A/N - A little less eventful than the last few chapters, thought you deserved a little break.
Ashby 25
Jane almost let out an audible giggle as the tiny pink tongue of the snowy white puppy lapped at the palm of her hand. Jo had haughtily trotted away and was busy following Vince Korsak around the building in a self appointed,supervisory capacity. Korsak swept at the dusty floor; collecting together the shredded remnants of a chewed up blanket.
"Looks like he's taken a real shine to you Jane." Korsak called, leaning for a moment against his broom.
"Oh no, Oh no no no old man! You are not convincing me to take anymore creatures off your hands." Jane called back. "Not a possibility. " She shook her head and abruptly popped the puppy back amongst his scrabbling pile of siblings, as if proving her disinterest.
Korsak's hopeful face fell and he continued to sweep for some moments before halting his task and taking a couple of strides toward Jane.
"What are you doing here Jane?" Korsak asked gruffly.
Jane frowned; she had become unaccustomed to such straightforward talk of late and still; she respected Korsak for this dropping of pretence.
"If I am in the way, you only have to say so." Jane replied calmly.
"Don't be ridiculous Jane; you know I enjoy your company... but you've been hiding out up here since breakfast, quiet as a churchmouse; which aint like you and I saw you yesterday; charging out of here on that wild horse you ride, so I'm thinking something has got to be bothering you."
Jane shrugged and folded her arms across her front, pouting a little. "Don't worry about me Korsak, I'll be fine." She mumbled.
"Don't like the fact your boss married your lady friend huh?" He asked.
Jane straightened defensively and frowned more darkly. Korsak held up a hand, palm facing Jane, holding her back as if it was a much larger barrier.
"Hey I care about Lady Maura too, you can trust me. What? you don't think he'll be good to her?" Kosak pushed on, trying to back off physically at least, as he took his broom up again.
Jane decided she really did trust this man and yet she wasn't sure what to tell him.
"I understand it can be tough when a friend gets hitched." Korsak went on. "You worried because they're not a love match?" Korsak tried again. Jane shot him a frown that told him he may be on the right path.
"You know Jane, I married for love three times; only landed me in a whole lot of trouble." Korsak shook his head ruefully.
"Yet you did it again Vince, there must be something to be said for it." Jane challenged.
"Oh goodness was I ever a fool." Korsak chuckled. "Some of these marriages of convenience ; they turn out to be just fine, no one has any expectations so no one gets dissapointed."
Jane kicked at the dust beneath her boot, she supposed Korsak meant his words to be reassuring but they were anything but.
"Lady M won't let marriage change her, she is too clever for that." Korsak offered.
"I am going for a ride, I'll pick up Jo later." Jane said turning suddenly.
xxxxxx
When Jane had eventually returned to her room she found a note waiting for her from Emma; asking Jane to join the women after dinner this evening as this was to be their last at Ashby. The prospect of spending an hour in the company of Diana Malcolm and Natalie Dawson was not the most thrilling Jane had ever faced however Emma was a good friend and Jane hadn't seen Maura all day, she would have to make do with sharing the sight of her with a room full of others.
Jane knocked and entered the drawing room in as discreet a fashion as she could manage. Emma immediately catching sight of her and rising from her chair, clapping her hands together in satisfaction.
"Jane, I am so glad you decided to join us." Emma announced ushering Jane to a chair beside her.
"Indeed." Isabelle joined in. "I have hardly seen you during our visit Ms Rizzoli and yet Emma regards you so highly and speaks of you so often that I feel sure we are destined to be great friends."
Jane smiled politely at Isabelle and dared not look directly at Maura right away, it would do nothing to make her feel more comfortable; she couldn't help but feel as if she entered the lions den. Jane glanced at Miss Dawson who smiled a small smile and then her gaze fell upon Lady Diana; who initially coloured slightly but then met Jane's eyes head on, almost defiant.
"It was good of you to come Jane, you are most welcome." Maura spoke and now Jane could not escape turning her attention to her. Jane felt that familiar feeling, the tug, the pull of their connection that made her want to forget all convention and go immediately to Maura's side. Jane took a deep breath and inhaled her as she inclined her head toward Maura with a smile, not quite trusting her voice not to betray her.
"Isabelle has agreed to read for us this evening Ms Rizzoli." Diana said clearly, sticking to a formal tone and address. "You shall be in for rather a treat, I am sure, you must tire of the masculine world of business with its facts and figures, you must have little time for such things as poetry and music."
Jane was sure this was meant as a slight of some kind but she held onto her smile. "You are quite right Lady Malcolm; any opportunity I get for a glimpse of beauty, I seize upon and appreciate greatly."
Isabelle had selected a poem by Christina Rosetti entitled "The Goblin Market" and to be honest Jane was pleasantly surprised, She didn't enjoy poems where the language was too flowery and the poet took three lines to say something that could have been said in one and then is still open to interpretation, she liked the fact that this poem told a simple story and she could picture it easily.
Isabelle had a fine voice and one could easily guess that she was very familiar with the poem, hardly glancing at the open book in her lap as she recited each verse. Isabelle looked at no one person in particular as she spoke until she came almost to the culmination of the poem where the character of Lizzie runs home in hopes of saving her sister Laura by delivering the fruit that she has been smeared with and that Laura so desperately craves. Here Isabelle's gaze drifted to Emma and away again a number of times as she read on.
"She cried 'Laura' up the garden
"Did you miss me?
Come and kiss me.
Never mind my bruises,
Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices
Squeezed from goblin fruit for you,
Goblin pulp and goblin dew.
Eat me, drink me, love me;
Laura, make much of me;
For your sake I have braved the glen
And had to do with goblin merchant men.
Jane took a moment to observe Emma who seemed to be trying her best not to look enraptured, either with the poem or with the reader, Jane could only guess which pleased her the most. Jane decided that despite Emma's protestations she was in danger of forming quite an attachment to the flighty young romantic.
Jane's suspicion that Diana was in fact only half listening to Isabelle was in Jane's mind confirmed when she failed to make any reaction to the suddenly intensely intimate description in the poem. Even Natalie Dawson had suddenly looked up in interest and surprise.
"Dropping like rain
After long sultry drought;
Shaking with anguish, fear and pain
She kiss'd and kiss' d her with a hungry mouth"
Now Jane could no longer maintain the concious effort she had been calling on in order not to look longingly at Maura. As she turned her eyes upon her lady, she found that Maura's gaze was already upon her and that Maura seemed to be waiting for Jane's attention; a half smile creeping upon her face and a look through long lashes that made Jane suddenly flush with a new heat.
"Her lips began to scorch."
Jane shifted in her seat and felt Maura's eyes still fixed on her.
Isabelle finished her reading and each woman praised her in turn.
"A pleasant choice my dear; much like a nursery rhyme." Diana obesrved.
"Much of Rosseti's work was aimed at a younger audience but the layers of meaning abundent in the work; merit a more in depth study." Isabelle offered as justification for what Diana obviously meant as a criticism.
"I enjoyed it Isabelle. " Emma said suddenly, her tone defensive. Isabelle beamed.
"I hoped you would Emma, although Ms Rosseti has never expressed any support for suffrage, I feel there is much in her work that does express her sympathies with the plights of women and this poem in particular seems to glorify sisterhood."
"Yes, I can see that." Emma replied briefly.
"I am familiar with the work Isabelle, but I do not believe I have ever heard it recited so beautifully. " Maura flattered.
"Thank you Lady Maura, you are too kind." Isabelle said humbly nodding at Maura.
"Can I tempt anyone with another drink before we retire?" Maura asked the room.
"That sounds delightful!" Diana said; almost leaping out of her chair.
As Maura poured some drinks and Diana helped in handing them out it was hit upon by Miss Dawson and Isabelle that a small game of cards should be played and they moved to the card table with Diana and Maura to begin.
Emma and Jane stood a little away from the rest; in quiet reflection.
"What a turn of events." Emma said finally; to Jane alone.
"Should someone have told me a year ago that I would be stood in this very room with Maura married and my wishing her for someone other than her husband or myself, I could not have fathomed..." Emma remarked quietly incredulous but not upset.
Jane felt a little guilt, Emma rarely alluded to her long hidden feelings for Maura and Jane had always been pleased that neither one of them had let the fact impinge upon their friendship, but from time to time Jane imagined how she would feel should she have been in Emma's shoes, looking on as Maura found love with someone else. Jane doubted she could be so reasonable.
"Whatever comes next Jane you must take care; of yourselves and eachother." Emma said, standing with her back to the room.
Jane smiled fondly. "Of course." She said quietly, then after a moment. "As for what comes next... I fear ...I don't know how I shall work under that man everyday, I begin to feel I must surely find another position." Jane said helplessly. "Yet in doing so..."
"You should have to leave Maura and that is unthinkable...you may just have to swallow your pride; for have you not endured the worst? you must learn to live with the rest." Emma said seriously, draining her glass.
"If you need a retreat at any time you must not hesitate to come and stay with me, you are always welcome. "
Jane nodded and smiled as she looked over Emma's shoulder to where Maura now sat in deep concentration over her hand of cards. It was difficult to imagine that the woman sat talking of trivialities with her friends had been held; broken, in Jane's arms only this morning.
"You must write often and tell me how you are getting along." Emma went on.
"I shall, and you can write to me of Isabelle." Jane grinned cheekily.
"I am sure that when we return to London I shall see very little of Isabelle, the young are fickle and she has many; more like-minded friends in town." Emma said as she looked a little longingly over her shoulder before realising what she was doing and turning her full attention quickly back to Jane.
"Shall we join them?" Jane grinned and motioned to Emma to lead the way.
xxxxxx
Emma and Isabelle and the Malcolms had departed after breakfast the next morning and Jane had stood beside Maura to wave them off. Dawson had talked happily with Giles until the last moments and then turned to head back into the house without so much as a glance at Maura.
Maura linked an arm through Jane's and waved as Emma and Isabelle leaned out of the carriage bidding farewell. Isabelle seemed to be very genuinely sorry to leave after such a short stay and had thanked Maura profusely for her hospitality.
Maura confessed to Jane that she liked Isabelle very much and that she would make a good match for Emma, to which Jane had agreed. Maura pressed Jane's arm to her and then laced their fingers.
"Left to ourselves again." Maura said with a contented sigh.
"Almost." Jane said quietly as they made their way indoors.
xxxxxx
Dawson ducked his head around the door to see Jane hard at work. If he had come not an hour earlier he would have been greeted by the very different sight of his new wife sat in Jane's lap, proof reading a letter under the false pretence of being helpful whilst truly being very distracting indeed.
"Ah Ms Rizzoli, I would like you to take an extra trip to the bank as soon as possible, I have a draft for a large sum for Lord Malcolm and a smaller amount for a new associate in London, I wish you to see to it that the bank deals with the transactions promptly."
Dawson placed the relevant paperwork onto the desk in front of Jane and she glanced at the amount on the first draft, made out to Giles Malcolm. Jane frowned as she held up the page.
"Is this something I need to know more about sir?" Jane called out as Dawson made to leave. "I mean, is this a business arrangement? Do you have further instructions for this?"
Dawson stopped in his tracks and rounded on Jane. "If I have further instructions; I shall inform you of them in due course. " He seemed to think twice about leaving and spoke again with a sly smile. "You should be well acquainted with the need to use alternative means to persuade some men into business. Having been born without a fortune it has been necessary to gain favour using any means available and part of your role as my secretary is to be discreet and not to concern yourself with those details which you have no need to know."
Jane was silent, a mild curiosity had now become a great suspicion.
"I can tell you that Giles Malcolm's resistance to do business with us should no longer be a problem, he should be more than happy to tell the whole of England to place their trust and their money with me. Ahhhh we are sure to be very busy Ms Rizzoli."
In his eagerness to boast; Dawson had revealed more than he perhaps had meant to and certainly more than was wise and as he swept out of the room Jane crumpled up the page she had been working on and threw it at the door he had used.
xxxxxx
A/N - So I am away for the weekend, this time without the kids (colour me excited) and will not be able to respond to reviews, comments, questions as promptly as usual, but I still love ya xxx