An Earnest Favour

V

"Until you realize how easy it is for your mind to be manipulated, you remain the puppet of someone else's game." Evita Ochel

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V.

Jack surprised himself with how easily, and how quickly, he formed a plan to make such a union believable. With every word he spoke, he felt himself reaching toward something, a future unknown, but one that had to be better than the endless abyss he was currently living in.

But he only needed to look down at Claire to convince himself that this was the right decision. She was so hurt, so vulnerable, and she needed him. Jack could not recall ever being needed, and after years of walking in circles, this could well be his first honourable decision.

"Wait!" cried Claire, her voice barely above a whisper as they approached the dining room together. She seized Jack's forearm to stop him mid-stride. "No, this is madness."

She was trembling. Jack wondered if she was going to go into shock. "Claire," he said softly. "Everything will be alright," he promised.

"But what if they hate me?" Claire worried, and Jack could see in her eyes that she genuinely thought her family would hate her. Hate her for getting married? Or hate her for marrying him? Jack didn't know.

Either, or, Jack knew that Claire would never be hated by her family. They were loving, decent people. He had always envied Adam's friendship with Grace as a boy. Not because he wanted to be her friend, but because Adam had an open invitation into the Denhams' house. Theirs was a true family home, and it was no wonder Adam spent so much time there.

"Your family could never hate you, Claire."

His family, on the other hand ...

Jack knew his brother would never give up on him. Adam was terribly persistent. Susanna saw the best in him, though she was innocent enough that she did not know half of what he had been up to in London. Their mother, however, knew all. Jack knew that he had not done much to endear himself to Cecily Beresford, but ... once in a while ... being given the benefit of the doubt by that woman ... well, it would mean something.

Claire nervously nodded her head.

"For God's sake, smile," he urged, his voice soft. "You're engaged. We're happy."

Claire exhaled shakily as she forced herself to smile, though it looked more like a grimace. Jack reached up tentatively to brush the tears from underneath her eyes away with his thumbs. He didn't react when Claire flinched at his touch, though he couldn't deny that it was a little disheartening.

But he knew this wouldn't be simple. He didn't know if it would ever be simple. Would they one day have the sort of bond that Adam shared with Grace? Jack didn't know. Perhaps that was a once in a lifetime miracle.

"Alright." Claire nodded, exhaling, her voice decidedly less shaky. She curled her arm around Jack's, trying to make the movement as natural as possible.

Jack pushed open the door to the dining room, and he heard the sounds of silverware hitting plates as the diners viewed the sudden intruders.

Jack's eyes met with Adam's immediately, as he was sitting directly opposite him at the head of the table. He was slumped in his chair was a foul expression on his face, though the moment he saw Jack, he straightened his posture. His expression grew cautious when he saw that Jack was leading Claire into dinner.

And he was not the only one.

"Claire!" cried Grace. "We had wondered where you'd got to." She rose to her feet, and Adam did as well. Jack could see the look of concern on his sister-in-law's face.