All Is Fair In Love and War

Seline and Will got up and said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Seline went to the hen house to collect the eggs so she would have an excuse for being outside this early. She had taken a few minutes behind the hen house by the pond looking at her reflection trying to get the hay out of her hair and clothes. Seline was the middle child. She had two older sisters and two younger sisters. Both were sets of twins, and as such each pair were inseparable. Seline had always been the lone child. She learned to do things mostly by herself. That was the main reason that she and Will got along so well. He was a middle child also. His father took his oldest brother under his tutelage right away and the his youngest brother was the baby and his mother’s favorite so he was always with her. Will was left to find his own way and so he and Seline became best friends. Now that they were older the friendship remained but it had to be more secretive because the adults all had their own pla

Seline knocked on the door of her father’s study and wait to be told to enter. There was a loud sigh from inside, and then “Enter”. Seline stepped in and closed the door behind her. She was nervous now. Her father had never allowed any of the girls in here unless he was calling them in here to scold them.“Have a seat Seline” Papa motioned to the studded leather chair in front of him. Seline sat down and looked at her father who had leaned his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers in thought. He pressed them to his lips and began to speak as he pointed at her. “You, no doubt, are wondering why I have called you in to talk on the eve of your engagement announcement. Out of all my daughters, you my dear, I thought I would be able to make the most advantageous match. For all intents and purposes I had. Until this morning, when I received this. Her father reached down and handed her a hand written note on a small square of parchment. The note read...Master Herron,One of you young

Seline went to the Ladies’ study after breakfast as usual, but her mother came in and told her there would be no lessons today since they had so much to do. Her mother asked her to help Henni in the kitchen while she went to her younger sisters room to find out why they were not down stairs yet. Seline figured that they were sleeping in because they were probably up all night talking. Alene must be very excited. After all it was the match that she wanted. When her mother came to the kitchen 20 minutes later she seemed frazzled. “Seline dear, your sister is not feeling well, and would like to talk to you. She is staying in bed for the day. Would you go up and see her.” Seline thought this was odd, but maybe it was Alice that wanted to see her as she would be the sister who thinks that she is being married off to the one man that all her sisters had always teased her about all her life and that they thought she would end up married to.Seline went upstairs to find the it was Alene in be

Rose and Heather were crying and Mama, Henni, and Alice were all questioning Papa furiously at the same time. Seline did not know what had happened but what ever it was it had to be serious. Seline stepped to the side of the raucous and grabbed Rose’s forearm, “What is it Rosie? Why is everyone so upset?” Rose lifted her face with tears cascading down it and said “WAR! They have gone to war and they conscripted all the men under 35 this morning. They are all to meet at the town square this evening to head to camp.” Seline felt her legs start to give way and sat herself on the bench next to her. All the men under 35 would be just about every man in the entire county. When they have gone off to war before they never asked for men over the age of 25 except for officers. Why so many this time?“Papa, will they be making Mr. Glassman go too?” Alene had come down the stairs after hearing the noise in the kitchen. “Yes my dear. He is under 35 also. I am afraid the betrothal and weddings will

Seline pulled back first and began to speak, but never got an intelligent word out as Will’s mouth was suddenly on hers. She surrendered to him immediately. It was all she had thought about since he had disappeared from the chicken coop. His arms had pulled her into him so tight it was as if they would melt into one being. The kiss was not tender or gentle. It spoke of desperation, of loss to come, and of last chances. They feverishly moved against each other and before she knew it his coat and her shawl were off and thrown onto the hay. Will guided her body down with him and leaning over the top of her. He was kissing down her neck small but firm kisses that sent zings of energy rippling through her. His hands were in her hair and pushing her head aside to expose more of her neck. Seline gasped as he brushed his hand over the top of her bodice, grazing the top of her breast. She found her hands trying to pull his shirt up but it would not untuck. She realized that he was wearing brac