When Finn stopped, they had come to a body of water. It shimmered darkly, it glistened in the moonlight. Finn dismounted and then reached out his hand to help Marigold. She took it, her heart beating inexplicably fast.
The pond lapped softly. A large tree grew next to the pond, and on one of the branches the family had tied a rope. There was a full moon that the pond reflected.
“You haven’t seen this yet,” Finn said.
“No,” Marigold said. “I haven’t.”
They watched the water in silence for some time.
“It’ll still be cold,” Finn warned.
“I’m not afraid,” Marigold responded.
All around them the insects were making their night music, and the nightingale had begun to sing. The stars above were a world of their own. Marigold didn’t think as she removed the boots Freddie had given her and slowly unbuttoned her purple frock and slipped it from her shoulders. She wore a short, sheer white dress underneath, and she kept that on as she waded into the water.
It was radiantly cold. Marigold went slowly, clocking the feeling of the water caressing her skin, wrapping around her. She got in past her waist and then finally into the deep. She put her head underneath and felt the rawness around her crying eyes being erased. She felt the cold freshness down to her scalp. When she resurfaced she gasped, and then couldn’t help shrieking and laughing. It was exhilarating.
“Aren’t you going to join me?” Marigold asked.
Finn stood on the edge of the pond, removing his shirt. Even in the darkness Marigold could see that he was well-built, and she watched him unabashedly while treading water. He ran into the water soon, and when the shallow reached the deep, he dove under and resurfaced, facing Marigold.
“Thank you,” Marigold said.
“There’s nothing like an early summer night here,” Finn responded.
The magic of the evening affected Marigold. She felt completely outside of time. All that existed in the word was this pond, and Finn, and herself. So when they swam to the shallow end, where Finn could stand, and he drew her close, she didn’t question it.
Besides, she might as well admit it: she was mad with desire for him.
He took her hands as she swam toward him and drew her to him. Marigold’s dress was completely see through. Still in the water, she wrapped her legs around him and he held her around the bottom. She put her hands on his shoulders, and they stared at each other for a moment, as if deciding.
He kissed her.
It was slow. Their mouths fit perfectly together, and the sound of their bodies shifting in the water, the swishing of the pond and the natural world all around them shut off her mind and lived her senses. It had been such a long time. Finn turned her around and set her on the ground, so that he was standing half in the water between her legs. Cool water dripped down their faces as they kissed, Finn holding her thighs open and on the ground with his hands. Marigold wanted him… she wantedallof him.
“I have watched you…” Finn said slowly, touching their foreheads together, “and wondered what this would be like.”
Marigold smiled, and Finn laughed. She shook her head slowly.
“Silence?” he asked.
She nodded, and as she did so he kissed her again passionately, putting his body close to hers, taking one hand from her thighs to grab her breast in his palm, and then travelling down to touch her stomach and then, slowly, his hands went to her sex, and explored there. He lowered her to her back, lifted her dress to expose her and, underneath the full moon, as Finn put his mouth to her sex, Marigold felt powerful. He served her, while Marigold moaned and arched her back with pleasure before pulling him up, out of the water. They lay together for a minute, him with his wet trousers on, and Marigold with her underdress half up. He rolled on top of her, and put her damp hair behind her ear.
“Do you want…?” he asked.
Marigold told the truth.
“Yes.”
Finn got up, took her purple frock and wrapped it around Marigold’s shoulders. As she stood up, her underdress fell back into place. Finn mounted the horse and motioned for her to follow. They rode again, the fresh air on their faces, and he took her to a tree house. He told her to go up the ladder first, and he would follow. Marigold laughed, and let him look up her dress. There was no point in being modest, and below her he moaned and grasped at the fabric, but she was too fast.
In the tree house, there was a pallet of blankets and dozens of cozy pillows. While Marigold took in the incredible lushness of this forest home, Finn lit several candles before coming up behind her. He peeled her dress off and cupped her large breasts. She turned to face him, caressing his cheek.
He really was a beautiful man.
Slowly, she removed his trousers, and it felt good to be out of the wind and into a secluded place with only their bodies to warm each other. Marigold pressed her body to his, and let out a sigh, as he kissed her again. He turned her around and entered her from behind, thrusting gently, holding her close to him.
“I love you,” he said.
