A/N: Thank you Ms. Grey (yes that's what I'm calling you) for my solo review. Honestly I don't know how much of a fan base this movie has yet, but I found the urge to write about it too irresistible. I hope you and the other seemingly anonymous readers enjoy this chapter as much as the first. As always, I'm grateful at least someone likes my writing. Till number three...

McFadden-

Chapter Two

The Earl arrived nearly an hour before call time just to wander around and observe this woman in her natural environment like she was the hunted. He saw her. She had her hair tied up into a bun displaying her long, smooth neck. The raunchiest thoughts passed through his mind as to what he could do to her while mo one was back there. Her movements were calmer than before and her pose so diminutive. She was humming a beautiful french tune to herself and he was enjoying the sound of it too much. He watched her a little while longer before he presented her with his hidden presence.

"You're boring me..."

John emerged from the shadows, yawning purposely as Kathryn's head snapped up in shock of the sudden outburst. When she saw just who it was, her eyes narrowed into deep, absinthe-colored slits.

"Imagine that...two things we have in common."

God...she didn't think he'd actually show! Her jaw clenched tight at she decided to ignore him. She jabbed the needle in the fabric and pulled the thread harshly. This just proved how easily his presence got under her skin. John smirked as he resumed watching her. Kathryn, too consumed by her loathing, failed to pay attention to where she was sewing and stabbed herself in her index finger. Although she did flinch initially, her only reaction was a quiet curse.

"Dammit..."

The blood beaded up as she smeared it gently and sighed, trying her best not to get it on the dress. John drew nearer and apprehensively looked and without thinking he spoke and grabbed her hand.

"Let me see it."

She instantly jerked her hand back and looked at him cruelly.

"I'm fine! It wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been in here."

He just grabbed her hand and jerked it forward, nearly causing her to lose her balance. Had she not thought better of it Kathryn would've slapped him for that. John just gave her a stern stare.

"Hold still and quit being so difficult I'm trying to help you."

Her voice was unusually cold as she spat harsh words back at him.

"I don't want you to touch me! There's no telling where you've been."

Normally he would've laughed and brushed it off if that had been said by anyone else but her. His reply was barbed and filled with spite.

"Oh if you only knew Love..."

It definitely wasn't an endearment and it was completely void of his usual amusement. He released her hands, throwing them out of his grasp and turned swiftly away. Kathryn just stood there in stunned silence. Maybe she had gone too far... When she looked down at her hands, she realized that her finger had stopped bleeding because of the tightness of the Earl's grip. Even the remnants of blood were gone. Kathryn groaned and rubbed her temples in frustration.

When he showed up that night, she thought, although begrudgingly, he looked less like a hunting scoundrel and more like a man. After their argument, she busied herself behind the curtain and tried to avoid being in view of the audience as much as she could. To put it bluntly, she was embarrassed that she had let her anger get the best of her. She always prided herself for her quick retorts but she also tried to uphold herself with grace. Tonight, she failed at that.

John saw her dashing about the stage, then down the steps leading to the side of the theater and he approached the orchestra pit to stop her. Arms laden with robes and dresses, Kathryn halted just in front of him. Her cheeks were burned pink and she hardly had the courage to meet his dark eyes. The Earl looked at her with his chin held high and a slight, non-evasive, half-smile on his lips. He turned once around.

"Does this please you?

His voice was softer now and at a loss of it earlier bravado or venom. Her eyes traveled down his choice of attire. He was dressed finely in a black waistcoat with gold buttons and a white poet's shirt. He wasn't being his showy self now, he was being polite. Kathryn's view drifted down his sleeves where a small blotch of red caught her eye. It was her blood, stained on his shirt. Her embarrassment flared again and he took notice and followed her gaze. She looked at him sheepishly, not believing what she was about to do.

"I'm sorry...a..about that."

John found her apology nothing short of genuine and sincere. It surprised him to see that she actually gave him one. He had not even expected her to stop when he approached her. For all he thought, she would run in the opposite direction just to get away from him. He shook his arm and hid away the cuff behind his back. Perhaps more appealing was why he had chosen not to stay angry with her

"No harm."

When he first laid eyes on her, he saw innoscence and nievety. He was quick to discover that though she was innocent, she wasn't nieve. In fact, if anything she was smart and perhaps defensive and he wanted to find out why. Now, thanks to their fight, he was a step closer in figuring out his mystery. The whole reason John even stayed backstage earlier that afternoon was because he was looking for someone who could not only stimulate his body, which was a nice consolation, but someone who also entertained him in all aspects. He knew that even as she cut him with words, that she was a kind woman. He could see it in her face. Anyone with an expression that fair, hadn't been brushed with angry lines that came with a cold heart. Just look at his mother and anyone would be able to tell the difference...

In all of his analyzing, she shifted from one foot to the other in the uncomfortable silence. He had been looking at her so strangely. Breaking from his thoughts, John smiled charmingly at her and lifted her hand to his mouth, kissing her pin-bruised fingertips. Kathryn was afraid she was starting to think he was a gentleman. Without another word, he began to turn and step away when she called him back.

"John?"

He faced her, secretly surprised he had heard her say his name again.

"Who gave you my name?"

He rested casually on his cane and opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted by another voice. Seeing the repulsed expression on Kathryn's face, he didn't even have to turn to see who it was.

"Sir...there you are."

He smiled knowingly to Kathryn, who now knew the answer to her own question and she rolled her eyes. She should've known. John turned to Alcock and stared sharply.

"Do you not see that I am in the middle of a conversation?"

"Sorry Sir, M'lady..."

Kathryn instantly noticed the difference of manner when her former nuisance was in the presence of his master and was surprised by the both of them. She saw a dignified air to the Earl that he didn't show before. Alcock continued to address him.

"Rose is waiting for you."

He gestured to John's opera box where a poorly and inappropriately dressed woman stood. By the way she looked and waved to John, she could tell that perhaps the woman had the pleasure of his more intimate company before. This upset Kathryn more than it disgusted her and she didn't exactly know why. She watched John's expression carefully and saw that it didn't hold the same interest as it did when he was looking at her. Knowing that little fact, quieted her suppressed anger. John turned his attention back to her and waved Alcock away. He bowed and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Don't leave..."

His eyes could've pinned her to the spot. What was the matter with her tonight! His breath danced across her face as he whispered, almost pleadingly.

"Stay, please... I'm sending her away and then I'll meet you backstage. My breath will only be spent for you."

He grinned and winked at her, then ran off. Kathryn had never been so flustered in her life! Her head hurt with all of these conflicting emotions Was this jealousy that was pricking her when she saw that other woman? She was so confused and disappointed with herself. The most sex-crazed man in England had asked her to wait for him. He was well known for his pretty words. He had spoken them to her and the sad thing was, is that she actually believed him for a moment.

John made his way up to Rose, who hung over the balcony with a clear view of her cleavage that repulsed him to no end.

"Keep leaning like that Rose and you'll fall right over the edge. You're far too heavy in the breast to be pulling stunts like that."

The small blonde woman looked at him with a laughter on her lips and glazed eyes.

"Who's the pretty Lark you've got down there Johnny? She's not really your taste. Too tall for you isn't she?"

Her mocking tone didn't settle right with him and he cast her a dangerous glance. She picked up on it and giggled wildly teetering all over the place.

"Oooh...Daddy's in love."

John turned his head, annoyed with looking at her anymore. His jaw flexed and relaxed again and again. He looked to Rose defiantly/

"I am not in love. If anything, it's mere infatuation."

Even saying that, he felt like he was selling himself short. He wanted a drink so badly! As if on a personal timer, Alcock walked up beside the both of them and Rose swung herself haphazardly on him. John reached in the pocket of his servants coat, hoping he remembered to put the hidden flask there. Lucky enough, he did and John wasted no time chugging down its entire contents.

"What's the matter Johnny Boy? My ol' cunny not good enough for you anymore? You need that virgin to rip open only to sew her back up again. Hey! I'll set she'd even give you the needle and thread!"

The Earl's eyes fired in rage. She had gone too far, and now he wished more than ever that Rose were a man, because right then, he would've killed her without a second thought. Alcock already pulled her away from him and was waiting for his word.

"Get her out of my sight."

Alcock nodded and hoisted her unstable body away as she continued to laugh mockingly, all the way out of the theater. John was fuming so much that he paced his box like a predatory tiger. He couldn't get to the backstage fast enough for his liking. He wanted to wipe the images of what Rose said out of his mind and replace it with visions and poetry. Walking behind the curtain, John only saw a handful of people, none of which were Kathryn and he was filled with anxiety. He pulled one of the actors aside and questioned him.

"Where's Kathryn?"

Momentarily off guard, the yong man shrunk away in John's hands. He was so intimidated that he fumbled terribly.

"Uh...She...She ran out of here like a bat out of hell crying about 10 minutes ago. "

The Earl sighed. Fuck! She must've seen the whole fiasco.

"Do you know where she lives?"

The young man looked at him skeptically and John restrained himself from shaking him, even though the boy was shaking enough as it was.

"She lives in the lodging on the edge of the cobblestoned main road."

John pushed the actor away, not even thanking him for his help. He knew the address and that's all that mattered. Leaving the theater and his servant behind, he took out on foot. He was going there before the night was through.