OK, here's number two!
Eric wasn't sure what any of the things he'd just been called were, but he was pretty sure his plans weren't going as planned.
He had come to Ireland to escape the police and his memories. He moved to a small town so he could enjoy the quiet life in solitude, but it seemed he could have had more solitude in a large city. It wasn't that bad yet, but he knew people would begin to ask about his mask. He smiled to himself, he had left in the hopes of starting over and living without having any feelings of attraction and he had already developed a liking for a girl. No, she wasn't a girl, she was the age of a girl, but she was as mature as a woman.
Eric glanced over at Brigit. How old was she? Fifteen, perhaps sixteen? How many men did she have coming to call for her? She was a beautiful Irish girl, and smart as well. There was no doubt she would soon be married off by her father. Perhaps they could just be friends, he thought he could be quite content with that. Oh yes, once she was married off by her father, the two could become very close and he wouldn't have to worry about being too tempted by her, not that she would ever reciprocate those kinds of feelings for a monster like himself.
Jimmy, the violinist had approached Eric. Eric only glanced at him and began to play the first song on the piano. It seemed simple enough, "Merrily Kissed the Quaker," it was called. He watched as the girls who had been putting on the strange shoes had gone into the dance floor and the young gentlemen around the establishment were quick to ask the girls for a dance. Before his eyes every girl had a partner and at the eighth bar they had all begun a strange dance. The boys held the ladies' hands up as they danced, the mens shoes all made noise to the beat as they clicked their heels to the ground. The girls weren't nearly as loud, but their legs were kicking high up and to the side of their waists.
As the night progressed, Eric watched as man after man danced with Brigit. It was the middle of the night before people began to leave. Farmers and their wives ushered their children out of the building. It was not long before the only people left were McGinty, Jimmy, Brigit and himself. While McGinty was cleaning his bar, Jimmy and Eric had been talking with Brigit.
"So, 'ow'd ya like yer first night?" Jimmy had inquired placing the elbow of the arm holding his violin on his knee as he leaned closer to Eric.
"It was quite fine." Eric said, becoming a little uncomfortable by Jimmy's invasion of his space. He glanced at Brigit who was sitting on a chair rolling her ankle like he'd seen ballerinas do after practicing an Opera. "May I inquire as to what type of dance that was?" It looked familiar. He had seen many of the help dancing it at their parties in the back of the opera.
"Ah! So ya liked it did ya?" Jimmy said slapping his knee with his free hand. "I figured ya would! S'called step-dancin'!" Ha announced a little too loudly for Eric's liking. The young man turned his attention to Brigit, "Brigit! Ya love ta' dance, dun ya?" Eric was beginning to suspect that Jimmy was drunk.
Brigit nodded, then looked at Eric and pointed at Jimmy while mouthing "He's fluthered." Eric could only smile and chuckle at the statement.
"Good! Erik! Ya 'ave never seen step-dancin' 'til ye've seen Brigit dance!" He grabbed Brigit's arm and pulled her onto the dance floor. "Come on wan! Do a jig! Just fer me!" Brigit was only chuckling and shaking her head. Jimmy was still trying to get her to dance when a voice yelled at her from the back.
"Come on Brigit! Show the man what dancin' is!" Mr. McGinty yelled, putting his weight on the broom he'd been using. Brigit looked from Mr. McGinty to Jimmy to Eric then sighed and agreed.
"Alright, I'll dance, but this is the last one for the night!" She said with a brilliant smile. "And I'm only doin' it fer ye, Mr. McGinty!" Her smile as she saw Jimmy's fake pain cross his face, pretending she had hurt him with her words.
She stepped into the middle of the room crossing her legs so that her right foot was at an angle and her left foot was directly behind that foot at an opposite angle with the left foot's toes under the arc of her right foot. When her hands were firmly at her sides, Jimmy began to play a slow tune Eric didn't know. At the sixth bar she pointed her right foot in front of her, on the eighth bar she was on the balls of both feet and had begun a slow dance to the music.
Eric watched in awe as her feet propelled her high into the air. She had begun to spin and jump and kick in a completely different manner than a ballerina, but there was still a great grace to the way she danced. Her dress spun out around her as she danced to the music, sad and slow, but the music was changing. Jimmy had sped up the pace of the music and Brigit was now floating across the room with a smile on her face. Her dance had changed as well, instead of the long steps and leaps she'd been dancing, she was now jumping and spinning and cutting her leg across her body. It was amazing to see how the music affected the way she was dancing.
When at last the music stopped, the men burst into an uproarious applause. Brigit bowed and then ran over to Jimmy, whom she gave a big hug and whispered into his ear much to Eric's displeasure. She was quick to return to her seat where she tried to catch her breath again.
"That was amazing!" Eric exclaimed to her stunned anyone could interpret music into dance the way she did.
She smiled humbly at Eric. "I love to dance, it's my life." She muttered taking off her shoes. She picked up her things, "I'll escort ye home, Eric." She said turning to say good bye to Mr. McGinty. She gave him a big hug as well as Jimmy.
It wasn't long before the two had begun the steady ride back. It was maybe two minutes into the ride before Eric's curiosity had gotten the best of him. "May I ask you a question?" He asked turning to look at her.
"May I ask ye one?" She replied with a smile on her face.
"Of course." He answered. He waited a few moments. "Are you courting Jimmy?" She looked shocked, he had to admit he was a little shocked as well. He didn't think he really cared, he planned to be alone for the rest of his life, right?
It didn't take long for Brigit's shock to wear off and she broke out into a fit of giggles. Eric was completely confused. What was so amusing? "What is so funny?"
"I'm sorry!" She managed to get out between her laughter. "It's just so funny!"
"What is!" Eric nearly yelled beginning to become angry at her reaction to his question. Perhaps she thought he was asking to see if he could court her and she really thought so little of him!
"Jimmy's my brother!" She burst out laughing again, all Eric could do was sit in his saddle and feel foolish. Of course she didn't think he'd been trying to see if he could court her! She was way out of his league and he would never stand a chance. What did he care what she thought about him trying to court her anyway? He was going to be single for the rest of his life.
Brigit felt bad about her reaction when she saw his face contorted with humiliation. "I truly am sorry, Eric. I forgot you didn't know. I'm terribly sorry." She reached over and put her hand on his black clad arm. "Everyone in town knows that he's my brother, he has taken up with Mr. McGinty to be his replacement when he gets too old. I'm sorry about that, it wasna' fair fer me to laugh like tha'" She apologized again.
"It is nothing, I was just surprised, you don't look anything a like." Eric replied. Now interested once again in the vivacious young woman.
"Tha's because my mother wasna' his mother." She waited for the look of disgust to cross his face, but it never passed. "My father took up another wife five years after his first died giving birth to Jimmy. A year later I was born." She was watching him closely, waiting for him to yell at her, to call her dirty names like everyone else had done.
He hadn't said or done anything to show his disappointment in her situation. It was a few minutes before she couldn't stand it anymore, "Well! Say somethin'! Don't sit there and ignore me now that ye know!" She yelled, her anger getting the best of her.
"Should something that you have said made me disappointed in you?" He asked truly confused at her burst of anger.
She was stunned into silence. He didn't know. "Ye aren't Catholic, are ye?" She asked lifting an eyebrow.
Eric shook his head, he didn't really believe in God. God supposedly gave people miracles, he had yet to give him one, so he didn't think there could be a God, but he believed in the Devil.
"Most Irish are Catholic." She said as quietly.
"My parents were Irish, but I grew up in France. I don't follow most of the normal Irish beliefs." Eric said simply, letting his fake life begin with the first person he told.
"Well, it isna' proper for a man to re-marry. If the husband has lost his wife he's supposed te' stay alone, fore in the eyes o' God he's still married to the one who had passed." She informed him. Then she leaned towards him and in hush tones added, "But I'm not a Catholic, neither."
He turned and looked at her. She wasn't Catholic, but didn't she just say most Irish are Catholic? "You are not?"
She shook her head, glad she could tell someone. "My mother wasna' Catholic neither!" Eric was now leaning towards her as well. He knew what she was saying was something no one else knew except, perhaps, her father. "She wasna' Irish neither! She was an American, a young girl who had traveled to Ireland to win competitions! Her parents had taught her to believe what she wanted, not what anyone wanted her to believe. She raised me the same way, until she died." She finished proudly. She giggled, "You are the first person outside my family who knows!"
He couldn't help but smile with her, she had trusted him when she barely knew him. He had never found anyone who was as friendly to him as this young woman. "I'll be sure to keep it a secret." He said becoming completely serious.
"Oh! Don't do that! Don't get serious on me again!" He was surprised when she had said that. "When ye get serious ye stop smilin' and ye've got such a beautiful smile!" She exclaimed, then turned pink with embarrassment. She hadn't meant to say that, she had decided not to chase after men or get married when she was younger. She had decided the only way to live was by herself. She would take care of her father, and when he died she would take over the farm. She was an independent woman, she didn't need a man.
Eric couldn't help but be stunned by her outburst. She thought he had a beautiful smile? When was the last time he had gotten a compliment about the way he looked? Was there a chance she liked him? No, it didn't matter, he was going to be celibate for the rest of his life.
The rest of the ride was quiet, both lost in contemplations of their feelings for their companions. When they reached Eric's estate, he felt he should say something so as not to lose her friendship. "It was a pleasure to meet you Brigit," he held out his hand for a handshake, "I hope to see you again." She smiled and took his hand.
"I'm very glad I met you, too." She whispered. He turned her hand and brought his lips to the back of it in a feather soft kiss. This kiss made Brigit shiver, he was a suave Devil, that was for sure.
The next day Eric tried to busy himself by starting an opera. He wasn't sure what it would be about yet, but he wanted to write one about Ireland. Perhaps he'd write it about one of the many popular tales from Ireland, then he would have an excuse to have Brigit come and visit him. He gave a sigh and rubbed his eyes. Why was he thinking about her so much? Surely he wasn't even considering her replacing his sweet Christine? Perhaps "sweet" wasn't the right word, maybe "heart breaker"? Or maybe "betrayer"? "User"? He picked up one of his books and threw it across the room, making it slam against the wall. He thumped onto his bench and began to let his emotions out through his music.
Brigit hadn't been able to sleep that night, she was preoccupied with thoughts of Eric. What was she feeling for this stranger? Maybe this was her first crush? Yes, that must be it. Her feelings for Eric were not serious she was just being like every other girl in town and feeling attracted to him, that was all.
The nest morning when she was mucking out the stalls, her father approached her. "Brigi', I want ye to invite our neighbor for supper." She just looked at her father in disbelief. He never invited people for dinner except on holidays. "He's a single man living in a new house, he probably needs a night off from cooking." With that he turned away from his daughter's scrutinizing gaze.
"Probably needs a night off"? What the Devil did he mean by that? She wasn't going to argue with her father because as much as she didn't like her father's hidden meaning in the invitation she would love to see Eric again. When she finished mucking out the stalls, she hopped onto her mare and road off to Eric's estate.
Eric was shocked when he heard a knock on his door. He never expected to hear a friendly knock on a door he owned. He stood and straightened his shirt and walked to the door. He felt a smile spread across his face when he saw who was at his door. When he opened his door Brigit beamed at him like a new sun.
"Me Da' wanted me to invite ye to our farm fer supper." She announced.
"I'd be glad to come over." Eric replied, taking in all of Brigit. She was wearing boy's clothes again. He wondered why she would make herself look like a boy when she was so beautiful in a dress?
"I shall tell me Da' that. G'day, Eric." She smiled, more timidly this time, and left. Eric couldn't tear his eyes away from her as he watched her walk back to her horse. She was a stunning beauty, she might even surpass his Christine. Was he still referring to her as "his"? How foolish. He shook his head and headed out to his stables. He needed to get a new wardrobe.