A Headstrong Woman(59)
“’Let me not into the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alterations finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O, no, it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be
Taken
Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle’s compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.’ That’s my favorite,” Jonathon told her.
“Emily must have loved your ability to quote Shakespeare,” Alexandria commented with a smile.
“Actually, no. She was a wonderful woman but didn’t care for Shakespeare at all.”
“Oh,” Alexandria said in surprise.
“I never held it against her,” Jonathon smiled.
“Well, I wouldn’t let the ladies at church know that you can quote Shakespeare,” she teased.
Jonathon groaned. The ladies had church had redoubled their efforts to get his attention. “Please don’t let it slip that I can. I am so tired of being pursued…”
“Jonathon, most men would love to be in your position.”
“I’m not most men.”
“You still miss Emily?”
“I do. Not like I used to, but, at the moment I’m not looking for romance,” he grabbed a kitten from the pile and started petting it.
“Why not?”
“Why not? Excuse me, you’re the one who says she’s never marrying again, what gives you the right to ask that?” his tone was teasing.
“Curiosity.”
“You know what they say about curiosity…”
“Come on, Jonathon, you could have your pick of any girl at church. What’s holding you back?” she cut him off.
Jonathon sighed. “What’s holding you back?”
“I’m still in mourning,” she shrugged.
“Outwardly.”
“You know why I don’t intend to marry again. Why would I want to repeat that?”
“Who says you would?”
“Are you going to answer my question?” Alexandria’s tone was terse.
“I’ve met all of the women at church, if one of them was going to catch my attention; don’t you think that would have happened by now?” Jonathon asked, and then continued “When I meet someone who catches my attention, I’ll consider it.”
“That’s fair enough,” Alexandria conceded.
“What about you, Alexandria? Are you going to carry around your bitterness forever?”
“I’m not bitter!” she snapped.
“Aren’t you?” he asked gently.
Alexandria sighed. “Maybe with a little more time I’ll change my mind. Right now I don’t feel like I’ll ever want to marry again.”
“I need to get busy feeding these animals,” he said as he stood.
“Want some help?” she offered as she started to stand. Jonathon offered her a hand and pulled her to her feet.
“Sure, that would be nice,” Jonathon agreed. “Why don’t you pitch down some hay?”
“Okay,” she agreed and grabbed the nearby pitchfork.
Jonathon started feeding the horses below. He had just finished and was going to check Alexandria’s progress when he made the mistake of stopping beneath the hayloft. A large pile of hay landed on his head.
“Hey!” Jonathon protested.
Alexandria leaned over the side of the hayloft. “That’s what it is,” she responded with a cheeky smile.
“There’s more than enough here, come on down,” he suggested. Alexandria hurried down the ladder and turned to Jonathon, who stood, a hand behind his back, smiling.
“What are you doing?” she took a step backward. She wasn’t fast enough. Jonathon grabbed her and shoved a hand full of hay down the back of her dress as she let out an enraged squeal.
“Now we’re even,” he smiled.
Alexandria’s eyes narrowed. She grabbed a hand full of hay and Jonathon started dodging her. They were soon in an all-out war. Several minutes later, Jonathon pinned both hands behind her back to call a truce.