Disclaimer: Deleted scenes have not been through full edits like my books are.
Deleted Scene: Picnic Scene
“Philip?” fourteen-year-old Charis broke the silence in the meadow.
“Yes?” Philip murmured as he lazily chewed on a piece of grass.
“Tomorrow is your twentieth birthday and I have been thinking. If you could go anywhere and have any job in the world, what would you choose?”
“Well now, I’d have to have my best friend with me, or I couldn’t leave Woldhurst.”
“You jest, Philip. You know Uncle Walter will see me married to one of his friends soon.” Philip’s grin quickly disappeared. His eyes were still closed as he lay on the picnic blanket under a cloudless bright sky. He seemed to struggle with his next words.
“Then I guess I would choose to breed and train beautiful horses. I want fast ones and strong ones. I might even have a few tiny ponies too. But you have been my only friend other than my brother, Caleb. If I couldn’t be near you and have picnics or race each other, I am not sure what I would do. I guess grow to be a cranky old man.”
Charis laughed and threw a soft sweet roll at him. His eyes opened and he smiled. But the smile did not reach his eyes. Charis wanted to bring the happiness back. The older they got the less time they were able to spend together. When they were younger, she had been allowed to play with the other children in the village. The other kids had made fun of her for being so short. Philip stepped in to stop the teasing. Even as a young boy he was nearly the size of a man. Unusually tall and broad for his age, it had scared the other kids into complying with his orders to leave Charis alone.
At fourteen many other girls were married or betrothed with their wedding to take place before they turned sixteen. Charis had been fourteen for eight months now, and Uncle Walter had not mentioned finding her a suitable match.
She had always liked Philip and he was her closest friend. But he was six years older than she was. He never acted like some of the snobby boys in the village. Once they reached sixteen, they dare not give attention to anyone younger than they unless it was a girl who caught their eye. Philip might be clumsy and slow due to his size, and he stumbled over his words when he was afraid or nervous. But he was the kind of friend Charis needed. Loyal, steadfast, kind, and never judged her harshly. He always knew how to make her laugh.
Sitting in the sunshine following their delicious picnic of roasted pork with sweet rolls she mused that if she had to marry someone, why not Philip? Or at least someone like him? Her love for Philip was as her best friend. Surely real love could come later, wouldn’t it? And if not, he treated her so kindly that she knew she would be protected for the rest of her life. But was there really another man out there like her Philip? She did not think so. And she knew her uncle would refuse Philip if he asked, but still— what if?
