No Confessions

Ch22

Lucy was bewildered. "What?"
    "Oh please. Don't tell me you haven't noticed my eyes following you. How my doors are always open for you. How some of my previous maids whispered about her. I fired them of course." Jayne laughed dryly. "Lucy, you must know by now..."
    Luct stepped back. "I–I don't"
    "I feel the same way you feel for Mina. Perhaps a bit more, but all the same in speaking terms. The same way I assume Mina feels for you. I don't wish to break up happy couples, but I also hate sharing what I believe should be mine." Jayne purred, moving towards Lucy. "Now of course, I am a woman of morals. I will do nothing you do not wish for me to do." Lucy nodded in acknowledgement. "I do wish to kiss you, though."
    A turmoil turned in Lucy's stomach. "I–I..."
    "Lucy." Jayne whispered. "I understand your mind still stays on Mina, but you must focus on other things."
    Lucy's eyes refused to meet Jayne's. She knew she was right. "Does Mina...truly love me?" she asked, eyes full of innocence. "Like–like that?"
    "Yes." Jayne mumbled. Of course Lucy would still focus on Mina.
    Lucy looked at Jayne with wide eyes. "How can you tell?"
"Lucy, my sweet. Oh you blind, blind idiot." Jayne laughed. "You really don't see it?" Lucy shook her head. "Course not."

____________________

    Mina stepped back at Alexander's words. "What?"
    "Of course, but focusing on Lucy." Alexander said, dismissing his most recent statement. "She loves you. She is just awful at showing such affections."
    Mina's eyes widened. "How can you tell?"
    "Two words." Alexander chuckled. "Captain Westenra." Mina laughed wholesomely. It was quite obvious when pointed out, yet she never connected the pieces. "That and every look, touch and whisper. I've seen her around you. Hopefully you've seen it too."
    "I haven't," Mina admitted. "Not in the slightest. How could I be so blind? I'm a medical student at the University of London. I'm the only practicing woman. Yet I cannot see when someone apparently has romantic affections for me? Let alone my own romantic affections towards her!"
    "Mina, don't beat yourself up over this. Feelings are difficult. Don't expect to understand them all." Alexander said, attempting to comfort Mina.
    "But even you saw it! I don't even see you leave your building during the day!" Mina cried. "I can't be that blind!"
    "Oh, but you can. And you were." Alexander chuckled. "However, Lucy seemed to be worse. Much worse."
    "So I saw." Mina said. "She keeps rejecting me. Are you sure she likes me that way?" Alexander nodded. "Okay." Mina drew out. "Do I confront her?"
    Alexander saw Mina's thoughts cause a kerfuffle in her. "Mina, breathe. You don't need to do anything you don't wish to."
"What happens if she doesn't?"
"She does."

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"Lucy?"
"Mina?"
"So Alexander told me something...two things actually." Mina spoke.
Lucy shifted. "Jayne told me something as well."
There was a moment of silence. Both girls stood, looking at each other. 'She knows.' they both thought.
Mina spoke first. "Let's ignore that. I am beyond tired. Can I stay with you again tonight? Both my mother and father knew I'd be staying with you for a while. My excuse is that I'm still not entirely over Jonathan. A lie, but I get to spend more time with my favorite person!"
Lucy sighed in relief. She didn't have to pour her heart just yet. "Oh, of course! Come, I'll get Catherine to bring us something."
With that, Mina took Lucy's hands and let her lead her up the stairs to her bedchamber. The two felt an uneasy presence between them. An unspoken tension. Neither wanted to discuss what they were told today; and neither wanted to confess.
Getting into the bedroom, Mina immediately fell onto the bed, a farce of exhaustion.
"I miss our late night talks." Lucy said into the silence. Shall we stay up tonight?"
"I don't have class tomorrow, so why not?"