Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Six

Chapter Six: Who needs a gun? We've got an Ox.

A thudding sound in the room below her had Evangeline moaning with displeasure and snuggling deeper into her feather tick mattress and warm, soft blankets. This bed felt so deliciously, sinfully good that she was loath to leave it.

The sunlight was shining dimly through the window onto Evangeline's face and she knew it was going to be a beautiful day once that sun was able to burn through the early dawn fog. A day full of sunshine, singing birds and... suitors. The good mood Evangeline had been feeling was quickly doused with the frigid cold remembrance of that fact.

Ever since her twenty-second birthday just a few short months ago her father had been pushing her more and more toward marriage. Sometimes being the beautiful daughter of the richest man in the county was quite simply a pain. And it wasn't that Evangeline was trying to be difficult. As a matter of fact she had always done everything she could, (within reason), to please her uptight parents. She was highly educated and knew how to cook, sew, plan a party and had all the manners and grace that a well-bred southern belle was expected to exude.... She simply had not ever met a man she wanted to marry.

And she wasn't opposed to marriage! On the contrary she wanted it. She saw the way her father looked at her mother and the way her mother's face lightened every time her father stepped into a room... Evangeline wanted that, what woman wouldn't? Evangeline simply had not yet met the man that she wanted it with.

None of the men her father wanted for her were what she wanted. Now Evangeline was as innocent as a woman could possibly be when it came to men but she had heard enough about what went on between a man and a woman was hot, passionate, tingle inspiring.... Evangeline had yet to meet a man who made her tingle.

But now her father was tired of waiting and had let her know yesterday that he would be leaving before dawn this morning and returning with a handful of suitors and she was to pick one of them for her wedding that would take place in just three months time whether Evangeline was ready or not. As her mother had so eloquently stated, 'there could be no old maids in the family'.

Evangeline threw her blankets off of her and sat up, sliding her feet into her soft slippers before standing and sliding into her light purple silk robe. She realized that it was awfully quiet outside this morning. As a matter of fact the only sounds she could hear were those thumping sounds from below her. A glance at the gilded clock on her wall told her it was nearly eight in the morning and the plantation should be bustling by now.

Evangeline walked to the French doors that led to her balcony and pushed them open just as that thudding sound occurred again below her. It sounded as if someone kept hitting the wall below her with something and she wondered if perhaps her mother was forcing the poor servants to rearrange her heavy English furniture yet again. Poor servants.

Stepping out onto the balcony, Evangeline frowned as she looked around. Where was everyone? She looked toward the servant's quarters and her frown deepened. It appeared that the door had been broken. She dreaded to see the fit her father would throw over that. The man was not known for his patience when it came to his servants. He missed the days of slavery and most of the servants here were his former slaves and their children, though now they were paid a wage for the work they did.

The thumping was louder out here and Evangeline walked to the edge of the balcony and looked down, her breath lodging in her chest and her eyes widening at the sight she was met with.

A couple of ranch hands were beating on the bright walls of the grand plantation home, running into them and hitting them with bloody fists.

"What are you doing?!" Evangeline demanded and then she realized that hadn't been a very good decision when they stopped what they were doing and, with jerking movements, they moved away from the wall and their necks snapped as they looked up at her.