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Chapter 1
Posted on Thursday, 13 May 1999
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy rubbed his eyes and sighed, a note held tightly in his hand. It had been so long since he had had a good night's rest. But he couldn't sleep; otherwise the nightmares might come and haunt him again. He was a direct man, he did not bother with doctors, he knew that the dreams would not come if he did not rest. So he did not.
He stood up and stretched. He could point the spot out where his life had gone sour. It was Elizabeth Bennet Darcy's death that started it. He knew then, as he did now, that life without his Lizzy would be almost worthless. But he stayed alive. Almost solely because he owed it to his daughter to stay alive, and not orphan her. But now she was gone…
Jane Georgiana Darcy smelled the fresh sea air happily. Unlike her father, she was not worn and tired. In fact she was the opposite. Cheerful and carefree, she pulled her hair under a cap. Then she went to the ship she was to board. She felt like she could do anything, go anywhere. And where Jane Georgiana Darcy could not go, James George Darcy could.
"You Darcy?" A rough sailor man asked.
"Yes. James George Darcy that's me!" She glibly lied. She was a little nervous, would he tell by her voice that Jane was more fitting than James was?
But he shrugged and went on checking the passenger list.
"Hello." "James" whirled around to see a man who brought the words Greek god to her mind standing behind her.
"Are you Apollo?" She asked in awe.
"Yes, um well, no. It's complicated. Very."
"How?"
"Well, my parents named me Apollo, but I'm not that particular god or anything. I'm just me." He now looked very sorry for himself. Jane knew how he felt and pitied the young man.
"Believe me, I'm not a fan of my name either. Jan… James George Darcy sounds pretty dumb."
"Better than Apollo!"
They both laughed. With that laugh their friendship became cemented. Later they discovered they were cabin mates. What could be nicer?
"So why are you heading for America?" Jane was curious.
"I want to fight in the War Between the States there. I'm a second son, so I'm not losing anything by leaving here. My older brother Zeus was happy to let me go."
"Well, I'm also going to fight. Life in England is too calm. I'm eager for some action. My life at home was so tightly hemmed in I could scream. I felt like I was being smothered in petticoats!"
"You make it sound like you were a girl there! Come on, it couldn't have been so bad."
"You have no clue." Jane did not feel like talking any more. Did he know her secret? Maybe one day she would tell this nice soul, but she wasn't ready to spill her disguise on the first day.
Chapter 2
And sea life agreed with her. Her dark hair became highlighted (even if she had to cut it off) and her eyes sparkled. In fact, people might almost say that she was finally as pretty as her beautiful cousin, Eliza Caroline Bingley was. That was, if they knew her and her family. And no one did.
And she had a lasting friendship already. Apollo was as good a friend as she could wish and they spent nearly all their time together. She learned that he was escaping a tyrannical older brother and he learned that she… well he learned what might have been Jane's life had she been from the start James. Although she felt guilty about lying, she decided not to tell him the truth just yet. So the only conversation she disliked was marital plans. He had a sweetheart who had died of polio and he constantly mentioned that she had a twin living in America and he wanted to see if the twin was just as perfect as the original. Jane did not look kindly on this plan.
"She was as fair as a summer's day. Her lips were as red as a fire."
"Make up, like duh."
"Her skin as pale as snow."
"Powder."
"Her brown hair had highlights of gold as if the sun had kissed it."
"If you soak brown hair in Camille tea for 20 minutes and then wash it has highlights like those."
"How do you know so much about that?"
"I di… I saw my mother do the same thing plenty of times. Especially when she wanted to impress people." Great, another little clue. Hope he doesn't put them together.
"But seriously, she was as fair as fair can be. I wonder if her twin could ever be so extraordinary. Truly no one could equal her grace, her beauty, her kindness."
"Was she smart?"
"Uh, what do you mean?"
"Was she clever, did she read a lot, could she speak different languages, was she a good conversationalist?"
"She knew many prayers…"
"Good lord, you love an empty headed beauty."
"Not at all!"
"I will drop my case, my friend, because you are the one with the pistol in your belt." That was another quirky habit of his, he always kept a loaded pistol in his pocket out of fear of shooting. His father had died by assassin bullet, and he had no wish to go the same way. Otherwise, Jane felt he was perfect.
Chapter 3
"Yes sir!" Jane replied with enthusiasm. Well, she had put that slip of paper with the number eighteen in her shoe; therefore she was over eighteen. Hopefully, he wouldn't examine her too closely or as her to take of her shoes for that matter.
"Have you had the chicken pox? Measles? Polio?"
"All but polio sir."
"And lived to tell about it I assume." He gave an ancient chuckle from his dust throat. "Well boy you're in. A private you here me? You pay a week is thirteen dollars a month. Don't wrinkle your nose, it ain't anything to laugh at. You'll be given uniforms soon enough and shipped down to meet your regiment. You know how to use a gun right?"
"Oh yes sir." She had taken enough target practice to say yes.
"Good, you'd be surprised at how many people want to become soldiers but haven't ever seen a gun before. You'll do fine. Your commander is Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Next!" Apollo stepped up to be given the same examination.
Soon enough both she and Apollo were in their uniforms getting shipped down to meet their new traveling companions. Jane felt uncomfortable in her blue outfit; she hadn't had much practice wearing pants. Apollo looked, as usual, gorgeous in his. They were on their way to adventure.
Chapter 4
Jane looked shakily around. The camp was different from anything she had expected. There was a lot more dirt for example. And the men were also stranger…"Are you the new people?" A gigantic man asked.
"Yeah." Jane was cautious. She knew that her quick temper would not make her little miss popular or at least little mister popular.
"Why did you sign up so late? We were already in some scraps against the Johnny rebs." He said with a bit of pride.
"We came from overseas. Britain." Now it was Jane's turn to be proud. God save the king!
"Oh, so you Brits wanna come over and make fun of us huh?" Too bad this guy wasn't a fan of the United Kingdom.
"No. If you had a brain, you might have figured out that that thought was retarded." Jane had certainly inherited her mother's temper.
"So you're saying that I'm stupid?" He loomed over, and a David and Goliath scene formed.
"I'll give you three guesses, and cause you're so slow the first two don't count." Jane looked up defiantly.
"You want a piece of me, little boy? My lord, you're so small you look like a girl." That was it. Jane was not going to take it anymore. By her honor as a lady… er, gentleman she'd show him. To everyone's surprise she hit him squarely in the nose. He swung back, hitting her in the ribs. The two opponents dove for each other, a dizzying blur of bright colors. Apollo had to be restrained. Several men started placing bets.
"What is this!" An authority voice rang out. The men quieted. Some bets weren't worth it.
"He insulted me, sir." The Goliath said.
"After he insulted me, uh, sir." Jane rose to her defense.
"Well then, I suppose you two are equal. You've both been insulted, and from the look of it you've both been hurt. The little man more than Private Adams here I'd say." The man who was dispensing justice looked slightly amused and very intelligent. Jane liked him immediately.
"Yes, Colonel Chamberlain." Private Adams grudgingly admitted.
"And you are? I haven't seen you in the ranks before." Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain of the 20th Maine, formerly a professor at Bowdoin college said.
"Private James George Darcy, sir. I arrived with the new reinforcements, sir." Jane tried to look like an ideal soldier.
"Well, you've certainly proven that you can fight. Maybe next time you could bloody some rebels instead of your fellow servicemen." He replied with mock solemnity.
"I'd like that sir." She grinned at him and watched him walk away shaking his head. Had she stood closer she might have be able to hear him laugh and say over and over "David and Goliath. What a regiment." After he had left some other men came over and started investigating the "man" who bloodied Adams' nose.
"You must be crazy young fella. Adams' just about twice your height." Said a man with an impish smile and a slightly familiar face to Chamberlain.
"Just about everyone is, I'm afraid." Jane said with a wry smile. The man laughed.
"M'name's Tom Chamberlain. Colonel's my brother if you're wondering."
"I wasn't." She protested.
"Then you're as stupid as Adams."
"Thank you for again insulting my intelligence." Adams cut in.
"Nah, really Private Gloomy D. Adams over there is just about the smartest man here. 'Cept for Lawrence."
"Gloomy D. Adams? Tom, you're just trying to pull my leg."
"Well, the d in his name stands for Doomy. Gloomy Doomy Adams."
"My name is David Theodore James Alexander Abraham Washington John Quincy Adams." Broke in Adams abruptly.
"What a mouth full."
"My parents were indecisive. Especially when it came to names."
"So they gave you as many as they could think of, so that you could pick and chose later." Jane was in a bad mood. At least for "David Theodore James Alexander Abraham Washington John Quincy Adams".
"You chose enemies very badly." David looked at her.
"You chose insults very badly." Jane looked back.
"I'm getting out of here." Tom looked away.
Chapter 4
"Hey Tom." It was lunchtime. If you could call army rations food.
"Hey Jane. Where's Apollo?" Tom asked.
"Writing home to his brother. He has to, otherwise his brother will disinherit him."
"Man, and I thought my mother was strict about my letter writing. By the way, how are your folks?"
"Well, my mother's dead. From polio. And my father is a cold, lonely old man. But I miss him sometimes."
"You ran away huh? I can tell. Most of the younger ones here are here against their mama's wishes. But I'm sure that your pa's proud of you." Tom tried to cheer her up. Then Adams came over and sat down next to the conversing two.
"Of him? I doubt it."
"Don't worry James. David just hates the British. Nothing personal. He comes from one of the oldest families, the Adams. They had two of their men in the President's house you know. But those were Boston Adams, and he's a good honest Maine man." Tom hated fights, and he could see this one coming.
"Honest? Good? Did you hit your head? These adjectives describe not David Adams."
"Ah, but if I could not be honest nor good, then you could not merit these praises either, for I am defiantly more honest and good than Private Darcy."
"Don't kid yourself."
"I'm not."
"Don't you have sentry duty now? Oh dear, perhaps forgetful might be a better word to use to depict you." Jane laughed as he hurried off.
"Really James, David is a proper gentleman. In nearly everything. Only with you does there seem to be a lapse in his manners. You are quite a bad effect on people. I'm sure his mama would never approve of him being in this regiment with you."
"I shall try to be a better man so that Mama Adams shall not have her darling boy spoiled by me." Jane said laughing. Then an announcement came from the Colonel, we have orders to move. Jane turned to Tom and asked him where we were going.
"To some small town, Gettysburg or something. Seems that Lee likes Pennsylvania better than Virginia." Tom shrugged.
Chapter 6
Jane shivered in her coat as she huddled out under the stars. Even though it was June 31st, the idea that tomorrow she may have to kill some one made her blood run cold. She had never planned to shoot anyone when she first thought about joining the army. A memory that she never wanted to bring up again bubbled to her mind when she thought of death…
Elizabeth Darcy lay on her bed, exhausted from her fight with death. However, her sweat covered head lifted weakly to look with pity at the frightened tiny girl maintaining a vigil next to her bed. The girl noticed the attention and tried to smile through her tears.
"Dearest Jane, no, I don't want you to cry." Elizabeth said in the raspy voice of the sick.
"But mama, how can I not cry when you're dying?" The girl replied in the rough voice of the crying.
"Don't you say that! Admitting defeat is causing defeat." Elizabeth scolded.
"But facing the truth is important, you always told me." Jane retaliated.
Elizabeth shuddered and for a second looked like a creature not entirely of this world. Then she said to Jane "Fetch Daddy, I need to tell him something."
Jane obediently fetched her father, but when they came to Elizabeth's bedroom, she was not able to talk to anyone. The only talking she could do was in heaven to the angels.
"I never did get to say good-bye" She wept silently, for it would not do for the men to see her crying. She rocked herself back and forth finally letting go of the tears that she had not allowed herself to cry at the funeral.
"Are you all right?" A voice said haltingly behind her, almost afraid to be noticed.
"Go away David, I can't handle you now." She cried out through her tears.
"No don't cry, its okay, it'll be all right." He tried to soothe her.
"Can you wake the dead?"
"No."
"Then you can't help."
He felt so sorry for her that held her in his arms and rocked her back and forth. She was so distressed that she did not worry about her disguise or whom it was that was holding her. Jane just needed a shoulder to cry on. As for Adams, he learned that night that perhaps James Darcy was not such a bad man after all. He also had some suspicions woken in the back of his mind…
Chapter 7
They were told to form on Little Round Top. A vital position. The highest usable peak in the battlefield and the left flank of the Union line. If they fell so did the rest of the army and perhaps the Union. Just your average high pressure zone.
She could see the rebels approaching. They seemed to be a stonewall, rather like the nickname of their newly deceased hero, General Stonewall Jackson. However, Jane had never seen a deadlier wall in her life. At first everything seemed to happen in slow motion, an eternity of waiting till they could shooting. Then it happened way too fast.
The creepy yell of the rebels. The sound of rifles being shot. The cries for mama, papa, sister, wife or god from the wounded. The panicky orders of commanders. The only ones that were silent were the dead.
Keep on shooting, she told herself, get them and they can't get you. It had ceased to be a war of morals; it was now a battle for survival. She saw some soldiers fall from her bullets but she kept on going there would be time for sorrow later. She saw some of her new friends fall, but she kept on going, there again would be time for sorrow later. All she wanted to do was to stay alive.
"Refuse!" An order was passed along from Colonel Chamberlain. She obeyed him, trusting him like a blind man trusts his cane. He had to know what to do, by virtue of the fact that she didn't know anyone else who did. She blindly moved along to her spot, muscles carry out orders that she had practiced on marches. But on marches she didn't have to duck from the whizzing noises that she knew were bullets. On and on she shot, till she ran out of bullets. Swearing some curses that are better not to be discussed she tried to get some ammunition from her companions, but they had run out of ammunition too. It did not matter for a minute while, for they had repulsed the first attack.
But the break time was all too short. Hysteria ran through her blood when she remembered that she was out of bullets.
"Bayonets!" was the order. "Charge!" came the next.
She ran down nearly headfirst to meet the rebel stonewall. She numbly fought her way through bland, similar faces clad in gray. Then she saw a rebel who still had one bullet left, and wanted her to be aquatinted with it.
Time was now not marked by minutes and hours but by that little lump of lead. She froze in fear. All she could think off was "Good-bye Daddy, hello mommy." She promised herself to write to daddy if she got through this. And then she resigned herself to the fate of those on the casualty list.
But she was not to be reunited with her mother so soon. Adams had seen Jane's plight and had done the only thing his pride would let him do. He took the bullet for her. It might have been more impressive if it had mortally wounded him, but as it was a bullet in the arm still hurt. Jane was gratified by his sacrifice and recovered from her fit of meditation. She ran over to the rebel and stabbed him trying to revenge herself and Adams. The she guarded Adams till the stonewall had been broken and they were safe.
Chapter 8
But the silent was not to last. Because of her reflections, she had not heard the small party of men coming to the tree till too late.
"James?" Tom voiced.
"Yes?" She turned around not realizing her mistake.
"James? No, huh, what the?" Tom was now puzzled.
"What?" So was she till she looked down. "Oh! My god. Please don't tell!"
"That you're a girl?" Adams asked.
"What else could it be?" She replied.
"Man, I can't believe that you were out there… I mean you held up with the best of… my god why didn't you tell us?" Tom was amazed, nearly speechless. But because it was Tom he still could find some words.
"You have to keep on treating me like one of the guys!" She hissed "Or it's all over for me."
"You have my word, milady." Adams shifted into gentleman mode, and treated her with respect he would never give the scrappy little boy that had bloodied his nose.
"Thank you Mr. Adams" As she had to give such a gallant man back his courtesy.
"Tom lets us go back, I think Private James needs some time alone." Adams said.
Jane watched them go off. She had lost some things and yet won others. The look that Adams had given her disturbed her. Tom she felt would recover. But in Adams eyes she saw some strange thoughts and emotions that all in all she would rather not have in there. Sighing, Jane melted away into James and the figure that walked out of the shade of the tree could not be Miss Darcy.
Chapter 9
She sat in the cool tent. Well, not completely cool, but it was cooler than any other place. The heat was slowly squeezing the life out of the 20th Maine for even after all the time they had spent fighting, they were still unused to the bitter southern summers, which were as hostile to them as Lee's Army.
She stared at the blank paper. She had promised herself that she would write this letter but she had never managed to imagine that it would be so painful.
Dearest father,
No. That greeting would not do.
Daddy,
What was she thinking?
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy,
Too impersonal, after all she was his flesh and blood.
Dear Papa,
Yes, that would be fine.
I am writing to tell you that I am well. I know that you must be afraid and confused over my sudden departure. But do not be alarmed when I tell you that I will not be back from my…
Hmm, what would be a good word to use there?
Trip. I cannot, as I am enlisted in the 20th Maine, a United States Regiment. I have enlisted for two years, or till the war ends, whichever is first. I have already been in a battle, and have no scars to prove it. However, I do have some excellent memories as souvenirs. The men of the 20th are gentlemen and very kind. They do not know my true gender, as I had to disguise it.Now I must address why I left. I left because…
Here comes the tough part. How could she explain her reasons?
I felt so constricted by my life I wished to be someone else. I hated having to walk around in skirts "be a lady". I also could not take it when all of my cousins could run of to fight. I am just as brave as Fredrick Wickham, or the two sons of Aunt Anne. It is not fair, that although I am just as brave, steadfast, clever and suited to be a soldier as them, I must stay in the house forever, only trading it for a future husband's house. I love having the freedom unallowed to those of my sex. Sir, please address your next letters to Mr. James George Darcy, your loving son.Thank you,
James George Darcy
There. It was done.
Chapter 10
"Nothing, nothing." Tom gulped.
"You sure?"
"Um, yeah. Wait. You and James are best friends right?"
"We came off the boat together. I'm his oldest friend here. I know everything about him."
"No, not quite. James is female." Tom felt that the best friend should know. He wouldn't tell anyone else, but it was almost Apollo's right to know.
"My god! How do you know?"
"Um… shall we not go into that. Lets leave it at she wears a chest biding to disguise the err, chest."
"Who is he really?"
"Jane Georgiana Darcy. An heiress to an estate in England. Ran away for adventure."
"Good lord in heaven! Don't worry Tom, I know, I won't tell a soul. Not even her that I know."
"Thanks Apollo." Tom left with relief on his face.
Apollo lay on the ground considering. It had never occurred to him that James Darcy could be someone else. But then again, he had secrets to hide could she? And this turn of events could be useful for his pocketbook…
Chapter 11
A rare miracle happened after a month or so. Jack Darcy got mail. For those who thought they knew him, it really was amazing. For those who knew the truth, it was even stranger.
"Whose it from, Jack?" Apollo smiled a smile designed to turn the insides of any girl into butter.
"My Pa." Jane stammered back. Okay, she thought, the cutest nicest guy I know is sending signals. Ordinarily I'd be thrilled but he thinks I'm a boy. Wait a minute… could he be…? Nah.
"What does he say? All good I hope."
"Oh not much. Or at least not much that I've had a chance to read."
"Well, then, I'll give you time to read it won't I?" Apollo smiled again and left the room.
Jane was too eager to read the letter to have time to worry about Apollo and his new treatment of her. She kind of missed the old friendship but this one might be nice…
She shook her head to clear thoughts of Apollo and read the letter.
Dearest Daughter,I have been worried about you! You are just like your mother, always plunging in headfirst to any scrape possible. Hopefully, like your mother you will have the strength to get out of it. I miss you terribly. I am all alone. Perhaps when you have leave you would be so kind as to visit your old albatross?
Enough self-pity. I have written to tell you that although I will agree to let you play soldier, I must have some family member be so lucky as to see you. Your Aunt and Uncle Bingley are in Washington. Next leave you will show your face there. I have checked, and your next leave is in Washington. Please comply with at least that request. Again, I miss you to the utmost,
Your Papa,
Fitzwilliam Darcy
A ball. Lord, how will I mange this! And I planned to just relax with my friends, not twirl around in a dress and simper at young men. For someone who doesn't like dancing Papa makes me do a lot of it, she meditated. She fumed as she burned the letter, in case her belongs might be searched.
Chapter 12
The maid led in a slight girl, wearing a dress and a bonnet as if the might strangle her at any second. Although she lacked the grace of an accomplished lady she was still pleasing, in a tomboy sort of way.
"Auntie Jane? I'm here." Said the girl shyly as if afraid of a spanking, even at her age. The obviously fake blond bombshell sitting by Mrs. Bingley snorted.
"My girl! Oh, look you've grown!" Mrs. Bingley ignored the blond girl.
"Actually, no. I'm just wearing really high heels." The girl replied.
"Good to have you back little Jane." Were the only words from the man reading the newspaper.
"Nice to see you. Although, I have to say, marching did not help your complexion Jane." The blond one was to speak.
"Nice to see you too Eliza. You've died your hair I see." Jane shot back.
"Yes. After I got Lord Winthrop's marriage proposal. Lord how dull! You cannot believe how boring it is to be engaged. Of course, I doubt that you shall have to worry overly much about that problem in life." Because of the glare from her mother she amended that statement. "Because you've taken up soldiering you see…"
It was beyond Jane how the two nicest people she knew could have produced such a creature full of spite. Maybe they didn't spank her enough when she was little…
Anyway, it was rather nice to be back. And this would only last a week so she still would be Jack of the 20th Maine too. Everything was perfect.
"And in two days there is to be a huge ball. Of course will take you my dear."
This shattered the ideal she had in her mind. A ball would be worse than Gettysburg and more dangerous. What if someone found her out?
Chapter 13
Jane looked at herself in the mirror. The hair extensions were all right, they even looked natural, but the dress was showing off some major cleavage. That's what I get for borrowing a dress from Eliza she thought grumpily. She lifted her head up proudly as if to say no matter what I wear I am a soldier still. Then she followed her aunt and her cousin into the ballroom.
Imagine a hundred colors and their descendants in one bottle. Imagine an army of smells campaigning for your nose. Imagine the heat of a desert, only perfumed and barely tamed, hitting you. Imagine the sounds of a falling tree. Only then do you start to get the idea of what it was like at the ball.
Jane cringed then fell into the roaring sea of people. She danced a few dances with some single men who thought of her as a nice way to pass time. Then she decided to have a break and sat in a chair.
A lady with too much make-up and a wig the size of a small elephant came over to her.
"Dear" She said in a high falsetto "Where are the…" The woman trailed off and then said in a man's voice "Oh Jane its you. How do you walk in these skirts? I fell on my face twice!"
"Tom?" Jane was unsure but she knew the voice, if not the face.
"Yeah, its me. It's a bet. I have to be a woman for this ball. Do you think I over did the top?"
"Overdid is an understatement. Who's here to make sure you follow through?" She asked.
"Good evening madam, you must excuse me for being so rude but I must talk to my cousin, Miss Tomina Adams." Said a very familiar voice.
"Adams? You're here?"
"James… I mean Jane? I didn't recognize you in your err feminine state." A blush spread over Adams' face like an army of red ants. He looked away.
"Well, I'm guilty of that crime with Tom. Who made the bet with him?"
"I did Jane." She whirled around to see Apollo standing with Eliza on his arm.
"Apollo, you know that I'm rather female?" She asked eyes opened wide.
"I've known that ever since I saw you, you were the most beautiful girl I had seen. Would you honor me with a dance?" Of course she consented. They whirled around the room with Apollo's blue eyes holding her captive. She had never noticed how beautiful they were before.
Till the end of that evening Apollo was everything to her. Although she danced a few dances with Adams, who proved to be an excellent dancer, she could only concentrate on Apollo. He seemed to be her sun and her center. There was no way to avoid it. She had fallen for him.
Chapter 14
"Jane come with me, I have a surprise for you." He said breaking the silence.
"Very well." She followed.
"Come into this carriage."
"I can't leave. We march in only a few hours Apollo." Some little brain cells started sending warning signs but she fought them down.
"Please for me?" He begged.
"All right, if it's short."
They sat in the carriage for a while till Jane was sure they would be too late if they didn't start heading back.
"'Pollo, we gotta turn back."
"Janey will you marry me?"
"Apollo! I don't know what to say." She stammered thinking.
"Oh no Jane." He said his eyes growing cold and hard. "You don't understand me quite. You will marry me." And with that he jammed a ring over her finger.
Screams could be heard from the carriage.
Chapter 15
A pale man was waiting for him outside.
"Yes?" He growled.
"Sir I am looking for Apollo Huntsford. He was enlisted here." The man said back.
"Seems like everyone is looking for everyone else. Why are you looking for him?"
"To bring him to justice. He is suspected of the murder of Miss Diana Parson in England."
"What?"
"She was a heiress he courted for her money. After they married she was found dead in a forest."
Adams felt his brain working over time. Connections suddenly appeared in his head. A rich little girl. Marriage. My god! Jane! He ran out to Tom.
"Have you seen Apollo or Jane?" He grabbed Tom by the collar in his hysteria.
"Yeah they left together in a carriage. Why?"
"Which road did they take!" Adams roared.
"I dunno. That one I think." Tom looked very scared and Adams remembered his imposing height.
"Thanks Tom. I'm going to go now."
"Where?"
"To save Jane."
Chapter 16
"Janey sweetie why don't you go to sleep for a little bit?" He asked in a voice full of honey.
Jane hesitated. He saw her hesitation and marked it down as a weakness. "Janey all I want to do is take care of you and love you."
"Then why did you steal me away?" The in charge Jane was back, angry.
"So I wouldn't have to share you. You do know how Adams looks at you. I love you and want you all to myself." He purred.
"If you really love me let me go!"
Apollo grew impatient and grabbed her wrist. She punched with all her might and bit his hand. She was gratified with a scream and an increased distance between herself and him.
"You little thing. I'll get you my pretty for that. One day you'll be sorry. Did I ever tell you about what really happened to my darling Diana?" He was biding his time, knowing that she could not last forever. Jane knew it too and thought out her options. Slowly a plan formed in her mind. Yes that would do…
She kicked him as hard as she could and ran out the door. He cursed and followed her into the Pennsylvania mists, but not before taking a few weapons. She ran and ran, but he did too. Finally she decided to face him. She quickly learned that it was a big mistake. He had a knife in his hand and she did not.
"Step away from her." They both turned to see a dark rider on a black horse. Jane squinted to try to see his face but he had a mask on. She didn't mind though. It was nice to have help.
Chapter 17
Jane tried to run fast to the rider. But as her skirt (Apollo had insisted that she wear a wedding dress) was wet and she was tired it seemed like more of a crawl. As she drew closer she noticed a fake blond braid sticking out from under the black hat the rider wore.
"Eliza?" She asked, hardly believing her eyes.
"Jane come here! Now!"
Jane paused, something seemed wrong with this picture. Eliza lost her patience.
"H#ll's bell's Apollo! I told you this wouldn't work! We were never close." She drew a saber and looked back to Jane.
"Why Eliza?"
"You stupid child! If you weren't so untrusting of your own flesh and blood, the plan would have worked! You were to die. Your inheritance was to go to Apollo, and I was to marry him after that! Now come here and die!" She charged and swung the saber but missed. Jane blindly grabbed Eliza's (black) cloak. Eliza fell, rather ungracefully to the ground. The horse went off in search of a warm stall.
Now she was in a slightly better shape. Not by much, as there was still two armed people trying to kill her. She was trapped. She decided to go for Eliza, who was the weaker of the two. But then Apollo would easily finish her off.
"Hold on Jane! I'm coming!" A man on a brown horse was coming up. She saw that it was a very wet Adams holding a gun. Hopefully, he won't try to kill me too, she thought.
Apollo snarled and charged at Adams. Eliza, always one to follow the trends, did likewise with Jane. Both defenders were hard pressed. Adams finally pulled the trigger of the gun. Apollo slumped into a puddle, his blood mingling with that of the water. Jane grabbed Eliza's hair and knocked her against a tree, satisfied that she was unconscious. Then the two soldiers looked in shock at the battlefield. Jane noticed that she had a headache and was very tired. Also, the she was wounded, probably by Apollo's knife. So she did the logical thing for heroines in this position to do. She fainted.
Chapter 18
"Adams…" She began.
"You stop talking right now. For several reasons. One, I think that after all of this I deserve for you to call me by my first name, David. Two, the doctors say you're not well enough to talk. Three, I have to call in Colonel Chamberlain who is most eager to see you. Four, Tom will kill me because he wants to talk to you first."
"You're still the same you know that." She muttered grumpily.
The Chamberlain brothers came into the tent arguing. Then the Colonel addressed Jane.
"Madam, I am very pleased to see you alive. I thought, after hearing where Private Adams had gone off too that I would not see you again. Which would be a shame because you are a good soldier, one of the best I have."
"So you're not going to discharge me in the future?"
"Not at all. However, there will be some tricky red tape to go through. I'll now leave you to the mercy of my brother."
"Tom?"
"Jane, I'm so glad you're alive! I was so scared that I nearly peed in my pants. My god. However I have to ask you a very important question. Will you marry Adams?"
"Tom you rascal!" Adams tried to throw Tom right out of the room but Tom scampered out of reach.
"Tom, why do you ask that?"
"Because you two are so perfect for each other its annoying. So I figure that I need to get you two on the right path." With that he ran out of the room. Both of the two involved blushed and tried not to meet each other's eyes. Then Jane had to ask.
"Why did you follow me? You could have gotten in serious trouble."
"I… had to. I couldn't let you die. I mean, you're my friend…" He trailed off not sure what to say.
"I think that I will say yes to Tom's question then." She quickly ducked her head afraid that he might not want such an answer.
"Then I will be the happiest man alive." The looked at each other for a long time and then kissed.
Tom was watching, but they didn't notice.
Chapter 19
The wedding had had to be postponed till the end of the war, in order for the bride not to get discharged. The bride's family was positively thrilled for her, and her seven aunts (well Lady Ann was once removed but…) were proud off her. Her father was happy at acquiring such a fine specimen of a son-in-law and was reminded of his marriage and his Elizabeth, which made him very happy. Only her cousin (who was out on parole) looked grumpy, but Eliza was grumpy all the time these days. As for the lucky couple they could not have thought of a happier day of their lives. All in all, there have been worse weddings.
Now the reader would like to know where they lived, how many kids they had and so on. However, that is a story to be posted on another day…
The End