A Love Ever After

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"You have six brothers?" Eliza asked, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"And they are all younger than I am," he laughed. "It certainly made my childhood competitive!"

Eliza laughed slightly. Jackson really wasn't so bad. She couldn't understand what her cousin Joshua was talking about.

"Well, I grew up with no siblings. It was really lonely." She replied, frowning slightly.

Jackson placed a hand on her arm. The gesture was comforting to Eliza, and she smiled up at him.

"I am sorry that you had to live like that. No one deserves to be taken away from their home." He said. "I would like you to know that my father searched the entire kingdom of Zari in the chance that you were there."

"You did?" Eliza was shocked.

"Of course. I didn't want to lose my future wife that easily."

"Thank you," she replied.

"Now, would you like to dance again?" he asked, bowing for her. She giggled and took his arm.

"Why thank you, sir," she said, as he led her into the crowd of people. A path seemed to be cleared for them as they walked.

Eliza smiled the whole way through the dance.

If somebody had told her before that she would actually tolerate his company, she wouldn't have believed it. But she was more than just tolerating it. She was actually enjoying it.

She laughed slightly as he dropped her into a dip, and her eyes left him for just a moment. But that moment was all that it took for her to make eye contact with somebody else.

The moment seemed to freeze, and Eliza couldn't tear her eyes away from him. He just looked so wounded, stood watching in the candle light.

Jackson pulled her up from the dip, and Eliza turned around to see if James was still there. But he was gone. And Eliza knew exactly where he would be.

"Would you excuse me for a moment?" she asked Jackson, her eyes pleading up at him.

"Of course, my dear." He nodded, and she left him.

As soon as Eliza opened the door she could feel the light breeze flow through her hair. It brought a slight chill to her body, making her clutch her arms slightly.

The moon hung low in the sky. It was a bright night, and Eliza could see James immediately.

He was looking out over the gardens, his back turned towards her. He looked to be in deep thought, so Eliza wandered up to him and placed a hand on his arm. He jumped slightly in shock, before turning towards her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, looking deep into her eyes. "Shouldn't you be in the party?"

"Well, I should be, but I wanted to talk to you first."

They stood in silence for just a moment, neither of them wanting to speak. They were so caught up at just staring at each other.

"I am sure that you are aware of my engagement," Eliza began, breaking their eye contact.

"Yes," James' voice was strained.

"And you know that he has arrived?"

"Yes. He seems to be a nice gentleman," James cringed slightly as he said the words.

"I'm sorry, James," Eliza whispered, staring at the ground.

He gently took her chin in his hands and brought her face up so she was looking at him.