Becoming Jane

Chapter 3

***Please read author's note at the very end for another little competition***

---

Chapter Three

Little J put on a fake smile when she entered the drawing room alongside her mother. Sure enough, Miss Sarah Smith was inspecting the glass cabinets containing Ethridge treasures that hadn’t been removed from their place in decades.

She was a very attractive woman, a few years older than Little J’s almost two and twenty but one couldn’t tell. Her hair was the colour of ebony and her eyes were a deep green. She was quite tall with well – rounded hips and a tiny waist, however her voluptuous torso was what attracted men to her, no doubt her brother included.

“Oh, good afternoon, Lady Jane,” Sarah greeted her, curtseying before her.

Little reciprocated the curtsey. “And to you, Miss Smith,” she replied.

Sarah abandoned the cabinet and came before Emilia and Little J, smoothing out the pleats on her ivory coloured dress as she came. Sarah was always immaculately groomed. Her father was a wealthy man, but his fortune would be going to his son, and not to Sarah. If she did not marry advantageously then she would be destitute upon her father’s death, that is, if her brothers’ did not support her. That was why she wanted her brother so terribly. Little did she know that James was not the marrying type, and he preferred the comfort of a woman’s bed to the stimulation of her enchanting conversation.

“Lady Ethridge, I was just admiring the delightful crystal collection in your cabinets – they must be very valuable,” Sarah commented, an obviously fake smile upon her perfect face.

“Yes,” Emilia replied dryly. “Alcott family heirlooms. When my husband passes away they will go to the children, and not remain here. As will the money and our other possessions. Really, Ethridge will be a impoverished estate when Lord Ethridge dies. Poor James, inheriting such a worthless title,” Emilia stressed dramatically.

If she were not the Countess, Emilia could have had a career on stage. Little J did her best to keep from laughing. Her mother’s words were lies, but convincing ones … at least she hoped. With her father’s intelligence and skill at money handling and investment decisions, Ethridge was worth twenty times the amount it was when he had inherited. When he did in fact pass on, there would be more than enough to find James’ estate as well as set up her and her three other siblings for life. Just thinking about her brother sitting in her father’s study as the Earl saddened her. She didn’t want to think about her father dying, he was far too healthy to be dying anytime soon.

Sarah’s green eyes widened. “I cannot believe that, Lady Ethridge. This house and your lifestyle are far too fine to warrant such a thought. I’m sure there will be plenty of money for when James takes over as Earl,” she said sweetly, folding her hands in front of her.

Little J watched as her mother’s brown eyes narrowed on her brother’s friend. She could not wait until he got rid of her. She wondered if he would ever meet a nice woman, one that he loved and that would love him for his personality, no matter how narcissistic and brazen he was. James was a wonderful person, and he deserved a woman who saw that and not his title. He had given her the only thing she had desired and that showed her the kind of person he really was.

“James is not here,” Little J said quickly, hoping to distract her mother from the fantasies she was having about throwing Sarah out onto the street and locking the gates. “I am not privy to his expected arrival time so perhaps you would like to retire for the evening,” she hinted. She truly hoped that Sarah would decide not to stay for the evening meal. Sarah made things most unpleasant. It wasn’t an entertaining family affair when strangers were present.