to non-existent. So all she could do was sitting in the tea house, nibbling on cookies and listening to her aunt’s description of dresses and ball gowns both of them would have no opportunity to wear.
Meanwhile the sun had started to wander. It must have been late afternoon by now. The church of Thunder Mesa chimed for the whole town and manor to hear that it was five o‘ clock – and without warning all hell broke loose. Inside the manor something shattered. Then there were footsteps, Anna shrieking, the sound of something heavy falling down the stairs, Jasper cursing, Martha shouting, and finally a young dog rocketed out the open front door into the garden, passing Melanie and Gabrielle on its way tot he gate seperating Ravenswood Manor from Thunder Mesa, where it started jumping up and down, whining and wagging its tail.
Within seconds Gabrielle was on her feet. „Oh no!“, she moaned, „I wonder what he broke today!“ Melanie smirked.
„I do hope it is the big vase in the gallery. I never liked that thing.“ Both started to make their way towards the gate, noting the two men approaching from the other side.
„Goliath!“, exclaimed the older one while greeting the overly excited dog with a few scratches behind the ears, „You do not have to meet me here every day and you certainly do not need to break your own speeding record while doing so. Behave yourself, or Martha will kick the three of us out!“ Even though his words were harsh, the warmth in his eyes revealed that he loved his dog just as much as Goliath loved him.
„Oh I’m sure it will be fine!“, said Melanie, „Tomorrow we’ll just make sure to send him outdoors at half past four. That way he‘ll just ruin the flower beds instead of the furniture.“
„He is not supposed to ruin anything!“, Arthur contradicted her before placing the most gentle of kisses on Gabrielle’s forehead, a sight that made Melanie instinctively look away. Instead she focused on the other man, a quite handsome stranger she had never met before.
„And your name would be…?“
„Evans. Jake Evans.“, he answered, „I have just started working in the mine. Mister Ravenswood did not seem very well today, so I wanted to make sure he arrived home safely.“ Gabrielle smiled.
„That has been very kind of you, Mister Evans. Would you like to stay for dinner? We always eat early because the doctor said it would be best for Arthur due to the medication he has to take right afterwards. We simply can‘t wait for Henry to be home as well, my brother-in-law usually stays late in the mine and…“
„No, please!“, Jake interrupted, „It was my duty, I couldn’t…“ But Gabrielle would have none of it.
„You can and you will! Goliath, come here, let Arthur enter! You two will be able to properly cuddle later. The armchair in the drawing room is much more comfortable, anyway. Now, Mister Evans, what exactly are your responsibilities at the company?“
And with that she dragged Arthur and Jake (who both seemed quite flustered) up the hill, tail-wagging Goliath right next to his master. Melanie was left to follow, which she did with her heart suddenly thumping against her ribs, her gaze leaving her aunt’s guest not for even a second.
‚I really don’t mind this Mister Evans staying for dinner.‘, she thought, ‚In fact… I don’t mind him staying forever…‘