Chapter 3 Meeting Him

CHAPTER 3

Meeting Him

Juliet's POV

"I got you there. You could have seen the look on your face."

"Huh? I am bewildered with confusion, Sire." I moved backwards still trying to understand his mood. He was certainly a joker and his sense of humor already intrigued me.

"This is not a familiar face, where did you come from?" He asked.

"I am Juliet. Aunt Elizabeth's niece."

"Oh, I see the facial resemblance now. You can call me Jackson. You seem not to know who I am, do you?" He narrowed his eyes.

"I know nothing of who you are, but I can take a guess." I loved the challenge to guess a man's age or title was a way I earned good fabrics in the market back home.

"Alright, alright, who would you want me to be?"

"First, you seem to know everyone that stays in the estate and you love flowers. So I would say you are the Chief Gardener and a noble one."

"Mm, lucky guess."

"It gives me great joy, Mr. Jackson. Your exquisite taste is clearly reflected in your gardens. It seems like entering a fantastic tale."

"I will take the compliment. What do you think about being a noble?"

"Being noble is a sign of dignity and aristocracy."

"Hmm, Juliet, come take a stroll with me."

We began the stroll through the grounds, our footsteps on the garden path formed a melody as our laughter blended with the soft rustling of leaves.

"Tell me, Juliet, what brings you to this quiet region of England," His voice whistled with the wind.

"I needed a change of scenery and Aunt Elizabeth has always been a family I loved to spend time with. She is also taking me in as an apprentice." I watch him smile, every smile loosened a tightening nut in me. He spoke more, sharing tales about a certain past and his affinity for literature and art. I love to hear him speak, his brilliant mind and the breath of his comprehension enthralled me.

"Mr. Jackson, you have a wealth of information and a passion that is genuinely alluring. Being involved in such engaging conversation is refreshing."

"And you, Juliet, have a mind as sharp as a diamond, your wisdom and wit are truly a rare treasure. I have to add that I am having a great time with you."

Elizabeth walked in from behind pulling my hands, "Oh! Lord Jackson, We didn't intend to bother you. This is my dear niece Juliet, She was compelled to visit your magnificent gardens."

Jackson turned to face me, meeting my gaze and flashing a genuine smile. I saw his eyes, they were as clear as the cyanic sky. Even as bright as it appeared, there was something not right with them. It was like he longed for something, maybe a path or a direction. It was hard to tell. My instincts were never wrong and the childlike novelty in me had sprung up. That instant, I wanted to know what gloomy cloud had taken a part of him, the desire to know was like a spark that caused my chest to flutter.

I could not help but wonder if this fortuitous encounter held the potential of something more as the sun started to set, sending warmth over the garden. I had no idea of what had just happened or if I will have an encounter of such magnificent nature again. Something about the way he looked at me, and spoke out like he had hoarded a lot of passion waiting to be shared. It felt like a sprouting root, waiting to blossom in the splendor of our shared connection.

Aunt Elizabeth and I left the garden, heading for the gate, I stopped for a while taking a quick turn to stare at the building and garden one last time, just in case I would not get a second sightseeing experience. My eyes rested on a window, up in the building where it seemed like someone stared back at me and in that same instance, there was no one there, just the curtains falling back.

"Did you see that?" I asked.

"See what?" Someone was standing there just staring.

"Who?" She turned towards the direction where I pointed.

"I thought I saw a child. Like a little girl."

"You must clearly be seeing things because there hasn't been a cry of a child ever since I moved here."

"When did you move here?"

"Over six decades ago."

"Oh wow."

"Yes, the last person I saw as a child in this family was Lord Jackson."

"Why haven't there been any child ever since?"

"Oh child, you ask too many questions, let's leave the questions for the morrow, we have so much work to do now."

Jackson's POV

I moved into the carriage, it was the time of the week when I would go out for a stroll to different parts of the town. I dipped the quail into the ink and wrote down my thoughts and wonders about her. Juliet, that was her name. It had been three days since I set my eyes on such wondrous beauty and intelligence. I wanted to see her again, to be able to share from her knowledge in arts beyond just the basics. I looked out through the carriage, to the cottage at the far end of the opposite direction.

"Henry, can you drive the carriage towards the cottage please?"

"Sire?"

"You heard me the first time."

"Alright, sire." He moved closer to the wooden gate.

"That is enough, you should wait over here, and I will be back." I entered through the gate, walking along to the door it swung open. It was her, Juliet.

"Mr. Jackson or would I say Duke Jackson what are you doing here?"

"That is not a way to greet a friend."

"A friend? I do not think we are friends. I presume you have some Duke duties to attend to?"

"Oh, I see your aunt has finally disclosed to you who I am."

"You did not tell me that you were the Duke, why?"

"I did not deem it fit to tell you because I did not want you to see me in such standards. I just want you to be real with me."

"I am real with you and I do not think that it would have mattered if you had disclosed it to me as well. So, how do you like to be addressed, Lord or Duke Jackson?"