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43. Florilegium

Sunday came as though the event of Saturday had never happened. Jessop sat at the back of the church finding it hard to pay attention as his mind turned to Andrew at large. After the service he quickly left the building putting his hat on. When he saw Idris looking for him he made his way around the side of the church and nearly crashed into two people there. He frowned at the sight of the Selene's guilty face then looked at the man.

"Jethro!" he gasped. "When did you get back? I didn't see you inside."

"Well, Jessop I didn't see you inside either," Jethro said.

"I hate it when you do that, you know," Jessop said.

"We are a little early returning, yes," Jethro said. "I told my mother I was desperate to be working in the shoe store again."

Jessop raised one thick dark brow. "The shoe store, huh?" he said then looked at Selene who looked away. He reached his arm out and tried to put space between them but they held fast. When he looked at Jethro he realized he wasn't going to win.

"You know there is nothing wrong with it, Jessop," Jethro said.

Jessop was surprised his cousin had suddenly become such a...man. What had they done to him in the North? "But my mama didn't raise no fool, Jethro," he said.

"You're upset about something," Jethro said. "You always get condescending when you're upset." He looked to Selene who would have given him an answer if Jessop hadn't been right there.

Instead Selene looked past Jessop as her father approached. When Jessop saw the change that had come over her he looked over his shoulder at Mr. Fairchild coming with Ladybird and Taitiann. Selene looked at her father with worry as he stopped before them.

Mr. Fairchild looked at his daughter on the arm of this man. His heart pained him that he was causing her distress. Next he turned to Jethro. "Young Mr. St. Cloud," he said with a smile and extended his hand. "I'm glad to see your family back."

"Jethro please sir," Jethro said shaking his hand. "I'm sorry I spoke to your daughter without permission."

Mr. Fairchild looked at Selene who was smiling at him. "My daughter is a woman and she knows what is good. Better still she knows what makes her happy. I was misguided in judging you Jethro. I followed man rather than what is naturally ordained by God."

Jessop's frown increased and he suddenly needed to smoke. It was that easy? He tilted his had back and swore under his breath receiving a shocked glance from Taitiann. "I mean...blasted," he offered. He wished his problems could be solved that simply but he wouldn't rest until he caught Andrew Addams.

Mr. Fairchild gathered his family and left the churchyard with Jessop beside him. "I don't know how long you intend to stay," he said. "But we'd be happy to have you and your brother for supper sometime to thank you for your support. I'm not certain if Taitiann will return when you do."

Jessop finally got what the man was saying. "It isn't over," he said. "Andrew Addams and I once got along really well. After we had a falling out he has refused to let it go. He hates me and will forever and always. I'm afraid it is the same with your town now. He'll be back and someone will suffer his wraith." He looked over his shoulder at Mrs. Fairchild and the twelve grandsisters laughing at a story Heloise told. "You're a prime target."

Mr. Fairchild immediately became frustrated. "Well, what is there to be done?"

"I have to stop Andrew Addams and bring him to trial," Jessop said. "I won't be satisfied until I put him behind bars, and all men like him. It's what I do...it's my purpose."

Mrs. Fairchild heard all of this and if it was her son she would have told him to stop worrying about men so much and start worrying about women. He wasn't getting any younger. She felt an arm slip into hers and looked at Ladybird next to her.