Misleading The Marquis

11- Gina Marie

Gina Marie worked to feign sleep as she heard Bane move about their compartment, it had been several hours since their argument, but she still was not interested in explaining herself again.

The airship floated through the clouds as any sea farer through calm waters, but still a knot rested in Gina Marie's stomach at the thought of just how high above the world they drifted.

She wondered if Bane would try to wake her or leave her be, and then her betraying stomach growled beneath her layers of new clothes.

Still she lay quiet, listening intently as her new husband pulled the blinds closed on the window, then there was a rustling of fabric, and a heavy warmth settled across Gina Marie where she lay propped up like an invalid on the cushioned bench.

The smell of evergreens and tobacco was becoming familiar to her, the smell of Bane; it had been with her when she woke this morning, covered in his great coat, and again now, he'd laid it over her. Gina Marie heard the door open and close, and then heavy footsteps fading down the corridor.

Opening her eyes, she confirmed that she was alone in a darkened compartment. A heavy sigh came through her as she laid back again, considering what she would do next. Bane was beginning to catch on that She'd ulterior intentions all along... just how long could she put him off?

Gina Marie had the sudden desire to confide in him, to tell him all about Ben's troubles, his imprisonment... her plan to save him, buy them a small cottage in the country somewhere so they could live the rest of their days together, replacing all the time that had been stolen from them since their parents' death.

A single tear slipped clear of her eyelashes and streaked down her left temple as she lay flat on her back. She would not be making any progress so long as she was laid up like this... and the more Bane uncovered about her falsehoods in those letters... well the less time he'd be willing to let her hang about on his good charity.

Gina Marie recalled the things Bane had written about Brisbane castle in his letters, she knew he was close to his family, lived with his sister and her husband and their children as well as his grandmother.

Bane had sympathized with her over the loss of her parents, having lost his many years before as well. She never hinted at having a brother, for fear that Bane would find out too much and go cold.

Sighing again Gina Marie felt another nip of guilt - Bane had compared himself to little more than a fish on a line, and here she was doing the same even still. He was a good man, she was realizing that fact rather quickly, despite his efforts to match his hard exterior appearance.

She wondered again at what lay ahead at Brisbane Castle... there were rumors surrounding the family, dark rumors that no one would dare discuss in the presence of an innocent.

So Gina Marie had never been truly able to discover just what those rumors entailed... though just to spend an hour with the cashmere buying, hand holding 'beast' and you Couldn't believe any of the evil things his family had done had anything to do with him.

Gina Marie smiled again, reliving the conversation they'd had about radios and silverware. It had been a long time since She'd shared laughter with someone besides Louisa... and never with a man like Bane.

Blushing at his comment on her 'sights to be seen' Gina Marie rolled over, banishing the lingering thoughts as the smell of evergreen and tobacco followed her. Maybe she would sleep for just a moment...