Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

[SheLuvsMusic]

Ella was on a completely different planet from her as far as Josephine was concerned, and she had to nod her agreement when John pointed out how quick she was to warm up to people. "Yeah, well, that's not always a good thing," she said. It was why she was now dating a pirate. Maybe Josie was overly cautious, but it didn't seem like Ella had caution at all. She couldn't disagree with him about himself either, although any awkwardness between them wasn't really his fault. He was trying, she was just reluctant to be here. She would have been reluctant to be with anyone. "And I don't think you're too awkward," she assured him. He was just a little on the quieter side. Men like him tended to be drowned out in the sea of overly confident and loud men that tended to crowd their circles.

It was good to hear him say he preferred to take things slow. Josie found herself relaxing just a little bit more, knowing now that Alec would have some more time to get his business up and running. It was hard not to feel guilty about wanting to marry someone else while she was on a date, but it was down to the wire now. In a year or less she would be married off. Courtship never lasted terribly long before marriage once girls got to be her age. She was still young, but she knew others her age who already had children, and father was old. It hurt to think about, but if Alec couldn't win father's favor, it was likely she was spending time with her future husband. At least she might be able to give Alec the better half of a year. "Then we have that in common, too," she said.

She took the binoculars from him when he offered, and peered through them to get a look at the horse he pointed to, then the one she bet on. "There," she said, pointing to the fifth gate. She was getting nervous now. What if she lost? She really wanted to bring something home with her tonight. An announcement was made over the crowd, and she leaned in with anticipation. Somewhere on the field a gunman raised his firearm, and few seconds later they heard a bang. The horses were off.

Peter had never consumed so much chocolate in such a short time span before, but Miss Crawford had a talent that was greatly appreciated between the two of them. He smiled down at Ella every time she snagged another from her bag, enjoying how hard it was for her to resist them. He loved her small quirks like that one, and was even more thrilled to have her guide him toward the bookstore, where he breathed in the smell of paper and ink with happy anticipation.

"I was thinking, since you're learning, I could pick up a book about constellations. One with illustrations and the stories behind them," Peter said, trailing his fingers over the bindings as they walked through the store. Every once in a while he stopped her to pluck one off the shelf to look at it. He enjoyed his fantasies and fairytales like her, but he really preferred nonfiction. He liked to learn about culture before experiencing it himself.

He wandered with her, eyes searching for the perfect book, but paused when she asked him to look. He glanced down at the cover, leaning over behind her and resting his chin on her shoulder. Seeing her looking at it like that, he couldn't resist. "It's nice," he said. "Let me get it for you." There really was no better way than to spend his first honest earnings than on the woman who made it all possible.

 

[AvianJen]

John chuckled and raised an eyebrow at her. "Why do you say that?" he asked. There definitely were definitely pros and cons to being either way, but the way she talked, he felt like she had something specific in mind. He smiled when she assured him that he wasn't too awkward- somehow, her approval made him relax just a little. John was always self-conscious in social situations. It always felt like everyone else knew exactly what to do and what to say and he just bumbled around like an idiot, even though that wasn't the case. He didn't give himself enough credit, he knew, but he couldn't help it. "Well, thank you," he said, nodding. "Glad to hear it."

He nodded when she pointed to her horse and glanced down at his program. "Oh, good pick. I think," he added with a chuckle. It was hard not to feel giddy with anticipation, wondering how his horse would do. It wasn't like either of them really needed to the money (as far as he knew), but it was exciting. It was the reason going to the races was so much fun. He cheered along with the rest of the crowd when the horses took off down the track, squinting to try and find where his had already gotten lost in the cluster. Not to mention, all brown horses looked exactly the same to him. But finally, he saw what he thought was his horse pulling ahead slightly, still behind the leaders but catching up. "Hey, he's doing pretty good!" John exclaimed, having to shout in order to be heard over the roar of the crowd.

Ella smiled, noticing how Peter's entire posture seemed to relax when he entered the book store. Not that he was tense in the first place, but she could tell how much he loved books. It was a love they both shared. Her smile widened at his suggestion, liking the idea of getting a book about constellations. It would probably help Ella to learn them faster, and she was very interested in all the stories that went along with them. "That's a good idea," she agreed cheerfully. She helped him look for a few minutes, but Ella was easily distracted and the fantasy section was calling her.

The book about Greek mythology was one of the most beautiful she had ever seen. It was a big, flat book with a hard blue cover that opened to pages and pages of elaborate artwork and fantastical stories. Ella had read Greek myths before, but the book she had at home wasn't nearly this nice or this complete. She leaned her head towards him, reaching for Peter's arms and wrapping them around her waist while she showed him the pretty book, never tired of the way it felt to have his arms around her. She didn't expect him to offer to buy the book for her, and when he did she turned her head to look at him in surprise.

"Oh, you don't have to get it for me," she said, kissing his cheek lovingly. "I don't really need it and it's probably very overpriced. But thank you." He was sweet, but he didn't need to spend his hard-earned money on her. There were probably much more important things for him to save his money for, like his own place or something for himself. He deserved to reward himself after all the hard work that he'd done, and Ella had more than enough material things. "Did you find a good constellation book?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

(sorry for the late reply. I got really busy)

Josephine couldn't really explain to John why, of course. At least, not specifically. So she just shrugged, and pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "She's just too trusting sometimes," she said. Josie wasn't convinced Peter had good intentions. She was torn because she knew the man had played a role in saving her and Ella's lives, as well as getting them off the ship, but she was stuck on the fact that he was a pirate. Not to mention he was getting everything so easily while Josie and Alec were struggling just to keep their relationship alive. "I'm just afraid she'll trust the wrong person one day and get hurt."

Staring out at the horses, she could feel her heart beat with adrenaline. It was sort of exhilarating, seeing the horses. She was only a young girl the last time she was here, and she forgot just how riled the crowd got while they waited to find out whether they won or lost money on a bet. She leaned forward, biting her lip, then grabbed onto John's arm tightly while she watched. It was difficult being here without Alec, but she was starting to think being friends with John wouldn't be so horrible. Besides, she needed the emotional support. It was probably stupid, but she couldn't help but associate her success or failure at this bet as a sign of success or failure for her and Alec.

She could barely look as the horses finished their final lap, but she forced herself to watch, then sighed in relief as her horse moved up a spot. Not first, but he did well. So did John's horse. She finally relaxed and let go of his arm, having not even realized she grabbed onto it. "See, I told you you'd do well," she said.

Peter wrapped his arms around her tightly, then gave her shoulder a kiss. It was a beautiful book, and he recognized some of the names from tales his that her would tell, or even from the stories about the constellations. The Greeks had an explanation for everything that usually revolved around the gods. It really was quite interesting, and if Ella hadn't picked it up, Peter probably would have himself.

"What if I want to?" Peter asked. It was his money to spend. It didn't matter how expensive it was, as long as he could afford it. He reached around her and picked it up in his own hands, enjoying the feel of it. "I insist. Think of it as a thank you. For believing in me, and for all the small gifts you've given me this week. It's my turn to give back." He kissed the top of her head, then took her hand while he tucked the book under his arm.

"There were a few," he said, leading her back to the books he found. "I like this one the best." He pulled one off the shelf. It wasn't anything like the book Ella found, but it was thick, detailed, and provided diagrams of the sky along with stories about the constellations and tips for spotting them. Tucking that under his arm as well, he pulled her to the counter to pay, buying his book and the one she picked out before she could protest.

"You know, I'm not sure I've actually ever given anyone else a gift before," he said as they exited the shop. "You're a good influence on me."

 

[AvianJen]

((No worries! Me too ))

John nodded, tilting his head towards Josephine. "You think Peter is going to hurt her?" he questioned, reading in between the lines. It didn't take a genius to see that Josephine wasn't happy with Ella and Peter's new relationship, and he couldn't help but wonder why. It could just be the concern for her sister that she would have with any other man, or maybe it was something more serious. Maybe there was reason to believe that Peter wasn't a good match for Ella. It wasn't any of John's business, but they would be here all day and he was curious.

He almost didn't notice when she grabbed his arm; he needed the support too. It was exciting, knowing that they would get to do this all day, and this was only the first race. If it didn't go well then they would get to try again. It looked like it was going well though, much to John's surprise, and he cheered with the rest of the crowd when the horses finally crossed the finish line. His horse ended up finishing in second, which was much better than he'd hoped. There was a decent payoff for that, and while John was positive it was just beginner's luck, it was exciting and gave him a new wave of confidence.

Josephine's horse finished right behind his, and the payout looked like it was going to be pretty good as well. "Well, what do you know!" he exclaimed happily. "You were right. We did good. Congratulations." He finally noticed that she had grabbed his arm when she let go, and he wasn't sure if he was supposed to read into it...but he decided not to. It was just nerves. "Shall we go collect our winnings?"

Ella smiled, unable to deny him when he insisted. "Well, it would be rude to refuse a gift," she reasoned. "Thank you." She couldn't wait to get back home and sit on the sofa, cuddled up under a blanket and reading it together. They still hadn't been home for very long in the grand scheme of things, but reading with him was quickly becoming one of her favorite pastimes. She giggled when he took the book from her and bounced up to kiss his cheek, tucking his hair behind his ear. "I'm going to braid your hair when we get home," she said mischievously. "And maybe you can read it to me."

She followed him back to the astronomy books, peering over the one he'd selected. It wasn't a stunning work of art like her mythology book, but it looked very informative and detailed. "I like it," she approved. The bookseller wrapped both of them individually in brown paper so that they wouldn't get damaged, and then tied one on top of the other to make it easier to carry. Ella held onto Peter's hand as they exited the store, a bounce in her step. "Really?" she asked, surprised at his comment. Ella loved giving gifts, even if they weren't anything fancy. "Well, I'm honored to be your first," she said with a smile. And a book was perfect- Ella didn't think that he was the kind of boyfriend who would buy her jewelry or roses, and she didn't think she was the kind of girlfriend who would want those kinds of gifts. Although she probably would melt if he came home randomly one day and gave her a bouquet of flowers.

"Where else would you like to go?" she asked, looking at the shops. She stopped in front of the tea shop and glanced inside, inhaling the smell of baked goods. "How about tea?" she suggested. "This place is great. And they have the best croissants...or would you rather go home? You probably want to get some rest." He seemed okay, but she could tell that he was still pretty tired. She didn't blame him; she would be too.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine wasn't sure how much she could, or should, say about Peter. The only one she had ever mentioned her concerns about him to were Alec, and sort of Ella, but her warnings basically fell on deaf ears. Maybe she was just bring overly paranoid, but Josie didn't think she was wrong for being wary of a man who was involved in her kidnapping. She knew a lot about falling in love with someone you shouldn't, but Alec and Peter were on completely different playing fields in her opinion. "Well... I don't know," she said. Peter did seem to care for Ella. He had done a lot to help her, both of them. Josephine just wasn't convinced it wasn't a play. "It's not like I've liked anyone who's been in interested in my sister before anyway. I'm more critical of her potential partners than my own, honestly. I just don't know him well, and I question his motives."

Third place wasn't too bad, actually, and Josie couldn't help but feel good about it. Alec would be proud of her for her choice, and she wasn't anything but an amateur. Her winnings would at least contribute to his savings, and she felt good about that too. "I told you I'm a good luck charm," she said, smiling. She was happy for John as well, and probably would have felt bad if she had won something and he didn't. But she had been right. They both came out as winners.

She nodded when he asked to go collect their winnings. Today wasn't turning out so bad after all. She wasn't going to fall in love with someone else, not now, maybe not ever, but if she had to consider anyone other than Alec to be a good husband to her, she was glad to be here with John.

Peter beamed. He felt unexpectedly good about being able to provide Ella with such an expensive gift. He bought her those other books as well, but this one was paid for with his own earnings. Honest earnings. Kissing her cheek, he said, "I'm going to spoil you as much as I can." Then he laughed as she told him she would braid his hair. He had never had that done before. He wasn't even sure he knew how to do that. "You're going to make me up to look like you?" he asked, teasingly tugging on the end of her own braid.

Tucking the books under his arm, he used the other to wrap around her waist, heading back out into the busy street. He was filled with pride being able to show her off. "Whatever you want to do," he said. He was sort of tired still, but he didn't want to waste his weekend by ignoring her. With his job, they didn't see each other as much. "We can grab some tea. That would wake me up, I think. Or is the beach near? You did promise to show me that, you know." He kissed her forehead, content with whatever they decided to do. They were such a pretty pair together, and he loved how well they got along. Men at the bar always seemed to complain about their girls, but he had nothing to complain about with her.

 

[AvianJen]

John smirked, thinking that her reaction to Peter was pretty typical of an older sister. "Well, Ella is very lucky to have someone like you looking out for her," he said with a smile. "It's hard to be sure of anyone's motives, but I think that most of the time, it's best to give people the benefit of the doubt. I don't know him as well as you do, but it seems to me like Peter does care about Ella." John liked to think he was pretty good at reading people, and he had seen the two of them dancing together last night. He hadn't ever seen a man more captivated by a woman, and while he could be wrong, that had to mean something.

It was only the first race- there was still plenty of time to lose all of their money, but for now it looked like they both had actually made a little bit. A decent bit, actually. "You were right about that," he said to Josephine with a smile. "This is a good way to start off the day." They left their seats to go collect their winnings, which were both pretty sizable. John was proud of them, and he was excited to tell his father about how well he'd done on his first try. While they were at the betting office, he took a moment to look over the odds for the next two races and place his bets on those, hoping that he would be just as successful and that Josephine would be as well.

He liked being here with Josephine. He wasn't sure if she would eventually become his wife, or if they could ever fall in love with each other, but John tried to live in the moment. For now, he was enjoying her company and glad that they were able to do this. It was the best first date he'd had in quite a while, and if they did end up going to the theater, he hoped that would be just as great of a second one.

Ella flushed slightly, smiling when he promised to spoil her, shaking her head. "It's too late for that, silly," she told him with amusement. "I'm already a spoiled rich girl, remember?" She was joking, but by his standards that was probably true; Ella had grown up leading a very privileged life. But anything that he decided to give her would hold a special place in her heart, there was no doubt about that. It was the thought that counted. "Hey!" she said, feeling him tug on her braid. Ella never pulled her hair all the way back, but today she had the front pieces of her hair tied back in a braid with a ribbon to match her dress. "No," she replied a moment later, smiling flirtatiously. "It just gives me an excuse to play with your hair. You're more than welcome to braid mine too, if you'd like."

Some tea sounded really good, but Ella liked the idea of going to the beach even more. "It's a fifteen minute carriage ride from here," she said. "Let's find some a towel and some lunch to bring with us and then go to that." She knew that he was missing the ocean, and she wanted to be able to take him there again and experience it with him. Not to mention, he was familiar with the ocean but she didn't know how many opportunities he'd had to lounge on a beach. It was a perfect day for it as well- warm, breezy, and sunny. The only problem was they didn't have their bathing suits, but getting wet wasn't a requirement and Peter already knew that Ella was not above stripping down to her underwear if the occasion called for it.

She leaned in closer to him and closed her eyes, in love with the feeling of walking down the street with his arms around her. She was his, a hundred percent, and everyone around them knew it. "Let's get some sandwiches and tea," she suggested. "Then we'll go to the beach."

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

(sorry again. I've been in a car for the last two days. I think I should be more consistent now!)

It was good to have her concern validated, Josephine thought, even though John was telling her to also keep an open mind. She was trying to, but it was difficult. It was hard not to resent someone like Peter. She associated him with her kidnapping, and she was jealous of how easy he was getting everything compared to Alec. It was backwards and all kinds of messed up. If Peter did anything to hurt Ella, she would never be able to live with the guilt knowing she could have done something about it. At the same time, of Peter really had changed, Ella would never forgive her if Josie turned him in. She couldn't live with that either. It felt like a lose-lose situation, unless if by some miracle, Peter turned out to actually be decent after all. She just doubted it. "Oh, well, thank you," she said. "Ella doesn't seem to think so." Maybe she was over protective, but everything Josie said or did for her sister was because she loved her. "But we've never agreed on much, so I shouldn't be too surprised, I guess."

She smiled as she counted the money made. It was not going to change anything for her and Alec yet. It was going to be mostly up to him to start his business and do well if they wanted to secure a future together, but it was a sizable donation, given she didn't lose it all in the next race. He could save it, or invest it if he liked. She didn't know much about finances, but she trusted whatever he chose to do. "It is," she agreed with John. Considering how horrible this date could have been, she considered herself very lucky. She didn't feel like she was a piece of potential property with him, or a trophy to show off. He treated her like a person, which was more than she could say for some others she'd known. It was too bad she was already in love with someone else, otherwise she might even dare to say this was one of the better matches her father had tried to make.

"What will you do with your winnings?" she asked while she looked over the stats for the next race. They were just as confusing as before, but she felt like she had a better handle on how this worked now. Or maybe it was just beginners luck. "Will you donate it to the children's home you volunteer for?"

Peter chuckled. "I used to think so," he admitted. He had often associated wealth with spoiled before, but Ella had genuinely surprised him. It was part of her appeal. She was a rich girl who didn't like to act like it. Actually he could see her dancing and having fun in one of the pubs he used to visit, fitting in with the rest of them if it weren't for her clothes, her poise, and the way she spoke with the upper class accent. She would have made a pretty poor girl though, too. "But I don't think so anymore." He kissed her cheek, then rose an eyebrow at her. "Excuse? You don't need one. You're my girlfriend, you don't need permission to touch me. I certainly wouldn't object anyway," he smirked. "And I don't know how to braid. You would have to teach me."

He brightened to hear the beach was so near. He was surprised he couldn't already smell it in the air, but that probably had something to do with all the smells of the market. They probably wouldn't be able to stay too long if they wanted to be dried off and home by dinner, but Peter would be thrilled just to dip his toes in for a minute if that was all he could take. "Yes, let's do that. I haven't smelled salt water in much too long." He took her hand in his and let her lead the way to the tea and sandwich place. On the way he stopped by a stand to buy other supplies, like the towel, and a basket to carry all their items in. He placed the books in first, then the sandwiches when they got them. He was so eager he didn't even want to wait to finish eating.

 

[AvianJen]

((No worries! My work schedule has been absolutely insane for the past week so I haven't had much time/energy either, but it should be slowing down now for me as well ))

John smiled. He understood that there were always inevitable differences between family members; he had never quite seen eye to eye with his brothers, or his father, for that matter. But it wasn't a bad thing, it just meant that they were different. Different was okay, and it was good to have lots of different personalities. The world would be a boring place if everyone was the same.

"I'm not sure," he said, furrowing his brow when she asked what he would do with his winnings. He really didn't need the money, but he hadn't given any thought to what he would do with it. "I could donate it, I suppose. Heaven knows they could use it." Many of the boys he volunteered with were in need of new clothes, for one thing. His family already donated quite a bit and John wasn't sure what his small contribution from the races would really do, but every little bit helped. "I hadn't really thought about it, but it sounds like you have. What are you planning on doing with your money?" There was still no guarantee either of them would leave with a cent more than what they had yesterday, but they had done pretty well so far.

"Really?" Ella asked with amusement. "Did you think I was a spoiled rich girl when you met me?" To be fair, Ella was a spoiled rich girl. She had never wanted for anything- she had beautiful clothes, excellent food, and a huge, comfortable room all to herself. She'd had an expensive primary education and piano lessons, and even a few maids whose primary job was to help her with whatever she needed, whether that be a new hairstyle or a bubble bath or a pedicure. Ella was incredibly spoiled, but it wasn't her fault that she was born into a life of privilege, and she liked to think she wasn't as entitled as some. Ella tried not to take the things she had for granted, and she knew that Josephine did as well. Their parents had taught their children the value of hard work and taught them to appreciate what they had, because not everyone was so lucky.

She giggled at his comment that she didn't need an excuse or permission to touch him. "You might end up regretting that statement," she teased, leaning in and giving him a hug. Ella could probably hold onto him all day and never get tired of it. She loved him- a fact that was becoming more and more true with each passing day. She hardly ever wanted to be separated from him. "Braiding is easy," she said. "I can't believe you never had to braid ropes or anything. But I can teach you." Ella would be more than happy to teach him, and then he would have an excuse to play with her hair, too. Not that he needed it.

The beach might be a little farther than fifteen minutes, but Ella couldn't remember exactly. It had been a while since she'd gone, although they had driven right past it on their way to visit Charles and his family. That was how the pirates had been able to get them so easily, being close to the shore. It wasn't a huge beach, but that meant it wasn't touristy, and it wouldn't be too hard to find a nice deserted area for just the two of them. They gathered a few supplies for the day- Ella also went ahead and bought a new hat so she didn't get burned, just in case- and then they were off to the beach. Ella requested that their carriage driver drop them off in an empty area and then come back in a couple of hours. When he was gone, Ella took off her shoes and pulled up her skirt, leading Peter down to the water. The ocean was beautiful, and the day was perfect. She dug her toes into the warm sand as they set out their towel, and reached into the basket for her sandwich. It was adorable to see him so excited, and she was happy that they were close enough to the beach to be able to go. "What do you think?" she asked him.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine thought it would be nice of him to donate it, or spend it on something for himself. It didn't really matter. It was his money, and he could do whatever he wanted with it. For her own money, she already knew where it was going. She wasn't able to say to him exactly what it was for, but she nodded. "I think I'll save it. I've never earned any of my own money before, so I want it to go towards something important to me." In this case, someone, and their future together. She never wanted anything more desperately. Her mind hadn't strayed from him this entire date, which somehow made it easier to do this.

After deciding on her next bet, she walked up to the betting center and placed a significant portion of her winnings down. "I'll bet on number three," she said, feeling more confident after the last one. After their bets had been placed, she faced John and fanned at herself. It was warm out here, and she adjusted her hat to shade the sun better. They had a bit of time before the next race still. It always seemed like these events were more waiting around than action. "Shall we go back to our seats?" she asked. It looked like other people were opting to find shady spots, or talk to friends. She wasn't really sure how she and John should spend their own down time between races. "Or we could find some food," she suggested. It would be a couple hours until the races were over and she could return to have her dinner with Alec.

Peter didn't want to offend Ella, but it was true. He had. "Yes," he said. But he had that idea about all wealthy girls before. He had never been able to wrap his mind around having so much wealth and spending it on such trivial things like fancy dresses when there were so many people who starved. He still struggled with that idea sometimes, but then he had to remind himself about how he made a living stealing from other people. He was just as bad. "But then I saw how you took your dress off and I realized you're not exactly the typical spoiled, rich girl," he chuckled.

He gave her a squeeze in return as she hugged him, smiling. He had his concerns about them getting too carried away and swept up in a moment, but he couldn't lie that he had his little fantasies regarding her. He wouldn't exactly mind it if she wanted to touch him. Just her fingers in his hair drove him crazy. "I doubt that," he said. "And I prefer your hair down, if I'm honest. But you can still teach me if you'd like."

The smell of salt and the sound of waves greeted him like a warm hug when they got to the beach. He was filled with nostalgia and joy as the hit the sand, and he immediately followed her to tug off his shoes and socks so he could feel the sand in his toes. "It's perfect," he said when she asked what he thought. "I've missed this." He almost didn't want to eat, in favor of going for a swim, but he forced himself to sit down beside her while he grabbed for a sandwich. He used one hand to hold it, and the other one strayed to her hair, working her braids loose so he could run his fingers through it.

 

[AvianJen]

John smiled and nodded. He couldn't relate- he did earn his own money by working for his father's business, but he was sure it was exciting for her. Most women didn't ever get opportunities to earn a living on their own. Usually that was the responsibility of the man, which John was fine with, but he didn't think that women were incapable of taking care of themselves. That was a topic for another time, though. "That's good," he told her. "Save it for something that's important. You'll know what it is when it comes along."

After they had both placed their next bets, John was ready to head back to their seats, but he hadn't given any thought to finding some food. It was getting close to midday, so that was probably a good idea. "We should find food," he agreed. "Before we lose all our money and can't afford anything." He was joking, of course, but it was a rather entertaining thought. A young, upper-class couple losing all of their money gambling on horse races and then unable to afford dinner. It sounded like a comedy skit. "What are you in the mood for?"

Ella wasn't offended. She knew that he had gotten a rather strange first impression of her, and she hadn't been his biggest fan of him at first either. He had played a part in her and her sister's kidnapping, and while Ella had forgiven him for that and understood that he didn't have a choice, it was something she tried not to think about too much. "Well, you're not the typical pirate," she replied. "I could see that almost right away." Even though he was a pirate, he had treated them kindly. He wasn't crude, he'd made them as comfortable as he could and he had comforted her when she was upset. He didn't have to do all of those things, he did them because he was different.

Ella had thought back to that night several times, wondering what would have happened if they'd decided not to stop. She wanted intimacy just as much as he did, but it scared her a little bit too. There were so many risks, and she didn't know what she was doing. For now, she was more than satisfied with his hugs, his kisses, and his hands in her hair. If they started to get a little bit carried away again...they would reassess. She giggled when he claimed her liked her hair down. "Well, l usually wear it down," she pointed out. "So you're in luck." Josephine was the one who always wore her hair up, but she typically spent more time getting ready in the morning. Ella was doing good if she styled it at all before starting her day.

She wanted to swim too, but Ella wanted to eat her sandwich first. Sitting down on the towel, they could admire the ocean together and bask in the sun before getting in the water. Ella wasn't exactly sure what she was going to swim in, anyways. She smirked when she felt his hands in her hair, deftly undoing her braid so that her hair tumbled down her back, loose and wavy. Ella leaned against his shoulder and nibbled on her sandwich, watching the waves crash on the sand in a mesmerizing rhythm. "It is beautiful," she agreed. It was calming as well, for a girl who was normally so high energy. She finished her sandwich quickly and sat up, turning her back towards him and pulling her hair over one shoulder. "Unbutton my dress?" she requested. "Then we can swim a little." She could get away with getting her underclothes wet, but probably not her dress.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine wondered how much longer it would be, if they got their real chance at all. It was hard to determine exactly how much time they had left. The money she earned tonight would probably not even make a dent in what it took to earn her father's approval. She wasn't even entirely sure what exactly her father wanted. He'd said Alec had to prove he could support her and a family, but he hadn't placed a number on anything. That was the issue with all of this. There were so many uncertain variables, she wasn't sure how she could measure their time. Did she count down by the number of dates she had to go on with John, or by the amount of money Alec could make? This day was tolerable. Actually, she was having fun. But it was only the first date, and if they went on a second, even a third, she'd have to start worrying about things like him wanting to kiss her, and eventually, possibly proposing. Those were factors that would complicate it all even more, but she tried not to think too much about that right now. "I will," she nodded.

She gave a small laugh at John's joke. Food was the last thing she would worry about if they lost their money, but she didn't think it would happen anyway. "At least it'd make for an interesting story," she said, but agreed that food probably was a good idea. She wasn't terribly hungry now, but if she didn't want to feel sick by dinner, she should get something in her stomach. "I think I saw a little place just this way. We can get some sandwiches and take it with us to eat while we watch the next race. Let's go," she said, linking her arm in his so they wouldn't lose each other in the crowd.

Peter was glad Ella seemed to hold him in such high regard. How different things could have been if she didn't. If they never developed a friendship, it was hard to say if the girls would have ever made it off the ship and back home. He could still be pirating. Hell, maybe Alec would have killed him in an escape attempt of his and the girls' own. They would never really know. "Hmm. Now if only your sister could see what you do," he said, but kissed her forehead to show he wasn't entirely bothered by it at the moment.

The ocean felt so much like home, even more so with Ella beside him. He didn't miss the ship much, but he did miss the open water and adventure. He couldn't wait until his apprenticeship granted him the opportunity to travel with Mr. Lawrence. It might mean leaving Ella behind, but if she went to University, then he couldn't feel too terrible about it. Someday he'd take her with him, if she wanted, and show her all the exotic places he'd visited before and those he still had yet to see. Running his fingers through her now loose hair, he played with it while he finished his sandwich. "It is," he agreed with a smile, and was content just to eat in silence while he listened to the seagulls and waves.

He rose an eyebrow at her when she turned her back to him, confused until she explained. "That's a dangerous request," he teased, but of course she would want to swim with him. People couldn't visit the beach and not swim. He complied, brushing her hair out of the way, and gently unbuttoning her out of it. He even went so far as to help her push it away from her shoulders, where he leaned down to give her bare shoulder a small, loving, kiss.

 

[AvianJen]

John laughed and nodded in agreement. An interesting story, indeed. His family would probably ban him from coming to the races again if he wasn't able to buy dinner for his date, but he wasn't going to do that. John was a prepared man, and he had come with a budget- one for gambling, and one for anything else they might need. He smiled when she was so bold to link her arm in his, even though it was probably only to keep them from getting separated in the crowd, and let her lead the way. They arrived at a cute little sandwich place within the stadium, where John ordered food and drinks for the both of them. "Would you rather eat here before heading back to our seats?" he asked, checking his watch. "We've still got a bit of time, and it's not as hot here." Their seats would be in the shade this afternoon, which was great, but right now they were basking in the sun. John wasn't too keen on sweating through his suit, but he'd do whatever Josephine wanted.

Ella smiled, leaning forward slightly when he went to kiss her forehead. "She will," she promised. "She will eventually." For a little while they sat in silence, enjoying the sights and sounds of the ocean. They essentially had the whole beach to themselves; it wasn't a touristy beach, for one thing, and most everyone who visited ended up at the other side. Ella was confident that they wouldn't be interrupted, or else she might think twice about taking her dress off again.

She laughed when he said that her request was dangerous and shook her head. "It's your fault, you know," she accused. "I always end up taking my clothes off around you. You're a bad influence." He kissed her shoulder and she shook her head again. "The real danger is when you do things like that." Ella leaned over and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips, stroking her fingers through his own hair. Pulling herself to her feet, she pulled her dress over her head and discarded it on the ground. She also took off her corset, which hooked in the front so she didn't need to enlist Peter's help. Finally she took off her underskirt and petticoat, effectively getting rid of all of her layers save for a white slip dress and camisole.. They would dry quickly once they were done swimming, and no one would know the difference. "Next time, we'll plan ahead," she laughed, looking at all of her clothes on the sand. "Are you ready?" She held out her hands to him, eager to dip her feet in the water.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine hadn't even realized how hungry she was until they got their food. Also, it was a pretty good indication that they're date was already about half over and she had survived it so far. She fanned herself with her hand again, thinking about how she always forgot how hot summer could get when she started to look forward to it in the winter. "I think we better, yes," she agreed, and found them a small little table to sit at while they enjoyed their food. She unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite out of it, surprised that she even had an appetite. As everybody had noticed especially lately, she tended not to eat when she was stressed, so the fact she was even hungry was another indicator this was going better than she could have ever expected. Not that she liked it. Not that she could ever see herself actually marrying the man across from her. Still, there had been worse.

"Hey, um," she started, still feeling a little bit guilty about how she couldn't really give him one hundred percent, maybe never would be able to. John seemed like a good man, and he didn't really deserve to be strung along in this way. She felt bad that she couldn't be honest with him about her situation, but one day she could. She was just afraid she might end up hurting him if things went too far, or got too complicated. "I just want to say thank you for not being horrible. I usually expect the worst with these sorts of things, but I'm actually kind of enjoying myself."

Peter really hoped so, but he didn't want to think about it right now. He had today and tomorrow to be a good boyfriend and spend time with Ella before he had to work again, so he wanted to make the most of it.

He laughed at her teasing, then thought about kissing her again to just see what her reaction would be, but she beat him to it. He kissed her back, closing his eyes to enjoy it before she pulled away, then watched for a moment while she started to get rid of the rest of her clothes. There would never not be a time when he wasn't surprised by the amount of layers women had, but he found himself enjoying the little show anyway. Eventually he tore his eyes away and stood up for himself, taking off his shirt and stepping out of his pants so he could join her. He'd seen her undressed like she was before, but he wasn't sure that she'd ever seen him in just his underwear before. It didn't bother him one bit. It was sort of freeing and more comfortable than wearing the clothes her father had bought him, that was for sure.

"Ready," he said, grabbing her hands and leaning in for a quick kiss. He pulled away quickly, though, abandoning her for the water. "Race you!" he called over his shoulders as he headed for the tide, splashing into the water just a few seconds later, and letting the waves carry him out further until his feet no longer touched the bottom and he was treading water. It felt so amazing, and he didn't even look back her way to see if she had caught up before leaning onto his back and floating, face up, eyes closed towards the sun.

 

[AvianJen]

John munched on his sandwich, not thinking about anything in particular when Josephine thanked him for not being awful. "What?" he asked, a smile on his face. "Not being horrible? My goodness, what have the other men you've seen been like?" John didn't think of himself as being especially extraordinary, but then he thought about the other women he had seen and began to understand. It wasn't that he was great, it was just that he wasn't quite as shallow as the others. And neither was she. "Well, I'm glad you don't think I'm horrible," he replied with a smile. "And I'm glad you're 'kind of' enjoying yourself. For what it's worth, I usually hope for the best and end up disappointed. But you're not horrible, yourself. I'm having a good time." It was better than his usual day of work, that was for sure.

He didn't know if he and Josephine could ever fall in love, or if they would ever get married, but he was beginning to feel hopeful that this relationship would be the one to work out. At some point he had to marry, and she was better than most of the girls he had ever encountered. She seemed to feel the same way, and while that wasn't saying a lot it was saying something. It might be the best they could do, and maybe one day a friendship could evolve into love. Emphasis on the maybe. John wasn't ready to make a commitment, but he was excited to see where his relationship with Josephine would go.

Ella had taken off a few more layers than she had on the pirate ship, though she wasn't revealing any more skin. Peter was right in assuming she'd never seen him in his underwear though, and while men didn't have the same standards for that sort of thing, Ella couldn't help but stare a little bit. He was muscular, and his skin was far more tan than hers was. Generally that was seen as an unattractive trait, but Ella liked it. He was more rugged, more natural than the clean cut men she was familiar with. She closed her eyes finally when he kissed her, but all too soon he was running away in the opposite direction towards the ocean.

"Wait!" Ella cried, laughing as she tugged up her skirt and ran after him towards the water. She went until she was about knee deep in the water, but didn't go any farther. Her parents had always warned her and Josephine not to venture too far into the ocean, lest they get swept away by the waves. Ella wasn't the best swimmer and the ocean was unpredictable. Not to mention it was freezing. Peter didn't appear to be concerned about that, however. "You're cute," Ella called to him, smiling. He looked so at home in the water, more comfortable than she would ever be even though she did like to swim. "Why don't you get back here and help me?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine looked down, and gave a small little laugh at his reaction. "Well... horrible," she said. That was pretty much the most simple way to explain the opposite of 'not horrible' without launching into the stories and criticisms of other men she usually only reserved for Alec and Ella. Father sometimes got annoyed, so he stopped asking for the details a long time ago and settled for a "I didn't have a good time" when she was asked why she wouldn't go out again with someone.

She smiled at him then shook her head. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I am having fun. I just suppose I'm a bit pessimistic sometimes." And she hadn't had any resemblance of real fun since before they were kidnapped, expect for maybe when she and Ella got to dance at the party. "But thank you," she said. "I'm glad I'm not a disappointment." She laughed again and took another bite of her sandwich. So she was pretty sure now then that there would probably be a second date, which came with it's own set of issues, but at least father couldn't tell her she wasn't trying.

Of course Peter noticed her staring, and he couldn't help the tiny smirk that found its way onto his face. He was not unaware of his looks. He wasn't shallow, but he knew a few heads turned his way when he crawled through the pub at night. He just wasn't used to high class women staring at him that way. Generally what the lower class women saw in him as attractive, the higher class women were scared or disgusted by. Hence, Josephine's negative disposition of him. He was glad Ella didn't agree though. "Like what you see?" he teased before he ran off.

The water felt like it was giving him a warm hug, despite how cold it actually was. He was used to it, and once his body got over the shock, it acclimated pretty quickly. He only opened his eyes once he heard her calling to him, wondering why it was she hadn't come out here to join him. He swam out to her, walking once he could touch the sand again, and swept her up in a kiss. "What are you all the way over here for?" he asked when he pulled away, then bent down to throw her over his shoulders, taking her with him as he went further in, before playfully shrugging her back into the ocean.

 

[AvianJen]

John tilted his head at her, wondering why she was so guarded. The men in their class weren't necessarily wonderful to be around, but John didn't know that they all deserved the label of "horrible." "Why are you pessimistic?" he asked. He was beginning to think that it had less to do with the men she'd encountered and more to do with being afraid of marriage, or something along those lines. Maybe that was why her standards were so impossibly high. He hadn't connected with the other women he'd seen, but they weren't horrible. He didn't like them, but they weren't bad people. They were just looking for something different out of life than he was.

He was happy to hear that she was genuinely having fun, at least, and he laughed when she said she was glad not to be a disappointment. It was true, she wasn't. There was more to her than he had expected, and the more they talked the more eager he was to get to know her. They finished their food and John stood to throw away their trash before returning and offering her his arm. "Shall we return to our seats?" he asked.

Ella flushed when he caught her staring, but she couldn't help it. "Of course I do," she said innocently. "I love you, and I have a handsome boyfriend." She wasn't sure if you could romantically love someone without being initially attracted to them- maybe you could, but Ella wasn't sure she could wrap her mind around it. "Besides, I don't think I'm the only one," she teased in return. She'd seen him watching her undress, too.

She didn't understand how he could just run out into the water like that- when Ella thought about swimming in the ocean, she was really thinking about wading. There were sharks in the ocean, and Ella wasn't sure she was a good enough swimmer to get all the way back to shore without killing herself. But she didn't know- she had never tried. She waited for Peter to return and kissed him back, hoping that she could convince him to stay in the shallow waters...but of course not. "Hey!" she screamed when he tossed her over his shoulder and started carrying her out to sea. "Peter! Wait, I'm not a good swimmer- ah!" She screamed again when he tossed her into the water, the waves covering her head and the chill biting into her skin. When she resurfaced, she was sputtering and panicking slightly, having realized that her feet didn't touch the ground anymore.

"Damn you!" she exclaimed. Ella wasn't really angry at him, but she was a little scared when she saw how far away the shore was. "Peter...we're going to drown out here. What's wrong with staying where we can touch the ground?" She reached for his arm and hung onto him, kicking her feet to stay afloat. Ella was bold and impulsive, but she wasn't fearless, and she wasn't sure how much she liked being at the mercy of the waves. "What about sharks?"

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

It was hard to explain to John the real reason why she didn't like most men, or rather, dating. The truth was, most of them were probably fine, with an occasional flaw. It was just they weren't the right person for her. She had already found that person, it just so happened her life and their circumstances more or less prevented them from being together. If Alec could pull through and they got their father to come around, they'd be catching a lucky break. Until then, dating was the only real option she had. She couldn't be left husbandless when her father passed on. The family funds could maybe last her and Ella a few years, but then... women didn't really have many options. Therefore, to Josephine, anybody other than Alec was more or less a last resort, and she figured she probably sabotaged whatever relationships she could have had, because she was too in love with him to accept life without him.

"Well..." she struggled, shrugging. "I don't know. I just guess I have an image of what my perfect life would be like, and none of the men I've been out with fit into it." That at least was true, and probably best way she could explain it to John without spilling all of her deepest secrets. "I know I'm selective, and maybe I'm just scaring you away now, but... it's just who I am. I don't like to settle." She was stubborn, just like the rest of her family. If she was going to marry, then it was going to somebody she loved. At the very least, it had to be somebody she could love someday. Nobody fit that bill, not even John, although she did think she liked him as a person. Maybe nobody would, until she accepted a future without Alec.

She stood up when they finished, taking his arm. Even if she'd ruined this, at least she was being as honest as she could be. If he stuck around, well then maybe her father really had picked a good alternative, if she had to consider one.

Peter laughed, but he did feel a little bit bashful because of her admiration. "Why thank you," he said. "And I have a beautiful girlfriend." He really did think so. She was not an exotic beauty, and she didn't have the same kind of allure that some of the women at the bars did, but she was radiant in her own way. He loved her hair, and her complexion, and the way his lips felt on hers. All of that meant nothing to him though until he realized it was paired with a beautiful personality as well.

He was smirking as he threw her in, but it disappeared and was replaced with worry once he fully registered what she was saying. The ocean was so familiar to him that he sometimes tended to forget that other people weren't as comfortable as he was out in the open ocean. They weren't so far from the shore, but they were in deep enough water now that you had to tread to keep your head up. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't... I wasn't thinking. You're okay?" he asked, pulling her close to him and letting her rely on him to keep from going under if she wanted.

He had to give her a sort of bewildered look at her insistence that they would drown though, and the serious concern she seemed to have about sharks. He chuckled, pushed her hair back away from her face and kissed her forehead. "Shh. We're not going to drown," he said. "Do you really think I would let that happen? And sharks? You can't be serious." He had never, ever seen a shark this close to the shore. He rarely even saw them hanging around the ship. "You're more likely to die in a dog attack than a shark attack. Just relax, you'll be fine. I got you."

 

[AvianJen]

John listened to her carefully, trying to process through what she said. "I understand," he said finally, not quite sure how he felt about some of her statements. "I don't think anyone wants to settle. We all want to find that person that we can be genuinely happy with, but...do you think it's possible that there aren't any men that can live up to your expectations? We're all only human, you know." He flashed her a smile, but he was serious. He'd also heard that she typically didn't give anyone more than one chance, and he didn't really think that was fair. One outing was hardly enough time to get to know someone, and most people had more to them than what originally met the eye. She was a perfect example of that.

"I don't mean to question your judgment," he said quickly, not wanting her to get that impression. "I'm just...curious, I suppose." He hoped that he hadn't offended her, but if their relationship was going to progress much further beyond this date then John wanted to know that he stood a chance. They were both being pressured to find a spouse, and even if he wasn't "horrible," if she didn't see any possibility of a future of them then he would rather know now.

Ella smiled when he returned the compliment. She knew that he was telling the truth and really did find her beautiful, but sometimes Ella struggled to believe that for herself. At least she had his admiration, even if she feared that he might one day go off on one of his adventures and fall for some exotic dancer or beautiful peasant girl. It wasn't something she really wanted to tell him...but it was something she worried about whenever she thought of him going away.

She clung to Peter, unsure if she was strong enough to tread the water on her own. Ella knew that she didn't have the stamina to do it for long, not like he did. The ocean was his domain. Ella's home was on land, in her garden, where the most dangerous thing was a bee sting. "I don't know," she coughed, rubbing the sting out of her eyes and pushing her wet hair back. "I think I got water up my nose, it hurts. And I'm...I'm a little..." She was embarrassed to admit that she was scared, but she didn't like being so far out. It was becoming more terrifying by the second, and no matter how tightly she hung onto him it felt like she was a minute away from being swallowed by a wave.

She soured slightly when he tried to dismiss her fear of sharks- to Ella, it seemed very legitimate. "Well, when you're in the water, I think a shark attack is more likely," she pointed out. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to relax, but she couldn't. Her breathing was getting shallow, and she was already getting tired from kicking. He couldn't hold them both up if she was dead weight. "I'm scared," she finally admitted, her voice cracking slightly. "Can...can you just help me get back, please? You can swim out here and I'll look for seashells until you're done, okay?" Ella liked looking for seashells, and making things out of sand. She liked swimming too, just...not when each wave caused them to drift farther and farther away from shore. Ella hated herself for disappointing him, but she couldn't do it.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine wasn't offended, but she was starting to feel like maybe she had gone too far and said the wrong things. She was even sabotaging this without trying, ironically, when she really had to try to make something work with John. Now she was probably just scaring him away by trying to be as honest as she could with him. If he was concerned, he had a right to be. Nobody wanted to try if they felt like it would be all for nothing. Nobody wanted to put effort into something that ultimately wouldn't work, especially when there a billion warning signs from the start. She wished she could just be more upfront with him about what was going on, but if he stopped seeing her because she told him she was in love with somebody else, then father would be angry and she and Alec would never be together. Why did things have to be so complicated?

"No, no, you haven't offended me," she said, wishing she could just take back everything she said. "You're... concerned. And I understand that. You probably should be." She should really just shut up before she reached a point of no return. She was making herself look really, really bad. She was sure of it. "I don't mean to assume that anybody is perfect, and I don't expect that... to answer your question, I'm sure there is at least one person out there who could be the ideal fit for me." She'd already met him, but she couldn't say that. "But I'm not naive enough to believe that everything works out how you want it to. I'm not trying to make it sound like you don't have a chance, I'm just... I'm just trying to be honest about what I want. Believe it or not this is my way of trying." She tried to smile, although deep down she was worried she'd ruined any chance of this working out. She reached out and touched his hand. "I really do like you, John." She wasn't sure she could love him, but she had to settle for like for now. It could be a lot worse.

Peter felt suddenly sort of guilty for putting her into this situation. He hadn't realized she'd be so uncomfortable with this. He saw the ocean and the water, and he got so lost in his own euphoria, that he forgot that to some people the ocean was a dangerous place. He held onto her tightly, eyebrows furrowed with concern. He wasn't convinced that they'd even see a shark out here, but he could feel and see how much she was afraid to be out here, and starting to pull her a little closer to the shore.

"Ella," he said. "Ella, it's okay. I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." He didn't want to swim if she wasn't going to be with him, and he didn't want to leave her abandoned on the shore by herself either. He also didn't want her to be afraid. He stopped when he knew the sea floor was close enough to touch. "Shh, just... just calm down. You can touch the bottom now. There's nothing to be afraid of." He loosened his hold on her just ever so much. "I'll go back to the shore with you if you want me to, or you can trust me and we can stay out here. There's no sharks, I promise. Just me."

 

[AvianJen]

If he was honest with himself, John was starting to become a bit concerned. Not enough to fully write Josephine off of his list, but he was afraid that he could never live up to her standards. John wasn't sure he could give her that perfect, picturesque life she was imagining, and he wasn't sure that he wanted that sort of pressure. He raised an eyebrow when she said that he probably should be concerned, not sure that he liked the sound of that. John was doing his best to give Josephine the benefit of the doubt, but she was starting to make it a little more difficult than what he had bargained for. She said that he had a chance, but did he really want a chance? He didn't want the pressure of having to be that one person she spoke of, or else feeling like he was going to make her unhappy for the rest of her life.

John was feeling conflicted at best, and confused. Maybe it was best they stopped talking about it now, and just went back to enjoying the races. He offered her a smile when she insisted that she did like him, not sure if that was encouraging or not. "Okay," he said. She'd just given him a lot to think about. "Well, I'm glad. Let's get back to our seats, I think the next race is starting soon." He let her link her arm in his and escorted her back to where their seats were, sitting down. The horses were starting to line up as people filed back to their seats, and John took out his program to refresh his memory on the details of the race.

Peter tried to calm her down, but it didn't help much until Ella could feel the sand against her feet again. She kept going closer to the shore until the water was at her waist, at which point she finally started to relax. Her breathing returned to normal and she stopped clinging to Peter with a death grip. "I'm sorry," she said, feeling bad. He was so excited to go to the beach and see the ocean and now she had ruined it. She was scared of the sharks, and she was scared of drowning even though he insisted that neither of those things were a possibility. Ella believed him, and she knew she was probably being silly, but she wasn't as strong of a swimmer as Peter was. If a wave swept her away, she wouldn't be able to fight it. "It's not that I don't trust you, I just...I don't trust the water. If we go back out there then I'll have to hold onto you and then you can't really swim like you want to." And Ella would probably have a panic attack.

"I can swim here," she said finally, detaching herself from him now that she could stand. "I'm okay here. Just not out there." He probably thought she was being unbelievably lame, but this was one of those instances where their differences really stood out. He was a pirate, accustomed to braving the high seas. He'd spent most of his life on the water. Ella, on the other hand, only ever came swimming with her family on the hot summer days, and they stayed in the shallows. If they wanted to swim in deeper water, they went to the little lake on the other side of town, with no sharks and calmer waters. "You can go out there if you want," she assured him. She wanted him to be able to do what he wanted to do, even if she didn't want to do it with him. "It's really fine, I don't mind. I know how much you miss the ocean. I don't want to hold you back." She smiled at him and tried in vain to fix her wet hair. Her dress was clinging to her body and Ella was almost convinced that the water had made the light material almost transparent, but she wasn't worried about that now.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine silently cursed herself. John was too polite to say anything, but she could see in his face she had made a bigger mess of things. She had been as honest as she could be, but not exactly encouraging. This relationship had probably just ended before it had the chance to begin. Normally that would be a good thing, but right now... She felt defeated. She had failed Alec. Father would be upset with her, and it would all be over. He would arrange something for her and that would be that. Or maybe she was overthinking it, but it was hard to look at this positively.

She did link her arm in his when he offered, but she didn't say anything else. She was trying to keep her worry on the inside instead of letting it show too much on the outside. When they got to their seats, she sat and stared out at the field, too afraid to try and talk to him. Apparently when she opened her mouth all the wrong words came pouring out. She just wanted to go home now and put it all behind her. It was probably time she just accepted her fate and let it be, she thought, nervously fidgeting with the handle on her bag.

Peter looked to her, concerned. He could see her start to relax now that she felt the sand, but he still felt awful. He shouldn't have done that to her. What if she hadn't known how to swim at all? "Don't be sorry," he said, following her out even further into the shallow end. He missed the feeling of the water hugging his shoulders, but he would put her comfort first. "Why are you so afraid?" he asked. Maybe it was lack of experience, a bad encounter. He wasn't sure, but he was curious. He wanted to understand.

He pulled her close, with his arms wrapped around her waist. She was sweet to suggest he could still venture out further, but he didn't want to leave her here. Especially now that he knew how much it frightened her. He smoothed back the hair from her forehead and gave her a kiss. "Don't be silly," he said. "I want to stay where you are. Wherever you're comfortable is fine. Maybe one day you'll venture out further with me?" He asked tentatively. To get over her fear, she would have to brave it. He wanted to share his passion with her.

 

[AvianJen]

There were a few more races that day, and John and Josephine kept on going through their established routine. Watch the races, return to the betting office to collect their winnings (or not) and place new bets, and then head back to their seats to see what they won. It was fun, but the mood was slightly different now. Before Josephine had been guarded, but now John was as well. He was afraid of liking her too much, and worried that maybe she wasn't really interested in him. He had a nice time still, but he was a little bit more cautious than he was before, and careful of deciding that he liked her too much.

Finally, the last race of the day had run and they journeyed to the betting office one last time to collect their winnings. Overall, John didn't think he had done too bad. He'd made about fifty dollars when all was said and done, which wasn't exceptional by any means; there were a couple races that he'd lost quite a bit of money, but others where he'd won a lot. It all evened out in the end. He didn't think Josephine had done too bad, either. They walked out of the stadium arm in arm towards John's carriage, following the flow of the crowd. "How did you do?" he asked her curiously. "All together?"

Ella looked down at her hands, frowning slightly. "I don't know," she said. "It's just...the water moves so much I feel like I can't stay up. And Mother and Father always used to warn Josephine and I not to go too far out, or we'd get pulled away by the current and we might not be able to swim back. I guess I'm scared of that happening." She was a little bit scared of the sharks, too, but he clearly thought that was ridiculous so she didn't bring it up again. She hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his chest. Ella felt better now, with his arms around her and her feet on the solid ground. "But I want you to get to do what you want," Ella murmured. "It's okay."

She lifted her head up to look at him when he asked if she would consider venturing out with him some other time. Ella wasn't so sure. She didn't think she wanted to. "I don't know," she replied noncommittally. Ella wished that she shared his love of the open ocean, but she didn't. At least not while she wasn't on a boat. "I'm sorry, I wish I liked it. Maybe if I could swim better, or if I was stronger. I'm not very strong." That wasn't really Ella's fault, but she had never done a hard day's work in her life, or any activities that would result in strong muscles. She hugged him tighter and closed her eyes, feeling the water lapping around them. It was nice, and his body was warm in comparison to the cold water. "Well...what do you want to do?" she asked finally. "Would you rather swim here or go back to the beach?" They probably didn't have too much longer before they needed to be heading back home. They both would need to take a bath and change before dinner.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine did her best not to dwell on anything too much. If she worked herself up in front of John and got upset, then she really would ruin what was supposed to be a good time. Instead, she remained focused on the races, trying to make her bets carefully, and looked forward to dinner tonight. In the end, she won, and she lost, but she hadn't done terribly. Alec would probably be proud of the small sum of money she managed to walk away with. Pretty good for an amateur, she thought.

She took his arm when they were over, relieved things were finally coming to a close. She was hoping that he might still ask her out again, that she hadn't made too much of a mess out of this, but she wasn't too sure it would happen. Despite her worries, most of the date had been pleasant. If anything, she would love it if John at least agreed to be friends. He was a gentle and kind hearted man from what she could tell. "I think I did alright," she said. "I made a little bit of money. How about you? Would your father be proud?" John had made a few comments about him, and she got the impression his father was rather tough on him sometimes.

Peter rubbed her back soothingly, listening as she explained. He couldn't blame her parents for wanting to caution their children. The ocean, as much as he loved it, could be a dangerous place. Peter had lived through enough bad storms on the ship to know that, and it was so vast, that it was easy to find yourself further from the shore than you realized if you didn't pay attention. "That was probably smart of them," he said, although he was surprised Ella, his little adventurer, took it to heart so much she always headed that warning. "And I did get what I want," he said, tipping her head up by her chin and placing a kiss on her lips. "I got to see the ocean and I have you."

He returned his hand to the small of her back. Her answer wasn't much of an agreement, but he hoped one day she would join him out there. "We can work on that, you know," he said. "Not only am I incredibly handsome," he teased, "But I'm also a good teacher." He wouldn't want to push her to do something she didn't want to do, but this bring one of his biggest passions, it seemed wrong not to try and share it with her. For now, however, they could call it quits. He'd gotten to feel the waves wash over him for a little bit, and now she was probably more comfortable back on the shore. Besides, they didn't have much time anyway before they were expected back. "Let's go dry off, hmm?" he suggested. "We should probably start heading back soon."

 

[AvianJen]

John wasn't sure if he should ask her out again. Would she even say yes? She said that she liked him, but John wasn't entirely sure he believed her. Still, she had suggested a double date with her sister and Peter at the theater, and that sounded like fun. Maybe he would give it one more shot- despite all the concerning things that she'd just said, she was a nice girl and she meant well. And who knew, maybe he was that one person she was hoping to find. He had no way of knowing.

He nodded, happy that she'd managed to come out with a little more than she'd gone in with. It seemed like they'd both done pretty well. He chuckled at her question and shrugged. "You know what, I think he would," he said with a smile. "I think he'd be rather surprised that I was even marginally successful, considering my limited knowledge on horses." And really, it was probably all just beginner's luck. John didn't think he understood the gambling any better now than he had when he went in this morning, but it was alright. Even for the most experienced and knowledgeable betters, there was always guessing and a degree of chance involved. "What about yours, and Ella? I bet she'll be impressed," he smiled, helping her into the carriage.

Ella didn't know why she had chosen to heed her parents' warnings about the ocean, but she just had a fear of drowning. That was a perfectly legitimate fear, she thought. Peter was good at calming her down, and she appreciated his comforting gestures. Even though she had been terrified so far away from the shore, he made her feel safe, and protected, and loved. Her heart fluttered at his words, and Ella kissed him back adoringly. "You do have me," she confirmed with a smile. "And I love you." Ella still wasn't over saying and hearing that phrase. Three little words had changed her life completely, more than she'd thought was ever possible.

She laughed when he referred to himself as handsome, giving him another hug. "I'm sure you are a good teacher," she agreed. "I promise to try. But can we start in the lake?" The waters were calmer, and that would allow her to improve her swimming and get stronger without the fear of being knocked under. She nodded when he suggested that they go dry off- they would be expected back home for dinner soon. It was sure to be an awkward evening and Ella would much rather stay out with Peter, but he probably needed to rest as well. After dinner, if Josephine didn't want to talk then they could always hide away in Ella's room and read their new books.

"Okay," she sighed, pressing another kiss to his lips. "Let's dry off." They returned to the beach and dried off as best as they could with their single towel before Ella started putting her clothes back on. "I wonder if Josie had a good day," she mused. "I don't know that I'm looking forward to dinner very much." Ella was a little hungry again, but she would rather not have to sit at the same table with Peter, Alec, Josephine, and her father all together at the same time.

 

[SheLuvsMusic]

Josephine hopped up into the carriage and into her seat. She reached up and took her hat off, glad to finally be in the shade where it was cool. She wondered how red her face looked, because, despite her hat, she always managed to get burned when she was out in the sun too long. Most importantly though, as tired as she was, she couldn't wait to get home for dinner. That was the real date she was excited for today, even though technically, it wasn't a date. After having gone so many days without much interaction, she was just anticipating spending some time with Alec, even if her father would be in the room.

Hearing that John thought his father might actually be proud of him this time brought a small smile to her face. "Well, he should be. You did well," she complimented. As for her own family, she was sure that Ella and her father wouldn't have cared if she lost out. It was supposed to be fun. "I think they'll be happy for me," she said. She was sure Alec would, and she couldn't wait to see his face when she gave him the money. She giggled at the picture of it in her mind.

"I love you, too," Peter smiled. Just like Ella, he hadn't gotten over that phrase either. He'd never told a girl he loved her before, at least, not in a serious way where he meant it. Their relationship felt like it had all happened so quickly, but he honestly couldn't remember feeling the way he felt about her with anybody else. She was happiness, family, and home, more so than anyone who came into his life after his family died.

He was glad to hear her say she would try, and the words of her saying so brightened his face. They could start in a pond, for all he cared. A puddle, even, if that was what it took. He was just excited to share this part of himself with her in the hopes that maybe one day she'd overcome her fear. "Of course," he said. "Whatever you need." Following her back to the beach, he stole the towel when she was done with it and dried off while he watched her start to get dressed.

"I don't know," he said. Did Josephine ever have a good day, he thought, but kept it quietly to himself. It was probably unfair of him, considering that as difficult as she was to get along with, Ella's sister was going through a lot. "I hope so. Still, I wouldn't worry too much about dinner. With Alec there, I'm sure she'll be in a good mood, no matter how her date turned out." Grabbing his pants, he buttoned himself into them, frowning at how uncomfortable it was to have his still wet underwear soaking through. "I wonder if Alec bought a suit?" he asked out loud, remembering how he had shown up at his door this morning.