The Compromise

Hours before…

Two large Galleon’s were bearing down on them and the wind was beginning to fail. The second had been hit by The Ocean’s Secret, Captain Timberlan had got off two complete volleys into the trailing ships broadsides and then moved out of their firing arc just in time. The ships that were chasing them were flying Spanish Flags and had been lying in wait to ambush them but Silas had saw them in the fog. Only a half a league give or take and the large galleons would get bound up in the shallows and the chase would be over.

“Reggie, halve the main and full the reefers!” he shouted. Captain Silas Mormont stood on the Captain’s deck and hung onto the thick polished wooden bannister that surrounded it. Not a man on his boat was idle, all were pulling rope, tightening sails and shifting the rigging to give The Flying Wolf, his modified Brigantine as much speed as he could. He trailed behind his Sloops ‘The Courtier’s Fan and The Ocean’s Secret and two Spanish Galleons were gaining as they caught the last of the high winds that filled their sails. The salty spray washed over the bow as the ship lurched into the waves. Justa little further! He thought as he turned and looked to see where his Sloops were. They had pulled even further ahead...good, good, he thought as he pulle dout his looking glass and extended it. He grinned as he saw them still going with full sail. “Oh, they have a bit of Wolf on their tongue and they are hungry for more,” he mused. Come on, just a bit further, he hoped and they just kept gaining as his pursuers just flew across the water hard astern. Then as if they crashed into a wall the Leading Galleon lurched forward, its stern coming out of the water and men and debris shifted and were thrown forward as the ship came aground on the reefs in the shallows. He had driven them into it and the trailing Galleon was so close to the first it could not turn in time and crashed into the back of the first. The wood groaned and cracked as the ships collided and the men yelled as they were pitched into the water. The sloops had already turned to bring their guns to bear, and indeed it looked like 3 wolves about to pounce on a pair of injured deer.

The past year had been one of hardship for Emma Billingsley. Her mother had died of fever less than a year ago and only two months later her beloved Joaquin, an English Naval Officer, was killed when his ship was sunk by French Buccaneers. The two losses had been devastating for her and many had feared she herself would die of heartbreak. She and Joaquin had been due to marry in less than a month before his death and she had spent what would have been their wedding date locked away in her rooms alone. Around her neck she still wore the locket he had given her as an engagement present. It was pure silver with an intricate design on the outside and inside it contained a miniature portrait of him in his Naval uniform. She wore the locket under her clothing and against her heart as a reminder of the love she still bore for him. Of course she knew she would have to marry eventually. She was the daughter of Thomas Billingsley, Duke of Yorkshire after all.

At 17, she was still young and fresh faced. Her lips and cheeks, though enhanced with rouge on special occasions, still bore a natural rosy appearance. Her skin was soft and unblemished and her breasts firm and large for her petite stature. It was a bright, sunny morning and Emma walked outside with her two Cavalier Spaniels at her heels. She wore a dark green brocade dress with three quarter length sleeves that featured a bit of white lace. Her auburn hair shone in the sunlight and was pulled up apart from a small bit in the back that was curled and hung loose. Inside, her father was meeting with another neighboring noble. Recently, her father had made several bad investments and had lost a good amount of money. He had now been forced to sell parcels of their land in order to keep their estate going. She was his only child. The brother she had once had had died at the age of four and her mother had been unable to produce another child. Emma knew that this meant that her father would ensure her marriage to a wealthy man who would in turn help to get her father out of his growing debts. Emma hated that she had no say in who she was going to marry. 'It was her duty' as his daughter. Emma sighed and tried to put it all out of her mind as she walked their estate grounds.

Helen made her way up the long, curved staircase with a large covered tray. It was made of silver and the thick cloth that covered her burden was white. Her long, blonde hair was pinned up into a bun and her blue dress was of a demure cut, all the way to the neck, as was the preference of The Duke of Yorkshire, Emma’s father. For two months Emma had taken her morning repasts in her room, she still had not gotten over Joaquin’s death. She had loved Joaquin, a young naval officer that had courted her for an entire year though she knew he was the one long before he had actually proposed to her. Her relationship with her father had soured as of late. He had offered her hand to the Duke of Cumberland. An older, widower who offered him a sizable loan for the match. A man she barely knew.

Helen had not expected her out of bed, she normally stayed under the covers until she helped her up. This time, to her surprise, Emma was not there. This was...good, she decided but now she knew she needed to find her. Her father was ready too leave to go to the city. She needed dresses and there were invitations to send. Helen sighed and left the tray there near the bed.

It was in the gardens with her two dogs. Helen didn’t much care for dogs and so she kept her distance and called out to her. “My Lady Emma! Your father wishes to leave soon!” She said loudly. “I brought up your breakfast, shall I bring it down for you?” She asked.

Emma had paused and stood with her eyes closed, letting the sun bathe her face in it's warmth. It gave her energy and strength. She would need to talk to her father. She did not want to marry the Duke of Cumberland. She barely knew the man and he was far older than she. She knew her father had done it for the money, but perhaps there was someone different...anyone. Her father had invited him to dinner once. He had been horribly rude. He had talked with his mouth full, eaten with his hands and licked his fingers, dripped wine onto the expensive tablecloth, and had belched loudly. And this man was to be her husband? She could not allow this to happen.

Suddenly, she heard Helen's voice. She looked over and up and spotted her in one of her bedroom windows. Clearly, she had been surprised not to find her still in bed.

"Yes! Bring it down into the gardens! Oh! And don't forget my green hat!" She spoke of the green, wide brimmed hat that matched her dress. Emma would wear it tilted slightly at an angle on her head. It was quite the fashionable thing to do and Emma was certainly one for fashion.

Helen responded by waving a kiss down to her then disappearing from the window. The birds were a mix of finches and other  smaller birds but they weren’t overly loud of obnoxious. They seemed to sing and chirp just enough to make the gardens feel alive and pleasant to be in. the gardens were her  mother’s favorite place to convalesce. When she had been born she  used to take her  as a babe and sit with her for hours.

Helen always brought a little extra for herself, Emma disliked eating alone and so Helen ate a bit of steamed oat with honey and blueberries most mornings when Emma did eat. She sat across from her  now and took a dainty bite of oats. Emma had steamed oats too with honey, bits of ham and melon. There was also tea spiced with pomegranate as well as fresh, plump strawberries with cream.

Helen was not just her attendant, her personal servant, she was her friend and confidant. When Joajuin’s letters to her were being monitored Helen sent along their missives in secret so they could say what they felt to one another without their parents censoring what their hearts needed to say.

“Emma, the Duke is not so bad a man as you think. He is kind and has said on many occasions how beautiful you are. He is one of the wealthiest men in Britain and intends on raising you so you can rule in his stead when he is away. That says something I think,” she said, trying to spin this into a more favorable light.

Emma took the green hat from Helen and pinned it carefully so it sat at just the right angle. It shaded her face from the warming sun and gave her quite the regal look. Emma took a seat at the iron table and picked up both of her dogs so that they could sit in her lap. She would never dare to do this when her father was around, but Helen was her friend and she was more relaxed around her. She ate her breakfast, while feeding bits of ham to her beloved dogs.

She took a sip of her tea and sighed when Helen brought up the Duke of Cumberland. She plucked up a strawberry and dipped it in the clotted cream. "He is also fat and horribly rude," she replied before taking a bit of the strawberry.

It took real effort for Helen not to roll her eyes. Emma was so concerned about what a man looked like and how he ate. For Helen it was more of the romance that she was always after. And there was little more romantic than a man who was fabulously wealthy...to her anyway. She gave Emma a warm smile.

“Well, you won’t care so much I think when you are fat with his child,” she giggled and nodded at how she looked with her hat. “When you become  a Duchess you will be able to go where you want, do what you want,” she said but her tone suggested also that she could ‘have’ whomever she wanted as well.

The look in Emma's eyes suddenly changed. Her face fell and a few tears filled her eyes. She looked away as a single tear started to roll down her cheeks.

"I miss him so badly Helen," she said with a quivering voice as she wiped the tear away. "Do you realize we would have been married for 10 months this very day? I likely would have been pregnant with his child. I loved him...truly loved him. He made me the happiest woman alive. I could never be sad or angry around him. He was handsome and caring and had a good heart. He did not deserve to die. Even if I could not have had him I would rather he had lived. He was destined for greatness...of this I am certain."

Helen’s eyes softened and in a panic she tossed down her bowl onto the table and moved quickly to kneel at her side. She could be so very...bourjois sometimes she knew and she was afraid that she had upset her closest friend. She kissed her hand.

“Oh, I am so sorry Emma, I know you are still mourning Joaquin...I know it,” she said and rubbed Emma’s hand onto her cheek affectionately. “But think of this as a new beginning, not an end, please...you’ll see. You will have many children and love them as your mother loved you,” she said and kissed her hand again. “They will bring you more love and joy than you can stand my darling Emma,” she said and felt tears come to her eyes as well. Emma could feel the warm wetness on her palm.

Helen had been looking forward to today. Going to a dress shop and trying on the newest fashions with her and Emily. It was very rare these days that Thomas, her father spent any money. He didn’t have extra to spend and most of what he did have was just enough to keep the house from falling into ruin.

Emma hadn't meant to upset Helen, but she did still miss Joaquin and her mother terribly. This past year had been one of hell for her and despite Helen's best efforts to be a good spin on the situation with the Duke of Cumberland, she was not looking forward to marrying him. She doubted she would be happy with him as she had been with Joaquin. However, she knew that Helen had been looking forward to today and did not want to ruin what might otherwise be a happier occasion.

"I'm sorry Helen," she replied as she wiped away the tears from her face. "I don't know what came over me. I'm better now though. We should hurry to meet father before he throws a fit about us being late."

Emily met them in the lobby. The footmen carried several parcels of invitations and old dresses that needed to be mended out and began setting them up onto the coach. The coach was large and could easily fit 6 people, 3 on each bench. It was led by 4 horses of differing colors, her father had had to sell the 4 white ones they once had for a less expensive team. Once all the bags were set they were helped inside. Her father was the last and he shut the small door behind him and sat next to Emily. Helen was to Emma’s right and her father who was across from her looked at her silently for a moment.

“Five dresses mind, one of Helen and Emily and 3 for you...one is to be for the wedding yes?” He said annoyingly. He was certain by the defiant look in her eyes that she had a mind to continue this talk about not marrying the Duke. “I’m sending out invitations to your engagement ball today. It should please you to know that the Duke has already loaned us a sizable amount of money. I’m using some of it to buy back the Western fields that we sold to the Baroness Arlington,” he said dryly. His upper lip was quirked the way it always was when he was upset with her and he wondered if she cared about their holdings at all. Did she understand ‘why’ they needed this merger? His land and estate was hers when he died. It has been in their family for generations. His failure to produce an heir had never settled with him and he had loved her mother no less than she had. He was so different then. Now he hardly ever smiled. Helen and Emily made a point of looking outside as the trees passed by. They knew her father too and how prickly he could be if they interfered. Helen had before and had tried to defend Emma. But after what happened the last time she kept her mouth shut when he addressed Emma.

Emma sat with her dogs in her lap. They were well trained and well mannered, though she had a habit of spoiling them. They made her happy though and she insisted on taking them everywhere with her. As her father took his seat across from her she could feel his eyes upon her as she looked out the window. After a long moment of silence he began to speak and talk about the dresses. At the mention of a wedding dress she did look at him, though before she could respond he had begun talking again. Talk of invitations and an engagement ball made her stomach turn and she visibly grimaced. She wanted to argue with her father...to try and talk him out of this. But clearly his mind was settled. Why did she have to pay for his mistakes? That was the question that was on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't speak it. She knew it was useless. She had already argued with him and it had gotten him angry and her nowhere. She could sense Helen tense up beside her and looked away from her father and out the window.

"Yes, Father," was all she said.

Thomas had never liked her dogs. The fact that they seemed to always be nearby...on her lap! Was disgusting. He sneered at them and then his sneer continued as his gaze shifted up to her. “Do we need...those! Animals along? Really Emma!” Thomas scolded then just shook his head and seemed to lose interest in all of them.

Emily paused for a moment and then smiled and appeared to relax. She was young, quite a pretty young lady and was quite the opposite to Helen. She had no designs about acting so risque as Helen seemed to do.

“Isn’t this exciting? New dresses Emma!” She said nearly breathless. “You will be so beautiful!” she added. Emily had one of the smiles that was quite infectious and not much at all appeared to phase her that she’d not recover from quickly.

“We will find something truly lovely and new for your engagement dress for the ball!” She said and smiled. Her eyes actually twinkled.

Emma ignored her father's comments about her dogs. She didn't care what he said or how much he protested, her dogs were going to go with her. Her mother had given them to her as puppies for her 13th birthday and she loved them unconditionally. They knew just what to do to make her feel better when she was down and never spoke a harsh word to her. She smiled and stroked their heads instead of replying to her father.

She looked over as Emily began to talk about the new dresses. She couldn't help but smile when she did. Although she hated that one of her dresses was going to be her wedding dress, she enjoyed shopping and buying new things. It was warm in the carriage and she got out her hand fan and began to gently fan herself.

"Yes, I'm in desperate need of some new things. My dresses are starting to get so old and tattered. I used to have nice things all the time...well before...." she said off-handedly hinting at her father's risky investments that had lost their money.

The sunlight assaulted his eyes and he brought his hand up to shield them from the offending light that came though the window by his bed.The two women beside him, one light of skin and one very dark groaned and shifted but seemed to fall back asleep soon after. His room was in several degrees of disarray. Tables and chairs overturned, clothes draped over the furniture or sitting on the floor haphazardly discarded as if they had been removed in haste. Bottles of wine and rum were all over the floor and he looked up at the lay of the sun. 

Silas Mormont, was the Captsin of The Flying Wolf, a modified Brigantine. He had 2 other ships too in his small armada, Modified sloops with a longer bow to accommodate another running sail for more speed and maneuverability. They were on shore leave and he and his companions were supposed to pick up the provisions that morning but he had gotten terribly drunk last night. 

“Nels!” He yelled. The two women flinched but hadn't moved otherwise. “Nels you cunt, we’re late!” He said loudly.

In a room next to his a short-haired blonde woman flinched as she lifts herself up from her pillow. A thick chested man that fell asleep on her floor groaned as she stood up. Her head ached terribly and her room in many ways resembled the first with the furniture, clothes and empty bottles. “Yyyyes Cap’n!” She shouted back then grabbed at her temples. “Fuck’n ell!” She growled and gave the man on her floor a kick. “Be off with ya now!” She said with a scowl as she looked for her clothes. 

Nels was Silas’s cabin girl and what he asked for she got for him no matter what it was which sometimes included herself which she didn't mind at all. She was in love with him and though he didn't share her feelings she hoped that he’d eventually come to love her. She was loyal though and would gladly give her life for his and not even blink an eye. 

“Nels!” She heard again from the room right next to hers. As she opened the door Reggie was right there completely naked. He still held a bottle in his hand and his cock was hard and stood proudly toward her. Reggie was quite a large man and normally it might have been funny for her to see him like that her headache made the whole thing irritating.

Nellie, or Nels as she was called, had been serving as Captain Silas cabin girl for two years now and could think of no other life she wanted to be living. She loved being out at sea and she loved Silas even more. She was 20 and still young and beautiful. She kept her hair short, which was unheard of for women, because she didn't like dealing with long hair. She would do anything for Silas...anything at all. She served him without question and did whatever he asked.

They had all gotten horribly drunk the night before and Nels head ached terribly as a result. Her mouth tasted like cotton and she was terribly thirsty. She couldn't remember anything from the night before, but a quick look around her room told her that it had been quite the night. She quickly grabbed her clothes off the floor as she heard Silas call for her again. He normally didn't have to call for her twice and she hurried to get out of her room. As soon as she opened her door, though, she was shocked to see Reggie standing there completely naked...and something else was standing as well. She was not in the mood.

"Get outta my way Reggie," she commanded.

When he didn't move, she grabbed 'him' and pulled him out of her way. "I SAID get outta my way!"

She then quickly went to Silas' room next door and opened the door.

"Yes, Cap'n? she asked not even caring about the fact that he was naked. She didn't like the two naked women in his bed, but she said nothing.

Her loud voice made his teeth ache and his stomach lurch. He groaned and sat up and set his feet on the floor. Shore leave! You’d think he would learn not to drink so bloody much! He cursed himself. “Could you...ppplease not be so loud?” He asked in a pathetic voice with his face in his hands. “We were supposed to pick up the supplies!” He growled but not to her exactly. “Have ya seen Reggie?” He asked and looked up at her with one eye open. 

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A thin man in a white suit clapped and nearly screamed with excitement when he saw Emma. “Oh my lady Billingsley!” He said and stepped up to her. He kissed each cheek and then he held himself when he saw her dogs. “And you brought the babies! Oh I have special treats for them!” He said. “Come in please come in!” He said in a high pitched voice. He clapped loudly and three middle aged women stepped out from the back. 

“Martha, some tea and finger cakes for our guests...Irene, cancel this mornings appointments,” he said as he kissed Emilys and Helen’s hands and remarked as to how beautiful they all were. He invited them to sit down on the chais he had in the main sitting room as he got them tea and the cakes. “Now, what can I do for you my darlings?” He asked happily.

Nels wanted nothing more than to be back in bed at that moment, but she knew that wasn't going to be possible. When Silas mentioned the supplies they were supposed to get she groaned and sighed.

"Well it's not even mid-day yet...we still have time."

She then stepped out into the hallway. "Reggie, get some pants on and get in here."

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Emma smiled when she saw Reginald and enjoyed his reaction to seeing her. Her dogs barked happily at seeing him and wagged their tails uncontrollably as they practically danced around his feet. Emma took a seat on the chaise and laughed as both her little spaniels jumped up into Reginald's lap as soon as he sat down. She accepted a cup of tea and took a sip before answering his question.

"We are in need of dresses. Emily and Helen are to each get one and I need two...and a wedding dress."

“My pants!” He snapped and staggered up onto his feet.he didn't notice that Nels paused to look at him. Though she had seen him and 'it' before, close up she still liked to look at him. Many women did. He needed her help to balance and it was all she could do to focus when his member was right there close enough for her to reach out and take into her hand. Just before she could though Reggie rushed in and tripped on a bottle. He fell in the room right at their feet. He looked up at them and Nels flashed him a very dark look.one that promised violence when they were alone next. Reggie hadn’t seen it though and shook his head to clear his vision. 

“Reportin as commanded Cap’n!” Reggie said as he lay there looking up at them. 

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After a little catching up dresses of every color in the newest styles were paraded out for them. Boxes and boxes of hats and shoes and handbags. Reginald fed her dogs tiny sausages, where he suddenly got them remained a mystery he would not tell and pampered them as well as the women. It was the wedding dress that seemed to give Reginald a headache. He had shown her several but she didn't seem to like any of them. It was Helen that decided to say something to her. She leaned over to talk to her.

“Mon ami, I know what you do but you do not see. If you do not select a dress the choice will be taken from you,” she told her worriedly. “Not selecting one will change nothing Emma,” Emily said.

Nels grabbed hold of Silas to hold him up and steady as he began to put his pants on. While she knew she needed to focus, it was impossible for her not to sneak a peek at his member. She felt flush suddenly with desire and wanted to touch him. She slowly began to reach out her hand, but before she could do anything Reggie rushed in and promptly tripped over an empty bottle and fell at their feet. Nels glared at Reggie. Why did he have to screw everything up?! She sighed and shook her head as Silas buckled up his pants and she stepped away to allow herself a moment to cool down.

-------

Emma had no trouble at all picking out the first two dresses. One was going to be in yellow with long sleeves and a matching hat and shoes and the second was going to be a light blue. However, when it came to the wedding dress she seemed to lose interest. She viewed several without saying a word and some she didn't even look at at all. When Helen finally leaned over and spoke to her she sighed and looked at Reginald.

"Reginald, I'm going to let you just pick something for me. You have my measurements still I presume? Good. We should be meeting Father. He'll be cross that we took so long. These can be delivered to my father's estate once they are ready?"

Reginald smiled politely and agreed. Emily and Helen selected dresses for the wedding as well, in the color and style Emma wanted. All and all the women had a grand time, Emily especially and Reginald gave her a hat he had just got in from France as a wedding gift. He told her not to look at it and to wear it with something blue. 100 kisses and goodbyes later they were all out of the shop and waving goodbye to Reginald and her dogs seemed to want to go back and spend more time with him. Her father was on a bench under a large maple tree by the road near their coach. She noticed right away that he looked sad and he held his hat in his hands and fidgeted with it as if he were contemplating something quite unpleasant. He heard them come closer and stood. The footman opened the door for them, took her hat box and helped them all inside. It wasn’t long before the coach sped off.

Thomas didn’t like how Emma had tried to bait him earlier. he knew she didn't want the Duke as a husband but he also knew that young women were generally incapable of knowing what was best for them. Her dig at him hadn't been forgotten and he fully intended to address it now and his eyes shifted toward her angrily. “Did you find a suitable wedding dress?” He asked and before he could bait her further the coach experienced a hard jerk and everyone was tossed toward the front. Thomas caught Emma and Emily caught Helen.

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Reggie drove the cart that was pulled by a single mule. They were in a hurry as they were late in coming and the dockhands that were to help them unload all of this stuff had other ships to tend to. It would take a couple hours to get to the ship from there and they were all tired and hungover.

Emma bade Reginald goodbye and practically had to pull her dogs away as they were still wanting the sausage treats that he had been giving them. Finally, Emily, Helen, and herself along with her dogs exited the shop and headed towards their carriage. She spotted her father sitting alone on a bench and he seemed deep in thought. His brow was furled and as soon as he saw her he seemed to scowl. She took the footman's hand and followed her dogs into the carriage. She took her seat across from her father and could tell immediately that he had not forgotten about her comment earlier. She had been wondering when he might retaliate. When he asked about the wedding dress she sighed and was about to respond, but before she could the carriage jerked hard to a stop and Emma and Helen were thrown forward. Emma was unhurt and immediately stuck her head out of the carriage window to see what was going on.

"What's happened?" she yelled to the driver.

“I do say! Is everyone alright!?” Thomas asked at the same time. “A bloody cart pulled right out in front of us!” he replied as he got down. The coach seemed to lean at an angle now too. When the women nodded and settled back he first looked out his window as Emma did and then opened the door and got out.

A cart had pulled out in front of their coach and when it tried to turn to evade the collision its rear left wheel collided with their front right wheel. The cart and coach came to an immediate halt and already people began to gather. Several of their parcels had been tossed out onto the street and they saw Thomas ordering the footman and driver to collect them which they began to do. There were 3 people in the other cart they all saw as they looked out the windows. A very large man, bald but with a kind face. He was talking to one of the constabularies that had ran up to see if anyone had been hurt. There was also a woman in short khaki pants of all things. She wore a man's shirt and also carried a small sword. Her hair was blonde but cut very short. She was thin and fairly tall with tanned skin. Emma might think she could be pretty if in a dress but she was scowling at the officers who seemed to be focused on another man that was there.

Helen gasped and Emily smiled as they all gazed upon one of the handsomest men they had ever seen. No, not handsome, downright beautiful! His eyes were so...blue like the sky itself and he had long, blonde hair that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight like spun gold. It looked unkempt like his clothes, a white shirt open in the front to expose the clean, tanned, chiseled muscles of his stomach and black pants bloused inside his large black boots as if he had hastily put them on. He looked strong though, with broad, muscled shoulders and a well turned out calf.  He also had a lithe look about him and he moved like a cat that might be ready to spring in any direction.

“Stop drooling Emily!” Helen scolded. “You’d not know what to do with him anyway,” she said but didn’t look away. Emily sniffed loudly in annoyance but didn't spare a glance. Helen licked her lips and her eyes sparkled in a way that made it easy to tell what she was thinking. She hadn't been with a man in years and her chest heaved when his eyes passed by them, although briefly. Emma could swear that their eyes met but it was only for a moment. In that moment though she saw danger and passion in those eyes. And something more. Desire, for her and not the chaste kind that she was used to. His eyes promised something much more then that. The man was looking their way when one of the officers and Thomas had accosted him and to their surprise Thomas pushed him and the officer hit him in the back of the neck from behind. He fell to his knees and Thomas kicked him in the stomach as a man might a beggar who tried to pilfer his purse though the man never made a move. The woman that was there fingered her sword hilt and came up to him immediately and scowled at Thomas and the officer as she helped him up.

Emma's eyes scanned over the chaotic scene. It was clear that another cart had pulled out in front of them and they had collided. No one appeared to be hurt, but Emma was irritated at the annoyance of it all. Several of their parcels had been thrown off their coach during the collision, including the remainder of the invitations to her engagement ball. Emma first spotted a large, bald man who appeared to be talking to one of the constables. Next, her eyes scanned over a woman with very short, blonde hair who was wearing pants and a man's shirt! Emma was shocked by her entire appearance and could not believe she was wearing pants. However, her shock over the woman's pants faded when her eyes scanned over the last of the three from the cart that had struck them. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her entire life. He was tanned and muscular and her lips went dry as she looked at his bare chest. She could have sworn their eyes met for a brief moment and in that moment she felt desire unlike anything she had ever felt before. Both from him and from herself. She felt her cheeks flush and her heartbeat increase.

Suddenly, her father and the constable attacked this man and Emma gasped in surprise. She boldly stepped out of the carriage and looked at her father.

"He has done nothing wrong apart from causing us some minor inconvenience. Nothing worth beating him over."

Thomas was angry for several reasons. Most of which was how he had let this all happen. To his wife, his son and his daughter. He had failed everyone and there was no way out. No way out and he was a failure. Knowing that at least, Emma would be taken care of properly and want for nothing was something. He had liked Joaquin too and he was so happy that Emma was happy. And then that failed too when he died. He kicked the man on the ground once more then looked over at Emma halfway out of the coach.

“Get back in there girl!” he growled. And his eyes were fierce and angry. Helen pawed her her shoulder to get her to come back inside. The blonde woman got the man up and with the bald’s one help they drug him to their cart. Thomas moved back to the coach and pushed Emma back so he could get in. before she could protest he slapped her. Not hard but it was not intended to hurt her. It was intended to embarrass her and remind her of her place. “I’ll not hear your tongue again or you’ll get another,” he warned.

The coach was fixed quickly and when the last parcel was stowed they were off again and the three whose cart had hit them watched as they pulled away.

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“What the fuck Cap’n, I’d a carved that fancy up like a steak!” She growled as she looked him over. “An ave the others down on us? Oh, that’d be jus great Nels,” Reggie said. “Tssst!” Silas said, a sign for them to shut up and as he felt for something under his boot and he pulled it up to his face. It was a piece of paper folded and tied with a ribbon. It was dirty form the street but still legible. He opened it and read about the engagement party. He smiled as he thought a moment.

Silas was one who believed heavily in an eye for an eye. He didn’t deserve to be treated as he was and he wanted to pay the man back, this..Thomas? As he read, for how he had mistreated him. It must have been his daughter. The image of her face in the moment he saw her was burned into his mind. So young, so beautiful,” he thought. He looked up at Reggie.

“Does bale still have that black uniform?” he asked. Reggie scratched his cheek as he tried to remember. “I think so…” he began. “Good...good,” Silas said. “I’m goin to a party,” he said with a grin and the others looked at him like he was mad. “Lets get this cart moving, shall we?” he said and the three of them got to work.