Chapter three

The gravel grounds of the ghetto areas were reflected with dirt. But that didn't bother Jane as she was fixated on catching up to Demetrius. Should I call out his name, would he remember, what if he doesn't, her minds words ottered. But before she had realized it, he had gone again, she'd lost sight of him. Glancing everywhere, his absence was surprising, but she did forget to look above her shoulders.

'If you wanted to follow someone, you have to learn how to do it discreetly', she shuttered instantly noticing the deep, rich voice from behind, Demetrius. She turned unable to fight her huge grin. He had never looked so better. Enjoying the sight of the lines of cynicism she had seen on his face, the threads of sleekness in his dark hair. His brows were arched as she speedily but steadily walked towards him.

'You remember me?', she asked and was filled with ecstasy when she heard a curt, 'I do',

She sighed, tousling the outstanding strands of her hair back wards, 'I thought you wouldn't, considering you'd left me alone when the dance wasn't even over',

'I believe I left you off with a very fine gentleman back there', His tone was clear with sarcasm. He tried biting his smile back, 'I'm sure you must have had a blast the moment I took off', He walked past her and she was now facing his back again before she picked up a pace and determinedly followed.

'By blast, I hope you mean almost being forced into an engagement without my consent and completely disintegrating my relationship with my father. Because that's exactly what had happened', a smile fell in place

'Well looks like someone's finally jumped into the bandwagon', He said,

'Guess I have'.

They had finally arrived at the well. It was a quiet brick layed place that stood above a perfect view of the Bridge. The Bridge was what made Bainbridge, Bainbridge. Without that bridge, The people of Bainbridge would have crossed paths with the outlanders. "Across the Bridge", a saying used to terrify the young as they grew. What ever laid across that Bridge, no one knew. She was told everyday of her childhood evenings as she grew old, Never to cross that bridge. It was prohibited for any Bainbridger to cross that bridge. Now Jane wondered, why?

She stopped herself from thinking any further by saying to Demetrius, 'You look well rested', His attention was focused on the the constructive well, and his efforts at wheeling the bucket down the water level. His sleeves, he rolled over his muscular tanned arms played with hair, as he reached for the winch. His left hand was down the clay lock with an attempt, he tested the weight of the bucket that had fallen into the water level of the well trunk, now he was wheeling.

'I didn't expect you to have denied an engagement with Caius Somerled', he said

'To be fair, no one had expected that. I did it with a drop of the hat', Jane said as she whirled away from him and stalked towards the brick placement across the well. She took a seat and crossed her legs. Demetrius's gaze never left her, as she tried her best to be lady like. He took the bucket by its strands and poured it into the one of the many buckets from below.

'And you're Father didn't disown you there and then, that's the first', He said a smile tugged his thin lips as he dropped the bucket down the water thrunk

'Well there's a first for everything', Jane said as she gave a casual smile. Demetrius responded with a arch of his bushy brows, 'Aye', he said

She snapped her head towards the view from the well placement to the Bridge. She couldn't dismiss her curiosity, what was across that Bridge?

'Demetrius?', She called, 'Have you ever gone.... Across the Bridge?', she whispered

'No Bainbridger is allowed across the Bridge', he said leaving Jane disappointed, 'Good thing I'm not a Bainbridger', he said with a casual shrug as he continued to wheel the bucket up. Jane's face lit up, she hadn't expected that and.....

'What's it like', she asked anxiety crawling into her.

For a moment, he didn't reply his attention focused on his work.

'I said—',

'I heard what you said',

'Then why didn't you respond', Again he said nothing. After wheeling the last batch, he sealed the well and slowly walked towards the view bearing, holding the cemeted protector and staring into Oblivion for a moment.

'You want to know what it's like across that bridge, do you?', he said, his tone serious, 'Ever heard of the saying, Curiosity killed the cat?', what he was trying to do, Jane might have gotten a few ideas.

'you know, being inquisitive can lead you to an unpleasant situation', he probed.

'I know, but then what else do I have to lose. I want to grab my life by the hands Demetrius. I want to be free and I want to love the idea of being free. All my life I've been torn, but now I've found a reason and I know it's the reason I was born. I was a born an adventurer you know, why kill that gift?', Jane derided as she stood close to Demetrius by the bearing taking a sight at the spectacular view.

His height had shamed her below average height as they stood. She veered her gaze towards the averted portrait of this desirable man. She caught her breathe at the raw savage beauty of that harshly lean face. Dark slightly over grown hair fell forward over his forehead, his tawny copper shaded eyes, a curious light color. His nose a harsh slash his mouth thinned in a straight line, deep grooves etched beside his nose and mouth. Although she had seen this daunting man before, she couldn't get over how incredible gorgeous he was. With his often coldly arrogant look.

'Across the bridge aye?', He demanded waspishly.

'Yes', Jane prevaricated

'Forgive me Lady Winston, but I'm afraid that's an impossible task to commit to', He dismissed scornfully.

Jane's face froze in a straight frown, 'Why so?',

'Because it's an absolute waste of my time. And yours too, it's not worth',

'Excuse me—',

'I don't think it's very clever of you to go across that Bridge, it's dangerous to be there alone, especially for a person such as yourself who has absolutely no experience', he probed provocatingly.

'But I won't be alone, you'll accompany me', she urged

'Oh aren't you a dreamer, don't hold your breath, you'll live longer', He derided harshly

'I do not appreciate your quirked tone of speech Sir Fitzherbert, You do not speak to people this way and expect them to listen', She snapped protestingly

'Don't be foolish—',

'No!', she cut him off his words. Those words, that statement "Don't be foolish", had been used in so many chapters of her life and she had to bare the pain of listening to it all her life, but not anymore.

'Don't tell me I'm foolish, because I'm really not. And I'm really tired of being told that!', she probed, violently jerking her head to the side, avoiding his quick averted gaze, 'And you don't even know me too',

He tugged on her arm, shifting so they were face to face, 'That could be part of it, or perhaps what you think', His words caused her to wince internally. He always spoke in riddles but, Still she said nothing, showing clear signs of being revolted, provoked, insulted and angered.

He made an inpatient sound in his throats and inwardly winced at her candidness, as she had probably guessed that he would.

'Across the bridge, you say? ', his lips tightened before they revealed a curt, 'Well then'.

Jane winced in disbelief, 'Are you being real',

'What do you think', He said with a arch of one brow

'I think that there's more to one that meets the eye. What's your catch here?', she said clearly keeping him off guard

'I see an alliance coming our way', his words were grimly spoken.

The wind caressed his face as he inhaled sharply.

'I'm listening?', she derided

A small tug at his lips and he said, 'Are you sure you want this', she knew exactly what he was doing. But did she know what she was?

'I'm willing to do whatever it takes Demetrius', she feigned determined, 'How may I service you?', she looked at him with widely determined grey eyes.

His lips tightened even more, 'Are you offering your services?',

Perhaps it was the way he said "Services", or maybe it was just his tone of voice, but she found the words slightly insulting.

'Excuse me', she asked with a frown.

'I told you before that getting you across this bridge was a waste of my time, didn't I?', he said, Jane remained quiet, 'It'd be sublime if I wasted yours too don't you think',

She didn't pick up on what he was getting at, 'What do you mean— let me rephrase that, what do you want?',

'Labour', he curtly snapped