Chapter 5

Chapter Five

It had taken Jane the entire following day to get up the courage to even entertain the thought of calling on Daniel, and another day to think about what she was to say to him. Emilia had seen Jane’s nervousness etched all over her face so she had given her the children and Henry’s baby carriage and pointed her in the direction of Hyde Park to relax a little. Jane was sure her ulterior motive was that of some time alone with Sebastian but she didn’t say anything.

She pushed Henry’s baby carriage along while keeping a careful eye on the elder four. The twins especially had a reputation for running off.

When they arrived at the park Jane found a nice, wide grassy area where she would be able to sit with Henry and watch the children with ease. She sat down next to Henry’s carriage and rocked it back and forth to keep him soothed. She watched the four in awe. They each had such personalities.

The twins were of course the leaders. James was a tease; he enjoyed getting a rise out of another if his cheeky grin had anything to do with it. Kitty was just as bad as he was; she was going to be a very confident young lady when it came time for her first season.

Jane worried about Little J. She was very intelligent, even for a three year old. Her reading and writing skills were well beyond those the same age as her and she always had something enchanting to say. It was just a complete shame that she was born into a world where women were laughed at for wanting to further their education.

Jane also hoped Annie’s timidness was because her older brother and sister were so outspoken. She hoped that she gained some confidence before she was launched on society because she was a precious little thing.

She watched as Kitty and James chased each other and Little J and Annie watched them giggling.

Jane turned to Henry who was napping in his baby carriage. “You’ve got quite comical siblings, Henry,” she smiled.

Her head spun around when she heard a twig snap. She saw Daniel quickly walking in the opposite direction to where she was sitting. He’d obviously seen her and wanted to get as far away from her as possible. It was now or never. She wouldn’t have anyone avoiding her, she’d never had anyone hate her before in her life.

“Children!” she called out to her nieces and nephews. “Come here and stay with your brother where I can see you!” she motioned for them to come closer. They quickly obeyed and raced over to Henry’s carriage.

Jane made her move to go after Daniel whilst still keeping her eye on her nieces and nephews. “Lord Southerby!” she called out before stealing another glance over her shoulder to make sure all five were still staying put.

Daniel’s back stiffened as he heard her calling his name. He slowly turned around and looked at her sadly. His mother was still downturned in a grimace but his dark eyes were not angry, just defeated. “Yes, Miss Alcott?” he sighed.

“I ... I wanted to apologise,” she stammered nervously.

Daniel folded his arms across his chest defensively. “Did you now?” he said, sounding sceptical.

Jane looked over her shoulder again and saw that the children were all looking in the baby carriage, behaving. She smiled and looked back at Daniel. “Yes, I wanted to apologise. I jumped to conclusions yesterday and it wasn’t right. I may not agree with what you do in your spare time but it was not my place to call you an adulterer.”

Daniel arched one of his brows. “I don’t believe my ears,” he smirked. His eyes were still sad but it was incredibly strange to see any look on his mouth other than a sour frown. “You are without a doubt the most stubborn girl I’ve ever met and here I am holding her apology.”

Jane rolled her eyes and huffed. “I told you I’m sorry, I won’t ask you about Lady Sabine ever again and from now on we can pretend to be indifferent acquaintances.” She looked over her shoulder once more and saw that James was tugging on one of Kitty’s braids. Anger fired up inside of her as she marched over before waiting for Daniel’s response. She grabbed James’ little fist and took Kitty’s braid from it. “James, do not touch your sister with malice!” she scolded. “How would you like it if she pulled your hair just for fun?” she demanded.

James’ blue eyes looked suddenly guilty and apologetic. “I wouldn’t like it at all.”

“Exactly,” she smiled, satisfied. “Now apologise to Kitty and then we’ll go home.”

James turned to his twin whose braid was coming apart. “Sorry Kitty,” he apologised.

Kitty glared at her brother. “Aunt Jane can you fix my braid?” she asked Jane.

“Of course,” Jane nodded and secured her long brown hair in her hand. She combed her fingers through it to detangle it and then separated the hair into three parts and braided it.

“You’re very good with children,” Daniel commented from behind her. Jane jumped, not realising that he was standing so close.

After Jane had fixed the braid she stood up to face Daniel, taking Kitty’s hand to make sure she didn’t attack her brother whilst her back was turned. “Thank you,” she smiled. “It isn’t hard. You just need patience and a firm hand, at least that’s what Emilia tells me.”

Daniel managed a small smile and Jane was blown away again. “Believe me, it is a skill,” he assured her. “And I commend you for it.”

Jane raised her eyebrows. “Was that a compliment?”

“Don’t get carried away,” he snorted.

Jane smiled slightly. “Well, I better get these five home before they do some serious damage. I hope we can be indifferent acquaintances from now on, I don’t want there to be any ill feeling between us.”

Daniel nodded once. “There is no ill feeling, Miss Alcott, I assure you.”

“Alright, well I’ll see you at the next ball, I suppose,” she farewelled him and then ushered the children on. She pushed the baby carriage out of the park and pointed it back towards the manor. She made sure James and Kitty walked either side of the carriage so that they couldn’t argue further.

“Aunt Jane, who was that man?” Little J asked innocently as they walked home.

“Just somebody I met at a ball once,” Jane replied. “You needn’t worry about him.”

That seemed to be enough for Little J as she didn’t press the issue further.

When they arrived home, Miss Church took the children into the schoolroom and Emilia took Henry for a feed. Jane decided to go into Sebastian’s library to see all the books that Little J often talked about. The walls were covered with books on all sorts of subjects – philosophy, history, and religion – even things like alchemy. She went over to select a fictitious tale as she wasn’t really interested in educating herself further at that moment.

She jumped when she saw ‘Pride and Prejudice’ on the shelves. It was written by the same author of her favourite novel ‘Sense and Sensibility’.  She wished the author would come forward but perhaps being anonymous suited her. Whoever she was, she had the greatest understanding of the social hierarchy in English towns as well as the inner workings of the modern female mind.

She got comfortable in Sebastian’s chair and opened the first page.

‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.’

Jane giggled. How true. Her thoughts wandered to Daniel. He was single and in possession of a good fortune. She was sure many women in the ton, the ones that succumbed to his charms believed that he was in want of a wife. Maybe Jane was the only one who saw through it.

Before she could read on there was a knock on the door. She rolled her eyes. Was there no peace in this house?

“Yes?” she called.

“Ma’am, Lord Southerby is here to see you,” Mr Carter called through the door.

Jane furrowed her eyebrows. Twice in one week? She closed the book and set it aside. She stood up and smoothed her dress just as Daniel walked in the room. His demeanour had completely changed. He looked insistent and distressed as he marched over to her.

“I need you to teach me,” he said urgently. He quickly sat down in the chair she had just occupied and hung his head.

“Teach you what?” she asked slowly. This was quite disturbing. Gone was the angry and sour fornicator and in his place was a desperate man.

He looked up at her with those same sad, brown eyes. “When I was watching you talk to your nieces and nephews today, you handled them with such ease and authority. You did not hesitate.”

“Of course, for James nearly ripped Kitty’s braid from her head, I had to step in,” Jane replied slowly.

“But how could you know how to do it?” he asked.

Jane smiled. “You pick it up, I suppose. Children are impressionable. You treat them how you wish to be treated and they will reciprocate,” she thought out loud. “It helps to be their favourite aunt,” she added slyly.

Daniel sighed. “You were half right when you were talking about Sabine yesterday. You said do I not think of her every time I seduce a woman. I do think of her, everyday, you have no idea. But Sabine is not my wife, Sabine is my daughter.”

Jane’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. His daughter? How could she have been so far off? “Your daughter?” she gasped.

Daniel nodded. “And I think of her every day,” he breathed.

“Well ... why do you not go to her? Why are you never in Nottingham?” she asked breathlessly.

“I don’t know how to behave around her,” Daniel admitted. “I don’t know what to do. I held her when she was born ... my wife, Eleanor, she named her ... and then she died,” his voice broke as he spoke of his family. “Ever since then I haven’t been able to look at Sabine without feeling powerless. That is why I behave as I do, the behaviour that you, Miss Alcott, view as disgusting. It helps me forget, even for a moment, of how eternally useless I am.”

Jane sat down on the floor in front of him and took a hold of his hand, regardless of how inappropriate it was. “Lord Southerby, I cannot imagine what pain you have gone through, I don’t even know why you are telling me this, I’ve been nothing but horrible to you.”

“It was you that opened my eyes, Miss Alcott, misinformed as you were, it was you that reminded me that I had Sabine,” he looked at her with kind eyes. “I write to her each week asking her what she’s doing but I don’t know what to say to her or how to act.”

Jane smiled at him reassuringly. “No parent does. I can speak from experience, my father dies when I was young, so I know how Sabine would be feeling. A bond between a father and daughter is like no other. He is her hero, she can always depend on him for protection ... how old is your daughter?” she asked.

“She’s five,” he replied.

“See, it is not too late,” she smiled hopefully. “You should return home and spend some time with her. Get to know her. She’s at an age where she still thinks the world of her, any older and she might end up resenting you.”

Daniel let go of her hand and stood up from the chair. “It is easier said than done,” he sighed. “She has golden hair, exactly like her mother’s and the same blue eyes. Not knowing how to parent is not the only reason why I stay away from Nottingham, Miss Alcott.”

“You asked for my help when you entered the room, did you not, Lord Southerby?” Jane prompted.

Daniel reluctantly nodded.

“If I help you, will you return to your daughter? My father is dead, but Sabine’s is not, and I would hate for her to grow up wondering what she could have had,” Jane encouraged.

“I think you are the first woman to ever make me think about my behaviour, Miss Alcott, I thank you,” he smiled at her. He made his way over to the door and paused. “Tomorrow, Hyde Park in the same place we met today.”

Jane nodded. “Do you promise to try, Lord Southerby, it won’t be easy.”

Daniel nodded and disappeared out the door.

Jane felt as if perhaps this was why she was meant to be in London. She knew exactly what it was like to grow up without a father, and she would wish it on anyone even though it did happen to many children across the world.

If she could help Daniel return to his daughter then she would feel extremely good about herself and her ability to help people.

Perhaps Daniel wasn’t such a bad man after all. He was in pain, and he was asking for help. As far as Jane was concerned, that was the first step to recovery.

---

How many of you guessed it?

Next chapter will be their first alone meeting at Hyde Park, not to mention another party :)

Please vote and comment if you enjoyed it!!