Misconception

Chapter 33

Bella pushed Jack away from her and sat up. She looked at him with wide eyes and he grimaced in irritation.
“What was that?” she whispered as she quickly reached for her shift. She pulled it hastily over her head while he started looking for his breeches.
“Wait here. I’ll go-…” Jack said as he pulled his legs through his breeches.
“No! You can’t! What if someone from the Stevensons is back? I’ll go and you stay here.” She said as she unlocked the door and bolted out of the room without waiting for him to reply.
She walked down the hall and paused at James’ door. It was open and when she looked no one was in the room. She swallowed hard and headed towards the staircase. Voices were coming from upstairs and she suddenly started panicking. What if someone was hurt? What if there were thieves in the house. At that thought she almost snorted. One particular outlaw was already in her room anyway.
As she reached the top of the stairs, she realized that she was defenseless to anyone with a weapon. A familiar feminine voice from the down the hall stopped her train of thought though. She frowned and resumed walking until she was standing in front of the open study door. She took a step forward before the image of a gun appeared in front of her face. Her eyes widened and she let out a startled yelp. Her frantic eyes went to the person standing in front of her and then she gasped.
“My God!” she exclaimed as her hand flew to her mouth.
“Oh, it’s only you.” Joan rolled her eyes before she slowly lowered the gun, “Does no one in this house ever sleep?” she asked and Bella’s eyes went to her right.
“Good Christ!” she exclaimed when she saw James lying on the ground in a pool of blood, “What did you do?” she cried and Joan groaned.
“It’s just a scratch. He simply fainted.” She replied as Bella kneeled next to James and took his hand.
“Oh, God.” She whispered before she turned her furious gaze to Joan, “What are you doing in here? How did you get in? Are you alone or there are others?”
“Oi, so many questions. Slow down, Isabella.” Joan said as she calmly walked over to the mahogany desk and picked up a roll of paper.
“What are you doing? Where did you get that?” Bella’s eyes were wide as she pressed her hand over James’ wound to stop the blood.
“Why don’t you ask Jack?” Joan said as she pocketed the old looking paper and smirked.
“What?” Bella asked as she blinked.
“What the hell?” Jack’s voice booming voice made Bella jump as he appeared in the doorway.
“Joan?” he frowned and then his eyes went to Bella and James, “Tell me you did nothing stupid.” He closed his eyes in irritation.
“What? You knew about this?” Bella asked and his eyes snapped open.
“No-…”
“He told me that the house would be empty.” Joan interrupted and Bella tensed.
“What? You told her? What for?” Bella’s wounded gaze fell upon him and his eyes widened.
“It slipped.”
“So what? You came up to my room to keep me busy while she was up here stealing?” Bella asked as her cheeks flushed in anger but she couldn’t move because of James’ bleeding arm. Anger and humiliation twisted her stomach into a thousand knots as she gazed up at him.
“No!” Jack exclaimed and Joan rolled her eyes.
“Of course he did.”
“No, I did not! And you!” he pointed at Joan, “I told you not to do anything stupid. I told you not to come here.” He snarled and Joan chuckled.
“Are you serious? I think your being around… certain people has softened you too much. The Jack I knew wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to find one of the most infamous treasures of all time.”
“Treasure?” Bella asked with confusion before realization settled onto her face, “The map.” She whispered.
“That’s right.” Joan confirmed.
“Shut up, Joan.” Jack hissed as he stepped by Joan to get to Bella. He placed a hand on her back as he leaned down next to her but she shrugged out of his hold.
“Don’t touch me.” She hissed as she touched James’ forehead.
“Love, let me see his arm.” Jack said as he pressed his lips into a thin line and pulled her hand away from the other man’s arm.
“So what? You just shot him because he heard you? He was unarmed!” Bella cried at Joan who simply sighed.
“No. He almost slapped me.”
“And that’s why you shot him? Jesus Christ! What am I going to say to him?” Bella stood up and brought her bloodied hand to her face.
“Nothing.” Joan shrugged, “Just that you found him like this.”
“Are you serious?” Bella gaped at her.
“Its really just a scratch.” Jack spoke up from his kneeling position next to James.
“Really? You have no right to speak!” Bella almost screeched and his eyes widened at the tone in her voice.
“Bella-…”
“I got to go!” Joan chirped in as she patted her coat and walked out of the study.
“It just needs some cleaning and then a bandage. He’ll be fine-…”
“You have no right to do this to me.” Bella cut him off.
“What? What did I do?” he asked her with an incredulous expression.
“What did you do? You really have some nerve, Jack. You told her that the house would be empty? To Joan? When you knew that she wanted something that was in this house?”
“She heard me talking to Gibbs.” Jack said as he stood up as well.
“Really? What right did you have to talk about it?” she demanded and he raised his hands up in surrender.
“I told her not to do anything stupid. I didn’t know she’d come here.”
“Do you really think I will believe you? Is that why you came to my room tonight? Is that why you slept with me? To keep me busy while your friend broke into the house I work?”
“No! And she is not my friend.” Jack almost growled as he clenched his hands into tight fists.
“Alright, your lover then.” Bella threw her arms up in the air.
“You’re my lover, Bella.” He told her behind clenched teeth.
“Oh really? Poor, inexperienced me? Are you certain? Do you really think I’m that stupid?” Bella’s voice was shaking by then and she tried hard to keep her eyes dry.
“Bella, don’t do this. We were fine just a few minutes ago.” He pleaded as he took a step closer to her.
“That was before I realized that you were just lying. Is that why you didn’t cause a scene in the tavern. So that you could come here sooner and prepare the whole thing?”
“What? You, lass, are delusional. I didn’t approach you at the tavern because you looked happy to be there with that mutt-…”
“Don’t call him that! You have no right after what happened!”
“It didn’t happen because of me! And what would you say to him if I had approached you at the tavern? Hmm? You wouldn’t even look at me because he knows who I am and he wouldn’t approve.” He snapped and she shook her head.
“And he would be right.”
Jack visibly flinched at her words, “Is that right? Is that what you think?” he asked her hoarsely and she covered her face with her hands.
“Are you telling me that you believe Joan’s words over mine? Really, love? That’s great.” He spat as she pulled her hands away and looked at him.
“I don’t know who to believe.” She whispered and his face softened minutely.
“Love, you got to believe me. I didn’t-…” he started, but she spoke up before he could continue.
“I think you should go now.” She murmured as she leaned down to James.
“What?” Jack asked hollowly.
“He could wake up any minute. It’s better for you to go.” Bella repeated and Jack’s fists flexed.
“Bella, I won’t leave like this. Leaving you to believe-…”
“It’s what you do best. Escape.” She cut him off again bitterly and his facial expression showed his immense shock at her words.
“Really? And you know what you do best?” he asked her and she looked up at him, “Stand back and judge me. You’re prejudiced, that’s what you are, lass. And I feel sorry for you.” He spoke calmly, but his words were laced with such bitterness that it brought tears to Bella’s eyes.
“I am prejudiced? If I were, I wouldn't even be talking to you!” she cried as she locked eyes with him, “Just get out. I have to clean the mess the lot of you created.” She mumbled angrily as she reached for the small settee that was next to her and grabbed a pillow. She raised James’ head and placed it upon the pillow without looking at Jack.
When she finally raised her eyes to the place Jack stood she found it empty. He was gone.

*********************************
“Bella? What the hell happened?” James asked and Bella looked up from his arm.
“Oh, you’re awake. How are you feeling?” she asked and he blinked.
“Like someone hit me over the head.” He answered in all honesty and she cracked a small smile at his words.
“That’s because you fell. Your arm’s hurt. Do you remember what happened?” she asked him and he looked around.
“Oh, fuck!” he exclaimed and she jumped a bit, “Someone bloody shot me! That woman!”
“What woman?” Bella swallowed hard.
“A woman. I found her rummaging through the study. I heard a noise and that’s why I came up here to check. Didn’t you hear anything?” he asked and her cheeks flushed.
“Um, no. I was…sleeping.” She lied, “Anyway, I heard the shot and I came here. I found you on the ground.”
“Oh. You didn’t see anyone?” James asked her as he winced in pain and looked at his bandaged arm.
“No. I don’t think they took anything though.” She shrugged and she prayed that no one would search for the map because they would find it missing.
“That’s strange, isn’t it? Why in hell did she come in here then?” he frowned.
“I don’t know.” Bella said as she looked away.
“Thank you for my arm.”
“You’re welcome. It was only superficial.” She smiled, “Can you stand up? It’d be better if you lied down.”
He nodded and with her help she put him in his bed.
“Hey, Bella? Please check all the doors and make sure they’re locked.” he croaked just before she walked out of his room.
“Sure.” She smiled before she walked away.
She paused in the hallway for a few moments before she proceeded to lock all the doors and windows of the large house with a solemn expression on her already tear stained face.
When she was done, she returned to the study and tidied the room with shaky hands. She cleaned James’ blood from the ground before she walked out and closed the door. She took a few minutes to check the other rooms for any signs of disorder and when she was satisfied she walked downstairs again.
When she returned to her room it was already dawn.

End of chapter 33