Anna smiled as the motor drew to the outside of the house. Gwen called to her, hidden behind a snowbank before revealing herself to pelt the boys passing with snowballs. Giggling to herself Anna put a hand on John's arm.

They both stopped, realizing what she had done, and turned to one another. For a moment Anna wondered if a person could tip into the soul of another through just their eyes. But then his other hand covered hers and helped her from the motor.

Her feet hit the snow and she could feel it chill through her boots but as she looked down it melted around her feet. She frowned and then tipped her head up to see John inspecting the situation himself. Anna slipped her hand from his grip and nodded toward the house.

"It's best we go inside. My father'll be worried sick and he'll want to meet my rescuer."

"Are we going to mention the part where your being in danger was my fault?"

"I think we might want to consider leaving that out." Anna smiled as Gwen pelted toward her, thin legs flying in her mad dash to reach them. She almost skidded in the snow but Anna caught her, lifting the girl up to hold and then kissing all over her face. "Already making trouble for the poor Crawley boys I see."

"Robert and James were being absolute terrors to me." Gwen defended and pointed to the boys readying their own snowballs. "I thought I'd teach them a lesson."

"I'm sure you taught them well with an aim like yours." John commented, pursing his lips as he moved to investigate Gwen's base of operations and her supply. "But I think you need a longer arm."

"I won't get a longer arm until I'm older."

"Then I'll have to help you." John readied a snowball and peeked over the top of the barrier before landing a snowball right in the face of the taller of the two boys. "There, bullseye."

"I don't think it's fair if you help her." Anna let Gwen down and then held her hands over her head, calling out to the boys. "We call a truce while I pass through."

"Truce for the invalid!" The by not dusting snow off his face hollered and then ran over to them. "Are you coming for cocoa and gingersnaps for tea Anna?"

"I don't know," She crouched next to him, nodding at the other boy readying a snowball, "Is James there going to hit me with a snowball?"

"I think he's aiming for Gwen." The boy threw his arm toward a house whose tipped roofs just peeked over the trees that circled the large house in front of them. "But Rosamund's been hoping to show you her new dress for Christmas dinner and Mama's absolutely worried you'd take too ill to join her for the New Year's Eve ball this year."

"I wouldn't want to miss that." Anna offered her hand, "If you'll defend and protect me, Sir Robert, then I'll gladly visit your mother and sister this afternoon."

"It'd be my honor, Lady Anna." The smaller boy took her hand and Anna waved to John and Gwen.

"I think we should call the gave a truce and enjoy cocoa and gingersnaps at the Crawleys don't you?"

"No," Gwen readied a snowball and stood up to throw over the barrier, "Victory of death, no surrender!"

Before she could throw the snowball two hit her in rapid succession, knocking her back into John's arms. He laughed, righting her before raising his arms above his head and calling to the already prepared James, "I surrender."

"Traitor!" Gwen turned on him, dusting snow out of her coat, "You're never supposed to give up."

"I'm Irish, we've learned our lessons about fighting losing battles." John offered his arms to Gwen, "Might I carry the injured to hospital for treatment?"

Gwen lifted her arms above her head, "Alright, I accept your aid."

"Right then." John lifted her, adjusting her on his hip before joining Anna and her own protector, James joining them.

"Am I light or heavy?" Gwen poked at John's shoulder and Anna tried to hide her smile as John shrugged.

"I'd say you're not but a feather."

"You have to say that," Gwen huffed, holding around his neck, "You're Anna's boyfriend."

"Gwen!" Anna rounded on her, "He's a guest and you're supposed to treat them with respect."

"If he's your boyfriend then he's not a guest."

"Then I'm sorry to disappoint you," John cringed, "But I'm not Anna's boyfriend."

"Don't you want to be?"

John and Anna looked at one another, reaching the end of the walkway leading to a rather large and imposing door. "I'm sure I would but wouldn't that be up to her and not me?"

"I thought it was a mutual decision." Gwen sighed, "I guess it's always in the hands of the lady."

"Right you are." Anna wagged her finger at Gwen before knocking on the front door. "We're the ones who hold the real power here."

"She's right." John stage-whispered to Gwen. "Women hold all the power."

"Then she kidnapped you here?"

"I rather think I kidnapped her." John's smile fell almost immediately when the door opened to a man with a raised eyebrow and a drawn face.

"What's this about kidnapping?"

"I-" John stumbled for words so Anna swept in.

"Father this is Mr. John Bates, he was kind enough to drive me up here when the regular driver had difficulties."

"Would it have anything to do with the scuffle the Chief of Police called to inform me originated at my front door and apparently continued all the way to the river?"

"It might've done." Anna pointed to John, freeing her hand from Robert's smaller grip. "I was being accosted and he was the gentleman who saved me from an otherwise unmentionable fate."

"Unmentionable fate is it?"

"Quite unmentionable."

Her father pursed his lips, "Then inside with the three of you. Gwen, go up and change for tea at the Crawleys while these two boys scurry home to tell their mother and aunt we'll be there promptly at four o'clock."

"Yes sir." Robert and James snapped their mock salutes and dashed off into the snow.

"As for you," Anna's father turned to her, "I want you changed as best you're able and ready to take Gwen at four if you're feeling up to it."

"I've never felt better." Anna waited as John deposited Gwen on the stoop and then took her hand. "Anything else?"

"No," Her father turned all his attention to John. "I believe I need to discuss some things with your new friend, Mr. Bates here."

Anna cringed, shooting a look at John but he only swallowed and kept his gaze firmly locked on Anna's father. "Come on then Gwen, let's leave them to it."

"What'll happen to your boyfriend Anna?"

"Shhh," Anna hissed, hearing the strangled choke in her father's throat at the word, "He's not my boyfriend Gwen."

"But he-"

"No," Anna stopped Gwen's mouth with her hand, "We're not discussing this. We've got to be ready to visit with the Crawleys and we've almost no time at all."


John pulled at his collar, noting the scuffing on his shoes and the wearing in his coat as the butler helped him remove it. He hurried to pull the cuffs of his shirt down and then remembered the tears in the sleeves that had him rolling them up again. And when Mr. Smith motioned for him to follow toward the study it was all John could do to snap to attention and immediately obey.

They entered the room and John stood in the center, shuffling his weight from foot to foot while Mr. Smith mumbled something to the butler before closing the door. He turned to John and pointed to the other wingbacked chair set right before the fire while taking his own. John perched on the edge of the seat, clasping one hand in the other just to keep them occupied.

Mr. Smith rested an elbow on one arm and his fingers formed the perfect stand for his chin as one, slim finger lined up his cheek. This attitude of study had John wishing he could hide behind the large desk in the room or even bury himself under any of the cases holding their own deluge of books. Instead he fought to hold the man's gaze and breath as normally as he could in a room that scented of woodsmoke, brandy, and a faint cologne.

"So you're Anna's boyfriend?"

"No sir, I'm not."

"I know." Mr. Smith removed his chin from his hand to steeple his fingers between the armrests and move his chin there. "Anna never leaves the house so it would be impossible for her to meet you, regardless of whatever class you claim as your own."

"I don't claim a class, sir."

"None at all?" Mr. Smith made a 'hm' noise in his throat. "Everyone has a class, Mr. Bates, which means when you say you don't have one you're either lying about your station or it's because you don't know how to define your station so tell me, which is it?"

John waited a moment, "It's difficult to define your station, sir, when you've nothing to your name and no parents to give one to you. When you claim the people of the city as your family and they hail from all the strata what could you say for yourself?"

"You call the city your family?"

"I was found in a tiny boat that the people who live along the river fished out like the morning catch. I grew up on the streets and I learned the ways of the world there."

"And where did you learn your poetry of speech?" Mr. Smith shrugged, "You speak better than most of my journalists."

"I can read, sir, and the libraries and bookshops are free to browse as you like."

"Do you like reading?"

"When I've the time."

"And you don't often have the time?"

"It's difficult to find time for leisure when each moment needs your attention just to live, sir." John coughed, "No offense meant to your position or you collection here sir."

"If I took it as anything but your honest opinion I wouldn't be so calm." Mr. Smith rolled his shoulders back and dropped his arms to lay on the rests. "I'm going to ask you some questions and I insist on your honest answers. Moreover I demand the absolute truth. Don't elaborate, as the details are of no importance, but stop your tale if a neighbor, child, or servant enters the room. Be brief because I can't stand obfuscation or unnecessary elaboration."

John swallowed, "And your questions, sir?"

"Who are you? What do you do for a living? What is your relationship with Anna? Are you aware of her condition? What are you motivations, intentions, and desires? How did you meet her? And what do you know of those who caused her delay in traveling here?"

"My name is John Bates and I'm a thief."

"Thief?"

"Yes sir." John waited to see if Mr. Smith desired anything else and when a moment passed be continued. "I don't know what my relationship is with Anna as I only know I care for her so I don't know what name you put to that emotion beyond what it is. I'm aware that she suffers from consumption and she's got no time at all."

"She told you this?"

"She did."

"When?"

"When I first met her." John coughed, "I've no motivations beyond her happiness, no intentions except the same, and my desires are only to see her smile."

"You seem pure in those."

"I am sir. I have been since I met her in your house while I tried to rob it."

"Did you succeed?"

"I became a bit distracted sir, and so I didn't rob you at the time."

"Have you since?"

"I've been distracted from that goal and it's exchanged for another."

"What other?"

"Her safety and well-being." John darted his eyes to the floor to gather strength, "The well-being my actions almost endangered when those who caused her travel delays targeted her because of me."

"Because of you?"

"I've been having a bit of a disagreement with an old boss and she happened to notice I'd met your daughter. They targeted her to get to me."

"Did they harm her?"

"No sir, I got there before anything could happen."

Mr. Smith nodded, "So you were both the reason for her possible destruction and the means of her escape from the same?"

"I was sir, as much as you can call it that."

"I'll call it that." Mr. Smith pursed his lips, "As a thief, what do you hope to accomplish with her?"

John frowned, "I don't understand the question."

"I imagine disputes in your line of work are hard to settle without blood or limb and so I'm wondering if you belivee my daughter is the key to your salvation from your predicament."

"My troubles are challenging, yes sir, but they're my own. I wouldn't take a penny from you or her."

"Even though you were trying to rob my house?"

"I'm sure this won't mean anything but it wasn't personal." John shifted in his seat, "I needed to get out of town and yours wasn't the first house I tried to nick from to get me the funds I need."

"Just a stop on the way then?"

"Yes sir."

Mr. Smith laughed, "And you're wrong."

"About what, sir?"

"It does mean something to me that your presence in my house that day wasn't personal. I've got too many people chasing my tail for personal reasons that it's a breath of fresh air to have one person interested in something as simple as my money."

"It's my business, sir."

"Are you good at it?"

John smiled, "It's not prideful to say I am, though I admit I should be more ashamed to say it but I'm not."

Mr. Smith brought his hand and chin back to it's original pose, narrowing his eyes. "Then what's the best thing you've ever stolen Mr. Bates?"

"I'm beginning to think I haven't stolen it yet." John swallowed, "But, as a thief, I have to wonder if it'd be possible for me to steal just one life, to keep it back from the greedy hands of death."

"In my experience, no." Mr. Smith stood, "You'll accompany Anna and Gwen to the Crawleys for tea. I'm unfortunately going to be very busy here this afternoon with final deadlines arriving by constant telegram and phone."

"I'd be honored." John stood as well, shaking the offered hand. "Thank you, Mr. Smith."

"And you'll sleep in the guest wing." Mr. Smith led them to the door but stopped, holding up a finger in John's face. "There's two things you should know about the house, Mr. Bates. The first is that Anna sleeps in her tent on the roof."

"And the second thing, sir?"

"That you do not." Mr. Smith opened the doors, "Now, I think you need some new clothes or you'll never be ready to meet the Crawleys."


Anna paced in the hall until a small hand came down on hers. She jumped as the chill spread through her and sighed when she saw Gwen there. "Sorry, you startled me."

"You're going to make yourself hot and you need to stay cold."

"Then we'll wait outside." Anna took Gwen's hand, leading her off the porch once the smaller girl managed her coat, and sucked in the blistering air.

"Are you nervous Papa won't like your boyfriend?"

"Yes, I think I might be." Anna sighed, turning toward the side of the house where her father's study windows turned out toward the lake. "I want him to stay but it's all up to Papa."

"Would he stay in your tent with you?"

"According to your father, no." John came out the doors and Anna gave a sigh of relief. He opened his arms, "I think it's a bit of a tight fit but your father's old clothes seem almost made for me."

"You look rather dashing." Anna grinned at him, "What did my father say?"

"That you sleep on the roof, I do not, and he's like me to accompany you and Miss Gwen to the Crawleys for tea." John offered her his arm, "Shall we then?"

Anna slipped her arm through his, "I'd like that very much."