Lie to Me

Chapter Six:

Hello  again.   Went  on  a  writing  rampage  and  figured  I'd  put  another  chapter  up.   I  know  this  one  may  be  a  little  messy,  so  it  may  be  edited  once  I  look  back  at  it  again.   Hope  you  guys   enjoy.

-Paint5066

        Charlotte drew in Roselyn’s emerald green curtains, “Goodnight, Ms. Roselyn.”   Charlotte yawns.   “Goodnight Charlotte.”  Roselyn replies.   Once the door creaks shut, Roselyn leaps out of bed.   She reaches behind her vanity to find the note she hid that Jacob left for her on her window the other morning.   It was a rather peculiar note.   Roselyn had not an idea of what to wear since there were no other details other than to be ready at midnight.   She pulled out one of her favorite gowns from the back of her wardrobe.   It was a simple pink and teal design of plaid above her hips; below her hips it jutted out and was a lovely shade of teal.   She sighed in frustration as she tried to yank her corset strings tightly.   “Would you like some help, Ms. Roselyn?”   Roselyn gasped and turned around quickly, “Charlotte?  What are you doing in here?” “I heard a noise and was checking to see if you were well.   Come here.”   Charlotte sighed.   Roselyn allowed Charlotte to lace her corset properly, what else was she to do?   “I believe there is no point in asking where you are going.   You will not tell me anyway, will you?”   She yanked tightly on the strings, making Roselyn release a gasp.   “You mustn’t tell anyone about this.  Now help me finish getting ready.”  Was Roselyn’s only reply.   Charlotte simply nodded her head.  

                 Roselyn heard a tapping noise near her window.   She felt her stomach spinning.   “Roselyn, he is only an arrogant man.   He is no reason to get a horrid stomachache over.   A man I am sneaking out of my room with in the middle of the night.”   She says to herself.   She looked at her reflection in the vanity; her hair was pulled to the side, her brown locks dangling below her shoulder.   She placed her hat on the top of her head and heard him tapping on her window once more.   “Oh what have I done?”   She mutters while drawing in her curtains.   “Good evening.”   He says, arms folded.   He was leaning against her balcony’s iron railing, seeming to not have a care in the world.   “Good evening, Mr. Covington.   Just a mo-” She was interrupted by her own surprise of him entering into her bedroom without an invitation.   “A moment?   Of course, take your time.”   He say’s in a charming tone.  She smiles to herself, “Make yourself at home I suppose.”  Jacob proceeded to walk around her room.   He ran his hand gently across her jewelry that lay on her vanity.   Roselyn briskly turned out her lights and made her way to the balcony.   “Shall we?”   He say’s holding out his hand.   “Certainly.” She replies, their hands entwining.

                 “Will you tell me where you are taking me at such a late hour?”   Roselyn questioned as they walked down the empty streets of Greenwich.    “I assumed you’d like to go to the nearest bar.   Some are open until late in the night.   We may be very fortunate and witness a bare knuckle boxing match.”   Mr. Covington replied.   “I don’t believe you.   You are a horrid liar Mr. Covington.”   Roselyn scowled, restraining herself from smiling.   “Well believe me when I tell you that you look ravishing this evening.”   Roselyn had nothing to say to this and decided it would be best to stay silent.   “Here we are.”   He says as they walk towards the end of the village.   “Where is here Mr. Covington?”   Roselyn questioned with a skeptical look forming on her face.   “The forest, of course.   I thought it would be nice to take a walk.”   Roselyn must have formed an even more skeptical look because soon Mr. Covington questioned, “What’s the matter, Ms. Ewell, don’t you trust me?”.   “Trust breeds trust, Mr. Covington.   You must earn it to get it.”   She states, recalling her father telling Mary Margaret and herself this on numerous occasions.  “Are you chiding me, Ms. Ewell?”   He murmurs.  “Do you need to be chided, Mr. Covington?”   She replied smoothly.   “You are a clever one, aren’t you?”   He says as they enter the forest .  “I suppose I am.”  

                     It was truly startling how quickly the bright streetlights over the empty roads were all but extinguished once entering deeper in the forest.   It seemed it was straining to make out the blur of shapes all around her and Mr. Covington.   Branches seemed to reach toward them like long straggly fingers all at once horrifying and furious.   “Will I be safe with you here?”   Roselyn felt herself asking him.   “Of course.”   Was his answer.   The silence was very nerve wracking.   The only sound Roselyn could hear was the creaks of crickets in the near distance.   Roselyn turned toward a path to their left as Mr. Covington went in the opposite direction; they collided into each other instantly.   “Pardon-” He began, but was interrupted by Roselyn, “Quit doing that.”  “Doing what, Ms. Ewell?”   “Your intentions are clear to me, Mr. Covington.”   She said in her most matter of fact tone.   “Yours are as well, Ms. Ewell.   Why else would you agree to this arrangement?”   Roselyn felt her heart skip a beat.   Has he predicted her assumptions with him and the death of her sister?   “Really?”   She replied, she tried to say more but felt her throat instantly dry.  “Certainly, I see them.   You fancy me.”   He grinned deviously.   She calmed herself, so he didn’t know she was after some answers.  But soon she felt even more nervous than before.  Now her heartbeat was moving at an even quicker pace.   Did she have feelings for this arrogant man?   “Pardon me?”     Was the only thing she was able to say.   “It is quite obvious, nothing to be ashamed of.   You find yourself drawn to me, and at this very moment you would like to kiss me. ”  He said calmly and confidently.   His eyes shone into hers.   Heat radiated off of him, which made her flush as his hands cupped her face.   As he leaned in towards her, she felt her hand mechanically slap him across his face.   “ I don’t know what kind of women you have been with, but let’s get this straight, I am not any of them.”  She turned around and meant to leave, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back near him.   “Please forgive me.   You’re right, clearly you’re unlike any other woman I have met before.   I’d like to have a second chance at this.”   He said, loosening his grip on her arm.      “Fine then, Mr. Covington.”     “I would prefer it if you called me by my Christian name, Jacob.”    He said cautiously.  “Alright, then you must do the same for me.”   She replied.  

              Their midnight stroll fell silent as they went deeper in the woods.   Once they passed a bridge, she recalled coming here as a child, with her sister.   She remembered the light that came through the trees, the silence except for their childish squeals, the water they drank given by the droplets of water from large leaves, and the earthly smell that seemed to always be in the thick forest.

                  “Mary Margaret and I used to sneak in here and play when we were young.”   Roselyn said glumly.   Jacob stopped in his tracks and stepped in front of her.   He put a hand soothingly on her shoulder.   “Roselyn, you will be happy again.”   Jacob’s words stung.   It felt he knew how pained she truly was about the death of her sister.   “Are you certain?”   She questioned.   She hated herself when she felt her bottom lip start to tremble.   “Yes, I am certain.   Perhaps we should start walking back, before anyone notices you are not in your room.”   He held out his arm for her to embrace.      She  linked arms with him  gratefully.  

                    “Well, tonight was oddly pleasant.”   Roselyn said as Jacob helped her climb up to her balcony.   “Indeed, it was.   No need to sound so surprised," He grinned,  "Would you like to do this again tomorrow night?”   Jacob questioned nervously.   Roselyn was taken aback by his nerves.   She could not recall a time when his ego was low.   “Alright, that will be fine.   Goodnight, Jacob.”   Roselyn smiled.   He considered her for a moment before saying a word.   She felt her flush begin to rise to her cheekbones. She looked into his eyes, which seemed to be taunting her.   “Sweet dreams, Roselyn.”   As he turned his back, she instantly shuddered at his last words.  She certainly has not had a sweet dream in quite a while.