Chapter Seven
Joey was tired of lying in bed, and ready for a change of scenery. Two days passed since they had their reconciling, and he told her he wanted her in bed until she had healed properly. Her back felt better, but she was still a little sore. She got slowly out of bed and pulled on a gold dressing gown that was lying on the chair in front of her vanity.
"My lady, do you need any help?" a little servant asked coming into her room.
"Maybe just a bit, could you have some water fetched so I could clean myself?" Joey replied sweetly.
The little girl nodded and hurried out of the room. A few minutes later buckets of steaming water came inside the room, and she bathed. Her hair was dried and brushed, and she was helped into a peach, silk gown. She walked slowly downstairs and into the drawing room. She paused when she saw Jacob sitting in front of the fire, gazing into it somberly.
"I hope I'm not interrupting your solemnity." She said upon entering.
Jacob looked up at her and smiled. She was absolutely beautiful. "No, are you sure you should be up and about? Your back is not paining you any?" he asked standing and walking to her.
"Jacob, I'm not a dainty flower. I'm fine I promise you." She replied with a twinkling smile.
"Ok, I have a question to ask you."
"Ok, go ahead."
"I would like to know if you would give me the pleasure of accompanying me to a costume party tomorrow night." He asked hesitantly.
"I would very much like to. Oh how long it has been since I've been to a costume party! What shall I go as? Oh my goodness." She said happily.
"Well, shall we concoct our costumes?" he asked leading her to the desk and sitting down.
The following night, Joey stood in front of the full length mirror of the Countess' room and gazed at herself. There was a quirkish smile on her face, and she laughed at herself. There was a knock on the door and her maid Penny answered it.
Jacob strode in and laughed at Joey. "Be quiet!" she yelped and playfully slapped his arm. He grabbed her arm and both of their smiles faded. She bit her lip hesitantly and met his lips in a light kiss. She pulled away and smiled. Jacob dipped down and kissed her again.
"We better be on our way" said and offered his arm. She smiled and took it, and he led her out of the house, both laughing cheerfully all the way out.
"Joey Joey!" a little voice yelled, as the couple reached the door.
Joey turned and lifted her eye patch to look at the little girl. "Arrrgh matey! Why aren't you in bed? It is far past your bedtime you little bugger." She said in a fake pirate voice.
"You really look like a pirate Joey!" Cary said laughing brightly.
"That is the point my dear." Jacob replied.
"You look like a shiny plate!" Cary added to Jacob.
"I'm a knight Cary, knights always dressed like this." Jacob said and patted Cary's head. "Now we must be on our way. You run along up to bed. Joey can tell you all about the party tomorrow ok? Come Joey." He replied and led Joey out and helped her into the carriage.
After a short journey, they arrived at a mansion a little smaller than Jacob's. He helped her down, and they went inside. Everyone gave them questioning looks, for they all knew what Jacob had done to her, but at the sight of them laughing and dancing about, they quickly dismissed their assumptions, and met the beautiful lady, that tamed the witty pirate.
"How striking you are in your costume Ms. Fairfield." A red haired young lady said to her.
"Please, Joey. And thank you. It is kind of a jest between Jacob and I. I must see your interpretation of Queen Eleanor is most resemblative." Joey replied with a sweet smile.
"I say Jacob that she is quite a catch, wherever did you pick her up?" Lord Darwin Maxwell asked, staring at Joey.
"I took her," he laughed, "But she is a handful." He added and left him to dance with her.
"Shall we?" he asked extending a hand to her.
She smiled obligingly and he led her onto the floor. After three more dance and many more conversations, they began to say their goodbyes. Joey had drank to much champagne and was a bit woozy and obnoxious.
"Come now, we must be on our way." Jacob said to her and gently grabbed her arm.
"Maybe I don't wanna go" she replied, slurring slightly.
"Don't make me pick you up Joe." He warned. When she rolled her eyes and turned, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
"Jacob put me down!" she yelped. He didn't listen but simply hauled her into the carriage. The carriage pulled out and was journeying back to Jacob's mansion.
They were about five minutes underway when the carriage came to a startling halt. There were shouts and Jacob went running out of the carriage. "What the hell?" he yelled before he was coshed on the head, by a blunt object. He fell to the ground unconscious.
Joey wobbled to the door. And it swung open, a black cloaked and hooded figure gazing at her. "Who the hell are you?" she yelled before connecting her fist with the person's jaw.
The man fell back and she jumped out of the carriage. She began to run but was grabbed from behind. She opened her mouth to scream but felt a hand cover her mouth. She bit one of the man's fingers, and heard the man yell. She was almost free from his grasp, but he managed to throw her over his shoulder. She heard more voices and felt the man begin to run.
She saw sand below and was tossed into a boat. "Joe calm down. It's Terry!" a voice said and pulled off a black mask. Joey looked up at Terence's face and hugged him tightly.
That was all she remembered before passing out. Terence caught her in his arms and gently set her down beside Jacob's unconscious body.
Edward watched as Joeys body was lifted onto the ship. "Joe!" he yelled and rushed over to her. She was passed out and he carried her to one of the rooms on the boat He layed her gently in bed and shut the door.
Back on deck Jacob had regained consciousness and was thrown down on deck. "Bloody hell!" he yelled.
"Ah so we finally meet at last Captain. My name is Edward Fairfield, King of Geneva. You are now my prisoner and will be treated as such. Men, take his carcass down to the storage room and lock him up." Edward said harshly to his men.
The men picked up Jacob and drug him down to the storage room, below deck and chained him up. They locked the door and went back up to deck.
Terence sat down beside Joey and shook her gently. Her eyes opened and she grimaced, from the light, and splitting headache she had. "Joe are you ok? He didn't hurt you did he?" he asked.
She blinked and sat bolt right up. "Terry? What the hell? Where am I? Where's Jacob?" she replied in a panicky voice.
"Don't worry, you're safe now. And that bastard pirate is below deck, your father is going to hang him when we get home." Terry said trying to calm her down.
Joey took a few deep breath's and shook her head. "Where's father?" she asked.
"Right here." Edward said, standing in the doorway. He came to her side and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tightly, so tightly she couldn't breathe. He let her go and held her cheek in his hand. "Are you ok? Did that bastard hurt you any?" he asked.
Joey thought about her back but shook her head. "No he didn't. He was.kind to me actually. What are you going to do to him father?" she asked hesitantly.
"I'm going to kill the bastard. Now I don't want you to think anymore about it. You have been through a rough couple weeks and you need to regain your strength." He replied.
Joey lay back down and watched her father leave the room. She turned to Terence, her life long friend, and before she opened her mouth, he knew what she was going to say.
"You fell in love with him didn't you?" he asked eyeing her with suspicion.
Joey swallowed and nodded, her cheeks blushing slightly. "Yes, I did. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did. But Terry you cannot tell my father. I went through many things this past couple of weeks, more than I ever thought possible."
"He hurt you though, I see it in your eyes Joe/ I saw it when I asked you if he did. What did he do?" Terry asked.
Joey lowered her eyes, then smiled. "He beat me.more than once of course. But still, he did. Twice with his hand and then once with his belt. Of course the belt did hurt, but I deserved it." She said with a laugh.
Terry was furious. He couldn't believe that this bastard layed his hands on her then beat her, and she was laughing about it! Terry couldn't believe his ears.
When she finished laughing she looked up at him, and asked, "What are we going to do? I cant let father kill him."
"I don't know Joe. I guess that for the time being you need to act as if you hate his guts. Then when the right time comes, we'll spring him. If we had a homecoming party for you then that would have everybody detained." He thought.
"True enough. That is a good plan, but father would have him guarded heavily. If we could somehow get the guards all drunk and then go from there." She added.
"Well we have about week before we reach Geneva so that should be enough time for you to secure a plan. And even though I don't like what you're doing, I will help you, why I do not know." He said and smiled.
Joey rolled out of bed and stretched, "I need to go see him. Go distract my father for a while. Tell him that I'm sleeping." She said and headed for the door.
Terry nodded and followed her out. She walked down to the storage room and saw a few men guarding the door. "I would like to see the prisoner." She ordered.
"I'm sorry my lady, but we aren't permitted to let anyone in." a bushy man said.
"Do I need to go get my father? I'm sure that he wouldn't like you disobeying his daughter's orders. Besides, what can this bastard do? I'll be only five minutes." She said.
The man reluctantly agreed and unlocked the door. Joey walked inside and saw Jacob sitting on the floor tied to the wall. She knelt beside him and lifted his chin.
"I'm so sorry" she said.
"It's not your fault." He replied.
She kissed him softly and hugged him tightly. "What was that for?" he asked.
"I don't think I'll be able to do that for a while. I'm going t treat you mighty awful theses next few days, and I want you to know that I'm doing it only for your safety." She whispered.
"Well in that case do kiss me again." He grinned. She shook her head and kissed him. She brpke away and slapped him.
"You bastard! To think, that you could actually get away with taking me! You are going to rot in hell for this!" she yelled. She winked at him then sauntered to the door. She pounded on it and walked out.
Jacob smiled at her retreating figure. He had no doubt that she would get him out of this sticky situation, and when she did, she would be his. He didn't deny the fact that he loved her, and did since the moment he saw her dirt stained face. And she loved him, everything would work out.
The journey back to Geneva passed rather quickly, and when the ship docked, everybody was awaiting them.
"So much for keeping it low-key" Edward mumbled to Terence as they stared at the townsfolk.
Joey stepped out onto the deck and her eyes grew wide at the number of people waving frantically at them. "Father, what are all these people doing here? I thought you said that nobody knew of what happened." She said, her curious blue eyes shining brightly.
"I didn't, at least I thought nobody knew about it." He replied.
Joey cast Terence a wearisome look, and quickly looked away.
"My baby! Oh I was so worried!" Bell screamed as she hugged Joey tightly.
"Mother, I'm quite fine I assure you. Now please let me go you are sucking all the life out of me." She joked with a laughing smile.
"My dear, might I inquire as to how everyone knows of our little adventure?" Edward asked as they made their way to the carriage.
"I really don't know, I think that one of the servants might have overheard one of your conversations." She said hesitantly. When Edward gave her a disbelieving glance, she added, "Oh all right, I mentioned something about it to Lady Franks, and then she must have told, and so on, so forth. I really didn't mean to I promise." She pleaded.
Edward rolled his eyes and smiled.
Joey was tired of lying in bed, and ready for a change of scenery. Two days passed since they had their reconciling, and he told her he wanted her in bed until she had healed properly. Her back felt better, but she was still a little sore. She got slowly out of bed and pulled on a gold dressing gown that was lying on the chair in front of her vanity.
"My lady, do you need any help?" a little servant asked coming into her room.
"Maybe just a bit, could you have some water fetched so I could clean myself?" Joey replied sweetly.
The little girl nodded and hurried out of the room. A few minutes later buckets of steaming water came inside the room, and she bathed. Her hair was dried and brushed, and she was helped into a peach, silk gown. She walked slowly downstairs and into the drawing room. She paused when she saw Jacob sitting in front of the fire, gazing into it somberly.
"I hope I'm not interrupting your solemnity." She said upon entering.
Jacob looked up at her and smiled. She was absolutely beautiful. "No, are you sure you should be up and about? Your back is not paining you any?" he asked standing and walking to her.
"Jacob, I'm not a dainty flower. I'm fine I promise you." She replied with a twinkling smile.
"Ok, I have a question to ask you."
"Ok, go ahead."
"I would like to know if you would give me the pleasure of accompanying me to a costume party tomorrow night." He asked hesitantly.
"I would very much like to. Oh how long it has been since I've been to a costume party! What shall I go as? Oh my goodness." She said happily.
"Well, shall we concoct our costumes?" he asked leading her to the desk and sitting down.
The following night, Joey stood in front of the full length mirror of the Countess' room and gazed at herself. There was a quirkish smile on her face, and she laughed at herself. There was a knock on the door and her maid Penny answered it.
Jacob strode in and laughed at Joey. "Be quiet!" she yelped and playfully slapped his arm. He grabbed her arm and both of their smiles faded. She bit her lip hesitantly and met his lips in a light kiss. She pulled away and smiled. Jacob dipped down and kissed her again.
"We better be on our way" said and offered his arm. She smiled and took it, and he led her out of the house, both laughing cheerfully all the way out.
"Joey Joey!" a little voice yelled, as the couple reached the door.
Joey turned and lifted her eye patch to look at the little girl. "Arrrgh matey! Why aren't you in bed? It is far past your bedtime you little bugger." She said in a fake pirate voice.
"You really look like a pirate Joey!" Cary said laughing brightly.
"That is the point my dear." Jacob replied.
"You look like a shiny plate!" Cary added to Jacob.
"I'm a knight Cary, knights always dressed like this." Jacob said and patted Cary's head. "Now we must be on our way. You run along up to bed. Joey can tell you all about the party tomorrow ok? Come Joey." He replied and led Joey out and helped her into the carriage.
After a short journey, they arrived at a mansion a little smaller than Jacob's. He helped her down, and they went inside. Everyone gave them questioning looks, for they all knew what Jacob had done to her, but at the sight of them laughing and dancing about, they quickly dismissed their assumptions, and met the beautiful lady, that tamed the witty pirate.
"How striking you are in your costume Ms. Fairfield." A red haired young lady said to her.
"Please, Joey. And thank you. It is kind of a jest between Jacob and I. I must see your interpretation of Queen Eleanor is most resemblative." Joey replied with a sweet smile.
"I say Jacob that she is quite a catch, wherever did you pick her up?" Lord Darwin Maxwell asked, staring at Joey.
"I took her," he laughed, "But she is a handful." He added and left him to dance with her.
"Shall we?" he asked extending a hand to her.
She smiled obligingly and he led her onto the floor. After three more dance and many more conversations, they began to say their goodbyes. Joey had drank to much champagne and was a bit woozy and obnoxious.
"Come now, we must be on our way." Jacob said to her and gently grabbed her arm.
"Maybe I don't wanna go" she replied, slurring slightly.
"Don't make me pick you up Joe." He warned. When she rolled her eyes and turned, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
"Jacob put me down!" she yelped. He didn't listen but simply hauled her into the carriage. The carriage pulled out and was journeying back to Jacob's mansion.
They were about five minutes underway when the carriage came to a startling halt. There were shouts and Jacob went running out of the carriage. "What the hell?" he yelled before he was coshed on the head, by a blunt object. He fell to the ground unconscious.
Joey wobbled to the door. And it swung open, a black cloaked and hooded figure gazing at her. "Who the hell are you?" she yelled before connecting her fist with the person's jaw.
The man fell back and she jumped out of the carriage. She began to run but was grabbed from behind. She opened her mouth to scream but felt a hand cover her mouth. She bit one of the man's fingers, and heard the man yell. She was almost free from his grasp, but he managed to throw her over his shoulder. She heard more voices and felt the man begin to run.
She saw sand below and was tossed into a boat. "Joe calm down. It's Terry!" a voice said and pulled off a black mask. Joey looked up at Terence's face and hugged him tightly.
That was all she remembered before passing out. Terence caught her in his arms and gently set her down beside Jacob's unconscious body.
Edward watched as Joeys body was lifted onto the ship. "Joe!" he yelled and rushed over to her. She was passed out and he carried her to one of the rooms on the boat He layed her gently in bed and shut the door.
Back on deck Jacob had regained consciousness and was thrown down on deck. "Bloody hell!" he yelled.
"Ah so we finally meet at last Captain. My name is Edward Fairfield, King of Geneva. You are now my prisoner and will be treated as such. Men, take his carcass down to the storage room and lock him up." Edward said harshly to his men.
The men picked up Jacob and drug him down to the storage room, below deck and chained him up. They locked the door and went back up to deck.
Terence sat down beside Joey and shook her gently. Her eyes opened and she grimaced, from the light, and splitting headache she had. "Joe are you ok? He didn't hurt you did he?" he asked.
She blinked and sat bolt right up. "Terry? What the hell? Where am I? Where's Jacob?" she replied in a panicky voice.
"Don't worry, you're safe now. And that bastard pirate is below deck, your father is going to hang him when we get home." Terry said trying to calm her down.
Joey took a few deep breath's and shook her head. "Where's father?" she asked.
"Right here." Edward said, standing in the doorway. He came to her side and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her tightly, so tightly she couldn't breathe. He let her go and held her cheek in his hand. "Are you ok? Did that bastard hurt you any?" he asked.
Joey thought about her back but shook her head. "No he didn't. He was.kind to me actually. What are you going to do to him father?" she asked hesitantly.
"I'm going to kill the bastard. Now I don't want you to think anymore about it. You have been through a rough couple weeks and you need to regain your strength." He replied.
Joey lay back down and watched her father leave the room. She turned to Terence, her life long friend, and before she opened her mouth, he knew what she was going to say.
"You fell in love with him didn't you?" he asked eyeing her with suspicion.
Joey swallowed and nodded, her cheeks blushing slightly. "Yes, I did. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just did. But Terry you cannot tell my father. I went through many things this past couple of weeks, more than I ever thought possible."
"He hurt you though, I see it in your eyes Joe/ I saw it when I asked you if he did. What did he do?" Terry asked.
Joey lowered her eyes, then smiled. "He beat me.more than once of course. But still, he did. Twice with his hand and then once with his belt. Of course the belt did hurt, but I deserved it." She said with a laugh.
Terry was furious. He couldn't believe that this bastard layed his hands on her then beat her, and she was laughing about it! Terry couldn't believe his ears.
When she finished laughing she looked up at him, and asked, "What are we going to do? I cant let father kill him."
"I don't know Joe. I guess that for the time being you need to act as if you hate his guts. Then when the right time comes, we'll spring him. If we had a homecoming party for you then that would have everybody detained." He thought.
"True enough. That is a good plan, but father would have him guarded heavily. If we could somehow get the guards all drunk and then go from there." She added.
"Well we have about week before we reach Geneva so that should be enough time for you to secure a plan. And even though I don't like what you're doing, I will help you, why I do not know." He said and smiled.
Joey rolled out of bed and stretched, "I need to go see him. Go distract my father for a while. Tell him that I'm sleeping." She said and headed for the door.
Terry nodded and followed her out. She walked down to the storage room and saw a few men guarding the door. "I would like to see the prisoner." She ordered.
"I'm sorry my lady, but we aren't permitted to let anyone in." a bushy man said.
"Do I need to go get my father? I'm sure that he wouldn't like you disobeying his daughter's orders. Besides, what can this bastard do? I'll be only five minutes." She said.
The man reluctantly agreed and unlocked the door. Joey walked inside and saw Jacob sitting on the floor tied to the wall. She knelt beside him and lifted his chin.
"I'm so sorry" she said.
"It's not your fault." He replied.
She kissed him softly and hugged him tightly. "What was that for?" he asked.
"I don't think I'll be able to do that for a while. I'm going t treat you mighty awful theses next few days, and I want you to know that I'm doing it only for your safety." She whispered.
"Well in that case do kiss me again." He grinned. She shook her head and kissed him. She brpke away and slapped him.
"You bastard! To think, that you could actually get away with taking me! You are going to rot in hell for this!" she yelled. She winked at him then sauntered to the door. She pounded on it and walked out.
Jacob smiled at her retreating figure. He had no doubt that she would get him out of this sticky situation, and when she did, she would be his. He didn't deny the fact that he loved her, and did since the moment he saw her dirt stained face. And she loved him, everything would work out.
The journey back to Geneva passed rather quickly, and when the ship docked, everybody was awaiting them.
"So much for keeping it low-key" Edward mumbled to Terence as they stared at the townsfolk.
Joey stepped out onto the deck and her eyes grew wide at the number of people waving frantically at them. "Father, what are all these people doing here? I thought you said that nobody knew of what happened." She said, her curious blue eyes shining brightly.
"I didn't, at least I thought nobody knew about it." He replied.
Joey cast Terence a wearisome look, and quickly looked away.
"My baby! Oh I was so worried!" Bell screamed as she hugged Joey tightly.
"Mother, I'm quite fine I assure you. Now please let me go you are sucking all the life out of me." She joked with a laughing smile.
"My dear, might I inquire as to how everyone knows of our little adventure?" Edward asked as they made their way to the carriage.
"I really don't know, I think that one of the servants might have overheard one of your conversations." She said hesitantly. When Edward gave her a disbelieving glance, she added, "Oh all right, I mentioned something about it to Lady Franks, and then she must have told, and so on, so forth. I really didn't mean to I promise." She pleaded.
Edward rolled his eyes and smiled.