Mahogany Is The Color Of Devotion

Chapter 5

"If I would have thought about it, it never would have happened."

Lafayette laughed, silently thinking that, that very phrase was the story of this man's life. "You're quite clumsy."

He grinned down at her, his dimple sinking in. Her heart fluttered. She so adored that single dimple. "I suppose I am. Though it's hard to not be when you're running for your life."

He had regaled her with the story of his visit to the mountains. He had gone riding with a few of his friends and they had winded up stuck in a blizzard and then panicked quite a bit when a snow slide had followed them.

"How on earth did they persuade you to go riding in a blizzard?" Lafayette asked curiously.

He shrugged, "I don't remember." He said honestly before laughing at himself.

His laughter was contagious and she ended up laughing right along with him. They had already circled the park once, and were on their second run. "What qualities are you searching for in a wife?" Lafayette asked smoothly, keeping her eyes ahead.

Nicholas stayed silent for a moment, as if in deep thought. "Now that, I haven't thought about."

Lafayette looked up at him with a frown, "What are earth do you mean you haven't thought about it? How are you to know if someone is right for you?"

He tilted his head at the question before meeting her eyes. There was a soft smile on his face, his forest green eyes gleaming gently. "When you see something beautiful, how do you know it's really beautiful?"

She frowned, "What on earth are you getting at?"

He chuckled. "I haven't truly thought about the physical, if you must know. I've only thought of a few things in particular."

Lafayette gave him a pointed look, urging him to tell her.

"Will we love each other? And will we be happy together?" He asked quietly. There was a look of genuine contemplation on his face, as if he had truly thought and agonized over those very questions time and time again.

"That's all you care about?" She whispered.

He met her eyes once more and they stopped walking, looking on each other. "That's all I want."

As she gazed upon him, her heart fluttered once more. Never would she had expected something so heartfelt...something so...sweet to be all he wanted. He suddenly cleared his throat before glancing away. He grew fidgety and she wandered if she had done something to warrant the look of discomfort on his face.

"The sun is setting." He mumbled before walking her in the opposite direction. "I really must get you home."

At his words she sighed. She was having such a lovely evening. "Oh, no. I came in my carriage. There's no reason for you to go out of your way, really there isn't."

He didn't argue but merely walked her to the carriage and helped her in. Just as he stepped away she caught his attention once more. "Tomorrow we shall have a picnic. I would love it if we could meet at noon in the meadow of Haverston Pond."

He smiled at the giddiness in her voice. "Noon it is."

----

Lafayette pulled at the bodice of her brown, chocolate colored dress. The dress hugged her in all the right places but...it was too much. She nibbled at her bottom lip. She didn't look like she was going to a picnic at all.

Her hair was in a neat braided halo that wrapped around her head, two tendrils falling to frame her face. The rich dark brown of her dress complimented her mahogany skin tone quite nicely.

She had been sneaking around all morning, trying her hardest to avoid not only her father but her mother as well. She had gotten up as early as she could, sneaking down the stairs to quietly ask the kitchen staff to make a picnic basket for her. But even that had been a hard feet to accomplish as Hany, her mother, rose with the sun.

She had nearly collided into her mother on her way back up the stairs.

Though it was a pretend courtship, it was still inappropriate for her to be doing anything with Nicholas alone.

If Hany found out, she'd box Lafayette's ear and promptly scream Nicholas's ears off for being so gullible.

She sighed at the thought before giving herself a once over in her vanity. She smoothed her hands down the front of her dress and turned to leave her room. She poked her head out of the door, searching the hallway before making a break for the stairs. She ran to the kitchen, quickly retrieved the basket and then made a beeline for the door.

Once she was in the carriage she sagged back against its wall, sighing with relief. A small smile tugged at her lips. She felt quite smug actually, this sneaking thing she was doing was rather fun.