Some days after her altercation with Mrs. Wong, Jill finds herself in a particularly startling situation as she is presented with an invitation to dine in the lady's home. Of course, the young woman hesitates to accept such an offer. Why, Mrs. Wong could be luring her into another duel, or worse yet actual pleasantries.
Jill has been given no reason to trust Mrs. Wong or her intentions here in London. The woman could very well have a vendetta against her father, and that certainly rubs her the wrong way. The most startling thing in this whole situation is that Jill hesitates at all when receiving such an invitation. She thinks of Mr. Redfield's observation of her, how she is rash to decide her opinions and never revisits them once made.
Her first inclination towards Mrs. Wong, after their violent duel, was to trust her. She's no good reason to do such a thing, and yet her heart spoke firmly in that hour. Upon further reflection, she felt keen to distance herself from the woman altogether, the matter had been far too confusing for her to manage. Now however, she realizes that what she might need most of all, is more time to make up her mind. First impressions are, after all, terribly unreliable.
With this thought in mind, Jill gathers the courage to endure an evening out – on a working night no less – and escorts herself to the Wong estate. The house stands some four stories tall and is a breathtaking statement to behold. Looking as if it had been uprooted from mainland China and replanted in London's richest housing district, no other structure holds a candle to its beauty, opulence, and exoticism.
Jill is greeted by no less than ten servants, all of whom offer a bow and a hand to take her coat, bag, and truly anything else she could think to give over. The last maid on the line escorts her to the formal parlor, wherein, she finds Mrs. Wong sat beside a fire leering at the two men in her presence. Captain Leon Kennedy and Mr. Redfield, their presence brings is a bit of a surprise, yet Jill feels herself raise her chin as she enters.
"The Lady Jill Valentine." The little maid practically whispers the introduction. She is simply overpowered in mere seconds by Mrs. Wong standing with a flourish.
"How marvelous of you to join us this evening, Miss Valentine." Mrs. Wong approaches the young woman with a kiss on both of her cheeks and then a firm embrace.
Jill gives such an incredulous look that Mr. Redfield allows an undignified snort to pass his lips.
"Have you something to say Mr. Redfield? Perhaps a comment to our Jill?" The woman in question is again taken aback; both by the usage of her given name and the addition of 'our' in the question.
Mr. Redfield clears his throat, "Forgive me, Miss, you're looking as lovely as ever."
Jill gives a silent nod as Mrs. Wong taps her chin in thought.
"I should extend an apology, no?" She starts, "You look quite taken aback with our other guests, perhaps I might have been more specific that I intended to host more than yourself."
"Quite unnecessary." Mr. Redfield responds with a smile, "I believe Miss Valentine has grown used to my showing up when and where I am unwanted."
"Oh yes, you crop up much like the undead spring forth from the wet Earth." Jill comments with a smirk. She catches the ever-blue eyes of Mr. Redfield with her own, and startles herself with how she does not shy away from him. Instead she feels the twitching quirk of her lips mirror that of his own before she can manage to look away.
"You, Captain, I do find myself surprised to see." She pretends not to notice Mrs. Wong's laughter and Leon's raised brows towards Mr. Redfield.
"I was graciously extended the invitation by Mrs. Wong after our meeting in the Umbrella." He responds passing glances between Jill and Mr. Redfield.
"Oh yes, I did quite enjoy being surrounded by hard working boys again." Mrs. Wong's comment is punctuated with a laugh, whilst Jill's face begins to burn with shock. "That is one thing I miss about my late husband, he always brought in the wealthiest men to our home. Many of them were truly stunning figures to behold. Watching handsome men train is quality entertainment, would you not agree Miss?"
Jill is appalled by the question but avoids noting such in her response. "I prefer to be the one training, and alone if I can manage it."
"Such a pity that." Mrs. Wong notes before approaching the two young men with a clicking tongue. "And what a lack of civility from the two of you, should you not have bowed to the lady as she entered? What are you boys being taught nowadays?"
The two of them seem flustered and it is Jill's turn to chuckle at their reaction. Mrs. Wong circles back eyeing the young woman's appearance before nodding to herself.
"Keep them in line for me, dear, I must be checking on dinner." Mrs. Wong pats Jill's cheek before departing from the room, leaving the door open as if to imply a watchful eye.
"What an interesting night we're in for." Jill sighs.
"Most events with Mrs. Wong are." Mr. Redfield chuckles, "She is an exuberant woman, but you can tell there's always something going on in her head."
"I take it you've been to many of her events then?" Jill asks.
"Too many, yes." He chuckles.
Captain Kennedy laughs, "She's been a lovely host thus far."
"She tried to kill me." Jill reminds him.
"You agree to allow her such an opportunity." The Captain reminds her, "And you accepted this invitation."
Jill responds with a vicious pout, one that prompts Mr. Redfield to laugh once more.
"Come now, Captain, you must know better than to tease the lady. Haven't I been made enough of an example?"
Jill surprises herself with her lilted laughing response.
"And here I was worried that my greatest fear should be a knife at my throat. Instead it is being on the wrong end of a joke."
"You? Never, Miss Valentine, it is my sincere belief that you are always in a perfect position." Mr. Redfield smiles.
"Is that so?"
"Indeed."
"Even when I very well near snapped your neck for my own enjoyment?" She tests him, taking small steps towards him.
"If it could have provided such a response as eliciting your pleasure I should have done so with great honor. And I am quite sorry to have deprived you of it, as a matter of fact." His words are punctuated with hyperbole and it makes her laugh once more.
"As you should be, ladies have so little in the way of entertainment outside of traditional means. Since you do so hate to dance there is significantly less that you could provide as amusement."
"Actually, Miss Valentine, I am pleased to inform you of a recent encounter I was privileged to experience. During which I was exposed to the most splendid parts of the dance. I believe that my opinion on the matter has been thoroughly uprooted for the better."
Jill once more lifts her gaze towards his, their eyes meeting somewhere in the space between them, the rest of the emptiness is filled with their respective smiles.
"It certainly took you long enough to come to that conclusion. For your sake, however, I am glad."
He nods mutely for a moment before laughing. "Thank you, what really sold me on the whole venture was the silence."
She acknowledges his meaning by casting her gaze to the ground, feeling yet more embarrassment rise to her ears she spares a glance to Captain Kennedy. He's got a broad grin pinching his cheeks that is plain to see even behind the hand attempting to cover it.
Before another word can be spoken, Mrs. Wong returns with the rest of the guests for their party in tow. The instant change in mood shakes Jill's nerves as the Birkins and General Wesker are introduced to them.
She swears she hears Captain Kennedy curse under his breath, but Jill does her best to retain her own civility.
"Dinner is prepared, if you are well finished with your pleasantries." Mrs. Wong beckons them to follow after her.
Jill is escorted in by Mr. Redfield whilst Captain Kennedy is called to the General's side. The dinning room is just as exquisite as the rest of the home, with a large long table filled to the brim with food and decorative florals.
"Jill, darling, come sit at my left." Mrs. Wong holds out her hand to Jill, who responds in kind as best she's able given the uncomfortable situation.
Mr. Redfield holds her seat for her, while the General holds Mrs. Wong's.
"Don't you just adore being doted on, Miss Valentine?" Mrs. Wong asks with a laugh, gesturing for the others to take their seats.
"I don't believe adore would be the word I use." Jill says stiffly taking notice of the General's proximity to Mrs. Wong.
He holds her hand at the table, looks at her and pays no mind to any other soul. It's reverent to the point of obsessive attention paid to the woman and Jill can hardly stomach it.
"A woman like you must be treated to such pleasantries often. I believe you must be unfamiliar with such interactions, Annette. What a pity that is."
Jill feels her mouth open against her will at the statement, but the shock does not stop there.
"Pleasantries mean very little when faced with actual emotion." Annette responds coolly taking a sip of wine.
"Hm." Mrs. Wong thinks about that sentiment for a moment. "And you believe that emotion is more important, yes?"
"I would rather be loved and scorned, than respected and detested." Annette responds.
"Must they be mutually exclusive? What do you think, love?" Mrs. Wong raises a hand to stroke the General's cheek a slow obvious motion that makes Jill turn her attention to her food.
"It is easy for women to have both love and respect when they know their place. It is unfortunate that only one in attendance this evening knows such a thing." General Wesker shoots a vicious glance towards Mrs. Birkin, and then a snide glare towards Jill as his attention sweeps back to the head of the table.
Mrs. Wong lets out a laugh, "Oh yes, knowing one's place is a powerful weapon to wield. Women like us, Jill dear, we can get confused so easily. How is it we can be powerful, beautiful, and civil all at once? Why, it's practically unfair! Women like Annette could never keep pace with us."
"How profound coming from the one who is content to hole herself up in luxurious homes and lock out the world's problems." Mrs. Birkin spits back at her, yet Mrs. Wong ignores her.
"Once you marry well, Jill, you'll be practically impossible to surpass in any capacity. Forgive me for interrupting your meal but I simply must see you stand beside Captain Kennedy. It would be so fitting for you to marry a military man, continuing the line of your own mother and father. Only you hold much more grace and dignity than that of your father."
Jill shakes her head, "I am sorry, Mrs. Wong, but I've no intention of-"
"That word!" Mrs. Wong laughs, "Intention is such a frivolous thing, darling, life will give and take as she sees fit. Now stand up please."
The Captain is already standing behind her chair, blushing furiously as she levels herself with him.
"Hm… Your coloring and your postures match splendidly. Take a turn about the room for me now. Go on."
Jill feels positively humiliated as she does so, surveying the party guests as she goes. Dr. Birkin looks to be halfway to sleep, hiding behind his goblet of drink, while his wife harbors a visible fury in her burning gaze. General Wesker passes a glance over the couple for only a moment, his attentive focus still on Mrs. Wong; who chuckles quietly to herself, observing their agonizingly slow stroll about the room.
Then she takes notice of Mr. Redfield, he keeps shifting his gaze between the different guests before finally landing on her. He makes something of a grimace before returning his attention to the meal.
Jill can hardly believe any of this is coming to pass, yet she cannot stop it. It is as if some sort of spirit possesses the room, the awkward inelegance of it all is practically palpable. Perhaps more so than the poorly seasoned mashed potatoes growing cold on Jill's plate as she stands before the lady of the home.
"Lovely, simply divine. Why don't you salute her, Captain?" Mrs. Wong jests.
"Oh dear god." Jill lets out the words as a breath.
Mrs. Wong laughs even louder, "Is Jill Valentine afraid of a little affection? That stiff upper lip butting into your life once more? My darling, touch is a relic of the past we mere mortals are too frightened to rediscover, but it is such a wonderful thing."
At the mention of touch Mrs. Wong caresses General Wesker's features again and guides his lips to her cheek.
"See? Still chaste, still perfectly acceptable, yet so decadent." She allows her last words the slur together.
Jill abruptly returns to her seat, removing herself from Captain Kennedy's side.
"Mrs. Wong I think that it is completely inappropriate to have such contact with a man whom I am not engaged in a courtship with, and truly engaged in any relationship beyond that of friendliness. Leaving alone the fact that he has not spoken with my father, or even been in near enough proximity for such an idea to be entertained."
"My, my, aren't we a pillar of purity." It's Mrs. Birkin to utter the quip.
"Are we again treading into dangerous territory, Annette?" Mrs. Wong asks innocently. "Perhaps this is a sore subject for you; given that you and your husband have not engaged in intimacy since the birth of your daughter."
"My martial relations are none of your concern."
Jill chooses to divert her own attention for the sake of her sanity, she glances at Mr. Redfield and Captain Kennedy who are having a short soft conversation she cannot partake in. She wants desperately to leave, but finds herself unable to beg the pardon of her host.
Even as they are ushered into the grand salon for after dinner tea and desserts, she is conned into staying yet longer.
The conversations of intimacy persist, and the change of scenery only escalates such a rapport. Mrs. Wong's hands wander along the body of the General in a most appalling manner, and Mrs. Birkin too begins to make motions towards her own husband.
Jill takes to staring out the window, hoping to invent some sort of reason to pardon herself from the gathering.
Instead, Mrs. Wong prods further.
"Miss Valentine, what has you captured your attention so?"
Quickly Jill responds, "You've a lovely piano forte."
Mrs. Wong narrows her gaze and laughs, clearly humored by the young girl whose embarrassment is unmistakable.
"You must play for us."
"Oh, I'm afraid I have very little in the way of musical talents." Jill tries to divert the attention.
"I believe that you are being modest, come now. I do so love music."
"Then do not allow me to ruin such a love." Jill chuckles nervously.
"I'm certain you won't." Mrs. Wong nods towards the piano.
In silence Jill approaches the piano, in truth she loves to play despite her lack of practice growing up. She had much preferred combat training to any other, but music was the most tolerable of her feminine trainings.
She sits at the piano and plays the first song that comes into her head. For the first time all evening, it is blissfully calm, quiet, and even comfortable in the Wong estate. There are murmurs from the sofa that Jill can barely make out, but she is grateful for the moment of solitude.
Such sweet loneliness is interrupted as she feels the presence of someone at her back, she assumes it must be Mrs. Wong who feels the need to observe her technique. Only, as she finishes her sonata, the person behind her speaks softly.
"I must confess, Miss Valentine, I don't believe I have ever heard such a sweet melody in all my years of life."
She allows the briefest smile to grace her features. "I appear to be a great many of your firsts, Mr. Redfield. Are you certain you've lived at all before our meeting?"
"I cannot be certain, no." He says.
His answer shocks her more than she'd care to mention, as she turns to face him she finds him leaning against the window sill. Mr. Redfield's eyes are gentle and his presence is very nearly soothing, something she could not have imagined herself thinking months ago, yet here she is.
"Please. Don't stop playing, Miss."
Jill can hear Mrs. Birkin and Mrs. Wong speaking, but it seems now, that they are so very far away in comparison to before.
"Tell me, Mr. Redfield, are her engagements always of this nature?" Jill asks softly.
"Many of them are worse I must confess." He chuckles.
"And she is always so… physical?"
"Indeed. I believe her late husband once told me it was a consequence of her need to be in control of social gatherings."
"It is unsightly."
He nods, "I apologize on her behalf for your discomfort, Miss. Though… I must admit that your presence has eased my own mind greatly this evening."
"Why? Because I am her newest target? A suitable distraction, perhaps?" Jill finds herself laughing.
"Because time and again you breathe new life into something that was once so difficult to enjoy." He tells her.
"And that new life is?"
"You make silence so lovely, and then fill it with something even greater." He says. The two have a few moments of that coveted quiet, even as the conversations behind them continue. When her lack of response finally becomes noticeable he laughs.
"You don't still think your musical ability is poor, do you?"
Jill takes in a deep breath before uttering her response.
"I believe my opinion on the matter is eligible to be reevaluated." Mr. Redfield's expression breaks into a grin as she continues. "I think I should attempt revisit such a thing and make more music before my opinion can be certain. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I am delighted to." He says unable to hide away his joy at listening to her play once more.
And for her part, Jill enjoys performing, perhaps for the first time in her life.