Chapter Twenty-Five

Unbeknownst to Maura, Jane had been watching her the entire time through hooded lids. Before the woman had come around the side of her house with Vince Jane had been sitting on a stone bench under the shade of a tree watching the children play, she was well hidden by low hung foliage and hard to spot. Jane had sensed the woman was near and had taken her eyes from the children to find her standing on the bank with Vince. She watched as Abby spotted them and began to run over, and with mild frustration got up in order to save her from the snobby woman, women like her did not take kindly to poor children like Abby. So she had strode over quietly to protect Abby, and just as Jane had thought the woman hardly said a word to the child, she was stiff backed and when she did talk it was clipped and brusque. Jane remained calm even though she was angry on the inside and had quickly taken control of the situation when Abby wanted to catch tadpoles alone with the woman. Wealthy upper crust women like her did not mingle with people like them, Jane new well from experience. So it came as a mild surprise when they arrived at the creek and the woman went to help Liam and began to smile and laugh with them. Jane lay down and pretended to be asleep to see what else she would do, and grunted softly in surprise as the women looked over at her and seemed to study her briefly with caution before lifting her dress and slipping into the creek. Jane fought to be still when all she wanted to do was shout at the woman and ask her what in the hell she was playing at. She began helping the children chase tadpoles and laughing with them and occasionally she glanced Jane's way warily to make sure she was still asleep and then went back to playing. Jane was angry that the woman was going to such lengths pretending innocence in order to form allies whom she would use to benefit herself, as it appeared she had begun to do with Vince. Hell, she had even tried to charm Jane over last week by pretending to admire her paintings and sketchings, but Jane was not so easily fooled. She was still furious the woman had seen them; they were for her eyes only.

She opened her eyes properly and sat up, the woman noticed, and nearly fell backwards in fright and Jane frowned at her before standing up and brushing the grass from her muscled backside.

"Right ye drowned rats ou', ye be havin' enough tadpoles t' last th' year." They all whined but began to climb out; the woman was already at the bank and looking for a way to get out. Jane went to her and glared down at her with a strong hand outstretched, but what she wanted to do was watch her struggle and fall on her arse in the creek. She was staring up at Jane's hand in trepidation and didn't make any movement to close the gap or take her hand.

"Hurry up lass I ain`t waitin' forever," She grunted and the woman hastily slid her damp hand into Jane's larger one. It was soft and small and Jane's calloused, tanned one easily engulfed it as she hoisted the woman out of the water. Jane was about to let go when the woman tripped on a tree root and fell into her chest, Her hand landed on Jane's shoulder and she was that close her blonde hair tickled Jane's nose. Maura looked up in panic and alarm and Jane sucked in a quick breath at her beauty and their close proximity. Then she remembered who the woman was and where she was and shoved her off with a snarl. The woman righted herself quickly and smoothed her dress, ignoring Jane. Jane went over to Abby, lifted the pale of tadpoles from her, and then pulled her out of the creek too.

Maura kept quiet on the way back to the house she was too shaken up by the strange reaction her body had when Jane's large warm hand had taken her own and she had felt the strength in it as she had been lifted out of the water. Her body, her shoulder had been hard and warm when Maura had accidentally fallen against her. Maura was not only fearful when she looked up into the pirates deep brown eyes but once again, a strange sense of exhilaration had overcome her. Maura was lagging behind the others trying not to panic about the sensations that had shot through her, she had never experienced such a reaction to anyone before, and it worried her, she did not like that fact the woman's commanding presence controlled her so easily. As they neared the house, the children bolted onto the back veranda and Jane went up the steps and sat the pale in the shade.

"You wee snots remain here, I be back soon."

Jane turned her unforgiving stare towards Maura and she hung her head unable to bear such hard scrutiny. She turned away; started walking and Maura followed her quietly.

"Wait Miss Maura where are you going?" Abby ran down the steps and took Maura's hand.

"She be goin' back t' th' cottage now."

Abby looked up to Maura, "But I don't want you to go."

Maura began to panic; she did not want Jane to roar at them and gently pulled her hand free from Abby's.

"I have to go now Abby, I will see you another time."

Abby sighed and went back to the veranda and Maura's heart squeezed in pain, she didn't want to hurt the lovely girl. She heard Jane clear her throat roughly and began to follow her tall, broad shouldered form back to the cottage. Jane took the steep incline easily on long strong legs and Maura struggled up behind her, she was quiet the whole way and Maura was trying to prepare herself for the pirate's onslaught once they were at the top. Once again, she had done the wrong thing, although she did not know what the wrong thing was. She did not know how much longer she would be able to bear the woman's fury.

Jane was brooding moodily when the woman finally made it to the top of the incline noticing that she was sweating lightly under the hot sun. Jane took in her pink cheeks, damp hair stuck to her forehead and her stomach clenched making her curse under her breath. The woman stood with her head down and made no move to do anything and her pathetic act only infuriated Jane, she'd had enough. She took three quick strides and before she knew what she was doing had the woman pinned up against the cottage wall with her own body and she growled deep in her throat. Jane was livid the woman made her body react without reason just by being in her presence, she didn't like that she was so becoming so aware of the woman physically, it was unexpected and Jane had no idea what it was but it made her just as angry as the woman's phoniness.

"I dasn't know who ye think ye be foolin' but ye sure as hell dasn't fool me lass, I be seein' through yer act."

Maura was terrified; she had no idea what Jane was talking about. She could not think properly, Jane's tall, solid body was pressed into her softer one and the heat seeping into her from Jane's body was incredible. Maura couldn't move, she even though she wanted to, she was helplessly pinned against the rough wall my Jane's strength and all she could do was stare mutely up at her hard face, she was engulfed in the scent of sandalwood and Jane's perspiration and gasped as her stomach muscles clenched pleasurably.

Oh, what on earth is happening to me? Please just leave me alone Jane.

"Please let me go, you're hurting me," She whispered in an effort to put some distance between them and Jane held fast a few more moments before letting her arm go and stepping back. Maura sucked in a steadying breath and tried to pull herself together, even though Jane's heat still lingered on her body. She could not look at the pirate so she spoke quietly to the grass, "I don't know what you mean by…by my act. What act?"

"You're doin' 't right now lass, pretendin' t' be innocent. I saw th' way ye played wi' Abby an' th' others, usin' them fer yer own benefit. Hell ye seem t' be havin' Vince wrapped around yer wee finger too. Who will 't be next huh? Your nothin' but a spoilt, entitled, rich bitch."

Maura was appalled because suddenly it all made sense, Jane disliked her because she thought she was a fake, that her behavior and the way she had acted kindly with the others was a farce. Apparently, Jane thought she had no substance or heart. Maura was beyond angry, Jane had absolutely no conceivable idea whom she was, yet she had the gall to think and say such horrible things? Did this woman really think she would use little children for own benefit, what benefit Maura did not actually know, but the idea was as ludicrous. Maura's jaw hardened and her hands clenched into fists by her sides, she had never met someone as infuriating as this woman standing before her, they had only been each others presence a handful of times over the past three weeks yet Maura had never disliked someone as intensely as she did Jane. Not even Doctor Pike came close and she had known the man for two years. Jane was a heartless beast; there was no doubt in Maura's mind.

"How dare you!" Maura sputtered out furiously and watched as Jane's eyes ignited in rage. She took a step forwards but Maura held her ground even though she was scared of the feral woman.

"What did ye say t' me?"

"You heard me, I said how dare you, how dare you accuse me of those things, or being those things!"

"Oh well lar de fuckin' dar, I did nay mean t' upset yer royal highness," Jane snarled and Maura's mouth fell open in shock and fury, "You're a monster!"

"Oh be I? Well if I'm a monster I guess 'tis okay if I do this." Jane practically spat before stalking over to Maura, grabbing the stunned woman and lifting her over her shoulder. Maura shrieked angrily and punched Jane's broad back but to no avail as Jane opened the cottage door, strode inside and dumped a fighting Maura heavily onto the bed.

"I will say this one more time on accoun' o' ye seem t' be too stupid t' understand. Ye be here t' obey me lass, an' if ye dasn't I won`t be fuckin' responsible fer me behavior if ye push me too far."

Maura lay sprawled on top the bed steaming in anger, the woman looking down on her was despicable and Maura didn't want to be anywhere near her. Knowing she was actually hurt by what the barbaric woman said only made her all the more angry, as she should not care what Jane thought of her.

They continued to glare at each other until it became clear to Jane the woman was not going to say anything more and she was in control of the situation.

"Good, ye be havin' finally shut yer mouth."

Maura turned her head away from Jane as a tear slipped down her cheek, her fight had left her, and she just wanted Jane to leave her alone.

"Please…please just go." She whispered quietly. Jane stood glaring at her for a few more moments before turning away and slamming the cottage door as she left.