'A Hatfield Distraction'
Along time ago, before I was born,
there had been a bloody civil war. My father had fought in it alongside a man known as Alex Hatfield. They had been battle buddies and had grown close during the war. They lived in the same bunk, and ate the same nasty food. When the war ended, they went about their lives separately. They still kept in touch, but it was now closer to once every three years. Little known to me, the daughter Lawrence was to marry was the granddaughter of Alex.
One moment, I had made a little fire in my cozy cove, and was warming up before I headed home; and the next I was out like a rock. I slept hard through the stormy night.
The sounds of bells ringing awoke
me with a start. I looked around me to see an old tapestry of an elderly Greek man, leaning with a cane against a tall oak tree. Across from it, spreading a blanket of light on the tapestry was a beautiful three pane window, with a pink-pillowed window seat underneath it. I climbed out of the overly stuffed bed, to find yellow slippers on the wooden floor waiting. I slid my feet inside the furry coverings below, and walked over to the seat. I sat down and gazed out at the beautiful ocean. Where was I?
Just then, I heard a light knock on my door.
“May I come in?” said a sweet, caring voice.
“Yes.”
An older elegant woman in a beautiful green lace dress set a tray of tea down on a table near the bed.
“Where am I?”
I asked still staring outside.
“You’re at the Hatfield manor, in what was my daughter's bedroom. I’m Chloe, the mistress of this home. Who are you my dear?”
“My name is Clara Jostany of the Jostany household. How did I get here?”
“Jostany! My dear, is your sister the young lady who is marrying Morgan Thyne?” she exclaimed.
“Yes. I’m her younger sister,” I answered.
“Well my dear, my granddaughter is engaged to Morgan’s brother Lawrence. She is about your age. What a small world this is. Well I’ll need to get in touch with your father and let him know where you are.”
“Ttthhhank you…” I said as a few tears fell from my swollen eyes.
“What’s wrong honey?”
She sat down on the window seat next to me.
I turned and looked at her; she looked like any grandmother figure I could have ever asked for. I reached out and hugged her as I started to bawl. She let me cry until I had stopped and was back to looking out the window. Then she said she would be right back and exited the room.
I reached over and unlocked the window, and then I pushed it open and climbed down to the warm sand below. I walked over to a warm sandy patch near a tide pool, and sat in a white, cotton nightgown, observing the species in the water. About fifteen minutes later, the older man with the cane in the picture approached me.
“Hello. May I join you out here?”
“Of course you can.”
He had a younger man,
obviously of the same descent, place a lawn chair next to me in the sand, then he sat down and breathed in a deep fulfilling breath.
“It's beautiful out here.”
“Yes it is. I love the ocean. I’m Clara by the way.”
“Nice to meet you Clara my dear, I am Alexis, but you can call me Alex; you have already met my wife, Chloe.”
“Yes I have. She is very sweet. It is so wonderful of both of you to have me here, I’m sorry for the burden.”
“Don’t be my dear. It's not at all a burden. But if I may ask?”
“Of course, go on.”
“Why were you alone, in nothing but undergarments, at a cove in the middle of the night?”
I gave him a confused look.
'How did he know?'
“My grandson found you out there early in the morning when he was checking the lines. He wrapped his coat around you and carried you here.”
I started to blush as I realized that their grandson, had not only seen me in my underwear, but also carried my not so slender body here.
“Oh. I was upset, and needed a place to be alone with my thoughts, I had no intention of falling asleep, and I had planned to swim back to my house.”
“Where do you live?”
“I live at the Jostany house, near Perth Amboy.”
He sat back in his chair,
pondering on this last answer.
“My dear, are you aware of the distance you swam?”
I shook my head; it didn’t seem like very far when I swam it.
“You swam out about one and a half miles from your house, to that cove. I’m another one and a half miles from there. You’re very lucky my grandson found you when he did.”
“Yes sir. Thank your grandson for me, please.”
Just then the strong man who had brought the lawn chair outside, only slightly younger than Genie or Morgan came out, and handed Alexis a telegram.
“Clara wants to say thank you to you for bringing her here,” Alexis bluntly said as he read the telegram.
I blushed, having not realized
that the cute guy standing here was the same one who had rescued me, had seen me. He looked at me and smiled with his beautiful black hair, and kind brown eyes. looking at him I could see how he could carry me, he had a very muscular build.
“Thank you, a lot. I’m Clara Jostany.”
“You’re very welcome Clara; I am Kriestoph Hatfield, Kries.”
There was a slight silence, as I stared at Kries, before Alexis announced the telegram.
“Well unfortunately it seems my grandson, and I must return to Romania; tomorrow.”
My heart fell. Then I had an idea.
“Sir after you tell my father where I am at, may I please join you two on your exciting trip? I have never been anywhere other than here, and I could use the wonderful company.”
He sat there and pondered this for a few minutes.
“I see no harm in your coming, especially as I’m sure my grandson would love the company as well, but there is a condition.”