Southern Discomfort Read Online Free PDF Page A

her hair. He just stood there
watching her. She tied a matching ribbon in her hair. She looked
lovely. This would have been a good dress to wear to church.
    “What are you
planning on wearing to church tomorrow?” he asked strictly again.
    She knelt down
and pulled out a green dress that was pretty but very serious. A
perfect choice for church. He nodded his approval and she packed it
away again. He took her hand and led her down to breakfast. She was
shaking again. He would make her feel at home here. She was the best
thing that had ever happened to him.

    Everyone else was
already up and at the table. They all stared as the newlyweds walked
down the stairs hand in hand.
    Emily blushed
because these were married folks who knew what had happened between
them last night. Emily said, her good mornings without meeting
anyone's eye.
    Nathaniel pulled
out her chair for her. She was a little sore from all of their love
making. Her face was still blushed. She kept her head down. Nathaniel
was filling his plate as she timidly reached for a piece of toast.
She spread a bit of marmalade on it and took a bite. She chewed
slowly and listened to the others talk.
    A few minutes
later she raised her head and looked at the people who were talking
even though she didn't say anything. She was warming up to them.

    After breakfast
the men went out to do chores. Emily admitted that she had a bit of
laundry to do. Bessie offered to help her. Emily was beet red again.
    The two women
went out to the pond with their laundry and went to work. Emily tried
to hide the fact that she was washing her virgin blood out of the
sheets. She had a lot of scrubbing to do with that. She hung the
sheets on the clothes line and then she washed her husbands things,
then her own.
    Bessie talked to
her explaining this and that. She and her sister hadn't been married
for a year yet either. This ranch life was new to them too but they
had grown up on a farm.
    “That's nice.
Two sisters marrying two brothers.” Emily smiled at Bessie, who was
being so kind to her.
    “The only sad
thing was that Nathaniel didn't have anyone, but now he does. Now we
are complete.” Bessie said this as if they had waited years and
years for her to show up.
    Emily was
starting to feel very welcome here.

    Katie was ringing
a bell.
    “We have a bit
of time before the men get here. I'll show you around.” Bessie
linked her arms in Emily's and showed her the chicken coop and the
barn and the stable.
    The men rode into
the stable and got down from their horses.
    Emily blushed as
she saw Nathaniel again.
    His eyes were on
her too. He went to her and offered her his hand again. Bessie moved
over to Charles too. They talked and walked into the house.
    Edward hurried in
to his wife, too.
    Emily and
Nathaniel walked in slowly as they stared at each other. Emily was
surprised that he somehow looked better today in his work clothes
than he did yesterday in his Sunday clothes.
    “You look
prettier than I remembered.” Nathaniel's words had her blushing
again. “A blushing bride. Now I know where that saying comes from.”
He brought her to the table and sat proudly next to her.
    The family talked
as they always did and Emily just listened. Everyone was starting to
feel more comfortable with everyone else.
    Nathaniel liked
not being the odd one out anymore. He held Emily's hand whenever he
could. He loved her already.

    It was Saturday
that meant the whole family had to have their bath. The idea of just
bathing on Saturday scared Emily a little. She had bathed practically
every other day back home. The servants had brought in a tub and then
buckets of water. She wondered what form bath time would take on
here.
    Emily helped
clean away the supper dishes. She was surprised when Katie and Edward
walked off hand in hand with a towel and their pajamas. They went out
the kitchen door. First coming back an hour later.
    Then Bessie and
Charles took off hand in hand.
    Emily was sitting
in the parlor