An Earnest Favour

X

Claire giggled her musical laugh. "I will do my best, Mrs Hayes," she assured her, placing her hand on top of Jack's.

Jack had not been expecting her touch and had so reacted as Claire did whenever he touched her. Mrs Hayes frowned momentarily before dismissing whatever thought crossed her mind.

"Everything is ready for you both to depart later this morning. But for now, enjoy your breakfast. Come, Martha," Mrs Hayes beckoned, before they both curtseyed and left them alone in the bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed, both Jack and Claire burst out into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. They were turned to one another, thoroughly enjoying the expression of pure amusement on the other's face for a moment.

When Claire laughed as hard as she was, her blue eyes squinted, and her nose crinkled in a truly adorable way. Jack rested his head back on the pillows hugging an arm across his now aching stomach. Claire did the same thing.

"Grace told me Mrs Hayes was once nanny to you and your siblings." Claire's voice was almost a wheeze.

"Yes, she was," confirmed Jack. "She was so indispensable that once Susanna was grown, my parents kept her on as our housekeeper. Truly, we three are grateful, as it would have been terrible to lose her. She ... well, she loves us."

"She loves you well indeed," agreed Claire. "I do feel awful now that no one thought to invite her, even if it was not a true wedding."

"It was a true wedding, Claire," Jack replied quietly. His tone silenced Claire, and that was not his intention. He had been enjoying their momentary ease in conversation. He needed to change the subject. "Did you know that Mrs Hayes was the one to call me 'Jack' in the first place?" he asked.

"No," replied Claire. "Though I am sorry for muddling your names. I think the name 'Edward' startled me. It was my father's name, did you know?"

Jack chuckled. "What does it matter? I have too many names anyway. Susanna has three middle names. I pity her husband one day having to stumble over Susanna Augusta Theodosia Euphemia before finally reaching her surname."

Claire laughed, and Jack smiled at his triumph. "My!" she exclaimed. "I feel awfully boring now with plain, old Frances."

"I think the mamas that my mother associates with have a competition of who can gift their children the most ridiculous of names. The longer, the grander, the more syllables, the more splendid."

He watched as Claire momentarily placed her hand on her stomach and uttered, "I wonder what ..." before she stopped herself.

Jack didn't want Claire to be reluctant to discuss such matters with him for fear it would offend him. So, he finished her sentence. "What we might name the child?" he surmised.

Claire's blue eyes flashed to his as she nodded. "Would ... would he or she need such a name?" she asked tentatively.

Claire's face had fallen again, and Jack knew it would take a great deal of time for her to stop feeling unease in his presence.

"No," replied Jack simply. "We may choose whatever we like. Do you have something in mind?"

Claire shook her head, though Jack could see the falsehood in her eyes.

"I thought we agreed never to lie," he murmured.

Claire bit down on her lip. "Oh, but this one will make you hate me," she worried under her breath.

Jack surprised Claire, catching the underside of her chin gently and pulling her gaze to his. "I could never hate you," he promised her. "Tell me."

Claire frowned sadly. "Well, I suppose my first thought would be to name him after his father," she whispered shamefully. "It was my only thought, and I haven't considered it since, of course. But that is the truth."

Jack did his best to control his expression for fear his facial muscles would contort into a sneer. The very idea of that innocent child being called Arthur made his skin crawl. It also made him uneasy to wonder if Claire still thought of that man as her child's father.

Unwillingly, his mind went back to the cold, cruel words Arthur Slickson had shouted upon their meeting in the woods. Arthur had taunted Jack, telling him that he would always know the child was not his. God, he prayed that would not be the case.

"We shall choose something we both like," Jack said conclusively.

Claire scrambled out from under the covers and crawled over to the breakfast tray, turning up the two teacups. "How do you take your tea?" she asked, changing the subject. "I suppose I ought to know."

Though he doubted Claire would ever have to steep a pot of tea again, it pleased him that she wanted to know. "Milk," he replied, "and one and one half of a sugar cube."

Claire looked back at him in confusion. "One and one half?"

"I make a mess every time, but I am very particular," Jack mused with a smirk, abandoning the bedclothes as well to show her. Claire poured the tea into both cups and Jack added his own milk.

"Do you take milk?" he wondered.

"Just a splash." She nodded.

Once the teas were both milky, Jack added one sugar cube to his cup, before crushing a second in his fingers and sprinkling in half, dusting the rest onto the tea plate.

"Do you know, if you had ever had to wash a dish, I'd wager you would have learned to enjoy two sugar cubes," mused Claire with a sly grin as she brought her cup to her lips.

Jack grinned back at her. She had teased him. It was familiar. And for a moment, it was easy. He knew the mood might change in mere minutes, but it could be familiar, and that gave him hope. Perhaps all was not lost after all.

-----

And they all lived happily ever --- ahahahahah lol

I hope you all had a magical Christmas however you were able to celebrate!! I had a really lovely time with my family and it was soooo nice to be with them after this year. I was very spoilt, but I think my favourite gift was these three water colour paintings my aunty gave me. I collect water colours, and she found these adorable paintings and framed them for me. I LOVE when people know you and know exactly what to get you. That's why I love gift giving so much.

Same as I know your perfect gift would be a happily ever after ... and I'll have to think about that as I plot my DRAMAAAA.

Vote and comment!