JAMES

After my discussion with the chemist I arrived home late. As I tried to open the door it didn't work.

"Brace got a carpenter to take down those boards and put up a new door." Adelina greeted me as I kicked the entrance in to finally get inside. "You should try a key next time." She added mockingly throwing the key to me. I could tell, she was still upset that I ordered her to come home.

I caught the piece of metal easily as she immediately turned back to continue helping Brace to clean the mess up.

"They've turned a few things over." Brace explained as they fixed a furniture the Crown's men ruined. "We should bill the King." He added.

"She's back, yes?" I asked him instead of an answer. I knew what I'm about to do would only piss Adelina more, so I wanted to get over with it fast.

"Aye." Brace nodded as I felt my sister's intense gaze on me.

"How does she seem?" I questioned Brace trying to ignore Lina. This was so not the time for that.

"The same." Adelina answered sharply, forcing my attention turning to her. "But then, she's an actress." She shrugged waiting for more explanation.

"You knew they were coming to take her, didn't you?" Brace asked since I remained silent. "All part of the plan."

"I have things to do." I declared starting to go upstairs.

"We're all just part of the plan, aren't we, sir?" He made one last desperate try to get some information.

"Buy her some flowers." I asked him.

"Flowers…" I've heard my sister's shocked voice from behind as I was already halfway up.

Please, forgive me, my little Lina for what's about to come!

"You said I'm a weakness." Miss Bow started as I entered. "I wasn't weak."

"I will fix that." I said noticing the cellar is leaking because of the rain. "I'll get Brace to fix that." I corrected myself.

"In the cell, I called you James" She continued not bothering with my promise. "I think that surprised them most. Certainly surprised me." She admitted it distantly. "If your intervention had been ten minutes later, I would have been raped. But the consequence for you was worth the risk to me, yes?" She questioned, but I guess she already knew the answer.

"You see me as I am." I opened my arms not denying it. "All of those that I gather are damned. It's just part of a company policy of mine." I added. "Perhaps now you will understand why it is better for you to leave and let this business run its course." I pointed it out for her.

"Is that why you let it happen?" She misread my intentions. "To teach me a lesson?"

"No. That was to teach the King a lesson. And the Company." I shook my head honestly. "But if you're absolutely resolute on staying then I may agree to incorporate you into the organization." I offered eventually as she took a few steps closer.

"Oh. Oh, I see." She said just as she just realized something important. "I've passed a test." She said smirking as our faces were only inches away.

"No."

Her perfume was strong and irritating for my senses as my mind instinctively wandered back to our kiss with Lina. She was so pure, so alluring… nothing like this woman in front of me.

"I will join the League of the Damned." She declared playfully glancing at my lips.

"A group of people who are drawn together, with a willingness to do exactly as I say." I said coldly not backing off.

"Is Adelina part of this group as well?" She asked still smirking sensing my weak point as we glared at each other. Adelina was off of the discussion, no business with her.

"First, I need you to bring me a trunk full of my father's belongings." I asked her for her first mission.

"I'm actually very tired, Mr. Delaney." She replied faking sleepiness. "Your conspiracies have made it a very tiring day." She explained as she took a few steps back. I guess that was all for today.

"I'll fix that." I ensured her again before I left her room. "Sleep on it."

ADELINA

Ever since that kiss, James started to act weird. Not that he never had issues, or things to do on his own, but this time he felt truly distant. Did I do something wrong? I couldn't recall anything though…

I wanted to talk to him this morning, but he already left when I woke up, so I decided to go to the hospital early. I just couldn't stay at home alone with my thoughts.

I went to the storeroom to check if we have enough bandages and disinfectants when someone entered the room closing the door cautiously behind himself. I turned around in surprise, I was sure, that no one else was here besides Dumbarton, but I left him at the office.

"James?" I asked in disbelief hurrying to support him as I noticed his condition. His face was covered by blood; a possible head-trauma. "Come on, sit." I ordered him forgetting completely for a moment that I was still mad at him. "Are you okay?" I questioned as I've already started to examine his injury.

"Yeah, it's nothing." He tried to calm my nerves.

It wasn't that bad indeed, there was a good chance I don't even need to stich it up… but I would see clearer when I cleaned it up. I quickly wetted some clothes to wipe the blood away.

"Thank you." James said quietly making me wince involuntary. I was so focused I didn't expect him to talk.

"Don't even mention." I said as my expression softened. "There you go." I started as I finally saw the situation. It was better than I dared to hope. The bleeding was coming from a relatively small wound. "I still need to use some disinfectant, but otherwise, you'll be fine." I told him getting the liquid I was talking about.

"Mhhm."

"What happened?" I asked finishing up with the process slowly gently caressing his forehead.

Silence. My heart sank in sorrow as I realized he's shutting me out. Again.

"Right." I nodded gulping hard. "The less I know is the better." I cited him bitterly as I pulled back my hand just like I'd have touched fire. I didn't feel like playing his games.

"Lina…" He whispered my name painfully as he grabbed my arm preventing me from turning away. I bit my lips to control my anger. He's not going to open up to me anytime soon. "You trust me?" He questioned that again, but this time it seemed like only a cheap excuse.

I scoffed in disbelief.

"Do you?" I snapped seriously without thinking. "Do you trust me?" I repeated it fiercely starring daggers at him. Yet again, no answer.

For a moment we held each other's gaze, then I disengaged my wrist and this time he let me go. I quickly turned away as I felt tears gathering in my eyes. Africa did change him.

"Adelina, can you…" Dumbarton opened the door unsuspectingly. "Oh, I didn't know Mr. Delaney is here." He stopped there frowning.

"He's about to leave." I suggested as James stood up without hesitation but for a second he lost his balance supporting himself on the wall. His head-trauma must've caused a minor concussion of the brain.

"You should escort him home, just for sure." The doctor said sensing James' weakness. I sighed tiredly, the last thing I wished was to stay alone with my brother, but eventually I realized Dumbarton is right.

We walked home beaten, in complete silence. None of us had anything to say, apparently.

"The lady asked me to wake her because she had a costume fitting." Brace informed James breaking the awkward silence we developed since we arrived home. Even our butler could tell something is wrong. "I guessed you wouldn't want her going out." He added pouring some tea for us.

"No, the lady is free to come and go as she pleases." James said sitting down on a chair in front of the fireplace. "The Crown will protect her from the Company. And the Company will protect her from the Crown." He explained it carelessly as he went through his post.

"And you are the joint in the seesaw." Brace made the conclusion.

"Mm."

"By the way, I found your red roses in the mud when I threw out the oyster shells." He said nervously noticing James' examining one of the envelopes.

"Who's this?" James questioned knowingly.

"Who the hell's what?" Brace asked back his tone telling he's hiding something.

"Brace, do not believe that I will not know when you reseal my letters." James told him not actually being angry.

"Countess Musgrove is, let me think, sir 1,550 places above you in the social hierarchy of London. Her husband is a little, fat German prick and she fucks..." He said then realized I'm also there and bit his tongue.

"You forgot to wake me." Miss Bow entered the kitchen too, but no one really cared about her presence as we continued our chat.

"Fucks what, Brace?" I asked him smirking against my terribly mood. He was kind of cute as he tried to protect my decency.

"Countess Musgrove has a reputation as a lady of uncertain origin, sir, who in the past used her beauty to beguile men of great influence, thereby improving her position in society. She also allows and even encourages the closed and turning waltz. A ball." He informed me as James frowned in confusion.

"And why would she invite a man who cannot dance?"

"Perhaps she likes oddities and curiosities." Miss Bow answered as she sat down on a bench.

"Or if she knows you're in the house in the light, you cannot be outside lurking in the garden in the dark scaring people." Brace added joining in. "There is another letter, sir." He then continued giving him another envelope. "Perhaps related to the first."

"This came from the same post?" My brother asked.

"Aye, sir. The Americans. Wanting a place on the seesaw." He nodded as I glimpsed at James's face. He seemed troubled for a moment but then his expression changed.

"Well, it is an invitation for two." He said and for a second he laid his eyes on me just to turn away almost immediately. "Miss Bow? Do you dance?" He asked leaving me almost agape. He can't… It must be a joke!

I examined him not wanting to believe any of that. That little actress? No freakin' way…

I knew he feels my gaze on him, just like I could tell him staring anytime, no matter how far, yet he ignored me completely still waiting on Miss Bow's answer.

I put down my cup of tea on the table with great force that it almost broke. I turned around leaving the room not being able to control myself anymore.

JAMES

All was settled and ready for my sign. I've talked to Helga about the girls and to Atticus about the robbery. It has to be a success. We needed that saltpeter for the gunpowder as Cholmondeley requested. Everything went to the plan, yet… I haven't seen Lina since that afternoon. She was extremely good at avoiding me.

I hurt her, I knew, but it was still better than letting the Crown or the East India play with her. I couldn't let her join the League of the Damned.

Miss Bow's arrival snapped me back from my thoughts. She put on a nice dress ad use more of that irritating perfume of hers. It was easy to tell: she dressed to impress.

"Come on." I said looking at her. I was exactly aware of what she was waiting for, but there was no way I would compliment her. It was pure business, nothing more between us.

"Posy for the lady?" Helga's girl approached me as Miss Bow was already sitting in the cab. I took it from her while handing her a pistol as it was agreed. "Much obliged, kind sir." She curtsied a little then left.

"For you." I gave the flowers to Miss Bow as I hopped in too. "There's other business afoot tonight, none of which concerns you." I warned her as we started to the ball.

"Miss Lorna Bow." We heard the doorman announcing us to the audience, but then he quickly corrected himself as my companion whispered to him. "Mrs. Lorna Delaney. And Mr. James Delaney."

"Judging by the horror on the faces of the ladies, you are known." Miss Bow leaned closer with a smirk.

"Yes, and judging by the shame on the face of some of the men, so are you." I snapped fast looking over the room.

"Oh, if only I had been a whore, I might have been as rich as Countess Musgrove, who I presume is that creature." She said as we both took a glass of champagne. Miss Bow beckoned to the way of the Countess, but right now I couldn't care less as I spotted someone esle. What the hell's happening?

Adelina…

I fastened my steps as I walked up to my sister. She was having a probably pretty entertaining conversation with Cholmondeley, since she giggle like a naïve lassie… Her expression froze however as she recognized me coming. Avoiding the open confrontation she fled out to the garden. Yet there was no escape.

"Why are you here?" I questioned her coldly grabbing her arm, lightly pushing her up to the wall.

"Because I was invited." She answered carelessly, holding her chin up not being threatened at all. She tried to disengage her arm, but I held her tight.

"By who?" I continued not letting her go. She only stared into my eyes for a second. In any other moment it would've been enough to melt my heart, but not now. The stake was high. Whoever invited her knew that I don't want her here. "By who?" I repeated myself getting impatient.

"The less you know is the better." She cited me eventually with a mocking smirk. I groaned in frustration as I pressed her a bit harder.

"Stop playing games, Adelina!" I raised my voice making her wince. "This whole thing is wrong. It is a bit unexpected that we were both invited, is it not?" I tried to reason with her now in a normal tone, but she just scoffed.

"I'm not the one playing games, James." She shook her head desperately leaving me speechless. "Kissing me then pushing me further away than you ever did… Did you just kiss me so it would hurt more when you got detached?" She asked with a faint voice as her eyes filled with tears.

My heart torn apart to shreds. Do you really think that?

"My little Lina…" I whispered her name as I cupped her face. I needed to keep her distant, but I've never meant to cause this much pain.

I pressed my forehead to hers as I sensed her scalding tears reaching my hands.

"I just try to spare you the trouble." I told her honestly, but I couldn't say more. Her cry got more intense for a moment then she hardened herself pushing me away.

"Then spare me from all of yourself." She spitted attempting to leave me alone, but I grabbed her forearm once more.

I pulled her close embracing her waist just like in the forest. Then before even thinking I kissed her again. Her lips felt salty from the tears, yet it was the sweetest thing I've ever tasted.

It was a bald move. Anyone could've seen us, but I wasn't able to resist her. I was doomed right at the moment I saw her in that dress.

She engaged in unconsciously, yet it didn't last long. After a short moment she forced herself to regain her presence tossing me aback.

She looked at me in disbelief then I felt a tough slap on my face.

"Don't ever…" She said her voice trembling.

I've got harder punches than this. Not only once. But fragile fingers burnt my skin unbearably. She was right.

"Now, amongst other things, I am a doctor and Adelina's companion today." I've heard a male voice behind and as I turned to see his face, I recognized Dumbarton. "And I'd say the lady is in danger of catching more than just a chill out here." He smiled kindly, suggesting that she should leave.

She smoothened her dress regaining control.

"See you inside?" She asked as she returned the smile to him.

" 'Course, my lady." He bowed a bit as Adelina left returning to the party.

I was too shocked to say a word as the doctor stepped closer to me.

"You're quite a prize, Mr. Delaney, quite a prize." He started as I gazed after Adelina's disappearing shadow. "I was told what you did to our first resort. Opened him up like a bull. Nice work." He said hinting about the man I killed not long ago. The one who hit me hard on the head so my sister had to treat me. "Now, I make no moral judgments. And besides, Carlsbad said to say that you can have her." He continued. Her? Did he meant Adelina? "You can have her as part of the deal. Part of our second offering. So why don't you just take her? Just take her with you." Yes, definitely. He's talking about my little Lina. "No more hiding. We can guarantee you safe passage, anonymity... new worlds." He explained as my heart pounded in my chest just by the thought of it. To be honest I craved nothing more than being together with her. "Let me just make the point... from an American point of view. Love is now part of the deal that we are offering over and above that which is on offer from your countrymen." He added making sure I understand him. "Hm?" He questioned since I was still staring into the darkness. "I'll leave that with you." He decided to let me some space as he went back to the ball, just as he promised to my Lina.