Dishonoring Jack

Chapter Forty Three

"What now?" she repeated, tilting her head to study Donovan's face as he gazed at her, enclosing her hands in his. "What are you talking about?"

"It's all over, Jack. All of this," he said, gesturing to the now emptied town square where his execution had almost occurred. "I know I've been hesitant and reserved with you, Jack. It wasn't because--you know how much I care about you, and now that I'm not imperiling you because of the Slates any longer...well, I'm sorry, I suppose. Since I've met you, you've been so focused on me and the Slates and everything that I'm afraid that I've disregarded what you want." He stepped closer to her, his hands rising up her arms to her shoulders. "So what is it you want, Jack? I swear to you, anything in the world, and I'll give it to you."

Jack closed her eyes for a long moment, clearing her head of all the distractions of the past few months. She returned to who she was when she and Donovan met, the woman who felt like a girl when he smiled at her. What did she want? She wanted to be with Donovan--that she knew above else. But was there more, could there be more now that the shadow of the Slates had evaporated once and for all?

"I want to travel," she said, her eyes popping open. "I think my job at the munitions factory is nearly over, and I want to go and see everything--I want to see where you lived in Boston. I want to go out west and see everything they show in the newspapers."

"Then we'll go," Donovan said with a nod. "Tomorrow?"

Jack laughed at his words, but his eyes remained sincere. "You're serious?" she asked.

"Entirely."

Jack released a wistful sigh. "Well, as tempting as that is, I'm afraid I can't."

Donovan's eyebrows drew together and he released her arms. "Why not? What's stopping us?"

Jack's eyes skirted the town square and came to rest on the pale girl with dark hair and green eyes. "The war," Jack said. Though it had barely touched her thoughts in the past few weeks, Jack didn't feel right abandoning her town, especially her niece Christina, while the war waged on.

Donovan's eyes clouded, and he looked down. "Yes, I suppose that's a problem."
As much as Jack might have wanted to leave Irvington behind and run off with Donovan, what right did they have to be happy when there was so much suffering? Hannah had lost the man she loved and Christina anxiously awaited her beau who fought overseas. Soka lived alone and waited for her son. As much as Jack might want to revel in their newfound freedom, this was not the time for such gaiety.

"After the war, then?"

"After the war," Donovan said with a smile. "I'll take you anywhere--everywhere--you want to go."

"Well, good. After I pushed you out of a burning building, I rather think you owe me," Jack said with a grin.

"I owe you more than I could repay in a thousand lifetimes," Donovan answered. "Come on, Jack." He took her hand in his arm as if she were some fine lady and smiled down at her. "Let me walk you home."

Julius Booker didn't reappear until late Sunday night, and Jack still hadn't told Donovan what their friend had done for them. Even Minnie, if she suspected, said little about her husband even though Jack and Donovan saw her often since they were all sharing Jack's very small house. Minnie told them Julius was simply gathering supplies so they could rebuild their house as soon as possible, but even Donovan was suspicious as to why Julius hadn't been present for his near execution. Jack wanted to talk to Julius about everything that had happened and her suspicions about his involvement.

Monday morning came and Jack rose from the pallet she slept on in the kitchen near the fire in her house; she had given Minnie and Julius her bedroom, and Donovan slept on the porch despite the weather. Jack cared little what people thought but with everyone watching their every move, she would rather just avoid the gossip for at least a few weeks. She was certain that if Julius permitted a society column as some newspapers did, she and Donovan would have graced the headlines for the past few weeks.