A/N: So sorry to anyone reading this story on the regular, the last couple of weeks have been insane and my beta for this story is about to have a baby (like in the next 3-4 week). I'm going to try to get as much done as possible before that happens, and hope that things progress well.

Chapter 51

Once Mr Samuel had caught up to his brooding and bewildered brother, he did not dare breach the subject again, or any for that matter. Instead they walked along in silence toward the inn. They arrived just as the Black's were returning, without a word, but with a bow of greeting, Dean bound up the stairs and fled from being thrown into company at such a time as this.

"Are we to assume that the estate business did not go well?" Nicolas Black asked as he and his sisters were left on the street with the younger Winchester to wonder after such rudeness of greeting.

"Business with regards to the estate went very well, I assure you, and the guns were even better. But the other side of the family affairs did not go as well as we would have hoped. We have received information about the state of the crisis here in Whitby and my brother is overwhelmed at present about the severity of the situation. Come, let us away from the street and the civilian population for the privacy of the parlour, and I will give you the particulars, nay, the full account of the business dealings we recently encountered," Samuel responded while he ushered the Blacks in ahead of him.

After a long time spent in confidential conversation, the tale was told and Samuel stood, paced, and tried to make sense of the situation for himself and the family of hunters before him.

"And our colleagues wonder why we specialize primarily in the undead hordes, this is far too much drama for one man to handle," Nicholas Black spoke to lighten the mood but his voice was also filled with his own discontent for the situation. "I am sorry to say it, but I would not wish to be Dean at this moment."

"Nor I," Samuel said with a shake of his head. "The pressures of an eldest son in this society are great enough, add to it the terrors that we deal with outside of the public sphere."

"If that is the case, you must leave it to us," Isabella Black spoke as the urgency of the departure of the Winchester gentlemen and the Westbrook ladies was conveyed. "We are becoming very close with the ladies and the younger girls, we will be able to check them for signs of feeding, and if their mother knows what is good for them, she will send them along with you. We have also reached out to our parents and an invitation has been made to Mr Westbrook. We hope that they will go to our family to form an acquaintance there."

"Discreetly," Abigail warned.

"Indeed, sister, too true, but I fear that we may not be free of Musgrove, to add to your problems there is still that man to worry about," Isabella added.

"No indeed sister, he has some very blatant ideas and opinions, and the greatest of them is that Miss Anne Westbrook will be his wife before long. He may not let her go to Winchester Manor," Abigail continued.

"But Mr Westbrook will if she is to go with me," Dean spoke. He had heard the conversation as he approached but remained slightly out of sight until it suited him. "Mr Westbrook would never deny me and Mr Musgrove's fortune is nothing to mine. The company I keep and the elevation to a higher social sphere should be enough for the Westbrooks to put Musgrove in his place; a place that is decidedly below my own."

"Of course it does, he is a clergyman and you have several very lucrative businesses which amount to an insurmountable fortune, quite possibly the richest, unwed, gentleman in the land," Isabella stated. "But are you a king?"

"Judging by his looks, I would say my wealth is likely greater than Tepes' allure," Dean countered.

"But what is your title?" Abigail asked in defence of her sister. "That is what Isabella is alluding to, and those in general, mean more to gentlemen fathers than fortunes, so he may very well give his daughter over to Tepes."

"I doubt very much that Mr Winchester's fortune has not elevated him into a sphere were he had garnered the attention of our own Regent. It will not be long before he is summoned to court and a title will be bestowed upon him," Nicolas spoke to correct his sisters.

"Our very good Regent Prince knows of the family business and has been sworn to a secrecy that allows us to move within certain circles without the hinderance of obligations to the crown. Dean would have a title if it weren't for the privacy that we desire and had King George not been deemed unfit, he would have forced it upon us. Thankfully his situation and insanity was a result of a unfortunate run in with a rogue Djinn, which my brother saved him from. He has never fully recovered from the effects of that monster, but his son is aware and has withheld those honours for our own benefit, and he is in our debt," Samuel explained.

"Are you then a Marquess sir?" Abigail teased to lighten the mood.

"Not officially," Mr Winchester replied. "I would settle for something lesser title, a Baron perhaps, but only when I am too old to hunt anymore."

"Well that sort of information should settle the father indefinitely in your favour," Nicolas stated. "Then again, he is practically throwing his girls at you, at this point. He has many for you to choose from, and if I were him I would wonder why Anne seems to be the object of everyone attention at present. She is not the most beautiful, she is the eldest and edging ever closer to being an old maid. This is likely the most attention she has ever received."

"Brother that is too cruel," Abigail cried. "Anne Westbrook is a dear sweet young woman, with a strength of character that lends herself to many situations and company. She is headstrong, to be sure, and opinionated, but she is well bred, has very good manors, unless she is put out, and quite the superior creature in beauty to all of her sisters. Yes, Jane is very beautiful, but her personality is lacking and she is terribly shy. Anne Westbrook will make a fine wife for you, Mr Winchester."

"That I do not doubt. In the short time that I have known her she has proven to be very agreeable and open to so much. My doubts lie elsewhere," Dean confessed.

"And has Anne no say in the business?" Samuel asked. "We talk as if she is already yours."

"Too true, and she has already said she would not have me, through perhaps she was teasing me. I cannot say for certain," Dean said and began his pacing once more.

"Anne Westbrook with have no choice if the parents' minds are made up about the connection," Isabella responded. "You were admitted into their society, chosen by the parents, to court their daughters in the hopes that your methods are successful enough to win the chosen lady's affection without having to put the parents in a position to force the union. Your fortune is vast, your name well established and a title very likely to come your way in the future. Mr Winchester is the best catch, if they are smart about it."

"Indeed, and he was there first," Abigail said.

"Technically Musgrove was first, as a cousin," Nicolas said.

"She hates him and would never have him even if it were forced upon her," Dean said.

"And you know this why?" Isabella asked slyly.

"She told me," he responded darkly.

"In confidence with the young lady, why are we not surprised," Abigail asked and giggled.

"You know that I am, and that she is aware of the family business which plagues us and has put matrimony to the back of my mind," Dean countered.

"It is at the very forefront of you mind, and has been for some time. Imagine what it would do for your mental state if you simple married and got it out of the way. It would open you up to so much more of the business side of things and would effectively put it out of your mind all together. Get married, be done with it, move on to bigger concerns," Isabelle accused. "And now all you have to wonder after is how you will make it happen. But the wheels are already in motion, or you would not have been permitted into the lady's confidence. Her father simply would not allow it."

"No indeed, and yet he seems very pleased to encourage you," Abigail added.

"Why is it that gentlemen must ask a father for his permission to marry their daughters, do you think?" Isabella asked slyly. "Could it be because they have already made up their minds about it, or is it perhaps because the daughter in question is property to be married off? She belongs to the family, the patriarch, and a good match with a good name is better for business than the thought of love or affection."

The gentlemen in the room looked to one another quizzically but did not respond and turned their attentions to other places in the room out of embarrassment and understanding. It was the way of their society and had been for generations, but it was not openly admitted entirely among the gentlemen, and it was exactly what Anne had warned him about in their first honest conversation.

Anne Westbrook had been fighting the system for a great long time, and should she achieve it, would continue to do so for the rest of her life. But, alas, it was unlikely that she would ever win the battle, the odds at present were stacked against her and though her father likely hoped for a love to change her mind, it was not always the case.

"There you have it, you know that my sister is correct, so perhaps before this goes much further, you should find a moment to speak to Mr Westbrook in private on the matter and he will put an end to Musgrove and Tepes if he so chooses, and you will have saved Anne Westbrook from two very different kinds of treachery," Abigail said. "Thought, you may bring her misery in the end, happiness in matrimony is rarely achieved in normal circumstances, one where secrets preside over a gentleman's character. However, you have been honest with her, or more honest than most when it comes to entering into the marriage state, and so, perhaps happiness is within your grasp."

"Happiness for one man, can be different for another. Look at our father and very good mother," Nicolas stated in support of Mr Winchester.

"Our parents are the exception, mother was a hunter by birth and father was wealthy and a scrappy young man who took to the life very well indeed. When it is the woman who brings to the union the secret life, I believe that lends to the ease of the transition of the gentleman and an openness that is desired when forming a relationship. Father took to the idea, Mother was a warrior, and Castle Black had always been a fortress. It was a match made in heaven, I dare say, but I would need the angel or Mr Shurley to confirm my assumptions," Abigail retorted.

"Indeed, I agree with your reasoning dear sister," Nicolas gave in and relented.

"And now that we have Anne Westbrook well settled in our minds, the other daughters become the problem," Isabella said.

"That is not the problem. A son-in-law would be obligated to take care of the sisters of his wife," Abigail countered to her sister's nonsense, "and elevate them to his society, to pass along the good fortunes he has had in finding a wife. In short, it will be Mr Winchester's job, on behalf of Mr Westbrook, to find husbands for the rest of them."

"And which of you will let me out of my current occupation of protecting you?" Nicolas asked slyly. "For it is also an Eldest Son's job to protect the reputations of his beloved sisters until they have been married off. So who will be first, for I am prepared to give you up to the husband by your reasonings."

"You will have to wait and see brother," Isabella teased. "We are not the problem at present, the matrimony of Mr Winchester is our primary objective. And we have taken to it swimmingly, haven't we Abigail."

"It is indeed the most fun I have had in a good while," Abigail agreed. "I can see why mothers are so very prolific in this avenue of social life. It is a hunt, and a game, and almost addicting in the folly of it; however little is know of the gentleman, he is seen as the property of one or other of their daughter..."

"Next we set our sights on Mr Samuel and our dear brother," Isabella offered. "For Mr Winchester is as much as settled at this point."

"Before I have made up my mind to marry at all?" Dean asked indignantly.

"You've made up your mind," Isabella accused with a roll of her pretty eyes. "Or you would not protest so."

"In any case, we will judge the gathering at the Westbrooks when we return there tonight," Samuel said in defence of his brother.

"And if we are given the opportunity, Isabella and I will convince the Westbrook Matriarch that we are desperately in need of her daughters companionship on our visit to Winchester Manor, for I think it may be wise to put up one of us as a rival to Anne for your affections sir," Abigail spoke to change the subject.

"The folly continues," Isabella cried excitedly. "It would encourage a quick match if you seemed preoccupied with other ladies."

"Do as you please," Dean said with a sigh and relented. "But know that I am not amused by any of this."

"No indeed, it seems all rather frivolous, you girls should encourage Anne and not trying to take away from the establishment, or give hope to those gentlemen who are also vying for her affection," Nicolas stated.

"Yes, you are right brother," Isabella said. "We need to solidify the union. Abigail, our folly will have to wait."

"Oh but there are others follies to be had Isabella. I am not put out, I am determined to enjoy this evening and convince all of the Westbrook ladies that they simply must join us on our journey," Abigail spoke playfully. "We will rely on you, Samuel, to give us the particulars as to the entertainments and activities to befall us when we are come to your home. Pray, make it sound exciting and extravagant, but also appropriate for unmarried ladies."

"That is generally the work of my brother to sell our lifestyle," Samuel protested.

"Not tonight, tonight he will speak with Mr Westbrook alone and a serious courtship of Miss Anne must begin, for propriety sake," Nicolas stated. "The rest is up to you Samuel, for with Dean off the market, you and I are the next best thing and we must make it seem so to get them away from Tepes."

"Indeed, for they do have other daughter and Tepes, I dare say, would have any of the bloodline if he could," Isabella's speech became dark and portrayed the severity of the situation.

All manner of folly and teasing was gone, and the weight of the consequences were once again upon them all as a harsh, static, silence seemed to spread through he parlour and encapsulate each of the occupants there within.

"Very well," Samuel said after sharing a wordless communique with his silent brother who shrugged and gave up. "We will all play a part tonight."