How am I to go about my usual midnight business now that she is here? This would not be easy.
He gave it time enough, and then walked back into the cottage. He found Jennifer sitting at the table, drinking a cup of water.
“Hungry? I was just about to break this bread with cheese, and some hot black tea if you would like.”
“Yes, that sounds delightful.” She smiled. Her smile was heart-stopping. He could stare at that smile all day. One could easily get lost in it.
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Jennifer was delighted that Jacob had taken the time to make a crutch for her. It was very sweet indeed. She watched as he prepared a pot of black tea, bread, and two kinds of cheese on a board for them to eat. How peculiar it is to find myself here, with this handsome stranger, and waking up in his bed.
She felt strange that she should feel so comfortable with him, for she did not know him but twenty four hours or less, and yet it was as if she had known him all her life. They settled in nicely into sharing a small space, and she felt quite safe.
“Milk? Sugar?” He put both in front of her.
“Thank you,” She said hiding her excitement.
For sugar was something of a luxury in her own home. In fact, she had noticed that Jacob had quite the bounty in his small cottage; plenty of salted meats, and drying herbs hanging from a rack above the kitchen area. He had milk, and sugar, and a box full of tea, and coffee, she would wager. Two full wheels of cheese, and that was only what she could see. How was it that he had so much?
“So, I have decided something,” He said breaking her thoughts.
“Oh, is that so? Please delight me with your decision,” She said playfully. It surprised even her, that she was being flirty so early in the morning. But with the way he looked, she just could not help herself.
“I have decided that you will stay here with me until you are healed completely. In which there after I will pay for your fare to take the Post to London.”
She nearly spit out her tea. “You will pay my fare? Why? That is not necessary, I can find my own way. And I am sure that I will not be here very long as it is. My leg should be right as rain in two days, or possibly less.”
“No. It will not. And yes, I will,” He said sternly.
She was confused for a second, not knowing which he spoke of.
“I have seen an ankle that looks as bad as yours, it will not be healed in two days. It will be more like two or three weeks.”
“What? That long?”
“Yes, and you want it to be healed completely. You start walking on it too soon and it will be injured all over again, adding another month to your healing,” He said.
Jennifer was quiet. She could not add that much time to doing nothing and being idle. She needed to get factory work straight away. And she could not stay long in the country, or winter would show its icy face.
“I understand,” She said.
His brows rose above his blue eyes. “That is good to hear. I was expecting more of a fight from you. It seems that you might be coming to your senses, perhaps a good night’s sleep was all that you needed,” He said.
“That may be so, but I still cannot have you pay my fare to the Post in order to take me to London. I would not be able to repay you, sir.”
“Oh, sir is it now? You do not need to repay me. Your company here is all that I require.”
A nervous look came across her face.
“No, that is not what I mean. Just simply our conversation. Sometimes it gets lonely in this cottage alone. Perhaps if you'll indulge me in a game of cards, and reading aloud, that will be all that I require.”
“Tha, is something that I think I might be able to accommodate, Jacob.”
“Good. Then it is settled. You are my guest, for the time being.” He poured more piping hot tea into her cup.
She took a drink of the hot delicious beverage. Even the tea seemed to be better than what she had at home.
“Jacob, what is it exactly that you do here? Are you a farmer?”
He coughed, nearly choking on his tea. “I have a small garden out back, plenty of vegetables, at least until winter hits.”
“That is not what I mean. How do you make your living?”
“Perhaps that is better left unsaid, Jennifer. I do well for myself. I have big plans for the future. I will not hold myself to what society wants for me, to keep me in a cage. I will do what I must when I must, in order to make my future a comfortable one. That is all that you will need to know, while you are my guest.”
“That is the only reply that I am to receive?”
“Yes, it is, and I beg that you will stop with these questions of my personal affairs.”
Jennifer was silent for a moment.His voice had turned stern, giving her warning. There was something fun about poking the bear, but perhaps for now she would give it a rest.
“I have one more question to ask of you, Jacob.”
He released a sigh of annoyance. “And what might that be?”
“Would it be possible for me to sit outside and enjoy the sunlight?”
Jacob flashed her a smile of white teeth.
“That question I am most willing to answer for you.”
“And what answer could I expect?” She asked.
“Yes. We will both sit outside and enjoy the sun. Perhaps even take this bounty out to the table.”
“Yes, I would like that.”
With that exchange, Jacob stood up and moved her chair. As quick as maybe, he scooped her into his arms, something that Jennifer noticed he did with ease, as though she weighed nothing at all.
She made the familiar movement of wrapping her hands around his neck and holding on. He walked through the cottage, opening the door and letting the sunlight hit her face as he walked out.
Jennifer took in the scenery. It was much more beautiful than what she had remembered at night. But in the middle of the night, it had all seemed so menacing underneath a full moon. Now the grass was a vibrant green, butterflies were dancing low above the field. His horse, Champion, was lazily grazing, and he seemed to come their way as soon as he saw his master. He was more like a dog than a horse.
Jacob sat Jennifer down on a bench that ran alongside a wooden table.
“This is delightful.” She said.
“I am glad you approve. I made this table and these benches myself.”
“You did? They are perfect.”
“I will return with a tray of our goods. Champion will keep you company,” He turned on his heels heading back toward the cottage.
Indeed, Champion came over next to the table and started to trim the grass around it. Jennifer gave a delightful laugh, and reached her hand out to scratch the side of his body. “What a beautiful stallion.”
This was how they spent the afternoon, taking their meals outside and Jacob carrying Jennifer back and forth at her demand. He even brought the large basin of cold water out to her so that she could soak her purple ankle.
In the evening, a game of cards followed, as well as a dinner, followed by continuing to read from David Copperfield. Jennifer had never felt so relaxed, and without a care in the world. This must be what Katrina's life had been like. But a tinge of guilt inside of her waited, she should have been in London by now and making money for her family. It would have to wait, she had no choice.
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Three days later
Jennifer and Jacob settled into a routine. They got along swimmingly, and all seemed well as they passed the time together waiting for her body to heal.
But on the third night of sleeping in his cottage, Jennifer awoke. She turned to the fireplace, as her favourite pastime when she awoke sometimes at night was looking at Jacob’s handsome face until she fluttered back to sleep. But this time, he was not in his usual spot on the floor. She looked around the room of the small cottage; he was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he was in the washroom? But after several min
utes passed, she changed her mind about that notion and decided that he must be in the stable with Champion. Perhaps there was a noise outside that woke him and he went to check.
But as she lay there waiting for his return, an hour passed complete. It was then that she knew he was not at the cottage at all. But where could he have gone at such a late hour? The answer seemed to lay with the mysterious leather bag that he had that night. She knew, that she did not know Jacob Leary at all.
She gasped. What if that was not the case at all? What if he was warming the bed of his mistress?
Jealousy brewed inside of her.
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Jacob found that he rather liked caring for someone as the days passed. It gave him a feeling of purpose, even if it came with fighting the desire that was growing inside of him for this young woman. He reminded himself that she was too young for him, not mature. But sometimes the way he looked at her with those green eyes made him want to kiss her, if only for a fleeting moment. When she brushed her long red hair, he found that he wanted to run his fingers through it. These were most unusual feelings that he had acquired for Jennifer Bronson.
But though he had a houseguest that he was tending to, he could not neglect his prior commitments. Indeed those commitments happened late in the night, when Jennifer was already to bed.
It was best that she did not know what he was up to, his usual routine. But he needed this; he needed to continue with his efforts to create a better life for himself.
This goal of his, he had been focused on with ruthless intentions, therefore having Jennifer as a houseguest was a nice break. But that night, his commitments called to him once more.
“Good night,” He said to Jennifer as she slipped under the blanket after having a heavy meal of potatoes, game hen that he had caught himself, and wine. He knew the wine would help her sleep, as well as take away the pain from her swollen ankle, that had subsided in size in the last few days but was still severely bruised.
“And good night to you, Jacob Leary,” She said.
He smiled as he rolled out his makeshift bed of three blankets as padding on the stone floor in front of the fireplace. Next, he placed four logs to the fire instead of the usual three. He had to make sure that it did not go out while he was away. He did not change out of his clothes; instead, he spread out on his back on the makeshift mattress and stared up at the ceiling, waiting for the hours to pass. He waited for Jennifer to fall asleep.
One hour later, his silver pocket watch read thirty after the hour of ten. It was time. He rolled onto his side and looked at the bed. Jennifer slept soundly. Her chest moved up and down slowly in her sleepy breath.
He rolled off the ground, and moved to the washroom to change into his all black clothing, and then to the door where he kept his black handkerchief and black hooded cloak. He put both on before he headed out the door, quietly locking it behind him.
Jacob quickly walked to the stable, and saddled his horse Champion. “Ready to work, boy?”
His horse responded with a joyful neigh. Something that always brought a smile to Jacob's face.
When his preparations complete, he moved to the hiding place of the leather messenger bag and retrieved the contents that he would need for this particular midnight transaction.
Jacob mounted Champion and urged him into a slow trot, away from the cottage. Once he was far enough away, he stirred him into a hard ride across the night time pastures.
It was a good ride of four miles to the West before Jacob reached his destination. The one lone dirt road gave way to crossroads. This was his meeting point. A man on horseback with a black cape draped on his shoulders waited. Jacob had met him several times before; this was not their first transaction.
“The night falls fast in Winter...” The voice said to Jacob.
“...and the wind cuts like a knife,” Jacob finished his sentence, for this was the secret password of sorts. In this way each would be able to identify each other.
“Mason, I have what you seek.” Jacob replied as he pulled up his horse to face the tall man mounted on a beige horse. His hair was dark black, and his eyes were blue. Jacob knew quite a bit about his customer, which he thought was folly. For Mason knew Jacob’s pseudonym, Jay. This was the name he gave all his clients, for he had no intention of having them know his identity.
But Jacob knew all that there was to know about Mason. It was necessary for Mason to tell Jacob his background in order for Jacob to retrieve what Mason wanted.
Mason Byers was a nobleman. His elder brother Samuel had squandered the family fortune, while Mason stood by and watched, for there was nothing that he could do in particular, being the youngest brother. Now, Mason was trying to make something of himself.
“You did not fail me. Your reputation precedes you. You always get the prize,” Mason replied.
“I take my work seriously. You don't want to know what I had to go through in order to get it. That is better left unsaid.”
“I did not intend to ask. As long as it is all there, then I shall give you your wager. As always with our transactions,” Mason said.
Jacob reached into the inside pocket of his coat, pulled out a white handkerchief, and handed it to Mason. Mason unfolded the handkerchief revealing a very dainty necklace, gold with a gold heart.” Mason stared at me for a long time, as though he had something to contemplate.
“Is that what you seek?”
“It is. You did well as always. Your payment,” Mason reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of coin, and tossed it to Jacob. He caught it and pulled on the drawstrings looking inside. Satisfied, he pushed it into his coat pocket.
“Will there be anything else, Mason?”
“Not at the moment. I shall notify you in my usual way if I need your services again. Thank you for this, it means a great deal to me.”
“Then I am glad that I was able to be of service if it means that much to you. Good luck to you, Mason,” Jacob said, turning his horse about.
“And to you, Jay.”
“I make my own luck,” Jacob responded. Then he kicked Champion into a high speed gallop away down the road, heading back to his cottage. Now that he had someone waiting for him, he found himself wanting to get home from these late-night runs as quickly as possible. He did not want the poor thing to take a fall in the middle of the night and for him not to be there to care for her.
Jacob returned to the cottage in record time. “ You did well, Champion.” He fed the horse extra, having worked him hard, and made sure there was plenty of water in the trough for him as he settled him into the stable.
He quietly opened the door to the cottage ready to slip in and get some rest.
“Where have you been?” The soft voice said.
Jacob looked to see Jennifer sitting in the chair by the fire, waiting for him.
“What are you doing awake? You should be asleep at this hour,” He said.
“I could say the same to you, sir. Answer my question, where have you been?”
Jacob felt a flash of anger rise to his face. “You do not demand answers from me, Jennifer. That is not how this works. Where I have been is no concern of yours.”
“It is obvious to me that any man that leaves home at this hour for a long period of time is up to no good.”
“That might be so, but that is my business, not yours,” He stomped across the room and grabbed a bottle of wine, and took a hard swig.
“Were you at some country brothel? Is that it? Warming some country harlot’s bed?” There was a slight quiver in her voice. Jacob turned to her, surprised. He let out a hearty laugh.
“That is where you think I have been? How your mind wanders, young girl,” He said.
Her face turned pink in front of him.
“Why else go in the middle of the night?”
“It is not for that, I assure you. Besides ,the beds that I warm are in London and Portsmouth, where the women
are experienced, not like the country girls around here. But you wouldn't know of such a thing. You are a virgin, are you not?”
“That is none of your concern, sir!” she shouted.
“That response means that you are. Now get you to bed, child! I am very tired and must sleep.”
“No, I will not. Not until you give me the reason why you disappear at night. This is not the first time I have noticed you gone when I wake in the middle of the night. Always at midnight, you are gone. Tell me where you go.”
Jacob clenched his jaw; he had enough of this. “ I said get to bed.” He took three strides to her and scooped her into his arms, her face came very close to his with his abruptness in the movement. He looked at her quivering lips, pink and flush from the argument. He felt lust stir inside of him. His face moved closer to hers as though he had no control over it. He could tell that her breathing was heavy and she looked up at him with those green eyes, her fiery red hair gleaming in the firelight. He was but an inch from her, his lips so close to hers. But he remembered himself, she was a child.
He pulled his face from hers and turned to look away, and carried her to the bed. He set her down carefully because of her injury; otherwise, he would have thrown her on the mattress.
“Get to bed,” He said. He walked away, but he did not move to his makeshift bed on the floor. Instead, he grabbed the bottle of wine and walked outside, letting the cool night air cool off the heat rushing through him. Restrain yourself, man.
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Jennifer laid in bed feeling angry as ever. How dare he pick her up and take her to bed like she was nothing but a spoiled brat?
But there was a moment, his blue eyes had stared with desire at her. Jennifer did not feel like a child anymore in that moment. His lips moved closer to hers, she readied herself for her first real kiss, begging for it. But then he moved away, and simply took her to the bed and left her with her own thoughts as he took a bottle of wine to drink outside.
Passage of a Desolate Woman (#2, the Winds of Misery Victorian Romance) (A Family Saga Novel) Page 6