Home Is Where The Girl Is

Chapter 9 – What's for Dinner?

Ending her warm bath early, Jenny marched downstairs to demand that she and Madame Vastra speak now. However the half dressed woman was sadden when she realized the affluent woman was not there. Peering out the kitchen window, she saw her mentor out in the field behind the house. She was out in the tall grass inspecting the damage from the fire the night before. Caught up in her own fear, the young maiden did not realize how easily the fire could have burnt down her summer home. Apparent that her mentor was not returning anytime soon, the dripping maiden leaned heavily against the kitchen counter.

Still feeling a bit weak, the former match girl decided to do as she was instructed and went back upstairs for her much needed rest. Inside her bedchamber, was a small plate of food that the ancient warrior had left for her. Admiring the food, she noticed everything on the plate was precisely cut up and stacked on the oval plate. Picking up a stack of cheese, meat and wafers, the maid mused, "Maybe she should do the cooking from now on."

Absolute silence filled the cottage, as fear began to fill the ancient warrior. Vastra did everything in her power to distract her from a very difficult conversation she was destined to have later that day. She tried to read, clean and even hunt, but the pre-occupied Silurian was unable to concentrate on anything but the sleeping beauty upstairs. As time agonizingly slipped away, the well educated woman practiced her speech over and over again. In her whirling mind, the rejection was rather poetic she thought, but the bases remained the same; a Silurian and a human could not be together. She reminded herself, it was a miracle they could even work together, much less anything else.

Several hours later, the young maiden was unexpectedly awakened by the same bell that she used to call Madame Vastra to dinner. Wiping the sleepiness from her eyes, the dark hair beauty could not believe how quickly she fell asleep. Glancing out her window, and into the dusk, as the supper bell chimed for a third time, she began to realize how long she had been in a deep slumber. Rushing about her room, the human prepared for dinner, knowing who would be there as well. Looking in the mirror one last time, before heading down, Jenny sucked in a ragged breath. She was finally going to have the conversation she had wanted to have for weeks, if not longer.

It had not been ten minutes after the food had been presented that Jenny broke, "I can't take dis anymawer."

Calmly the affluent woman cleared her throat and sophisticatedly returned, "Jenny, dinner is not the time."

Slamming her napkin down on the oak table, the eager woman began to rant. "I'm tired ov waiting. I'm tired ov lyin' abaaaht who I am." The maid's voice got louder as she went. "I'm tired ov fakin' the way I feel abaaht yew. I'm sick ov it all. We need ter talk now!"

Eloquently placing her fork down next to the plate of food she hardly touched herself, Vastra released a heavy sigh. Knowing there was no going back now, she sat back in her chair and motioned for the young woman to proceed.

When the spot light was suddenly upon her, the match girl did not know what to say. Her first inclination was the fear of angering the ancient warrior who could kill and eat her within the blink of an eye. And she knew it was possible as she had seen the Silurian on more than one occasion feast. Allowing her heart to overtake her mind, the brown eyed girl blurted, "I don't care if you eat me."

The gruesome statement caught the skilled hunter by surprise. Concern began to fill her head with worry. Had she ever given the impression she would eat the only human she admired. A few ticks of the clock tocked before Madame Vastra silently placed her cloth napkin on the table. Believing that the human had lost her nerve, the reptilian gripped the arms of her chair to stand.

"I love you."

Perplexed by Jenny's proclamation, the well educated slowly woman reached her feet, and hissed as she heatedly rushed out of the dinning area. "That is impossible."

"Why?!" questioned the girl following her mistress into the living room.

"Because you are an ape."

Infuriated, the street smart girl retaliated, "So it is impossible fer apes to love. Oh my Gawd." The woman blasted, realizing she used the same crass name. "Humans!" She corrected harshly.

"No"

Following the woman who was encircling the large coffee table, the dark haired beauty countered, "But you just said it was…"

"I meant it is impossible for a Silurian to love an ape." Throwing up her hands in the air, the warrior woman hypothesized. "Can you imagine?" Stopping suddenly, causing the close following maiden to stumble to regain her balance, Vastra's piercing blue eyes penetrated young match girl's soul. "I used to hunt humans for sport."

Unable to control her emotions, Jenny implored her mentor, "I have imagined, and I don't think it would be as hard as you think."

Not permitting her heart to surrender to her mind, Vastra rejected the notion as she snapped at her friend, "You know not what you ask my dear." For the first time, the dark hair beauty felt the wrong side of the ancient warrior as she tried to stifle her feelings.

The continuous conversation began to sound more like an argument as their voices elevated. Still circling the furniture in the living room, the two went on.

"You are an ape."

Surprising even herself, Jenny kept up with the prehistoric warrior's tenacity; going tick for tack with every excuse the Silurian provided. "You're an ancient lizard lady."

Halting her cadence, the mentor paused then moved closer to her pupil. "You are pasty white."

"Well, you're green."

Ignoring the fact that she adored stroking the brunette locks the night before Vastra snapped, "You have hair."

Without missing a beat, the match girl fired back. "You have a six foot tongue."

Stumped for a clever retort, the prestigious Victorian stammered, "Well your tongue…"

Jenny immediately interrupted the reptilian. Growling from the back of her throat, the maiden unexpectedly warned, "You don't know what my tongue can do!"

Flabbergasted, the affluent Silurian threw up her hands and began to pace again. "This is preposterous."

"You are the one being preposterous."

Hearing her student use and pronounce the sophisticated word properly, made the once again frozen woman realize her teachings were coming back to nip her in the butt. Scuffing at the brilliant insult, Vastra furrowed her brow.

Suddenly softening her tone, the maiden suggested, "If you'd only give us a chance."

Soothing her frustration as well, the blue eyed woman cupped the girl's face and painfully explained, "You don't know what you are asking my dear."

Grasping the green hand inside her own, the maiden smiled. Her brown eyes melted the warrior's heart, "I do."

With both hands, the eager student slid the reptilian hand down to her pounding chest. "Do we not deserve to be happy too?"

Nearly giving into her deepest desires, the courageous investigator attempted to throw another obstacle in Jenny's path. Abruptly ripping away from the embrace, the warrior's angry voice returned, thinking she would try a new tactic; fear. Backing the former match girl up against the closest wall, the skilled hunter hissed. "We Silurians have unfathomable desires, my dear."

Hoping to strike a little terror in the girl, Vastra pinned the maid's hands; restricting any movement. Inching closer if it were possible, the green woman exhaled provocatively on the maiden's cheek. Intently taking in her scent, the ancient warrior added, "and I have an insatiable appetite."

Without missing a beat, Jenny purred "Then devour me."

Unable to maintain her hard façade any longer, the prestigious Victorian sighed deeply and gently rested her forehead against her assistant's. Without breaking their locked gaze, the affluent woman affectionately caressed the bottom of Jenny's lip with her bare thumb. Barely above a murmur, Vastra whispered, "What am I to do with you child?"

Thoroughly enjoying the sensual touch, Jenny reached out and grabbed the warrior's waist, pulling her closer. "Right now, I can fnk ov abaaaht a 'undred fngs."