Heya people! I know it has been a while since I've update this one (months…if not a year? I'm way too ashamed to check the dates -_-") Anyway, since I have loooots of time ahead (hopefully the mortician shop won't be invaded this week) updates should show up sooner. I've also rewritten some parts of the previous chapters, so if you want to check them too...it has been a while "=.=
Thanks to Iloveplotbunnies ; Frogster; lea; chocolatefan; veshier; Irises4ever; Jisbon4ever; 13 Jo; raquelvalente91; FindingTheSilverLining; allthelostfluffies; AlissaRose; Nekamille for their reviews, and thanks for the alerts and favourite too :3
Disclaimer: if I owned Mentalist or P&P, I wouldn't have to worry about my bank account and I'd be very, very old. Unfortunately and fortunately, I am neither :P Mistakes are mine, but hope you'll enjoy this (won't blame you if you don't ;3)
Glare and Mockery
3.
The ballroom was larger than he though, Jane mused as he walked into the grand hall. Crowded, as he expected, filled with people from almost every rank he could hope finding in these countryside environment. The music stopped at their arrival, and they suddenly became the centre of attention. Rigsby's back straightened so fast it almost made the blond man chuckled. The discomfort his friend was currently feeling wasn't necessary though, Jane knew it wouldn't last anyway. The tall man was too much of a party man to remain uncomfortable around people very long.
On their way up to meet the organiser of the party, he couldn't help but discreetly scan thoughtfully the people around him. Everyone was trying to catch a glimpse of the newcomers, and he could already hear whispers and theories running on their reputation. The man felt the urge to snort. People would always be peopling; being curious and nosy and cruel in their own way. Jane knew that within the hour, his rising popularity due to his good looks would soon be beaten by his friend's joviality and good-nature. Perhaps he should just wait until the taller man had integrated the community to leave for whatever pretext. No-one would miss him afterwards anyway.
A flicker of dark in the crowd suddenly caught his attention. A petite young woman was glancing at them with difficulties, half-hidden behind a taller woman, her eyes seeming to scan the newly arrived. No malice in her features though, so her curiosity must be genuine, he supposed. It seemed like this countryside had less visitors than he originally thought. And if the rumour spread that both he and Rigsby were single…the free time the man had thought gaining by renting a house here would be just a waste of money. He looked away, suddenly aware he was staring longer than necessary and focused on the small, rounded man cheerfully greeting them.
"Welcome to the ball" Mr Lucas said with a restrained, yet genuine smile on his face.
The violins returned to their energetic melodies, dancers returned to their dances, and chatters returned to spreading new rumours. Sooner than he thought, a dark-haired woman popped out of nowhere, half-dragging two others behind her, and a third one following with a light smirk on her face. He soon realised one of them was the petite woman he had spotted in the crowd earlier. She didn't seem very enthusiastic by her position, yet didn't dare slip away from her mother's claws. No, not mother. Relatives, but not mother. Her aunt perhaps?
"Good evening Mr Lucas" the older woman said on a fast, impetuous and determined tone. Jane identified her genre immediately. She was the kind of woman wanting to marry her daughters to ensure them a comfortable living, and would not rest in peace till that goal had been attained. Not that he blamed her much; she was doing it for her children, not herself. Or not much for herself.
The older man blinked and remained speechless a second before coming back to his senses.
"Oh, good evening Mrs Van Pelt" he said before turning towards his guests. "May I introduce you to Mr Minelli's second daughter, Mrs Rebecca Van Pelt" the dark-haired woman bowed politely. Jane immediately took note of the family ascendance. She was Mr Grumpy-and-Moody's descendent so the two younger women were Minelli's granddaughters. Dully noted.
"Her daughter, Miss Grace Van Pelt" the tall redhead bowed gracefully in turn. "Her niece, Miss Teresa Lisbon, and my daughter…." So he was right, the dark-haired younger woman wasn't related directly…or so to say, to the dark-haired older one…
Funny, since…Miss Lisbon -was it?- looked more like Rebecca Van Pelt than Grace Van Pelt resembled her mother. They had the same hair obviously, but some of the features…while Miss Van Pelt's were soft and refined, Miss Lisbon's were sharper –especially the line of her jaw at some angle- but the shape of her nose, the small mouth and the freckles spread over her face made up for that little detail and gave her an extremely feminine aspect. According to her silhouette, thin yet not skinny, and her demeanour, he bet she spent most of her time outside. He imagined perfectly the tomboy she would be with untied hair and a more…aggressive expression. Quite alluring and attractive picture, Jane couldn't help but thing with an inside grin.
Deeply lost in thoughts, he barely realised Mr Lucas was introducing them to the women and bowed right in time. A few seconds later, his mask was fully set and his mind and mouth ready for some witty remark. If this Rebecca Van Pelt decided to draw her claws and praise her daughter and niece's greatnesses, he would be there to counter.
-G&M-
Thankfully in Lisbon's mind, meeting the two men didn't last very long. Mr Rigsby seemed to be immediately smitten with Grace, and Jane hadn't said a word, merely stared at her so creepily she had decided to run to her friend's safety. Mandy welcomed her return warmly and both returned in the dancing crowd. Later, they were both into a deep discussion when Lisbon spotted Jane and Rigsby talking a little apart. She turned quiet, turned between overhearing their conversation or ignoring them. The former impulse won.
"Why don't you dance with one of the lovely ladies around? Maybe Miss Lisbon? I heard numerous positive comments about her. She is no doubt agreeable, cool and calm and as a bonus, quite good-look…"
"You're dancing with the most charming creature around, Wayne" Jane cut dryly. "And I don't want my shoes to be walked on, thank you."
I don't walk on shoes! Lisbon thought indignantly. Mandy, who was listening next to her, open her eyes wide at the man's words.
"Go back to the delightful Miss Van Pelt instead of trying to cheer me up. You're wasting your time with me my friend."
The blessing given, Rigsby flew back to Grace immediately. Jane, turned to greet another guest and put up his amiable façade, which would be destroyed within minutes again. Lisbon glared at the man with an indignant look before her attention was caught by Mandy.
"See the good side of the thing" she said tentatively. "If he liked you, you'd have to bear his mockeries all evening. I heard Mrs Dawson wondering how such a handsome man could be so rude and taunting. I know that old harpy doesn't like many people, but given what I overheard from his conversations…"
Lisbon sighed and nodded. The last thing she needed tonight was to start a scandal for a few displaced words.
"Don't worry Mandy, I won't lower myself into turning irritated with that man. You heard Mr Rigsby, right? Cool and calm, that's me" she added with a wink. Mandy chuckled and nodded in understanding.
A little later, the young woman was invited by a boy for a new dance, and Lisbon stood against the wall to catch her breath. She noted then Jane was standing a few feet away from her, alone as well, for Sophie had apparently deserted him to join her brother. After a short hesitation, Lisbon decided she could still try to start a conversation with him. Even if the man seemed to be the mocking type, it didn't mean he was basically mean or hurtful on purpose. She would give him the benefice of the doubt and put his earlier words on the account of tiredness and a way to chase his friend away.
"Do you dance Mr Jane?"
"Not if I can avoid it."
The clear, slightly mocking tune in his voice turned the glint of annoyance up. Lisbon snorted not so elegantly and narrowed her eyes at him. Her last ounce of pity had just evaporated.
"No need to be so rude, sir. I wasn't about to request to put your talents into practice right now."
The blond man raised his brows in genuine surprise and stared back at her. The bluest eyes she had even seen seemed to pierce through her own, and she felt he could have access to all her private thoughts -which, she admitted to herself, would have been quite humiliating at the very moment.
"Oh really?" Jane replied with that same teasing, frustratingly annoying amused tone. "What is the purpose of asking someone his level in this matter right now if you were not intending to suggest a dance?"
Lisbon tightened her fists to avoid the impulse of raising her hand for a forceful encounter with his cheek when he grinned cockily.
"I am truthfully sorry to disappoint you Miss Lisbon, but I never wanted to come over at first place. Do not expect me to play the perfect guest tonight."
"Then perhaps you could show some manners instead of entertaining yourself on other's behalf" she snapped back before hissing on a lower tone: "Plus, I don't remember walking on anyone's foot tonight."
The man blinked and, to her surprise, chuckled amusingly.
"So, not only you have a hard time controlling your temper –no need to deny Miss Lisbon, you are dying to punch me, it is written in your eyes- but are you also proud and oversensitive?"
"And do you need to point out every little detail you read in your neighbour's eyes? I don't believe this is the best way to make friends."
"Sorry to disappoint you again then, Miss Lisbon, because I have no intention of making friends. As I expected, no-one really appeared to be interesting enough to entertain me tonight."
The young woman narrowed her eyes at him. A few people around quietened and glanced at their exchange. He ignored them. His only centre of attention right now was the pretty infuriated Lisbon. She was more fun to tease than he had first expected.
"If no-one is interesting enough in your eyes" she snapped dryly "Why don't you just go back in town to hide from too humble people like ourselves? Good-bye Mr Jane."
Just as she started to step away, he caught her arm gently to stop her. Lisbon turned back and sent him her best glare. Jane released his grasp slowly, startled by such a fierce reaction from such a small woman.
"Do you wish for an apology?" he asked coolly, trying not to get lost in these wonderful, sparkling green eyes.
"You won't mean it" she retorted dryly. Jane couldn't help smirking again.
"I won't indeed, but let me at least compliment you on your behaviour. Completely unladylike. Are you sure to be the Teresa Lisbon, so cool and calm I heard about? You rather seemed to be her evil twin."
"Jackass" she snorted before walking away, even more frustrated now. Not only was that man proven to be rude and disrespectful, he also showed his sweet tendencies for mocking and getting under her skin. She officially hated people like this.
On his side, Jane's gaze didn't leave the petite woman's figure walking out. He barely paid attention to Sophie, who had come back sometime during the conversation, trying to catch his attention, too caught up in the memory of her shinning, pride-wounded eyes. He had been definitively wrong when he had thought and claimed earlier that no-one would catch his attention tonight. Teresa Lisbon was a little phenomenon he definitively did not regret encountering. Perhaps he should stay at Rigsby's house for a while. He did need fresh air after all…
-G&M-
The party had ended late enough and all women had returned to their house. When Lisbon and Van Pelt went to bed, none of them was ready to sleep yet. The dark-haired young woman had a hard time getting out of her festive mood, and her cousin seemed to be distracted. It didn't take long before Lisbon realised she was daydreaming. As they lay down on the mattress, she couldn't help but tease the redhead:
"So, who is the lucky fellow you've been thinking about all night?"
Van Pelt blushed lightly, and Teresa continued on the same amused tone.
"Let me guess…he is tall, dark-haired, and had just arrived in town…"
The redhead smiled softly, knowing there was no use in hiding such information from her cousin and best friend.
"Wayne is a good man" she admitted. He is polite and gentle…"
"And he's handsome and awfully rich" Lisbon added teasingly. "Good catch Grace, Aunt Rebecca will be thrilled."
The redhead slapped her cousin playfully on her shoulder before sighing.
"He doesn't see me like this, Teresa, be barely met!"
"But he spent half of his time dancing with you and kept staring you the rest. I am sorry Grace, but I think he was completely besotted the moment he laid his eyes on you. Believe me; Aunt Rebecca is going to do everything to marry you with such a rich man. The fact he has a pretty face and does not seem completely stupid is just an added bonus."
Grace sighed at her cynicism.
"You should try to see things from a more emotional level sometimes. Not everything in this world is about goods and money."
The brunette shrugged and curled more into her covers.
"No-one will ever manage to put up with me, and I will never surrender to a man" she replied on a determined voice. Despite loving their mother, Peter Lisbon had never really been soft or gentle with her. Lisbon knew not all men were the same as her father –her other aunt, Rosalind and her husband Roy were a good example of a happily married couple. But the years of fear she had to go through…never again. Grace knew this, and it was perhaps a reason why she didn't try to stop her from talking; they had had this conversation this many times. The brunette glanced at her cousin. "I will end up old maid Grace. Something really bad would have to happen if I one day get married."
"Or you will have fallen in love" the redhead suggested, shifting position. "Teresa, promise me you won't lose hope into finding someone you will love and share your life with. Not every man is evil."
The brunette snorted.
"And you see goodness everywhere my dear Grace." Lisbon took her cousin's hand and squeezed it. "You will end up heartbroken if you don't stop believing every man is naturally good."
"Every being possess some kindness inside. Though I admit Mr Jane does not belong to that list. I mean, mocking everyone in the room and the way he spoke to you…"
The picture of the man appeared clearly in her mind. While his attractive face and blond curls fascinated at first sight, the illusion was completely destroyed as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Oh, dear Mr Jane" Teresa snorted. "Yeah, perhaps he should fall from his mightily pedestal and take a walk among people like us. I wouldn't have felt so…insulted if he had let me be. But he had to open his mouth and go on. Oh well, it is not like we are going to come across him soon. Apparently no-one is interesting in his eyes…"
She didn't pick up the faint smile on Grace's lips.
"And even though it kills me to admit he had brains and retorts, he is just an insufferable rude man" the dark-haired went on grumbling. "I can't guarantee his pretty face will save him each time. I hope I will never come across him ever again or I will not be held responsible for my actions."
The redhead merely nodded and hoisted herself on her elbow to blow off the candle. Lisbon continued to pester about the blond man a little while before saying 'good night' and closing her eyes. In Grace's mind though, it was obvious that despite being rude, Mr Jane had caught her cousin's attention.
Thank you for reading so far! And hopefully, next update won't take so long :P