Chapter Twenty – Two

James needed to literally pinch himself every time he saw Alice at breakfast. He couldn’t help but smile each time he saw her moving slowly in the hallways as she walked while reading a book. But nothing made him feel happier than seeing her face light up whenever she saw him. He could tell by the look in her pale eyes that she truly loved him for him and not for what he had. That was obvious considering she refused to wear anything she had not made herself and she did not accept an allowance from the estate.

She had taken back her position at the orphanage. It hadn’t been filled. It seemed Joseph and Annie were as optimistic as James was about Alice being freed.

She and Eloise worked well together. They were much more efficient as a team. Alice retired in the evening and James always made sure that he was waiting outside with the carriage to collect her. That was when they spent their time together.

He loved the wondrous look on her face when he took her to the opera and he loved the insecure look on her face when she was faced with a ballroom full of aristocrats. She translated the operas for him and he never left her side in the ballroom.

He loved twirling her around the dance floor and having the envious eyes of men on him as they saw such a beauty on his arm. Alice’s eyes never wavered, and neither did his. He didn’t see other women anymore. His eyes seemed to automatically follow her.

But more than anything, he loved how she interacted with his family. She was completely relaxed and herself around them, and without a huge secret hanging over her head, she was quite quick witted. They all loved her as if she were a daughter and sister and even the children – Will, Millie and Amy – had developed a close bond with her. Will and Amy had taken to calling her ‘Aunt Ali’ as they both had misheard her name to begin with and the name had stuck. To everyone else, though, she was still ‘Alice’. Seeing her with his young nephew and nieces made him excited for the day when their own child would be born. Such a though six months ago would have completely frightened him, but with Alice, he could not wait.

Letters had been exchanged between his Aunt Jane and his mother and the extended family were all anxiously awaiting their first meeting with Alice. Christmastime would be an overwhelming experience for her. They meant well but there were just so many people now. Husbands and children had been added to the mix, Alice would be the first wife come their wedding … when he actually asked her.

During his days when Alice was at the orphanage, James spent his time with his father in the office. James thought it high time he took on some responsibilities and Sebastian could not have agreed more. James learnt how to keep and control the financial books. He also learned how the businesses Ethridge controlled were run and he had memorised the rental amounts. There were still many more aspects of running an estate that he would have to learn, but he knew he could undertake these responsibilities so that his parents could move into semi-retirement.

The news of a new courtship did not sit well with some in the ton, but many had been very accommodating of Alice. Her imprisonment was still whispered about but most knew that she was innocent. Nevertheless, none dared to talk to Alice about it in front of James and he’d made her promise to tell him if ever anyone spoke to her maliciously about it.

Their three months of courting went rather quickly and before anyone knew it was November and the annual trip to Yorkshire was being planned. But this year, there would be a few extra guests. Kitty and Little J would give birth before they left and Annie’s child would be due during their stay. At least now they would have two doctors in residence so a repeat of Kitty’s birth with Millie would not reoccur. A caesarean during a blizzard was not how they Alcott family wanted to spend their Christmas again.

Not that he cared, but Alice seemed to, Sarah had sent word from Boston telling them that she was newly engaged after a month in America. The enclosed her new home address so Alice wrote her back informing her that she was no longer in prison and that all was well. He hoped that the two never corresponded again but his mother seemed to still write to an old nemesis of hers.

James had one order of business to complete though before he could think about Christmas and holiday plans … or even wedding plans. That was how he found himself standing outside Alice’s church – Our Lady of the Assumption & St Gregory. She attended mass every Sunday and had developed a friendship with Father Walker. James needed to speak to him about arranging travel to Yorkshire a week or so before Christmas for a certain wedding that may or may not go ahead depending on what Alice said. He knew she’d want her priest there to marry them. It was all about compromise.

Entering into the old church, James was surprised to see how spacious it was. He’d never seen a Catholic church before but there really weren’t many differences. There were two rows of pews with an aisle in between them. There were a few people walking about the second floor talking quietly as well as a handful of people sitting on the pews praying.

There was no sign of Father Walker, though James wasn’t sure what the man looked like. There was a room near the altar that he figured was the office … or perhaps the confessional. Alice had talked about going to ‘confession’ before now. James took a set on the pew in the back row and sat there for a moment, unsure of what to do.

There were none with earshot of him so he began to talk.

“Hello, Jacques,” James said nervously as he knitted his fingers together. He leant his elbows on the pew in front of him and then leant his forehead against his hands. “My name is James Sebastian Alcott, I am five and twenty years old and I have recently become a mature and responsible gentleman. I am also very much in love with your younger sister … Alice.” He could feel his palms sweating. It was as if he was actually asking the permission of a man right in front of him. “I’m not perfect and neither is she. She’s damn near close though.” James squinted his eyes as he cursed himself for swearing in a church. “But she makes me happy, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life trying to make her happy. I promise that I’ll always love her and I will never betray her. She’ll always have my protection and she’ll want for nothing even if she has a hard time accepting it. She is the most incredible woman I’ve ever met … and she makes me want to be a better man. You were the most important person in her life five years ago so it makes sense that I should seek your permission. I would like to marry her … please.”

Sitting up straight and looking around, James did not know what to do next. He drummed his moist fingers on the pew in front of him and pursed his lips. He sat there for at least ten minutes. When he was about to leave, figuring that talking to a dead man made him certifiably insane, he heard a sigh, a sigh that sounded like one that was followed by a smile. His head whipped around but there was nobody close enough to him to make that noise. Could it have been …?

“No,” James scoffed, dismissing it with a shake of his head. “It’s all in my imagination.”

He stood up from the seat and was ready to make his way out when suddenly a man in robes appeared from the back room. It had to be Alice’s priest. James changed his direction and made his way up the aisle to meet Father Walker.

The old man smiled at him warmly. “Welcome,” he said kindly. “Yours is a face I do not recognise but I am happy to receive any new faithful members.”

“Forgive me, but I am not here to join your congregation,” James apologised. He felt guilty as the man was nice. “I believe you know my … Alice. Alice Devereaux?”

Father Walker nodded. “Of course, lovely young girl,” he nodded. “Are you the James Alcott she speaks of so fondly?”

James smiled. “Yes, I’m James,” he confirmed. “I don’t want to seem as though I’m over sharing but I’m about to ask Miss Devereaux to marry me.”

Father Walker’s face lit up when he heard James’ plans. “Oh, that’s wonderful news!” he exclaimed.

“My family belong to the Church of England so Alice and I have made compromises on our futures regarding our faiths. I know it would mean a lot to her, however, if you would perform the ceremony.”

Father Walker looked truly touched. “I’m honoured,” he said after a moment of silence. “You are a very understanding man to compromise on something as important as this.”

James didn’t know if the man would want to travel to Yorkshire though. “The thing is, if she does say ‘yes’, the wedding would have to be up in Yorkshire. My grandmother lives there and it’s a big ask to expect her to travel all the way to London at her age. Is there any possibility that you could travel to Yorkshire to marry us there?” he asked hopefully.

He furrowed his eyebrows. “When would the wedding be?”

“We leave for Yorkshire in early December. If we said December fifteenth would that give you enough time to return to London to perform your Christmas services?”

“I think that is definitely doable,” Father Walker nodded.

James breathed a sigh of relief. “Excellent,” he said happily. “I will arrange transport and accommodation for you. I would offer you a bed at my grandmother’s but there are literally too many people to keep track of in that house. It is usually three or four to a bedroom.”

Father Walker shook his head. “Not a problem at all. I’ll be perfectly alright with whatever there is available.”

James held out his hand and Father Walker shook it. “Thank you, I really appreciate this and I know it will mean the world to Alice.”

“I wish you luck with your proposal,” he said sincerely.

“There is something else I wanted to speak to you about. Something sensitive. It is a surprise for Alice …”

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Sorry it's a bit short - I was going to add an extra part to it but I decided to give that part it's own chapter .... it's kinda important for 'Jalice' ;)

On a side note - The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - freaking great movie :)

And I took my first Wii Zumba class today ... great work out and it's fun. Yeah my everything hurts but I want the abs of the woman on the box :)

The person who guesses the present will get a dedication!!

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