Story Challenge 3

[Gemini]

Would anyone like to start this one off?

[Oma]

I will when I get a little time 😊 I like thinking of story lines

[Gemini]

Great Oma! You just need an opening sentence to start us off, you can compose your story later if you like

[Clover]

Do you mind if I put forward a suggestion?

The leaves rustled gently as the breeze changed direction and the moon slowly glided from behind the wispy clouds.

I haven't thought of any follow up yet but I'll work on it if no-one else has a better idea.I won't mind at all.

[Nanto2girls]

Beautiful opening line Clover.

[Gemini]

Thank you Clover

I will get my thinking cap on!

[Daisy]

Clover - many thanks, that's a lovely opening line, and I've taken the liberty of putting it in large bold text so people can pick it out easily.

Right, thinking caps at the ready ladies ....

[Daisy]

I've got a couple of ideas on this, but they need work! Does anyone else find that the story sort of creeps up on you?

[Gemini]

Daisy, I find once the story gets into my head it stay there and grows. This was particularly true of the long story I wrote on here a while ago. Those characters and that developing plot followed me everywhere!I I hope to write mine this weekend.

[Daisy]

I've planned one storyline out in my head and have started to type it up, but i find it changes and evolves as I type!

[Gemini]

Me too Daisy. One story started out as a ghost story, and ended up something totally different!

[Clover]

Still working on mine. I'm getting a bit carried away but I don't want it to be too long so may have to edit a bit.I wrote the first line with no idea of a story so I really stumped myself for a bit.
Looking forward to your stories ladies.

[Daisy]

Clover - don't worry about the length - it can be as long as you like - all the more enjoyable reading for us. Funnily enough, I can 'see' a long or short version for my story as well.

[Clover]

Well here it is!

The leaves rustled gently as the breeze changed direction and the moon slowly emerged from behind the wispy clouds. Bella felt a shiver run down her body causing her to pull her cloak tighter round her thin shoulders. Stepping out from the shelter of the ivy-clad wall she peered into the trees looming darkly in front of her.
She was late tonight and knew that with Ted the gamekeeper keeping a vigilant eye on the woods at all times, Jon wouldn’t have dared to wait around too long, so perhaps she had missed him. Elsie, with whom Bella shared an attic bedroom, had been in a talkative mood tonight and it had been hard for Bella to fight sleep and stay awake. Finally Elsie’s chatter had tailed off and been succeeded by a gentle snoring. Immediately Bella slipped from under the bed covers and fumbled her way into her clothes. She dare not light a candle but luckily the moon was bright and she was soon ready. From under her iron-framed bed she pulled a small basket containing the few items of food she had managed to smuggle from her meals by slipping them into the pocket of her work dress.
Pulling her rough cloak about her she silently slipped down the back stairs to the kitchen and into the pantry. Although the house was locked up securely at night Bella had discovered that her petite frame could pass through the small pantry window which was kept open for ventilation. After gently lowering her basket to the ground outside she squeezed through the tiny opening and landed lightly on the cobbles. Picking up her basket she moved as swiftly and silently as a cat on the prowl until she reached the shadowy safety of the shrubbery and from there it was but a few yards to the enveloping darkness of the woods which surrounded the estate.
As Bella shrank back into the shelter of the wall an owl calling out softly into the silence of the night caused her to gasp and hold her breath. Jon’s signal! He was coming! Within a matter of seconds Jon had limped from the shadows of the trees and was holding Bella close to him. He tenderly cupped her face in his hands and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
“Dearest” he breathed “I thought I had missed you”
“I couldn’t get away from Elsie any earlier,” whispered Bella “so our time together must be brief. How are you my love? How is your leg? I’ve brought you as much food as I could. I caught Cook looking at me strangely tonight so dared not take too much!”
“Bless you my darling” answered John, shifting his weight uncomfortably and putting the food in the cloth bag slung over one shoulder “ I must confess my leg has not been at it’s best these past few days and there is no employment for a cripple like me”
“Oh Jon it’s so unfair. The accident was not your fault. Sir Edgar should never have instructed you to fell that tree by yourself. They all miss you coming up to the Hall with the logs. Elsie said only yesterday that she wondered how you were faring. I long to tell her but my lips must remain sealed for I would surely be dismissed with no references if Lady Lavinia should hear of our meetings”
“At least Sir Edgar has allowed me to stay in the cottage until the end of the month and then I must leave.”
“What will become of you ?”Bella began to cry quietly “I will never see you again. Where will you go?”
“Hush my sweetheart. We must pray my leg heals before then and I can work again. Now see the night is fading fast and you must hasten back lest you are missed. Farewell my sweet love”
Bella closed her eyes as Jon kissed her lightly on the lips and when she opened them he had slipped away into the woods. Ever conscious of the lightening sky and the approaching dawn Bella brushed away her tears and quietly left the meeting place and made her way back towards the Hall.
With her mind still whirling with thoughts of Jon and what the future might hold Bella huddled deeper into her cloak against the dampness of the pre-dawn. Distracted as she was she failed to hear the muffled footfall of a horse and rider quietly catching her up on the mossy path. Too late she spun round to face the follower. With the sky lightening to pink and gold behind him Bella at first failed to recognise the young Master Edwin silhouetted in the saddle.
“Why, what have we here?” he asked “A serving girl out of the house at this early hour? What can be afoot?”
Bella, dumbstruck and paralysed with dread realised her worst nightmare of being discovered was now a reality.
“Tell me what you are about girl. I see you have an empty basket”
In her state of terror Bella was amazed to find herself recalling some below stairs gossip that recounted how the young master had been forbidden by Sir Edgar to leave the Hall after dusk for fear of him visiting Miss Lucy Hudson at the Gatehouse in secret. Although Sir Edgar regarded Lucy’s father as one of his most trusted and hard-working employees a liaison between his son and the gatekeeper’s daughter was unthinkable. Yet here was Edwin disobeying his father and riding from the direction of the Gatehouse.
Bella would never know what gave her the courage to speak up but in a trembling voice she heard herself telling Edwin all about Jon and how ill-fortune had befallen him.
“So, we are not so different you and I” said Edwin with a wry smile.
Feeling in his pocket he withdrew a small velvet bag and tossed it to Bella.
“Here my dear. This is yours to keep as long as your lips are sealed about what has transpired here tonight”
Dumbly Bella nodded .With a flick of his heels Edwin urged his mount to proceed.
As she watched him Bella’s first thought was to investigate the contents of the bag but prudence prevailed and as quickly as she dared she made her way back to the Hall, through the pantry and kitchen, finally gaining the safety of her room. Daylight was now beginning to creep through the uncurtained window enabling Bella to see with disbelieving eyes the contents of the bag. Gold coins! More than she had seen in her life before. .Surely enough for Jon to buy the cottage. They could be married and earn a living by setting up a smallholding. She was young, strong and used to hard work. Jon’s health would improve with good food and peace of mind.
Standing at the window ,her heart was beating hard in her chest as she forced herself to realise this was not a dream. Suddenly aware that Elsie was stirring Bella slipped off her cloak and quickly secreting the bag of coins under her mattress she sat on the edge of the bed just in time to hear Elsie mumble
“You must have slept well to be up and dressed so early”
“Yes” smiled Bella “ I did have a good night”

[Gemini]

Clover, I love it! Good style, kept my attention throughout, and the icing on the cake, a happy ending!
Well done, you should be proud!