• JACK AND JAMES

    He span me around to face him and I looked deep into those deep brown eyes – I’d never fallen for someone with brown eyes before... I reached for his cheek, smiling at the feel of his stubble beneath my hand, rough and scratchy but I didn’t pull away. It was a stretch but I reached up and curled my fingers through the dark wavy locks of hair that first caught my eye from across the room. I surveyed him once more – he’s dressed in a black suit but I mentally apply the wide-brimmed cowboy styled hat he had been wearing upon his arrival.

    He pulled me from my thoughts as he pulled me from the dance floor and I watched him in confusion as he led me outside to the vacant terrace. He glanced around, seeming nervous before his gaze returned to me and he smiled kindly. A small voice in the back of my head warned me, tried to put the walls up but I ignored them – I cannot live in fear forever.

    “The stars are almost as beautiful as your eyes, dear one,” he whispered, a sip of seduction creeping into his tone.

    “Why do you not call me by my name, good sir? Surely you know it, everyone else seems to,” I replied coyly. It was more or less true, there was something suspicious about this party that my parents had forced me along to and if it weren’t for this mysterious and handsome man abducting me, I would have supposed it was my engagement party.

    He smiled that dazzling smile again as he pushed some of my dusty blonde hair back behind my hair. “It appears that I – unlike the rest of the guests in attendance tonight – do not know your name,” his smile faded for a split second before it returned. “I would be most obliged to learn it, and give you mine in return of course.”

    “Aisling Hollisbury,” I answered, smiling dazedly.

    He took my hand, leaning down and kissing it gently before he straightened but still grasped my hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Aisling Hollisbury, I am Jonathan Rodrick James Leddington – my friends generally call me James.”

    I giggled before from inside we heard the orchestra begin to play a soft, lilting waltz. James offered me his hand which I took without hesitation before he swept me away and we floated around the terrace – or rather, James floated while I desperately tried not to fall and make a fool of myself.

    “If you keep your head up, it’s easier to keep your footing.”

    I looked to him hesitantly, thinking he was utterly insane if he actually believed that – I was quickly proved wrong. We moved faster and faster, abandoning the music and the upper-class world I’d been brought up in. We span around and around, never growing dizzy until finally James forced us to an abrupt halt, an arm wrapped firmly around my waist before he leaned down and kissed me gently.

    I froze in shock, unsure of how to respond before I carefully slung my arms around James’ shoulders and returned the gesture. He is warm and his lips are soft, tasting of wine and the sweet appetisers I had spied on one of the many tables in the main hall. He begins to slowly pull away and I frown, sad that it is over but he merely chuckles and pulls me close.

    “You are unlike any man I have met before, James.”

    “I try my best to keep things interesting,” he replies before we jerk our heads towards the gardens beyond the terrace as we here the soft click of a gun being loaded.

    My eyes widen in fear and sorrow and betrayal when I see Jack Preston standing across from us with a flintlock pistol aimed toward us.

    “Get away from her or I’ll kill you both,” he threatened, his eyes darker than usual as his hand is briefly wracked with a tremor.

    James glances to me warily before he steps away from me, holding his hands up in surrender. I want to run to James, to shield him from whatever harm Jack may inflict upon him but that voice in the back of my head pipes up again and paralyses me. I feel fear well within me and tears fog my vision.

    “Be brave, Aisling,” I hear James say but it feels like he is miles away. I don’t want to be brave, I want to cry for Jack to stop this foolishness and leave but instead he advances, not hearing my secret wish.

    “No one touches my girl... No one ever touches any of my girls, foreigner.” Jack moves to stand between us, pushing me back but still holding the gun to James and I whimper in fear.

    “Let’s be sensible, Preston. You do not want to do this with Aisling watching.”

    This was unexpected. “You mean to say you welcome Death?” Jack asked quizzically.

    “I was taught to embrace every opportunity you can,” James murmured, keeping a level voice and gaze, as if he were fearless.

    “Then embrace this,” Jack murmured, barely a whisper as he pulled the trigger. I screamed, tears flooding my eyes and spilling down my cheeks as I run to James’ side as he falls back from the blow, clutching at his chest. I wail as blood slips between his fingers and onto the white stone of the terrace floor.

    “What are you doing, Aisling?! You belong to me!” Jack screamed.

    “I belong to no one!” I scream back before I hold James’ face in my hands, crying as I mutter nonsense at him, trying to tell him to keep his eyes open and to stay with me before I lean down and kiss him deeply again.

    “I can’t lose you! Not so soon! You were the stars!” I whisper frantically against his lips, sounding like a lovesick teenager.

    “Then you won’t lose me...” James gasped before he slumped in my arms. I pulled away, looking down sadly before I realised there were people all around, watching sadly. I looked to James sadly, not caring what had become of Jack, before I leaned down and gave him one last kiss.