Chapter 7
Early the following morning, Julie Norwich called on Fiona Reardon. She was filled with excitement as she climbed the stairs to Fiona's bedroom.
Viola had greeted the blonde neighbor girl downstairs and sent her up to see Fiona. "She's been sulking in her bedroom," the mother said. It's good that you've stopped by. Maybe you can talk some sense to that girl. I don't know what to do with her. She's really upset about something," Viola said.
Julie knew full well what the problem was, but she wasn't about to inform Fiona's mother.
The young blonde knocked on Fiona's door.
"Yes," the voice called out from inside. "Who it?"
"It's me, Julie," the young blonde announced.
"Come in," Fiona said.
The young blonde entered the room. Fiona was in bed. She looked depressed.
"My, you certainly look blue today," Julie said. "What is the matter?"
Oh, Julie," Fiona moaned, "I've been so confused. I don't know what to do." •
"Because of Lloyd?" Julie asked.
"Yes," Fiona sniffed. "I know I can't marry him. I don't know why I ever consented to it in the first place. He's not meant for me. We're entirely different. We have nothing in common."
"Then you shouldn't marry him," Julie said. That would be a terrible mistake."
"But I know that he'll be terribly upset," Julie said, "and so will my folks. They were counting on a wedding. You know that they'll think I will turn out to be just an old spinster."
"Not necessarily," Julie said. "I don't think you give them enough credit. They aren't as impressed with Lloyd as you think. Oh, maybe your mother likes him. With all his gifts and attentions, I think he's bowled her over. But your father — it's clear to me that he thinks Lloyd is a bit of a stuffed shirt."
"But where will all of this leave me?" Fiona asked. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life here at Ramsey Gate. With Lloyd I had a chance of living the life of a Cambridge don's wife. I fear that if I don't marry him, I'll spend my entire life here on the farm. I'll be a spinster."
"Don't be silly," Julie giggled. "You are being so romantic."
"I mean it, Julie," Fiona said. "I could always go to London. But father says that it's no place for a single woman to be. I've heard stories about London and judging by the things Dickens has to say about London, I really question if it's a good place for me to be. It doesn't seem as though it is. Not at all."
"Don't worry," Julie smiled, as she stroked the lovely brunette's hair. "Everything will work out just fine. You'll see."
"God, I hope so," Fiona said. "I'm so confused." Julie lowered her mouth to Fiona's and kissed her gently on the mouth. But the brunette turned away.
"What's wrong?" Julie asked. "Don't you like me anymore?"
"Of course I like you," Fiona said. "I just don't want to complicate things any more than they are. I don't want to be a lesbian."
"You aren't a lesbian," Julie laughed. "And neither am I. We're just having some fun. That's all."
"Did you go see Father Jones?"
"Yes I did," Julie smiled. "That's why I'm in such a good mood. Oh, Fiona, you were so right. He does care for me. He cares a great deal for me. He loves me."
"That quickly?" Fiona sat up in bed, letting the bed covers fall from her chest.
"Yes, it happened so fast," Julie said. "He's not at all like I thought he would be. We even made love. In the rectory."
"In the rectory?" Fiona smiled. "How bizarre. I really didn't think he would be like that."
"He's quite a man," Julie said. "I think I love him. He said that he's been watching me from afar — for a very long time. Can you imagine that? That's something really special. Oh, I'm so excited."
"And you should be," Fiona said. "Richard Jones is a good man."
"I know that you will someday have a great love also," Julie said. "I know you will. You'll see."
"I wish I had as much confidence in my own life as you seem to have for me," Fiona said. "I feel doomed. And if you marry the minister, I will be like a spinster. It's so sad. I'll be all alone."
"I'll always be your friend, darling," Julie said.
"You are sweet," Fiona smiled, touching the lovely blonde on the cheek. "And don't you worry, your life will be fine."
"I'm not worried about me," Julie said. "I'm worried about you. You are making up all these crazy stories about yourself. And there's simply no reason to do that. You should stop. You are being entirely silly."
Well, we'll see," Fiona said. "Maybe I am. I hope so. It would be terrible to think that things will work out as badly as I think they will."
Julie brought her mouth to Fiona's and kissed her gently.
"Lock the door, would you?" Fiona asked. "I want to make sure that we won't be disturbed."
Julie rose from the bed and went to the door. She locked it and moved back to the bed.
Fiona pulled back the covers, exposing her lovely body.
"You are so beautiful," Julie said, staring hungrily at the lovely nakedness.
"Are you sure we won't be lesbians if we do this?" Fiona asked.
"You really are worrying too much," Julie smiled, as she began to undress. "I told you everything will work out just fine. I wish you would believe me. I just sense it."
"I'll believe you then," Fiona said, staring anxiously at the lovely blonde's body. She stared at the small, creamy breasts and the pink nipples. She stared at the mound of blonde pubic fur between the young girl's thighs.
"Come into bed with me," Fiona invited.
After Julie was completely undressed, she got into bed with the lovely brunette and they pressed their bodies hotly together. Julie held Fiona in her arms, kissing her passionately on the mouth and working her tongue against the brunette's, they quickly became extremely hot. They were pumping their hot groins together. Fiona rolled over on her back and Julie moved between her thighs, stretched out fully atop her. They pressed their erect nipples together and pumped their hotly moistened vaginas against each other. Julie slid slowly down Fiona's body and pressed her mouth to the brunette's breasts. She sucked at one nipple and then the other and Fiona quickly became hot. She was forgetting completely about her worries and tribulations. Julie caressed the creamy breasts, as she ran her tongue over the firm nipple flesh.
Fiona moaned loudly and touched Julie's breasts, toying with her nipples.
"Bless you, Julie," Fiona moaned, "you make me feel so good. I'm filled with passion for you."
"And I for you," the lovely blonde sighed, as she moved farther down along Fiona's body and came to rest between the lovely woman's thighs. She pressed her mouth to the warm vagina and began to suck.
"Oh, Julie," Fiona groaned, "you excite me so much. Don't stop. Don't ever stop."
Julie was crouched tightly between Fiona's thighs. She pressed her hands beneath her ass globes and lifted her pussy to her mouth. She sucked and bit at the vagina, running her tongue about in the pussy opening and up and over the inflamed clitoris.
"Oh, you sweet little lovely," Fiona began to pump. "Rub my breasts while you suck me."
The lovely brunette worked her hands over Fiona's breasts, squeezing them tenderly and pulling gently at her nipples. Her tongue worked wildly about in the sexual opening and over the throbbing clitoris.
"Darling," Fiona moaned, "I'm going to come. Don't stop. It feels so good."
Julie continued to suck wildly at Fiona's succulent slash. The brunette quickly approached the point of orgasm and began writhing wildly. As Julie sucked at the throbbing clitoris, Fiona suddenly moaned and experienced a powerful orgasm. Fiona pumped powerfully up against the girl's mouth and began to moan powerfully. Julie pressed her hand against the girl's mouth, to muffle the cries and continued to suck on the delightful cunt, while Fiona moaned and pumped.
When Fiona had experience a number of orgasms and was quite relaxed, Julie lifted her pussy juice - covered mouth from the brunette's gash and brought her mouth to hers. They kissed passionately and lay facing each other on the bed. .
"That was so wonderful," Fiona gushed. "I feel wonderful. It's funny that that's all it takes. I should try to remember. Would you like me to suck you?"
"That would be nice," she said. "Yes, I would really appreciate that."
"I thought you would," Fiona smiled. "You are such a little pervert. And I thought I was bad."
"You aren't bad and neither am I," Julie said. "I think we're really quite normal. I mean, what's wrong with what we're doing?"
"Oh, I suppose nothing, really," Fiona said. "But we musn't tell anyone. Who would understand?"
"You're right," Julie smiled, turning over on her back and spreading her lovely legs apart. Fiona moved down along her side and crawled between the lovely blonde's thighs. She kissed the blonde tenderly on the pussy and ran her tongue over the girl's inflamed pussy flesh.
Julie began to moan and writhe in ecstasy. She brought her knees up high and spread her legs apart.
Fiona gripped her ass cheeks tightly and ran her tongue over the pink clitoris. As she sucked at the tender, sensitive flesh, the young girl began to groan with increasing pleasure. She put her hands to Fiona's head and directed the woman's tongue movements over her pussy. As she sucked harder and faster, the young blonde began to writhe with rapidly increasing passion.
"Oh, Fiona," the lovely young blonde moaned, "it feels so good. You are going to make me come. Stick your finger in my pussy. Make me feel good. Oh, darling, it's wonderful."
While Fiona sucked passionately at the throbbing, pink clit meat, the young girl began to buck wildly on the bed. This time, the brunette pressed her hand tightly against Julie's mouth, to muffle the passionate screams.
After Fiona had sucked all the passion from the young blonde's pussy, they lay in each other's arms, pressing their bodies together and kissing passionately.
While the two young women were lying together in bed, Father Richard Jones was riding in his buggy from the church out to Ramsey Gate. He was going, to pay a visit to Fiona, as Julie had suggested. He wanted to help the young brunette to make the proper choice, concerning her promise of marriage to Lloyd.
But he was taking his time, stopping along the way many times to gather wild flowers. He wanted to give them to Julie. He wanted to propose to her. He had barely been able to sleep that night. He had been thinking about the young woman — thinking too much about her. He was in love.
By the time the minister reached Ramsey Gate, he had a fistful of flowers and a head full of dreams.
At the sound of the approaching buggy, Fiona and Julie leaped out of bed and went to the window to see who had arrived. They looked down in surprise at the minister's buggy.
"Well, he certainly didn't waste any time coming to see you," Fiona said to Julie.
"He hasn't come to see me," the lovely young blonde sighed. "I'm sure he's come to talk to you."
"Let's get dressed," Fiona said. "We don't want the minister to see us like this."
"He would probably like it," Julie laughed, as she gathered up her clothes.
"Well, well," Ramsey Reardon said, as he opened the door to greet the minister. "And what brings you out this way, Father?"
"I would like to have a chat with Fiona," the minister said.
"Why, is anything the matter?" he asked.
"No, no," Richard Jones said. "I just want to have a few words with her."
"Well, what a pleasant surprise," Viola said, coming from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Will you be having some tea with us, Father?"
"Yes, that would-be nice," he smiled. "Is Fiona at home?"
"Yes," I'll go up to get her," Ramsey said.
But Fiona's father didn't have to. At the bottom of the stairs, he encountered his adopted daughter and Julie Norwich.
"Good morning, Father," Julie said.
"What a surprise," Richard Jones said. "I certainly wasn't expecting to find you here."
"I love coincidences like this," Julie gushed, looking at the flowers the minister held in his hand.
"These are for you," the minister smiled, handing the flowers to Julie.
"Oh, you shouldn't have," she smiled, with slight embarrassment.
"They're lovely," Fiona smiled.
Ramsey looked on with surprise. It had never dawned on him that the young Anglican minister had a heart — that he could be interested in the young woman.
Julie wrapped her arms around the minister's shoulders and kissed him sweetly on the mouth. "You are so thoughtful, Richard," she sighed.
"Thank you, my dear," he smiled. "You make me want to be thoughtful."
"But, you will have to excuse me," Julie said. "You did come to talk with Fiona, didn't you?"
"Yes, but I would also like to see you," he said. "I've been thinking a great deal about you."
"We can talk afterwards," Julie said. "I'll be outside."
"I won't be too long, dear," the minister said, as he turned to watch Julie leave.
"So, you've come to talk to our daughter?" Ramsey asked the minister.
"Yes, just a friendly call," Father Jones said. "Nothing terribly important. A friendly call, as I said."
"Well, that's certainly nice of you," Ramsey said.
"Do you two wish to be alone?" Viola asked, as she brought the tea and cups out into the dining room.
"I think that would be better," the minister said.
"Fine," Viola smiled, pouring two cups of tea. You can take your tea upstairs, or where ever you want."
"Thank you for your hospitality," the minister smiled. "I think if we could go upstairs, that would be better."
The young minister followed Fiona up the stairs. He couldn't help but admire the lovely young woman's form. Her ass was shapely and inviting.
"Did you want to talk to me about Lloyd?" Fiona asked, as she opened the door to her bedroom.
"Yes," the young minister said. "Julie spoke to you?"
"Yes and congratulations to the two of you on your flowering romance," Fiona said.
"Thank you," he smiled. "But I wouldn't tell too many people about this. Not until it's formally announced."
"My lips are sealed, Father," she smiled, sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Let's not be so formal," he said. "Please call me Richard."
"That will be strange," she said. "But if that's what you want?"
"Yes, I don't really want to be a 'Father,' until I am old and grey."
"Okay," she smiled. "You are here to talk to me about Lloyd?"
"Yes, I understand you're having some second thoughts about your fiance — about getting married."
"I am, Richard," she sighed. "I can't marry him. I just don't love him. I know it would all be a big failure. I just know it."
"Yes, well, tell me about it," he said.
"I just did."
"But be more specific, please," he said. "Is it that you don't love him?"
"I don't love him," she said. "And I don't think I even like him. It's all so confusing. I guess I was just looking for some way out of this. The farm life isn't for me. I want to be around exciting people. I thought Lloyd could open those doors for me. But I realize now that he can't. He's not the right one. I can't marry a man I don't love. Oh, Richard, I'm so confused. I don't know what to do."
"There, there," he said, patting the young brunette on the back. "It will be okay. You'll see. It might seem like the end of the world to you right now, but it really isn't. Things will work out okay for you."
"I hope so," she wiped tears from her eyes. "I am truly so confused. I was even thinking about running away to London."
"I wouldn't do anything as drastic as all that," the young minister said. "From what I understand, there's another man involved."
"Yes, Richard Rankin," she said. "I don't know what I see in him. He's a rogue. But I can't stop thinking about him."
"Is it because of sex?" the minister asked.
"Well, he did force himself on me," she said. "But I liked it. You know, Lloyd Browne-Douglas has never even put his tongue into my mouth. And Richard, well, he's like a stallion. A stud."
"I think I'm beginning to understand," the young minister said. "You seem to be caught between two total extremes. And it really is quite understandable what you are going through. It seems to me that you must make a choice between your higher self and your lower self.
"I know it seems like a difficult choice to make," he said. "But I think you'll be able to make the right decision. Trust your heart, my dear. Is this Richard Rankin really such a bad fellow?"
"I think he is," she sighed. "I don't think I can trust him at all. But Lloyd. When I am with Lloyd, it feels like I have icy water in my veins. He makes me feel cold. I don't want to be cold, Father. I want to feel warmth in my life. That shouldn't be so hard to figure out. But how do I do it? How do I make my life flow for me?"
"Trust your heart, my dear," the minister said. "As long as you listen to the little voice inside, you really can't go wrong. It will steer you in the proper direction. Always pursue love. Never settle for anything less than the real thing."
"Maybe Richard isn't so bad," she said. "I wonder what would happen if I gave him a chance. I've been a bit rough with him."
"That sounds much better," he said. "You just trust your heart."
"I feel so much better now," she said. "It's done me a world of good talking to you. Thank you, Richard. Thank you so much."
"It was my pleasure," he smiled.
While the minister and the young brunette were busy talking upstairs in the Reardon house, Julie stood by the fence, which separated Ramsey Gate from Norwich Farms. She was purposely avoiding Richard Rankin.
But the handsome, though roguish, young man, saw her. And he left the stables to wander over to where she was standing.
"Well, good morning to you, my dear," he smiled. "You are looking rather lovely this morning. And such lovely flowers you are holding. Are they for me?"
"No, they are for me," Julie said. "Richard Jones, the minister, gave them to me."
"So, you have seduced the local minister as well?"
"It isn't like that at all."
"Oh, he seduced you?"
"Not all men are like you, Richard Rankin," Julie said. "Some men are kind."
"And he's probably some old man, right?"
"No, as a matter of fact, he's around your age. But he is nice. He isn't a monster like you."
"Well, isn't that sweet?" he said, grabbing Julie by the shoulders and pressing his lips tightly to hers.
"No, don't," she said, pushing him away from her. "I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore."
"So, I'm not good enough for you now?"
"You never were," she said. "It was a big mistake to get involved with you. I was a fool."
"Well, listen to you," he laughed.
But their attention was quickly shifted to the Reardon house, as the young minister and Fiona walked from the house.
"Is that the young man in question?" the minister asked Fiona.
"Yes, that's him," she whispered. "See how he is? He's probably trying to have sex with Julie right now."
"You suspect everyone, don't you?" he asked.
"Not everyone," she said, "just him. He's bad. I tell you, he'll be my downfall yet."
"I'll have a little talk with him," the minister said. "I'm sure everything will work out just fine. Don't you worry about a thing."
"I won't," she squeezed the minister's hand.
"Richard Rankin?" the minister asked.
"Yes," he sniffed. "What is it you want?"
Is there somewhere we can go, just to have a little chat?" the minister asked the stables keeper.
"Yeah, we can go into the stables," Richard Rankin said, if you don't mind the smells of animals."
"That will be okay," the young minister smiled. "Animals don't bother me."
The two young women leaned against the fence and watched the young men disappear into the stables.
"Did you have a nice chat with the minister?" Julie asked Fiona.
"Yes, he really is so sweet and understanding," Fiona said. "You are very lucky. You should marry him. I would."
"But you won't, will you?"
"I wouldn't try to move in between the two of you," Fiona said. "Only our friend, Richard Rankin does things like that."
In the stables, the two Richards sat on a bale of hay and began to chat.
"Do I know you from somewhere?" the young minister asked the stables keeper.
"I doubt that," Richard Rankin said. "I can't imagine that our paths have crossed before. I mean, I am a stables hand and you are a man of God. I grew up in a Welsh orphanage. I doubt ... "
"But so did I," the young minister smiled. "See, that just goes to show you. Say, what was the name of your orphanage?"
"Saint Jude's," Richard Rankin said.
"That's interesting," the young minister said. "I was at Saint Jude's as well. Say, you look rather familiar. Do I know you?"
"I'm not sure," Richard Rankin said. "You do look rather familiar to me as well. I think that pieces of this puzzle are starting to fit.
"But, of course," the minister suddenly recalled the familiar face. "I do know you. You were the boy who was found ship wrecked on the Welsh shore."
"You know me?" Richard Rankin became suddenly intense.
Yes, I do," the young minister said. "I'm sure of it. But, of course. You aren't going to believe this, Richard."
"Try me, Father," I might.
The minister pulled the golden heart charm from his pocket. "This was yours. I stole it from you years ago. It's so strange, because just yesterday, I took it from a hiding place and was going to throw it away. I can't tell you how long I have suffered from the guilt of having stolen it. I don't know why I ever did that."
"I guess it's only normal," Richard Rankin said, taking the charm from the minister's hand. "Boys will be boys. Funny, that I can't remember any of this. Do you remember anything about me. I think I've blanked all of that out."
"It was a long time ago," the young minister said. "I barely recall those times as well. Growing up in an orphanage is a difficult affair. One tends to forget about such things."
"If you could only remember a few things," Richard Rankin said, as he placed the charm around his neck. "It would really mean a great deal to me."
"Yes, well, let me see," the young minister tried to recall the early years.
"As I said, you were found washed up on the beach, by the local constable," the minister said. "There had been a ship wreck. The ship, I think I remember them saying, was bound for Liverpool, from India. That's all I remember. I was adopted not long after you arrived, by a minister and his wife. I suppose that's why I'm a minister myself."
"That's all so interesting," Richard Rankin said. "I still can't remember any of that. It must have been a terrible experience."
"If it's painful to remember," the minister said, "try to forget all about it."