Disclaimer: the characters are stolen from 'Twilight', which I did not write.
Author's Note: I am having lots of fun with this, but, I am making no effort at all at historical realism (which may make anyone who is interested in medieval history cringe, try to go with it).
Jasper walked into the room, and the first person he saw was Alice. She was wearing a new dress, in a dark green colour that brought out her sparkling eyes, and made them look like glittering jewels. Her hair was piled up on top of her head, curls tumbling down like a waterfall. The curls were dancing to a music all of their own. Though the band in the corner was still tuning up, Alice was already dancing. She was giggling and skipping around, gripping her mistress' hands tightly in her own.
Then Jasper realised that the Lady Isabella was with her. He caught her eye across the room and bowed low.
Isabella glided across the room to greet him. She held both hands out in front of her, and Jasper took them into his own warm grip. Her hands were slim and soft, rather like Edward's in fact. Jasper immediately pushed that idea from his mind. Isabella was a lady and she had a lady's delicate hands.
The band, who had been awaiting just such a cue, burst into a lively tune as their hands clasped.
"Dance with me, Sir Jasper," Isabella said softly. He thought it was the most delicious invitation he had ever received.
They manoeuvred themselves into the centre of the room and began to dance. Other dancers – probably all dependants of the Swans – formed a circuit around them, preparing to take their own parts in the pattern.
When the dance brought them close enough, Jasper gave Isabella a bar of the head in place of a kiss, and she blushed prettily, as if she too knew what this dance would mean in a freer society. He was glad of Edward's tip for without it he might never have seen how lovely Isabella's eyes looked when she blushed. They seemed darker and more opaque, glimmering like polished coal.
Jasper felt that he was acquitting himself well, certainly better than he had ever done in previous dances. Isabella's feet were unmolested and her cheek was free of unwelcome kisses. Mama would be proud, he would have to remember not to tell her that it was Edward's advice that had helped his dancing. If Mama thought that Edward was this useful to him, then he would never be rid of the boy.
Between dances, servants were on hand with generous jugs of mead. Jasper fetched drink for his partner and for himself. The warm liquid strengthened them and filled them with a bubbling joy. The more Isabella drank, the brighter her eyes twinkled, the wider she smiled, and the closer her came came to Jasper's as they danced together.
When the band switched to an old country tune, the dancers formed themselves into squares. Jasper found he and Isabella were joined with Edward and Alice, who had partnered up naturally, both being close to the hand of their benefactors. Holding Isabella's hand, Jasper stepped towards Alice, bowed and stepped back. Alice's eyes were sparkling still, they were sparkling with life rather than drink. As though Alice had an hundred jokes that she would tell if he ever had a chance to listen.
He took Isabella's arm in his own, clasping her elbow and swinging her around. Then all four of them formed a star in the centre and skipped around it. Jasper put his hand out first, Isabella laid her hand on top, Alice put her hand on her mistress', then Edward placed his hand over the girls', holding them safe with the grip of the two men. They danced around in a star, then switched to holding hands in a circle, and danced sideways in a ring. Jasper held Alice in one hand, Isabella in the other, and thought that he was the richest man in the room. He was certainly so, if riches can be measured in the jewels of sparkling eyes and the coin of joyful smiles.
Facing him was his squire, who, made his equal by the magic of the dance, also held the hands of both the maid and the mistress. When Jasper's eye met Edward's, the younger man looked away. It reminded Jasper of when he was a little boy and tried to out-stare his cat. A cat will always look you full in the eye, because a cat thinks he owns you. A dog will always look away because a dog knows that you own him. Edward, whatever role he was playing in the dance, looked away first when Jasper's eye fell on him.
The partners held hands again and again stepped towards their opposites. This time, though, instead of swinging Isabella, Jasper was to swing Alice. He took her arm, clasped her tiny elbow – it was more like a bird wing – in his hand and span her around. Alice lifted her chin and looked up at him. Jasper had never enjoyed a dance more.
The next morning was the day of the picnic and the bright sunshine boded well for the outing. They were all planning to ride and by rights Edward should have helped Alice to mount, whilst Jasper offered his hand to Isabella. Jasper couldn't stand the thought of Edward's hand on Alice's dainty foot. He told himself that it was simply because Edward was as like to throw her over the horse as he was to lift her onto it.
He curtly ordered Edward to check the saddle-bags, so that he was occupied, and then he helped the ladies onto their horses himself. Edward returned from making unnecessary checks and frowned at his master. He had been sent on a false errand rather than being given a real job to do. He was annoyed that, after all that practice, he still wasn't trusted enough to hand a maid onto her horse.
"I trust that I am not in your way, sir," he said accusingly. A lot of the actual duties of a squire still seemed to flummox him, but Edward already had the family servants skill of politely scolding his master. He was an old hand at saying 'sir' but sounding like he meant 'you dolt'.
Not really wanting to discuss the matter, Jasper feigned ignorance and puzzlement at Edward's glare. "Help me onto my horse, Edward, and do try to smile. A picnic is usually a pleasant affair."
They rode a long way. Jasper and Isabella fell into step with one another, chatting and pointing at various birds along the way. Finally thrown together, Edward and Alice did get on after all. They were as happily engaged as Jasper and Isabella, chatting about households and nobles. Gossiping about their benefactors, as all attendants do. Jasper ensured that he heard most of what passed but there was only praise for his family from Edward's lips, and re-tellings of family stories that couldn't do any harm. He supposed that the real gossip would take place in the kitchens, when there was no risk of his over-hearing.
When they stopped to eat, Alice produced a massive hamper with meat and bread and cheese, and even plates and cups. Clearly Alice agreed with Edward on the necessity of encasing drink in earthenware before pouring it into one's mouth. Jasper avoided Edward's eye as he walked around filling the cups from a bottle of elderflower wine. He didn't mind Edward enjoying waiting on him properly, but he was sure that the boy's satisfied smile would send him into fits.
After they ate, Isabella begged for stories of campaigns. Jasper suspected that she had been told to ask him. It was the sort of conversation that Mama would push Rosalie into having with Emmett. But, none the less, he obliged, spinning tales of heroism and pathos from the raw flax of desperation and slaughter. There was a Knight's Code and though life never followed it, stories always did.
While Jasper told tales, Isabella asked questions, and Alice showed Edward how to wash the dishes in the stream. Alice was a more patient teacher than Jasper, managing to correct without scolding or teasing. She didn't laugh at him at all (as Sir Jasper did, constantly), nor did she hit him round the back of the head (which move seemed to punctuate Mike's every instruction to him). Edward wondered if she was any good with horses. He would rather like it, if she could teach him a few more things and save his master some trouble.
The picnic was a great success until a sudden storm flared up, sending them all dashing for cover in a nearby cave. It was out of season, and unlooked for. There was thunder and lightning, and rain that fell like the opening of a sluice gate. Alice shepherded Isabella ahead of her into the cave. Edward grabbed the remainder of the picnic and hurriedly piled it back into the basket. Jasper marshalled the nervous horses under shelter.
The rain was hammering outside, and a huge wind was howling. They were all drenched from running to the cave. Jasper had seen enough wet men to know that this could be dangerous. Even a couple of hours huddled in a cold cave in soaking clothes could lead to chills.
"We need a fire," Jasper said, "I shall go and fetch wood. You will stay here and see to the ladies, Edward. There are dry blankets in the bags, ensure that Lady Isabella is kept warm."
Edward nodded.
"I'll help you," Alice said, "it will be quicker, and we should have a fire as soon as possible."
Jasper frowned, they did need a fire quickly. If Alice came with him, they need only make one trip. That would mean that he hardly needed to leave Lady Isabella for long at all. He looked critically at his squire, "I won't go far, so you can call for me if you have need. I will stay close enough to hear you."
Edward nodded again, and Jasper turned to go. But, when he looked back, he saw Lady Isabella wet and bedraggled, and he saw the slight figure of Edward. He became concerned. There wouldn't be much that they could do between them. He walked back over.
"Here," he said, pressing his dagger into Edward's hand, "you cannot guard a lady, unarmed."
It was a fine dagger, a Christmas gift from his mother. It had always looked rather too fine for his rough hand. The jewelled hilt was more suited to Edward's long fingers and white nails. The sight of the weapon made Edward pale. Jasper suspected that he had not been asked to guard a lady before. He didn't blame him for being afraid, though it was unlikely that anything would happen, and he didn't want to leave him scared. "I'll want it back," Jasper said, "if you stick it in anyone, don't forget to take it out again."
If Edward could imagine using the weapon, then he was half-way to succeeding. As Jasper remembered it, the hardest part about killing his first beast (and his first man, come to that) had been imagining himself doing it. Once he could see himself carrying out the action in his mind, it was only a tiny step until he was doing it in reality.
"Of course, sir." The stupid joke made Edward smile, and Jasper left the cave while his squire wasn't terrified.
He hurried from the cave. The sooner he collected the wood, the sooner he could be back to watch over Isabella himself. Alice stayed by his side. She never stumbled in the dark, and she didn't scream when a spider – disturbed by her picking up wood – ran over her hand.
"Sir Jasper, you need not look so downcast; I do not think that the rain will dampen my Lady's enthusiasm."
"Speak you of her enthusiasm for the picnic, or for something else?"
"For both, sir. Her enthusiasm for that something else has been increasing steadily, as surely as each morning brings a new opportunity to breakfast."
Jasper laughed. Alice had a lively sense of humour. If the Lady Isabella would marry him, they would have a happy household to share. Maybe pretty Alice could marry Edward, and the four of them could dance a square at many future gatherings and celebrations.
"Will you help me, sir? I wish to arrange my cloak over the wood, to keep it dry until we reach the cave."
Obediently, Jasper lifted the edge of Alice's cloak. She pulled her pile of wood close against her side and he stretched the cloth over it. As he tucked her cloak tight around her, wrapping it over the edges of her pile of sticks, the back of his hand brushed against her cheek.
Her cheek was soft as the skin of a peach. It coloured when he touched it, like the blush of a pear. The touch was a shock. He had not expected to ever touch her cheek. She was beautiful and funny and clever. And she was a maid.
"Your cheek is wet," Jasper said, brushing his hand back down her cheek again, wiping away a droplet that was rolling down it.
"It is raining, sir," Alice said very quietly, with something almost like doubt in her voice.
Jasper lifted another warm droplet from her cheek, knowing that – unless he was willing to disappoint his father and shame his mother – he must not touch this perfect cheek again. He lifted the drop to his tongue; it was a salty rain.
"I am sorry," he said, "that you are caught out in it." Then he corrected himself, he didn't think that Alice was the only one with salty raindrops on her face, "that we are both caught out in it."
He wondered whether the droplets coating his own eyelashes were as warm as those on Alice's cheek.
"For my part I am glad that my mistress is safe and dry. You must hurry back to warm her."
Jasper seemed to suddenly remember the wood in his arms and the lady that he had left behind. Alice set off back to the cave with a determined stride and he quickly fell in behind her.
When they returned, they found Lady Isabella and squire Edward huddled together for warmth. They were talking in low voices. Edward may have been a boy, but he wasn't quite young enough to huddle up to a Lady like that.
Jasper only had a couple of seconds to decide how to react. As a proper knight, and a suitor for the lady's hand, he had two choices. He could dismiss Edward and tell Charles that Isabella was not the girl that he had thought; or he could ignore it.
Isabella may not have been doing anything, huddled so close to the boy. But, without a reputation of untouched virginity, Isabella's chances of finding a husband were slim. Her chances of finding a noble husband would be non-existent
Jasper liked the girl and he had no desire to see her fall. Like Joseph – choosing to divorce Mary quietly – he determined to prevent the scandal. Jasper chose to ignore the incident, to pretend that it never happened. Edward hadn't been tightly pressed against Isabella's side. His lips hadn't been brushing against her ear. She hadn't been smiling coyly at his whispers. None of that had happened. Isabella was pure and chaste and Edward was Jasper's loyal servant.
He frowned, but he didn't speak. Edward was oblivious to the frown, but Isabella noticed right away and slid over to huddle with Alice instead.
"Return to me what is mine." Edward opened his mouth to protest, so Jasper quickly said, "the dagger, boy" and held out his hand.
"But, sir, nothing actually happened, I was just . . ."
"Peace!" Jasper interrupted firmly, "be quiet and do as you're told for once." He gave him a glare that was almost as sharp as the dagger itself.
Edward gave up the weapon, but he was bemused, both by Jasper's fury and by his refusal to hear any explanation. Shouldn't he be explaining why he was so scandalously close to the Lady Isabella?
Worried, Jasper looked over at Alice to see if she had noticed the exchange and Edward's almost-slip. She should speak to him before he got himself into that sort of trouble. He must not defend himself on such a charge. To say that he hadn't been trying to seduce the Lady Isabella, was to say that he might. Any boy who might one day seduce a lady would have to be thrown out of the household. Jasper could hardly keep him in service. It seemed that Edward was completely unaware of the realities of his position in life.
Alice's face was crumpled into a cute expression. Jasper took his time reading it all. There was shock – as he would expect – in the slightly open mouth, close to protesting. If he hadn't interrupted Edward, then Alice would have done so. There was a gentle crease in the skin around the corners of her eyes, which looked like sympathy. Jasper hoped it was for him, but expected it was for Edward. Then her eyes themselves were focused on Jasper, she wanted to tell him something. When she got his attention she nodded quickly. She would talk to Edward.
He had to know that a servant must not look to seduce a noble. Alice was exactly the right person to tell him so.