Chapter Twenty – One

It was the kind of kiss that warranted applause and that is exactly what they got. Staff and family stopped and stared before starting to clap. Neither Alice nor James noticed though.

Alice had never been kissed and she could not have died having never experienced it. She felt so safe and secure in his arms, yet she felt alive and on fire while their lips touched. Pure excitement made her shiver as it travelled down her spine. Almost reluctantly they pulled apart as the duration of their kiss was becoming inappropriate for a public display of affection.

Though they were apart, and Alice back on her feet, his arms had no left her waist and she was glad of it.

“Let’s go for a walk,” James suggested quietly in her ear. Alice smiled at Sebastian and James’ brother, Henry, as well as the staff that had gathered as James pulled her toward the hallway.

They walked down the back of the house, past many more fine rooms that housed sitting furniture and ornate fireplaces and decorations. The back door was like the front door – oak. It opened up onto an unusual scene for London houses – a lavish garden. It was not overly large, but it had many tall trees and clusters of green shrubbery that concealed the secluded parts of the area. James led her down the garden and behind the leafier part to a hidden pond. It just sat in and amongst a collection of mossy boulders and reeds. She could hear what sounded like frogs chirping on the water.

“This is extraordinary,” Alice marvelled. “How wonderful to ‘ave ‘ad such a place to come as a child.”

“And we did,” James said as he pulled her towards one of the boulders. He brushed away some of the moss so that it was clean enough for them to sit down. “We used to play down here all the time. As the eldest and most good looking –” he couldn’t continue for Alice started to giggle. “– and I’ll pretend I’m not offended.” He winked, being his usual charming self. She liked this side of him. She liked to see him confident yet humble. Too often lately … well, in the last few times she’d seen him … he’d been worried about her and he couldn’t be himself. Now everything could be normal. “But yes, as the eldest it was my responsibility to watch out for the girls and Henry around the pond. Though mama used to have the pond fenced off so there was no possibility of us falling in.”

Alice sighed and leaned into him slightly. He welcomed the motion and put his arm around her. “Thank you for not giving up on me,” she whispered. She felt his lips brush her hair as he murmured something that sounded like ‘Never’. Alice was suddenly reminded of her last request of James. “Did you see my priest and ask ‘im about Jacques?” Alice asked quietly.

James shook his head. “No. When I learned there was I hope I had convinced myself that I would ask you to tell me about him.” Alice liked to hear that he had faith, even when she didn’t have any.

“I’m glad,” she replied honestly. “I want to tell you about ‘im. I want to tell you everything. I want you to know me. I want your family to know me.”

“Tell me about him.”

Alice smiled as she remembered his icy blue irises and his charcoal hair that always seemed to fall into his eyes. She remembered how tall he was and she remembered how protective he was. She remembered how he used to laugh at his own jokes and how he used to let Alice have the meat whenever they were given food on the street. He would always take care of her. He did so beyond the grave. “Jacques was many things. ‘e was passionate and determined, persistent and impatient. ‘e believed in our cause more than anything. We were raised that way.” Alice turned to James. “He looked like me. We both had the same eyes – the blue that ‘ides nothing. But ‘e was tall and ‘andsome. ‘e would ‘ave ‘ad a wife someday.” Alice was saddened at the thought. He had a sweetheart, or the beginnings of one with a girl in Paris. Alice never knew her name or what happened to her but she knew Jacques had feelings for someone. “After our parents died we ‘ad no-one. We lived one step ahead of the law as we stole to survive. I was but a child and Jacques was three years older. That was until the republicans found us. After the July revolution in 1830, we didn’t know what would ‘appen. We thought everyone ‘ad disbanded but we were wrong. They were planning and Jacques quickly became a leader. ‘e never put it above me though. Never. ‘e always made sure I was safe. Protected.” And then came the June revolution where everything went sour. Alice knew she had to, but rehashing all these memories were still painful. She didn’t think one ever got over loss. “When you lose someone, you never forget. You never move on, you simply learn to live with it because you must. And eventually at the mention of their name you don’t cry, and at the thought of their voice you don’t break and at the memory of their face you don’t fall. You make yourself strong for them.”

“Jacques would be immensely proud of you,” James assured her quietly.

Alice smiled slightly. “I ‘ope so. I ‘ope ‘e is up there smiling at me, knowing that I ‘ave finally found a ‘ome.” She stopped herself, curing herself for being so presumptuous.

“Relax.” James chuckled as if he could read her mind. “You are home,” he promised.

“Thank you,” Alice replied gratefully.

“If it’s not too much to ask … what happened to Jacques?” James asked.

“Jacques did not fall at the barricade. No, I got ‘im out and we stole through Paris until we got to the ‘arbour. It was as if fate and God were on our side when we saw a trade ship bound for London just waiting there. Then we realised that the ‘arbour was being patrolled and the ship was most likely bait. We were ‘iding behind big wooden crates that were nailed shut. The labels were in English so neither of us could read them. The only thing I understood was the destination. I made a noise and alerted the soldiers of our position. Jacques pulled the front of the crate off and ‘id me inside with bolts of silk cloth. He then placed the front back on and I realised what ‘e was doing. ‘e ran out in front of the guards and sacrificed ‘imself for me. I watched them kill ‘im and I watched them kick ‘is body into the water. A little piece of me died that day. A little piece of all of us dies when we lose someone. A piece we won’t ever get back until we meet them again one day.” Alice wasn’t crying. Perhaps she had indeed reached that place where she could talk about him and not cry. Remembering a loved one fondly was a warming and comforting feeling. “I think Jacques would ‘ave liked you,” Alice mused. “You are very similar … of course excluding the fortune you will inherit one day. If ‘e could ‘ave moved past ‘is prejudices, I’d wager you would ‘ave been great friends.”

James smiled down at her as he rubbed her back comfortingly. “I’m glad. I’m greatly entertaining to be around,” he teased.

Alice laughed lightly. “I want people to know that there was once a man named Jacques Devereaux and he was the bravest man I ever knew. He’s forgotten now by all but me. And now you. My brother saved my life.”

“Then I owe him a great debt. And I intend to pay it,” he swore.

Alice furrowed her eyebrows. “‘ow?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’ll think of something. But there was a question I wanted to ask you, if you don’t mind.”

“What’s that?”

“I’d like to court you,” he proposed. “No lies, no pretending, no impromptu weddings I promise. More importantly no Sarah. Just you and me.”

Alice smiled widely as she nodded. She could not think of any way she’d rather do as she began her life again. James was everything she could have hoped to find. He was kind and genuine with enough of a personality to keep things entertaining when the situation was not morbid. “I would like that very much,” she accepted gleefully.

He looked relieved, as if he wasn’t sure that she would say ‘yes’. “I’m told that when two people court they generally participate in a prearranged activity that the lady would enjoy escorted by a family member or friend.”

Alice arched a brow. “Have you not been courting Sarah for several years?”

James rolled his eyes. “That does not count. She did what she liked regardless of my presence. She used me for status and I used her as a shield from mothers wanting an advantageous marriage for their daughters. Little do they know that I am officially courting a beautiful young woman. To drive the final nail into their coffins, little do they know that I intend to propose to said beautiful woman in three months’ time.”

Alice could feel her cheeks reddening. Did he have to say that? Now she would be ridiculously anxious come November! Would she be married before the year was out? She didn’t know whether to be frightened or excited. But she had three months to get used to the idea of standing up in front of a church full of people and saying vows. Church! Would that not be a dilemma going forward? She was a devout Catholic after all and he belonged to the Church of England. Would they be married by Joseph or by Father Walker? Would their children be brought up Catholic or Christian? “James, I want my children to be christened Catholic,” Alice said quietly, yet firmly.

James nodded. The idea did not seem to faze him. “I’d been thinking about that too and I think we will have to compromise on the church issue. I’d come up with one in my mind about a month ago.”

He’d been thinking about children with her for over a month?

“If we christen them in your church, how would you feel about them going to Sunday school in mine?” he asked.

Alice couldn’t believe she was discussing her future children. It was so surreal. She supposed they didn’t need to have a confirmation. She never did. Her parents were too busy with their revolution when she was at that age. She’d possibly do her own and allow them to choose their confirmation names. She could live with that. “I would agree to that,” she nodded.

“We’ve got years to talk about this, Alice,” James promised. “Anyway, what would you like to do first?”

“I think I’d like to ask Joseph for my position at the orphanage back. Eloise is there on ‘er own and even if I am not living there I could still ‘elp. The children need someone they can rely on.”

“How do you do it?” James asked, sounding confused.

“What?”

“In a world that has constantly failed you, you still manage to behave so selflessly. I really admire that.”

Alice felt a little self-conscious. “I suppose I like to believe that when one does good for others, good will come back to them.” Taking James’ hand, she continued. “The philosophy has worked so far.”

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Hope you liked this one :) I know it's not as long but I guess you could assume why lol. Only a few more chapters left!

Happy Father's Day mum! You're napping in the chair next to me right now and you look so cute haha

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