An Excerpt

Honestly, I had no idea what to write about today. So I'm following Taylor's lead and presenting to you a scene from the story I'm working on. And have been working on for a few years now. One of those projects I need to stop agonizing over, heh.
I suppose this would be classified as historical romance. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that though, seeing as I hardly even read romantic fiction. If romance really isn't your thing, don't feel pressured to read any of this.

Now, on with the show...

~

Mrs. Webber brought over three young ladies whom Elise vaguely recognized from the day at the park. Mrs. Webber introduced them again and enthused,“Miss Cooper, how wonderful you look! And James, this is such a lovely party!”

“Thank you very much, Mrs. Webber,” James said. “Yes, I really do admire whomever assembled the invitees; I believe she has just the perfect selective eye.”

Mrs. Webber beamed, and they all chuckled over that for a little while, Elise conjuring her best smile for Mrs. Webber and the other three women. They were all young and well turned out, with heavily embroidered and beribboned gowns. They were pretty, too. Elise noticed the way their eyes fixed on James' face and their smiles stretched a bit too wide. They were each exactly the kind of girl James would be expected to marry, yet not the kind Elise had wanted him for him. Frustrated, she wished she could remind him of that.

Finally, Mrs. Webber spotted someone across the room and excused herself. “I think you can entertain these young ladies for a minute or two, James,” she teased him, and his startled look intensified.

James turned back to find three upturned, attentive faces and one highly uncomfortable expression. Elise wondered how quickly she could exit this situation without seeming rude.

He coughed. “I apologize; I fear I haven't much to say that would be of interest to four young ladies.”

Surprised, Elise realized she was being grouped among the other three girls. She looked up in time to catch James' eye before he turned away, his attention brought back to the others. The women were assuring him that they had many interests and would like to learn of some of his. Elise stared at the floor and blocked them out, sick of their sugary voices and fluttering eyelashes. She concentrated on finishing her champagne so she could escape upstairs or at least have an excuse to leave this group in search of more to drink.

Elise took the last gulp from her glass and had just tuned back into the conversation, looking for an opening in which to excuse herself, when she heard the girl beside her ask James, “Oh! Is that why it took so long to conquer Africa? They really weren't already slaves there?”

Elise sputtered, almost spitting the champagne back into her glass. The three girls stared at her as she coughed loudly, trying to conceal her burst of laughter. She saw that one girl, at least, was smiling in a bit of a hidden way, as if she shared the joke.

“I'm sorry about that,” Elise said at last, regaining control of herself and refusing an offered handkerchief. They all nodded and continued their conversation, James carefully explaining about the slaves, but Elise had little desire to excuse herself now. She tinkered with her glass for a bit; then, during a pause, she asked:

“You don't transport slaves on your ships, do you?”

James looked startled. “No, I don't think the family company has ever taken part in the slave trade. Actually, a group of us here in the city are part of the movement trying to do away with slavery altogether.”

Elise said, “It must put a strain on the merchants, though—this slave rebellion, I mean. Doesn't it make trade harder for the roads to be closed?”

James shook his head. “Well, there's no way to put a monetary value to freedom, is there? A decrease in trade is hardly a sacrifice when the cause is humanity.” He paused when Elise nodded and gave her a small smile.

“Yes, it's an abominable practice, isn't it?” Mrs. Webber interjected, appearing at James' elbow. “I'm quite happy for this uprising, despite the trouble it's causing for the city and transportation. After all, it's thanks to it that we get to enjoy the company of Miss Cooper and Mister Kingston, hm?”

The other girls nodded emphatically and Elise blushed. “Excuse me, I think I need a bit of fresh air,” she said. She turned and walked away, carefully avoiding James' gaze. Elise wove her way through the crowded sitting room, grateful Lloyd didn't spot her and have her socialize with more people. When she finally made it to the back door, she stepped out onto the veranda and breathed in the fresh air. It was crisp and chilly against her bare skin, but as she looked out over the wide lawn she resolved to stay outside as long as she could.

But just as the door had clicked close behind her, she heard it swing open again.

“You know, they're not all so bad,” James said quietly, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Miss Blaine—bless her—she's never been known for her academia, but they say her embroidery's divine.” He walked up and stood a few feet to Elise's side, likewise gazing out at the lawn as he continued dryly. “Miss Holt, as you saw, is probably the cleverest of the bunch and quite well known for her wit. And Miss Clark is an admirable pianist and very accomplished in her studies of ancient literature. Among the three, I think there is at least one wife my great-aunt would approve of.”

The torchlight fell over the dark lawn, not quite touching the depths of the shadowy forest beyond. Elise stared into the woods. Despite his harmless talk, Elise could not laugh with James. She never would again, she had resolved. Besides that inexplicable bitterness that rose in the back of her throat whenever she thought of their argument, there was still that guilt gnawing at her whenever her anger abated.

Elise was struggling with this when James spoke.

“I'm sorry.” He said and took a deep breath. “Last week—it was unfair of me to impress my feelings on you as I did. I'm sorry if it caused you... Well, I didn't mean to make this—us—uncomfortable.”

Elise nodded, and with his apology the bitterness lessened. But she still could not imagine how they could proceed as friends from here. When she looked at him, would she always catch that look in his eye of him waiting for her to choose James instead of Lloyd? It made her feel guilty and uncomfortable, and she didn't think she could stand that.

James cleared his throat and continued. “All I'm asking is that you—that you really know what you want. If you've decided, then there's nothing more I can do.” He paused. "If you tell me now, I'll accept it."

“James, I'm sorry.” Elise bit her lip. “I don't want to have to say it to you.”

James waited, his shoulders tense and his fists clutching the balcony, still staring forward. Elise tried to articulate the least hurtful rejection she could manage. But the minutes passed, and Elise had said nothing, and James' hands on the railing grew whiter and whiter. Abruptly, he released his hold and turned to the door.

“James, wait—” Elise reached out to stop him. She took his upper arm and he stopped short.

James turned to her; she saw his eyes were blazing. Only half his face was illuminated in the lamplight, lending one side harsh contours and a piercing blue gaze while the other half seemed dark, soft and smudged like charcoal.

“I—” Elise began, but her throat caught and cut off the stream of words. Elise didn't know what she could possibly be trying to say. She tilted her face up to James, and they were very close now, and James just stood there silently. On the lit side of his face she saw his mouth set in a hard line and his brow furrowed, and his eyes seemed to be burning their way through her.

And then he was gone. He had pulled away and was backing away with his hands raised, as if he might be giving up or maybe trying hopelessly to defend himself. James dropped his eyes and crossed to the door. Elise cringed at the brief wave of sound emerging from inside before it was cut off again by the soft thud of the shutting door. She unclenched her fists and realized again how freezing cold the air was outside.

~

-Sofia