The elegant portrait was framed with the richest old gold one's eye would ever meet. Adorned with gleaming sapphires in it laid the outspoken image of the brooding Jedidiah Winston, Founder of the town of Bainbridge. Jane stared at the picture in awe, even in portraits, he still looked dauntingly gorgeous. Grey hair slicked back over the collar of his black vintage suit. His eyes, an outstanding shade of tawny copper that beemed like sunlight piercing through a prism wall. The artist had really done a dazzling job of capturing his essence. Her fingers traced the solidility of the golden frame before giving a shriek of shock due to his unexpected appearance.
'He was legendary', his deep concentrated voice cut through her hurricane of thoughts. Jane turned around, a hand still pressed over her chest as the drum beating of her own heart echoed in her ears. 'Jumpy, are you?', his lips twitched into a formidable smile unable to meet the eye, only slightly tugging on his high tucked cheekbones, a faint dark blush on both sides. Now she wondered, was it the fact that he had given her a little fright that her heart was still poundering drastically against her rib cage or the obvious reason of his dark, brooding awareness and aura of sophisticated masculinity that got her quivering.
Lashes fluttered in shock and disbelief. He might have been the prince of any woman's imaginings. Or the dark angel of her most secret dreams. His hair was as dark as a moonless night and folliced over a face lightly gilded by the soft glow of the hall lights. A face of strong, sharp bones, of firm unsmiling mouth, of haunting male beauty.
He was tall, she had only a sense of height as her head reeled. For he had the eyes of shimmering sunbeams she'd seen before, tawny and gold— Unblinking and intense— Under arched brows as black as his hair; they pierced their way through his moderately tanned skin as they stared into hers, making blood rush hot through her veins. His once smiling mouth had immediately turned firm and his once teasing tone had turned serious when his gaze had locked in hers.
'A legend everyone looked up to, before he'd found Bainbridge, it was just a waste island', He continued.
'I see you've heard much about him', Jane stated in a sweet pitch.
'Heard about him is an understatement', He looked down at her as her head was tilted to the side and her gaze narrowed.
'You knew Sir Jedidiah Winston?', She asked
'oh I knew him alright', was his reply
'In what relation, did you work for him?',
'Yes, something like that'.
'Then you must be one of the very prestigious to have known him',
A small chuckle broke her words off, 'So what I'm hearing is, the poor or middle classed can't be privileged to happen to have met Sir Jedidiah Winston',
'That's not what I said, but you must be somebody to have known him, you're not one of the low classed. I can tell by appearance you know?', it was a reply that was not necessarily rude but what she didn't know was his status on social rankings.
'There is more to one that meets the eye. And what if I was one of the low classed, would we be conservating now', His brows had arched immediately and his eyes got hooded, his expression grimly bitter.
'Excuse me?',
'Exactly, excuse me. I'll be taking my leave now, have a wonderful evening', His tone was harsh; harsh was an understatement. He was practically fuming but was willing to be discreet.
He whirled himself away but Jane held clasps of his arm adorned with the sleeve of his shimmering navy green polyester suit.
'Wait', she said with no hesitation, 'I am gravely sorry if I had offended you with my poor use of words. Obviously humility is greater than status'. She gave a small sigh under her breathe relived to see the change of expression in his body language, 'I'm Lady Jane Winston',
A brow of his lifted and a very small grin tugged on his very thin lips that was practically sworn never to reveal a smile.
'Sir Demetrius Fitzherbert', He slightly pushed his face closer to hers, ' it's an honor to meet you, A Winston in the flesh', He held up her knuckles, gently brushing his lips against it.
'You say it like it's a bad thing',
'You say it like I'm wrong, Isn't that the reason you left for The United States?',
'Wow, you are really straight forward', She winced as she spoke
'and wow, you are really conservative', He said causing her to shamelessly giggle.
There was something about him, he was not like every other men she'd met, he was different, mysterious and not willing to please anyone. Straight forward and outspoken. He seemed to only speak words of wisdom and knowledge. A charmingly arrogant fellow who possed such masculine beauty, broodiness and compelling awareness. He was structured tall and firm with broad shoulders that coverd her entire body.
Hours felt like seconds as both continued to whirl the day away with meander conversations that enlightened their inner senses and at that moment there and then, she knew they had made an instant connection, but she was unsure he had felt it too.
'May I have this dance', she said shamelessly, without any hesitation.
'Isn't it supposed to be the other way around', He asked, a brow arched
she dazed her head, 'May I have this dance, Sir Fitzherbert?,' she was determined never to give up.
****************************************
They walked hand in hand towards the dance hall, the ball room left so quiet you could hear a pin drop, but quiet long enough for the present people at the hall to anticipate the very strange and rare situation as they begun to murmur. But their under breathed words begun to fade as the soft— slow classical music came to life. He bowed and she curtsied. His arms slid around her waist and hers fell placed on the small gap between his collar bone and shoulders.
'One step, feet together, one step, feet together', she begun to whisper under her breath causing Dementruis to wince in confusion.
His voice broke in hard laughter, 'What are you doing',
She continued to watch her feet cautiously, 'I might be a Lady, but I'm not a perfect one. Especially not one who takes dance classes seriously. So I learnt things the hard way and now I murmur when I dance', She said still considering her every movement
'A Winston doesn't know how to dance, that's pathetic considering your mother does everything so much better', he was referring to the beautiful and gracious woman, with auburn curls who was seated next to the Dark headed man, both were glaring at the two now dancing together in distaste.
'her behavior is unremarkable, Beatrice', Alfred was stern as he referred to both Jane and Dementruis
Beatrice sighed, unknowing to what she could say to Alfred to stop him from making a scene
'Do not make a scene Alfred, it's founders day, every prestigious guest at Bainbridge is here. Please do not cause a scandal', Beatrice pleaded.
Stern fingers were placed over Beatrice's shoulders, 'I'll take care of it Lady Beatrice', He bowed, 'Sir Alfred', He said before waltzing over to the dance floor.
'Jane', The voice came from the tall, handsome young man with old goldhair that fell as a maine over a face with deep contours and chiseled jawline crusted with groomed facial air on skin as fair as sunlight.
Jane's moment was frozen in a flash as soon as she saw him stroding towards her, arms opened wide.
She unwillingly released herself from Demetrius, 'Caius', She forced the smile she was now wearing on, hoping he wouldn't hear the dispear in her words. He came closer and she could see from the corner of her eye, Demetrius's blunt, expressionless face. He had crossed the distance between them and was now placing a cold kiss on her knuckles. It felt nothing like the soft, warm, caressing kiss Demetrius had placed on the exact same spot.
'I must say, you do look gorgeous tonight', his cheap compliments meant nothing to her as she was hardly flattered. But she flushed a faint smile to keep the orderliness she'd intended on saving.
'Thank you', was her cold reply
'Come, let us dance M'Lady, This Will indeed be a memorial day', He grasped her arm before she tugged it free. It was with great effort, but she gave a small scoff. Before she spoke,
'I'm here with someone, Sir Caius. we were just dancing together—', she turned to see, to see if Demetrius could say something to save her the dispear, but to her awful surprise, he was...gone. No where around, to be precise, No where to be found.
'He was just here', she spoke under her breath as she grimaced. Without giving her the time to anticipate Demetrius's sudden disappearance, Caius had grabbed her by the arm, leading her to the center of the dance floor. It was a long, dreadful and cold dance in which Both Caius and Jane danced but only one of the parties enjoyed it as Jane's attention deviated elsewhere in search of Demetrius. But he wasn't there, it was like he'd vanished into thin air. No that couldn't be right, her minds words uttered. Her gaze veered towards her parents, Her mother was wearing her usual kind smile and sulky green eyes as she saw that Jane was now with Caius. Her father, Alfred, had no change in his expression. As brooding and focused as Jedidiah and.... well, Demetrius.
'Jane, where's your mind at', Caius beseeched breaking through her clouded thoughts. She needed to get herself out of this practicalized torture.
'Forgive me Caius but I'm getting a little tired now, I should really be heading to my Chambers',
Caius gave a deep sigh 'I'm afraid that's specifically impossible. The grand feast is about to commence. And we are obliged to be present as instructed by your Father'.
'I didn't know that', Jane sounded distressed
Caius's face hardened and she could almost see the small aching vein popping from inside his jaw, There was clear uneasiness in his tone when he spoke, 'I will escort you there, Shall we go?'. He tried to keep steady
Disappointed but mostly frightened by his sudden change in expression, she stammered, 'Of..... course we shall'.
******************************************
They meandered their way across the dance hall and then into the hall way leading to the Dinning hall when they ran into The Nobleman's wife, Lady Garvie.
Jane curtsied in a respective manner towards the old aged woman with head full of grey hair, 'Lady Garvie',
Lady Garvie took her precious time to study the beautiful, slender Lady with a beige silk gown, in front of her, 'It can't be', she exclamaited in awe, 'It couldn't be. Jane, Jane Winston?', She tousled some strands of Jane's neck length polished oak—Like hair that framed her oval face, with it's delicate features and Ivory skin that was almost translucent, adoring the gorgeous Jane who had bloomed from ugly duckling to beautiful swan.
'You've really changed over the years you've spent in the United States. I couldn't believe you were the one at first sight dancing with that handsome stranger', Lady Gravie spoke with her high pitched voice.
So she'd seen him too, now was her moment to learn about Demetrius, but she could see the bitter impatience in Caius's eyes as they were to be leaving for the grand feast.
'Lady Gravie, will you be attending the grand feast', Jane asked sweetly, her hands cupping the fragile fingers of Lady Gravie's.
'well I wouldn't miss it for the world, dear. I'm just going to get a book I've been searching for, for a while now. you're father says it's somewhere in the grand library', she responded with her usual smile of warmth.
Jane sighed before veering her gaze towards Caius's, 'You can go, I'll be emerging with Lady Garvie in a few', she bluntly said but his reaction was sharp
'Jane, your father specifically ordered that–',
'That I attend the grand feast, but he didn't say I attend it with you Caius' she responded sharply followed by a heart felt gasp as he grabbed her arm in his hands, throwing daggers at her through his glare. Jane was left shocked by his harsh action.
'Sir Caius Somerled, is it?', Lady Gravie had abruptly interrupted, 'The Young Lady says she'd be coming with me, so if you don't mind I would love for her to accompany me to the library', now she smiled partially as she veered her gaze towards Jane, 'follow me dear'.
Jane released herself from Caius's grip, as their gazes locked she saw he was now very furious. 'excuse me', she said before whirling away and following the Nobleman's wife.
******************************************
The grand library was a beautiful, acient themed space that gave an aura of vintage sophistication. With its marble decorated floors and walls of dusty sapphire, it was pure aesthetic. Each shelve had its letter of books engraved on the flat oak wood and now, Lady Gravie was searching in the "A" department.
'ah—ah, I've founded it, this book of astrology might be able to get me at ease now that my search has ended', she said giddingly
'Astology?', Jane asked
'Oh yes, dear. I still need to get some things sorted out under the star constellations', she responded, 'What constellation are you born under dear?',
Jane gave a long thought, 'I'm Sagittarius', she replied.
'wow, then you must be an optimist, am I right',
'i guess I am. Lady Gravie, did you happen to know the stranger i was dancing with', she asked out of the blue.
'You mean the dark headed hunk', she sighed, 'I'm afraid not darling, do you happen to know his name?',
'Demetrius, Demetrius Fitzherbert', she had no hesitation in her words.
Lady Gravie winced as she heard her babel, 'Fitzherbert?', she now looked confused, 'I'm afraid I know him not dear, I haven't heard that name before', she begun to search the shelves, 'But I do believe—', her voice broke off the moment she spotted a book, 'This should help darling', she took out the heavy and huge book from the shelve and handed it to Jane, 'This is a book of Bainbridge's history and research as well as the census and names of people who had and still are living in this town'.
Jane sighed in relief, 'Thank you Lady Gravie this book you've just given me might be able to spear me the trouble of searching for my mystery man'.
Lady Gravie gave a knowing smile, 'I see, your mystery man aye. You guys must of really connected uhn?'.
Jane's response was a meek smile that had given Lady Gravie her answer, 'we best be heading for the dinning hall now, Lady Gravie. My Father hates tardiness', she cut through the moment and hurriedly took Lady Gravie by the hand leading her out of the library and into the dinning hall.