Jane

Introduction Pt. 2

- Jane -

"Oh Greenly"

I cried holding on to one of my three best girls.

"I am going to miss you all so much"

"Listen, Jane just stay with me until the professor gets back, it's hardly suitable for a woman like you to just off and leave to the jungle. You just can't!"

Hazel cried squeezing me harder. I thought my heart would burst. I didn't want to leave my home but even more so I knew I didn't want to be so long without my father.

"Girls lets compose ourselves, Jane is a grown up girl we can't stop her, even if we will miss her tremendously"

Eleanor reasoned passing each of us handkerchiefs.

"Thank you for coming to stay with me tonight, I really appreciate you three more than you'll ever know"

"No Jane, we do know and we will miss you more"

Hazel said squeezing my hand.

"Ladies"

I heard Charles call out knocking on my bed chambers door

"Oh do come in" I said smiley brightly. I had a gift for the girls. Charles entered bringing with him three small wrapped gifts.

"Oh! Presents!"

Greenly squealed clapping her hands excitedly. I smiled taking the presents from Charles and passing each of them to my dear friends.

"Jane, Oh Jane"

Hazel said opening the lockets I had especially made for them. Each was made of gold with the initials of each friends name outlined in diamond.

"Janey this is grand"

Greenly gushed

"Positively perfect!"

Eleanor said tears in her eye.

I basked in this last night with my friends for as long as I could. Two months seemed to be getting longer and longer with each passing day.

- The Next Day -

- Clayton -

"Mother please, let's not make this any harder for papa and you. Two months will fly away. Besides the professor needs me, Jane needs me."

At the mention of Jane's name mother brightened up. As I was, she too was very fond of Janey. From a young age she was like the mother Jane never had. Helping her through all the places in life her own mother should have.

"I know dear, it's just hard with everything going on with the estate. Adding on you Grandmothers health isn't where it should be. There is just a lot on our plate. And now my baby is leaving for Africa, hardly 20 years old and going so far. Any proper mother would worry."

Walking over to mother I hugged her tight. I knew the estate issue was a high tension one. With grandmother so close to dying and fathers siblings swarming like flies to inherit the money and estate mother not only had to worry for me, but for her own safety and security financially. I made up my mind then as I stood there hugging my poor mother, I would do anything and everything to help my family. No matter what.

- Jane -

Our home was in a ruckus! The girls had left almost an hour ago and I sat on the front stairs watching all of Daddy and my belongings being loaded into the cars. I was wearing a simple gold petticoat over a white satin day dress. My hair was up, hidden behind my bonnet with just two strands crowing my face on each side. I tied a simple ribbon around my neck to keep the sun off and wore my beige booties Daddy had bought me.

"Oh Janey, you look beautiful"

Daddy said bending down and kissing my cheek. Clayton who was walking with him looked at me his green eyes staring into my blue ones. I could feel my cheeks reddening and turned away

"Well we best get on, come dear"

I took fathers hand and headed to the car. I got in first, followed by Daddy. Clayton sat across from us. Clayton and I listened to Daddy chatter excitedly as the car ride went on. Every time I glanced up my eyes would meet his and i'd look down cheeks flaming and play with the gloves on my hand. Why was he staring at me so intently? And why was I liking it?

"Is there a problem"

I finally asked meeting Clayton's eyes.

"No, I just never got to tell you how nice you look today. You look beautiful Jane."

"She does, doesn't she"

Daddy added back squeezing my hand lovingly. Part of me wanted to reply back with a sassy remark, but something in me did the opposite.

"Thank you"

I said simply. There was no reason to not be cordial. The three of us were going to be spending a lot of time together, might as well get along. I could tell Daddy and Clayton's surprise at my non-sassy reply and it pleased me. Looking again towards Clayton he smiled boyishly at me and I reddened. What was wrong with me? Clayton was handsome, very much so. And I knew he knew it, the only upper hand I had on him all these years was him thinking it didn't bother me. Looking again at him the boyish grin was replaced with a mischievous and cocky one. And someone I now knew the playing field was even.

I started to see the coast, and as we drove on a massive ship unlike anything I had ever seen came into view. The ship was so large and long it seemed as if all of London could ride on it.

"Remarkable"

Daddy said in amazement as we headed out of the car.

"Remarkable"

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A/N

This is the end of the introduction! Yay to you for reading so far. The next post will be the first actual chapter, how EXCITING. Thank you a million for reading thus far, enjoy and head over to the first chapter. Love, Artsy_writer.