I Am Jessamine
Chapter 22

Grayson was dancing a Galop Waltz with Genevieve and Jess saw her mother glowing radiantly and laughing freely while Jess was dancing with the very charming Governor Ranford. “My dear girl, would only I were years younger I would give that Captain of yours a good run for his money!” he flattered Jess charmingly and she replied, “Well, if you were much younger, kind sir, Grayson would have to definitely work that much harder!” and they laughed happily. “You are a true wonder, my dear.” Then dropping his voice slightly he said, “Your father and I have been talking and matters against our mutual duo are coming together quite nicely. The affidavits are piling up and more are coming in as we speak from the wealthy, poor, and even servants. I must say some of the stories I have been hearing are an absolute travesty and some so shocking as not to be spoken of ever again. Fortunately, a lot of the affidavits have irrefutable proof behind them, thank god. All very hush-hush mind you.” Jessie tightened her grip on his hand and said, “My Lord, I cannot thank you enough for your assistance. How will we ever be able to repay you for your kindness?” Jess looked up at him and he saw a genuine appreciation in her eyes. “My sweet girl, I am feeling grateful to have the honor of sweeping you around this ballroom. There are so many men salivating at the mere thought of being able to dance with you and here I am, an old cockerel, having the first pleasure.” And he rolled his eyes dramatically and Jessie laughed.

The orchestra brought that tune to an end and as they were beginning another and a fresh crowd of dancers moved onto the floor the Governor walked Jess over to the refreshments table, set out just beyond the open doors onto the outside terrace, and they helped themselves to some much needed sustenance. “I believe you are to thank for this lovely soirée this evening and you also did the decorating?” the Governor asked.

But before Jess could answer Gray and her mother appeared and Genevieve said, “Our daughter needed a proper introduction to our friends in our society and her choice of décor is most spectacular, don’t you agree, My Lord?” Genevieve put her arm through the Governors and the dear man looked fit to faint. “Oh my dear Genevieve, I would expect nothing less from your daughter. Jessie may look like her father, but she has your eyes and a graciousness that only a mother could pass to a daughter.”

Genevieve’s laughter tinkled as she said, “You old flatterer, you! But don’t stop. I do so love hearing you flatter me.” She laughed and led the Governor away.

Gray put his arm around Jessie’s waist and she leaned her back against him and whispered, “I so missed you, Grayson. We have spent hardly any time together.” She grumbled and felt his chest move as he laughed at her. Turning slightly Jess moved her arm inconspicuously and lifted her hand slowly and in the process rubbed gently against the part of him she was missing the most at that moment. Gray sucked his breath in through his teeth as Jess smiled up at him innocently and he growled softly, “You little vixen!” but before he could finish a fresh wave of guests descended upon the refreshment tables and he very discreetly pulled on his jacket in the front and rather unceremoniously dragged Jessie in front of him and almost frog marched her back into the ballroom and she laughed all the way enjoying her sweet revenge.

Neither Jessie nor Gray had noticed the small little hate-filled piggy eyes in the face of Daniels skulking in the dark watching them. He was aroused to the point of explosion and yet he hated the sight of both Grayson and Jessie. Staying in the dark he walked towards the servants’ area where he saw a young maid come past him with empty bread baskets in her hands. Reaching out he grabbed her by the hair and as she opened her mouth to scream he punched her in the face and she crumbled like a sack of potatoes. Not bothering about where he was he lifted the girl roughly and lay her face down over an outside wooden wash table and lifted her skirts and splayed her legs so he had access to her buttocks, spat on his hand, and then proceeded to brutally, and without any feeling whatsoever, violate the unconscious girl in the most demeaning way. When he was done he pulled her petticoats down and then left the young girl laying on the table with blood running down her legs.

He returned to the ball and proceeded to dish himself up a plate of food from a buffet table that had been set up with the leftover food only after Jess had insisted some be taken to the kitchen for the staff who had been running around all through the dinner.

Jessie was dancing with Governor Trent and she saw Daniels and something inside her grew horribly suspicious of the man. Something felt wrong and Jess started wracking her brain and realized that he had always been where she could see him. Almost as though he had wanted to make sure she knew he was there. He was so blatant and full of himself, thinking he was untouchable. Jess was sickened by the sight of the loathsome creature. “What is it, lass?” the Governor asked and Jess was brought back to reality with a jolt. Staring at the kindly old man Jess apologized profusely, but then added, “Have you ever looked at a person and just known that they were horribly evil on every level?” The Governor looked at Jess and tilted his head, “I have, my dear. As a lawyer I had to have that extra sense and I cultivated it over the years. Of whom are we speaking, if I may ask?” without skipping a beat Jess said, “Colonel Daniels.” And she indicated with her head and the Governor turned her in his arms ever so gently and looked over at Daniels who was busy chatting with uninterested ladies. “Oh aye, that one has no conscience. Not a gentleman at all.”

“I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don’t know what it is, but I cannot ignore it.” Jessie said with a voice full of concern.

Taking her arm and leading her from the dance floor Governor Trent walked her to her father and Gray saw them and made his way over to them as well. They were soon joined by Willy who put his arm around Jessie’s shoulders. “Lass, what is it? I know you Jessie and something has got your dander up. What’s your gut telling you?” The Governor, Rourke, Gray, and Willy were looking at Jess and she finally said, “I sense something bad has happened. I can’t shake the feeling and my gut has never been wrong.” Both Willy and Gray nodded and agreed. “Do you think we can send a few staff out to check around the grounds, stables, and outer buildings just to make sure?” Jess asked softly so as not to disrupt their guests.

Looking up Rourke caught Gibb’s eye and the man came striding over to his master. “Yes, sir? How may I be of assistance?” Rourke outlined his wishes of having the grounds, stables and outer buildings checked for anything unusual. Gibbs did not even ask what the ‘anything unusual’ may be, he simply nodded and walked away quietly. Within a couple of minutes, there was staff crawling about the grounds, and some were off to the stables chattering casually so as not to bring attention, and some headed to the staff lodgings pretending to yawn and feign tiredness. They were all simply told to report anything they deemed unusual.

Ten or so minutes later Jess was standing on the terrace with Gray, Willy, and her father and mother when Gibbs came over to them and called Rourke aside and bent his head and whispered. Rourke’s head shot up and he said softly, but angrily, “What?” and Gibbs nodded his head sadly. Rubbing his hand over his face he walked quickly back to his family and said sadly, “Beatrice’s youngest, Addie, was found beaten and brutally violated. We will need to get the doctor to her. It is not looking at all good.” And Rourke looked about his guests and spotted their family surgeon and walked quickly over to him and on his way smiled and greeted friends and guests who were well into their cups.

Jessie let her eyes glide across the crowd of people and finally, she saw who she was looking for. Weak, watery eyes met blue fire and he seemed to know that something was up and he was not the evening favorite. Daniels turned on his heel and headed for the nearest exit, but he had to push his way through guests and Jess was small and could slip through gaps and under lifted arms. How he did it Jess will never know, but as Daniels reached the door that would take him to the hall and then outside to arrange his ride, Gray stepped in front of him and the horrible man bounced off Grays’ chest.

“Leaving so soon Daniels?” asked Gray as he reached out to steady the stumbling man.

“What? Yes, well I’ve had my fill of the local Irish entertainment. Please give my thanks to the host and hostess.” He said hurriedly and attempted to push past, but Gray stopped him just as Jess arrived and Daniels received a solid punch to the diaphragm that had him falling forward onto Gray and it appeared as though Daniels was a little drunk and Gray was kindly assisting him.

“Take him quietly into the library,” Jess whispered softly and Gray half dragged and half carried a heaving, choking Daniels. As they got to the library Gray pulled out a dagger from inside his coat and held it to Daniels’ throat. The man looked petrified and Jess quickly realized how terrible this must be for Gray. Like a nasty dejavu moment or nightmare that just won’t go away. Jessie stepped closer and laid her hand on Grays’ arm and said softly, “Gray, it is going to be alright. Please don’t do anything that will separate us. I couldn’t bear it, please.”

Taking the dagger away from Daniels’ throat Gray stepped back, but never took his eyes off the vile man.

“Yes, get your lapdog away from me, you little whore!” Daniels said straightening up and pulling his jacket straight.

“Did I just hear you call my daughter a whore, Colonel Daniels? You come into my home uninvited and attend a gathering you were not invited to, eat my food and drink my good whiskey, brutally assault and rape one of my staff, offend one of my guests and then call my daughter a whore?” Rourkes’ voice frightened even Jess. He did not shout, he did not rant and he did not swear, but by god, that calm steady voice was nerve-wracking.

“I did not!” squealed Daniels.

“You did not what Colonel Daniels? Which did you ‘not’ do?” Genevieve was standing beside her husband and in front of her daughter. Jessie could see her visibly shaking from the effort to hold her temper in check.

“Get out of my way so I may leave this disgusting Irish hovel! I demand you release me right now and perhaps I will show you mercy. You can all be arrested, you know?” Daniels started to sweat and he tugged at his collar.

“Irish hovel? If Ireland has homes like these that offend you so deeply that you refer to them as hovels then why is it you went out of your way to steal the estate beside mine?” Rourke stepped forward and Daniels took a step back. “You hate my people so much that you sell them into slavery, but what they have is good enough for you to steal? That makes no sense.”

Just then the library door opened and Willy ushered in the Governors Ranford and Trent with the family surgeon. “Ah, here he is. Mister Daniels would you mind removing your trousers please?” asked Governor Rancliff.

“I beg your pardon? How dare you?” railed Daniels, “And it is Colonel if you please!”

“No, you are no officer and certainly no gentleman of the British Crown and as a Brit myself I feel nothing but disgust and shame for your behavior over these years and most certainly here on this night. Now, if you please, drop your trousers or we will be forced to remove them for you.” Governor Ranford stared at Daniels.

“This is disgraceful! I will not be subjected to such distressing treatment from commoners. I demand to be released right now!” With a nod from the Governor, Gray, Willy, Rourke, Gibbs, and the surgeon moved in on Daniels.

After much screeching, kicking, and most oddly, attempted biting and Willy ‘accidentally’ putting his boot on Daniels’s face, his trousers were pulled down to his knees and Jess and Genevieve turned away politely. It was the surgeon who confirmed what Willy had told them to check for, which he had learned of in the twenty-first century. Something so simple, but so easily overlooked. Fortunately for them, but unfortunately for Daniels, the act of bathing or washing was not on the top of their hygiene list. Blood, feces, and semen were clearly visible on the inside of the trousers.

The men all stepped away from the prone screeching figure of Daniels and he scrambled to stand up and pull up his pants.

“I, Governor Ranford, and my associate Governor Trent do hereby before these witnesses place you, Colonel Daniels, an officer in His Majesty’s Service under arrest for the brutal sodomy assault and rape of a young maid in the employ of Lord O’Cleirigh, the Earl of Dranmore, on this night. The charges brought before you will be added to as the affidavits are received and can be proven true, so you shall spend your days in Longford prison until your case goes before the supreme justice of that county. No bail shall be set as the severity of the crime is great and the future charges are not looking too promising for you either.” Governor Ranford looked utterly bored with Daniels and Jess loved him for it. “I will personally draw up a letter asking for the gaol wagon to collect you from this property and escort you directly to your new home.” And the Governors walked over to the desk and pulled out writing material.

“Brigadier General Rancliff will never allow it! Never! He will have me released and your heads will roll for it. I will have your properties seized and sold and all the proceeds will be split between Rancliff and me. We will rule Ireland. We will be supreme Lords over you common scum!” Daniels screeched hysterically and everyone looked at him as though he were mad. Which he probably was, thought Jess.

“Rancliff will save me! You know he will so you had all better be afraid.” He had spittle flying from his mouth and his eyes bulged and rolled in his head and he kept brushing his hair back from his face.

Six of the burliest and biggest stable hands came into the library and Daniels squealed even more that he must not be touched by filth and he tried to spit and bite the men until one fellow pulled off his dirty, sweaty neck kerchief and wrapped it about his mouth. Tears were streaming down his face as the six men manacled him and picked him up unceremoniously and carried him out to the stable shed where he was attached to a chain. With him were a bucket, some water, stale bread, and a thin blanket. Rourke told the men to take turns guarding him.

Staying a little while longer in the library they discussed the issue and they all agreed that with Daniels in custody Rancliff will replace out soon enough and if Daniels knew as much as he let on, Rancliff would never want the man talking. Everyone began walking out of the library and Rourke and Genevieve said they had to return to their guests and ushered the Governors and the surgeon into the ballroom. Willy, Jessie, and Gray were just behind them walking in still stunned silence.

Jessie excused herself and said she needed to go and check on Addie and left the men after giving Grays’ hand a quick squeeze. She rushed down passages and finally arrived at the kitchen where a lot of staff had congregated. “Where did they take Addie?” Jessie asked and a young lad named Shawn said he would take her to Beatrice’s lodgings behind the trees and hedges next to the house. Jessie walked with the young boy for some distance and they finally arrived at a small cottage. Jess knocked softly on the door. Beatrice answered and when she saw Jess she pulled her into the warm cottage. “You will catch your death of cold, Mistress Jessie.” Beatrice fussed over her and pulled her closer to the fire. “You should be with the guests, Mistress.” Beatrice chastised her, but Jessie said, “No, I am right where I should be, Beatrice. Your family is far more important than those guests right now. How is Addie?” Taking Beatrice’s hands Jessie sat at her little wooden table.

“Oh, she’s been hurt something fierce, Mistress. The surgeon has done his best and stopped the bleeding, but now we pray that she heals emotionally as well as physically.” Beatrice said sadly with tears in her eyes.

“I am so sorry this happened to your Addie, but please Beatrice if there is anything at all you may need please do not hesitate to ask. I mean it. You have done a marvelous job with the food, the house, and the staff. Never mind my astonishingly beautiful ball gown.” And Jess looked down and preened like a cat remembering how she felt in the sparkling dress.

“Oh Mistress Jess, you are our Faerie Angel and it has always been a pleasure to help you. It is my honor to know someone such as yourself.” Feeling a little awkward Jessie pulled Beatrice forward and embraced the woman. “Enough! You have a talent that I will be pleased to see grow into something spectacular. What is your full name Beatrice?” Jess asked out of interest.

“Beatrice Addison Steele, Mistress.” She replied a little embarrassed.

“We are going to create the House of Steele for you, Bea. I mean it. I will make sure you get to do what it is you love to do.” Jessie said and meant it. No matter what, Jessie would make damned sure Beatrice got her shot.

“I have to go back, but call if you need anything at all. Do you promise?” she asked the woman seriously and stood up to peep in on a sleeping Addie whose bed was just behind a curtain.

“Aye, Mistress Jessie. I promise.” Giving her hands a squeeze Jessie opened the door and left the cottage to go back to the ballroom and talk to Willy about her plans for Beatrice Addison Steele.

Young Shawn had waited for her and he was stomping from one foot to the other and Jess noticed that it had cooled considerably. The cottage door flew open and Beatrice rushed out with a silver-white fur shawl for Jess. “Now keep that about your shoulders and chest. It is far too cold for that gown.” Beatrice turned and rushed back into the warm cottage and closed the door softly.

Jessie sank her fingers into the soft warmth of the fur shawl and felt incredibly comfortable, even though it was the fur of a poor dead animal. I can’t do much about that now though Jess surmised. It did feel incredibly warm though.

“Right Shawn, my good lad, lead the way.” Jessie smiled at the boy and he beamed and held her elbow as they walked towards the trees and hedges where the path beside the house started.

As they reached the edge of the hedges someone stepped in front of them, but because it was so dark Jess never saw who it was thinking only that it was a staff member going off shift. Young Shawn, however, bravely pushed Jessie behind himself and stepped forward, “Who goes there? State your business?” Jess heard the distinct sound of a sword leaving its sheath and she rushed forward to push young Shawn out of the way but it was too late. The figure plunged the sword straight through the youngster and Jess heard the familiar sound of flesh being sliced and then the sound of the flesh sucking on the blade as it was withdrawn. It was a sound she would never forget from the battle with Nick’s pirate crew.

Jerking the sword the boy held onto the blade and whispered hoarsely “Run Jessie!”

Jess spun around, pulled up her skirts, and ran. She knew screaming would be futile as no one at the ball would hear her and the only person within earshot was Beatrice, but she had been through so much this evening, but there was nowhere else to go. Jessie heard the footfalls behind her and she kicked off her shoes and ran faster so that she was almost within screaming distance of the cottage, but the gown weighed her down and before she knew it, it felt as though a bull had hit her from behind and she went down. She had the wind knocked out of her and she struggled to get her breath back. In her blurry vision she could just make out the candles in the window of the cottage and she tried to shout, but it hurt, and was difficult to breathe. The figure got up and grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to her feet. Jess let out a small yell, but the person spun her around and smacked her on her temple with the pommel of his sword and the world went black.

Slowly and painfully Jessie began to wake and felt herself being jolted around and she felt as though she was suffocating because of the knotted rag tied around her head and mouth. She tried to move but found her arms were tied behind her back and her ankles were tied as well. She could hear the horses’ hooves and the wheels on the bumpy dirt road. She was wrapped in something in the back of a wagon. Her body ached and her head was pounding insanely, but, she told herself, you are alive Jessie and that is what mattered. Jess could see through the sack she was in and clearly, it was day and she knew there would be a search party looking for her. Gray would know something had happened and he would move heaven and earth to replace her. Jessie closed her eyes and dozed sporadically. Her anger and rage building in her chest keeping her warm from the inside. She closed her eyes and thought of Gray and how much she loved him and her heart called out to him. She thought of Willy and her love for him filled her with courage because he had taught her well and he would never let her down. She thought of her father and realized how much she had grown to love him and how important it was to keep him safe. She thought of her mother and how she had offered an olive branch and Jessie admired her for that. Then Jessie thought of her little Gem. The tears came when she thought of the little boy she wished was her own. Would he cope without her and would he fall ill again because his little body was still so fragile right now? Jessie’s heart ached all over again.

Then, something strange happened, Jessie was filled with a sort of euphoric sense and it was as though someone was with her. Jess opened her eyes into little slits and she could swear that all of the little diamantes from her hairpins had come alive and were floating about her head. She opened her eyes wider and there they were. These little flittering, glittering and glowing orbs. Jess thought she had been hit on the head far harder than she had thought. The humming began very low and Jess felt her headache abate drastically, the aches in her legs and arms went away and they felt warm and alive, not stiff and full of pins and needles and cramping. She felt her blood running hot in her veins and then she heard the voice “My darling child, fear not for we are with you. We will never allow a human to take your life. You may suffer for your love for we cannot control that. We will give you strength and fortitude, we will share our knowledge and give you our protection for you were once one of us and we nurtured you, watched you grow, and taught you much about the world. You became a part of us and grew within us and we are within you. You will remember it all when the time is right. Then we shall take our vengeance upon those who have caused you pain and tried to destroy your beauty. Keep us near to your heart, ar bana-phrionnsa. Never fear for the gods themselves fear the strength and power of the mighty Daoine sidhe.” Deep in her heart, Jessie knew these words and that she had become their little princess and they would always be there for her. Jessie closed her eyes and felt comforted and at ease. So, just maybe, the myth had some truth to it and Jess was meant to be in Ireland.

Somehow, some way Jess knew that she and Gray would replace themselves back to each other. He loved her and she loved him and it was a love that had waited lifetimes and now they had found each other it would last lifetimes.

The wagon jolted and slipped and the horses neighed. A harsh voice called out and the whip lashed at the animals. Jess felt the agony of the animals and their fear and confusion. Jess tried to talk to them to calm them down from her soul to theirs. The rain had come through the sack and the light had faded again, but Jess felt warm and nourished. She did not feel hungry and every time she opened her eyes she felt that much better and that much stronger. A small voice in the back of her head was niggling her about something she had forgotten and Jessie wracked her brain thinking of what it was she had been missing and then like a bolt of lightning she remembered what it was. She had that small knife Gray had given her tucked into her garter on the inside of her thigh, so Jessie began the enormous task of moving the ball gown and its petticoats out of the way and trying desperately to reach the little knife with her arms behind her back and her wrists tied.

Jess decided that the ball gown she wore was the most beautiful she had ever seen in her life, but it was not worth the irritation or the discomfort right now. A pair of pants would have been more favorable. She finally reached the little knife and she had tied it fast into her garter and troubled the ribbon until she felt she would simply rip the thing, but she could risk losing the knife. Finally, the ribbon had a little give in it and Jess managed to get the little blade out of the sheath tied to her garter. Sliding it gently she turned it around and began cutting the ropes at her wrists and thank heavens the little knife was as sharp as a razor blade and within no time the ropes were cut. Gently releasing her arms she pulled them slowly forward and the ache in her shoulders nearly made her cry out loud.

Jess lay for a while before she bent her knees a little bit at a time and began cutting the ropes binding her legs. Jess had to move slowly so that she didn’t make any obvious movements, but finally, she felt the ropes give and then fall off her ankles and blood rushed down to her toes. She did not feel an ache or the need to rub her feet she simply moved them slightly and then brought her arms up and punctured a small hole in the sack she was in and fresh, sweet, cold air blew in and Jess pulled the gag out of her mouth and gulped air eagerly.

A few miles later Jess felt the wagon slowing down and she lay as still as she possibly could. Then heard a grunt from the driver and the wagon came to a standstill. Jess lay with her eyes wide open and waited. The driver jumped down and Jess heard his boots splosh in the mud and heard him stomp closer to where she was lying.

He poked her and she gave a soft grunt, “I know you are awake.” Jess thought she recognized the voice, but it sounded muffled and she wanted very much for him to speak again. She groaned louder and hoped he would think she was hurt and needed attention. She felt the wagon move as he climbed aboard and she lay waiting. She had it all planned in her head what she wanted to do and she even had a few exit strategies in case things went sideways. She felt the knot being loosened above her head and as the hands pulled the sack down Jessie lashed out like a viper with her little blade and caught him and cut him badly on both hands. She managed to stab and slice his thigh open. Unbalanced from the surprise attack he stepped back and Jess got onto her knees and saw he was off balance and pushed with all her might forward and using her little knife slashed out again and the back of his knees hit the side of the wagon causing him to lose his balance and fall over backward with Jess slashing at him like a little ninja.

When she saw him going over the side Jess saw he had a floppy hat that was covering his face with a bandanna over the bottom half of his face and she saw blood, lots of blood. Jess ripped her petticoats jumping up and then vaulting over the side of the wagon to land on top of him and shove her knife under his chin, ready to drive it up into his mouth and through his tongue. She heard him groaning and saw his arm at an odd angle behind his back and his foot had got caught in the wagon wheel and it looked a bit strange, but she couldn’t really tell as the sun was dipping just below the horizon and everything looked in shadow.

She pushed on his chest as she got off him and he grunted again. Jess could see blood seeping through his clothes and she pulled back his jacket and shirt to see where she had sliced him and was impressed to see that she had sliced neatly through his shirt creating a zig-zag pattern on his chest.

There was a lamp in the front of the wagon by the seat and she went and got that and brought it closer and checked the wound she inflicted on his leg. No major arteries hit, only stabbed and sliced straight into the muscle. His hands, on the other hand, were cut up quite nicely and she smiled, but those hands looked familiar. Jess frowned and walked to his head and pulled off his hat and a mass of black hair fell across his forehead and face and Jessie stood staring in shock. Unable to move for a little while she simply stood staring with a numb brain.

Finally, she leaned down and pulled his bandanna under his chin and slapped his face so hard that her hand stung and it felt like she had dislocated her fingers and his eyes sprang open. The same color blue-green eyes stared up at her as those dead eyes she had stared into not so long ago.

“You fucking bastard! I should kill you right now and leave your body to rot, you horrible piece of shit! Pirate captain of the Black Coral my lily-white arse!” Jessie screamed with such hatred into his face she saw him flinch and draw back from her. She stood up and walked away and breathed hard trying to push the shock and horror from her mind.

Turning around she looked at her brother still lying in the mud and knew she had to get answers, but the thought of helping him made her feel physically sick. Jess had loved and idolized Nicholas and couldn’t fathom what had happened to him to reduce him to this sort of behavior. She was so angry that she shook from head to toe.

Walking to the wagon she looked at what else was inside and saw boxes and bags. So, he must have prepared for a trip, she thought. Walking back to the side where he was still lying she looked at his foot hooked in the wheel and the only way to free it was to either lift him back onto the wagon, which she would not do or get the horses to move forward a little. Not caring much about his pain or comfort she walked to the head of the horses and chatted softly with them and gently coaxed them forward at one pace. She knew his foot had come loose when she heard him cry out and Jess smiled evilly.

Getting back to him she looked about and saw some sort of shack a little way off the road so she unhitched one of the horses and tied the ends of the leather straps around Nick’s chest and walked with the horse while it dragged him closer to the shack. Jess left him attached to the horse because any noise from him and the horse would bolt, she silently hoped the horse would bolt.

She walked back to the wagon and gently guided the other horse with the wagon down the slight hill to the shack and then unhitched that horse. Taking the lamp she went into the shack and saw it was basically a travelers’ abode with nothing exceptional in it. She did replace extra candles that had been left behind and lit them and checked the fireplace to see if there was any wood to make a fire, which there was and Jess felt very grateful.

Back outside Nick was still sitting against the shack tied to the horse so Jess took everything she could off the back of the wagon and put it in the shack, including the sack she was in and she noticed some of her hair clips and an earring. Feeling around her neck she realized the necklace was gone and so was the other earring. This made Jess very heart sore and then bloody angry at Nick again. She pushed the earring down her bodice and felt around her hair for any other hair clips and then clipped them all onto her garter. She took the sheath for the little knife and placed that between her breasts with the sharp little knife.

Once everything got sorted in the shack and the fire was going Jess went out to her brother who was looking a little worse for wear and she untied him from the horse and then tied the horses to the post and placed blankets over them. Only then did she think of Nick and getting him inside. She went behind him and took him under the arms and turned him and dragged his long frame into the hut. By the time she had got him inside, she was sweating up a storm. She closed the door and then dragged him to the only bed and smacked him around the face to wake him up a little. “Wake up! I cannot get you on the bed by myself you useless oaf. Help me help you. Nicky! Get up on the bed!” Jess finally shouted at him and he opened his eyes and stared at her strangely and frowned. “Jessie? What the hell are you doing here?” Jessie frowned at him and made his move by poking his painful arm, “Up! On the bed.” And using his good arm to help lift himself she managed to get him up and onto the bed. She brought candles around him and stripped off his jacket and shirt. Using his whiskey flask which she found in his long jacket pocket she poured the whiskey over his wounds and he howled like a cat in heat. “Oh get a grip, you pussy! You think this hurts, wait till I get to your hands!” With a certain amount of relish, she poured the alcohol over his hands and she thought he was going to have a heart attack and die the way he yelled.

“Nick, I really never knew you were so soft. I think your arm is broken, if not then seriously hurt. Your ankle looks like a nasty sprain, but overall you are going to survive.” His eyes watched her in that strange way as though he was not sure it really was her.

“Jessie, what are you doing here?” he asked with a confused expression on his face.

“You brought me here, Nick. You attacked young Shawn and probably killed him and then belted me on the head and brought me on the back of your wagon. This is all you, Nicky baby.” She stood up and went to the fire to warm herself.

Turning back to him she saw he was still staring at her and she could not believe that this was the same Nick from the twenty-first century. Walking slowly towards him Jessie couldn’t help but let the anger show, “You, brother dearest, decided to work for that bloody syndicate, and for some inexplicable reason you time traveled without their permission. That, I must tell you, got their panties in a bunch, and we were informed of your demise. Dad, Willy, and I refused to believe you were dead, so we went to your apartment and that is where I learned the truth about time travel and our mother. A delightful woman, I might add. Took her quite some time to warm to me. But be that as it may, Daddy and Willy and I traveled because a very smarmy French tart who called herself Valeria Brossard, aka La Rue, also arrived at your flat making a complete nuisance of herself, but she did make it very clear, though, that you were up to no good and they wanted you stopped and they would use any means necessary.”

Jessie watched his face the whole time and she knew Nick did not have a game face. Right at this moment, the shock was clearly evident and his eyes blazed. Jess didn’t care, not one iota and she continued, “We were attacked and I was shot, but we jumped anyway. What a trip! We were fished out of the ocean by the Captain of the O’Murchadha,” and here she saw another reaction on his face. Hate, annoyance, maybe even jealousy. “Anyway whilst working on this trading vessel as we sailed to our destination we were attacked by a pirate ship, the Black Coral. Any of this sounding familiar to you, brother?” Nick said nothing but simply stared at her. “Hmmm, as I was saying, our vessel was attacked and the pirate had some inside help as one of the trade vessels’ crew, Earl McVane, was a bit of a pirate himself. There was a mighty clash and people got killed and their bodies were tossed overboard like disposable garbage. One of the people killed and tossed overboard was Benjamin Kellie.” Now Jess saw a major reaction of shock and horror. Nick closed his eyes and Jess saw tears rolling out of the corners of his eyes. Sadly she felt no compassion or sympathy for him.

“That same pirate ship attacked another vessel that we came upon and we managed to rescue a few of the people on board. My question to you, brother, is why did you take the women onto the pirate ship?” Nick never opened his eyes and his mouth stayed firmly shut. “Perhaps to sell for a certain Brigadier General Rancliff and Colonel Daniels?” Nick’s eyes flew open and he stared at her again.

Jess stood with her arms folded across her chest and raised her eyebrow, “You have a lot to answer for Nicky and if you start by telling me what the fuck you are up to, I may just be able to haul your arse out of the fire,” Jess said very seriously, “because, my good lad, you haven’t simply stepped over the boundaries onto hallowed ground here. You have gone sliding over with the devil’s keys to the gate!”