Honestly, I thought I'd update earlier than that ^^". but anyway here is the next chapter :P
Thanks to BrownEyesParker; Amri91; Viviskilener-jisbonist4ever; xanderseye; Kuhlama; Castle38 13Jo (x2); Camille (Aww merci o^^o. P&P est l'un de mes livres préférés et le parallèle avec les personnages était trop flagtant pout le laisser passer *-*. Oui on apprendra plus sur le passé de Lisbon, peut-être un apparition du père -à voir dans un prochain chapitre. L'histoire en générale suivra le fil du livre, mais puique j'utilise les peronnages de Mentalist, il y aura des petits chagements ^^". En attendant, j'espère que tu aimeras ce chapitre et merci pour le review :D) for their reviews! (also for some reason I fell I have replied twice to some reviews or not replied at all...if it's the case, I apologize ^^")
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
6
Lisbon opened her eyes. And frowned. The shadows of the room looked unfamiliar and the bed missed the usual warmth generated by her cousin. One blink later, she remembered she was in Rigsby's mansion, in the bedroom he had provided her about a week ago. At first, she had wanted to stay near Grace. Her cousin had never been this sick and leaving her side was painful; moreover, the two young women were used to share a bed. But Rigsby would hear none of it and demanded she occupied the bedroom adjacent to Grace's.
The young woman rubbed her eyes and glanced around. Given the non-existent light through the curtains, the sun had yet to rise. Odd, she thought, why would she wake up so early? She usually slept well through the night.
Thump, thump, thump.
Lisbon sat up straight and looked around. What was…
Thump, thump, thump.
She closed her eyes and listened more carefully. Muffed footsteps echoed in the corridor, quickly passing by her door and disappearing. The young woman bit her lower lip in wonder; who was out there? was it a resident or an undesirable visitor? Had somebody sneaked within the walls of the house, or was Mr Rigsby, Mr Jane or Miss Sophie or someone among the servants taking a late tour?
Curiosity got the best of her. She stepped out of bed, picked up her dressing gown, put some slippers on and silently walked towards the door. Nothing could be heard on the other side. Lisbon sneaked in the corridor and glanced around. Listened carefully. The footsteps were fading on her left. Taking a deep breath, she followed quietly, praying the intruder was indeed from the household.
The corridors were pitch dark and she had to brush the wall to make sure she wouldn't run into something on the way. In spite of the situation, the young woman chuckled; in her younger years, she used to sneak out in the middle of the night for an excursion through her father's manor. Those expeditions had lead to many discoveries for a seven years old girl and were her fondest memories as a child…
The sound of footsteps suddenly got more distinct. As she approached a new intersection, Lisbon peeked carefully from the corner. She spotted a straight silhouette walking ahead, barely lightened by a faint candlelight. The person didn't appear particularly nervous or trying to hide his or her presence; just trying not to wake up the other inhabitants. Narrowing her eyes, the young woman noted the masculine silhouette, still dressed up in daily clothes, fair or blonde hair...
Unexpectedly, the man stopped and turned around. Lisbon hurried back towards a previous intersection and hid behind the wall. She breathed slowly in and out, trying to control the rhythm of her heartbeat.
"Who is there?"
Her pulse accelerated as she quickly retreated; she had recognized Jane's voice and knew that if he discovered her there, following him, he might get the wrong idea. Of course, her inquisitions had been triggered by mere curiosity; but she suspected he would not understand her nosiness.
The young woman clumsily accelerated pace, guiding herself by brushing the wall again. Arriving at another intersection, she cursed inwardly. How could she have forgotten Rigsby's manor was such a maze? Her steps had not leaded her to more than two crossroads and this was the third. Had she taken a wrong turn in her haste? A hand suddenly caught her wrist and twisted her backwards. Before she could utter a word, Lisbon found herself pinned back against the closest wall.
An angry face stood inches of hers, so close she could almost count the gray hairs in the black mustache. His skin was sweaty and his breath smelt like alcohol. His hand was gripping her forearm so tight it brought tears to her eyes.
"Useless little scum" he hissed. "You can't even play a tune properly!"
"Miss Lisbon?"
The young woman blinked. The angry face faded and was replaced by Jane's half-lightened one. Surprise and worry mixed in his eyes as he scanned her carefully.
"Are you all right?"
It took Lisbon a few seconds to realize she was shaking. She looked away and hugged herself. A chill ran through her spine. When has the air turned so cold? Getting out of her room had been a very bad idea. The faint flame lightening the corridor reminded her she was not alone, and that the man was still waiting for an answer.
"Yes, sir" she eventually whispered.
Her breathing had returned to normal and she felt calmer. The young woman took advantage of her momentary recovery to register new information; Jane was still fully dressed, shirt and vest on –although a little crumpled. The circles under his eyes suggested he had been sleeping until shortly and the book stuck under his arm he had been reading. Perhaps he had dozen off in the library; she vaguely remembered him heading there after diner.
"May I inquire the reason of your presence, so late in the corridors?"
Lisbon managed to raise her face defiantly and stared at him:
"I heard noises." she declared, her voice stronger than before. "I wanted to figure out where they came from."
Much to her surprise, Jane simply nodded and asked:
"And I suppose those noises happened to be me walking in the corridors."
There was a hint of accusation in his tone. Lisbon frowned at him, feeling the usual rise of annoyance when he was challenging her. Even though the man had the right to suspect her reasons to be out at this time of the night, especially alone, she would not let him make assumptions. Who knew what thoughts were crossing that man's head?
"As a matter of fact it did" she replied firmly. "I heard someone walking in the corridor and wanted to verify this person's identity. I apologize if I happened to startle you."
He replied nothing and kept observing her in silence. After a few moments of intense staring during which she held his gaze, Jane smiled:
"All right" he said cheerfully. "Shall I accompany you back to your room since you have not taken a light?"
Lisbon nodded and both moved, ignoring the awkward atmosphere that had just settled. None of them talked the few minutes it took to return to the right room. When she recognized the corridor, the young woman assured Jane she could manage on her own from there. The man insisted to walk her till the end and once at the door...
"Now, shall I have my reward?"
Lisbon's hand stopped over the handle and she stared at him in disbelief.
"Your reward?"
"I guided you back in the middle of the night. I dare think I have deserved a kiss for the trouble."
"A kiss?" she repeated in disbelief. Was the man serious?
The flame of his candle accentuated the lines of his smiling eyes and the large grin spreading over his face.
"Quite a small price for the service I offered" Jane affirmed.
Lisbon snorted.
"Have you not been wandering in the corridors, I would have never followed you."
The man's smile grew wider and he took a step closer.
"But have you not been curious, I would not have to rescue you" he whispered so gently she barely heard him. "Therefore, I shall claim my reward."
Before Lisbon could reply or move, he gently held her chin between his index and thumb, lowered his head and brushed the corner of her mouth.
The young woman felt her cheeks burning and at the same time, an urgent need to shove him away. Her hands tightened into fists to avoid their shaking. Various feelings crossed her mind, sensations ran through her body. A gentle shiver. Warmth. And...fear. Lisbon pulled back like a scared animal, hurried inside and locked the door behind. Her heartbeat was racing, her temples beating in her ears and her hands were slightly trembling when she leaned back against the door.
No man had ever...touched her that way. While women touching didn't bother her, Lisbon had always been very aware of men. Her father...
She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Most of her life, her father was the only man she had any real close interaction with. And while he claimed he loved them; it didn't stop him from hurting them. Julie was just a baby and the twins too young to remember, but she would never forget. Peter Lisbon was the reason she knew she would remain unmarried.
Footsteps faded in the distance. Jane was leaving. The young woman raised her fingers over the spot his lips had touched her skin. It was warm and ticklish. She shook her head and walked to the bed. Hopefully, sleep would come quick and the next morning, she could pretend the last events were just a dream.
-G&M-
Unfortunately, Lisbon did not forget a single thing. If not, after all the memory felt more vivid and embarrassing. The man had dallied around her and not only she had proved herself unable to handle the situation, but she had also fled without a word to thank him for walking her back. As she headed downstairs to take her breakfast, she wondered how she would be able to face him without blushing. But Mr Jane was mercifully absent that morning, and the young woman spent the rest of the morning keeping company to her cousin.
In the early afternoon though, her luck ceased. Since Grace had fallen back asleep, Lisbon decided to head to the library to pick up a book but alas, the place was already occupied. Jane was sitting in front of a desk on the corner, writing a letter. Sophie was sitting next to him and desperately trying to get his attention by praising the neatness of his handwriting. Rigsby was sitting in a couch nearby, eyeing the pages of a book boringly. The moment she crossed the threshold, the master of the house asked with a hint of desperation:
"Would you indulge a game of cards, Miss Lisbon?"
The young woman bit back a laugh; obviously, the man had been extremely bored the last moments.
"Thank you for the invitation Mr Rigsby, but I must decline" she replied, trying hard not to smirk at his disappointment.
"Wayne is fidgeting on his seat" Jane started without detaching his eyes from his activity "Because I promised I would accompany him for a ride later this afternoon. But do not worry, you won't have enough time to finish your game; I shall soon be done with my letter and ready to go."
The blonde's voice made her tense but thankfully no-one noticed. There was nothing in his tune that indicated he was particularly annoyed or angry, but Lisbon couldn't gather enough courage to glance in his direction. She picked up a book that title sounded interesting, sat in a couch and started to read. The room was quiet enough, but extremely tense. Between Rigsby fidgeting on his seat, the sharp scratching of Jane's pen on the paper and Sophie's occasional praises, Lisbon felt like running out of the place.
"You have such an elegant handwriting Mr Jane. And you write so fast..."
"I must confess you are wrong, Miss Sophie" the blond replied imperturbably. "My 'writing' is rather slow."
"I wish my brother handled such elegance in his letters" Sophie added bitterly, narrowing her eyes at the tall man. "I always have a hard time understanding him." Her tone suddenly softened when she addressed back to Jane: "This is absolutely not your case Mr Jane. Could you tell your sister how much I miss her?"
Lisbon was not sitting close, but she still felt the annoyance irradiating from the man. She vaguely wondered why Jane bothered to bear her behavior, especially since she obviously irritated him. Perhaps he kept his mouth shut in regards towards her brother?
"I already did earlier" he replied calmly, and the dark-haired admired his calmness. "And yes, I mentioned how impressed you were with her progresses in horse-riding and thanked her for the teashop she advised you to try in Sacramento. I will also add you are eager to meet her again after I mend this pen."
Sophie started to reach for the said object.
"Please let me..."
Jane turned slightly away from her.
"I would rather do it myself in case I accidentally break it for good" he said very cordially. "I will be the only one to blame then."
The blonde woman made a small unladylike sound before a comprehensive smile returned on her face. To Lisbon, the show was now extremely distracting, especially watching Jane's face. His expression would not change much, but sometimes slip long enough to reveal his true feelings. Sophie, oblivious to his annoyance, continued her praise when he concentrated on his paper once again.
"I am sure Brooke will be delighted to read from you. Your letters are always long and captivating."
This time, Jane did not bother answering and sensing she had lost his interest for good, the blond woman stood up and headed towards Lisbon.
"You have been sitting a long time" she started on a sugary tone. "Would you like to join me for a walk?"
The younger woman smiled and denied her request very politely. She had no intention of entering Sophie's little plan to parade in front of Jane, even if her legs were indeed starting to fall asleep. The older woman sent her a glare before sitting in another couch and started reading in turn. From the corner of the eyes, the brunette saw the object of her attention smirk in amusement. She knew then that Sophie had no chances of winning the man's heart. His only pleasure seemed to be mocking people and she doubted anyone would manage to handle it through a lifetime, even if he was making efforts to .
"Miss Lisbon?" Rigsby suddenly spoke up, making the young woman jump in surprise -she had almost forgotten his presence. "Is Miss Van Pelt recovering?"
She smiled, please that he looked concerned for her cousin.
"Her state has improved; I dare say we will be able to leave before the end of the week."
Rigsby's face fell in disappointment, Sophie had a hard time hiding her happiness -Lisbon suspected her dislike of her supplanted her affection for her cousin, and Jane kept writing expressionlessly.
"Do not hesitate to stay longer if she still feels a little weak. I would hate her to fall ill again."
"Do not worry, Mr Rigsby" Lisbon replied, nearly laughing at the hint of hope she perceived in his voice. "Grace knows her limits. She will not try to overwork, especially if she feels weak."
Her words seemed to reassure the tall man. Soon enough, Jane finished his letter and called his butler to post it. The two gentlemen left for a horse riding, Sophie exited the library claiming she wanted to practice whatever activity and Lisbon returned to her cousin's side, intending to report everything in detail.
-G&M-
The night was well-advanced when Jane woke up. He glanced around him and realized he had fallen asleep in the library couch once again, an opened book on his lap. He shook his head, annoyed, and stood up. Thankfully the candle hadn't completely melt and there was enough wax left to hold till his bedroom.
This was the third night he had fallen asleep in the library. Jane sighed again; he would have to be more careful. If Rigsby heard where he spent the first part of the night, the tall man would definitively keep him under surveillance or make sure he was in his room at decent hour. The blonde smirked and shook his head. What he had done to earn Wayne's loyalty and friendship, he still wondered. And speaking of loyalty...
He stopped in front of Van Pelt's bedroom and stared at the door. Despite not having engaged a conversation with the young woman, Jane had a pretty good idea of the redhead's mindset. Gentle, loving, good-natured and probably many more qualities. A perfect match for his friend. The blonde snorted. Oh he doubted strongly Grace Van Pelt was deceiving them; given Miss Lisbon's obvious fondness for her, the redhead had a kind heart. He was more worried about Rigsby's behavior towards her and the young lady's mother, Rebecca Van Pelt. Many times, his friend had fallen or grown attached to women with ill-defined intentions, but Miss Van Pelt was the first to rise such interest in him. He would have to wait until meeting the young woman face-to-face to draw his own conclusions, but he was quite sure the main threat laid with Mrs Van Pelt and her matchmaking schemes.
His eyes fell on the next door. Lisbon's bedroom. He took a few steps and stopped in front of it. For a second, he was tempted to knock, see if she was awake, waiting to hear some noise again to wander in the corridors. The previous night, when he realized he was being followed by a woman, he had first thought Sophie had crossed the line and was ready to tell her off once and for all. But his surprise was complete when he caught the small dark-haired young woman instead.
Lisbon was then shaking, fear in her eyes. Jane had imagined her reaction was due to the surprise of being caught, but afterthought, he knew her mind had gone elsewhere. Despite his lack of interest in the region, he still heard the rumors running around, especially concerning the story of the Lisbon family...
A drop of wax fell on his finger, waking him up from his reverie. Jane brushed the solidifying liquid away before moving on.
Surprised he had been indeed. But, he had to admit, also intrigued. The reason that had pushed her to follow him in the corridors? Curiosity she had claimed. And if it hadn't been for the determined and defiant glint in her eyes, he might have not believed her. Women had tempted him in the middle of the night before, 'accidentally' meeting him in front of his bedroom door in their nightgown. The thought of Lisbon been one of them disgusted him greatly, especially since he admitted having a little...weakness for her.
Who could blame him? The woman was intelligent, well-behaved, yet passionate -she could easily argue with him without completely loosing her temper in front of her host- and very attractive. And he, Patrick Jane, had never been one to deny the beauty of things -or in this case, women. The previous night, Lisbon probably hadn't realized it, but her nightgown had undone itself slightly during her hasty retreat and exposed the pale skin and delicate line of her collarbone. For a brief moment, Jane wondered if he would have turned her offer down if she had been intending to seduce him...
The thought barely crossed his mind that his right hand reached for his ring finger. Vacant. The man closed his eyes and pushed away any troublesome thoughts threatening to appear. His grip over the chandelier became firmer and he resolved himself to walk to his own bedroom. Hopefully, he would manage to finish his night this time.
Let me know if this rules or really sucks :P
And thank you for reading so far :)