Author's Note: It may start getting a bit hard to follow, and a bit more scary. No worries, will leave warnings before hand.
Thanks to all my loyal readers.
Unbeta'd all mistakes mine.
Davina yawned and pushed her red hair back behind her ear as she looked at the books on in the library.
"What is it with you, and libraries?" Came Ann's voice from the doorway.
Davina tossed her a grin over her shoulder. "It's all about the books, Ann."
Ann smiled. "Anything good?" "Well, no fantasy. But there's some classics." She told the other girl.
"Oh, fun."
"I guess." Davina smiled some, pulling a book from the shelf. "A Tale of Two Cities?"
Ann cast her a look. Davina put it back, chuckling. "I'm going to continue to look around." She told the other girl. "Have fun."
Davina wondered the main floor, taking in the antiques. She would open doors and poke her head inside. Doing as she had, through the rest of the hall, she opened a door and looked inside, to reveal a large high ceiling room, paintings graced much of the walls. She entered, leaving the door open a crack behind her. She'd entered the Rosewood Manor Gallery.
She looked at the paintings, gracing the walls. She turned, looking at the next wall, and stopped. On the wall infront of her, was a large painting, with two young men in it. A closer look revealed them to be Lord Jack and his brother Gallagher, but they were dressed in historical clothes. Davina studied the peice a moment and judged the clothes would put them in the late 1600s. She shook her head, thinking about how absurd that was. But her curosity won her over, and she stepped closer to read the plate under the painting. "Captain Jack Sparrow, and Captain Gallagher Spike. April 12, 1699." Davina looked from the plate, to the painting again, wide eyed. They looked excatly like Jack and Gallagher,even the same names but it was impossible, there was no way they could be the same. She took a step back, taking in the whole painting. She frowned, something was wrong with the painting, as if part of it was missing.
"What are you doing in here!" Davina spun, Mrs. O'Riley stood in the door way, looking very unpleased. "You're not supposed to be in here!"
Davina tried to find her voice. "I...I.."
"I'll ask you to leave! NOW!"
Davina skirted past Mrs. O'Riley. A fear growing in side her. She hurried down the hallway, quickly and around the corner only to run into someone.
Jack took ahold of Davina's shoulders before she fell backwords.
"Ms. Blackwell, are you alright?" Jack asked, looking at the young woman.
"Oh yes, I was just, looking around and succeeded in getting lost."
"That's easily done in this house." Jack said, looking past Davina, down the hall. The sound of steady footsteps fell.
Mrs. O'Riley came around the corner, fastening the brace key ring on to her belt again. She did not look at Davina, but nodded to Jack, who returned the nod.
When she'd passed, Jack let go of Davina's shoulders.
"You should be more careful around here. If you'd like to see the house, you should just say something. I'm sure I can spare the time to show you around."
"Thank you, but that's okay, I think I'm going to go take a nap, gray skys just seem to make me rather sleepy." Davina said, hoping to slip back up and inform the girls of what she's come across and how Mrs. O'Riley had been so outraged.
Jack nodded. "Of course. Another time then."
"Of course." Davina tosed him a smile as she stepped past him and headed towards the main stairs.
Jacquie and Ann were just coming out of the library when Davina reached the stairs. She turned on the bottom stepped and motioned them over.
"What?"
"We need to talk." Davina replied to Jacquie. "Up stairs." The sound of Mrs. O'Riley's heels on the tile floor sounded near. "Now." Davina voiced her impatience.
"Why would she act in such a way?" Orea asked.
"I don't know. I've been thinking about it myself, and she didn't tell Lord Jack about it either."
"Not then, but she may have now." Jacquie said, from her chair at the vanity in Orea's room.
Davina moved away from the window. "That may be so. I suppose we'll find out later."
"Do you think he'll say something?" Ann asked.
"He could."
"Look, Hardens informed us, down in the library that there would be a dinner for the lord's guests in the main dinning room tonight. Appearently, Jack and Gallagher's cousins are coming this afternoon." Ann said.
Davina nodded. Jacquie got up and moved to Davina's side, next to the window again,and whispered.
"It's strange, but Gallagher looks so familiar to me..."
Davina looked at her. "You too?"
"Yeah, does he to you?"
"Yes...and well, so does Jack... Jack seems...very familiar to me."
And the cousins did arrive. The girls had still been chatting in Orea's room, when they heard laughter from the greeting hall. Davina poked her head out of Orea's door, listening. Two new male voices joined that of Jack and Gallagher.
"Glad to be here, Jack." Came a cheerfully voice.
"We're glad to have you."
"Yes, more the merrier!" Gallagher siad.
"More? Why Jack, have you company?"Justin said
"A lady, and three of her friends, to look at the house. They're welcome to stay for as long as they like."
"Well, you'll have to introduce us." Nicholas said, with a grin.
"It'll be near impossilbe for you not to meet them." Jack answered dryly.
"I'm going down there." Davina said, pulling back from the door.
"Davina!" Jacquie called.
"Hey, I'll just say I'm going down to make a call to my grandda or something." She grabbed the book, Ann had picked out at the library and stepped out into the hall.
The girls watches as she gathered herself and strided down towards the stairs.
"You're looking well, Jack." Justin said, as they started moving from the stairs. He was a tall young man with black hair, that was slightly wavy and past his shoulders. His eyes were dark and alaring.
"Yes, for some one as old as you are." Nicholas said, still grinning. Nicholas was a bit shorter then Justin, his hair was short, a spiked reddish brown. He wore tight leather jeans and a silk shirt.
Jack shot him a look. "Don't forget Nicholas, you're appoarching the same age."
"Yeah, but I try not to let it get to me."
"Neither do I." Jack retorted.
The sound of footsteps on the stairs turned the four young men and they watched the redhead come slowly down. Jack smiled despit himself, she was still gorgeous. He moved away from the group.
"Enjoy your nap, Ms. Blackwell."
Davina felt herself smile as she came off the last step. "Yes, thank you. I didn't realize you were having company."
"I'm sorry, I meant to tell you. Allow me to introduce you to my cousins, Justin Rosemeer and Nicholas Rosemeer."
Davina flashed a charming smile and shook Justin's outstretched hand. "Ms. Blackwell is here to look at the manor for her grandfather." Jack informed his cousins.
"It's a pleasure to meet you both."
"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Blackwell." Nicholas said, sliding up beside Davina to take her hand from Justin's. He bent down over her fingers intent on kissing them when he turned her palm upward to kiss her wrist. Davina had to fake a smile then, remembering what her mother had always told her if a gentleman kisses the wrist, it was more provocative greeting.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jack stiffen. "Shall we?" He broke the silence and Davina cautiously pulled her hand back.
"Oh why must you be in such a mood to get down to business right away." Nicholas turned to his cousin in annoyance.
"Because our business is important." Jack replyed.
"We're here for a good two weeks, the least you can do is wait acouple hours. I'd like to get to know this charming young lady." Nicholas turned back to Davina and she felt rather nervous around Jack's cousin.
"I believe Ms. Blackwell had some business of her own, did you not?" Jack asked Davina.
"Well, I was just going to return Ann's book to the library and phone my grandfather."
"You're welcome to use my privet study, I'll take you to it." Jack said, ignoring the look his brother shot him.
He led her down the hall, Mrs. O'Riley had the the girls down that morning, but past the breakfeast room. They passed the grand dinning room, where Davina chanced to see the servents were preparing it for a the evenings dinner. Jack stopped at the end of the hall and produced a small key. He unlocked the door and opened it for Davina. She stepped past him and quickly took in the room. It was decoractered circa the 1920s.
"The phone is on the desk, and don't worry about running up the bill." Jack said, motioning to the large mahogany desk. Davina stepped around it and started to pick up the receiver, but Jack's hand fell upon hers, and despite his title, the skin felt rough. Davina's gaze flew up to his face as he leaned over the desk, but his mask read serious.
"Davina," She a little taken back by the use of her first name. "My cousin Nicholas is not the sort of man a young woman would like in her company."
"Jack, I don't see where this is," She began, but he held up a hand to silence her.
"The last young woman to includ my cousin's company was hurt, not just her reputation, but physically and mentally too. I do not think your grandfather would be very happy if something like that was to happen to you while you were here." Jack releashed her hand and raised up, turning towards the door, but he stopped before he left. "Stay away from him, Davina. And you'd be wise to keep your friends away from him as well." With that he shut the door.
Davina returned to picking up the receiver when she heard the audible click of the lock. Putting the receiver down again, she crossed the room and reached for the handle to find the door had indeed been locked. Lord Jack had locked her in. She glared at the wood paneling of the door and turned on her heel, crossing back over to the desk and picked up the phone receiver. Dialing straight through, she waited for her grandfather to answer the phone.
Upon finishing her call, Davina strolled back over to the door, with the intent to pound on it until someone came and unlocked it. But as she put her hand on the knob, to test it, she found the door had already been unlocked. She frowned and opened the door. She could hear the clatter of the table being set in the dinning room. Davina started down the hallway, glancing in on the servents getting the dinning room ready. It looked breath taking, hundreds of red and white roses. Silverware and glass wear gleamed in the crystal chandeliers. Davina smiled a bit, then hurried on to the stairwell.
When she reached, she found the great hall, empty. She also realized, she'd left Ann's book in Jack office. Turning she headed back down the hall towards Jack's office. The dinning room was finished and the servents gone. Davina reached the door and went to place a hand on the knob, when the door flew open. Davina jumped, looking up. Nicholas was standing there, and he grinned down at her.
She jumped. "Oh, I didn't know any one was in here. I left my friend's book." Davina said, looking around for the book, and spotting it on the desk near the phone. "I'll just get it." She said, trying to move past him, but saw that he did not move. "I.." She started to say, trying to ignore the look in Nicholas' eyes.
She found herself speachless as he gazed down at her, with a hypnotizing look and her hand rose slowly to finger her necklace.
"Nicholas." A low voice said from the hall way. Nicholas looked up and Davina jumped again, finally able to tear her eyes aways. She turned to see Gallagher standing there. "Jack's looking for you." He said forcibly.
"Oh Jack can wait." Nicholas said.
"Not this time, he says it's important." Gallagher's gaze fluttered to Davina. Nicholas gave a heavy sigh and moved into the hall. Davina skirted around him and grabbed her book. She heard retreating footsteps down the hall and waited a moment before she turned to the door, but she found Gallagher still standing there.
He smiled warmly. "Don't let Nicholas scare you. He tends to think of himself as a playboy and makes a pass at anything in a skirt." He said.
Davina smiled some. "Your brother's already warned me." She said, reaching the door and stepping past him as Gallagher closed it.
"You should listen to him, Miss. Blackwell." He said, in a serious tone. Davina didn't look at him, but nodded. She headed down the hall, with out another word, pondering everything.
She took the stairs two at a time, and hurried to Orea's room, Ann was peaking out the hall when she came and pulled it open all the way for her. She hurried in, closing the door behind her. Davina gave Ann back the book and went into full detail about all this.
"This place just gets weider and weider." Ann remarked.
Orea sighed. "We need to get ready for dinner. We've only got a half hour."
Davina sighed. "True. All right, i'm going to my room."
Jacquie joined her at the door and the two headed out. "He warned you, against his cousin.."
Davina nodded. "I think we should listen to it." Jacquie said. Davina looked at her.