AN: Hi all! I am sorry this one took me a while. I have had a few things on my plate and this just slipped through the cracks. I will try to update at least once a month but hopefully I will be able to be a little bit quicker. Please review!
"How did you get that name? Samuel? Why did you ask me about it?" Sophie asked as a whisper in Bella's ear as she rode behind her on Jasper's horse.
"You were talking in your sleep. I couldn't make out most of it but that name was loud and clear. Jasper started worrying that someone would hear you so he had to wake you up." Bella explained. "You looked like you were having a fit or something. Whose name was it anyways? Who is Samuel?"
"Samuel is my father's name."
"You were having a bad dream about your dad? You call him by his first name?"
"Don't be an idiot! I love my father and above all else I respect him as my father. I would never take that title from him." Sophie became incredibly defensive. "No, I had a dream. There was a little boy, a baby."
"Named Samuel?" Bella felt Sophie's head nod on her shoulder. "What happened?"
"He died. I couldn't save him."
"What does that mean?"
"How should I know?" Sophie snapped.
"Sorry. Did you really not know you talked in your sleep? No one ever told you?" Bella asked.
"Who would have told me? I had a room separate from everyone else for forever. " Sophie looked over at the grass for lack of better things to do.
They rode for what felt like hours and Sophie didn't want to complain but her backside was hurting and she had never ridden a horse off trail. Jasper was holding the reins and leading the horse, he introduced as Traveller, but that didn't take Sophie's mind off the fact that she was easily six feet in the air and at the complete mercy of a stranger.
"Okay I need to stop for a minute." Sophie finally declared, feeling bad that she was going to prevent Jasper from seeing his family. "I can't ride anymore." Jasper looked confused. "I'd rather walk is all." She slipped off the horse.
Bella didn't say a word as Sophie dismounted and she worried slightly that Bella was regressing into herself. She frowned at Bella and was too focused on the girl's behaviour to notice Jasper giving her a suspicious look. They walked for even longer and Sophie started to recognise just how depressed Bella appeared and she was starting to worry about how her actions would effect her time here in their situations. The last thing she wanted was to be responsible for someone that made herself comatose due to her lack of a beau.
Walking and walking and even more walking, all day, no stopping, no breaks, Sophie wanted to cry but knew she was the only one of the two keeping it slightly together. She thought maybe she should sing or something like she had seen cowboys do in the movies but all she could think of was 'I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy' and she highly doubted that would be appropriate.
"Okay I think we should rest here until the sun sets." Jasper suddenly stopped.
Sophie was confused; she had just seen the outline of a group of buildings that she assumed was the town of Galveston and was unclear as to why they were stopping.
"I don't want to risk your reputation in town and if anyone sees you like that, honestly I don't know what people will think." Jasper looked almost embarrassed to bring it up.
"Oh, yeah I suppose that makes sense." Sophie blushed, knowing exactly what people would think. "Okay, Bella, lets get you down, okay?" She spoke with metaphoric kid gloves.
She held out her arms and wiggled her fingers, like she would for a child, or a puppy. Bella let her self be practically dragged off Traveller before she slumped on the grass again. Sophie let out a sigh; she had no idea how to help her but knew something needed to be done. She couldn't deal with this no-do attitude much longer, especially here. From the books she had read and the movies she had watched this place was unforgiving and just sitting wasn't really an option.
Granted most of the books she had read were fiction and the movies had over-glamourized versions of cowboys and soldiers. It was no secret to her friends that she had quite an attraction to Clark Gable and had watched 'Gone with the Wind' more than her fair share. She could repeat lines from memory, and had fantasised what it would be like to go back in time but had never imagined that it could actually happen. Now that she was there she was daunted by the act she had to keep up.
"I want to know more about you. You were so kind to take care of us but I only know a little about you." Sophie turned to Jasper for conversation as it became clear that Bella wasn't going to be very entertaining.
"That's more than I know about you." Jasper smiled as he sat down to clean his unused gun. "You are from Virginia, right?"
"Yes. My father inherited a small tobacco planation in Halifax. It was beautiful." She smiled as she remembered actual visits to her aunt and the stories she liked to tell about the history there.
"What was your favourite part?" Jasper looked like he was enjoying their conversation.
"That's easy." She stretched her legs out in front of her. "The trees. There is nothing like them, especially in the fall, and the smell." She let out a small breath and closed her eyes. "It's something everyone should see once. I could sit out there for hours, just reading or eating fresh bread with butter and a tablespoon of sugar." She licked her lips at the memory.
She heard Jasper make a small sound causing her to open her eyes.
"I am sorry, you can read?" Jasper didn't sound accusatory but there was a tone of disbelief.
"I can, can't you?" She tilted her head slightly.
Jasper turned red again, almost like his reaction to their clothing. Suddenly Sophie understood, he was embarrassed by his shortcomings. She bit her lip, she had read enough cosmopolitan to know that men didn't tend to like women being smarter than them.
"I can read enough, but I would never choose to do so. Books are hard to come by and there isn't much time to do it." Jasper itched at the back of his neck.
"Of course, but you are doing something important. Surely when you have won the war you would have more time." She cringed internally, both at the knowledge that his side didn't win the war and that she was so very bad at this style of flirting.
She had never really done it before and didn't know if the signs she was communicating her intentions correctly, she didn't even really know the intentions she meant to send out. She wanted to be nice, both because he had been nothing but nice to her and because he was incredibly attractive.
"Perhaps when this is over I will have to go to Virginia and see the trees with you." Jasper smiled. "And you can read to me."
"What would I read you? I quite like Robinson Crusoe."
"What is it about?" Jasper had put down his gun at this point and leaned back to listen to her.
He seemed to enjoy hearing her talk about nothing. His eyes were closed and there was a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. He crossed his legs out in front of him and propped his head up with his hands, his coat acting as a pillow.
"It is the story of a man that needs to survive on an island. It is terrifying, I would imagine it would scare even you." She joked, sure that whatever Crusoe went through was nothing compared to what would happen on the battlefield.
"What other stories would you read?" He asked with his eyes still closed.
"Just how long do you plan on me reading to you?" Sophie giggled.
"For as long as you will. My mother used to tell me stories but that was a long time ago."
"Oh." Her voice sounded small and weak. Jasper must have noticed, his eyes flew open and he looked at Sophie. She recognised his expression and quickly corrected herself. "I'm excited to meet her. From what you have said she sounds like a very nice woman." Her voice was much stronger this time.
"She's the nicest. She makes the best strawberry-rhubarb pie you've ever tasted. Though I suppose there won't be any of that with all of the blockades." Jasper looked sad for a moment before continuing his thought. "My older brothers, they used to say that I was the baby of the family. Maybe I was, but she always looked out for me."
"I am sure she wasn't fond of you enlisting." Sophie smiled.
"She was heartbroken. All she did was cry, said she would never forgive me for taking away her last son."
"But you are coming back, you haven't taken anything." She reached her hand out and gently placed it on top of his. "I've heard mom's say that just because they are sad. She probably didn't mean it."
"I know she didn't, I'm sorry I forgot you lost your mother."
"I made due." Sophie shrugged before lying down again. "Anyways, I'm sorry about all the trouble we have put you through with all of this clothing mess. I'm sure it's not what you are used to."
"No it's not, but I understand you have been through a trauma. When we get to my family, they will have some clothes that will work."
Sophie shook her head, at a loss for how she was going to make it up to Jasper and his family for taking care of them.
"I've told you my favourite parts of home now it's your turn." She looked for a lighter topic.
"Have you ever smelt freshly picked cotton?" Sophie shook her head. "Before it goes through the gin. There is this smell, a little like the earth. When I was a kid I would walk through the fields, in some areas the cotton would be so high it would go over my head and all I could see is the sky." He looked lost in his thoughts.
"I look forward to seeing it." Sophie mentioned.
"Well it won't be like I described when we get there. It will all have been picked, all that's going to be left are some brown twigs."
"Then I will have to stay until it blooms again." Sophie absentmindedly stroked her fingers through her hair. She realised that saying things like that made it seem like she was going to stick around longer than she intended.
"Tell me more about you and your home." He requested
Sophie took in a breath; she knew she was treading on thin ice. If she said too much it would be clear that she wasn't from either Virginia or 1862, but if she didn't say anything that would only make the situation worse.
"Like I said, I was – we are from Halifax, Virginia. My father owned a tobacco plantation, nothing big or noteworthy but it was nice enough. My brother tried to take care of the place but he never really had a knack for business and when the war came there was no stopping him from joining up. We managed for a while, but after my brother passed we couldn't stay." She felt marginally bad for completely lying but got over it fast enough.
While everything she said was shrouded in lies, some things were more true than others. She had regularly visited her aunt in Halifax as a child. Before moving in with her father, her aunt owned and lived on an old plantation that had been converted into apartments in the twenties. The outer buildings had been updated and converted and she could remember playing with the children that lived there.
One of the boys that lived there, the eldest of all the children, used to make fun of Sophie's mixed heritage. He was fuelled by his father's rampage about 'not believing in mixed marriages'. During her last visit before she convinced her aunt to move to San Diego to help care for her father the boy began singing 'God Save the South' while throwing little pebbles at her feet as she walked barefoot across the grass. Sophie was only twelve when it happened and the boy loomed over her head by at least a foot and half, weighing easily two of her, but that didn't stop her from walking straight up to him and punching him square in the gut.
She had caught him off guard and he slipped on the damp ground. She pounced on top of him, her fists moving faster than she had ever dared move them. Each punch she threw landing harder and harder on the boy's meaty jaw. She punched and screamed and cried a little until she had no more energy to expend. He was still conscious when she stepped off of him.
The memory was a painful one but it was also one of her favourites to replay in her head. It was the day she proved to herself that she could take care of herself, she didn't need someone to fight her battles for her. She remembered backing away, wiping the mix of tears, sweat, and saliva off her chin, and aiming a glob of spit in his general direction.
"You had better hope God will save the south." She called, feeling incredibly adult at the moment.
She had never told anybody about the incident. She was embarrassed that she had let it get to her. Her father had always told her that there would be people that expected her to be violent, uncontrollable, savage, and would do anything to provoke the behaviour, but that the way to cure intolerance was to prove them wrong, to not allow emotion to control action, to say nothing, neither praise nor condemn. She had, on that day, failed miserably. Even more than her embarrassment that she had given into her emotions, she was torn by the feeling of accomplishment she had after she heard the crunch beneath her fists.
She felt pride and, in the way a twelve year olds mind operates, she had wondered since if what people said was true. What if she really was an uncontrollable, bloodthirsty savage? What kind of monster feels pride after breaking a boy's nose? She remembered the pictures she had seen in history class, the fuzzy brown pictures depicting dark men with feathers braided into their hair, waving the scalps they kept as trophies.
As she grew up she learned to take pride in her heritage. She learned that her people were provoked, that instead of being a savage they were victims. Although her father never saw it that way, he would never use the 'V word'. He claimed it went against his core beliefs to make himself a victim.
"Mija, I will never be a victim. Victims allow themselves that title; I will never put such a label on my people. We are a proud people, we were naïve to the ways of the white men but we grew stronger because of it." He would look at her sternly before breaking into a smile. "Besides, Mija, if the white man had never come I would never have met your mother, you would not be here, and what, Mija, would I do without you?"
She had never told him that it was because of her white mother that she would never be accepted fully with his tribe. She would never be included entirely because her skin was lighter than theirs, her eyes didn't carry the same deep molasses colour, her hair curled and had streaks of gold where theirs was the colour of coal and lay flat on their heads. She was different because he had chosen a white woman; she was different because she had chosen a brown man. She was the product of a mixed marriage.
That train of thought snapped her back to the present, or as close to the present as she could get. Sophie had to remind herself that Jasper was fighting so that she could never exist. That thought dried up any romantic feeling she was developing towards the soldier. No matter how kind he was being now, if her ever found out what she was, he wouldn't want anything to do with her. She would be no better than the slaves she was sure to run into on his plantation.
Sophie stood up suddenly, she noticed Jasper hop to his feet as well, clearly looking for the threat. Bella, Sophie noticed, hadn't even looked up at the movement. Instead she was rocking herself slightly, Sophie was at a loss for what to do with the girl but at the moment couldn't be thinking about her. She needed to get away from people. Especially a blond haired soldier, whose eyes made her insides do somersaults, she really needed to get away from him for a moment.
"What's wrong?" He questioned, clearly surprised that she had gotten up so suddenly.
"Nothing, I just, nature calls." She looked down at her feet hoping he would let it drop and let her walk away. "I'll be back in a moment, and I can tell you more about growing up." She forced her smile back in place even though she was having a panic attack on the inside.
"You shouldn't go alone, Ms Isabella should accompany you." Jasper flushed.
At this Sophie had to snort. Ms Isabella couldn't protect her from the wind blowing in the wrong direction at this point. She snorted a little and rolled her eyes.
"I'll be fine." Sophie started to walk away before Jasper could complain again.
"Then at least take this." He called. "It's not safe out of the city like this, and it is going to get dark soon."
Sophie looked back and saw Jasper's proffered hand holding a revolver. She took three steps back and carefully took the gun from him.
"Do you know how to use it?" He asked, watching her weigh the gun in her hand.
She was used to hunting rifles and semi-automatic handguns. That was at least what her father kept locked in their basement for when 'shit hits the fan'. But she could see the simple mechanics behind the gun, and ultimately all guns were the same, point and shoot. Holding the metal contraption made her bullet hole throb as if it had a pulse of it's own but she ignored it.
"Yeah." She managed to mutter without looking at him. "I doubt I will need it but I will take it with me." Her fingers curved around the grip and she felt the now familiar JW brand. "I'll be right back."
As soon as she was out of their line of sight she let out a ragged breath. She wondered briefly how she had gotten here. Only twenty-four hours ago she was serving drinks and making tips off how much ass cheek she let slip out of the bottom of her shorts, now she was playing the part of a southern lady, flirting with a man she had just met, one that believed everything about her was less than equal. The idea of it all was so overwhelming that it brought tears to her eyes and instead of finding the willpower to force them away, lake she normally would have dine she just let them overflow onto her face. She used the loose ends of her red plaid shirt as a handkerchief and wiped away the salt water. She had always said she wanted an adventure but she had never thought this would be how she got it.
The sun was just about to set when she walked back to Bella and Jasper. She wiped at her eyes again, aware that they were probably ringed in red from her crying. Jasper was over by the horse clearly preparing to go. Sophie noticed him trying to get her to make eye contact but she was still at a loss for what to do. As of now she decided avoidance and polite neutrality was the safest bet. She didn't look directly at Jasper as she returned the pistol before heading over to Bella and helping her stand up before leading her over to the horse again.
"Only a little while longer okay? I'll figure out a way to get you back to him, I promise." She whispered in her ear, desperate to change Bella's attitude before they met more people. "Thanks." She mumbled as Jasper took over and hoisted Bella into the saddle.
They walked only for a sort while more before Sophie could see the clear outline of a beautiful house. Four white pillars held up the intricate brickwork, it looked like something out of a movie, with its wraparound deck and sunken shutter windows. A pair of rocking chairs that sat vacant on the porch making it look like a home. Sophie sighed, not only did it remind her of her aunt's home but it also felt secure and welcoming.
"It's late, are you sure we aren't going to be waking anyone up?" Sophie questioned after deciding silence wasn't really a solution.
"It's early enough." Jasper assured. "If everything is the same Mama should be sitting by the fire sewing one of my father's shirts while my father records the house finances." He smiled and Sophie could only assume he was remembering a time before the war. "Mama will help you with your clothes."
"If you are sure. I feel awful showing up at your parent's door looking like this." She was again reminded that she looked like a hooker.
"Don't, it was unavoidable. I understand and if I explain it to my parents they will understand as well. Besides my mother will love that you are both single it gives her a chance to play match maker."
His words were light hearted and she could hear the smile in them but they only reminded her that she was responsible for Bella who was by every definition not single. Jasper directed them towards an outbuilding she assumed was a barn.
"Well one of us is." Sophie corrected. "Bella is – or was – engaged to be married. Regardless of what has happened I doubt she will be willing to move on." She looked over at Bella, the girl looked as if she couldn't hear them.
"I am engaged to be married and I am going to be with him again. You promised." Bella looked accusatorially at Sophie as she slipped off the horse and Jasper led him into the stable.
Sophie grabbed for Bella's arm and stopped her from following after Jasper.
"I know I promised but it's complicated, I don't know what I'm doing here. Honestly I don't know what to do, we both have a reason to get back but we can't act like this isn't all happening. Get it together before we go in there, fake it if you have to." Her face became stern and Jasper just caught the tail end of it as he came back.
"Is everything alright?" he questioned, his arm lightly brushed against Sophie's and she had to force herself to move to an angle where they were not touching.
"Everything is fine. I was just reminding Isabella that we need to be on our best behaviour." She smiled but was sure Jasper did not believe her.
Fortunately Jasper was enough of a gentleman not to say anything. He led them around to the back of the house and knocked briefly on the door. It only took a moment for a woman to answer the door.
"Mister Jasper?" The woman asked as she leaned against the door. "What are you doing here, at this hour? Don't you have a war to be winning?" The older woman smiled like she was talking to her overindulged grandson.
"Hello Nettie, did you miss me? The general himself gave me a few furlough days, you are talking to hero." Jasper laughed as he swiped the hat off his head. "Aren't you going to let us in? Or am I not welcome in my own home any more?"
Their relationship was strange. It was clear to Sophie that Jasper was her superior although the way Jasper looked it was also clear that he had immense respect for the older woman.
"Come in, come in." She moved her body away from the door. As Jasper walked into the house Sophie and Bella became visible to the woman and Nettie's face showed complete shock. "Oh, Mister Jasper." The disappointment, clear in her voice as she uttered the term.
"Now, Nettie, don't go thinking the worst of me." Jasper have her a look as he removed one of his gloves and held out his hand for Sophie to hold onto as she stepped up into the kitchen. "These ladies escaped from their savage captors. They need clothes and a place to stay and I could do with one of those delicious lemon cakes you always used to make me."
"Of course." She smiled indulgently at Jasper before giving a hard stare at both Sophie and Bella. "But you should go see your mother first."
Jasper set down the large cloth wrapped packages he was carrying and gave another smile before walking out the other door that clearly lead to the main house.
"It's nice to meet you." Sophie started but was cut off by Nettie waving a knife in her face.
"You may have convinced Mister Jasper that you are a respectable lady but you will not fool me and you will not see Missus Whitlock dressed like a common harlot."
Sophie squared her shoulders, aware that it was now or never to secure a status within this society.
"I beg your pardon, my name is Sophie Sinclair and I will not be talked down to. For days people that only wished us harm held my sister and me captive. I can understand if you take issue with the way we are dressed, frankly so do I, but it is out of my control at the moment."
The expression on Nettie's face changed slightly and she lowered the knife. Instead of saying anything she turned around towards the cutting board and resumed her work. "I can get you something to eat?"
Something in Sophie's brain clicked and she sunk onto the first chair she could find.
"Yes please." She managed to choke out before the tears began flowing freely. "I'm just so tired."
She felt a hand on her back. Looking up she saw Bella sitting beside her with her hand resting on Sophie's back.
"And just who are you?" Came a heavily accented voice from the doorway.
Sophie and Bella were both startled by the new voice and jumped to their feet. A short, lean, blonde woman was standing at the doorway. Jasper was clearly visible behind her; he looked apologetic as he took in her stature.
"Mama these were the ladies I was telling you about. Sophie, Isabella, this is my mother, Addison Whitlock."
His mother's eyes appraised them quickly and Sophie instantly felt lacking.
"Mrs Whitlock, it is a pleasure to meet you. Jasper has told me so much about you." Sophie smiled, instantly putting on her friendly mask.
In her mind all she could think was this woman was especially important to impress.
