Previously:
I slammed into the back of a man standing in front of me. As he turned to steady me, I gasped, finally positive all of this was a dream.
"Jasper?"
Chapter 7
I was definitely in the arms of Jasper Hale. Just as I started to focus on his gray eyes, I became dizzy and felt myself losing my balance even more.
"Whoa, there," Jasper said with a more pronounced Texas accent than I remembered him having. "Let's find you a seat."
Jasper helped me up the final porch step and onto a wooden bench against the house. As he sat down next to me, I couldn't find it in me to be embarrassed about swooning—I'm sure that happened all the time to genteel southern ladies, right?—because I was so amazed at seeing him as a human. He had been human in my dream with Jacob and Maria, but I was so focused on making him leave that I didn't get more than a general impression of his face.
Outside of my earlier dream, my first glimpse of a Cullen as a human was jolting. Secretly, I had hoped they were all average-looking mortals who underwent magnificent transformations when they became gorgeous vampires. Then, at least, there would be some hope for me once I made the change. However, as I studied Jasper's face, I was shocked that he was just as attractive in 1862 as he was in 2006.
His hair was a little darker blond but still had a slight wave to it as it curled around his ears. The lines of his face were not the hard, granite edges I knew but still strong and masculine. More surprising even than his gray eye color was the slight stubble on the side of his face, indicating that either he hadn't shaved since this morning or that he was rushed when he did it this evening. My fingers practically itched to touch his face, just to see if it felt warm. He had a square jawline, a faint indentation in his chin, and high cheekbones with cheeks that were beginning to flush.
"Um," Jasper stammered, looking away and reminding me that I wasn't hiding my stare from him. "You clearly know who I am, but should I know who you are?"
"Oh, yes, of course. Sorry," I said shaking my head. "You're Jasper, and I'm Bella. Bella Swan. Well, it's Isabella, but just Bella. Please."
I sounded like an idiot.
"Well, Just Bella—Bella Swan—it's nice to meet you," he said, taking my gloved hand and kissing it.
I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks and felt foolish. I couldn't believe Jasper Hale—Civil War era Jasper Hale—just kissed my hand. It was something that always looked over the top in movies, yet when Jasper did it, it was so natural that he looked as if he had invented the social convention himself.
"How do you know the Whitlocks?" I asked him as he dropped my hand back to my lap.
"I'm Jasper Whitlock. I'm sorry, when you called me Jasper, I assumed you knew that," he said, looking at me curiously.
"Whitlock?"
Jasper Whitlock? Of course, he wasn't Jasper Hale. I remembered Edward telling me Hale was Rosalie's name as a human. Jasper so rarely crossed my mind—unless as a part of Jasper-and-Alice—that I never thought to ask what his real last name was.
"Of course you are. I don't know where my head is. You and Millie bear a resemblance," I said quickly.
I really sounded like an idiot. Hopefully, I would wake up any minute and this embarrassment would end.
"Aunt Millie. So, that's why your name is familiar. You're her boarder; Mother says you've been a great help to my aunt this last week. Thank you. I know it can be lonely in that house by herself. When I was home, I used to visit her as much as I could," Jasper said, pushing the hair back behind his ears.
"I'm the one who should be thankful; Millie has been wonderful to me," I said honestly. "You said 'when you were home;' where have you been otherwise?"
Jasper laughed. "I'm glad to see my mother hasn't been boring everyone with the details of my return. Up until a couple of weeks ago, I was at a camp outside of Galveston or running patrols in the city."
I nodded, realizing that Jasper must be one of the soldiers home on furlough.
"Your mother did say something about a promotion. Is that why you're home right now?"
I didn't know anything about military ranks and certainly not anything about those of the Confederate Army. I didn't want to make a fool out of myself by asking silly questions.
"I was promoted to major just before the Battle of Galveston Harbor, and that mess is why so many of us are on furlough," Jasper said with his mouth in a tight line.
Even with an unhappy expression on his face, he was still handsome, but I wasn't sure what had made him so upset.
"The harbor is a mess?"
"I guess you would have been traveling from Arkansas when the news hit the papers, but I am surprised Millie didn't tell you all about it. On the fourth, the city was officially overtaken by the Union, and all Confederate soldiers were removed. The camps have so few resources as it is that, with nothing to do temporarily, that those of us whose families were less than ninety miles away were ordered home until we regroup."
The look on Jasper's face as he spoke about the military was intense and reminded me of the vampire he would become—or once was—or was when I was awake. I was starting to become confused again, and I decided it would be best if I didn't think too hard.
"Were you in the city when it was overtaken?" I couldn't remember all of the details Alice had told me.
"No," Jasper said, looking over the lawn, which had started to clear as more people began dancing.
"I wish I had been. I felt useless not being there. In May, the civilians were ordered out of the city, but there was nowhere for them to go. Houston's already full of refugees from Louisiana and was running out space."
Jasper leaned back on the bench and put his arms behind his head. From the sound of his voice to the image of him breathing and fidgeting, his human qualities were riveting.
"After a few months, the livestock and supplies were ordered to be taken from the city. With Union mortar boats moving into the harbor, we had to remove the remaining civilians, at least the women and children. There were troops in Houston already setting up additional temporary housing, so my orders were to escort the refugees and then come home to stay with my parents until further word."
When he was done, he sighed and looked at me.
"I apologize. I'm sure I have bored you. This isn't exactly wonderful party conversation. You should be off talking or dancing with one of the other men, perhaps one who was actually helpful at Galveston."
The shame in his eyes tore at my heart, and it was a look I was tired of seeing on Jasper's face, whether in my dream or in real life.
"Nonsense. I promise you there is no one I would rather be speaking to tonight. Moreover, of course you did something useful. Think of how many lives you must have saved by getting all of those people out of the city. That makes you, Major Whitlock, a hero."
Before I could say anything else to him, we were interrupted by Frances coming up the steps from the yard.
"There you are! Millie sent me to see if I could find you. She was worried you got lost between the side yard and the kitchen," Frances said, smiling and slightly out of breath. She looked as if she had been enjoying her time on the dance floor.
I jumped up, realizing that I had forgotten all about the coffee cups I was supposed to be getting.
"I'm so sorry. I ran into Jasper—"
"Quite literally," he interrupted, chuckling and standing up as well to nod a greeting to Frances.
"Yes, quite literally," I said with a slight grimace, "and as he was describing his time in Galveston, the cups slipped my mind. I'll get them right away"
I started to move toward the front door.
"Don't fret; Millie and Rebecca will both be pleased that you're having a good time and that you got the opportunity to meet the man of the evening," Frances said while heading back toward the music.
As I opened the screen door, I called to her, "Thank you for reminding me, Frances, and thank you for such a lovely dress."
She smiled and waved as she disappeared around the side of the house. I stepped inside the house, which like the porch, had been considerably cleared of people, and went toward the kitchen with Jasper.
"I thought I would help you, because technically I'm the reason you were remiss in delivering them," Jasper said while holding open the kitchen door.
Once in the room, he moved around me and started piling cups from the hutch onto a wooden tray, leaving me with nothing to do but watch him. When he was done, he turned to me with the tray in his hands.
"I'm sorry to hear about your aunt."
My aunt? Both Charlie and Renée were only children, and I was momentarily confused. Then I remembered the story Millie had told the girls, and, clearly, her family as well. I had forgotten I was supposed to be mourning my great-aunt.
"Oh, thank you. It's kind of you to say something," I said, temporarily interested in the floor.
I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be saying to Jasper or why I would be dreaming of him. As he was telling me his story of leaving Galveston, I remembered that Alice had said Maria changed him when he was returning to the city immediately after the evacuation. In this dream, or alternate universe, or wherever I was, Jasper hadn't returned. Apparently, I was living in a version of his story where he didn't become a vampire.
I didn't want to keep him from the party, but I was really enjoying talking to Jasper. While Millie had been incredibly kind to me during my time here, it was nice to see a (somewhat) familiar face.
As I looked up, Jasper was moving toward the back door and nodded his head in indication that I should follow. We stepped out toward the refreshment tables, and I helped Jasper unload the cups. It seemed odd to watch him do something so mundane and domestic.
The music had picked up, and the raised dance floor was nearly filled to capacity. I hoped that Mr. Whitlock knew what he was doing when he built it, because the wood was truly taking a pounding. The intricate dancing amazed me. Everyone spun and circled in perfect timing, and I didn't know dancing like this could be done without someone calling the steps. The only time I had seen patterns and movements like this had been one terrible semester of junior high school, when my P.E. class did a unit on square dancing.
Jasper poured a glass of lemonade into a cup and handed it to me, noticing that I was watching the dancers.
"Miss Swan, might I have the honor of escorting you on the dance floor?" he said with a smile and slight bow.
"No," I blurted, spraying a bit of my lemonade. "I appreciate the offer, but I can't dance."
I started searching around for Millie. No matter how much I was enjoying Jasper's company, I was not going to let it lead me to a humiliating injury.
"Perhaps with the right partner?" Jasper asked as I shook my head.
"This is a party somewhat in my honor, and you did say I was a hero. I wouldn't want to pressure you, but I think that might entitle me to a dance."
I could feel my resolve weakening. I always thought that Edward and Alice had been able to get me to do whatever they wanted because of their dazzling skills; however, I felt myself being dazzled by human Jasper. This must be the explanation of his supernatural gift.
"I can see you're considering it," he said, the corners of his mouth turning up and revealing two slight dimples in his cheeks.
"I'm really terrible," I said, shaking my head of its stupor. "If you care at all for yourself or the well-being of your friends and family, you will not allow me to dance."
I tried to look as serious as possible, but I clearly missed my mark because Jasper laughed. It wasn't like the tinkling of bells or melodic cascade of the Cullens; instead, it was a warm, throaty sound that made me smile.
My attempt at forcefulness failed because, as Jasper took my elbow, I allowed myself to be led toward the dance floor. However, I was surprised when we passed the step up to the floor and walked around the platform until we were nearly behind the band. We were still in an illuminated portion of the yard and in view of a few tables, but we weren't standing in a large group of people.
"I believe you. You nearly took a spill just going up a stair. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself with a dance you don't know. The results could be disastrous," Jasper jokingly explained, easing my confusion as to why we were standing here.
He held his hands out to me, and I hesitantly stepped forward. No matter how much I loathed dancing, I was pleased that he didn't make me go up on the platform with the other dancers. I had certainly been in that situation before.
Jasper was also right that, as the man of the evening, he was entitled a dance, and I couldn't think of when I might get the opportunity to dance with him again. Remembering the sight of him and Alice dancing at prom, I was both intimidated and curious as to whether it was a skill he held as a human.
"Just follow me. We'll go slowly, and I'll talk you through all of the steps," Jasper said as I grasped one of his hands and placed my other hand on his shoulder.
Jasper did talk me through every move we made, and I stepped on his feet only a few times. He laughed those occasions off, though, and explained that my foot felt like a feather after having once dropped a cannonball on his foot during a round of training. I eventually stopped thinking so much about how clumsy and off-beat I must be and started to actually enjoy myself.
It seemed like no time at all before the band was taking a break, and some of the partygoers started to gather their things and head toward the barn to fetch their carriages.
Jasper and I stepped apart just as Millie approached. She smiled at me and raised an eyebrow. I'm sure she was surprised to see me dancing after I was so vehement that it would never happen. However, she didn't say a word, simply glancing quickly at Jasper and back at me. It made my cheeks start to tingle that she would think there was a flirtation between us; after all, Jasper was my best friend's…something.
"Bella, I'm glad you've been having a good time, but we should head home if we're going to be back here in the morning to help clean. You'll get a chance to talk more to Rebecca, and you'll get to meet my brother. I didn't realize Thad would be playing all night," Millie said, pushing a strand of hair out of my face that must have fallen down while dancing. It was a very maternal thing to do.
"Of course. Good night, Jasper. It was wonderful to meet you," I said, knowing that when I woke up I would be glad for this brief glimpse of him as a human.
"Aunt Millie," Jasper said, stopping our retreat. "I'm sure there won't be that much to do around the house tomorrow. Perhaps Bella would like to join Emily and me in our trip to the north pasture."
"That's a wonderful idea. Bella, I'm sure you would much rather do that. You've not been out of the house all week until today," Millie replied.
"What do you say, Bella? Do you think you could find it in you to spend more time with me, even after I forced you to dance?" he asked with a chuckle in his voice.
"I think that can be arranged," I said, matching his smile.
I was honestly intrigued by Jasper, and as Millie and I left the dance, I found myself hoping I wouldn't wake up from this dream in the morning.
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Author Note: Well, what did you think of Jasper? Hopefully, he was worth the wait. Thank you all so much for your kind reviews; I appreciate all of them and always reciprocate with a teaser of the next chapter.
Canon vs. History Note: In this chapter, this story starts to differ from SM's canon because that storyline unfortunately differs from Civil War history. In Eclipse, we find out that Jasper joined the military in 1861 at the age of 16 and was turned in 1863 at the age of twenty when he was a mile outside of Galveston. (Clearly, the math doesn't work on this.) The circumstances that SM describes for the Battle of Galveston in 1863 are actually the details of the Battle of Galveston Harbor on October 4, 1862. I have decided for this story to try work as much as possible with the plot that SM provided while remaining faithful to the facts of history. Should you have any questions or concerns about this, please don't hesitate to send me a PM or mention it in your review.
