The Way of Peace

Chapter 11

Wretched woman. were the thoughts of William as he ascended the stairs. Of course, he should think ill of her. Who wouldn't with a background such as hers. His frustration with her ever rising and her attitude toward life was most absurd. Was it humanly possible to not think at all what one might think of someone? Only if one were dead to the world then yes, otherwise it was unfeeling and most important not at all humanly possible. People no matter their rank or class would always consider someone's thoughts about them and so it was with Melanie even though she may not know it. "Wretched woman" He whispered this time as his footing leveled to the second story and started the walk to his bedchamber. He stopped at Melanie's room she would most likely take up again and paused to see it opened. He peeked his head in and she was not there. He questioned where she might be and began again to his bedroom. When his door clicked shut he heard some shuffling and then silence. 

"Melanie?" He called out in the darkness lifting the candle and stretching his arm letting the dim light brighten up parts of his room.

"I came only for my bible and now I will take my leave." She began hurriedly through the darkness and reached the door.

"Melanie stop a moment." He heard an aggravated exhale.

"I am ever so tired William and I must go so that I may get up at an appropriate time tomorrow." She opened the door and shut it before he could form a single thought. The woman had surely stretched his patience quite thin this last month and he was not up for yet another month of her nor was he up to the rest of his life. He was not one to consider what his future family might be or did he ever think what a happy life he would have when he did find a wife and have children running all around. No, he did not have the luxury of time to dwell on such things. But now he thought how unlucky he had been in the wife he had gotten shackled with. He would certainly never have children now. Roy would have to carry on the family name because William could not think of a day when he could look at his wife and actually consider holding her in his arms. Surely her uncommon beauty would be the undoing of a weaker man. Naturally, it would, her brown silky hair with gold laced through it. The deepest brown eyes one could get lost in, the way her nose looked so dainty her delicate chin and her freckled cheeks could captivate a man without warning and he would assuredly be lost forever. But he was made tough and hard from the world in which he led. The war had an effect on him for sure. So he counted him safe from ever becoming enraptured with feelings of a romantic nature with a woman of her quality and background. He wanted to scream at her to shake the woman, why she considered herself above him and thought that she could enclose her feelings and be above common courtesy had made it all the more difficult to like her. He found that he, time and time again had been more than generous to her snobbish ways. He fumed still as he undressed to his light cotton nightshirt and laid in bed about his wife. How she had said that she had been educated. He scoffed at that. She had a good educated speech and mannerisms of a lady, but he doubted that she had been a true lady. A lady within a world unknown to him maybe, but not of gentle birth. Clever for her to say such things though. But of course, she did not want to give into the scheme of lying as he did. If nothing had irritated him more it was that. She had not wanted to lie?

"Of course, not." He whispered. "Lying is beneath you, Melanie. Forgive me for even suggesting it." He mocked at no one and nothing in particular. He threw his covers off and went to the door to the balcony to cool off for it had gotten considerably stuffy and hot. He opened the door and let the cool night breeze cool him off. He stood there with his arm against the doorframe and head resting on his arm trying in vain to will his mind to more pleasant things. He even went as far as to try and find a way to repay Drew another way. But could not think of another way. How foolish he'd been. He did not think Drew would pull a stunt on him to this degree. Repaying the life debt to Drew would take a great deal of sacrifice and he had to muster in himself someway to make it work within himself., Could he focus on something she did right? She cooks good of course, she works hard that is true and that was all he could think of before he rested his head once more and willed his mind on his farm and all the burdens that went along with it.