Jade (Chapter Two)
The sun shone through my open window, it took me a second to realise that I had closed the window the night before, I jerked into an upright sitting position, waking Snow from her sleep, I called out for my Nurse and she came in with some extra pillows and a fresh blanket for Snow's bed, “just airing your room out Jade, hope the sun didn't wake you, I can close it again if you like” I shook my head and relieved I sighed. I shuffled out of bed and looked at what I was going to wear for the day, before another banquet, another parade, another turn of being the ornament, but for the moment I was going to wear a deep sapphire blue dress, long sleeves, and a high neckline, it was one of the most beautiful day clothes I ever owned. The day was quite beautiful, and I hurried Nurse to brush my hair and to pin it to the side so that the curls would hang off my right shoulder, my parasol waiting for me was at my door, and I took Snow for a walk, unchaperoned, quite a brilliant feeling, from the constrictive rules of society and the chore of being proper. So through the fields I walked Snow, at my side her brown fur becoming dusty as she rolled through the grass. I knew that she was enjoying herself from the way she barked and the way she chased the butterflies, jumping up to play with them. I kept walking until I got to my little lake, a large stone chair had been carved for me, and I sat there contemplating whether it was worth the risk to get caught swimming in the blue water. A shadow crossed over my sight, and a clearing of a throat made me turn around. Brian stood there and smiled down at me, I nodded my head and returned his smile, motioning for him to take a seat next to me. I smiled, pretending his presence in my sanctuary was welcomed, I came here to be alone. Snow bounded over to me, picking her up I allowed her to play with the frills on the parasol. “Lord Brian, why are you here without a chaperon?” I asked him suddenly aware that we were alone, two high class children like ourselves were never allowed to be in the same place without a chaperon. He shrugged “father was visiting, and I thought I saw you walking... I just thought you may have wanted company. I can leave if you want” I shook my head, “there is no need, Brian” he nodded awkwardly, and we sat in silence. Brian and I talked, awkwardly at first asking simplistic questions, each of us hoping that we would not end up hating each other, but as the sun started to rise high in the sky and the hours rolled by, we were talking like we were on fire, he was more intelligent then I could ever hope to be, as was fitting for a young man of his status, after all he was to become Lord of a large estate one day. He was very eager to talk about everything and nothing. We told each other our first memories, our hurts, our pains, our loves, we talked for hours, and we were becoming friends, he was sweeter then I had initially thought, and his presence in my sanctuary was not unpleasant, as I first thought. The sun was slowly setting on our conversation and we were saying our goodbyes, Brian stood first, giving him my hand he kissed it, a tingle of excitement sped up my arm and I wriggled my fingers, he smiled and straightened, the sun shining on his smile, a shadow crossed over us, his smile dimmed, I turned to see my father frowning at us, I hastily shook his hand off of mine as I was asked “Jade, what is the meaning of this? Where is your chaperon?” I curtsied and stayed silent, trying to think of an answer that would not arouse suspicion to any indecencies that he thought might have occurred, I was about to answer when Brian stood up and informed my father that it was he not I who was to be blamed, “Sorry sir, I was taking a walk when I saw your daughter hurt her ankle, I was just making sure she was alright, Snow was growling at me the whole time, I was just leaving to come and get you-” My father held is hand up to stop Brian's ramble. I just stared at my shoes, unable to believe someone could lie to my father. Brian left as soon as he was dismissed, he looked back once to grin at me, as if he was the bravest man alive, and not the stupidest. Father held out his arm for me to take and he walked me back to the house, announcing that Louise and Mary-Anne were waiting for me, and that there was to be a banquet tonight, and I was to look my best, I smiled at him, dropping me off at my room he hurried me inside kissing me on the forehead, and smiled at me “my beautiful daughter, I only want what is best for you” and with that he turned on his heel and marched away, I closed the door putting the parasol next to the door and making sure Snow wasn't under my feet as I twirled towards my bed, I lunged for my pillow and the note underneath. Re-reading it I smiled, I hid it hurriedly as my door burst open, only to see it was my friends. They screamed in happiness and jumped onto my bed laughing, I bid them be quiet, and showed them the letter, but making them swear an oath not to mention the letter to anyone. They read it and burst into giggles “Oh, Jade has a secret admiror” we all giggled then. “Who do you think it's from?” “I'm not sure” “Come one Jade! Sure you do” Louise said “Well, I think it was Lord Brian...” “Really? I wouldn't have thought him to be romantic enough” Louise again “Louise! Shh” Mary-Anne exclaimed, we laughed at her “I bet it was that Lord Thornton, he seems charming enough, cheeky enough” “I don't know” I replied, we all laughed again loudly. Nurse hurried in seconds later and I shoved the letter back to it's hiding place, raising an eyebrow at us she shook her head, and laid four of my best dresses on the bed, red, green, purple and black. I immediately shook my head at the green dress, I was not able to stand the colour any more, I shook my head at the black after a long pause, and after much debate with Mary-Anne and Louise about the colour of all of our dresses, I picked the red. It was a slim cut bodice with a long skirt and a slight train, the neckline cutting straight across the top of my bosoms, the sleeves were thin, and it had a great collar that stood up on end, the two girls left for a separate rooms so they too could get ready, I looked in the mirror, and sat down, waiting for Nurse to help me start getting ready. She appeared with a long set of gloves and a hair brush, she quickly pinned my hair back, as I pawed through the jewels in front of me, finally selecting a diamond necklace, which sat just above the the cut of the dress. Putting on as little makeup as I could get away with, I started to walk towards my door, Nurse following behind me. The door opened as I reached for the handle, Mary-Anne, Louise, and with a chaperon, Brian stood there, all smiling at me, Brian reached for my hand smiling, returning the smile, I let him drag me away from my room and into the dining hall. The two girls following behind us, giggling quietly. We were seated next to each this time and away from the political talk of the adults, Mary- Anne and Louise sat near us along with a few other of my female friends,a few more gentlemen were sitting around us too, Brian and I did not speak but we just smiled at each other, once dinner was served and everyone became quite fascinated with what they were eating, Brian leaned over to whisper in my ear “you look beautiful” I giggled quietly, until the vacant seat beside me was filled by Lord Thornton. “If the sun did not shine, it would not matter, all one would have to do is look at your beauty and see the truth of the light that you shine, and if the candle called my life was to burn out, the last face I'd want to see and the last voice I'd want to hear... would be yours” Lord Thornton's voice was deep and soft, oozing the sweetest honey, and as each dollop of honeyed words fell onto my head, I shivered, it was not a pleasant feeling, it stirred something inside me that made me shy away from myself and from Lord Thornton. Brian sat there his hand had crept to my knee, and I did not shoo it away. “Lord Thornton, I-” I started to tell him that I did not appreciate his comments, but he put his hand up to interrupt me “William, not Lord Thornton, William” he said I started the next sentence “Lord Thornton, the world does not stop turning just because you enter the room” I turned my back on him and smiled at Brian. Louise laughed manically and Mary-Anne gasped in horror at my abrupt rudeness, but Lord Thornton just laughed, the joyous sound ringing out causing the adults to stop their political talks and stare down at us, my father beaming boomed “Lord Thornton, I'm glad you could make it, you must lead the first dance tonight” William chose me to lead the dance, much to the disgust of Louise, who had been batting her eyelids at him all night. We danced gracefully, his hands guiding me gracefully around the dance floor, a steady beat flowing between us, we were moving together in synchronized movements, a hand signal from William brought the music to a slower tempo, and he pulled me closer, I smiled, he was being thrilling, he starting singing in my ears, making me smile, I looked over at Brian who was fuming. William laughed, and we continued to dance seemingly lost in a dream world. “You don't like me, do you?” the question shook me, and I stumbled over my words trying to think of an answer, I shrugged slightly “it is not that I do not like you Lord Thornton” he nodded and laughed again, smiling he whispered “I disappoint you sometimes though, I'm all charm and no actions right?” I nodded slightly feeling uncomfortable. He asked me if I had talked to my father about his proposal, I shook my head and he spun me around. His head bending closer to mine, “I'll talk to you tonight” A round of applause told us that we had finished our dance, and William kissed my hand and spun out of the room. I stood in the middle of the dance floor, alone. Feeling slightly disappointed that we had finished our dancing, but as I was thinking about how unsatisfied I was feeling, I was swept up by an angry Brian. “What are you doing, talking to him like that?” He quietly seethed “Talking to him how, Lord Brian?” “Like that, I don't know how, making everything seem so much better with him” “Maybe that's because when I dance with him, he doesn't get angry, Lord Brian” Brian stuttered “What?” “Lord Brian, we are not a couple, I can dance and speak to whoever I like, thankyou very much” “Jade... stop calling me Lord Brian, and I didn't mean it like that” I almost started to yell then “Then how did you mean it? Huh? I am just dancing with someone, who happens to be a friend of my father's, just like you are!” I spun away from him and stormed out of the room to the pergola outside. I was so angry at everyone, my heart was pounding high in my chest, making me feel sick to my stomach. I winced as I saw Brian's face in my mind. I paced a bit, and wished that Lord Thornton was there, just so there was someone I could rant and rave at, someone that would sit there and just smile at me, charmingly, annoyingly. I heard my name called, and hoping it was William I turned, only to see Brian, I sighed and sat heavily on the stone bench, “what is it now Brian? If you've come to yell at me, I'd sooner leave” he came and sat silently beside me, reached for my hand and apologized, whispering ever so softly, “I love you”
Copyright © 2009 Chloe L Batey |