A/N: Hey folks! I'm sorry about the long delay on this chapter. I had a death in the family and I put everything on hold. I have chapter three written but it needs to be edited and will be up by tomorrow! I am really hoping for some feedback on this chapter especially since I sort of bypassed my usual beta to get this out as soon as possible. Thanks!
BLACKTHORN AND MYRTLE
II.
Much to Jane's dismay, the next several days passed in a whirlwind of planning. Darcy had done a great job of playing the distraction that she needed. After hours of preparation and decorating, Jane was sure she would sleep for a month. The thought of hiding away under her duvet was growing more appealing by the minute. She detested organizing anything more complicated than a friendly evening get together. And after days of helping Darcy, her feelings had been cemented. That was without including an entire day's worth of dress hunting. Jane cringed at the memory, thankful that the dress fiasco was over with. Darcy owned an incredible amount of clothes, something Jane should have realized before starting. The two young women had spent several hours alone digging through Darcy's closet. Jane had tried and retried on every single dress. At least that's what it had felt like to Jane. After the first few hours the only one thing the two had been able to agree on; Jane looked dreadful in anything chartreuse. Darcy had said it made her look as if she had come down with cholera. That had made Jane blanch and undress as fast as possible. The string of bad luck ended when Darcy pulled a pretty peach colored dress out of the back. Jane had cast the dress a doubtful stare but Darcy had insisted.
Jane eyed the dress that now hung off her dressing screen. For once Darcy's persuasion had worked for her benefit. The color looked gorgeous on her much to Jane's surprise. And it would look beautiful with the golden hair combs she had. She nibbled at her lip, the gala would be starting in a few hours. Jane perched on the seat of her vanity trying to work up the gumption to get ready. Molly would be up any minute to help with her hair. Nervously, she twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
She still had time to recant and stay in for the night. The thought was tempting. More than tempting. Jane let out a deep sigh, there was no way she could gracefully bow out. Declining the invitation at this point would hurt Darcy's feelings and upset Erik. Besides, she had already given her word that she would attend. And if she didn't go she would run the risk of gaining a reputation of being cold and reclusive. She was already known for treading close to those waters. Jane didn't want to give people more of an excuse to treat her like an oddity.
Come on, Jane. You have more courage than this!
She would go, she would survive. All she had to do was insure no one would become too infatuated with her. Surely she would be able to insure something as simple as that. Jane turned back to her vanity and grabbed her hair brush. A wave of determination brewed within her small frame and she gave herself a sly smile in the mirror, she could do this.
Let the games begin!
The small covered buggy pulled to a smooth stop at the entry of the large estate. The smooth leather top had been pulled up in case of rain. Irritatingly enough, all the clouds could provide were a fine mist that clung to everything. The driver hopped down and hurried to the side of the small carriage. A large umbrella was already open, ready to shield the two riders from the mist. The pair were immediately ushered inside the large glowing doors. Jane and Erik had finally arrived for Darcy's spring gala.
Jane sighed with relief as she handed her coat to a member of the wait staff. Erik followed suit and ran his hand over his head to smooth down his hair. The grey hat that he had worn was notorious for giving him a bad case of hat hair. A few jewels of water dotted Jane's golden-brown locks. Jane ignored the urge to brush her hand through her hair for risk of pulling out a comb. She gave Erik a small smile and smoothed her skirts. Jane looked about, Darcy was around some where. As if on cue the gracious hostess appeared, enveloping Jane in a tight hug. Erik got a quick peck on the cheek and a toothy smile.
"Thank you so much for coming, Erik!" Darcy's bright teeth flashed at the older gentleman.
Erik nodded politely, trying to fight Darcy's infectious smile. "Thank you for extending us an invitation Miss Lewis."
"I couldn't forget my two favorite people," Darcy quipped. She glanced at Jane and made a good effort to hold back a laugh. "Oh don't look so dreary! Come in, you are the first to arrive!"
Darcy looped her arm around Jane's and pulled her down the entry way to the ballroom. Erik followed with a small smile on his lips, knowing better than to interrupt. Darcy lead them through the door way to the ballroom and Jane gasped in awe. It was more amazing than she had remembered the day before. The room was completely styled in flowers and large swathes of colored cloth. Jane couldn't help but grin at the results of their planning and set up. The shades of pink and green looked beautiful against the rooms ivory colored walls. Hundreds of candles had been lit giving the room a warm glow in the fading light of dusk. In the far corner a quartet had just finished preparing for a long night of merriment. This must be why Darcy loved to plan so many events, the end results were fabulous and left one with a warm feeling.
"I couldn't have done this without your help." Darcy grinned at the dazed look on Jane's face.
Jane blushed, "I hardly did anything. This was all you, Darcy."
The two made there way to the small cluster of tables and chairs that occupied a part of the room. Erik had already found a seat and was sipping at a glass of white wine. Darcy and Jane had decided to serve hours d'oeuvres and wine for the first hour. Then the dancing would begin for the rest of the evening. Jane took a seat next to Erik and a drink found its way into her hand. Jane sipped the golden liquid, being careful not to go overboard. She needed her wits if she was to stave off any aggressive advances.
"Darcy is right, you look dreary." Erik said carefully. He smiled at her and patted Jane's shoulder. "I will be here when you are ready to return home." Jane gave him a small smile finding comfort in his offer. Having Darcy and Erik to fall back on if something went awry was a good feeling.
The sound of voices echoed down the hall and Jane looked up at the doorway with a curious look on her face. Sure enough, Darcy had disappeared to play hostess and social butterfly. Jane had not been privy to the exact number of invitees, but one could expect quite the turn out where Darcy threw a party. People began to stream in the ballroom and Jane and Erick rose to their feet. Pleasantries were exchanged and people started to mingle and chatter. Someone gave a signal and the quartet started playing some mellow music. Food and wine began to circle on silver plates held by Darcy's staff. The voices and laughter grew louder, filling the room.
During Darcy's absence Jane had managed to be ensnared by three young women, the Harris sisters. Jane instantly regretted saying a quick hello. The trio of sisters were some of her least favorite people, not only where they dull, but they were petty, a combination Jane couldn't stand. The eldest sister, Pearl, was in the middle of telling Jane about her latest trip to some large city somewhere in Europe. After the first few minutes Jane had tuned out the snide sounding conversation. Jane tried to covertly look for Darcy in the crowd and pursed her lips in disappointment when her friend was no where to be found.
Just fantastic, now I'm stuck.
A hand latched around her arm and Jane nearly jumped out of her skin, fearing the worst. But to her relief a familiar toothy smile met her eyes. Darcy greeted the Harris sisters and whisked Jane away with a polite interruption and a large saccharine smile. Through gritted teeth Jane mumbled a 'thank you' to Darcy and bowed her head at the silly group of sisters.
"Jane, dear! There you are. Get wrapped up in their riveting stories of visiting Paris?" Darcy stifled a laugh and glanced over her shoulder at the trio. The group had looked miffed for a few moments at Jane's abrupt departure. But the feelings of irritation quickly faded as Pearl set her sights on another young woman. Jane and Darcy grinned knowing the impending torture, thankful it wasn't them.
Jane nodded and scooped a small sandwich off a tray. "No matter what I tried to do I couldn't escape. It was like I was caught in an undertow of nonsensical talk." Her friend laughed again, much louder than the first time. Darcy moved Jane to the side of the room where they pair had a little more privacy.
"I have yet to see the young Odinson men," Darcy gave Jane a coy smile.
Jane scoffed and took a bite of her cucumber sandwich. "It's rude to be late to an engagement."
"Perhaps they aim to be fashionably late. Besides they have a bit longer before the dancing starts." Darcy waved her hand as if to pardon the men. The brunette gasped and looked towards the ballroom door. "One moment Jane, I need to take care of something."
One of the waiters was trying to subtly get Darcy's attention. Meaning something had more than likely happened in the kitchen. Once again Jane was left to her own devices something she did not mind in the slightest. She glanced around the busy ballroom. It was a wonderful turn out, just what had been expected but still too many people for Jane's liking. She spotted Erik across the room in deep conversation with two men. Mister Coulson and Mister Stark, if she recalled correctly. The mustachioed man, Mister Stark, was waving his hands as he talked. Mister Coulson was laughing heartily and Erik was only smiling at the animated display. Jane smiled knowing they were more than likely talking about the latest political news. She tore her eyes away from the men and let her eyes drifted over the room. A tray of white wine floated by and she plucked a flute off the silver plate.
"Enjoying the show?"
A rich voice interrupted Jane's crowd watching. She swallowed her mouthful of wine, hard. Her throat burned, but she managed to not cough or hiccup. Jane turned to her left to the source of the voice. A tall man with dirty blond hair, trimmed beard and styled mustache smiled at her. He was dressed in a flashy navy coat, which was odd for the season, but looked sharp none the less.
"Oh, yes, I suppose." She answered trying to fight off the burning in her throat. Hopefully she had covered the slight gurgle she had made.
"I did not mean to startle you," he gave her a cheeky grin. "May I introduce myself? I am Fandral." The man gave Jane a sweeping bow. She was torn between keeping a serious face and rolling at the ostentatious display. The name was familiar to her but she was unable to place where she had heard it mentioned.
"I am Jane. Jane Foster," she gave a small, tight lipped smile. "Pleasure to meet you." The man's eyes lit with acknowledgement.
"Ah! I had suspected as much! I have heard much about you Miss Foster." Fandral gave her a wide smile. Jane's hand found its way into his hand and his lips were pressed to her knuckles. She hadn't even realized he had kissed them until he was letting her hand go. "It is wonderful to have a beautiful face to go with the name."
Jane gave a small dismissive laugh. "I did not realize my reputation proceed me so. I hope it has been positive things?"
Fandral nodded and chuckled. "Of course. I have heard you are a wonderful and witty conversation partner. But your beauty surpasses anything I have been told." He added the latter with another brilliant smile before looking over her shoulder. "Ah, it looks as if they are getting ready for the dancing to start!"
The house staff was filing in, moving the group of tables and chairs out of the ballroom. Within a matter of minutes the room had been cleared for the festivities. The quartet had paused and were shuffling through their sheet music. The room was buzzing with excitement and people began to line up down the long room. Ladies on the right and men on the left.
"Would you care to dance, Miss Foster?" Fandral was already holding his hand to her. Jane looked down at his palm and nibbled at her lip. She was unsure of how to take their small exchange, trying to gauge intentions. He was definitely sure of himself, that much was obvious. But he hadn't been overly forward and that was a plus.
Might as well make the best of it. She finished off her wine with one quick drink and handed it off to a waiter. "Yes, I would." He laughed and lead her to the dance floor.
They each took their spots across from each other and Jane gave Fandral a small smile. Just a dance nothing more, she reminded herself. The Odinson brothers, that was the real concern. Jane knew he wasn't a member of the Odison clan, although his family name evaded her at the moment. It was then the realization hit her and it took everything she had not to grimace. Now she knew why the name Fandral ticked a part of her memory. Fandral was a close friend of the Odinson family. She swallowed hard and the music began to fill the room. Jane clambered for the right steps trying not to show her sudden discomfort. No wonder he had heard so much about her, she had be a right fool. A few smart words were on the tip of her tongue but decided against opening her mouth, now was not the time to pick a fight.
"So, I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage." She said instead, Jane smiled as the pair twirled around each other. The two lines wove in and out of each other as the music played.
"Is that so?" The tall man gave her a quizzical smile.
Jane lightly pressed her palms against his as they moved with the other participants. "You know so much about me and you have yet to give me any clues to who you are." She raised her eyebrows at him, making sure to keep in time with the music.
"Well as it seems, you may become well antiquated with some dear friends of mine." His eyes twinkled.
Jane almost blanched at the confirmation and struggled to keep her face a pleasant mask. "I should have known," she mumbled. Now she was stuck until the song was over and there was no way Darcy could rescue her now. Unable to look at the man's face she looked past him, to the faces lining the hall. A flurry of flapping hands caught the corner of her eye. Jane focused her eyes to see Darcy in the crowd of onlookers. Darcy was jabbing her hands in one direction and mouthing something and Jane raised an eyebrow.
What on Earth...?
"Ah, it looks as if the cavalry has finally arrived." Fandral's deep voice drew her attention. That could only mean one thing.
The Rose and the Thorn had arrived.
Oh, no. Jane gulped and taking advantage of a twirl, looked past the crowd. In the door way stood a group of people. Two were unfamiliar faces, a man and a woman. The man had a cheerful face with reddish hair and well groomed beard to match. The woman had beautiful dark hair and sharp eyes. But they weren't the two that concerned her. It was the two men placed in the middle of the new comers that made her stomach drop. On the left, next to the woman was a towering man. Broad shouldered, golden haired, and a wide smile beaming. Jane could hear his boisterous laugh all the way across the room as he greeted people. Beside him was another tall man. While the one was bright and vivid, this one was more pale and subdued. His dark hair was slicked back and had a stoic look on his face. For a moment Jane thought there was a flash of annoyance in his calculating eyes. Jane looked frantically for Darcy, but the dark haired girl had disappeared again. Her heart started to beat hard in her chest, there was no way to escape her fate now.
The music had stopped some time while Jane's mind was racing. The musicians were shuffling their sheet music again. Guests were clapping and moved to prepare for the next song that would start. Jane felt a warm hand at her elbow and jerked at the touch.
"I would love to introduce you to my friends." Fandral's voice was close to her ear and he pulled her arm over his. The trap had set up and sprung with perfect execution and for a second time Jane felt like a fool. If Darcy had anything to do with this she would string her up by her toes. Fandral was a close second for being strung up as well.
Jane nodded stiffly at Fandral. "Oh that would be...tolerable." A strained smile plastered her lips.
He gently lead her towards the doorway. Jane glanced up, he had a huge grin on his face. It looked almost as if he was excited to push her into this awkward situation. The nerve of this man. He was making his way to the top of Jane's list of people to throttle.
"Ah my friends!" Fandral exclaimed. He gave the group a quick, polite bow. "How good of you to finally join us."
The dark haired woman wrinkled her nose in displeasure at the veiled jab. "Some of us wished to be on time, but others felt it necessary to make things difficult." The woman answered in a clipped tone. She glanced at the men beside her.
"Come now, Sif!" The blond man exclaimed. "We still have time to dance and mingle."
Jane shifted next to Fandral. Her small fingers smoothed her skirts, something that Molly would scold her for doing. Fidgeting like this was not decent. She wished to be anywhere but here right now, but forced her face to remain pleasant.
The man beside her chuckled. Jane was unsure if it was directed at her or the woman named Sif. "May I introduce the lady, Jane Foster." Jane automatically curtsied and smiled. "Miss foster, may I present the beautiful lady, Sif. This cheery, bewhiskered chap is Volstagg. And these two rogues are Thor and Loki Odinson. I'm sure you are familiar with those two gentlemen." Fandral's eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled and waved his hand at each person.
"It is a pleasure." Jane gave a small smile. "And I am familiar with their names, we have never formally met until now." She hated these formalities in front of groups of people. Especially when it was to keep up appearances in front of those she wasn't excited to meet.
"Ah so this is the lady, Jane Foster!" Thor exclaimed. The Rose, Jane automatically corrected herself. He scooped up her hand in his much larger palm and placed a delicate kiss on her knuckles. "It is most wonderful to have finally met you." Jane felt heat rise into her cheeks and felt silly but it was almost impossible to not blush. He was giving her such an enduring look, as if she were the only one in the room.
Come on, Jane! Snap out of it.
"Thank you, Mister Odinson. If you were not so late you may have met me sooner." She smiled at him, happy with her small snub.
The bearded man, Volstagg, chuckled and bowed deep. "Pleasure, miss." He gave her a wide grin much like Fandral had earlier in the night.
Loki, The Thorn, gave a small bow before looking past her at the dancing. Jane wanted to roll her eyes, that was rude she decided. It was no wonder why he had been given that nickname by Darcy. He was more than just a thorn, more like an icicle.
Sif stepped forward to Jane and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hello, Jane. It is nice to meet you. Should we go watch the dancing?" But before Jane could reply the tall woman was steering her towards the music.
The music troupe had decided to liven things up with a waltz. Jane had been so frazzled with introductions that she had not realized it. Sif towed her along until they were at the edge of the dancing. Skirts swirled and swayed to the music. Jane smiled, she was glad to be out of that terrible encounter. She glanced at Sif, well, almost out of that encounter.
Although the woman's eyes were on the dancing she seemed to notice Jane's eyes on her. "I am glad to see that I am not the only one who felt as if that exchange was intolerable." Sif didn't even look at Jane as she spoke. Jane glanced at the taller woman out of the corner of her eye.
"It was a little...much," Jane ventured. It wouldn't pay to insult the woman's friends to her face. But at least she may have found a kindred spirit in this situation. "But it was to be expected I suppose."
Sif nodded her head. "Good, you seem to realize you were matched above your station." She turned to Jane and gave her a firm look. "It will make things easier for you." And with that Sif bowed her head, if barely, and whisked past Jane.
Jane's mouth popped open in a small 'o' before she clenched her jaw shut. That insulting little twit! And here Jane had managed to be polite as she could considering the situation. And the woman had been gone faster than she could respond. Jane's hands balled into fists, she needed to find Darcy. She scanned the ballroom looking for the familiar head of dark curls. Only Erik was spotted and she wasn't feeling in the mood to get questioned by him. Maybe all she needed was a moment of piece and quiet. She could slip down the hall to the sitting room for a moment and catch her breath. Jane maneuvered around the edge of the room and slunk out the doorway. Just a few rooms down was the sitting room, but when she got there, the doors were shut. And locked.
"Oh, damn," she mumbled to herself. Jane tugged on the door knob, but it wouldn't budge. The door to the study and the library were likely locked as well.
"I would not have pictured you as one to break into locked rooms." A smooth voice drawled. Jane turned on her heel and her eyes narrowed slightly. The Thorn.
"And I would not have placed you as one who creeps around in other's homes in the shadows."
The man stepped forward, an unreadable look on his face. "I was unaware that passing through to the ballroom was being meddlesome." He held a glittery broach in his hand. "Or that being kind to one's friends was undignified. For Sif." He presented the broach, the large jewels glittered in the light.
Jane's face faltered for a moment. She now noticed his hair was covered in a light sprinkling of rain drops. He must have gone to retrieve the broach for Sif before their carriage was moved.
She tightened her jaw. "It is still most displeasing to creep up on unsuspecting people in the hallway."
The dark haired man's eye hardened. "You may want to head back before the hostess finds that you are trying to slip away. I'm sure there are people looking for you out on the dance floor." His voice drawled, obvious jabs smothered in a even voice.
Jane sucked in a quick breath. Oh this man was beyond infuriating. Not wanting to spend another moment in the hall, she brushed past him. Out of the corner of her eye she could have sworn he was smirking at her. Jane's blood boiled as she marched back to the ballroom. This was turning into the event from some forgotten nightmare. She tried her best to slip back into the ballroom unnoticed. But as luck would have it, the musicians were between songs. Jane groaned when she spotted a golden haired man making his way towards her.
"Miss Foster, there you are!" The Rose beamed at her. "I have been looking for you, but it seems as if you have perfect timing. Would you care to dance with me?" He took Jane's stutter as a 'yes' and lead her to the dance floor.
The music started, a polka this time. Jane recognized the piece as one by Johann Strauss. She smiled at the familiar sounds and too his hand in one of her own. Her free hand rested on his upper arm. Her eyebrows raised a fraction at the feeling of muscle under her hand. A rose indeed. His palm wrapped gently around her small fingers and large fingers splayed across her back. Jane was suddenly extremely aware of how close they were.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" The question drew her out of her thoughts.
She fumbled for the words. "Ah, yes. I am. This is a wonderful piece to dance to." She cringed a little at her verbal stumble.
He nodded as he lead them both around the room. "Indeed. I hear that you are good friends the hostess." Jane nodded as she concentrated on the steps. She could feel a smile creeping across her face. He made dancing seem easy and simple. Under usual circumstances she would have stepped on her partner's toes by this point. Jane loved dancing but sometimes she felt uncoordinated at it and now she was actually having fun. Jane hated to admit it, but The Rose was making the evening enjoyable. His pleasant demeanor was infectious, making the pressure she was feeling earlier disappear.
"So, as you know, my mother and your godfather have begun a correspondence." Jane winced, the pleasant feeling diminishing a little. "I would like to invite you to come on a hunting excursion on the twenty-third." He gave her a small smile and her heart fluttered. Her head spun and her face heated. Jane blamed the lightheaded feeling on the dancing and not the look he was giving her.
She had never gone on a hunting outing before. It may be worth it just for the experience. Jane milled the idea over for a moment. "I believe I would like that." For the experience, not because he has been sweet.
His face broke into a smile. "Excellent! If I may, I would like to write you as well. To give you the proper details I mean." Jane nodded again and he spun her around. He chatted with her for the rest of the song. With business over with he seemed to feel more comfortable. For one, she most felt more at ease.
The music finally slowed to a stop and Jane gasped for breath. Dancing to a polka was fun but it could be more taxing than it looked. Once her head stopped spinning she found no memory of what they had spoken about. That was odd, Jane usually prided herself on being an attentive conversationalist. Her brow furrowed and then she blushed. The only clear memory she had was of the way he looked at her. Jane took a quick glance at his face and blushed again.
The Rose took her hand and lead her from the dancing area. "Thank you for the dance, but I must find my friends. I promised Sif I would dance with her." He gave a bow and smiled before turning and walking through the party attendees. Jane watched as he made his way through the room towards Sif. The woman was giving Jane another hard look but her eyes warmed as the man approached her.
Jane sighed, it was obvious that the woman was not fond of her. Her memory reached back to the conversation they had shared. Sif clearly though Jane was not worthy of her friends affection. Jane moved further away from the dance floor to the side of the room. She had no urge to watch the couple dance. Where was a wine tray when she needed it? Jane scanned for a tray of wine but only saw Darcy's head bobbing through the crowd. With a sigh of relief Jane waved at her. Darcy was just as good as a glass of wine at this point in the evening. Jane's friend rushed over with a devilish look on her face.
"So how was The Rose?" She wiggled her eyebrows and laughed.
"Much more bearable than his brother."
Darcy gave Jane a sideways look. "You have spoken to The Thorn then too?"
Jane nodded. "I managed to run across him in the hall." Her friend gave her a look of surprise. "I see why he had earned that endearing nickname. Although I think The Icicle is more appropriate."
Darcy snickered behind her hand. "Don't let him hear you call him that. He might freeze you in place with that stare." Jane gave a small laugh, it was a little humorous but was a little too true for her liking.
The pair fell silent and watched the dancers spin and twirl on the floor to another waltz. Jane's eyes landed on The Rose. No, not The Rose, Thor. They would be spending a day together she needed to call him by his proper name. She wouldn't dare make a fool out of herself by call him The Rose to his face.
"And making close friends with the other ladies I see." Darcy nudged Jane with her hip and motioned towards the dance floor. Jane mentally shook herself and looked where Darcy was motioning to. The brunette was nodding towards Thor. Or to be more accurate, Sif, who was in Thor's arms. The woman was shooting a self satisfying look at Jane over the Thor's shoulder.
"Don't remind me," Jane bemoaned.
Darcy laughed and patted her friend on the shoulder. "I knew you would ruffle some feathers when that news got out! It looks as if you have ruffled The Thorn's feathers as well. But in a much better way." She added with a wink.
"That news got out with plenty of your help, you know."
Jane looked away from the pair on the dance floor as she tried to avoid Sif's hard gaze. But she found herself drawn to a space directly opposite her in the room. Positioned against the wall was the now familiar dark hair and pale face. The Thorn. His face was lined with irritation and seemed to be looking right at Jane. She bit her lip and lowered her eyes, there was no way that was meant for her. A feeling of unease swept over her and she tried to busy herself by smoothing her skirts. How she had managed to gain so much wrath she was unsure. Once her nerves had cooled she looked back up. The Thorn was gone. Instead another face was making it's way towards her.
"Oh no..." Fandral.
"Miss Foster! I had hoped to dance with you one last time before someone else snatches you up." He inclined his head greeting Darcy. "Miss Lewis." Darcy gave him a coy smile. Jane recognized that smile.
Jane rubbed her forehead in irritation, she wasn't sure if she could deal with another dance. "I'm sorry but I feel a bit dizzy from the last dance. But I am sure Darcy would take you up on your offer." The coy smile Darcy was giving the man got bigger.
Fandral's smile turned down at the corners but he nodded. For a moment disappointment flashed in his eyes, but that was quickly replaced with an even look. "If you do not object, Miss Lewis?"
Darcy shook her head. "I would love to dance." The man held out his arm and Darcy took it.
"Maybe next time?" He glanced at Jane with a hopeful look. She nodded and Fandral seemed pleased with that for an answer. Fandral gave Jane flamboyant bow and ushered Darcy towards the dancing. Jane watched as Darcy laughed at something the debonair man had said, but by the look on Fandral's face it wasn't meant to be humorous. Jane covered her mouth to keep from laughing and watched as the pair fell into time with the music and twirled away.
Taking advantage of the absence of people, Jane decided it was time to find Erik. The older man had promised that they were free to leave when she was ready and by now Jane was more than ready. That was assuming that no one else would attempt to accost her on the quest to find Erik. Jane began to wander around the room through the groups that had foregone dancing. Every so often someone she had missed greeting would see her and exchange pleasantries. But it was obvious that wine had gotten the better of most of them. More often than not she was ignored as she wove through the bodies in the large room, something she was grateful for. Jane approached a large group of people in one corner. Standing on her toes she tried to look past the throng of party goers to see if Erik was in the mix. A woman in front of Jane had decided to dress up her hair in a large knot on the top of her head. The woman's gaudy jewelry stuck out and Jane strained to look past it.
Honestly, who things that looks tasteful?
A dull pain exploded in her shoulder and she almost toppled over. A quick hand wrapped around her upper arm and hauled her back upright. One of the smaller combs in Jane's hair had had come loose and fell to the floor with a clatter. Someone had tried to leave the crowd of people and collided with her. Jane stooped immediately scooping the golden comb up before it could be crushed under someone's boot. Serves you right for not paying attention!
"Pardon me." A smooth voice said.
"Oh, excuse me! I am so sorry." She looked up, her face was most definitely some awful shade of pink. Her eyes focused on the person before her and all feelings of guilt faded. Before her was the one person she wished to see the least. The Thorn. For a moment his serious face had a mild look of concern on it making her heart drop into her stomach. His face changed from one of mild concern to a mask of indifference in an instant.
"Miss Foster." He said her name tightly.
"Mister Odinson." She replied just as stiff.
It was clear he was just as thrilled as she was about their unfortunate meeting. In an instant he was moving away from her across the room like he had touched a hot stove. Jane huffed, it was definitely time to go home. If she had been waiting for a sign this was surely it. She tried her best to put the small comb back into her hair without the aid of a mirror. Her hands smoothed over her hair and she looked around. Erik was far more illusive than she had expected him to be.
"Oh Jane, I haven't seen you in a while!" Speak of the devil. Erik's voice carried over the buzz of the group. Jane whipped around to see the olderman part the crowd of people. His cheeks were ruddy and he had a lazy smile on his face, a sure sign that a few too many glasses of wine had been tasted. "It was beginning to be too much in the middle of that. How has your evening been?"
"Just wonderful," Jane answered back in a sarcastic tone. Her arms crossed over her chest as her irritation flared.
The older man laughed. "I suppose that is the signal you wish to retire tonight?" Jane huffed and nodded. Erik took her arm and the pair made their way to the entrance.
At this point she didn't even care about finding Darcy to say goodbye or even finding Thor and Fandral to say goodbye. She definitely had no urge to find The Thorn and Sif. She wouldn't be surprised if those two found comfort in her departure. Her mind raced to find the best way to smooth over her early departure. A short letter the following morning would sooth any hurt feelings. Her 'dizzy spell' from earlier would be the perfect cover for her sudden flight. It would all work out beautifully. Erik muttered to the door keep asking for their buggy to be brought around. While they waited someone had found Jane's overcoat and helped her into it. The front door was pushed open by the door keep and Jane looked out into the dark, it was raining quite steadily now.
The dark blob of horse and buggy appeared at the bottom of the steps. Jane and Erik hurried down the stairs to the carriage followed by the door keep with an umbrella in hand. They had gotten mildly damp but neither seemed to mind. Jane felt the feeling of relief flow through her as she settled into her seat. Finally, peace and quiet. She leaned back and shut her eyes. The gentle sway of the carriage helped to soothe her nerves even more. Soon she would be home in her own bed and she could forget about the evening.
The next thing she knew, the carriage had come to a halt. The absence of motion had lulled her out of her unexpected slumber. Erik stepped out first to hold open the door. Jane stepped down, holding on to his hand as she made her way to the ground. She wiped her sleepy eyes and together they made their way into the house as quick as possible. Molly was waiting at the door with a soft smile and two warm cups of chamomile tea. She held out her free arm to take the two damp coats. The older woman shooed the two weary travelers into the study to dry out in front of the fire. Erik plopped down in this usual wing backed chair and sighed. The fire had been burning for a few hours and had burned down to friendly warm embers. Jane sat in her own plump arm chair, this was the perfect way to end a disastrous evening. A large yawn escaped her mouth. It was time for bed.
A/N: There we are! As always please let me know! :)