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| Topic Started: 6 Apr 2007, 11:40 PM (218 Views) | |
| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:40 PM Post #1 |
A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jane. Much had changed. The air no longer smelled of fresh flowers and sea salt. It now had a slight air of dead fish and seaweed. The market square was no longer full of familiar faces and friendly smiles, but instead held a stranger around every corner. Even the land seemed to have a different hue- everything had a tint of green about it, when there was certainty it was once orange. It had been almost a year since Jane Torrington had seen Port Royal. So many things had passed since her father shipped the family back to Bath. Jane had celebrated her twenty-fourth birthday, and as her mother had promised, or rather threatened, Jane had been sent to a convent, to give herself to God as no man would have her. As it turned out, God didn't want her either. Jane had turned out to be so much trouble that the Mother Superior insisted she wasn't meant for the life of the church, though one would find it hard to believe there had never been a clumsy nun. Imogen Torrington had been purple with rage, to the point of nearly dissowning her daughter. Mr. Torrington saw this as a sign that they shouldn't have left the Caribbean, so they returned on the next available ship. Many things had changed in Jane. Her brother, her greatest patron, continued to send her books and quiz her on their contents. True, she was still the clumsy little girl so many knew; still terrified of her parents and still trying to make people happy. Nothing could change that. But she found something in literature that she had never found before, and in the darkest parts of her subconcience, she felt almost intelligent. The square was full of faces Jane had never seen before, and she was slightly put off. When one goes away for a long period of time, one moves ahead normally, but forgets that others move along themselves. Somehow, she had thought that her life would continue from where it left off when she came back to Port Royal. "Bit of a grey day, innit, Miss?" Ms. Bates asked in her classically whiny voice. One thing that did not change was Ms. Bates. She was still her old rolly-polly self, simply waiting for the Torringtons to come back and employ her once more. "Yes, I think it may rain." Jane said boredly, kicking at a cobblestone as she passed a noisy vegetable cart. "But that's a bit dull, don't you think?" Ms. Bates was shocked. Wasn't Jane's favorite subject the weather? "I'm sorry, miss, simply attempting conversation." Ms. Bates said sheepishly. Jane's face went strictly apologetic. "Oh, no!" she insisted, "No, you weren't boring, no! Simply the weather. The weather is dull." Ms. Bates nodded, but said nothing more. Jane smacked her lips in order to fill the void. She had recently realized that she had never had a friend that hadn't been paid to be one. Ms. Bates was always charming to her, but Jane couldn't help but wonder if the sentiments would be the same if money was not involved. The silence was nearly broken as Jane's foot caught on a stone, and she nearly toppled over. She wobbled to a halt on her feet, and burst out laughing. Ms. Bates looked quite shocked. "Are you alright, Miss?" she asked frantically. "Goodness, Ms Bates!" Jane exclaimed through her laughter, "Look, it's the same bloody place!" She pointed to the jutted cobblestone, which had taken her down once before. Ms. Bates only noticed her foul swearing. David really did have a bad influence on this girl. Jane noticed the wince at the word, and covered her mouth, embarassed. "Pardon." she said quietly, "I forgot myself. Forgive me." Ms. Bates nodded, not really sure what to say. She had thought Ms. Torrington would have only gotten better after her spell at the nunnery, but as it turned, she had only worsened. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:40 PM Post #2 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Brendan. It was a day like most any other, an afternoon patrol through the markets, ostensibly to deter would-be thieves but the real purpose was, he knew, more for show. To give the townspeople some feeling of security, knowing that the marines were always about on the streets. The reality was, Brendan knew, less rosy. The marines were far too regimented in their manner of thought to be truly effective against the wiles of those they were supposed to be deterring. Perhaps he was simply becoming dissatisfied with his lot, or even that it was merely the natural self-doubt that came with facing another dreary and repetitive day. Either way, he was bored nearly out of his skull and barely paying attention to the ever-shifting sea of faces rolling around him. His squad was strung out loosely behind him, their eyes alertly moving around each stall and cart. They, at least, knew their job and stuck to it. If only he could drag his wayward thoughts to task and employ the same focus himself. A sharp peal of laughter from fairly nearby gave him a start and he stopped for a heartbeat, not used to hearing such utterances in the market-place at all. His squad was undisturbed by the noise and indeed none of them even appeared to have noticed it. Curious, Brendan worked his way through the crowd toward the source of the laughter, wondering what could possibly be so humourous as to cause it. He came upon a pair of ladies, one young and the other clearly her chaperon. The younger lass appeared to be the one who'd laughed, for her face was bright with a merry shade of red. Her companion, however, was studying her with an expression not unlike wariness. Failing to see the humour of whatever so amused the other? Brendan lifted an eyebrow as he approached, touching the brim of his hat in salute. "Aft'noon Misses. Any sort of trouble hereabouts?" Inwardly, he winced, knowing that there was unlikely to be any trouble, otherwise the younger lady would have screamed, not laughed. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:40 PM Post #3 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jane. Jane nearly toppled over again as she tested the heal on her right shoe. She caught herself just as she noticed a familiar face approaching, and her face broke into a smile to see it was one of the Marines she had the pleasure of conversing with when she was first in the Caribbean. "Aft'noon Misses. Any sort of trouble hereabouts?" he said in the very familiar dialect that once so fascinated Ms. Torrington. It was a language all its own. It seemed that she went unrecognized, but that was not completely unsuspected. She had only spoken with Corporal McIntyre twice or so, and history had shown that Jane wasn't the most remarkable person. She was easy to forget. Not to mention her looks were altered since she had been here last. Her skin was paler, her hair darker. All of the advantages one would get living in a cool situation had taken away any inclination that she might have lived in the area before. "Corporal McIntyre, what a pleasure to see you again," she said in her friendliest tone. She extended her hand to him, "Jane Torrington. We've met briefly before." Ms. Bates looked warily at the corporal, who she did not recognize in the least. Ms Bates remembered only eight people, and most of them were the Torringtons. "No trouble here, sir." Bates insisted, "Ms. Jane's lost her balance for a mo, nothing more." |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:40 PM Post #4 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Brendan. "Corporal McIntyre, what a pleasure to see you again. Jane Torrington. We've met briefly before." Torrington? Good Lord he hadn't heard that name spoken in ages! A grin burst onto his face and he accepted the lady's offered hand eagerly. "Aye! A pleasure sure, Miss, ain't seen you about for months!" The marine couldn't believe it, the young Miss Torrington appeared older, and had she not introduced herself, he was sure that he'd not have recognised her. How she'd changed! To be sure, he'd not seen any of the Torringtons after that disastrous night at their home, the ball he had ruined. "No trouble here, sir. Ms. Jane's lost her balance for a mo, nothing more." "I 'member, I was here the first time she did, a year ago now, surely!" Brendan replied, still disbelieving. What a stroke of luck! "Reckon her ankle likes this spot too well!" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:41 PM Post #5 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jane. Jane allowed herself to laugh, though Ms. Bates was now looking dissaproving. It seemed that the nunnery hadn't done the girl much good after all. In truth, now that Jane had surpassed her twenty-fourth birthday and was no longer of any interest to her mother as a spinster, Jane felt that she could loosten up a bit, even if it was just to allow a friendly soldier a smile. There was no harm in talking to a Marine. Her mother had always made such people out to be some sort of monster that might drag you into the sea. All except the Commodore, of course. But the fact was, Jane was slowly coming to terms with the fact that perhaps her mother wasn't right about everything after all. "I reckon so, corporal." Jane replied jovially, "It's quite the reunion, isn't it?" The fact that Jane was able to smile in such a situation was enough evidence that she had grown. Last year, she had been so very mortified to be caught in such a clumsy situation. But she was no longer in the market for a husband... there was no need to be afraid anymore. "How do you fair?" she asked cheerfully, "How has this happy little island been?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:41 PM Post #6 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Brendan. "I reckon so, corporal. It's quite the reunion, isn't it? How do you fair? How has this happy little island been?" The marine nodded briskly, a happy smile brightening his face. "Indeed so, Miss. Never thought I'd see any of your family again, after that ball!" Checking himself with a blush, he added, "I fare all right, thank you. Ain't much different 'round about here, other than a few new faces 'round the markets." Where had she gone, that she asked about the island so? Back to England perhaps? He almost didn't dare to ask, but she was speaking to him as she might an equal, and thus far her chaperon had not intervene, so what was the harm? "Might a lad enquire where you was gone off to, Miss? Must've been someplace far off, from here. It was a fair sight more pleasant than this place, I hope!" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:41 PM Post #7 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jane. Jane was glad that he did not feel intimidated to ask her where she had gone. It seemed that many types felt that perhaps it wasn't a kind question. For all they knew, someone important had died, or perhaps even worse, committed. It was a personal question to so many people, and more often than not, it had been avoided completely, as though Ms. Torrington had just gone missing one day, and now was found. She had been swept under the carpet all this time. "Back to Bath," Jane said with some amount of displeasure in her voice, letting him know that it was not her favorite place to be, "It wasn't as I remembered it at all. I could have sworn it was the most beautiful place on earth." Ms. Bates cleared her throat, implying that Jane had perhaps extended her friendship a bit too far. Such opinions as what one thought of their birthplace was only to be shared with the most intimate relations. Perhaps the sudden alienation from her mother had brought on some horrible effect. The girl was once so sweet, so affable, and now here she was, speaking with the likes of the corporal. It was a pity indeed. The cough went ignored. "I suppose one looks at one's childhood with a romanticized view. Do you find that to be true? Are you from the Caribbean originally?" |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:41 PM Post #8 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Brendan. "Back to Bath. It wasn't as I remembered it at all. I could have sworn it was the most beautiful place on earth." Bath? Someplace in England, obviously. Not a place he'd ever heard of before but there were many such places. The corporal nodded, not missing the note of dislike that slipped into her voice. Wherever Bath was, it was not where she cared to be. A pity, one's home should be where they felt most happy. He had not been home to Dublin in years and he longed to wander the narrow stone streets again from time to time. The smothering warmth of his father's smithy was not much different from the Caribbean heat, which allowed him to imagine that he was home again. Quite mad, really. "I suppose one looks at one's childhood with a romanticized view. Do you find that to be true? Are you from the Caribbean originally?" The marine shrugged fractionally. "Aye, the world's coloured better to a lad, or a lass, I reckon. Not from here, no. Can't imagine growin' up here. Dublin's me home, a proper son of Ireland don't come from nowhere else!" He grinned to show he was poking fun, lest she think he was being arrogant. It was not often one came across a lady who was not a bore to share conversation with and he was keen to avoid chasing her off. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:41 PM Post #9 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Jane. She chuckled, gathering for once that it was a joke and not an attack on the country. Last year she might have added non-Dubliners on her list of people to avoid. There was something to be said in not taking things literally... Jane quite enjoyed it. Things weren't nearly as grave when every word wasn't deemed as truthful. "I see." she laughed, "I myself cannot attest to that... I've never been to Ireland." Her parents, like most of the English population, believed the Irish to be inferior creatures, fit only for shining shoes and taking care of sheep. She, too, had believed this long ago, until her brother had shown her the most beautiful painting of the Irish landscape. She found it impossible that a horrid race could come from somewhere as magical as that. It was certain upon that point that Ireland couldn't be a land of the inferior. It just didn't make sense. "I had wanted to go on the way back," she mused, "But my brother says the land is on its way to revolution, is that so?" Ms. Bates thought this was the last straw, and immediately took Jane's hand and tugged it a bit hard. "I think that's enough for today, Miss." Bates warned, "Your mother is going to be wondering where you are, and it looks like it's going to rain. Do you really want to present yourself to her guests looking like a wet rat?" Bates pointed to the clear blue sky with some amount of irritation that the thing didn't fill with clouds the moment she had willed it. Jane didn't really want to leave. Her mother did have guests, but she doubted any of them would be introduced to her. Her mother still barely talked to her after all that had passed. "I suppose I ought to be going." she said reluctantly, "But you must promise to call on us. And do bring the good lieutenant and all, my brother would be absolutely delighted to see some friendly faces." Her brother had never gotten on with someone as well as Lt. Gillette, which was surprising, because it didn't seem like either of them ever got along with anyone. And she so wanted her brother to be happy. |
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| Brendan | 6 Apr 2007, 11:41 PM Post #10 |
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A Legend. In regimentals. Pwn.
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Originally posted by Brendan. "I see. I myself cannot attest to that... I've never been to Ireland." The marine affected disbelief, saying, "Never, Miss? A shame, she's a lovely land, is Ireland." As he might have expected, talking about his home country made him miss it, but it was surprisingly pleasant to have the opportunity to speak so freely about it. The Irish were not well-thought-of by many English and he was fortunate to have risen as far as he had, even if it was not truly very high in the grand scheme of things. "I had wanted to go on the way back, but my brother says the land is on its way to revolution, is that so?" Revolution? It was entirely possible, he had heard no news from home in many months. His illiteracy didn't help at all either. Shrugging, Brendan replied, "Could be, Miss, ain't been no Irish ships come in lately. They've got the best word, like. Prob'ly it's the bloody land-owners takin' up the land again, or standin' against the Cat'lics. Bastards." He bit his tongue when he realised he was speaking too freely where he had no right to. His face flushed hot with embarrassment. "Beg pardon, Miss, I'm speakin' outta turn." "I think that's enough for today, Miss." The lady's chaperon said firmly. "Your mother is going to be wondering where you are, and it looks like it's going to rain. Do you really want to present yourself to her guests looking like a wet rat?" His blush deepened and he glanced down at his shoes for a moment. He might've figured that his tongue would run away from him, it was for ever getting him into trouble. It was unlikely that he'd ever learn to think before speaking, though he really needed to try. "I suppose I ought to be going. But you must promise to call on us. And do bring the good lieutenant and all, my brother would be absolutely delighted to see some friendly faces." "Aye, certainly," Brendan agreed, making a mental note to pay a visit to Lieutenant Gillette's office upon his return to the fort. He well remembered that was the officer who had been present when they had first met the lady. "S'a pleasure to see you again, Miss, and glad you're returned." He knuckled his brow in salute before stepping away, allowing the two ladies to continue on their way. Edit by Doc: Thread picks up again, a few days later, here. |
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