Fan Fiction ❯ Once a Lady ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

[[I would like to mention that you may see my style alter and change throughout the book, I'm really trying to settle into a groove for writing a publishable novel Please point out any mistakes you see, I don't have a beta reader and, word only finds so much and even though I comb over it someimes I read thinks like they SHOULD be and not how they are actually written..]]

 

Chapter Two

 

Her eyes slowly opened as she glanced around the room, no one was there but she could hear arguing coming from outside the door, I told you not to do it, yet you did anyways.”

A male voice cut off the female voice; it sounded a bit irritated, “Elizabeth, do you really think she fainted? This is another one of her tricks and after I thought she had finally come around,”

“Derrick, you can't do this to the girl, it's her 18th birthday…”

“And what better present to receive then an honourable married to a charming, rich man. She should have been married when she was 16 like half the girls her age were.”

The soft female voice began to say something but was quickly cut off again, “I won't hear it Ezza…Paige has had her chance to find her own husband and she didn't…or couldn't do it. I'm standing by my actions.”

The voices slowly faded as they moved down the hallway and Paige slowly sat up in her bed with a small cry and she quickly covered her mouth so she would not be heard by anyone. This couldn't be happening to her, of all things, not this. Scrambling out of her bed she quickly began to tear at the dress she wore, it was actually quite a task to get such a dress off without the help of ones maid. After ten minutes of struggling with the garment she managed to get it off; running to a chest she kept in her closet, she pulled it out roughly and began to pull out an assortment of boys clothing. Finding a wrap she quickly began to wrap her breasts so they were flat against her chest. This was kind of painful, however, compared to what she would be going if she stayed here this pain felt like nothing at all. Swiftly tugging on the boy's trousers and shirt, she pulled on a black dirty jack and a black hat, stuffing her hair up inside the hat as she began to move to the window; hopping from one foot to the other as she tugged on her boots.

The would-be boy had one leg out the window when she realized she just couldn't leave, she'd needed to take extra clothing, food and money or she wouldn't last a day out in the world. Pulling her elongated limbs back into the room she began ripping her bed apart and tossed a sheet to the floor and she began to pile clothing within in. She really wanted to take a dress or two but if someone noticed them she could get herself into a lot of trouble. Moving to her dresser Paige opened a small box and looked inside…about 50 dollars; it would have to do because no matter how much she disliked her father and his choices at this moment she still refused to steal from him. Tugging the sheet into a bundle she tied it with a black ribbon and threw it over her shoulder as she tip-toed to the door.

With painstaking slowness Paige opened her door and glanced down the hallway, it was unlikely that anyone would be there but she still had to be careful. Quickly she moved down the hallway and stopped at a door at the end of it and pulled it open; descending the stairs. These were servants stairs, they would lead to the kitchen and the servants rooms; at the bottom of the stairs she paused and opened it just a crack, her sapphire blue eye peering through it. The kitchen was almost chaotic; people ran all over the place, it was to be expected though, since it was her birthday they were probably being rushed to make everything perfect. Sighing she stepped away from the door and bit her lip, maybe no one would notice her if she kept her head down? Deciding on that course of action she moved through the door and kept her eyes down cased down as she moved to the pantry, pulling out a small piece of cloth to wrap the food in she took some bread, cheese and dried meat. Sure it wouldn't be the tastiest of meals but at least she wouldn't go hungry; just as quick she moved to the kitchen exit and moved out into the night. A moment later someone grabbed her by the arm and swung her around. The voice that spoke to her was loud, angry and belonged to their head cook, Edward.

“Lad, I swear to god if you if don't get back into that kitchen and get to work and put that damn food back I'm going to be breaking those girly hands of yours.”

Paige swallowed hard as she shifted in Edwards tight grip, oh crap what was she going to do? She couldn't just out and tell Edward it was her, he would tell her father and then she would be bound and chained to her bed for the rest of her life, or until they forced her into marriage. As Edward or the man she fondly called Eddie began to drag her back to the kitchen she dug in her kneels and moved her hand to tug as his, “No, I can't go back in there…stop, Eddie come on. Stop you're hurting me!”

Winching as the man suddenly let her go Paige fell to the ground with a soft thud, her hat falling from her head to land in the dirt beside her. Eddie stared down at her in stunned silence, even though it only lasted a second, “Miss Paige what in gods name are you doing out here? And stealing food from the pantry? It's your birthday you should be inside, dear lord girl if your father finds out he's going to have your pretty little head.”

Paige slowly made her way to her feet, dusting off her rear as she did so. Scooping to pick up her hat she gave Eddie a soft glare as she pushed it down onto her head, “I'm not going to that party… and you as damn hell know why.”

Eddie's face twisted into a grimace and he nodded slightly, “There's no need for language Miss Paige and I'm sure your father only has the best intentions for you.”

Paige's deep blue eyes widened as a desperate look moved along her features, he couldn't side with her father, “No he doesn't! All he can see is the business end of it, Eddie I can't stay here…if I do I'll die…I'll just die.”

Her hands moved to over her face, she wasn't crying just extremely upset that Eddie was about to turn her in, however when she looked up Eddie only smiled slightly holding out a pistol to her,

“You can't go without protection, you may not know how to use it Paige but learn quick…I have a friend at the harbour named Jack…he'll help you with anything you need. Just tell him Eddie sent you.”

Paige's smiled returned in full force as she slowly took the weapon, she had held a gun before but had never used one but Eddie was right, she would need some kind of protection if someone were to find out that she was a girl and exploit that. Nodding she placed the weapon into her jacket and smiled at Eddie jumping into his large arms to give him a hug. The man held her tight for a moment and then set her down onto the ground,

“You be careful, if your father finds out that I helped you he'll have my job…and my head.”

Paige shook her head quickly as she began to back away, “I'll never tell Eddie, Never!” With that she quickly turned and ran down the pathway to the fencing, twisting the bar until it gave way and she could slip out into the night, away from the house and would be prison created by her father.

 

δ

 

It took Paige about an hour to make her way safely to the harbour; she had almost been stopped by several people but had somehow managed to avoid it. Shifting her weight as she hunched her shoulders and pulled her hat down further over her eyes. She moved down the docks, hugging close to the buildings as she could. She had realized about 20 minutes after she had left the estate that Eddie hadn't told her where this `Jack' person would be staying and now she had no clue what she was going to do. Paige finally stopped and leaned up against the wall with a sigh, placing her bag down upon the dock with a slight groan. Moving her hand she wiped away sweat that had gathered on her brow, making sure that the thick locks of black hair didn't escape the confinements of their own little prison. With another small huff she picked back up the bag, her blue eyes trailing to look at a man that was moving down the docks in her direction. She really didn't have any other choice now, she would have to talk to someone to see if anyone had an idea where this Jack fellow was or she would be wondering around here all night long. Making her way towards the man she held out her hand in the universal `greeting' gesture just so he knew she didn't mean him any harm. When she spoke Paige made sure to keep her voice low and gruff, “Hey friend.”

The man glanced up at the boy that had paused before him and he smirked slightly, “A friend of yours is I? Why would that be?”

Paige's gut twisted inside at the man's response, why couldn't he have just been a normal friendly person? But of course on the docks of London someone like that didn't really exists, “Aye sir, ya would be if you could help me out some.”

The man nodded slightly as he folded his arms over his chest, taking a look at the boy before him. Probably couldn't be more then 18 years of age, what was he doing in a place like this, “Sure lad, what is it you be needing?”

Shifting the bag on her back Paige tilted her head just a bit but not enough so the man would be able to make out her fine smooth features, “Well I'm looking for a friend of mine…goes by the name of Jack?”

With a soft chuckle the man moved forward slightly, “Jack be a friend of yours hey? If so, how come you don't know where to find him?”

Inside Paige's mind she screamed with rage, she wanted to tear this mans face off (true this is no way for a lady to think but Paige really isn't your typical lady) why couldn't he just give her the information she needed and send her on her way instead of making things complex, “Cuz he's a friend of a friend and my friend forgot to give me directions to his friend, you understand me?” Sure she was border lining rude but she knew when a person was trying to get something from her and this man definitely was looking for something.

The man's lips curved into a smile as he nodded, “Aye, had the same thing happen to me once, no problem there. Just go down to the third ally, take a right and it's the first door on your left.”

Paige quickly tipped her hat as she moved around the man, “Thank you kindly.” Turning her head just slightly to the right so she could see the man as she walked away from him she was pleased to notice that he had moved on his way and wasn't attempting any funny business. In the end she guessed certain people had to be dealt with in a certain manner, just like the high class snobs.

The man glanced over his shoulder as the boy kept walking down the docks and he grinned slightly and quickly made his way to an ally were he met up with two very dirty men, “I found the lad, that's him for sure.”

The taller of the two men glanced around the corner, picking at his teeth with a long dirty nail, “Ya sure that's `im? Looks kinda small.”

The one that could only be described as the leader of the group turned and whacked the other man over the head with a set of gloves, “Don't' be stupid, that's the boy. His father is that Earl, if we kidnap him I bet he would pay a large random for him.”

The taller man was still looking around the corner, his face having only turned up in a winch as the other man hit him, “Are ya sure?”

“All that is holy, damn! I'm sure it is that boy, I've seen him at least a dozen times before, and probably why the lad was trying to avoid looking up at me so hard. Alright, hurry up and go around that way and I'll go back this way to cut the little brat off.”

 

δ

 

Of course Paige would have little reason to think that any person could mistake her for someone else, but it had happened. These men had been robbed out of money several times by a rather girlish son of an Earl, Lord Rowland. In reality they had just been outplayed and outwitted in their gambling but these men weren't the type to sit around and take such `insults'. After they had been officially beaten last night they had decided they would get their money back and they knew just the way to do it. Kidnapping the boy and then making his dear rich father pay up to have him returned to him in one piece. Quickly surrounding the ally the man had told the boy to go down, which just happened to be the wrong one. The three men hid in the shadows as they moved along the wall watching as the boy came to a door and paused, he seemed to be thinking. Probably deciding whether or not he should rob them all of their money or just give up while he was ahead. For a moment the boy even seemed about to leave and the leader of the trio clenched his hand into a fist as he nodded to his partners to indicate that they should get ready to jump the thief. As the boy held up his hand to the door the three men dove forward, one taking a small club from behind his back to whack it against the back of the boys head.

δ

 

Paige only had a moment to register the three large men that appeared out of the shadows near her when one the muggers cracked something awfully hard against her head, with a small cry she fell against the door and began to slide to the floor as she blacked out. Moments later she was picked up and quickly hustled down the ally.