It's no gun fight, like there was in The Devil Earl, but there is real violence in this chapter and real danger. Let's start at the beginning, though.
Jack is not there the morning after the wedding. The housekeeper says business called him away, but Eve knows it's totally her fault. Eve's mad at herself for what she did and she's sure Jack's mad at her too. When Jane finally wakes up, she's too busy talking about the wedding and the people to ask Eve how her night was. Of course, Jane has to notice that Eve had Jack looked really good dancing together. Eve refuses to believe she and Jack would be good together, but she doesn't say so. Anyway, Jane rushes to get everything together. She's got a possible gig out in San Francisco as a designer for a sportswear company and she's gotta go check it out. Eve's alone in the apartment that night, and she starts crying because she's ruined any chance she had with Jack. Did you miss the part where he told you to try again when you weren't drunk, Eve?
Eve tries not to feel. Jane says the job in California looks good, and she's staying another week to make sure. Then Ted and Lucie call from Alaska. Ted's going to live with a group of Eskimos to look at how their cultural heritage is in conflict with technology. I was wondering where he was going. Lucie says she'll write and Eve's got to write as well. Lucie mentions casually that she'll tell Jack to hang with Eve some, but Eve doesn't respond. She doesn't even cry after she hangs up, even though she knows Jack won't hang out with her and this makes her very depressed. Then Jane comes back from California to say the job is awesome and she's totally taking it. Eve is double sad and alone, and will have to pay rent by herself, but she tells Jane to take the job. Eve says she won't be lonely because she's going back to college. Hooray! Eve was just waiting to pay for Ted's bills before she started working on a helpful degree for herself. I was hoping she would do something do change her job since she isn't really comfortable with it.
Anyway, Eve does not get another apartment mate, like she told Jane she would, and the loneliness is too much. Eve's classes don't start until January 1st (which I don't believe) so she finds an some evening lectures she can go to until then. It's on her way home from one of these evening lectures that Eve finally admits to herself that she's unhappy. It's been a long day and maybe that's why. She feels fatigued and more depressed, but maybe the fatigue will help her sleep. Wow. She should go see a doctor.
Then a man walks out of the shadows and moves toward her. He reaches for her, swearing under his breath, and Eve attacks. She screams and tries to gouge his legs with her heels (why is she wearing heels if she's walking?). He pulls her close and she claws at his face. He swears and lets her go. Then he smacks her on the face and her head slams into the pavement.
She wakes up later with people asking if she has any family. She says Tony's name and passes out again. Then she's in the hospital and Tony's there demanding a plastic surgeon to do the stitches on her face. They knock her out.
She wakes up again again in a hospital bed with Tony sitting next to her. He tells her not to talk because she's got a huge bruise on her cheek and it'll hurt. She's also got three broken ribs, a sprained ankle and ten stitches in her forehead. Those stitches won't show once they heal, apparently. Then Tony has to go because Eve needs her sleep. Tony kisses her on her unbruised cheek. Then he tells her everything will be fine and leaves. D'aw. What a sweetheart.
Two days later, Eve can talk and her forehead stitches look better, but the rest of her hurts even more. The newspapers have a field day with this story, for some reason. Eve's become famous. Tony gives her the newspapers and she notes that in one column, Jack's name appears because Ted is married to Lucie. Eve thinks about how Jack will never forgive her for that when she looks up and there he is. It's like magic! Jack is hella pissed and he tells Eve she shouldn't have been out at “that time of night”. Shortly after ten is very late, I guess. Jack's at a loss for words and Eve is pointing out how it could have gone worse. Then Eve says something about the newspaper article making him pissed. Jack is confused, then he says that he's angry that Eve got hurt. He blathers on about the International Date Line, because he was in Singapore, and whatnot. Jack not with perfect poise? He must be upset.
Lucie and Ted told Jack to get to Eve right away, so he had no choice. “None of us was going to be satisfied until we knew how you were...” D'aw. Then Jack continues saying that Eve can leave the hospital tomorrow but she'll need someone to get stuff for her and whatnot, since she can't walk. That's why she's coming to Stonegate. Eve is pissed that he's deciding her life for her and Jack points out that she's got no alternative anyway. Really though, Jack, you should ask instead of state these things. I can see his proposal now, “We're going to get married, Eve.” She'll blink and say, “Aren't you going to ask me?” “Why? You'll say yes.” “Maybe I won't!”
Anyway, Jack says there's no reason to refuse unless Eve's remembering the night of the wedding. He had a nice time, and would have had a better one if he weren't a gentleman. Eve tells him not to make it worse. Jack points out that if Eve doesn't take his offer, Ted and Lucie will want to know why and he'll have to tell them about it. Blackmail is the best way to get the one you love close to you. I hit my sarcasm button so hard, I broke the desk it was sitting on. Eve agrees to go to Stonegate. Then Jack looks at Eve's nails and asks if she tried to scratch out the eyes of her attacker. She says that she tried to and Jack gets happy. “Lucky for me that they haven't had time to grow back!” Then he leaves. Well then.
Eve enjoys her time at Stonegate. The servants aren't friendly, but they do their jobs well. Eve muses that Jack hired them because they weren't friendly. Wait. Is he isolating her from friends and family? I mean, she kind of did that to herself, but still. Hm. Anyway, Eve heals and the local doctor says she can walk as long as she doesn't overdo it. Hooray! The scar on her forehead is just a thin line and the bruise on her cheek is healing nicely. Life is good at the end of Eve's first week at Stonegate. She just had a nice, if solitary, dinner and she's curled up reading and listening to a specific song by Handel. She gets up and uses the poker to adjust a log on the fire. Life is so great and awesome. Then she sees movement out of the corner of her eye.
Stupid! Don't get comfortable ever! Guard dogs and security don't really work! Eve remembers the night of her attack and swings the poker wildly. “Eve!” The poker's yanked out of her hand, and then Eve sees that Jack's standing in front of her. Eve's brain tries to put itself back in the present but she's just now coming out of shock, so she starts swaying on her feet and realizes she's going to faint. Jack helps her to a couch until she comes to. Eve starts to say what she was thinking, but Jack knows so he finishes her sentences for her. She says she was afraid and Jack holds her close. Eve gets her face against Jack's shirt and starts crying. He holds her with one arm and strokes her hair with the other. “Let it all out...Don't stop until it's all out.” Aw. He's actually kind. When did this happen?
Eve realizes she's cried all over his shirt and gets embarrassed. Eve thinks that Jack will think she's taking liberties and, to avoid the confusion he causes her, she says she should go to bed. Jack agrees to this plan and picks her up. She tells him he shouldn't do this and that he can't, but she never tells him to put her down. She puts her arms around his neck, so I'm assuming he's carrying her bridal style. Jack says Eve should let people take care of her. Eve retorts that Jack hasn't let himself be taken care of and Jack replies that it's not relevant. Eve rests her head on his shoulder. Jack says that he can't remember when he's taken care of someone else this way. He sets her on her bed and unbuttons her robe. Then he turns down the covers for her and tucks her in. He says this sort of thing can't last, then he gives her a peck on the cheek.
D'aw. Jack's so sweet after you get attacked and cry like a baby in front of him.
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