Chapter Text
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” – Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
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Storybrooke House, a palatial residence in the district of Maine, stood atop a grand hill, surrounded by a smattering of good roads and fairly-situated orchards. The house had been inherited by a gentleman of considerable means and his family. His wife, for all of her ambitions, was a woman of small stature but brave countenance. Their home was comfortable without being overly extravagant. The man, Mr. David Nolan, had been blessed with his wife Mrs. Mary-Margaret Nolan (née Blanchard) by the birth of a daughter in their younger years and a son as they aged. Mrs. Nolan took upon herself the prodigious task of raising the children in their home, endowing them with educations tailored to their talents.
The eldest of the Nolan children was named Emma. Her features were similar to her father’s; she was green-eyed and fair-haired very much like him. She was close to both of her parents, often sharing a good laugh in regards to a novel or an article in the local newspapers. It was not to go unnoticed that Emma’s passion was adventure. She adored hide-and-seek games as a child, and in her ensuing years, she became exceptionally talented at finding secluded spaces to tuck away in the woods which surrounded Storybrooke House.
Leopold Nolan was born many years after his sister, much to the surprise of the Nolan household. He was some fifteen years his sister’s junior, but the family was glad to have a son for handing down the Nolan legacy. Leopold was darker in coloring, similar to his mother. He also inherited her dark eyes and lively spirit, the latter of which undoubtedly accounted for his many nannies throughout the years.
At the age of seventeen, Emma Nolan debuted to society in a ball at the family’s estate. It was a hot July evening, and Emma was desperate to escape the humid confines of the ballroom. Following the allemande, she stepped out to the veranda, furiously fanning herself. Blowing a lock of hair from her eyes, she leaned carefully against the railing as not to crush her bustle. The layers of pink damask silk and cotton muslin felt as if they were crushing her, and she could barely breathe. It was nearly ten o’clock and the party seemed unlikely to end until the dawn. A gentle breeze blew across the fields and caught her square in the chest, causing Emma to sigh in slight relief at the sensation.
“Ah, Emma,” a voice called behind her. Emma turned to see her uncle, Captain James Nolan. Captain Nolan was a stranger to the family until there was a ball. He lived to attend parties and seduce young women with his handsome face and velvety-smooth voice. Quite the black sheep of the family, he was the identical twin to Emma’s father, but they could not have been less alike in countenance. The Captain removed his hat and smiled at his niece before correcting himself.
“I beg your pardon, I meant Miss Nolan,” he chuckled softly. Turning, he revealed a young man in Naval dress behind him. “Miss Nolan, may I present Lieutenant Killian Jones? He is one of my reports, to whom I extended the invitation tonight. I thought he could use a little bit of exposure to society.”
Emma smiled politely as she had been instructed, but her gaze was not to be torn from the sight of the young man. He was tall, slender, and incredibly handsome. He bowed slowly to her, keeping his eyes, blue as the ocean, in contact with hers. His dress uniform was fetchingly tailored to the slim lines of his body.
“Miss Nolan, it is a pleasure,” he said quietly. Emma was surprised to hear the musical lilt of an English accent in the lieutenant’s voice.
“Lieutenant Jones has enlisted as a defector from England,” James explained, perhaps seeing the surprise crossing her features, “As a young man of your age, perhaps the two of you will get along well.”
Emma finally spoke, smiling to her uncle. “Thank you, Uncle. It is refreshing to meet with someone of my age. And the Navy is lucky to have such a sailor dedicated to the American cause.”
A young woman in the house laughed loudly, which nearly caused Emma to cringe. Captain Nolan glanced over his shoulder and smirked, then bowed to Emma once more.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he turned and headed towards the raucous laughter.
Lieutenant Jones looked tremendously awkward for a long moment. As she waited for him to speak, Emma studied his looks. He had hair almost as black as the night, and the beginnings of a beard to match. It was a wonder that he did not shave for the occasion of the party. Perhaps he had been caught unawares by the invitation. Finally, the lieutenant cleared his throat before speaking, keeping his voice barely louder than the roar of the party within the house.
“This is a lovely house, Miss Nolan. Did your father build it?” He glanced around the grounds, taking in the sight of the groves of fruit trees along the southernmost edge of the property.
The heat was overcoming her once more, and she had to truly think about her answer before providing it. “Yes, I do believe he had it built whilst we lived in Providence. I was very young, then, but I do remember him going over many plans at his desk.” Her voice trailed off slightly as the finished her thought, and her knuckles went white as she gripped the porch railing for support.
“A very fine…” The young man’s praise was interrupted as he watched her sway slightly on her feet. “Pray, excuse me, but are you well?” Lieutenant Jones offered a hand to her just in time. Emma found her knees giving out beneath her layers of gown. For a slight man in comparison to her father, Killian was exceedingly strong. He was able to guide both Emma and her forty pounds of dress to a chair before taking off into the ballroom.
Sitting, she fanned herself more, taking deep breaths. The whalebone embedded in her stays felt as if it was crushing her ribs. Looking up, she scanned as much of the crowd inside as she could see, but she could not find the young sailor in the ballroom any longer. Perhaps he had been strong, but not quite brave enough to deal with a young woman who had nearly fainted? Despite his rapid departure, she remained on the veranda, hoping for another breeze.
Lieutenant Jones returned with a crystal goblet and sat beside Emma, offering it to her. Surprised, she took the glass carefully and sipped. The punch was icy cool and familiarly sweet. She smiled contentedly for a moment as she watched the nervous-looking young man. “I thought you had abandoned me,” she laughed.
“Never,” he smiled, searching her expression. “Can I fetch something else to relieve you? It is quite warm this evening.”
“Yes, it is,” she agreed, taking another sip of the punch. “But no, thank you. This may have saved my life.”
He chuckled softly, eyes glistening in the candlelight. “I’m glad to be of service, milady. It would be a shame to lose someone so beautiful.”
They were quiet for a moment, Emma blushing and looking abashedly down into her glass. The song played by the lively quartet inside the ballroom came to a slow end, and the revelers applauded. Glancing back into the room, she took a deep breath. “I suppose I should return to my party.”
“May I escort you?” Killian asked, extending a hand as he stood. “And once you are feeling up to it, may I ask for a dance?”
“Of course,” Emma smiled, taking his hand and standing on much firmer legs than before, “I doubt I could deny my savior such a request.”