The Valentine's Dance

Leah, who'd turned sixteen that April, listened closely as I went over my plan and made sure she understood what needed to be done with the farm and our younger sisters while I was gone. Unlike Esther, Leah was always quite dependable and had a good head on her shoulders.

"I've got it, Jeremiah. And you've got it all written down in case I miss anything. Now go, and have a nice time in the city. You never know, big brother, you just might meet a young city lady who's always wanted to be a country girl."

She gave me a smile, knowing that I'd been quite lonely since Deborah's departure and Charlotte's decision. Fortunately, Leah was more interested in helping raise her younger sisters than in prettying herself and courting, so we'd grown closer since Esther's attempted elopement over three years before.

The journey to Nashville in the heavily loaded wagon took two days, and I spent part of the third day selling my surplus produce for less than I expected. The smoked hams, sausages, and bacon, on the other hand, brought a bit more than I'd been led to believe.

"Mr. Daniels, this is quality meat. If all that you raise is like this, I'll take as much as you can bring me at a fair price."

"That sounds good, Mr. Andrews. I plan to be back at least twice a year and will bring you all I can."

We shook hands on it, and as I was driving away, I decided to increase our hog production, using some of the surplus produce as feed.

In the afternoon, I purchased supplies for the farm, some new clothes for my four sisters from the list Leah had given me, plus matching necklace and earring sets for Leah and Mary, and a doll apiece for Rachel and Sarah. The gifts, I decided, would be held until Christmas. I made arrangements to pick everything up early the following morning before I headed for home.

Nashville was a fabulous place, a real city, unlike anything I'd ever seen. I walked around looking at the sights, trying to keep from looking like the country bumpkin that I was. That evening, I decided to treat myself to something I'd never done before: eat dinner at a real restaurant. I was staying at a small boarding house some distance away, but after a bath, I put on the suit I'd brought with me and made my way over to Fourth and Church to the dining room in the Maxwell House Hotel for dinner.

After a delicious meal, I walked the streets for a while longer, seeing sights under a full moon and the rare streetlight. I was almost back to the boarding house when a woman approached me on the street.

"Hello, mister. You look like as fine a young man as I've ever seen! Would you like someone to...to talk to...for the evening?"

"Ma'am, you're awfully pretty," I said, "but are you sure you're not confusing me with someone else?"

She smiled. "I don't see anyone else around, so if you'd like some company for the evening, I'd love to spend it with you and get to know you better."

Being relatively young, quite naive, and completely inexperienced, I fell for her story and her charms, inviting her up to my room.

Once in the room, we talked for a few minutes and I was quite excited that such a fine lady as her would give the time of day and actually pay attention to what I was saying.

"Jerry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to impose on you."

"What do you mean?"

"Look, you're still wearing your coat and tie. Here, sit on the bed and let me help you with that."

She helped me out of my coat and I started to take off my tie.

"Now hold on," she said. "I told you I'd help."

She stood in front of me as she undid my tie, but I was staring at her cleavage, just inches from my face. I was surprised that the dresses city women wore were so much more revealing than those worn out in the country.

When the tie was off, her hands were in my hair behind my head and she pulled me forward, burying my face between her breasts.

"Oh, Jerry! You're so good! Kiss me there!"

If I'd been thinking straight, I would have realized that I'd done nothing at all except allowed myself to be pulled off balance and in between her breasts, but caught up in the moment and her cleavage, I accepted the praise with gladness and started kissing her smooth, soft curves. She moved my hands up under her dress as I kissed, and I found myself holding the bottom of her naked buttocks. Massaging her roundness, she spread her legs and one of my roaming fingers accidentally touched the warm, damp softness of her sex. Surprised and embarrassed, I drew my hands back in surprise, only to see her smile at me as she pushed me backward on the bed.

It continued from there. We kissed and caressed, but it wasn't long, while she was removing my shirt, before she again saw my uncertainty. Being several years my senior, she asked, "Jerry, have you ever done this before?"

Even more embarrassed than before, I replied, "No, ma'am."

She chortled and kissed by neck as I tried to finish my thought. "Uh, I've got six sisters so I've seen girls naked before, but I wasn't trying to."

This time, she drew back and laughed. "First, you don't ever, under any circumstance, call your lover 'ma'am. Second, you don't ever mention you sisters, naked or otherwise, when you're doing this."

"Yes—"

Her finger on my lips silenced me before I could repeat the error.

Quietly and with a certainty coming from long experience in such matters, she continued removing my clothing.

"Since this is your first time, we're going to make it special. Just watch and listen to what I do and it'll serve you well in the future."

By that point, she could have done anything she wanted to me. Gentle hands first bathed my erect cock and my balls. It was quite embarrassing at first, but considering how good it felt and how stiff it was making me, I didn't tell her or about my having bathed just hours earlier.

"Few things show a woman you care for her more than being clean and smelling fresh," she told me. "Men who come to be with a woman without removing the smell of their labors rob both of them of much of the pleasure that can be had."

When we moved to the bed, she showed me what to do, what steps to please her as well as myself in preparation for the copulation. When I asked her about that, she laughed once more. "New rule! Never, ever call it copulation! That's what animals do on the farm. People love each other, make love, sleep together—a boring term I don't recommend—have sex, have intercourse—a high falutin' word for it—or just plain fuck."

"I'll do whichever you think best," I said, leading to more gentle laughter.

"We'll make love the first time, and, assuming you're as young and virile as you look, we'll fuck later."

She had me on the bed on my back and she was sitting atop me, leaning forward so her breast swung gently against my tongue. "No reaching," she warned as I tried to suck her nipple into my mouth. She was rubbing her mound against my penis, but again, wouldn't let me drive it home into her wet slit.

"One last thing before you make love, Jerry. You need to protect yourself and your lover. This is a lambskin condom, made from a sheep's intestine. You put it on to keep the woman from getting pregnant."

She rolled off of me and told me to put it on, but I wasn't sure what to do. She smiled again at my inexperience and then explained how to do it. I was able to roll it on my erect member, but I wasn't sure how to properly secure it. She did it for me as my whole body felt a-tingle, but she surprised me by removing it and making me start all over again.

"Jerry, I probably won't be there next time so it's important for you to do it right, both for you and for your lover. Unless you actually want a baby, of course."

I was worried that our break in the action would ruin things, but we picked up afterward, with me as hard as before, and she gently lowered herself down on me, a little at a time, drawing back up and then coming down a bit more. It was a wonderful feeling as she slowly engulfed me in her warmth and softness and then seemed to clamp down more firmly on me each time as she pulled away. She smiled as I started to move with her, though whether it was at my getting into the act or at the huge smile on my face, I didn't know.

It wasn't long before my blood was racing and pressure was building up in my balls. She sensed my ragged breathing and the flush that came over me as she moved faster and faster over my member and I moved with her. I felt myself explode into her, over and over, before she slipped off and placed a towel around me, removing the lambskin.

"That was...incredible," I said afterward, as I kissed her body and breasts. I looked into her dark brown eyes, but then noticed she was shaking her head.

"No, Jerry, incredible comes later," she whispered. "That was just first."

The next morning, after two more sessions a few hours apart in the night, the woman who'd refused to give her name was gone, as was the rest of the money I'd had in my wallet. Fortunately, having heard of the pickpockets that frequented the downtown area, I'd hidden most of my money away, though in this case, she'd truly earned every cent she took.

Sadly, her departure left a hollow feeling in my heart, both for what we'd experienced together and what I now realized I was missing with Charlotte. After collecting my purchases, I had plenty of time to think on the long ride home. I now considered myself somewhat less experienced, a bit wiser, and desirous of far more.

My sisters surprised me when I got back home. I was barely out of the wagon when they all came running up to give me a big hug. Each in her own way said, "Jeremiah, I love you big brother, and I appreciate all you do for me."

They say men should never cry—and I didn't—but I felt the tears in my eyes as I told each of my remaining little sisters them that I loved them, too.

***

1892

As we walked into the main hall where the dance was held each year, I couldn't get Charles' remark out of my mind. Charlotte was here. For fifteen years, I had tried to avoid thinking of her and what we might have had, and, to some degree, I'd succeeded. Now it was all back as if it had never left.

I started to look around, but Sarah, with her arm hooked in mine, steered me in an unexpected direction. Unexpected, that is, until I saw Matthew Kelley.

His eyes were focused on her and his smile said he was happy to see her. While we'd met briefly at church, Sarah made proper introductions followed by small talk while I tried, without success, to keep a lookout for Charlotte.

"Sarah says you supply pork products to sellers in Nashville. That's a good hike."

"Ah, yeah, it is, but, ah, the prices there are much better than around here."

"So do you raise a lot of hogs and cattle?"

Mr. Kelley did a remarkable job of seeming interested as I gave him a few numbers and explained how I sold my cattle on the hoof, slaughtered my hogs and cured my own pork, and sustained my herds. Even Sarah was starting to look worried that I was boring him to death, when I was able to redirect the discussion to his business and the farm he'd inherited. It was all I could do to keep from laughing when I saw her look of relief.

With his decision pending on what to do with his inherited farm, he had a number of questions about the local area, so Sarah and I took turns answering and filling in blanks for him. I think it could have gone on for a lot longer but I finally said, "Sarah, Mr. Kelley, I see someone I need to speak with. Please excuse me and I'll speak with you again later."

They were both probably relieved at my departure, for they moved closer to each other and the next time I glanced their way, I saw them holding hands between them as they talked.

I spoke with several friends as I circled the hall in search of Charlotte, but saw no sign of her. She wasn't on the overlook balcony on the second floor, so I started to wonder if she was out in the gardens with William or if they'd decided to leave without telling Charles.

Then, from across the dance floor, I saw Charlotte looking directly at me from behind a party mask that covered the top half of her face. She was smiling.

***

Valentine's Dance,

Saturday, February 10, 1877

For the first time, I took two of my sisters, Leah, almost 19, and Mary, who was just days away from her 17th birthday, to the dance. It was their first dance for both.

I was a little worried about them since neither had any real prospects, though that was what the event claimed to be, a way to meet new people who were eligible. On the other hand, I was excited.

I'd met Miss Laura Weatherby in the neighboring town a few months earlier while there on business, so I'd been to see her a few times and even invited her to attend the dance. Her older brother, also an eligible bachelor, brought her and was soon seen meeting every eligible young lady in attendance that he could.

Laura had my complete attention. We danced a few times before I asked if she'd like to go for a walk with me in the gardens. It was cloudy and quite cool but warmer than normal for a winter evening, so we wandered for a while until we found a dark spot where we could be alone and avoid interruptions.

"Laura, I've to come to care a great deal about you since we met last fall," I told her. It was true, and though I didn't realize it at the time, she had displaced thoughts of Charlotte, who'd recently moved away, from my mind while we'd been together.

"Jeremiah," she whispered, "there's a time for talk, but this isn't it. Kiss me."

Gladly did I pull her into my arms and hold her tight against me as our lips met. Immediately, I felt my cock react, growing hard, and she felt it, too, based on her little moan and the way her hand moved down to my ass where she tried hard to pull me even closer against her.

"Careful, Laura," I whispered. "I like you a lot, but wouldn't want your brother getting the wrong idea in his head."

"Lennon's little head has more ideas than his big one and they have nothing to do with me or my peccadilloes," she whispered in return as both of her hands fumbled with the buttons on my fly. She slid her slender hand inside where she succeeded in working my cock free of my pants. Standing next to me, she let out a little gasp as she grasped and started to gently pump my manhood.

As I felt myself getting harder and harder, I began to massage the front of her crotch through her dress as my nameless paramour had once taught me. She lifted it for me where only the silk of her bloomers was between us.

As the sensations built and I felt her moisture wetting the fabric, I grew concerned that someone might approach and surprise us, but I put it out of my mind as her tender hands worked their magic and my climax approached. Her breathing had become practically a pant as well as I worked her love spot. She gasped and moaned, barely maintaining her pace on me, just seconds before I felt myself going over the edge.

"Laura, it comes," I said. Regaining her rhythm as she pushed the bottom of her dress back down, she increased her pace and pointed my cock away from us, and then continued to massage me faster and faster as I shot my seed into the bushes. She milked me until it was over and then beyond before wiping her fingers over my tip to get any remainder that lingered. I could just see the reflections in her eyes as she looked at me and sensuously licked the tips of her fingers to clean them.

"Oh, Jeremiah, that was wonderful. Thank you," she said as she helped tuck me back inside and rebuttoned my trousers.

"Thank you, my sweet," I said in return. "Wonderful is exactly right."

Arm-in-arm, we walked through the rest of the dark gardens, seeing several couples engaged in what appeared to be passionate embraces and kissing, and at least one other couple who may have been similarly engaged in our just concluded activity. Laura giggled and I smiled, hoping it would be as good for them as it had been for us.

On reentering the main, hall, Leah, standing by the punch bowl, smiled and waved to us. Rather than approach her as I expected, Laura pulled me to the side and whispered, "Jeremiah, I can't believe you brought two of your sisters to the dance with you. If they want to bring something, most people bring a flower, a heart, or a fancy card they've made for their love, or, if they're being playful with their beau or gal, a party mask. How soon can we send them away?"

Chilled, I stopped in my tracks. "They're my sisters," I replied. "They'll go away when they're married and have someone to provide for them."

"But for your younger sisters, that's still years from now, isn't it? And for these two, that could be a long, long time, too. At least as homely as the older one is. I really don't want them around when we marry."

"Laura, you may not want them, but they're my sisters."

"Jeremiah, they are not going to live in my house, and that's final."

"No, you're absolutely right. They're not," I replied. "And neither will I."

I turned, walked away, and never willingly spoke to her again.

A few minutes later, I found Mary in one of the side rooms speaking to Richard Duncan, who was a few years older than me. He was the owner of a blacksmith shop in town. I was a friend of his younger brother and Richard had always been an honorable man in our dealings, so I returned to take Leah out on the dance floor for a couple of rounds to give Richard and Mary more time to talk.

When we came off the dance floor, a young man asked to dance with Leah and Richard came over and asked to speak with me.

"Jeremiah, I'm older than I'd like to be when I'm asking this, but I hope you'll take into account what I've been doing for the past ten years since I finished my apprenticeship. Your sister Mary's a special girl and I'd, ah, like your permission to court her."

"Richard, did she tell you she just turned 17 last month?"

He nodded. "I just turned 31, Jeremiah. If you'll let me court her and it works out like I suspect, I can wait till she's 18 to ask for her hand, if that matters to you."

"That sounds like a good plan, Richard. No promises, of course, unless she agrees, but if it works out, I might be expecting you two to be getting engaged at, say, next year's dance?"

We shook hands on it. Mary liked the plan, too, and that's just what happened.

That was three.

***

1892

My heart raced as I saw Charlotte turn away and slip out a side door into another room. Why, I wondered, would she be taunting me with that look when I knew that she and William were still married and supposedly happily so. I hated myself for the thought of even pursuing her, but I couldn't stop.

My heart continued its unnatural pace as I moved from room to room around the great hall. I stopped to speak to several people but I couldn't ask the question I most wanted answered: "Where is Charlotte?" Instead, I practically bit my tongue to keep those words from slipping out and exposing my thought of stealing her away with me.

Stepping back into the main hall, the band was playing and several couples were doing a reel. I watched for a few moments before I caught the movement. It was Charlotte, still holding the mask in front of her eyes and wearing what I was almost sure was the same blue dress she'd worn on the night she'd accepted William and spurned me. Charlotte, on seeing my eyes catch hers, nodded and then turned and almost skipped out the back door into the gardens.

Growling a curse at myself for how I would be spending eternity in the fires of Hell, I went after her.

***

Saint Valentine's Day Dance, 1880

There was a sense of excitement at our home as the annual dance approached. All three of my remaining siblings would be attending with me, including Sarah, our baby sister. Since it was always on a Saturday night so most people could attend, it would be held on Saint Valentine's Day for a change.