The Stevens Chronicles: Our American Cousin

I wish father were here, he always stuck up for me.

Mary waited impatiently. Tapping the fingers on the arm of the oak chair in the drawing room, she waited. What was taking them so long? They had sent a telegram announcing their arrival when they had landed, that was six hours ago they should have been here by now. The others were also waiting impatiently; patience was not one of the Stevens family talents and considered themselves prompt on arrivals. Ironic is a word that springs to mind thought Mary, as it was Stevens relations that they were waiting for, same blood, apparently same vices and virtues, it did not seem the case. Even more ironic was the fact that they were Americans, the enemy, the people shooting at her father. Long lost cousins indeed! Still, her mother told her that family blood should not get mixed up in the blood of politics. Her mother had also gladly reminded her of stories about her and her cousin playing in the gardens when they were three years of age, they were now twenty-two. “Twenty years is a long time not to see a person, we are probably different as chalk and cheese.” Mary had said to her mother.

“Probably.” Replied her mother. “But you are going to show her a pleasant visit and make her welcome.”
I wish father were here, thought Mary. Jezebel the youngest at thirteen was playing with a halfpenny, rolling it and flipping it. The twins Elisha and Elizabeth were reading and sewing respectively, they were both eighteen, their mother was writing business letters and Mary was tapping her bloody fingers on the bloody chair.
A knock on the door. Henry the family butler walked in, “My lady your guests approach.”

“Damn cold wet England and its May too!” murmured Rachel. “How do the Limeys survive in this weather?”
“You were born here, my dear,” answered her mother, Ruth.
“And it tears me up inside, ME related to these uptight tyrannical people, shooting at my daddy.”
“It’s bad enough that two brothers are fighting each other in America, don’t join the war of words. You WILL be civil to our relatives! Obey that as the soldier you think you are!”
Rachel shut up, her mother was usually a light-hearted person, but she could be firm when the occasion rose and her word was the last to be said. I will be civil for the first couple of days anyway, thought Rachel. The carriage that they had hired from Liverpool turned into a muddy road leading to the Stevens estate. The wet weather had caused difficult driving, which meant 8 hours of talking or most often arguing with her mother. And Rachel was not a patient woman. Ruth looked out of the window and smiled, “We are here.”
“Thank goodness, my behind was numb 4 hours ago,” grunted Rachel. They stepped out of the carriage and was greeted at the door which she could only assume was her Aunt Anne. “Come in, come in, welcome, welcome.”

Mary looked upon Rachel. Her jaw dropped, she had never seen such beauty. Rachel had long, shiny, chestnut brown hair that rippled off her shoulders and back elegantly. Dark brown doe eyes, delicate small lips and curves to die for. At least 5ft 6 without shoes, her breasts must be at least a D-cup. This girl did not need a corset. Mary admired her; by god she wished she could have every curve, every hair, every inch of her smooth tanned skin. Mary wanted to be her, to have every man begging to have a glance from her. 

Mary had not noticed it but Elisha, Elizabeth and even young Jezebel were doing the same thing. Rachel had not noticed or seemed not to notice their stares. Aunt Ruth and their mother were embracing each other as old friends.
“Ruth, I want to introduce you to my family” started their mother. They were introduced one by one; the “children” curtsied. Ruth had never met Elisha, Elizabeth and Jezebel and only knew Mary until she was three, before she left with her husband for America.

“My what beautiful young ladies you have Anne. Mary, you have grown up to a beautiful young lady, I have not seen you since you were barely talking, you most be fending the boys off with a stick.” Ruth laughed at this, Mary smiled and shrugged in embarrassment, Rachel raised an eyebrow. Ruth beamed with pride, “I would like you all to meet my only daughter, Rachel.” Many curtsies followed.
“Ruth, we will retire to the drawing room, we have a lot to talk about. I will get Henry to fetch us some tea.” Ruth and Anne left the hall, leaving the rest of them standing there in silence.
Jesus, this is awkward, thought Mary. Jezebel smiled nervously, Elisha fidgeted and Elizabeth was looking for an exit. Rachel remained unmoved, not a hint of emotion drained from her.

Rachel had however noticed the gazing stares from the girls, it flattered her but she had got used to people staring at her men and women alike so she thought nothing of it. Her mother was right when she described them as “beautiful young ladies.” They all had brown hair, around the same height – except Jezebel, she was only thirteen of course. 
Jezebel was about 5ft 3, long hair, blue eyes, light freckles, beautiful smile that she seemed to always show. Jezebel was developed early for a 18 year old, already sporting curves beneath her dress, a skinny frame and the tiny mounds on her chest could only be described as perky. She seemed to be the younger version of Elisha.
Elisha of course was taller at 5ft 6, her breasts (C-cup) and her rear were bigger than usual for her skinny frame. Unlike Jezebel however, Rachel had yet to see Elisha smile and her eyes were cold, again unlike Jezebel’s.
Mary and Elizabeth had more of a curvy frame than their two sisters and had massive breasts, especially Mary’s. Rachel did not know breasts could be that big, she had though hers were big but not compared to Mary and Elizabeth’s. Mary had brown eyes and like Elisha, Jezebel and herself, she had the strong Stevens nose. Elizabeth however had blue eyes and had a smaller nose than her sisters and cousin, she was also smaller than Elisha and Mary. Rachel agreed they were all beautiful.

Mary broke in finally, “I will show you around the estate if you like, Rachel.”
“Yes, I would that,” retorted Rachel. Rachel could be polite if she wanted to be. “Lets go.”

“What a striking girl young Rachel has become,” Anne complimented between sips of her tea. “The men must be falling over each other to court her.”
“And the girls,” muttered Ruth.
“What? Really?” replied Anne.
“Yes, really. One of our slave girls at our plantation back home in South Carolina touched her while she was bathing.”
“My goodness”
“Uh huh, the slave girl was waiting on Rachel with the towel, Rachel stood up to get out. The slave girl gave Rachel the towel and stroked her bosom.”
“No.”
“We had her beaten of course. She said she could not help it, Rachel was too beautiful and ever since we have had to hire a minder for her in case any slave attacks her again.”
“Perish the thought.”
Ruth raised an eyebrow and sipped some more tea. “Your daughter Mary was looking at Rachel quite intently, I noticed it. Tell me, has Mary a suitor, it will surprise me if she has not.”
“She had one, but he broke her heart. Another woman you might say. What are you suggesting?”
Ruth shook her head, “Oh nothing.”

Rachel looked at Mary intently, always glancing to her side as they walked. Rachel did not want to make it obvious, however Rachel was in disbelief; she had never seen breasts so big unless the women were big, fat and oafish. Mary was not so, she was neither skinny nor fat. Her breasts actually bounced as she walked. ‘Just the way a woman should be,’ thought Rachel. ‘Maybe if I… no I cannot, she is my cousin.’
‘Just tease her a little, there is no harm in it.’
‘She might take offence to it’
‘Just say American girls are very physical, always touching and hugging each other. She will not know.’
‘She is of same blood as me’
‘Lust is only skin deep, tease her, touch her’
Mary broke in, “Let us go to the waterfall and pool it beautiful, it is were I go to think about the world, I also write there.”
“What do you write about?”
Mary flushed red, “Just about the world, what I see.”
“I would like to read some of your work.”
Mary smiled and flushed even more, “No, my work is bad, you will not like it. The waterfall is in those trees.” Mary pointed towards the forest, quickly changing the subject.
“How come there are so few men in this estate cousin Mary? The only man I have seen in your estate is your butler. Are all your servants are women?” probed Rachel.
“My father is very protective of my mother, my sisters and I, if… when he comes back, there will be more men servants, but only under his eye.”
“Where is your father?”
“He and my brother Richard are at war with Napoleon.”
Rachel did not reply. America was allied with Napoleon’s France and she did not think of it prudent to bring the subject up on the first day of her visit just yet.

Finally they reached the forest, the forest was full of oak, elm and trees. “This is our own private forest, it’s full of deer, foxes, badgers, squirrels, pheasant. We have had trouble with poachers sometimes, uncouth thieves,” Mary grimaced.
“What is that noise? It sounds like someone is singing and laughing,” Rachel asked.
“Sounds like Isabella, one of our maids. She is Spanish and teaches her language to Elisha. Elisha loves languages. Lets go down and see what she is doing.”

Rachel and Mary slowly made their way down the forest valley towards the laughter. Mary led Rachel through windy forest paths that made their way down the steep hill, slowly but surely Rachel could hear the sound of falling water crashing against water and rock.
“Isabella seems to be at the waterfall, it is not far now,” whispered Mary. Rachel followed Mary off the path towards the looming darkness of the trees, the air felt hot and stuffy, unusual in the English air.
Mary stopped suddenly and clasped her hand to her mouth, causing Rachel to bump into her. “What are you…” Rachel trailed her words for she had seen what Mary had seen.
“Get down,” hushed Mary. Mary dragged her down behind a rock; Rachel lost her balance and toppled on top of her cousin. Never had they thought of this comprising situation happen so quickly. Rachel lay between Mary’s legs, bosom to bosom, they in a second forgot about what they had seen in the pool and gazed into each other’s eyes. Their heart quickened, their breath became heavier causing their chests to heave into each other, time froze for a moment and during that moment all life in the world became irrelevant except for two.