A taste of 'Jude Book One'

Flora Devitt
VICTORIAN LONDON - 1862



"Flora Devitt, what are you wearing?" my mothers voice called from the hall. I saw no issue in walking around my room in my corset and a petticoat, but my mother was a reserved women. I sometimes wondered if I truly scared her.  "Anne should have you dressed already," she sighed before raising her voice much to loudly. "Anne, bring in Flora's dress."
My nanny, Anne came rushing in, the dress my mother had had made for me especially for tonight in hand. It was beautiful, that I could not deny. But I wasn't a lover of lavish dresses, like my mother.
"I'm sorry, ma'am," Anne said frantically and started pulling my corset too tight.
"As you should be, Anne. You're off doing god knows what and Flora is parading around in her undergarments. And her hair, is it done? There seems to be a few pieces out of place…"
"Don't get your knickers in a twist, mother." I started and pushed a few stray hairs behind my ear. "There, it's fixed."
With a huff my mother left my doorway and disappeared down the hall. I loved my mother dearly but the way she spoke to Anne always upset me.
"I'm sorry I was late, Miss." Anne said to me, tying the last of the corset strings.
"Anne," I swung around to face her. "You owe me no apology. You know my mother, she is quite bossy but she cares for you very much."
"Thank you, Miss." Anne smiled. Anne wasn't much older than my mother and she had a pretty face, worn from years of work and stress. I had never seen her dark hair out of that ghastly bun. "Now let's get you ready, shall we?"
My gown was laid across my bed. This was the first time I had seen it in all it's glory and I had to admit it was quite breathtaking. Black lace had been laid over black satin which covered most of the gown. It was only interrupted at the front of the skirt and low bodice where it became red velvet.
I picked up a long, lace covered black sleeve only to find that it opened and flared out at the elbow, revealing that the inside was also red velvet.
"It is beautiful," I said, almost at a loss for words.
"A beautiful dress for a beautiful young women," Anne picked up the dress and began pulling it over my head.
My mother had impeccable taste, but we didn't often share that taste. Sometimes I adored the dresses she gave me, other times I cringed at my very reflect in them. But I didn't adore this dress, I was in love with it.
"There we are, Miss. How does that feel?" Anne asked as she stepped out of my reflection.
"I feel…" There didn't exist a word to describe how I felt in that dress. The bodice clung tight to my dainty waist and flowed from my hips like no other dress had. My porcelain skin stood in contrast to the black and red, as my did my blonde hair. What of it wasn't pulled back, fell in loose curls over my shoulders. Even my normally dull brown eyes looked bright tonight.
Anne knew I wouldn't be able to explain my excitement in words and left me to twist back and fourth in the mirror, checking myself at every angle.
"Well, that is how a fine young lady should look," my mother appeared beside in my reflection. I hadn't even realized she had returned. "Do you like it, darling?"
"Oh, mother." I exclaimed. "Do I like it? I am madly in love with it. I may never take it off."
"I'm pleased to hear that, Flora. Now put on your shoes, your father has been ready and waiting for quite a while," she said as she left the room again.
I stood in the mirror for another minute, then grabbed my shoes. Social events were rather boring, schmoozing the royals wasn't my idea of a good time. But I couldn't have been more excited to arrive, everyone was sure to compliment me and my dress.

When we arrived we were led into the ballroom and announced, then greeted by my fathers business partners and their families. I was pleased to hear they thought my dress was elegant but I had hoped for more compliments that matched my own reaction to the dress. But then again, these snooty people had little taste.
The last of my fathers partners to greet us was Perry Saunders, his wife Annett Saunders and their son, Henry Saunders. Everything about this family made me yawn, especially their very generic son. Whom my parents all but threw me at every time we met. This time was no exception.
"Henry, our Flora insisted on a new dress for tonight. Isn't it wonderful?" my mother announced with a nudge into my back, pushing my a step closer to Henry. Henry wasn't an ugly boy, but he wasn't my type at all. Not that I honestly knew what my type was, but I knew it wasn't Henry Saunders.
His eyes raked over my dress, lingering at my cleavage long enough to merit a good slap. But my parents would be horrified. "Why yes, Flora does look radiant tonight. I must insist on the first dance," he replied and before I could politely reject his dance he had hooked his arm in mine and was leading us to the dance floor.
Henry spun me around, bowed and we began to dance, blending into the crowd completely. I tried hard not to look at his face as we spun with music but I could feel his eyes boring into mine.
Finally, he spoke. "Flora, did you wear that dress just for me?" he joked.
"Why, Henry. Aren't we being presumptuous?" I teased back. Not really teasing at all.
"Maybe I am," he faltered. "Either way, that dress is very becoming of you. If I may ask, why those colors?"
I wasn't sure why mother had picked such strong colors but I would assume it had to do with my distaste with every pink or green dress she had ever given me. I wasn't too fond of blue either.
"Oh, it wasn't my choice. My mother picked it out, you see," I explained.
Henry looked down at my dress with a pleased expression. "My compliments to your mother."
"Yes, mine too."
The song ended and before it could fade into another, I let go and turned towards where my parents had been standing. They were no longer there but that wasn't what had me frozen where I stood.
A boy had taken their place near the front. He wasn't a part of any family I knew, I definitely would have noticed him at previous social events or church, even. His dark hair was tousled and his dark eyes looked black from where I stood. But it wasn't just his eyes that had my attention. It was everything about him. The way he looked, the way he stood, the way he seemed to have noticed me too…especially the way he had noticed me.
"Anything wrong, Flora?" Henry asked and brought my out of my daze.
"No, sorry. I thought I…never mind," I said and flustered, I turned away from the boy who was still staring in my direction. He couldn't possibly be staring at me.
"Aren't you going to keep walking? Or would you prefer another dance?" Henry took my head, ready to lead me into another boring round with him.
"No," I snapped, rudely. "I mean, I'm very thirsty. Perhaps we should get some wine."
"Of course," Henry said, without letting go of my arm he led me through the crowd to the refreshments. Which were, thankfully, in the opposite direction of him.
As I sipped on my wine, Henry went on and on about becoming apart of his fathers business on his eighteenth birthday, which he reminded me several times, was just weeks away. I knew he was just showing off the impress me but my mind was elsewhere.
"Henry, are there any newcomers to town?" I interrupted as he was about to tell me, yet again, how close his birthday was.
"I don't believe so," he said, bewildered. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason," I said with a smile and took another sip of my wine. Henry, of course, didn't pursue the conversation. He was perfectly happy returning to his dismal display and explanation which roughly translated into 'I am going to be very wealthy, so you should marry me'. Just as it was becoming agonizing, smiling and pretending to be interested, I saw him again.
"Excuse me for one moment," I said politely and handed Henry my glass. I had the strangest urge to follow this stranger and find out for myself where he had come from. If Henry didn't know him, with his social graces, then surely no body would.
I followed him across the dance floor and almost lost him twice, as eligible bachelors stopped me to request a dance. I politely refused, I had a much more important matter to attend to.
Finally I found him in a hallway just off of the dance floor. It was relatively quiet, aside from a few snogging couples.
He stopped very abruptly and turned towards me. "Are you following me?" he asked with a very attractive smirk. I had seen how handsome he was from across the ballroom, but up close it was much more effective.
I had to think quickly of something to say, because I had indeed been following him. But I couldn't tell him that.
"No, actually." I lied curtly. "I just needed to get away for a bit and this seemed like a good place to have a quiet moment."
He didn't seem convinced. "Then, my apologies. I'll leave you to your moment, Miss." With a polite nod of his head, he turned to walk away again.
"Wait," I shouted after him, shocked at hearing my own voice. I hadn't meant to say that, out loud.
When he turned back towards me I had to make something up quickly. "I haven't seen you around before."
"And?" he asked.
"Well, my family is quite prestigious. We know just about everybody in our community and I definitely haven't seen you before," I explained.
"I see," he chuckled. "I just moved here, about two days ago. I was told this would be the place to get acquainted with my neighbors."
"And have you?" I asked, finding myself flirting a bit. My mother would be appalled.
Another smirk spread across his face and I noticed his eyes again as he took a couple steps towards me. They were definitely black.
"Hello, I am Jude. It is a pleasure to meet such a breathtaking young women," Jude knelt down before me and kissed me hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you also, Jude. I'm Flora Devitt." Jude stood up before me, my hand still held by his. "So, am I to believe you have no last name?" I teased.
"Just Jude," he said with that never faltering smirk.
"Oh, Flora. I was wondering where you ran off to." Henry. Of course. He looked Jude up and down, much the same way he had me except with more much snide.
"I was just getting acquainted with Jude, he moved to our lovely community yesterday," I explained. I could feel the flush in my cheeks, I felt like I had been caught doing something wrong, though I hadn't done a thing.
"Well isn't that lovely," Henry said in a tone that made it clear he did not find that 'lovely' at all. "Shall we resume our dancing, Flora?"
"Sure," I said with a smile, and a slight sigh. I couldn't help but show my displeasure a bit, I really did not want to dance with Henry again. "It was nice meeting you, Jude."
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Flora." Jude said and began to turn away, but stopped. "Also, that dress is breathtaking. It's beauty is almost dangerous."
"Why is that?" I asked, stopping Henry from dragging us any further away.
"Such a dark beauty, you never know who you'll attract." And with a wink Jude continued down the hallway. When I realized he wasn't turning back, I let Henry drag me back out to the dance floor.
Henry spun me around with joy, smiling at the couples that danced passed us. I tried to look at least relatively pleased but it was painful. I saw my parents watching us with big smiles, at least someone was enjoying our dancing.
"May I cut in?" The voice came out of nowhere and I was shocked to see that it belonged to Jude. Henry looked at me, maybe hoping I would explain to Jude how I just couldn't bear to leave his side but he had no such luck.
I smiled at Henry, almost pleading him to let me go. "You do look tired, Henry. A break wouldn't hurt."
"Yes, perhaps you're right," Henry said then shot narrowed eyes at Jude. "Be gentle with her, I don't know you but I'm not afraid to hurt you if she leaves this floor unhappy."
"Of course," Jude said. I could hear the patronizing tone he laid thick across his words, but Henry did not.
Jude took Henrys' place and danced with me in silence until Henry was well off of the dance floor.
"Well, you're suitor got a pair on him, hasn't he?" Jude grinned.
"Suitor? I think not," I said with astonishment. I would never, in a million years, be 'Mrs. Saunders'. I would happily become a low life prostitute first, well maybe not happily. But it was that drastic.
"No? Why not? He seems so…debonair," he said sarcastically and couldn't help from laughing. I couldn't quite help joining in.
"He's alright really," I said, feeling a bit mean. "He just isn't my type."
Jude raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly is your type?"
I thought about it for a minute, I had no idea. But surely Jude wasn't far from it, it seemed he was becoming more attractive by the minute.
"Not Henry," I smiled.
"That was apparent in your expression while you two were dancing," he laughed. "If you were trying to cover up the utter boredom and pain you were feeling, you failed miserably."
"I don't know if I believe that, Henry looked quite pleased with himself," I said.
Jude looked me up and down, much the same way Henry had, also lingering on my cleavage. Except this time, I didn't have the urge to slap someone. Quite the contrary, I was flattered.
"I think any man in here would be pleased just to stand near you," Jude said.
I felt my cheeks warm. "But couldn't that be…dangerous?" I teased.
For the first time since I had met him, Jude wasn't smiling. I couldn't place the expression he wore, but it didn't look right on his normally glowing face. But he didn't look any less attractive.
"Something wrong?" I asked, then immediately wanted to take it back. It sounded so out of term. We were barely acquaintances and that was something I would ask a friend. Not a stranger.
Jude stared at me for a long moment before answering. "It's getting late, I should go."
"What? Why? It's barely midnight…" I started.
"Goodbye, Flora," he brought my hand up to his face, twisted it around and kissed my wrist. Before I could say another word he was making his way to through the crowd to the exit. No one stopped him to say good bye or even seemed to notice him. I watched until I couldn't see him anymore, then watched some more. I found myself hoping he would change his mind and come back, but he didn't.
I began to feel silly, standing in the middle of the ballroom all by myself, couples twirling around me. It only took a moment to find where my parents were sitting and chatting with friends.
"Ah. There she is," my father stood up to introduce me. "This is our lovely daughter, Flora. Flora, please meet Mr. Hancock and his wife, Lily."
"Pleasure," I smiled politely and took a seat beside my father at a small dinner table. I didn't intend to dance again that night, the ball was over for me.

As I had said, I didn't dance again that night. And I was up until ungodly hours thinking about Jude and what very little we had spoken. Barely a complete conversation and yet I managed to think about it until the sky began to brighten. Even when I was finally asleep, he didn't leave my mind.
I took several days for me to finally stop obsessing over him; wondering when I would run into him again, planning what I would say if I did and trying to think of the most likely places to run into him. Just when I thought I had obsessed all I could obsess, I realized I hadn't done one key thing.
"Father, are you busy?" I asked. The door to his study was cracked a few inches and he was reading at his desk.
He looked up from his book and smiled. "Not too busy for you, Flora. What is it?"
I pushed the door open and went to opposite him. "I was wondering, do you know of the newcomer. I believe his name is Jude."
My father took off his glasses and took a moment to think. "Yes, I believe so. Jude, fine young man. Why do you ask?"
The knot that formed in my stomach was quite frightening, but I couldn't help but smile. "
"I spoke to him briefly at the ball, he was a gentleman. I was always wondering if you knew his surname?"
"No idea. I've asked him myself, as have my colleagues. He's an interested one, that Jude." my father chucked then he cleared his throat and tried to look more serious. "Have you taken a fancy to him, Flora?"
"No, I don't believe so." I lied and he wasn't fooled one bit.
"Good. See that you don't, Henry would be heart broken," he said.
I had to refrain from out right laughing. I could care less about any damage done to Henrys heart on account of his delusions of grandeur.
"I don't think of Henry that way, I've told you and mum this before." I pleaded. Making my parents unhappy was never my intention but every time I denied feelings for Henry, they both seemed quite hurt.
"Henry would be good for you though, dear. Give him some consideration before you write him off like that," he said and put his reading glasses back on. This conversation was over.
I got up and took my jacket from the door. It was chilly out, but I needed some fresh air.
A stroll through the park was seeming like a terrible idea when all it did was leave me time to think. My father knew Jude, which I had hoped would lead me to him. But he would never do that know, knowing I had taken a liking to him. And I had, quite instantly.
I was thinking how not seeing Jude again was a positive, I could get him out of my mind, stop obsessing and my father would be happy when I realized how dark it was and turned to walk home. I was walking in such a hurry, I almost walked right into him.
"Flora?" Jude asked, stopped just a foot in front of me.
"Jude!" I exclaimed, startled. He had come out of nowhere.
"It's late, what are you doing wandering out in the dark?" he asked, looking very worried.
"I'm not wandering around," I said. "I was on my way home. What are you doing out so late?"
Jude relaxed and the smile I enjoyed most returned to his face. "The very same. But it doesn't seem safe for you to be walking home by yourself, would you like some company?"
My heart fluttered unexpected in my chest and I tried hard to suppress the overwhelming joy I felt just to see him again. "I would love that."  
"So why did you move?" I asked without thought. I hoped it hadn't sounded rude, but there was just so much I wanted to know.
Jude shrugged. "I just felt like a change was needed, that's all." I hated how thankful I felt for that change. I barely knew this man and already I was thinking too fondly of him. "How old are you, Flora?"
"Seventeen," I answered. "Why do you ask?"
"Curious," he smiled.
"And you?"
Jude laughed, apparently I had missed some joke. "I'm nineteen, Flora."
"You know, it isn't natural to use my name at the end of every sentence. I certainly won't be offended if you chose not to address me so formally." I said.
"But what if I enjoy the sound of your name, Flora?" he said, over pronouncing my name on purpose.
That wasn't my heart fluttering, it was an unwanted butterfly in my stomach. It was much too soon for my butterflies to be all a flutter.
"In that case, I supposed I wouldn't mind," I grinned, blushing a bit.
"Well then, you definitely shouldn't mind," Jude said stepping in front of me when we came to a stop outside my home. I wished the walk had been longer.
"So, Jude. Will I ever get to know your surname?" I asked, remember part of our conversation at the ball.
Jude shook his head, but kept his smirk in place. "No, but you could see me again. If you would like…"
He wasn't sure if I wanted to see him again, I could hear it in his voice and I was happy he hadn't seen through me as easily as I had thought. All the smiling and blushing I did around him was too much. But, whether he realized it or not, the opportunity to see him again was one I would quickly take.
"Where would you take me?" I asked.
"Take you? I have no idea what's in this town, I was thinking you would take me on a tour," he said. I felt the butterflies calm a bit. He was looking for a tour guide, not a date.
I laughed. "I don't think my father would be too happy with me escorting you around town. But I suppose that is up to you to ask him."
"Ask him?" Jude looked confused.
"Why yes, Jude. Have you never courted someone before?" I asked.
"Well yes, but it wasn't quite this formal. I was thinking we could just stroll around town and you could tell me all about yourself and your family," Jude went on, looking quite flustered.
"Jude, my father is very recognized man. If I'm walking around town with some boy, people will talk. They say he is much too soft with me as it is, I don't want to make things hard on him. But I understand if you aren't interested…"
"Flora," Jude interrupted me, abruptly. "Stop speaking."
"Excuse me?" I snapped. How dare he tell me to stop doing anything. I was starting to fume until he spoke again.
"How would you suggest I ask your father if I may court you?" Jude asked, smiling his handsome smile again.
"Really?" I asked, feeling like a silly child.
Jude nodded.
"Wait until I go inside and come back in an hour. When Anne answers, ask for my father and explain that you are interesting in courting me. Make it sound very professional," I explained.
"Make it sound professional?" he chuckled. "You make it sound like I don't come off as professional."
I hoped he was teasing. "You don't come off as the 'business' type, that's certain."
Jude stepped closer to me, almost closing the space between us completely. For him to kiss me before our courting would be very wrong of him, yet I couldn't help but hope.
"What type do I come off as, Flora?" he asked and the question seemed much more intense than it should be. I stuttered to find a word that would fit him.
"Mysterious," I finally said.
"Does that frighten you?" he whispered. I shook my head. I felt myself starting to lean in, something I wouldn't normally do. But before anything could come of it, Jude was a foot away from me.
"I'll be back in an hour then," he said and continued on down the street. Again, I watched him until he turned the corner and was out of sight. I sighed before going in, composing myself so that my father wouldn't assume anything inappropriate had happened.
Just as I expected, him and mother were waiting when I walked through the door.
"Where have you been?" mother questioned.
"You shouldn't be wandering around alone in the dark, Flora. What would we do if something  happened to you?" father exclaimed.
"My mind was wandering and I lost track of time, before I knew it the sun had set." I explained. " I was a bit worried about walking all the way back by myself, but I ran into Jude."
"Jude? Who is that?" mother asked.
"A new acquaintance I spoke with at the ball. It was just a chance passing, but he would hear nothing of me walking home by myself, in the dark." I went on. "He was quite the gentleman. I would have been fine walking by myself, mind you."
As I had hoped, my father shook his head. "Jude was quite right to walk you home, there are criminals out there, Flora."
"Yes, you shouldn't have been out there in the first place. You're lucky to know such a polite young man," my mother added.