Obligatory disclaimer: The Mouse owns all, save my own original characters.


Julia tried to still her shaking hands as she smoothed the necklace along her collarbone for the third time in a quarter hour's time, a nervous gesture designed more to calm Julia rather than perfect the chain. She had not heard back from James and was still unsure if he would make it to the party. The party where she would be reentering society after an unusually long period of mourning. And in a part of the world with a shortage of women, Julia realized that she would not leave the party without either having to accept a marriage proposal or needing to seriously entertain one.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Julia was pleased with the results of her primping. Biting her lips one more time in an attempt to make them more lush and red, she swallowed back a bad case of nerves. With a deep sigh, Julia threw back her shoulders and grimaced at her reflection in the looking glass. The recent acquisition of Sarah into her household was proving to be rather difficult financially, but no one could argue that the servant's abilities with hairstyles were beyond reproach. Before Julia stood, she turned her head and admired the swirling loops Sarah had pinned in a more intricate pattern than Julia could ever have managed – even with ten arms.

Blowing out the candles framing each side of her mirror, Julia felt as if a weight had settled heavily upon her shoulders. Widowhood had afforded her a way to postpone the inevitable – another chapter in her life that she had no control over. For nearly a year, Julia was able to make her own decisions and deal with the consequences of her actions.

Leaving her room, Julia realized that her house might be her home for very much longer and looked at belongings in a new light. While there was little sentimental value for the house and any of its contents, Julia surmised that soon she would be a belonging herself, owned by another.

It was just a matter of trying to find the best result for an unwanted situation.

o.o.o.o.o

Julia was unaware that a set of eyes never left her person from the moment she entered the home. She was watched from above, the figure leaning, almost rakishly, against the banister from the second floor. They rested their weight on their forearms and watched as Julia hugged and exchanged kisses to the cheek with the host and hostess before shrugging off her cloak to reveal a very flattering dove gray gown. And from her admirer's vantage point, it was not just the dress that was worth admiring, but also the neckline.

As Julia slipped into the heart of the party, the figure descended the staircase. Flashing a smile at the occasional fellow soiree attendant, Julia's shadow kept to the corners, waiting for the right moment to approach her. Until then, there was plenty of wassail to drink.

o.o.o.o.o

The sky was clear and the air cool as James rode up a long road to the home, a canopy of silvery gray Spanish moss hanging in loose tendrils above his head, swaying in the breeze. The moon was nearly full as it cast the land in a glow, filtered though the branches above. The faint sounds of music and laughter mixed with the soft croaking of frogs, the song of cicadas, and the rustling of the trees. He let his horse pick its own pace up the gravel and crushed seashell drive. After rounding a turn, light spilled forth from a massive edifice, like a beacon in the darkness.

The house was impressive, a majestic sprawling estate… that James wanted no part of. From the looks of the property, an army of slaves was needed to keep the plantation running. But James had to admit that the home was beautiful and the tree-lined drive awe-inspiring. If only for a short while, try to forget that everything around you was built on the foundation of people's blood, sweat and tears. Swinging off his horse and handing the reins to a waiting groomsman, James did his best to smile at the man, but, at most, his lips curved into a grimace.

James had not been to a Twelfth Night celebration in too many years to recount. The previous occasions consisted of much merriment provided through vast consumption of food and drink in an inane attempt to bid a fond farewell to festivities of the Christmas season before returning to the daily activities of the rest of winter.

From the sounds of laughter and music escaping from the windows, this party promised to be no less of a high-spirited affair than his previous soirees.

James checked his directions just to make sure he was at the right home. After all his years in the Royal Navy, he still found it surprisingly easy to get himself on the guest list to parties. After making a few inquiries, James soon found himself invited to the same party that Julia referenced in her last letter. As he walked into the residence, James was immediately struck by how lavish the home was decorated. Festive songs and general revelry assaulted his ears. But it was the scents of the night that would permeate his memories.

After ridding himself of his cloak into the hands of one of the ever-present servants, James maneuvered amongst the other guests and made his way to the food. Save for trays of hors devours being offered from every possible angle by another wave of ever-present servants, all the food was spread out in a buffet and the presentation was stunning. And while James had been to other parties where the display of the food was the primary entertainment, the hosts of this celebration had outdone themselves.

A culinary pageant, entrées and desserts had been created and were displayed like works of edible art, comparable to fine pieces in a gallery. From what James could tell, the foodstuff looked to be spicy or hot, as if an attempt to keep the cool of the evening away.

'Tis a pity that the food will be consumed by everyone here. Seems almost a waste to eat such beautiful creations. However, I am not one to disappoint when someone has worked so hard in the kitchen…

Grabbing a plate from the nearest stack, James picked a few items that neither smelled pungent nor looked too messy, for her did not want to drive Julia away before he had a chance to be reacquainted with her. After filling the plate some of the provisions, James took up position against a wall, waiting to see if Julia was amongst the crowd.

He did not have long to wait.

A rather frustrated looking Julia led a contingent of men to the buffet, each man tripping over himself to choose food items the object of their affection might find of interest. James nearly laughed aloud as five heaping plates were presented to Julia in unison, much to her chagrin. Even with other partygoers occasionally obscuring his view, James could see the agitation washing over Julia's features as if he were standing right next to her. With a sigh, she picked up an empty plate and took one item from each offered salver. The tight smile she bestowed upon each gentleman never reached her eyes.

Not sure if he reasons were completely self-serving due to a twinge of jealousy suddenly appearing or if he was saving Julia from the hopeful paramours that were vying for attention, but James decided to make his presence known and quietly slid up behind her.

A deep, purring, growl caressed her ear, sending shivers down Julia's spine. "You know, Twelfth Night evolved into what it is from the days of ancient Rome. The Roman Saturnalia was a festival marking the onset of the winter solstice. And you know how the Christians love to incorporate those pagan rituals into their practices…"

Startled, Julia instinctively stiffened, her back ramrod straight. Swallowing hard, it took everything in her power not to spin around and throw herself in James' arms. Fleetingly, she wondered if he could hear her pounding heart that threatened to burst forth from her chest and take flight. Instead, Julia took in a deep lungful of air and turned demurely, to see who had snuck up on her.

Julia had forgotten just how green his eyes were. They bore right through her as James studied even the minutest details of her features. She could not miss his lingering look at the flat of her stomach. Is looking for any telltale signs of a pregnancy that never appeared? Blushing under the intensity of his gaze, Julia nonetheless smiled, a dimple appearing in her cheek. Why would not everyone just go away and give them some privacy? Why would James not speak? Ah, because he spoke first, you silly twit!

"James, what a surprise! What… what are you doing here?" Julia then shook her head, as if clearing thoughts or cobwebs from the far recesses of her mind. "Wait, please, there is no need to answer that. I asked for you to come. I suppose saying that I am happy you are here is pretty self-evident." The look on Julia's face was nearly gleeful and she practically vibrated with pent-up energy. But she did hand her plate to one of her admirers with the explanation, "I know you all will understand that I need to step away. James is an old, dear friend of mine. I have not seen him in far too long." She then tucked her hand into James' elbow and led him to the back veranda.

Gliding over the threshold and stepping onto the back porch, Julia sought a dark corner in which to converse. But she was not the only one with that idea, as several couples had already claimed the darkness for privacy. Privacy for acts that consisted of something other than verbal communication. Her cheeks took on a tinge of pink that was lost in the shadow of night, but a bemused grin curved her lips as she continued down the steps and made her way to the children's swing past the gardens. James followed silently at her side.

They passed the herb garden outside the kitchen and past the flower gardens; James was surprised at how well versed Julia was with the terrain of the property. Passing a small, family cemetery, enclosed with wooden picket fencing, James noted that there were already a few headstones in place. A sad commentary on the life of the colonists in the New World, as the property owners could not have lived there for more than a generation.

Arriving at the swing, Julia was relieved that no one else had the foresight to slip so far out into the darkness. Grasping the rope arms in each hand, Julia walked out a few paces, the seat resting against her belly, and listened to the night sounds. Music and laughter trailed after them, but thinned as the wind rustled in the trees and the crickets sang their songs. The night sky spilled all around them, stars twinkling like a sea of diamonds above them. Julia turned, twisting the arms of the swing behind her, unsure of what to say.

James' voice floated through the night, cutting through Julia's thoughts. "You know the property fairly well."

Julia ducked her head to hide a smile. It would be like James to cut to the chase. "Yes, I have done some doctoring for the slaves that live on this property. No one else will care for them and although I get nothing in return, the slaves have taught me much. Oh, the Winthrop's will pay me for my time, but only as if I was treating the family pets."

Julia watched as James slowly nodded his head. Then a weight of discomfiture blanketed them. Silence stretched out in the night between them until Julia was sure that they would snap in two from the tension. Julia wet her lips with the tip of her tongue as she attempted to articulate an appropriate comment, but James took care of initiating conversation, motioning to the swing. "Sit. If you like, I can push."

Julia shook her head in the negative at his offer, a genuine smile curving her lips. While not exactly how she had envisioned the first time she could be alone with James again, the reality of having James before her was better than any scenario Julia could dream of. "No. You are here. And while I would like nothing more than to act like a silly schoolgirl, swinging into the sky, trying to touch the moon with my toes, we should talk. I just know not where to begin."

James nodded his head, then smiled, the action not quite reaching his eyes. Clasping his hands behind his back lest he take Julia in his arms, James rocked back on his heels, as if contemplative. Nothing had ever been more nerve-wracking than this small talk they were spewing – not even the quiet prior to battle – for he had so much he needed to tell Julia, but James had one comment that he could not keep bottled up. "I cannot hold this in any longer. Jewel, you look exquisite." Julia wore the same dress she was wearing the morning James found her brushing out her hair. However, the garment had been altered into the latest style and into a much deeper neckline. In the moonlight, the dress glowed silver. In the moonlight her alabaster skin glowed with a luminosity that made her look ethereal.

Feeling heat color her cheeks, Julia was grateful for the darkness. Ducking her head, she replied, "James… Thank you. You look…" Julia appraised the man before her, an eyebrow lifted in confusion at the man before her. "You look good. More than good. I…" He was similarly dressed as the day they made port in Nassau. Unlike the other men at the party, James did not wear a powdered wig and instead wore his natural hair tied back with a silk ribbon. Beneath his waistcoat was a white lawn shirt, brand new and French from the looks of it, with wide cuffs turned back, decorated with braid and ornate buttons. A cravat was jauntily tied at his throat. Breeches, embellished with the same trim as his shirt, slipped into the tops of his boots.

Looking at James made Julia's heart skip a beat, so she broke eye contact and slipped away from the swing and made her way to a bench that had been obscured from his vision by the darkness.

Bloody Hell, he was burning to pull her into his arms and then sink to her ground with her beneath him! He slowly trailed behind Julia, but when she was ensconced on the seat, with plenty of room for him to join Julia, James found himself unable to sit. To distract himself from his raging desires, James began to slowly pace.

The cold metal of the bench seeped through the fabric of her skirt, raising goosebumps on her arms. Absently rubbing her arms through the sleeves of her dress, Julia was startled when James' coat was placed on her shoulders. "Thank you. I thought tonight would be warmer." Without the coat, James looked more dashing, despite appearing less formal – and Julia could not stop the sudden intake of breath she needed. Nor the naked roaming of her gaze across his form. She only hoped the darkness would provide her some cover for acting so wanton.

James smiled. It was rather amusing at how they were holding each other at arms length despite wishing to do otherwise. And the gratitude that reflected in her eyes warmed him more than any coat would that evening. "I thought tonight would be cooler, so we even each other out."

Both waited for the other to continue the conversation and the silence stretched out into the darkness.

Expelling a frustrated sigh, James growled out, "Jewel, we are back to small talk. And this is near on killing me. I want nothing more than to ask what I can do to make you happy. But since that is not proper, I struggle to think of appropriate conversation." He pounded the side of his fist against the trunk of a tree to further emphasize his point.

Ah, they were getting back to familiar territory! Julia smirked up at the captain, a twinkle in her eye. "And since when have we been proper?"