A/N: Let's see how Jack's "brilliant" plan works out. :-) Thank you for your comments!
Uploaded: 7th January 2021
To all you Jack and Angelica shippers out there. This is for you.
Chapter IX
MARRIED AGAIN
Must've been something you said
"You still love him, don't you?"
Vivienne eyes her.
In defeat, Angelica refrains from yet again throw that longing glance across the room. Instead her vision nervously goes to her hand which she massages, uncomfortable with it all. How that woman, Margareth called Jack for love. Obviousness of how he belongs to someone else. Now he does. Continuously he makes himself clear of what reality exists. No longer meaning the two of them like it used to.
When she saw him, her instant urge had been to just walk up to him. To his side and stand there just as she has done this past decade.
"Can you ever forget someone you love?" she wonders.
Her friends remain silent and continue to sip their champagne.
Bitterly, in loyalty to Angelica, one of her friends mutters. "Such a pity that excuse of a man isn't forgettable for you. However, completely understandably."
True.
A question Angelica needs to ask herself though is for how long she shall put up with this pain? When should she let go and just move on? Already, would be the answer. However it is not as simple as it is to utter.
Slowly they make their way towards the dining room, ready to embark this festive dinner celebration.
"Why don't we try to avoid your former husband tonight?" One of her friends suggests in hope it as result will cheer Angelica up. "I mean, what about that other man. This L…"
"Leonard?" Vivienne quickly fills upon the sudden appearance of Leonard. "Marquess Stanford."
Confidently he walks, as if he owns the ground he puts his decisive feet on. Broadly he has his space and an aura one cannot decide is of true gentleness or being pure cockiness. How he sincerely gives the attention to a by-passing familiar face, politeness in him at the same time his intimidation makes nobody question him as he makes his way through.
Yes, Angelica realizes she is not looking at anything else but at him.
When he approaches, she is probably slightly irritated by how he is not up in her face but instead grabs Vivienne's hand.
"Lady Vivienne," he kisses it and winks to the rest, "Ladies." Ah, there his gaze is. Landing on Angelica. "My Lady."
My Lady? In front of others? How charming.
She cannot quite understand if his cockiness is annoying her or if his aura provokes her enough to make her find him nothing but rather attractive. Well, he is attractive? But this is not like her... giving her attention to someone like him? Or is it?
There is a shared knowing glance among her friends but Angelica avoids it.
"We're heading towards the dining room to be seated, with our husbands," Vivienne intervenes the stare between the two. "Why don't you join us?"
Not too discreetly, she is nodding towards Angelica as if she would not notice how her friend is trying to push them together.
Uncomfortable, Angelica quietly clears her throat while Leonard takes yet a closer step.
"I'd be delighted to escort this beauty."
This beauty?
If anyone but him had said such, she would not have been blushing this awkwardly as she is doing right now. She quite feels stupid by her reaction.
When he looks to her, he smirks. "You're smiling, Angelica."
There is a specific tone in his voice upon the moment when he chooses to pronounce her name. Something rather, dare she think it, alluring in it?
Smilingly, she tries to fight back her evident pleasure in this.
"So are you."
For a long moment they just stare at each other and smile foolishly at the other one. To have it end, Vivienne interrupts them again and motions towards the large dining table.
"Let's get seated together."
And her words are law.
They all do.
For the briefest moment when Leonard pulls out Angelica's chair, she wonders if Jack would throw her that look of envy he always had done upon others's men interest in her. Yet this time when she notices his presence across the room by another longer table, his glance towards her displays no such trace as of jealousy. More of curiosity. As if he is inspecting her interaction with Leonard, but definitely nothing which speaks of a possible sort of anxiety in his vision.
She likes to believe she is unbothered by it. That him not being jealous is a good thing. That she does not care.
When everyone digs into dinner, so does she. Somehow in her deep thoughts, she manages to slip an agreeing hum or passing a word to add to the conversation around the table.
But not can she fool herself well enough to neglect the heaviness of understanding Jack is totally over her. Enough to not even feel the slightest annoyance by a man openly courting her like Leonard does. Seemingly he is not interested in checking Leonard out, or how he behaves in her presence.
How can this be? Jack would go insane according to how she knows him. Correction, how she thought she knew him. He would think he could act normal, but she would still see it in his eyes how he would peer and be such a bad actor of covering his apparent jealousy up.
Not this time.
All that seems to interest Jack during this dinner, of what Angelica can interpret from their distance, is a mere glance in between that she notices in the corner of her eyes. Or else, he seems unbothered about it all. His only focus is on Margareth.
What is so special about this woman? Except that she is a marchioness, much wealthier and... younger? When did they even properly meet? For all she knows, she cannot even think of a possible moment when the two had a long enough conversation to be able to even have opportunity to grow fond of the other one.
Instead, Angelica is the one who tries to focus on this dinner. Because no matter how much she tries to avoid witnessing it, Jack is demonstrably all over the marchioness. His hand is caressing her neck, her back, playing with her hair and he sits awfully close to her. It is like he cannot stop touching her, fingering on her necklace and Angelica understands she is the one who is about to be driven to insanity.
How could this woman manage Jack forget all about Angelica? All about their history, their years together, their passionated love? Everything is just… gone. How did she manage?
Dear, she hates him. Whatever sadness and grief she has felt, she refuses to feel again. Nothing but loathe to this man. He does not deserve her missing him. Not in the way he decided to end their decades of relationships. Plural, yes. Because they have been on and off until last time when they said 'I do.'
Not this time.
But oh... those hands.
All Angelica wants is to have those hands on herself. Feeling her up before becoming one with him. Passionately indulge in each other privately behind closed doors. The hotness of having his hand in her hair, pulling her towards him in his steady hold as he keeps deepening how they already heavily make out.
God, she wants him so badly.
Under her intense stare across the room, he must have noticed as he suddenly holds her gaze. Stunned and numbness in him as he catches her hungry and yearning gaze. His vision is definitely falling down to her bosom and she does detect a gulp from afar. With her separated lips, she knows that he is aware of her state. Her immense lust for him.
Damn, she cannot give him this. He does not deserve it. This... scumbag!
Never did she know of these… strong urges one could have. Until this bastard entered her innocent novice room and destroyed her illusion of a life. Ever since, she has never decided if he is the greatest curse in her life or if she is destined to love him forever. Possibly both.
If he only could pin her against a wall and let her have him for one last night. They never did get a proper farewell, did they? Now, more than three months passing, soon four, her body is reminding her of the consequences of this. There is not a thing she wants more at the moment than unbuckling his belt and have her ways with him for just one more time.
"… and then she was caught with him without a chaperone."
A friend of hers is speaking and the rest of her friends, alongside husbands are all gasping. Even Leonard chuckles in amusement.
Thank lord nobody has noticed her little daydream lost to Jack.
Jack managed distracting her, again. That demonio. How dare he? Not that he knows, but dear it irritates her. He has treated her like a wench he just ditched, does not want to know of and she continues pupping after him. She needs to stop. She has to move on, for real let him go.
To distract her worked up condition, she reaches for the nearest fruit she shakily can manage laying her hands on. Without a second thought, she is peeling a banana. Now without detecting how her former husband cannot nosily stop staring from afar.
Like a hungry puppy.
He is literally dying across the room, but she never notices this.
"Who was seen with a man?" Angelica joins, firm to wash away all urges of her former husband. Her hot man that used to give her sweaty nights, loud moans and slamming headboards and… NO. Stop it, Angelica. He does not deserve her thinking of him like this.
That egocentric man cannot have that upper hand of her.
He is a monster, who endlessly crushes her on every occasion when he has had enough of her. Giving her no respectful dignity at all. A rag-doll is all she is for him. She better stop thinking she meant anything more to him than that.
There is a perfectly handsome gentleman beside her. That truly whatsoever catches her attention in more ways than she ever thought someone besides Jack would.
And that Armando-man she had a tiny crush on over a decade ago, in between all failures with Jack.
After finishing the banana up, she takes a deep breath and pretends to be more focused to this conversation than she honestly manages.
"The viscountess was walking in her neighbor's garden with a baron. Can you imagine?"
Slowly, Angelica nods, sipping on her beverage. "Without a chaperone?"
Hah, if she only had a chaperone when she was young. Surely Jack would have made his ways past that. Partly he did, seeing he sneaked himself inside her room endless of times. Nothing could have stopped him. She still harbor that memory of their first time, her first time. Not that she ever would admit that to him. If anything, it has always annoyed him highly to not know if he was the first or not. A truth she refuses to give him, instead in love with the idea of paining him with the unknown. He can wonder for the rest of his life, for all she cares.
Admittedly he taught her one thing or two. One for now she cannot seem to push away. That no matter how independent she may be, when night embarks - she needs a man. She needs the company of one. She needs the intimacy of one.
"I am going to have some more wine," Leonard snaps her attention to him. "If you'd like to taste."
For a longer moment than she would prefer, she is stuck in his penetrating eye. Unaware of her actions, she never realizes that she is licking her lips.
Clearly it affects him, as he squirms in his seat and his grin begins to twitch.
Yes, she is so in need of a man.
But Leonard's smirk grows and he leans in towards her. Hoarsely, he whispers.
"You look lovely tonight, My Lady," and she understands she is about to be doomed. His darker vision tells her everything and somewhere in his, "I'll have every dance with you tonight," her breath must have hitched.
Vivienne who has kept glancing to them, clears her throat and motions to the cake in front of them. Always prudent to remove possible threatening rumors before they even appear.
"Let's begin to eat dessert."
Good idea.
And they all do.
Really, she has been living without manly company for too long. Ten years with her almost daily dosis from Jack, has definitely spoiled her on the matter. Now this scumbag just left her right on the spot. Cold. Left to her destiny to just navigate herself in this jungle of a life.
Leonard is really the first person who truly has set a genuine smile on her, besides Vivienne. And dares she admit it, he is doing it exceptionally well.
Frankly, she finds it difficult to even deny her attractiveness to this marquess.
Again she snaps back to reality by a friend of hers showing off. She displays her wrist, a glimmering bracelet of diamonds. Absolutely divine.
"Look what I just received," and she tilts her head to her husband.
There are impressed comments, and even Angelica points out. "I'd love to have one of those too."
She can bet Jack is giving that marchioness those kinds of jewels. From the money he received from Mr Hans, she can remember how much he spoiled her throughout the years.
Awful idiot of a man. She hates him! How can he do this to her? She was his wife for God's sake.
Barely she touches the dessert and when Leonard asks for a dance with her, she obeys his offer immediately.
With musicians playing inside another room, she finishes her red wine to feel herself in a more relaxed state to begin to enjoy this night. Truly, she does in Leonard's company. His guiding hand and politeness are of nothing but of a gentleman. Charming grin and deep gaze, she finds herself reflecting his smile too many times as it is.
Really, it must have been years ago, or so it feels, since she had such a great time. It was probably months ago, back when everything was normal. Or, as normal as a life possibly can be for a pirate and piratess living undercover as common people. Well off common people. But happy they were, indeed. Or so she thought.
What a fool she has been. And how, admittedly, fooled she was.
"My Lady," Leonard invites her to the ballroom and she looks over her shoulder to see Viv and her husband walking just behind.
She has not danced with Leonard before, but him being good is something she detects right away. How they together move and when he manages to capture her gaze, she feels ashamed to confess that he causes her to blush shyly. Just as if she would be a naïve young girl that for the first time has been allowed by her parents to dance with a handsome youngster.
Deeply, he stares into her eyes and she beams right back at him.
"For how long will you stay?"
"Here, on the island?"
"Yes. Are we running out of time?"
She bites her tongue and can tell he has reacted to her 'we'. Embarrassed, she avoids his gaze and wishes she could just take it back. Was that not just too horrible? Sounding like a needy and desperate woman.
Which she so is for the moment, but she does not want to appear like one.
He chuckles to her. "Do not worry. I promise we have time," and he winks to her.
Again she has to look away but thankfully they swift partner.
When she changes partner it is unenviable for her to prevent not ending up in Jack's embrace.
How cliché but she can honestly say that if she knew he had danced there, she would have prevented this at all cost. Just moments ago, she would have melted into his arms and savored this. Now, she tries to avoid his eyes as much as she possibly can. Just get over with this and get back to Leonard.
Magnetic scent is first thing that hits her before she sinks into his hold. No, he does not feel like home. He does not magnetically pull her towards him. His close presence does not make her want to just throw everything aside and plead him to take her back like a pathetic fool.
No, she hates him and should never let him make her rethink. Never again, Angelica. Never again. Do not be a fool.
When she spins around to face him in their dance, matching all other couples, her breath almost hitches by his deep eyes.
That look... those eyes that weak her knees like a shot... no!
Now she fights her strong want of kissing him. To refrain herself from it.
How can he just look at her like that and she falls headlong for him? She refuses him having this benefit of her. It is below her dignity.
His grunt is muffled, but she can tell he knows what she thinks of. He is looking down to her and she unwillingly savors any moment of being like this with him. To feel his touch and just to stare into each other's eyes.
Unfortunately.
"Angelica," he swallows.
No, she cannot have her eyes closing by pleasure of feeling how he is holding her. Stop it, Angelica.
This is the horrible monster that left her.
"Did I even matter to you?" she cannot just hold her mouth shut and ignore him, can she?
"You always will."
What, is he joking now?
He divorced her. He left her. He destroyed their family.
She absolutely loathes him with everything she has.
And this idiotic excuse of a man, even dares continuing his sentence as if she is a mentally deficient fool!
"Got to focus on Margareth for awhile, aye. Don't try to intervene in this, love."
Intervene in his relationship? That is what he means. How dare he. He did not even include Angelica herself in THEIR OWN relationship as it was.
How dare he talk to her like that? As if she is desperate after him, wanting him without having any dignity for herself? God, he is provoking her enough to push her near an explosion.
In pure frustration to not strangle him in the middle of the ballroom, she has got to let go of this jerk. Thankfully, she notices the other women beginning to head back to their partner and Angelica quickly breaks free from him to do so as well.
Never looking across her shoulder this time.
That man is the most insane bastard she has ever met! How in the world could she have been married with him for a decade? A question she finds utter struggle with to answer.
She must have been real dumb for a long while to buy this idiot's crap.
"Everything alright, My Lady?"
Ah, Leonard. Relief is all she feels in his embrace. Thankfulness and... calmness.
His eyes are caring and hold gentle. Whatever goes on in his mind, he does have the effect of making her feel like the only woman in the world.
Something a certain idiot does not possess - anymore.
"You may just call me Angelica," she forces herself into better mood. To answer his question, she nods once. "Everything is perfect."
Further away, Vivienne waves Angelica over. Apologetically she breaks free from Leonard.
"Forgive me, but Viv's calling for me."
He stops her by gently planting a kiss on her hand.
When their eyes meet, she understands that the sparkle he has in them, reveals to her that this man will not just be any man that has tried his ways with her.
This will be one that succeeds.
At the same time as the realization hits her, scares her, it also makes her crave it.
"The flowers you sent," she carefully begins. "Thank you. It was very kind."
He beams.
"You fancy them?"
Her tone is warm and honest. "They're perfect."
"Just like you."
Speechless is what that will leave her.
Unable to know what to answer, she gives a mere indication of her departure before she hurries to Vivienne further away outside.
"For what I can detect, you've snatched that man right into the palm of your hand."
Angelica steals Viv's glass of champagne and sinks it.
"You think he fancies me?"
Forgiving her for her most delicate theft, Vivienne rolls her eyes, dramatically.
"Angelica, darling. The people in Europe can see across the Atlantic Sea how this man is head over heels for you."
Remorsefully she throws a glance back towards the villa. People are beginning to leave and she feels overwhelmed enough to do so as well. There is a lot to melt. She just wants to get home to her daughter.
Carefully, Vivienne points out. "I also saw that you danced with Jack."
"Oh," is the only thing Angelica says as she makes her way towards her carriage. She needs to go home, now.
Things are beginning to spin in her mind. Not by the beverage, but rather all impressions. Everything that happens.
"Oh?" Vivienne repeats as she joins her side. "Well, tell me. What did he say? What happened?"
"Nothing, except for him firmly telling me to literally stay away from him."
Right on the spot, Vivienne stops with a graver frown. Apparently she cannot either interpret this man.
Untamable, was a word Angelica had used once when describing this man. Clearly she did hit that word correctly.
"Even with that cleavage?" Viv motions to her bosom and now Angelica is the one rolling her eyes. "From what you've told me, that man never ceases to go mad by it. Impossible it didn't earn him a reaction."
"This night is over for me. If you meet Leonard, tell him that I had to leave."
Musingly, Vivienne tilts her head before she hugs her friend goodbye.
Tonight Angelica is up for no negotiation. All she wants is to be home now and lovingly caress her hand through her daughter's hair.
Before anyone has a chance into talking her to stay, she is inside her carriage and brought home. A ride that goes faster than it usually feels. Mostly due her heavy breathing, torn mind and confusion in what happens with her.
The frustration of how Jack dares talking to her like this, as if she is nothing but a mistake he prefers not handling. And then Leonard. Charming and handsome man who she understands is working himself into her world more than she believed someone would be able to, after her ex.
But dear, Jack makes her go insane by anger. He has not even given her a decent apology. One where they sit down and he tells her why his head disappeared and that he is sorry he became brainless overnight. But no, this idiot just pretends she is the one who has to go. All the time!
She hopes the carriage door does not slam close by the raised irritation inside of her. Hurriedly she makes her way inside. Grace is carrying laundry as she notices Angelica.
"Mrs Teague," she welcomes her home. "Your daughter wanted to let you know that she is waiting for you in her room."
"Thank you," Angelica replies and gathers herself quickly to head to Frances's room.
She is sitting in bed with a book. A book about pirates but Angelica has no wish to disturb her joy of reading adventures by removing it. The odds of her connecting anybody being related to her is minimal, and that shall remain until she is old enough.
"Mother!" she beams and sits up. She herself, puts aside the book and intently throws herself to hug Angelica. "Did you meet Father tonight?"
Oh, no. She has no urge to talk about Jack. No man for that matter. Understandably, it is Frances's father and she can comprehend why she would be curious. Yet that nail to their coffin is about to be set for good, for all she knows.
She takes a deep breath. "He was there, yes."
And she gestures for Frances to turn around as she joins her to sit on the bed, to be able to assist her daughter's combing.
Notifying Angelica's unwillingness of speaking about the matter, Frances's redirects her chatting mood.
"You look wonderful tonight."
Lovingly Angelica removes her ribbons from her hair and combs it lightly. Frances is telling her about lady school, what her friends did during class and everything she possible can talk about. Nosily she asks questions, some which make Angelica unsure of how to answer. That is quite one of many challenges with having a child, she has noticed. In a sensible way, balance what to tell and what to withheld.
"Did you speak with him?"
There it comes. Nosiness is back and she can tell Frances can barely contain herself.
"Briefly."
"What about?"
"Frances, please."
It is hard to avoid destroying the perfect illusion of a family Frances wants, yet to balance the fact of them never having that again. At least together like they used to. She is ready to leave Jack behind now. To move forward. Brutally told, Leonard makes it quite easier for her to imagine doing this as well.
Suddenly, Frances pulls out a familiar locket necklace that immediately causes Angelica to freeze right on her spot.
"The both of you look different in this."
They do. Because they were young, pirates and deeply in love.
Knowing exactly what it is, Angelica snatches it from Frances. "You know you're not supposed to snoop around and steal my things! ¿Qué he dicho?"
Mostly scared Frances will find things she are not supposed to find, as of anything associated to their previous life pre London.
Accusingly, she directs her daughter when she adds. "I've been looking everywhere for this!"
"Then you should've looked at Father's house."
Come again?
"What?"
Turning around to face her mother, Frances gives her a matter of fact-look as if she knows more than Angelica does.
"Father keeps staring at it all the time and always walks around with it in his inner pocket. But when he was busy, I took it."
Again, what?
This does not make any sense. She has been the one having this ever since she got it all those years ago.
Puzzled, she tilts her head. How on earth has he managed getting his hands on this one? It has been hers forever.
But then again... what did her daughter just say?
He has been staring at it?
Why? Why would he stare at it? Why would he even look at it? Seemingly he hates Angelica.
No, this absolutely does not make any sense. She needs to make matters clear before she gives herself a reaction to this.
"You mean you found this in your father's house?"
Frances nods.
"That Jack had this?"
Again, Frances nods.
"You mean that your father had this one in his house..? That he carries this around..?"
"Yes, Mother. I thought you always argued to Father that you were the shaper one."
She gives Frances a warning yet playful glare. But only for a minimal moment before her expression turns into a nosy one herself.
"So how come your father had this at his house?"
"Why don't you wear that dress, go home to him and ask him about it?"
Now, she sighs in frustration. "Did you steal it for him?"
Her daughter's eyebrow quirks as if Angelica is an idiot.
"No."
"Then how could he have it? I've had this hidden in my nightstand... quite since forever."
Shrugging, Frances appears to play dumb.
"Perhaps he has sneaked himself inside this house and stolen it from your bedroom."
Frozen by that statement, Angelica seeks answer in Frances as if she would know the truth. But her child only adds, equally nonchalantly.
"But what do I know? I'm just a child."
Musingly, Angelica bites her bottom lip.
Frances must have made a mistake. Jack cannot have stared at this. Even if he did, it must have been because of a closure then and nothing else. Perhaps he wanted to burn it for all she knows.
He does not love her anymore. That would be impossible. Because he would not have treated her like this if he still did.
Carefully she opens this locket and almost feels her heartbeat skip to the tiny painting inside. What she would pay to rewind time to that moment of happiness.
Last time she viewed this painting, she had just imagined him meanwhile she did a sort of a practice on a banana and...
She frowns.
No?
Absolutely no.
Not in a million years that he was in there and saw her.
Impossible.
But before she even has a chance to ponder on it, she gets disturbed by Grace passing by and she interrupts her thoughts.
"There was a gift delivered to you," she announces and hands Angelica a box.
This time, Angelica does not even have to read a possible letter in order to grip who this comes from. When she opens the box, there is a similar bracelet alike the one she saw her friend wearing. Diamonds shimmering.
Nosily, Frances has a peek and her mouth opens. Then she glares to Angelica.
"Who gave you that?"
"It's time for you to sleep."
Angelica stands but Frances folds her arms.
To avoid this dispute, Grace quickly has to partner with her missus. "Time for bed, Miss Frances."
But Frances ignores her in her stubbornness to instead direct Angelica.
"I'm not stupid, Mother!"
But Angelica just removes the cover and kisses her cheek. Grace is assisting her to squish Frances's pillows and discreetly, Grace answers Angelica a question she did not need to ask.
"He's still outside."
Right at that, Angelica tells Frances goodnight as warmly as she can but her girl is firm. Her glare almost wants to murder Angelica but more Angelica does not see as as she is already heading downstairs.
With the box set onto a table on her way towards the front door, she storms outside to find him standing there. Like Prince Charming himself.
His carriage is located further away, and he turns around by the sound of her door closing.
When he faces her, she instantly opens her mouth.
"You never cease to impress me," she admits. "Eres un hombre encantador."
He glistens by having the sight of her. Slowly he approaches her.
"I was disappointed to find you being gone, so I had to make sure you were fine."
Is he not just too sweet?
"Had to go home."
"Ah," he teases her. "The curfew?"
Sharing a mutual chuckle, she nudges him, playfully. It takes her with such surprise, she wonders how she got to this comfortable level with him.
After a deep sighing breath, she begins to confess.
"This evening was the most… enjoyable I've had in a long time. Thanks to you."
He smirks to her confession and kisses her hand. All the while keeping her eyes locked with his. "It was lovely to spend this festive night with you, My Lady."
"Angelica, if you please, My Marquess," she winks.
Amused by her, he playfully rolls his eyes to her using his title. But he smiles due the fact she so obviously flirts back at him. "Naturally, My Beauty."
Slightly, her mouth opens at his comment but she remains silent.
"We're without chaperone," she explains. "You'd ruin my reputation, Mr Marquess."
Pretending to take this seriously, he firmly nods. "Then I'd have to marry you."
She shakes her head, yet amused as if this is nothing but a joke.
There is something with how he keeps looking at her that normally would make her uncomfortable. As if she never accepted such a glance by nobody but her husband. Former husband. But this... enthralling man truly captures her attention and she finds it irresistible to break free from eying him.
She can see how his vision falls to her lips. And knowing what will happen next, she stutteringly excuses herself as she turns around.
Without any opportunity to react, she feels how her wrist is snatched by his strong hold as she is pulled back to him. His lustful lips on hers and for a moment it is as if nothing else matters.
Also this time, she thinks of anything but to throw a watchful and wary glance up to the second floor balcony, where Frances hides as she witnesses it all.
When he pulls back, almost ashamed of his uncontrollable impatience, Leonard breathes heavily.
"Forgive me, My Lady... that was not appropriately done of me..," he stutters. "Without a chaperone and all, I shouldn't have…"
But she decisively pulls him back down to her and deepens this kiss. He feels good. Too good.
So lost in it as she is, she never notices how her wrist has tangled into his necklace. At first when she has to pull back, his head jerks by her attempt of taking a step back from him. As she is attached to his neck with her hand, he obediently follows.
He ends up laughing and she giggles like a crushing school girl by the sight of it.
"Let me help you," he assists and works her wrist away from it.
Curiously she examines this necklace.
"A key," she beams to the item hanging onto the necklace, otherwise hidden into his shirt. Her eyes glisten as she views it.
So does his as he puts it back into his shirt.
"You hide a treasure somewhere or something?" she teases.
He leans his forehead against hers and continues to smile.
"Just family matters."
"Oh."
Now he gently kisses her cheek before he retreats to his carriage. "It'd be safest for the both of us if I'd say goodnight here, My Lady."
And she will never stop looking after him until the carriage is out of sight.
Inside she heavily leans against the door. God, what just happened?
Grace passes by and swallows. It is obvious she has seen what happened outside by her avoiding and uncertain gaze.
For what it is worth, Angelica is immensely thankful her maid is not opening about the matter of what she surely has witnessed.
So what actually did happen? And what is happening?
No, she was probably right earlier this evening. This man will not just be any man that has tried his ways with her.
This will be one that succeeds.
A/N: Alright, it almost feels like I'm writing an Angelica + OC fanfic, but I'm not. I promise! This is J+A. :-) But really, Jack better change tactics, right?