Taming Jane

Chapter 1 - Photo of Jane

I got it up pretty quickly :)

This is the first chapter of the sequel to 'Rescuing Emilia'. You don't have to read the first book to understand this one but it helps :)

I hope you enjoy this story! Vote and comment to let me know what you think :)

Picture on the side is Jane :)

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Chapter One

“I cannot believe mama talked me into this,” Jane hissed under her breath as the carriage pulled up outside her brother’s grand estate.

One season had definitely been enough for Jane. She’d loved the dancing and the attention at first, what young nineteen year old wouldn’t? But it was through her lack of grace that she’d trodden on the hem of her ball gown and shown off her underclothes to the world in one quick tear. She was humiliated and almost immediately retreated back to her family’s farm and kept her head down for four long years. She only ever visited London when she was sure that there were no grand parties going on, other than that Sebastian, Emilia and their children travelled to York.

But she was now three and twenty and Catherine thought her hiding out in the stables was ridiculous. Her mother wanted a son – in – law before Jane was considered too old to marry. Her mother had even attached the two thousand pounds that she’d saved during her marriage to Jane’s father as a dowry to entice men in, as if that wasn’t humiliating enough. Jane had agreed to one last season in London to get her mother off her back. Once she’d rejected any advances, not that she was going to get any, Jane would return to the farm and be a spinster in peace.

The carriage door opened for her and the footman helped her down from the carriage. She was wearing her finest blue gown and matching travelling coat that her mother had insisted upon her wearing. Her hair was in a neat bun underneath her blue bonnet which was irritating Jane as it itched.

The footmen began unloading her trunks before she could even start doing it herself. It was still awfully strange having someone wait on her.

“Aunt Jane!” A loud scream came from the door. Her little nieces and nephews were not proper when it came to their favourite aunt ... or their only aunt. Jane brought out a wild side in them; she liked to have fun as much as they did.

She looked up to see little Kitty bounding toward her, her brown braids flailing about. It was scary how much she looked like Sebastian. Jane was astonished at how big she’d gotten! She hadn’t seen them since Christmas; she hadn’t even met their new arrival, Henry yet. Jane beamed and scooped Kitty up into her arms. She kissed her repeatedly on the forehead and hugged her tight. “How is my little Kitty Cat?”

“Meow,” Kitty played along and giggled.

“You’re so big, Kitty, I almost can’t lift you!” Jane exclaimed and put Kitty down on the ground and took her hand. The footmen followed them into the house carrying her trunks.

“I’m bigger than Little J and Annie but mama says that James is still a quarter of an inch taller than me – not for long. Mama says if I eat my green vegetables I’ll be taller than James, I can’t wait!” Kitty said giddily and dragged Jane into the house.

Jane smirked at her niece’s gullibility. It was clever on Emilia’s part though, it got her children eating their green vegetables.

“Mama! Papa!” Kitty shouted into the house. “Aunt Jane is here!”