Comments/Constructive Criticism to [email protected].

My other fic/poetry/other stuff can be found at my website... http://www.geocities.com/cheeya_2000

"What are you doing there?"

Anna's eyes widened as the loud voice boomed around the stable. She spun, focusing on the source and then squared her shoulders as a woman approached her.

"I asked you a question, Girl!" the woman growled, tossing her raven-black hair back over her shoulders. Her piercing blue eyes drilled into Anna's emerald green and the younger woman shuddered at their intensity, but she managed a grin.

"Hello, Raven. I see you haven't changed. Still as charming as ever."

The woman towered over her, looking down on her in confusion. Her eyes moved over the young woman's petite, slender lines and long blonde hair, taking in every detail of her beauty. She tilted her head and folded her arms across her chest, straightening to her full six feet.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice softening as memories flitted across her mind... memories of two young girls, one dark-haired, one blonde, running through the fields of the estate... playing together, laughing and having fun...

"Raven," Anna reached out her hand. "Do not you remember me?"

The taller woman took a step back, her expression wary but Anna could see the slight shaking of her hands.

"I..." Raven swallowed hard. "I think so. You're Anna, aren't you?"

The young blonde nodded and moved closer.

"Yes, it's me. I've come home."

"Home," Raven repeated and then sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I haven't seen you in..." She paused to think.

"Ten years," Anna supplied helpfully. "I've been at school and living in London. My parents did not see a reason for me to travel back and forward to Huntington."

Raven's eyes lowered as her mind involuntarily revisited the day Anna had left. She had been taken away in a carriage pulled by two black mares and the young Raven had cried, running after the carriage until it was out of sight. They hadn't even let her say goodbye to her best friend. It hadn't mattered to the two children that Anna was the daughter of Lord Huntington and that Raven was the child of John Finch, the head stableman of the Huntington estate, but it had obviously mattered to Anna's parents. The two girls had been best friends... until the day the closest friend ten-year-old Raven had ever known, was carried away in that carriage.

"And now you're back," Raven finally replied, looking into those beautiful green eyes. Anna's breath caught as she saw the hurt in the dark woman's azure blue.

"I didn't want to leave," she said softly. "I had no choice."

They just gazed at each other until a shout broke the silence.

"Angela Beatrice Finch! Where are you, Girl?!"

Anna giggled as Raven rolled her eyes.

"Coming, Father!" She shook her head. "I hate it when he calls me that," she muttered, her eyes softening as she smiled at the young blonde. "I'd better go." She turned to leave but, as if as an afterthought, looked back at her old friend. "It's good to see you," she stated with a nod and then walked away, shaking her head and mumbling something about there being no rest for the wicked. Anna chuckled.

"Well, that went well," she said brightly and headed back toward the main house, holding up her skirt to avoid getting muck on her petticoat. From the barn across the yard, cool blue eyes watched the young blonde tiptoe her way across the mud. The eyes smiled and closed briefly as childhood memories rose and Raven realised just how much she'd missed Anna over the years... But now she was back.

"Anna, could you please pass the potatoes?"

"Yes, Mother."

The potatoes began their final journey of the table as the young woman retreated into her thoughts. When did she get so beautiful? She's so natural. She doesn't wear dresses, yet she couldn't be more woman if she tried. Lord God, I've missed her so much.

"So, Anna, what are you going to do now that you're back?"

The blonde smiled at her father, flashing even white teeth through her grin.

"I don't know yet. I've just arrived so I want to get my bearings. I think I'll take long walks over the next few days and reacquaint myself with some of the places I used to visit as a child. I may ask Raven to come with me."

Lord Huntington looked up sharply at that and shook his head, his jowls and chins wobbling comically.

"You can't do that, My Dear," he warned, leaning back in his chair and folding his napkin on the table.

"Why not, Father?" Anna asked, annoyed at the man's tone.

"Angela Finch is a stable hand. It would not be proper for you to be seen with a stable hand. You're a noblewoman, Anna. You must remember that and act accordingly."

The young woman blinked, unable to believe that she'd heard what she'd heard.

"Father, Raven is my oldest friend," she replied angrily. "Nothing you say will ever make me want to stay away from her! As for her being a stable hand... I don't care who she is or what she does. She's my friend and I want to get to know her again." She threw her napkin onto her plate, pushed her chair back from the table and stood defiantly. "After all, it was you who took me away from her. I haven't had as good a friend as Raven was since I left here. I've been lonely, Father, so don't you even dare to tell me who I can be friends with."

Anna watched as angry red crept up her father's neck and she braced herself for the outburst... that never came. Lord Huntington just sighed and relaxed his shoulders.

"I suppose you're right, Daughter. You're eighteen years old, and quite grown. You'll be getting married soon so you have the right to be friends with Angela Finch if you want to."

Anna's eyes grew wide and she was rendered almost speechless with shock.

"Married? What do you mean, married?" she asked in horror.

Lord Huntington smiled proudly and puffed out his chest.

"Mister Whitby, a man of ten thousand a year I've heard, will be dining with us tomorrow. He said in his letter that he heard I have a beautiful daughter and has requested that you be here to meet him."

"Meet him?"

Anna nodded weakly and flopped, very unladylike, back into her chair, chewing on her bottom lip as her mind worked.

"Yes, meet him. He would make a very fine husband," Lady Huntington jumped in but all Anna could do was nod and then excuse herself from the table. She went to her room and changed into her sleeping shift, standing at the window looking out over the yard as she brushed out her long, blonde hair. Even in the dim light, she could make out Raven's form as she tossed hay into the stable. A smile rose to her lips as the dark woman stood up and stretched her back, leaning from side to side and running her sleeve across her sweaty face. Ten minutes later, Raven leaned the pitchfork against the wall of the barn and took a drink of water from a canteen.

"Care to join a young lady for a ride?"

Raven jumped with fright and she nearly choked on the water but she turned and smiled sheepishly, glad that Anna couldn't see her blush in the dimness. Anna did see the blush in the light of the lantern hanging near the taller woman's face but graciously said nothing.

"Em... I... I cannot. I must prepare these boxes and then get some sleep. I've an early start tomorrow."

The dark woman was surprised when her mind caught up with her tongue and finally registered that Anna was dressed in breeches, a cotton shirt and black knee-high riding boots, a lot like her own outfit. Her long blonde hair had been twisted into a loose braid and hung down the middle of her back.

"Come on," the blonde teased. "Don't be a spoil sport! I want you to come with me!"

Raven grinned as she heard the tone in the younger woman's voice.

"You're accustomed to getting what you want, aren't you, Miss Huntington?" she growled softly, wondering again how Anna's eyes could be such an unusual shade of green. Anna chuckled and lowered her eyes.

"If you mean that I'm spoiled? Then, no, I'm not. My parents may be rich but I won't see a penny of it until I marry." She looked down then and sighed. "They want me to marry as soon as possible."

Raven saw the sadness in the blonde's face and her eyes softened again.

"Alright, let's take the horses out," she finally agreed after a long moment's thought. This brought a bright smile to Anna's face and the taller woman found it to be contagious. She went back into the stable and began to saddle Anna's horse but the younger woman stopped her by placing a gentle hand over Raven's larger, callused one.

"Thanks, but I can do it," she said with a gentle smile. "I may be spoiled but I'm not helpless."

Raven nodded and allowed the young woman to take care of her own tack. Fifteen minutes later, they were riding across the fields near the house, their horses moving at a slow walk.

"What was school like?" Raven asked, glancing over at her friend. Her father had taught her the basics like reading, writing and arithmetic but she'd never been formally schooled.

"It was alright. Kind of boring actually." Anna grinned as she relaxed. "The best part about it was dance class. They used to let us dance together on a Friday afternoon. It was very pleasing."

"Very pleasing?" the dark woman replied, mimicking Anna's accent. "You sound like you've got a poker stuck up your a..."

"DON'T say it, Raven!" Anna replied quickly with a blush. "I can't help it. It's the way everyone spoke where I went to school. It was all very proper and nice with rich young ladies in whose mouths butter wouldn't melt." She grinned again. "It was awful, Raven, and bored me half to death. I don't think I'll ever have a better time in my life than when we were children playing in the fields."

"I know," the older woman replied. "It wasn't the same after you left, Anna." They locked eyes again for a long moment, but Raven broke the gaze, clearing her throat uncomfortably. "We should be heading back. It's getting late and damn cold."

"Alright," Anna agreed reluctantly and they guided their horses back the way they came. After unsaddling the animals, they said goodnight and Anna gave Raven's shoulder a friendly squeeze. "Maybe we could do this again tomorrow?"

"I'd like that," the dark woman replied. "Come find me."

"I will."

The blonde moved off back toward the house and Raven tore her eyes away from her gently swaying hips. She rubbed her tired eyes and stomped into her little bedroom in the house that she shared with her father next to the stable. Her mother had died giving birth to her and she'd been raised solely by her father who was a good man, always showing her that he loved her. He taught Raven everything he knew about horses and the woman had grown up with a deep love for the majestic animals. She was tall and very strong and had a way with horses that allowed her to break even the wildest stallion. They just trusted her implicitly. As she pulled off her clothes and dropped, naked, into bed, she thought about Anna's comment about getting married and wondered why she felt so angry about it. Raven drifted off to a deep dreamless sleep, knowing that she had to face another day of hard work and of even harder thoughts.

The golden sun was just rising when Anna awoke. She stretched and yawned before rolling over and pulling her blanket tighter around her body. She idly scratched at an itch on her stomach, feeling the taut muscles shifting lightly, and sighed. It was too early to get up, yet she was restless and knowing that the sun was up wasn't helping. She was used to getting up at sunrise to walk the two miles to school and staying in bed was something she loved but couldn't do. Anna was constantly full of energy and the excitement of being home after ten years was adding to her restlessness. Finally, after several minutes of battling with her body and mind, she got up and took a bath. Then she dressed in dark breeches and a white shirt and went outside to take a walk before breakfast. The sun was surprisingly warm for an English autumn and she tilted her face up to catch its rays as she strolled along the shore of the small lake. Dragonflies buzzed idly around her, coming close enough now and again to make her swat at her ear and scowl but Anna blushed as a light chuckle startled her out of her reverie.

"Flies can be very annoying, don't you think?" Raven asked from her perch in an old, gnarled oak tree. She was sitting on a low branch, swinging her legs and waiting for an answer with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, especially large ones who sit in trees and wait to frighten you as you walk past," Anna deadpanned.

"Ooooh! Ouch! Touché!" the older woman laughed and Anna decided at that moment that she'd have to make her friend laugh more often. She looked so beautiful when she did so and the blonde wanted to see as much of that as possible. Raven stood then and jumped out of the tree, somersaulting in mid air and landing with a light bounce, her boots making a muffled thud in the grass.

"Show off!" Anna teased and it was Raven's turn to blush. She rubbed at her cheek to try to erase some of the redness as she realised that she actually had been doing just that. The blonde laughed and threaded her arm through her friend's. "Come along. We have much to talk about. What have you been doing since I left? Did you go to school?" The older woman shook her head.

"No, I did not go to school but I can read, write, add, ride and train horses and I've been told that I'm a good blacksmith..."

"You're a blacksmith too?" Anna asked incredulously.

A dark eyebrow crept upward and a smug smile rose to Raven's lips.

"I have many skills," she replied enigmatically. The blonde woman rolled her eyes and squeezed the arm she was holding.

"I'll wager you do," she said softly as she looked up into gentle, blue eyes. "I've missed you, Raven. I've missed you so much."

They stopped walking and the older woman reached out to touch her friend's cheek, stroking her soft skin gently.

"I've missed you too." She looked down. "Every day for the past ten years, I've thought about you. I wondered what you were doing and if you were happy."

"I am happy... now," Anna whispered as their eyes met again. They were almost surrounded by silence and were only vaguely aware of the outside world.

"Aaahh... we should return for breakfast. I must ready a stall. There's someone coming for dinner to the house tonight and I need somewhere to put his horse."

"Someone coming.... oh no! That's Mister Whitby. My father thinks he'll make a good suitor for me since he's a man of considerable wealth."

Raven's shoulders slumped.

"Oh," she said softly. "Well, I wish you much happiness." She walked away at a brisk pace but Anna ran after her.

"No!" she called. "Raven, it's not like that! I do not want to marry him!"

The stable hand stopped abruptly and turned to face her friend.

"You don't?" she asked.

"No."

The look of shock on the dark woman's face almost made the blonde burst into laughter.

"But, you won't get your inheritance!" Raven exclaimed.

"There are more important things than money, don't you think?" Anna smiled. "Like love for example?"

"Like love," Raven agreed.

"Well, then I don't want to marry for money. I want to marry for love. How about you?"

The older woman shrugged.

"I never really thought about it much to be honest. I'm not really interested in getting married either. I think I'm too set in my ways."

The blonde laughed then.

"Raven, you're twenty years old. You are not yet ready for the pasture!"

"And you, Miss Huntington, are but eighteen. You have plenty of time to find a man to marry for love."

"I'm not really interested in marriage," Anna explained. She wasn't sure why she felt that she needed to explain that to her friend, but somehow, she knew that it upset Raven to think about her getting married... which was strange because the thought of Raven getting married upset Anna too. She shook the feeling off and they continued back to the house.

"Enjoy breakfast," Anne said softly. "Tomorrow, you and I will have breakfast together."

"But I cannot come into the main house," the stable hand protested but the blonde shook her head.

"I'll come to you in the kitchen, ok?"

"But..."

"No arguments, Raven."

"Yes, Miss Huntington."

The two women grinned and parted company.

All too soon, Mister Whitby arrived for dinner. He handed his horse over to Raven, not noticing the dagger looks she shot at his back as he left and was then shown into the drawing room. Lady Huntington and her daughter stood up, as did the Lord as Whitby entered the room and bowed low. He shook hands with Lord Huntington and then bowed slightly from the waist to both ladies. He was a handsome, well-dressed man with neat, brown hair and a well-trimmed moustache.

Anna didn't like him.

"Good afternoon, Lady Huntington, Miss Huntington. It is a great pleasure to finally meet you both."

"As it is to meet you, Mister Whitby," Lady Huntington replied, curtseying and then discreetly elbowing her daughter for her to do the same. Once the formalities were over with, they talked politely about various subjects like how the weather had been agreeable and about the favourable condition of the roads but Whitby hardly took his eyes of the young blonde. Anna felt physically sick every time she caught Whitby staring at her cleavage. She rolled her eyes and sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time before briefly excusing herself. It had been a long afternoon and she went to the yard to take some air.

"Everything alright?" asked a soft, gravel-on-silk voice from nearby and she turned to find Raven leaning casually on her pitchfork, a smile on her lips. Anna sighed wearily.

"No, he's a bore and he keeps looking at my chest."

"Typical man then," the stable hand grinned and the blonde mirrored the smile, suddenly feeling better.

"Of course. Well, I'm ready for round two. See you later."

"See you later," Raven confirmed and then walked toward her house, softly whistling a tune she knew from her childhood. Anna went back inside to find that dinner was almost ready to be served. Whitby droned on all through dinner about his many business interests. He owned numerous woollen mills and had made his fortune through his uncle, who was a sheep farmer. He was what was known as 'new money' but Lord Huntington didn't care. All he could see was the perfect man for his daughter. Meanwhile, Anna daydreamed her way through dinner, only offering a grunt or a 'hmmm' now and again to show she was still awake. Her thoughts were on a certain dark-haired woman who made her laugh and made her feel like she had finally come home every time she was with her. Good Lord, I want her, she suddenly thought, sitting up with a start and fumbling her fork, dropping it on the floor with a clatter. All eyes at the table turned to her and she blushed slightly.

"I'm sorry. I thought I'd forgotten something... but I haven't. Never mind me!" She smiled sweetly and fluttered her eyelashes at Whitby, sighing as he returned to his boring story. Finally, dinner ended and Whitby made his farewells. Lady Huntington smiled at her daughter as they sipped wine in the drawing room but Anna suddenly stood up, trying to avoid the question she knew was coming.

"I'm very tired, Mother, Father. I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight." She practically ran out of the room but, instead of going to her bedroom, she silently crossed the yard and knocked quietly on the door of the house Raven shared with her father. There was no answer so she opened the door slightly and peeked in. "Hello? Raven?" she called softly. There was no answer and she was turning to leave when low voices drifted to her on the breeze.

"It's ok, Father. We're nearly there."

Anna recognised her friend's voice and realised that the groan that followed must have been her father. She waited for them to reach the house and then stepped into the torchlight. The dark woman's eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing here? Get back in the house before you freeze to death!"

"What's wrong with him?" Anna asked, ignoring her friend's bad temper.

"He's drunk," Raven spat disgustedly. "I have to get him into bed to sleep it off."

"I can help you," the blonde replied as she slung Finch's arm over her shoulder, her nose wrinkling at his unwashed smell. At first, the taller woman was going to send her away again but instead, she just nodded.

"Ok, thanks. Let's get him inside and into bed.

After minutes of struggling, they managed to get him inside, onto the bed and stripped down to his undergarments. Then Raven tucked his blankets around him and went back to the kitchen to find Anna making tea. The older woman dropped into a chair and rubbed her aching muscles. She was thin, yet broad and strong, but the long hours of work and having to practically carry her father home from the pub had taken it's toll on her. Raven rolled her head back and sighed but her eyes flew open as strong fingers began to massage her shoulders. She moaned lightly and let her head slump forward as Anna worked on the kinks in her muscles.

"Just relax," the blonde whispered as she worked and soon, Raven was feeling much more relaxed. "You were one big knot. Are you quite well?"

"Thank you, yes," Raven replied as she poured some milk into her tea and then spooned in some sugar. "I'm just tired. How did your dinner turn out in the end?"

"I don't like Whitby. He's an idiot and I won't marry an idiot. I'm sick of it, Raven," she whispered. "I'm so sick of having to be the proper little girl. I'm so sick of being told I'm not good enough and that I don't measure up." Tears rose to Anna's eyes and she wiped at them angrily, not wanting Raven to see her crying like a baby but the dark woman knelt beside her and took her hand.

"Whoever told you that was both blind and stupid. You're beautiful, Anna, and intelligent, kind and full of laughter. Whoever told you that you didn't measure up is lying and if they say it again, they'll have to answer to me!"

The blonde giggled then and wiped her nose on a handkerchief Raven offered.

"My warrior," she whispered with a smile and reached out to touch the older woman's hand. "You're beautiful, Raven, and I don't think you even know it, do you?"

Their eyes met once again and Anna searched Raven's for a sign of... anything. The dark woman shook her head and looked down.

"Don't say that Anna. I'm nothing and very well I know it," she replied, unable to meet those expressive green eyes. "I have neither money, nor land. My father is a drunk and more and more I must take the burden of his work along with my own. I'm tired, Anna, so tired."

Anna's mouth dropped open with shock.

"And I have been taking you away from your chance to rest with my gay thoughts of riding and taking walks. I apologise, Raven."

"No, please, do not apologise, Anna," the dark woman replied. "I have enjoyed our time together very much. It has taken me away from mundane tasks that I hate performing."

The blonde nodded slowly and then smiled.

"You're wrong, you know," she said softly, grinning as she received an eyebrow raised in question.

"About?"

"You're not nothing, Raven. You're everything... to me."

She added the last words so softly that Raven almost thought that she had imagined them but when she felt the slight pressure of a squeeze against her hand, she couldn't help but lean forward and pull the younger woman into her arms, holding her gently but firmly. At first, the slight body stiffened but then slowly relaxed and Anna found herself getting caught up the moment. She rubbed her cheek against Raven's dark cotton shirt and then buried her face in the crook of her neck, tenderly returning the embrace. Tears rose to her eyes once more as she sank deeply into her friend's body, sighing softly as she felt a peace steal over her that she had never felt before and she knew deep inside her heart that she was home. She had found the other half of her soul. She felt a breath hitch in the older woman's body and looked up to find her face wet with tears.

"This hurts you?" Anna asked softly, not understanding Raven's tears.

"No, it's not... it's knowing that... Anna, I'm not like other women."

The dark woman sighed and looked down again sniffing back her emotion and wiping absently at her eyes.

"Raven, I'm not like other women either," the blonde replied. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

A snort of laughter came from the dark woman as she shook her head.

"You couldn't possibly understand," she said.

Anna shook her head.

"Could I not?" she asked, slightly annoyed at her friend's presumption. "Would it have anything to do with this?" She leaned forward, entwined her fingers in long, black hair and kissed Raven lightly on the lips. She smiled as she felt her friend's body shudder and then relax but the taller woman didn't pull away. Instead, her hands slowly moved to the small of the blonde's back, pulling her gently closer and returning the kiss. Anna parted her lips invitingly and moaned softly as Raven's soft tongue gently slid into her mouth to taste her. The blonde pulled her friend even closer, letting her own tongue move against the dark woman's and soon, they were breathless with passion. Raven pulled back and kissed her friend's eyelids and nose before releasing her.

"It's late," she smiled. "You should be going back to the house."

"But... alright," Anna replied, feeling the loss as Raven walked to the fire to stoke it with a poker. She moved toward the door but was met there by her tall, dark warrior who kissed her lightly on the forehead and tenderly hugged her. "Goodnight, Anna. Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight, Raven."

The blonde grinned and left the house, silently crossing the yard and slipping into the darkened house by a side door. Meanwhile, in her bedroom, Raven lay back on her bed and smiled as she touched her lips.

"Incredible," she whispered and then closed her eyes, falling asleep only minutes later with a picture of Anna in her mind.

"Good evening, M'Lord!"

Lord Huntington raised his hand in greeting as he passed in his carriage. Raven grinned, wondering what he would say if he knew that she had kissed his daughter the night before... or, more truthfully, his daughter had kissed her. And what a kiss it had been. The stable hand still felt a tingle when she thought about it. She hadn't seen Anna all day but was really looking forward to seeing her smile. She stood in the yard for a long time, waiting for her friend to appear but she didn't. Anna had missed breakfast and hadn't been around all day and Raven was beginning to get worried. She went to the kitchen and sat at the table as the cook slipped a mug of hot, sweet tea into her hand.

"Cook, have you seen Miss Huntington today?" she asked casually as she sipped from the mug.

"No, 'fraid not, Raven," the older woman replied. She was stout and hardy and bustled about the kitchen, barking orders to her helpers with strict efficiency.

"Miss 'Untington is ill," one of the maids stated as she passed by but she squealed as a strong hand shot out and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her close to a worried face.

"How do you know this, Betsy?" Raven demanded and the girl shrugged lightly.

"I were changin' the beddin'," she explained "And I were jus' about to go into Miss 'Untington's chamber when Missus Smith tol' me not to bother doing it... that Miss 'Untington was ill and wasn't to be disturbed."

Raven nodded worriedly and then let Betsy go with an apologetic smile.

"Thanks."

She stood quickly and rubbed absently at the shoulder that had been giving her constant pain since she'd been kicked by a horse a year previously. She wanted to see Anna... needed to see her... but there was no way she could get into the main house. It was then that something happened that surprised her half to death. Mrs. Smith came bustling into the kitchen, her skirts making a loud swishing noise as she came down the steps.

"There you are, Raven," she said brusquely. "I've been looking for you for the past twenty minutes. Miss Huntington has asked to see you..." She paused to look the dark woman up and down. "In her bedchamber. She's ill and wants you to come to her."

"Of course," Raven nodded, wanting nothing more than to dash through the main house and up the stairs to see Anna but she waited for Mrs. Smith to lead the way. The woman moved excruciatingly slowly and the stable hand was almost bouncing with frustration when she finally reached Anna's door. Mrs. Smith knocked quietly and then went into the room, closing the door behind her and leaving Raven on the wide landing. The house was beautiful, both outside and in but nothing of its beauty even registered in the stable hand's mind. An eternity later, the housekeeper returned and opened the door to let Raven in, leaving then and closing the door behind her. A single candle on the bedside table dimly lit the room and the stable hand could barely make out her friend's figure in the large bed.

"Anna?" she said softly as she moved carefully across the room.

"Raven?" came the hoarse reply and the blonde lifted her hand, beckoning to her friend. "Come here and sit with me."

Raven sat on the edge of the bed and took the petite woman's hand. Her face was pale and gaunt, the shadows making her appear almost like a skeleton and she coughed every now and again, trying to clear the huskiness of her voice.

"Anna, what is it?" asked the worried stable hand as she leaned in to gently kiss the younger woman's forehead.

"It's nothing. It's just a sniffle. I'm fine really."

"No, you're not," the dark woman replied as she felt Anna's forehead and cheek. "You have a bad fever." She picked up a cloth from the table beside her and dipped it into the small bowl of water alongside it. She smiled as she dabbed Anna's forehead and watched her eyes flutter shut in exhaustion. "Where's your mother?"

"She went to the milliner's to buy a new hat for her tea with Lady Winchester tomorrow."

Raven shook her head angrily and clenched her fists.

"You're very sick and your mother is shopping? That's a disgrace, Anna!"

The blonde shook her head and placed a gentle hand over the clenched fist, stroking it until it relaxed.

"She's not accustomed to me being here, Raven. She doesn't know what it is to love someone enough to be worried about them when they're ill."

Raven nodded slowly and then lay down next to the younger woman, gathering her into her arms. Anna snuggled close, resting her head on the dark woman's broad shoulder and her arm across her stomach. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, lulled into slumber by the gentle stroking of Raven's fingers against her long, blonde hair and the soft skin of her neck. Just before Raven drifted off, she kissed her friend's damp forehead and nuzzled her hair.

"I do," she whispered and then allowed herself to drift off to sleep. Meanwhile, outside the door, Mrs. Smith, her ear pressed firmly against the door, frowned disgustedly and then made her way downstairs.

Before sunrise, Raven slipped out from under her still-sleeping friend and ducked, unseen, out of the house. The last thing she wanted was one of Anna's parents or one of the servants walking in on them, even though they were innocently sleeping. Raven knew, however, in her heart that there was nothing innocent about it. She was in love with Anna and wanted her so much that her body ached with desire. As she lay in the bath in her tiny bedroom, she thought about the petite, blonde woman and smiled. She loved being in love…

To be continued in Part 2