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Indeed, Jacob had done very well for himself. He had just bought his estate in Bristol, and was taking great care and putting his life together. Finally, this is what he had been working for for so long, living on the edge of the law.
Becoming a landlord was the smartest decision and it has been his goal all along, to purchase land with the new railroads that were expanding all across England. He would work closely with the railroad companies, leasing land where they needed to build the railroad. It was the future, and he knew the countryside very well. He had known it even in the dark of midnight.
So when he was called, over a dispute of one of his holdings that he had leased to a church to be built, he went to straight away in person in order to deal with it. For he did not think it was adequate to give up land that he had promised to a church. That could not be good luck at all. He needed to go in person, and find a way around this, and deal with the railroad men that he was to meet.
But when he arrived in the small village of Knowl Hill, he had the shock of his life. He was walking down the High Street, and heard a very familiar voice. It was just around the corner, and he had heard that voice in distress before, deep in the Black Forest many years ago. But how could it be? It could not be her, could it?
He rounded the corner of the building, and saw the familiar red hair that he had fallen in love with many years before. Jennifer struggled, and a man he had just met an hour before was pulling her toward him. His name was Neil Sanders, and he had dealings with the railroad men that Jacob had come to meet with. He found him very disagreeable, but now that he was assaulting the love of his life, he found him to be a monster. Rage built inside of him, he quickly pulled the man off of her and threw him to the ground.
“Get off of her!” Jacob put himself between the man and Jennifer. He could hear the shock in her voice.
He stood his ground, until the man left. And Jacob knew that he would not be having any dealings with him, and would make sure that the railroad men also abandoned any interest in working with him.
“Oh, Jacob,” She moved into his arms.
“Shh... it is alright now. He is gone,” Jacob embraced her.
After a moment or two, she pulled back and looked up at him with those emerald green eyes. It had been a year since he had seen her, and still, he loved her greatly.
“What do you do here? I don't understand.”
“I can ask the same of you. What are you doing here? Believe me, I was not walking down the high street expecting to rescue you once more. It seems that I have been lucky again.”
“Oh, how you jest. But in truth this is very serious, how is it that you are here, and I am here?”
“It is a very long story, but I have my own land company now, the A.J.S. Land Company. there is a dispute going on here over land I leased to the church to be built. I had left it to my second at my business to deal with it, but it seems that he was not able to, so I came to have a look myself.”
“You? You own the land that the church is to sit on?” There was shock in her eyes, and Jacob did not know if it was because she truly thought he would never give up the criminal life, or because of some other matter entirely.
“Yes, I am a land owner now.”
“What? But how?”
“Oh, Sarah! are you alright dear? We saw from the window and came down straight away. We heard shouting.” Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins appeared from inside the in onto the sidewalk.
“I am fine. Now, thanks to my rescuer. Look who I have run into,” Jennifer said proudly looking at Jacob. He liked when she looked at him that way. It gave him purpose, and meaning.
“Smith, what do you do here?” Mr. Hawkins shook his hand, for they were old acquaintances and the reason Jennifer had the job at all.
“I was just telling Sarah here that I own the Land Company that the church is leasing land from. I came because of the dispute, to settle the matter. In truth I did not know you were the builder, Mr. Hawkins, I have let my second at the company deal with this matter. I only learned of it yesterday, and came straight away.”
“ Well, that is good news indeed. I am glad to hear it.” Mr. Hawkins said.
“Gentlemen, are you not forgetting the matter at hand. Our Sarah here was just assaulted in the street. Are you alright dear? What happened?” Mrs. Hawkins asked.
“I told Mr Sanders that I would not be engaged to him as he requested. He lost his temper, and refused.”
“Engaged? You are engaged to that man?” Jacob felt the heat inside his body grow more than anger had ever allowed before.
“No, it is not like that. He only asked me to consider an engagement with him, and that was only yesterday,” Jennifer said. Jacob was very confused.
“And you considered it? To that man?” He asked. For the past year, in his mind, he thought she might be out there waiting for him. He held on to that thought; it motivated him for a year to get his business together and set him right, so that he could look for her, and finally be with her.
“What she says is true, that man tricked her. Sarah was only trying to save the church,” Mrs. Hawkins said.
“Perhaps we should get her inside,” Mr. Hawkins said, looking at the crowd that had gathered.
“Yes, that is a good call,” Jacob said. He put his arm out, and Jennifer put her arm through his, and smiled.
Feeling her body this close,and pressed against him made him feel very happy indeed. This was a very delightful surprise. Was fate finally on our side?
They entered the Inn, and Jacob motioned for water and wine to be brought over to them.
“Have some water, it will help. The wine is to calm your nerves, if you need it. I do not want you going into shock after such an event,” He said.
“Thank you, I truly appreciate it. I think that I will be fine, I just need a little bit of rest.”
“So Smith my boy, you say you own the land the church is leasing? Tell me more of this. What is to happen?”
“I had come to settle the matter, to make sure the church was built on the site, and hold to my agreement. I did not know the railroad company was trying to pry, I have dealings with them as well. We can make it work, but I am not going back on my word to the church. As far as I know you may proceed, Mr. Hawkins.”
Everyone sighed in relief, and was elated.
“I remember two years ago, you spoke of business dealings that you had in the works, I did not know it was in the land business.” Mr. Hawkins said.
“Yes, that has always been my goal, and I have slowly been buying up tracts of land, for land is the future. But there wasn't enough to call myself a company, not until this past few months.”
“ Then I am very proud of you. It sounds like you have truly made something of yourself,” Mr. Hawkins said.
Jacob looked at Jennifer, “When you have the right motivation to make something of yourself, it happens rather quickly.”
Jacob knew that she was his motivation, ever since her words cut through him, that she could not be with a criminal. That if he was set up right, she would be with him. It was all the motivation he needed to put his life goal into effect as fast as may be.
In fact, he had on his calendar to write to Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins to find out if Sarah was still in their employee, then he was going to come for her. But finding her here, was better than waiting. It was now or never, and he knew he wanted now. He had waited long enough.
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