My Sister's Great Love

A Whirlwind

Nell's and Matthew's courtship continued to go well.  Every free day they made plans and forced Fern to chaperone as they sat in romantic bliss.  No matter how close they grew, Nell's nerves never lessened, and she remained excitedly shy around Matthew.  No one was happier than Nell when, near the end of July, James asked Matthew to stay for the spring wheat harvest and planting season as well.

By August first everyone in the farmhouse and everyone who attended the little church were waiting for Matthew to ask Nell's father a much more serious question.  Matthew, however, hadn't let anyone see his feelings on the matter beyond showing his great affection for Nell.  Each day he used all of his extra time to sneak moments alone with Nell on the porch or have romantic chats with her in the well watched living room.

By mid-August, Nell was becoming impatient for a sign that Matthew was serious about her, and she had taken to complaining to Fern almost as often as she snuck away to talk to Matthew.  Fern, on the other hand, was getting tired of the conversations about Matthew.  She didn't want to hear speculation about when they would get married, and she didn't want to hear her sister's complaints or frets.  From where she was sitting, Nell had nothing to complain about and she would give anything to have Matthew be as excited to spend time with her, even if he wasn't asking about marriage.

To make matters worse, despite Matthew's promise to be friends with Fern, she spent most of her chaperoning time feeling as though Nell and Matthew were speaking a language that she didn't understand.  After so many hours together, they rarely needed to speak their thoughts aloud fully formed to be understood and now Fern was not only bored by their conversations but also confused by them.  For Fern, life was lonelier than it had been for any of he other eighteen years and she was learning that watching someone else fall in love wasn't as romantic as she hoped it would be.  It was one such evening on the front porch, where Nell and Matthew were now allowed to be alone, when Nell couldn't take the waiting anymore.

Fern had already stormed away out of frustration so the two of them sat talking about their small social circle.

"I asked Grace if she'd introduce you," Nell said.

"I don't know if we'd get along."  Matthew hesitated to spend time with the dates of Nell's friends as most of them spoke about their dates rudely and took the world too seriously.

"It'd be nice though," Nell started and then let her voice trail off because she knew that Matthew would understand what she was saying.

All at once Nell became bored with the conversation and wanted to talk with Matthew about more important things.  Actually, all she wanted to talk to him about was the most important thing.  She had been too shy to broach the subject but in this moment their evening was going so well that she found in herself a new burst of confidence.

"Are you enjoying the time we're spending together?"  Nell asked timidly, wishing she hadn't asked the minute the words left his mouth.

Matthew laughed, "Oh Nellie, of course I am."  He then took in her worried face, "do you really doubt that?"  He felt nervous, as he started to sense where the conversation was going.

Nell was even more embarrassed she asked after he answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  "A little," she said looking down at her hands in her lap.

Matthew looked at her tenderly and reached out to grab her hand.  He held her one delicate hand in his two stronger ones, then raised it slowly to his lips and lightly kissed her palm.  "Nellie, my sweet, where is this doubt coming from?"

Now that she was going to have to say it aloud her concern seemed silly.  She continued to look at her lap even though he was holding her hands now.  Matthew moved one hand away from Nell's and placed it under her chin, tilting her eyes up toward his.  Her breath caught in her throat at his touch, and she had to stop herself from shaking.  He opened his mouth to speak, and she felt his breath on her lips.  "Nell, I haven't known you long, but you've become very important to me.  Do you trust me?"

Nell's head was spinning, and she had trouble concentrating on what he was saying when he was so close to her, but she managed to nod.

"And you trust that I care for you?"

In response to this she blushed deeply.  "Of course," Nell said seriously.

"Then trust that I don't plan to live my life without you and be patient."  He said this last part with a touch of lightness that calmed Nell's nerves.

Nell let out a light laugh that made Matthew's breath catch in his throat this time and he remembered that he still had his hand on her face.  He gently traced his thumb along her jaw and both their stomachs flipped in unison.  Despite his patience up until this moment, he was drawn in by a force outside his control and his lips hovered over hers.  "I have something better than my word."

Nell was entranced and leaned slightly forward.  Their lips met and her head was spinning, she felt a freeness in finally giving into the desire to kiss him and a safety when her lips pressed against his, but there was also an excitement.  A part of her body was telling her that this was against every rule, and she found it exhilarating.  She had no more doubt about his feelings because she felt them there on her lips in the sweetness of his kiss.  He moved tenderly and she began to grow warm on every inch of her skin.  She knew she'd never kiss another person like this.

When Matthew finally pulled away, they grinned at each other dumbly, not wanting to separate but also fearing what would happen if they were caught.

"I love you, Nellie."

"I love you too," she responded with her voice just above a whisper.