'Jane!' Max exclaimed. 'You don't mean it!'
'I'm afraid I do,' Jane replied.
They were beside the window in the sitting room of Max's warehouse in London. Snow lay about the ground for as far as the eye could see. The city lay ensconced in white, a scene so lovely it could have been a painting. Although it was freezing outside, a small blaze crackled in the fireplace, filling the room with warmth.
Cassandra had already returned to Steventon. By now, she would be with their parents. Although Jane had been in London for a full day, she had avoided visiting Max. He had completely recovered from his injury; of that, she was delighted. But she had an unpleasant task to perform and couldn't delay it any longer.
Max's face was filled with despair. 'But we are to be married,' he said. 'I love you with all my heart. I would give up my life for you. You know I would.'
'As would I. And therein lies the problem.'
He fell to his knees and clasped her hands. 'Then tell me, my darling. Explain this to me so that I can understand. Let me make you see reason.'
Jane smiled unhappily. 'Reason is why we can't be together.'
She went on to explain what had transpired after defeating Dracula. On the long journey back to England, she had thought about how her life would change when she returned to Max. They would initially travel to Steventon to announce their love to her parents. After some resistance, Jane was sure they would eventually come around to understanding that Max was the man of her dreams.
It was this next step when Jane's thoughts began to cloud over. She would become the wife of Mister Maxwell Filador. The mother of his children. The keeper of his house. They would build a family together. He would work, continuing to invent, using his magic lantern show to finance their lives.
Certainly, there would still be time for her to write. All hours of her day wouldn't be taken up with domestic duties. There would still be time to weave her tales. A great career might still await her.
Yet every time she thought about their shared future, her stomach did a slow turn. On one hand, it was as if her dreams were coming true: she could be with Max. She could love him, and he could love her. But this was a double-edged sword. She would forever put her husband and children first. Putting herself first would never be a consideration.
She would no longer be living a whole life. She would be part of a whole. An extension of Max. Rather than forging her own path, she would forever be following a shared path.
Jane could not live like that.
She would not live like that.
After she finished speaking, she expected Max to become angry. Or impatient. Or upset. Instead, he gave a bitter laugh. 'I didn't expect together forever to be so short a time.'
'I'm sorry,' she said, and meant it. 'Truly sorry.'
'A marriage shouldn't be a burden. It should be a joyous union. A forming of two into one…' Tears sparkled in his eyes. 'And yet, I'm not completely surprised.'
'You're not?'
He shrugged. 'Jane Austen, you have an irrepressible spirit. You left your home to save your sister. You fought vampires. Travelled to a foreign land. Confronted the most powerful vampire of them all—and won.' His voice caught as he said, 'How can such a woman be handcuffed by the institution of marriage?'
They wept. The tears were for what they'd had and lost. After a long, tearful moment, they wiped their faces, and Jane gave him a grateful smile. 'Max,' she said. 'You're being far too kind.'
'I know.' He gave a rueful laugh. 'Oh, I'm in pain. And furious. Disappointed. Broken-hearted. But I've spent my life dealing in illusions. The last thing I would want is the illusion of a happy marriage.' He stood and crossed to the mantle before turning back to her. 'What will you do now?'
'Doctor Porter is taking me to Charing Cross. From there, I will take a coach back to Steventon.' She bit her lip. 'She is waiting outside.'
Pain flickered in his eyes. 'I see.'
'What will you do now?'
Max sighed. 'Go back to creating ghosts,' he said. 'Giving hope to the hopeless. Solace to those in despair.'
Nothing more needed to be said. They embraced tightly until Jane finally broke away and crossed to the door.
She did not look back.
Doctor Porter was sitting on the seat on the Fruitful Vine in the lane outside. Jane climbed up beside her.
'Should I ask how that went?' the doctor asked.
'Probably not.'
The doctor sped the horses on, and they crossed the city. Something tinkled in Jane's pocket after a while. She reached in and took out the small box that Max had given her. Jane peered inside at the Prussian tears. She remembered that they could be struck with a hammer without breaking.
Maybe Max and I will meet again, Jane thought. One day.
She stared at them for another moment before carefully putting them away.
Porter cleared her throat. 'You know, Jane,' she said, 'there's a cure for a recently broken heart?'
'Really? What is it?'
'I don't recommend it in all cases as it has been known to affect a woman's ability to walk.'
'Really?' Jane stared at her, mystified. 'What is it?'
'Bratwurst.' The doctor's eyes twinkled as her mouth creased into a cheeky grin. 'A thick, tasty bratwurst sausage. Applied at least twice a day for a week.'
Jane rolled her eyes. 'Dear God…'
'If you're interested, I know a young man in Slough—'
'Wilhelmina Porter! You are incorrigible!'
Still, Jane couldn't stop herself from smiling as they drove across London. It didn't take long for them to reach Charing Cross. The area was a hive of activity, and it only got busier as they neared a narrow lane where the Golden Cross Inn sat. The place was a hub for coaches travelling to all points of the compass. They climbed down, and Jane inquired about a coach leaving for Basingstoke. One would be leaving within the hour.
They stood together on the path outside the inn as the crowds shouldered by.
'What will you do now?' Jane asked.
'A good question,' Porter replied. 'I suspect I may take up pirating. There are far too few pirates.'
'Will Porter!'
'I jest,' she assured her friend. 'In truth, I've had a message from an old friend about a monster haunting the area of Clapham. Some kind of flame-spitting demon. I'm going to see if there's any truth in the tale.'
'My goodness,' Jane said. 'You do live an interesting life.'
'It has its moments,' Porter admitted. 'And you? You'll continue with your writing?'
Jane hesitated. 'I've tried to write. Travelling back to England, I sat down a hundred times and tried to put pen to paper. The words would not come.'
Porter stroked her chin. 'Here's a possible project: the world sorely needs a guide to dealing with the supernatural. A guide to vampire hunting and the like. You could write it.'
'That's a wonderful idea,' Jane said, thinking. 'Although I'm clearly not the expert.'
'I could send you some notes.'
'Yes. Please do.'
The doctor took out a pocket watch and glanced at it. 'I had best be off. My friend sounded quite concerned. No doubt I'll be spending half the night demon hunting.'
She climbed back aboard the Fruitful Vine. They bade their final goodbyes, and the doctor got the horses moving. Jane watched the woman's coach merge with the others on the narrow street.
My goodness, she thought. A flame-spitting demon.
She watched, motionless, for another moment as the busy city closed in around her. People hurried along the footpaths. Horses and coaches jostled in the street. Hawkers and pedlars yelled and sang to get people to buy their wares. A flock of bluish-grey pigeons took off from a nearby roof and swept into the sky.
Jane thought about the long journey ahead. Her home in Steventon. Returning to her life as a parson's daughter. Her heart picked up a beat. Grabbing her bag, she frantically waved an arm as she raced down the footpath.
'Will Porter!' she yelled. 'Wait for me!'
The End
A note from the Author: I hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. You can find out more about me by going to my website (www.darrellpitt.com) or buy my books from here:
https://books2read.com/ap/RaZdkr/Darrell-Pitt