JASPER’S MOONLIGHT ENCOUNTERS
The sky was awash with stars as Jasper stabled his horse and walked back to the house. The banquet was the following day and the house was bustling with activity. Jasper stood under a large birch tree in thoughtful silence, reflecting on his own life and the empty space that lay in his heart, yearning for companionship. All at once he realized that he wasn’t the only one soaking in the tranquility and starlight. It was the sound of a sob that caught his attention first, and he moved rapidly toward it, and then halted in his tracks.
“Who goes there?” a shaky voice enquired of him.
“Jasper…Riley.”
A shadowy figure emerged. “I’m so sorry, Mister Riley. I just wanted a breath of air…I’ll be off now.”
“Wait! Who are you?” Jasper asked, his eyes adjusting to the semi darkness and falling on a pair of very vivid blue eyes set in an oval face, glistening with freshly shed tears.
“I’m so sorry, Mister Riley,” the woman repeated, and Jasper’s eyes moved down to her sensual lips, trembling with emotion.
“Sorry for what?” Jasper asked softly.
“For…trespassing…”
“Where are you from?” Jasper began to ask, but his question was left hanging in the air as the woman hurried away, melting into the darkness like a phantom.
Something about her eyes disturbed Jasper in a way he hadn’t thought possible. He shook his head. “It’s the stars,” he said aloud. “They always have a way of making me feel things that aren’t real.”
“Wait!” he called, running after the woman, but she had disappeared.
Jasper slept fitfully that night, his dreams haunted by the woman’s eyes, and woke to the sound of the musicians tuning their instruments.
“This is bigger than most weddings,” Jasper said wryly to Jeremiah later, as the two men stood side by side, waiting for the guests to arrive. Jasper’s thick shock of dark hair curled over his collar and fell across his brow. His tall, muscular body was shown off to advantage in formal breeches and a jacket, but he carried his good looks without pride or vanity.
“I can’t wait to get out of these restraining clothes and get onto a horse again,” Jeremiah murmured. Jasper didn’t get a chance to respond because the guests were starting to arrive.
Petula staged a dramatic entrance, dressed in lavender tulle, and Jasper grinned at her, cocking an eyebrow at the young men in the room who turned to gape at her.
“Well, brother,” Jeremiah said, nudging Jasper playfully. “I’m going to ask some of those lovely ladies to dance…and I suggest you do the same if you don’t want to stay unmarried forever.”
“I’m actually hungry,” Jasper said to himself, leaving his brother behind to laugh. He made his way to the banquet tables that were outside under the trees. He was helping himself to some of the exquisitely laid out food, when his eyes fell on one of the women who was setting down a tray.
“Serena,” Jasper heard his mother say, “surely you could get someone else to do that for you?”
The woman blushed. “Oh no, ma’am, I wanted it placed just so.”
“You’re a perfectionist,” Rebecca responded, eyeing the table appreciatively.
Serena smiled bashfully. “I enjoy what I do,” she said. Just then, she raised her head and her large blue eyes met Jasper’s surprised stare.
“Jasper darling,” Rebecca said. “This is Serena, Angelica’s replacement. She’s done a simply wonderful job tonight, wouldn’t you agree?”
Jasper grunted in reply – too overcome to say anything in response. Serena looked uncertainly at him, nodded, smiled, and then made a hasty exit.
“Jasper,” Rebecca scolded, “you should be on the dance floor with one of those pretty debutantes.”
“I would love to oblige you, Mother, but I’m rather hungry, and this food is making me hungrier.”
No sooner were the words out than Jasper realized the significance of what he had said… and wondered if it was Serena, rather than the food she had prepared, that was making him so ravenous.
“Meet Molly Wheeler,” Jasper heard Rebecca say, her voice almost beseeching him to pay attention to the pretty girl who was looking at him expectantly.
“Miss Wheeler,” Jasper murmured, bowing over her hand, but her flawless skin and lovely features made no impression on him at all. For some reason he was eager to go into the kitchen and discover what secrets lay behind the vivid blue eyes of their substitute cook.
“Jasper,” Rebecca urged. “Why don’t you ask Molly to dance?”
“Of course, mother,” Jasper said graciously, leading the girl onto the dance floor. It was while they were dancing that Jasper happened to look into the shadows, and he saw Serena there in her uniform, looking intently at him. His eyes met hers over Molly Wheeler’s bobbing head, and for a minute it seemed that though it was Molly he was dancing with, it was Serena he was holding in his arms.
“I’m sorry,” Jasper said, looking guiltily down at Molly. “Did you say something?”
“Yes. I was just saying that you seemed very far away. You have something on your mind?”
Jasper shook his head, quickly thinking up an excuse for his wandering mind. “Not at all. My attention was diverted for a moment by the entrance of my sister Marjorie and her husband Paul, whom I haven’t seen in a few days.”
“Oh, where do they live?” Molly asked.
“They have their own house on the ranch, just beyond Steep Hill. That’s what our ranch was named after, you know.”
“How interesting.” Molly replied, looking at him with soft eyes.
“My dear brother!” Marjorie said as Jasper led Molly off the dance floor. “You do look dashing!”
Jasper grinned, looking embarrassed, and Marjorie turned her smile to Molly. “Isn’t he dashing, Molly?”
Molly blushed, and peeped at Jasper from under her lashes.
“I see you haven’t lost the ability to make me squirm, Marj,” Jasper said wryly.
“Thank you for the dance, Miss Wheeler,” he said, bowing to the girl. He turned and walked up to another pretty debutante who hadn’t taken her eyes off him all evening. I will do my duty and escape for a ride on Falcon, Jasper thought to himself.
“Going somewhere?” Marjorie’s husband Paul asked as Jasper attempted to slip away later.
“I need some air,” Jasper replied, and Paul grinned.
“You do realize that this ball is as much for you as it is for Petula, do you not?”
“Yes,” Jasper replied, looking uncomfortable. “And I feel guilty for not being at all interested in any of these lovely ladies.”
“Is there someone not present here who has stolen your heart already?” Paul raised an eyebrow and asked amusedly.
Jasper thought of Serena but shook his head in response. “No,” he replied. “I guess this ranch and my work here are the love of my life and I don’t really need a woman right now.”
“You’re the eldest son,” Paul remarked more seriously. “And I think your parents would be relieved if you showed some signs of interest in getting married and settling down.”
Jasper made an impatient sound and strode away, hoping that Thomas and Rebecca wouldn’t notice his absence. He was on his way to the stables when he almost collided with a toddler, who ran out of nowhere and attached himself to Jasper’s leg.
“I want my mama!” the little boy cried, looking pitifully up at Jasper.
“What’s your name?” Jasper asked, reaching down to unlock the boy’s fingers from around his leg, but the boy merely cried louder.
“Come on,” Jasper said, swinging the boy up into his arms. “Let’s go and look for your mama, whoever she might be.”
“I want my mama!” the boy cried even louder.
“Don’t cry, little boy. I’ll find her for you,” Jasper reassured him, stroking his golden curls, suffused by a surge of warmth that he couldn’t define.
“Nathan! Nathan?” a voice called out desperately, and the boy stopped crying immediately.
“Mama!” he shouted, and Jasper exclaimed in surprise when he saw Serena running forward with her arms outstretched.
“Oh! Mister Riley! I’m so sorry!”
That seems to be all she can say to me, Jasper thought, handing Nathan over to her. “Please, call me Jasper…and don’t apologize. Being attacked by a frightened little boy doesn’t bother me.” He grinned good-naturedly.
Serena clutched Nathan tighter. “Thank you for bringing Nathan to me,” she said gratefully. “How did you find him?”
“I was escaping from the crowd to go on a peaceful ride and was heading toward the stables when I made Nathan’s acquaintance,” Jasper chuckled almost bashfully.
“Oh, I’m sorry that you were interrupted,” Serena said hastily.
There it was again. “Please, don’t apologize,” Jasper repeated, tipping his hat to her and preparing to leave. Then, seized by a momentary flash of recklessness, he turned back to Serena. “Perhaps I could take Nathan riding with me sometime. And you could join us too, of course, if you’d like.”
Serena’s eyes grew moist and tender as she stared wordlessly at Jasper. “Thank you Mr. Ril…Jasper. Nathan and I would be most grateful for your kindness.”
Realizing the ludicrousness of what he had just suggested, he laughed self-deprecatingly. “Well, Nathan is too small to ride alone…so you would have to join us…although I could just seat him in front of me and…”
“It’s quite alright, Mr…ummm…Jasper. Nathan is only three years old, but it’s never too early for a boy on a ranch to be introduced to horses. Until he is older, yes, I would come with him.”
“You did a splendid job with the banquet food,” Jasper complimented her, noticing that she had the manners of someone more refined than a kitchen hand or a cook.
“Thank you. Your mother was happy too…and has offered me the job until Angelica’s return. It appears that Angelica – who is a distant cousin of mine – has to stay on to help take care of her father.”
“Where did you work before your employment here at Steephill Ranch?” Jasper asked curiously.
Serena’s eyes clouded over. “It’s a long story,” she replied, “and I ought to get back to the kitchen. The banquet isn’t quite over yet.”
Jasper nodded. “Yes…yes of course,” he said, tipping his hat again and watching her hurry away.
Later, as he rode slowly back to the stables, he saw Serena again. She had changed out of her maid uniform and was wearing a green dress that must have come from one of the bigger shops in town. Her golden hair fell in soft waves about her shoulders. He couldn’t see her face because she was facing away from him, standing on an incline, and watching the party guests dancing in the distance. Jasper got off his horse and walked slowly up to her, surprised that Serena didn’t even hear his footsteps – so completely absorbed was her attention in the scene before her. She sighed wistfully as she watched the women twirling in their partners’ arms, and Jasper was once again seized by a spirit of recklessness.
“Dear lady, may I have the pleasure of this dance?” Jasper asked, coming up behind her. Serena whipped around, her eyes startled.
“Jasper!” she exclaimed, a rosy flush creeping up her cheeks and setting her face alight.
Jasper bowed. “Please?” he whispered, holding her eyes captive.
Serena hesitated. It was not her place as a cook to dance with the eldest son of the ranch owner. She should not accept his offer. But he was a handsome man and he was her employer. Finally, she curtseyed to him and, shaking, took his outstretched hand.
The music wafted across to them on the breeze, and the moonlight fell about them. How perfect this feels, Jasper thought as he held Serena’s gaze. Even when he spun her around and her eyes left his, it was like they hungrily cleaved to his once more the moment she was back in his arms. More reckless still, he drew her closer, feeling her warmth only inches away.
“Jasper,” Serena whispered, her lips trembling. “Please release me. This is not…proper. I must…”
“Hush,” Jasper whispered back, drawing her even closer until he felt her body against his.
A blaze of desire surged through him, igniting the flame of Serena’s passion. She gasped, her eyes fearfully burning into his, as his lips came down hard on hers, scorching her with a kiss that surprised and overwhelmed her. Fear sliced through her. What kind of man was this? He knew nothing about her, yet he treated her as an equal. As a lover. Guilt flooded through her.
Suddenly she realized that beneath Jasper’s brooding demeanor lay a molten passion just waiting to be unleashed, and she was playing with fire that she was powerless to resist. She could feel the extent of Jasper’s desire through the light fabric of her dress and she gave in, responding to it by circling her arms around his neck, and burrowing her fingers through his luxuriant hair as he hungrily pressed his lips to the side of her neck.
“No!” Serena gasped, pushing away as Jasper’s lips moved to her throat and began to make their way to the tantalizing cleft between her exquisitely rounded breasts.
“I’m sorry!” Jasper said, his voice ragged with desire. “Please…don’t think badly of me. This isn’t what I do ….”
“This isn’t what you do with the kitchen staff?” Serena finished the sentence for him. She didn’t know whether to be afraid or angry. She suspected he was not a man she could be around too often.
“No,” Jasper said weakly. “You misunderstand.”
“I’m sorry too. I was carried away…I am so sorry.” she turned and sprinted away from him, her hands clutching the fabric of her pretty skirts so she would not trip on them.
Jasper stared miserably after Serena’s retreating back – the warmth of her body still quickening his pulse, and the taste of her skin lingering on his lips. He felt ravaged, torn, and hungry - something he had never previously experienced. Hoping that none of his family, or the guests, had seen the spectacle, Jasper made his way back to the party, willing his heart to be still as he walked unsteadily forward.