Nouvelle Maison, New Home
"But why can't I just live on the train? With you and Jacob," questions the small child holding onto my hand.
"Because a proper home can't be a moving one."
"You live there," Charlotte disputes. I let out an extended sigh and stop walking along the path to face the little girl.
"When you live with Daisy you can do all of the things normal kids do. You can have friends your own age, and go to school, and you can't be a doctor if you don't go to school." She frowns.
"Daisy even has a big backyard, with all sorts of flowers," I say, attempting to convince the small girl. I manage to crack a smile out of her.
"Will Daisy have Daisies?" She giggles. I push the straying pieces of hair from her face behind her ear.
"You know I will miss you right?"
"I know." She throws her tiny arms around my neck.
"There you are! Look what I found," Jacob says, currently towering over the both of us. I stand up to see him carrying something pink in his hand. It was a knitted scarf. He gently double wrapped it around Charlotte's neck and shoulders. She smiles, but it quickly fades.
"You will visit me?" she questions. Before I could respond, Jacob speaks to her.
"Try keeping me away," he smiles.
"More like try keeping us away. Don't you want me to visit too?" I ask the little girl, earning a guilty look from her.
"Of course! I will miss both of you equally, but Jacob does always have presents for me," Charlotte beams, smiling at Jacob. I let out a laugh, and Jacob goes on to explain to Charlotte that presents are the way to a girls heart.
"Daisy also has three other children Charlotte. You can have other kids to play with all day long," I add. Charlotte looks towards me.
"What if they don't like me?" My heart broke, just a tiny bit.
"How could they not like you? You're so sweet, and you're so smart," Jacob interjects. He smiles at her, and then smiles at me. I mouth 'what?' to him and he mouths back 'nothing'.
"Trust me, those kids will love you," I say to Charlotte. She appears to be reassured at this, and we continue to walk along the pathway. Charlotte and Jacob continue talking about her new home, and promises of visits, but something clouds my mind. Jacob happened upon me when I was reading Francis's short but vital letter.
"Interesting letter?"
"Yes quite," I say, curtly. I put the letter back in its envelope and dispose of it to my right pocket.
"Well?" he inquires, with a hooked brow. I am reluctant to tell him, but it does have to do with the Order, and he will find out anyway.
"My brother from the French Brotherhood, Francis and Nathanial, are coming to London in the coming weeks as a part of a group being sent from the Brotherhood"
"Are they coming on an assignment?" he asks, slight excitement escaping his features.
"I'm not sure. He didn't mention anything in his letter. He's never been an exceptional letter writer," I let out a smirk. It was true that he did send letter more frequently than my other brothers, but they were never long or revealing enough.
"I know of a recent opium problem surfacing in France, and maybe the source was London."
"Actually, you could be right. I was talking to some Rooks who were working with opium movements in local businesses, and they were saying some people were exporting across the border, and it could have very well been going to France. I know there is demand there."
"I guess we won't find out until they arrive."
"I guess so." Jacob sits on a chair, which was accompanying a desk, and faces it towards me.
"It's been a while hasn't it?" Jacob questions. Does he mean us talking?
"What?"
"I meant seeing your brothers. Well, at least two of them," he clarifies. I feel embarrassed now.
"Oh yes, some times has passed since the last time I saw them." We sat in silence after I said that. It wasn't awkward, but there was a sense of division floating around. The train whistled, and the people in the carriage over could be indistinctively heard.
"Since I told you about Victoria you have been avoiding me," he says, changing this tone.
"That's not true, I've just been getting on with work. I asked Evie to find me more night shifts, and I offered to help her out with some research work." I respond, concealing parts of the truth.
"But you detest research work. With a passion," he retorts.
"I do not detest it, I just dislike it. Besides, someone has to do it, Lord knows you don't," I exasperate, whispering the last part. We fall back into silence, and this time it does feel awkward, due to the lack of conversation. Jacob sighs noticeably.
"I'm not, I mean I don't..." Jacob stumbles. I look at him directly as a form of request for clarity. He takes a deep breath.
"She's not a part of my life. Victoria that is. I was using her as part of an assignment. Her father was charging people for illegal terminations of pregnancies. He doesn't have medical experience, and a few women, or more to the fact, girls have died under his supervision." I couldn't help but feel slightly happy at this piece of information. I however, hide this from Jacob.
"Jacob, you know I don't have any control over who you see or when you see them." I resolve, rather frankly. I avoid Jacob's eye contact, and keep my eyes fixed on the door.
"I know that but-''
"And I don't care either," I retort. My voice cracked slightly, displaying my obvious lie. I look back towards Jacob.
"But I want you to."