Chapter Eleven

Emma let out a gasp that Archie swallowed into his mouth and her eyes flew open. Heat swam through her blood mixing with the shock that held her rigid against him. Oh no, she thought. Good heavens, no! But her body seemed to be leaning towards him and her arms wanted to rise and touch some part of him. Him. Archie. Good lord, what was wrong with her?

His mouth moved slowly, his tongue tracing the inside of her lower lip while his hands rested on her shoulders before moving upwards to cup her face. Emma started at the warmth of his fingers. Sweet Lord, this was madness. Neither one of them were thinking clearly. Gratitude, that was all, Emma told herself. He was merely thankful for the book and this was his still fragile mind's way of expressing it. She refused to note that his mind was, while still in a state of depression, no longer in the confused state of dementia she had found him. She should stop him.

He would only become embarrassed.

How would they face Horatio when her husband rescued them?

Oh my.

Emma shivered against him. He was so very warm, she told herself, and she was so very lonely. Was it so very wrong to take this bit of comfort that she had missed so much?

Yes, it most certainly was! Archie was not her husband. Horatio was. And Horatio was the man she loved.

But Horatio was not here. May never come if he believed her dead. Of course, why would he think differently? She'd gone over in the storm and was lost to him.

She let out a whimper and felt her eyes burn with tears. The sound made Archie go still and he jerked away from her as if she'd burned him.

"Shit." He whispered, blinking as his eyes remained locked on her mouth. Then he raised his gaze to Emma and let out a whimper of his own. "Forgive me. My God. How could I do such a thing?"

"It's all right, Archie." Emma assured him, her voice still slightly breathless. She cleared her throat and tried to get a reign on her scattered emotions.

"No, it is most certainly not. I..I can't believe I did that, took advantage after what I've already done to--" Archie scrambled farther across his mattress as if he feared her, or perhaps himself.

"Don't. You must stop beating yourself up about that. I have already...there is nothing to forgive on that score and we must put that ugly moment behind us. This had nothing, nothing to do with...that." Emma insisted, wrapping her arms around herself, suddenly cold now that Archie's warmth had left her.

"Emma, this was inexcusable. Horatio would never--"

Emma met his eyes and her panic must have shown in her eyes because Archie stopped and shook his head.

"It was a mistake, nothing more. We won't speak of it again." He said, his voice thick. Archie closed his eyes and Emma felt a prick of...regret? No, sadness, she assured herself. Sympathy for Archie's discomfort was all it was.

"Would you read to me? I would like to learn about these stories that you've always held in such high esteem." Emma asked, wanting to desperately get back to when Archie always smiled at her and made her laugh. Where was that man and when would he return? Needless to say her attempt to cheer him up with the volume of Shakespeare had not gone quite as expected.

"Perhaps some other time. I'm rather tired." He replied tonelessly sliding down under the blanket, holding the book to his chest and turning away from her.

"Oh." Emma said, disappointed. "Of course. I'll leave you to rest for a little while." She spared him a final sad glance before walking out of the room.

She decided a walk might alleviate her melancholy. The warm sun was beginning to set, bringing with it the promise of a chilly night. Summer was ending. Good lord, a few more months and she'll have been here a full year.

"Horatio, please come find me. Please." She whispered softly, willing the words to somehow carry in the wind and touch her husband's heart. "Don't believe I'm dead. Come for me, my darling husband." Her eyes filled with tears and before she could stop herself, Emma was sobbing. She sat down on the ground, drew up her knees to her chest and sobbed into her arms. Sobbing out her frustration, hopelessness and grief. Emma was always one to hold herself composed, restraining the urge to dissolve into tears like some of the weak ladies she knew, but she surprised herself by feeling somewhat better after her crying fit. She sat against the prison wall and took in deep gulps of air, shivering slightly but turning her face towards the sun letting it warm her while she closed her eyes. Oddly, now that she had let go of her emotions in such a tidal wave, she felt...hopeful.

A flutter of yellowish white dangling in front of her eyes startled her. Emma reached up for the handkerchief just as it was pulled out of her grasp. She looked up in confusion and recognized one of Massaredo's guards. Julio? Javier? Something like that, Emma decided, trying to remember. He was a normally grumpy man, with a scowl seemingly pasted permanently on his face. Short and fat, with one missing tooth in the front among a row of decayed teeth. His full head of curly black hair looked like it hadn't seen a washbasin in a good many months...along with the rest of him if the stench emanating off his stained clothing was any indication.

He spoke...spit, Emma amended fighting a shudder of revulsion, something in Spanish. She had picked up a healthy understanding of the language but still liked to pretend she didn't understand the guards when she had to walk past them and they made lewd comments. The guard laughed and lowered the soiled handkerchief to her, again lifting it out of her reach when she lifted her hand to take it.

"Hardly amusing." Emma scowled as he laughed. A fat finger slid down the side of her face to her collar, making her gasp and jerk sideways. She gave him her fiercest glare, her stomach tightening uncomfortably. "Keep your fingers to yourself, Sir!" She quickly got to her feet.

He merely laughed and shouted something along the lines of, she'd better be nice to him and Spanish men being able to satisfy their women better than the English. Emma squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to walk away rather than give in to the urge to smack the lascivious grin off his bloated face.

"Javier!" Don Massaredo's booming voice carried from under the stone archway behind them. The Don angrily stormed towards them and informed the guard that while Emma was a prisoner and English she was still a lady and was to be treated with respect...and then she could only make out something about tongues.

"Thank you." Emma said, wishing for a nice warm bath to wash away the filthy guard's touch. Though he had only touched a small part of her, she felt entirely soiled.

"The prisoners are not the only ones who miss female company," Massaredo explained. He motioned for her to walk with him back to the stone archway that stood in front of the long corridor leading to the entrance of the building.

Emma clenched her teeth, ready to take her gratitude back.

"The behavior is inexcusable but understandable. I do not tolerate it and Javier will be justly punished if he behaves in that way again. In the future, I do not suggest you venture out on your own again. My men are good soldiers, but they are men first."

"Oh so I suppose should change my gender if I don't wish to stifle in the walls of your prison." She replied, annoyed. Then Emma's eyes widened as an idea came to her. "Or perhaps Archie could join me?"

Don Massaredo opened his mouth to protest but then closed it and seemed to be considering it.

"Please, he needs some fresh air and really how is he supposed to get better if he never gets any exercise?" Emma pressed watching him intently and hoping she could sway him. "He's in no condition to escape. I would just very much like the company of...well my husband, on my walks." Forgive me, Horatio, Emma thought.

"Hmm..." He crossed his arms over his chest and Emma bit her lip hopefully. The fact that he hadn't cut her off with a refusal was a very good sign. "Very well, I will allow this. But hear me well, Senora; cross me, attempt to escape and you shall both be punished, very severely."

Emma simply nodded vigorously and beamed, not even paying much mind to what ever else he was going on about. Archie would be able to come outside! He'd sit in the sun, walk with her, chat and exercise and he'd back to his old cheerful self in no time!

Emma tried not to skip back into the prison.

A.N:

ViperVixen33: I'd say Archie and Emma are safe for now. (laughs) Glad you're enjoying it so far!

Lady Rheena: Glad you enjoyed this so far! Hope you like this chapter. Poor Archie, he deserves some nookie.

Camreyn: Thankie for your lovely feedback. Yep, Archie and Emma are gonna do their best to help each other get over what happened. But you're right, Horry is never forgotten. (smiles) Hope you like this chapter!

Sweet A.K: Yep he kissed her! I liked Massaredo too except, yes, he made the Baby Crumpet cry and that is not nice! Yeah, but Shakespeare would definitely be Archie's first choice and it will lead to some nice steamy moments between these two. (winks) Conflict indeed! Oy vey. Hope you like this chapter!