Graciously Ginny (Letters Of Change Series Book 5)(COMPLETED)

Chapter Ten

Graciously Ginny

Chapter Ten

~~

Ginny closed her eyes as the sound of rain increased outside, the thunder seemed to echo off the mountains making it louder then she'd ever heard it at home. It was relaxing she decided as she leaned back in her overstuffed chair and opened her book letting the storm outside serve as background noise while she enjoyed her story.

Wilhelmina and Lorelei were playing on the settee with their new play animals that she had whittled for them out of clothes pins. She'd learned the 'art' of whittling from her Father; he had been extremely good at any and all forms of carving wood and he was an excellent teacher. She smiled thinking of him; he was a very good father.

"Mrs. Clayton?" Agda said as she walked into the room, she looked absolutely happy "I have something important to tell you..."

Ginny smiled already knowing what it was "Alright" she said closing her book and stuffing it between the chair arm and the cushion "I'm all ears."

"I'm expecting!" She said happily a large smile forming on her face.

"Expecting what?" Wilhelmina asked confused causing Ginny to smile.

"She's going to have a baby Dearest." Ginny told her as she got up to hug Agda "Congratulations!" She told her.

"Thank you!" Agda said "But it also means I can't cook any longer... I haven't been able to without getting sick for two and a half months now and Signilda has been trying to cover for me."

"I'm sure we can find something else for you to do that won't cause you any discomfort... I'll talk to Thomas about it, and as for the cooking I'll be more than happy to take over I quite enjoy it."

"Thank you" Agda said hugging her again "I'm so happy that you came here."

Ginny smiled too, it made her feel good to have someone say that too her especially after what Signilda thought of her.

"Agda why don't you go get some rest? Girls follow me we're going to go have a talk with your Papa."

Agda thanked her again before going to her room to rest while Ginny lead the girls to Thomas's study. She knocked lightly waiting for his response before entering.

"Who is it?"

"It's Ginny and Wilhelmina and Lorelei." She said smiling when he said 'Come in' She had been getting along with him a lot better than she ever expected, he had taken time off to spend time with his daughters.

"What do I owe this pleasant surprise?" he questioned as Wilhelmina ran to his side.

"Agda is going to have a baby!" she said excitedly "I want a baby too... why don't you and Mama have one?"

Ginny's eyes grew wide at Wilhelmina's innocent comment, but Thomas didn't look in the least bit surprised, instead he just laughed- most likely at her shocked expression or the blush she was sure took over her whole face matching the color of her hair.

"What's that?" Thomas asked pointing to the whittled animals and changing the subject.

"Mama made them for us." Wilhelmina said handing it to him, Ginny smiled at his astonished look as he inspected her work.

"You did this?" he asked turning it over in his hand.

"Yes." She said simply.

"It's amazing Ginny." He said in awe.

"Thank you... I wanted to talk to you about a new position for Agda, I've decided that I will take over cooking meals and we need to find her something to do that won't make her sick or to tired."

"Alright, I'm sure there's something." Thomas said looking over some papers. She nodded seeing he was busy and corralled the girls from the room.

"We'll see you at dinner." She said before leaving the room.

"Alright, I look forward to it." he said genuinely his brown eyes seemed to shine and like they hadn't before, and her heart raced as if taking on a mind of its own, she didn't like the way she was feeling and no matter how much she told herself he was wrong for her she couldn't seem to control her racing heart or the nervous butterfly feeling she felt whenever he looked at her.

She bit her lip looking out the window in the kitchen as she decided on making a nice soup with corn bread for dinner "Alright" she said looking towards Wilhelmina and Lorelei "Are you two ready to learn how to cook?"

She smiled when both girls nodded with growing grins on their faces.

~~ ~~

Thomas smiled as he thought of a certain redhead, who seemed to have taken over all aspects of his life. She had changed him, made him see that he could be a better man, a better father. And he couldn't deny his growing feelings for her.

She was amazing, sweet and strong. Although he had felt guilty at first for having feelings for someone after Elsie, he now wondered if Elsie hadn't sent her. She was a wonderful mother to the girls, and she had made him into a better man, surely Elsie would want that. He knew he'd always remember his wife and the love they shared but he also knew that Ginny was his wife now and it wasn't bad to have feelings for her, or to feel happy again, it only meant that he was finally living again.

He looked out the window as the rain down poured, it was relaxing he thought of Ginny, she whittled and very well, the fox head looked back at him painted features made it seem all the more real, he wondered how long it had taken her to complete not one but many from the looks of it. It touched him that she'd spend so much time on toys for his daughters.

He got up from his desk and made his way towards the kitchen feeling the need to see his daughters and his wife. He smiled when he heard her singing and the girls giggling, he hadn't heard Lorelei laugh in a full year and it surprised him. He opened the swinging door just slightly and his smile widened at the scene before him.

Ginny had two bowls- one in front of each girl so they could both stir ingredients, she had flour on her apron and on her cheek and nose, her smile was bright as she said something in a hushed tone to the girls causing them to giggle more.

He stepped through the door wanting to join in on the fun "Do you need any help?" he questioned receiving surprised looks all around.

"Sure" Ginny said recovering from her initial shock and handing him a plate of vegetables and a knife "You can be in charge of cutting."

He smiled and did as she asked. Liking that she let him help, Elsie had never liked him in the kitchen she refused his offered help many times saying "That is why we have servants."

"We are making Beef and vegetable soup, with corn bread on the side" Ginny told him "And berry pie for dessert."

Thomas enjoyed making dinner with Ginny and the girls, even more he enjoyed eating it. Agda was a good cook but Ginny was an incredible cook.

After dinner and dessert Ginny took the girls upstairs to bed saying her goodnights to him as well, she requested Signilda to do the dishes before doing so. Thomas went to his own room and started to get ready for bed when he heard a small barking noise. He raised his eyebrow and waited to hear it again.

When he did, he followed the sound to Ginny's room, he knocked a few times before Ginny answered him.

"Yes?" She questioned poking her head out from the room.

"May I come in? I thought I heard barking."

"Barking? No! That was just me... Coughing..." she said finishing her story with a fake cough. She wore her hair down and he marveled at the way her curls bounced with the slightest shake of her head.

"Oh really, well you won't mind if I come in, then will you?" Thomas said with an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Um... n-no not at all... just one second." She closed the door and he heard her moving stuff around in her room before she opened the door again. "Come in if you must." She said stepping back and allowing him in, she blushed slightly as if just noticing she wore her nightgown and grabbed her robe to quickly cover up.

He smiled holding his lantern up as a small bark sounded from the wardrobe "So we have a pet I presume."

"Well...Yes" she said opening the door and letting the puppy out "Her name is Callie and she's our indoors dog."

"Indoors dog?"

"Yes, she sleeps in the bed with me, she stays inside unless we let her out so she can... do her business." Ginny said in a matter of fact way letting him know she wouldn't let this dog out of her sight, let alone sleep outside. "She hasn't torn anything up, she's very well behaved and look she has a heart shaped patch on her side."

Thomas smiled, the dog was adorable and his daughters were probably already attached to it, he knew Ginny was and in that moment he'd do anything to keep the smile on her face.

"Welcome to the family Callie." He said kneeling down to pet the dog; he smiled when he received puppy kisses in return.

"You're not angry?"

"No ma'am... Although I'd like it if next time, you'd run it by me first."

Ginny beamed at him her eyes seemed to sparkle like priceless gems in the lantern light, he was drawn to her and felt the need to close the distance between them.

She smelt like roses he noticed as she looked up at him, she was at least a head shorter them him, but he always liked shorter women. He lowered his head, giving her plenty of time to pull away before his lips met hers. Much to his surprise she didn't pull away. Instead she leaned in and kissed him back. It seemed almost as if she belonged in his arms because nothing had ever felt so right.

Their kiss deepened only for a moment and then she pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have... we shouldn't... I can't do this."

"No I'm sorry Ginny, I didn't mean to."

She looked at him seriously, a sad smile on her face "Goodnight Tommy." She said in a quiet voice he wondered if he'd heard her right or not. No one had called him "Tommy" since he was a child, but he had to admit it had a certain ring to it.

"Goodnight Ginny." He said turning to leave only to have Callie follow him. He kneeled and picked the puppy up, handing it to Ginny before opening the door and leaving. He couldn't believe he finally kissed his wife although he had hoped for a better outcome at least she hadn't yelled at him or told him she wanted to end their marriage.

He found himself wondering what it would be like to actually be married to her, to talk to her at night when the whole house was asleep to share a life with her, to have children with her. He wondered if Wilhelmina and Lorelei would like to have a little brother or sister, he smiled at the thought of a red-haired son or daughter with the same blue-gray eyes as Ginny's.

He was shocked at where his mind was going, was he ready for that? Could he make a good husband and father?

He thought of his daughters- so much of their life he hadn't been there like he should. He had let Elsie care for them fully thinking it was her responsibility when all along it should have been a shared responsibility. He sighed usually when things got to feel this real, he would go to the saloon- now he wished he could speak to Ginny about it.

He had changed, he didn't know when, but he had, and he knew it was from Ginny's influence. He smiled to himself as he thought of her.

~~ ~~

Ginny couldn't believe she had kissed Thomas, and so passionately too. She felt as though she had betrayed Fergus. She shook her head, that ship had sailed the moment she had said "I do" she paced her bedroom as her dog Callie watched from the bed.

"I know what you're thinking" She said speaking to Callie "but I'm not mad, I'm just confused."

Although as of late she was wondering if she was indeed mad- the kind of mad that required her being locked up in a nuthouse. She used to be so different and now it seemed she was contrary to everything she had once been. She sat down at the small desk in her room being the lantern with her so she could see to write.

Dear Julie,

It has been far too long since my last letter, I meant to write but I've managed to become too busy, I am sorry if you think I've neglected you it was not my intention.
I am married now- if seems odd that you didn't know that, and that you weren't here. I married Thomas Jay Clayton, my employer... although I am no longer the governess, now I am a mother.
Wilhelmina and Lorelei are wonderful girls, the oldest is six and the youngest three. Both girls have blond hair and hazel eyes. Lorelei never speaks, at least not to anyone aside from her sister. Wilhelmina seems to always know what Lorelei needs and their relationship reminds me much of ours.
I wish you were here to speak too... I miss our conversations. I feel so torn, I still miss Fergus and it's odd to me to know that he's no longer with us... I feel awful that I married another, it's as if I betrayed him in some way... and I felt even worse when I started having feelings for Tom, he's so different then Fergus and yet my heart seems to know when he's near. We kissed tonight and I've never felt so alive or so awful. I still wear the engagement ring Fergus placed on my finger yet I'm starting to forget what he looks like... he's fading, and I don't know what to do. I'm not sure I can move on, or that I want to and yet I cannot deny my growing feelings for my husband... I'm sorry if this is all confusing as it is for me and I'm living it, but I'd love to hear your input on this. I miss you and I wish you all the very best.

Graciously,
Ginny

Ginny waited for the ink to dry and then slipped the letter into an envelopeand addressed it. She wondered what her sister would think when she read hername on the return address- Ginny Clayton. Surely, she'd think she took leaveof her senses and frankly she couldn't blame her. She wondered if her Mother knewyet and if she had told the others. Would Julie be upset she hadn't told herfirst?

She hoped not, but she really didn't know when she'd get to see her familyagain. Would Thomas want to spend Christmas with her family?

She didn't even know if he had any family aside from the girls to spendChristmas with. She sighed before blowing out the lantern light and laying downin the bed with Callie at her side. She smiled as the dog turned three timesbefore laying down again in almost the exact position at her side, she wasthankful for her faithful companion and even more thankful Thomas hadn't arguedwith her about keeping Callie as their "Indoors dog"

He was changing she had noticed, he didn't spend as much time working and hewas starting to become better with the girls and with her. Maybe it wasn't sobad that she was moving on and changing, wasn't that all a part of life? Thequestion was- was she ready to start living?