Bride and Prejudice: Carla O'Reilly
by tarskeewee08
Evangeline walked into the dinning room amazed at the 12 foot long table already seating the guests of the McBain's. John squeezed her hand and led her down to their place setting. Of course they would be sitting across from each other and her eyes met briefly with Eve's when John pulled out the chair.
Dropping her gaze she accepted the seat, and smiled at the people on her end of the table. They politely smiled back and continued with their conversations, as John went to his chair. Evangeline scanned the guest and saw Marcie several seats down who looked up at her and winked.
That wink of
encouragement made her feel much better. The guest to her left turned
to her. "So you're American?"
"Yes"
"What part of
America are you from?"
Evangeline looked at the old woman staring at her with piercing green eyes. "Originally Philadelphia"
"Awe…I know the city of brotherly love"
Evangeline
smiled "Yes"
"You met John in Philadelphia?" the woman
asked coolly.
"Baroness, I met Evangeline in Cambridge" John said interjecting. Evangeline looked at him and he winked. "She was the most beautiful woman I'd seen and I spent years chasing this pretty lady hoping to make her mine."
The Baroness rolled her eyes and Evangeline smiled at John. They went through dinner and she joined the conversation whenever there was an opening. She learned a lot about John as a small boy and as the evening progressed the Baroness warmed up to her. She began telling her stories of her son George who loved rap music. Evangeline found her entertaining and indulged some of the stereotypes she through at her.
As the courses were served she kept looking up at her beloved prince who was smiling and making eyes at her from across the table. She finally began to relax and toward the end of the dinner was looking for more time alone with her beau.
Everyone retired to the Parlor and Marcie excused herself to lie the baby down. John was immediately pulled away by some cohort and Evangeline was led away by the Mayor of Dublin. He told her of his trips to America and his hopes to do more trading with the United States.
She smiled and talked to him about her experiences abroad and how beautiful she found his city most of all. Every now and then she caught the stares of an attractive redhead who'd been watching her most of the night. She first noticed her at dinner and the way she stared at John mostly.
Now the mysterious woman was approaching her and Evangeline had a sinking feeling as to who she was.
"Evangeline
I'd like to introduce myself."
She looked up surprised "Okay"
The woman extended her hands "My name is Carla O'Reilly"
Evangeline accepted her hand and shook it "Nice to meet you
Carla."
The mayor excused himself and Evangeline accepted the
kiss on the cheek. She looked up to see Eve McBain staring from
across the room, but didn't see John any more.
"I've
been dying to see your ring all night"
Evangeline looked down
at her hand housing the sparkling yellow diamond. Raising it she
allowed Carla to inspect it.
"I must say I'm surprised" Carla said with an amused look on her face.
Evangeline frowned "Surprised?"
"This engagement to John, we here have never heard of you and yet here you are."
Evangeline looked into the woman's smug face and saw her attempts to get a rise out of her. "Is there something you want to say to me Carla?"
"A
year ago dear I stood in your shoes" she said smugly folding her
arms.
Evangeline's heart beat quickened "Really?" she said
keeping her composure.
"John didn't tell you that we were
engaged?" Carla asked feigning shock.
Evangeline swallowed and felt flush. She could see her future mother in-laws amusement from across the room. Staring back at the woman she smiled defiantly. "Actually he didn't mention it, but you know John he never dwells on the insignificant stuff. Excuse me." she said pushing past the woman.
Carla glared at her and then looked at Eve who nodded that she pursue Evangeline. Evangeline made it out of the parlor heading to the main stairwell she needed air and hoped she could find her way to their room without getting lost. Where the hell was John? Why in the hell didn't he tell her that his ex-fiancé was in attendance!
"Evangeline!" Carla called out as she ascended the stairs.
Stopping on the stairs she turned and looked at the woman that had the affections of her man at one time. "What is it Ms. O'Reilly? I'm really loosing patience with your grade school taunts."
"He's very good at making you feel special. He has a way of speaking to you that keeps you floating whenever he's around. But he won't follow through. I just wanted you to know that."
"I know John and what we have" she said coming back down the stairs. "I don't care what didn't work for you it has nothing do with the love we share."
Carla laughed and Evangeline saw the tears glisten in her eyes. "He has sold you a bill of goods. Do your homework sweetie, since his wife died he has had 3 engagements. Don't think you hold some special key to his heart. He's heartless!"
Evangeline tightened her grip on the railing and tried to steady herself. "That's a lie! If you knew him at all you would never call him that. So don't stand there and project your feelings of abandonment and rejection onto me. What I have with John is something you or his mother could never understand. So stay the hell away from us both!" she hissed.
Carla seeing she delivered her mark looked up at Evangeline on the stairwell satisfied. "I've been where you are now Evangeline, my advice is cut your losses now"
"Fuck off" Evangeline snapped turning and running up the stairs. Then racing up the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her she hurried down the hall wiping at her tears. She knew that John had a lot of women in his past. Hell she didn't expect him to be a monk, but engaged. Three different engagements? How could he not share that?
Turning the corner she sighed that she'd made it down the correct wing and opened her door rushing inside. As soon as she closed it she let her tears fall. She wouldn't let them get to her. She would talk to him and let him explain it all. There was an explanation and she was waiting on it.
Walking over to the bed she sat down and put her face in her hands. Maybe it was a bad idea to come here. Eve McBain was going to pull out all stops to make her feel insecure about her love for him. She wasn't up for the battle. Falling back on the bed she curled up fully dressed still in her boots and cried some more. She was tough but the constant strain of trying to blend into this society was exhausting. She laid on the bed for an hour drifting in and out of sleep.
The door to the room opened and she opened her eyes quickly rising on the bed to see John come in.
"Sunshine what's wrong?" he said immediately noticing the puffiness around her eyes. "I've been looking all over for you for the past hour. I had no idea you came up here are you feeling okay?"
Evangeline glared at him and rose up from the bed "Three engagements John? You couldn't tell me that?"
John looked at her surprised and said nothing.
"You had to let me hear it from your ex fiancé who by the way was sitting only three chairs down from me? Why? What were you scared of!" she asked raising her voice not liking the way he just stood before her staring.
"Carla had no right to come at you like that. I know my mother put her up to it. I am so sorry Evangeline."
"Don't give me sorry dammit answer me! Where you engaged to that woman and two others?"
John blew out his breath "It was a bloody long time ago sunshine"
"So this story of wandering around lost without our love…that was an exaggeration?" she said with tears silently rolling down her face.
"No baby it was the truth, it's why I failed so miserably each time I tried to move on. None of them were you" he said walking toward her. "I should have told you but I honestly didn't think it would matter, we found each other again. The paths we took to get here is just part of the journey."
"Don't keep things from me John, whatever you've done in the past I can take. What I can't take is learning something as important as your engagements from another woman." She said her voice quivering.
"I should have told you. I never meant for you to be hurt" he said opening his arms to her.
Evangeline went into his arms and held onto him. He held her trying to ease her anxiety. He would make sure to deal with his mum after her latest dabbling into his life. She was not going to interfere with his happiness this time.
Evangeline let go of him. "John is there anything else I should know?"
He smiled at her "I was somewhat an asshole for the past couple of years. You will meet folks that aren't too fond of me and they will say things both true and false. I just need you to know that with you I start again. Okay?"
Evangeline
nodded "Okay"
John led her to the bed and pulled her onto it
with him. She sat down and unzipped her boots climbing on top as he
kicked off his shoes.
Lying on his chest she listened as he told her that Carla was an arranged pairing of his mothers. He did date her seriously and considered marrying her to give his mum an heir but in the end he couldn't bring himself to do it. He always knew that someday he would find his American princess again and he never allowed himself to give another woman her rightful role in his life.
Evangeline asked if Ming knew about this and John said yes. Since he was working so hard to get in her good graces he really didn't want to expose all his failures at love.
She understood. Thinking about the look of her envy Carla wore as she challenged her, she wrapped her arm around his chest smiling. To loose him would painful for any woman so she was able to see why Carla went on attack.
As for her she would have toughen up. If Eve had declared all out war on her engagement, John wouldn't be there every step of the way to protect her. Lying on his chest listening to his heart beat she was reminded why they meant so much to each other. Both of them had a life time of bad choices and regrets, they vowed to never hold any of them against each other.
John rolled her over and began to kiss her face and neck sliding his hands down her body. She moaned under his touch and relaxed. "Is every one gone?" she asked
"I'm not sure
but we are in for the night"
Evangeline giggled "John its
just 7 o'clock"
He raised his face and looked into hers. "And
imagine all the things we can do now."
She stared in his eyes
"Show me…" she purred.
"Gladly" he said kissing her again and pulling her underneath him. She let him make love to her and sighed at the sweetness of their union, nothing or no one will tear them apart.
