Will You Teach Me… ?

Hey everyone, I hope this chapter will be worth the wait! Now that Brianna and Stephen are married, the actual nightmare will begin. At least for one of them. The other is literally living the dream. Ahahah

Thanks Rath101, Weheartnoelle and LykkeF for your reviews. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this new episode !

Rath101: Roger is an absolute dick in this fiction and God it feels so good to have an ACTUAL REASON to hate him that much. Ahahah Stephen might even look like a gentleman in comparison (LOL). Now Bonnet has got what he wants, he'll be back to normal (at least what is normal for him: smug, calculating and yes… horribly charming. But at least, he tries. Hard.). Enjoy ;)

Weheartnoelle: we haven't seen the last of Roger MacKenzie, but his next appearance will be heartbreaking for Bree so, don't wish for that to happen too soon ahahah. She's been through enough for now. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter !

LykkeF: Jocasta is not desperate to the point of leaving River Run into the hands of some common Irish pirate. If he was a Scot, maybe… but an IRISHMAN. It is a disgrace. Lol. I was tempted for a moment to have Jocasta support this awful forced marriage but I think Jamie and Claire would murder her… xD As for Bonnet, pirates were not really into slavery at the time. They often took in runaway slaves in their crew because they treated every man as equal. So Bonnet might not keep that part of the estate… ;)

oOo

4. Stealing In The Name Of The Lord

Brianna left the Judge's office in a daze, still squeezing Jemmy to her chest. Behind her back, she could hear Bonnet and Forbes congratulating each other on the outcome of the trial, but couldn't find the strength to ask them to shut up. Her mind was obsessed with what would happen next: would Bonnet take her with him as soon as they got out of court? Definitely, for fear she might escape. Would they go straight to River Run? And if that was the case, what would happen to Aunt Jocasta, her butler Ulysses, Phaedre and all the household staff? Were they also Bonnet's property, just like her, Jemmy and the walls? Would she have to share his bed? The paragraph on wifely duties had been clear, but would she be able to endure it all without throwing herself off the roof? She wasn't sure.

In the hallway, her parents and Roger were pacing up and down, surrounded by suspicious guards. When they saw Brianna, Claire wanted to run towards her but she was held back by the soldiers, to whom she gave a venomous look. At the mere sight of her family, Brianna wanted to run down the hallway to meet them, but a firm arm held her roughly by the waist and she soon felt Bonnet's chest against her back.

"Let me-…Let us say goodbye…", she growled without even looking back. She knew it: if she met Bonnet's gaze even for a second, she would lose control and do something desperate. For the sake of her survival and sanity, he had to let her find some solace with her family. Slowly, the pressure of Bonnet's hand on her stomach lifted before disappearing completely. Brianna did not have to be told twice and ran to throw herself into her mother's arms, soon joined by Jamie.

"He gave me no choice…", she sobbed as her mother kissed her forehead, glaring at Bonnet across the hall.

"I know, Bree, I know… We'll find a solution… There must be a way to get you out of there…", Claire whispered. "At least in River Run, we know where you are… And in some way, it will feel a bit like home: Jemmy won't notice something's wrong…"

Brianna nodded, sniffling.

"We can still try tae escape, Bree…", Roger interjected, separating both women irritatingly. "On the other side of the stones, ye'll be safe."

"We'll never make it to the stones with coachloads of henchmen chasing us… And we still don't know if Jemmy can travel!", Brianna protested in a low voice.

"Jemmy... Jemmy... Jemmy, that's the only word ye know. What about me? Do ye even care? Humiliated in front of a whole courtroom because my hair and eyes are the wrong color? And now losing the woman I left everything for to bury myself here?"

"Roger…", Claire warned, threateningly. "That's enough." The young man was reacting just as when he had heard Brianna had been raped and was pregnant. Bringing everything back to him even if he wasn't the one who had suffered the most.

Brianna scowled through her tears. "Ooooh, humiliated because of your hair? Oh poor Roger, I wonder how you survived..."

"Brianna!"

Bonnet had just called her from the other end of the corridor and she took a deep breath, determined not to let Roger ruin her last precious moments with her parents.

"I'll find something…", she whispered again. "Anything that will bring him down for good. I don't know if we will be able to communicate, but if I need your help, I will let you know. I'll find a way."

"We will too, mo leannan…", Jamie whispered softly, stroking her head. Brianna was smiling sadly at him when Bonnet called her again, much louder this time.

"You should go before he…" Claire's voice broke and Bree saw her mother's lips quiver. "Jesus, I don't even want to imagine what this man could do to you…"

Brianna's face fell for a moment and when she spoke again, her voice was hoarse and gloomy. "Nothing he hasn't already done… He wanted to break me so that I would agree to his terms and he succeeded. But he forgot something…"

Her family stared at her expectantly as her first name echoed angrily through the hallway for the third time. But the anger in Bonnet's voice could only be matched by that in the young woman's eyes. "Now, I have got nothing else to lose. But he has."

~o~

As she realized it very quickly, Brianna's renewed bravery did not last long. Bonnet seemed furious that he had to raise his voice three times before she obeyed, but the presence of the Judge had forced him to keep calm. Outside the courthouse, a carriage with heavy velvet curtains was waiting for them and Brianna froze, terrified to be trapped with Bonnet in such a confined space. The pirate gently pushed her forward and she climbed up inside, snuggling in the opposite corner, with Jeremiah on her lap. Bonnet sat down on the opposite seat, soon followed by Forbes. Brianna wouldn't have admitted it under torture, but Forbes' presence would certainly keep Bonnet's wandering hands away from her and that thought was quite reassuring. But putting up with that traitor's face for hours, breathing the same oxygen, would still look like crossing the first circle of Hell.

"What is he doing here?", she spat as Forbes sat down next to Bonnet.

"River Run is on my way back to Cross Creek… And I need to talk to your aunt. As a friend, of course, not as her lawyer as she very recently decided not to call on my services anymore", Forbes replied with a smirk, while Bonnet let out a sarcastic laugh.

"You're just going there to gloat...", Brianna retorted, wincing with disgust.

Forbes smiled and nodded. "You are very astute... for a woman..." There was a jolt and the carriage set in motion, carrying its three passengers on a six-hour journey to River Run. "To be honest, I will only make sure that your aunt leaves the premises within the twenty-four hour period that has been granted to her."

"You can't... Where will she go? She's a blind old lady; you can't expect her to leave everything she knows all of a sudden?", Brianna exclaimed. Her only comfort so far had been the prospect of having her aunt by her side.

"Mr. Duncan Innes, whom she has just married, owns a large estate in Nova Scotia... The climate is quite different from North Carolina, but I am sure they will be very happy up there...", Forbes concluded with a mischievous smile.

"My aunt will never give up on River Run..."

Bonnet raised an elbow to wedge it against the carriage wall, and smirked. "Why d'you think we're followed by a whole battalion o' red coats, darlin'?"

With one hand, Brianna opened the curtain to her right and saw a bunch of English soldiers riding horses around their vehicle. She let the fabric fall, her face dark, and shrank a bit more into her seat.

"Your aunt has been dangling River Run under my nose for years… And then, you and your father appeared", Forbes said, this time more aggressively. "That's why I decided that if I couldn't have the plantation, she wouldn't have it either."

"I don't want to hear another word from you…", Brianna whispered, looking away. Tears were welling up in her eyes again and she refused to give Forbes the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"You should have thought twice before you-"

"Shut up!", she yelled, before he could finish his sentence. Jemmy, who was dozing against her breast, jumped and began to whimper. Brianna immediately began to rock him, overwhelmed with guilt. The child had already cried enough for today. "Oh no... Jem, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."

On the opposite seat, she saw Bonnet watch her curiously, fascinated by the way she comforted her son, and especially by the effectiveness of her caring gestures. Less than two minutes later, the boy was already drying his tears, before turning around, obviously looking for something.

"Wubby?", he asked Brianna, who began to search the carriage, wondering when she had last seen her old scarf.

"I… I don't know where it is, Jemmy…"

"I want my wubby!"

The poor child was exhausted – what could be more normal after what he had just been through – and the slightest contrariety would keep making him whine until he could get some sleep. Before he could throw a tantrum, Brianna raised a hand to her cleavage, usually covered by the same kind of scarf Jemmy used as a wubby… and remembered that she had decided not to wear any today because of the summer heat. Fuck…

"What does he want?", Bonnet asked, frowning.

"His w-… one of my scarves that he always carries around…", she said as the child fidgeted on her lap. Bonnet pointed a finger to his own neck, around which was tied a brand new white scarf, which looked much cleaner than the one Jemmy used to chew on. "That kind of scarf?"

Brianna narrowed her eyes. "Yes. Except mine doesn't smell like an old brothel."

Bonnet snorted and untied the scarf with one hand. "The boy's half-Irish. Shouldn't bother him too much…" He was about to hand Brianna his scarf, when he stopped and turned his calculating gaze towards the child. A gaze that smelled like trouble. "Jeremiah?"

The boy whirled around and stared curiously at Bonnet, before his eyes fell on a square of white fabric that vaguely looked like his wubby.

"I'm afraid you've lost your scarf, but until we find it, you can take mine…", Bonnet offered in an awfully… normal voice. So normal that it sounded weird to Brianna's ears, but not to Jemmy's, who immediately reached out towards the piece of fabric. It didn't exactly look, smell, or feel like his wubby, but it would be enough for now. He tried to grab it, but with a quick flick of his wrist, the Irishman took the scarf away and patted his own thighs. "Want to come sit on my lap?"

Brianna stiffened and Jeremiah turned to her with a questioning look. As the young woman did not make the slightest gesture indicating to her son that he could not go and get the new scarf – he really wanted something to chew on – he fidgeted again, so that Mama would understand he wanted to change seats.

"Everything will be fine, darlin'…", Bonnet whispered, looking straight into her eyes. "Everything will be perfectly fine."

Brianna felt Jemmy escape from her hands and watched in horror as the little boy went towards Bonnet, who sat him on his lap. Jemmy had never been a shy child. Whatever he did, wherever he was, he seemed to blindly trust anyone in his living space. And especially people who brought him gifts. Perched on Bonnet's thighs, the child immediately grabbed the scarf, placed it around his right thumb, and stuffed both into his mouth. The scent of this scarf was different, but new smells didn't bother him too much.

"What do you say, young man?", Forbes mocked, leaning over the child and pretending to scold him.

"'Ank you, Sir…", Jemmy replied, unaware of Brianna's murderous look.

"Please…", Bonnet cooed, smiling broadly. "Call me d-"

"Sir!", Brianna barked before he could finish. "Sir will be fine."

Bonnet bit his lip and leaned back against his seat, as Jemmy was making himself comfortable on his legs. Brianna could no longer bear the sight of her child so quickly conquered by the pirate and turned towards the carriage window, resting her chin on her palm. Her nose was stinging and she tried to take deep breaths so as not to cry again. Betrayed by my own flesh and blood.

"You're a reasonable lass, darlin'. And a clever one too. I know you need some... time to adapt, to get used to this new life." Even if Brianna did not take her eyes off the window, Bonnet knew she was all ears. "But if I were you, I'd cooperate, so as not to… disturb Jeremiah. It would pain me greatly if I had to write a letter to the Judge, telling him your behavior compromises our son's well-being. Do you understand…?"

Brianna's lower lip quivered and that seemed to be a sufficient answer for Bonnet, who nodded appreciatively. Three hours later, the coachman stopped his horses in a small village to let them drink and rest, while the passengers themselves satisfied some natural needs. This unexpected break allowed Brianna to get Jemmy back, and the boy eventually fell asleep against her for the rest of the journey. Unfortunately, he was still sucking on the pirate's scarf and Bree could not help but catch its scent of whiskey, cigars and a hint of sweat. But rather than panicking, she chose to take this opportunity to overcome her fear. She would have to smell him every day now, and if she lost her mind every time she breathed, her life would become a living Hell. I'm already in Hell… Hugging Jeremiah against her, she looked down and sniffed Bonnet's scent while trying to control her heartbeat. Get used to it. Control the fear. Those were the goals she had to achieve before they arrived in River Run. One victory at a time, this was how she would win this war.

When the coach stopped in the driveway, almost four hours later, Brianna had absorbed so much of Bonnet's scent that she hardly smelled it anymore. Jemmy had woken up a few minutes earlier and had abundantly drooled all over the Irishman's scarf, much to his mother's delight. But Bonnet made no move to take his garment back.

Forbes got out of the vehicle first, followed by Bonnet, who stood by the door expecting Brianna to accept his outstretched hand. But the young woman made a point of ignoring him and jumped out of the carriage, Jemmy on one arm, the other raising the front of her dress. Bonnet broke into a smirk but didn't insist, following the young woman down the gravel path. Realizing where he was, Jemmy fidgeted in her arms and Brianna had to let him go. The door to the house opened and a disheveled Phaedre appeared on the threshold.

"Phaed'!", Jemmy cried, running at full speed towards the maid. He hadn't seen her in three weeks, which was an eternity for a child his age, but his enthusiasm was just as intense as the distress you could read on the girl's face. A courier had been sent in the morning to notify Jocasta of the loss of her land, and he had probably arrived long before the carriage. Phaedre bent down to pick up Jemmy and hug him tightly, as she gave Brianna a sorry look over the child's shoulder. The young woman quickened her pace and whispered to her to take Jemmy to her bedroom upstairs. Phaedre nodded hastily and after one last terrified glance towards Bonnet, Forbes and the soldiers gathering around them, she whirled around and disappeared with the child into the house.

"Your property, Mr. Bonnet. Beautiful, isn't it?", Forbes trumpeted, as the new owner scanned the surroundings appreciatively. The pirate slowly approached Brianna on the front steps and nodded.

"I've always liked to surround meself with beautiful things...", he whispered, bringing his fingers to Brianna's chin. She pulled her head back just enough to stay out of reach and glared at him, hardly appreciating to be compared to an object.

Most likely to compensate for your ugly soul…?, she thought. But if she didn't want to lose Jemmy, she had to direct her anger at someone else. "And yet, you hang out with Forbes…", she hissed disdainfully.

The lawyer's expression darkened, but Bonnet's did just the opposite: smiling, he turned to his sidekick and raised an eyebrow. "I'd say Mr. Forbes is the exception that proves the rule."

Forbes' face at that very moment would have made Brianna chuckle if the circumstances had been less serious, and she just turned away to enter the house. Ulysses was waiting for them in the entrance hall, his angry eyes peering suspiciously at Bonnet. No one in the world loved Jocasta Cameron Innes more than her butler, and the old woman trusted him with her life, to the point that Brianna even suspected a forbidden affair between the two. He was her employee, but also a guiding hand wherever she went. He was the mouth that described what she could not see, her confidant and her dearest friend. Brianna couldn't even imagine how the man felt seeing a thief like Bonnet depriving his dear mistress of her lands and possessions.

Nothing had changed since her last visit and yet Brianna felt like she didn't recognize a thing. As if the many French windows no longer let in the radiant sun like they used to; as if the ceilings were lower and the walls closer together. Everything had become more suffocating, more distressing. On that sinister July 15, 1773, the Garden of Eden had become an open-air prison. Maybe it always has been and I just couldn't see it, she thought inwardly as a Black footman approached to take the visitors' jackets and other belongings.

"Mrs. Cameron is waiting for you in the living room, Mrs. MacKenzie…", Ulysses said to Brianna, his face expressing concern and compassion at the same time.

"It's Mrs. Bonnet now... Try to get it through your skull if you want to leave this house on your own two legs...", Bonnet grumbled, throwing his jacket in the butlers' arms as the African tried his hardest not to drop it to the ground and trample on it.

"Wh-… you're letting him go?", Brianna asked, surprised that he already wanted to part ways with one of the major components of the household staff.

Forbes seemed quite disappointed that his partner hadn't seized the opportunity to hurt the old bat even more by separating her from her most faithful friend. "Every decent house needs a butler... Why don't you keep him? He is your property, after all", he blurted out as Bree and Ulysses both gave him murderous looks.

"I'd ask you to replace him, Mr. Forbes, but welcoming people is not exactly your forte… You have other talents, though", Bonnet mocked, before getting as close as possible to Brianna, who immediately tensed. "Think of it as a favor, darlin'… I do you a favor, you do me a favor, and so on… The secret of a happy marriage…"

"You're doing a favor to the woman you just kicked out of her property, not me..."

"Hmm... What do you say?", the pirate retorted, leaning over her, in a perfect imitation of Forbes when he had scolded Jemmy for not thanking Bonnet quickly enough earlier.

Brianna narrowed her eyes and shook her head before heading to the living room. Sitting like a queen in her royal blue armchair adorned with embroidered flowers, Jocasta Cameron Innes was patiently waiting for them, her blank gaze staring at the ground. She didn't seem bothered in the least by the situation and as a good aristocrat, she even gave a slight smile when she heard Brianna's dress brushing the carpet. The latter almost ran to her great-aunt and took her wrinkled hand between her fingers.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…", Brianna breathed, tears threatening again. It was becoming an unpleasant habit.

"Dinna fash yerself, lass…", Jocasta said, patting Bree's hand. "Revenge is a dish best served cold. For noo, let Mr. Bonnit burn his tongue with this feast he was sae hungry for."

I wouldn't care about the feast if I wasn't the dessert myself…, Brianna thought, knowing that this argument would not move her aunt. She was from another era, when women married more often out of obligation than out of love, and when sex only had a reproductive role. She would certainly tell her to lie down, bite the bullet and let the man get it over with.

When the said man appeared in the living room, Brianna thanked the Heavens that her aunt was blind and could not see Bonnet looking appreciatively at the luxurious furniture. Jocasta must have heard the sound of the pirate's shoes in the room because she suddenly grabbed Brianna's arm and forced her to lean towards her.

"Go tae yer room and lock the duir until dinner. I will have him sleep in another room. Whatever he wants from ye, he wulnae get it taenight. Nae while I am in this house…", Jocasta whispered and if Brianna hadn't controlled herself she would have hugged the old woman. Without further ado, she left the room again under Bonnet's and Forbes' suspicious gaze.

"Mr. Bonnit...", Jocasta went on immediately so as not to give the pirate time to follow his young wife. "May I ask ye a question?"

The pirate immediately turned his attention away from Bree to the old woman he had just robbed blind. Literally. "Please do..."

"I was wondering what use could a man like yerself, a man... of the sea...", she began, her tone implying that Bonnet's natural environment was not the first thing she would have mentioned if she hadn't been a well-mannered lady, "…have for a plantation like River Run?"

"The sea is a treacherous place, where creatures prey upon one another. Every man combs to an age when the prospect of ownin' a comfortable home becombs more attractive than bravin' the ocean's perils. And of course, I needed a proper place to raise Jeremiah."

Jocasta let out a brief icy laugh and raised her eyebrows. "Of course. Dinnae think that the land is safer than the sea, though… It is teeming with snakes as, I am sure, ye will soon find out."

Bonnet's casual smile faded a little and his gaze turned cold, but he could not let any witness see him losing his temper in front of an old cripple.

"Perhaps you could tell me more about the snakes that live in this part o' North Carolina at dinner? After all, you only have one evenin' left to give me the benefit of your invaluable experience..."

"Unfortunately, I am afraid that this wulnae be enough… But sae be it. Ye should go and freshen up a bit, it seems tae me that yer men brought some of yer personal belongings in the afternuin...", the aristocrat said sharply. She then lifted her chin a little and raised her voice so that Ulysses, who was still stationed somewhere in the room, could hear her. "Ulysses, please lead Mr. Bonnit tae his room. Make sure he gets rid of that stench…" Stung by the accusation, the pirate was seizing the collar of his shirt under his leather waistcoat to sniff it, when his host chuckled: "Oh, my sincere apologies, Mr. Bonnit, this isnae ye: This nauseating reek is that of treachery. Guid evening, Mr. Forbes, I did nae hear ye come in…"

That was a lie of course, for her heightened sense of hearing would have recognized the lawyer's footsteps anywhere, and Forbes knew it. He stepped forward in a huff, increasingly annoyed by Brianna, her aunt and even Bonnet taking digs at him for the past few hours. "I have brought some documents for you to sign, Mrs. Innes. Once these formalities have been settled, you will have until noon tomorrow to leave the premises."

"How d'ye even live with yerself?", Jocasta asked, instantly losing the fake smile she had shown Bonnet until then.

Forbes gulped and his nostrils dilated slightly. But Bonnet could not enjoy the lawyer's retort as the butler invited him to follow him down the hall, then up the stairs. The Black man nodded discreetly at one of the footmen, who immediately went to stand in the living room, in order to keep an eye on Forbes. The house was huge and each hallway had countless doors, which Bonnet could not wait to open as soon as he would get the chance. There was noise coming from the end of the corridor, to the left of the staircase, as well as a voice that sounded like Brianna's, but Ulysses turned right and led him to the other end. Up to an empty room, except for a few trunks and a basin of clear water.

"I'm not sleepin' with my wife?", he asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Ulysses gave him a polite – but satisfied – smile and answered: "Not as long as Mrs. Cameron is under this roof, Sir."

Bonnet bit his lip. All these people were testing his limits, as if they were waiting for the slightest mistake to prove that he would never be part of their world. Despite his increasing anger, he forced a smile on his lips and straightened up, crossing his hands behind his back. "Good thing we'll be rid of her tomorrow, then."

With undisguised glee, he saw the butler's smile falter as he glared at him, before heading back downstairs. Left alone, the pirate stared at the other end of the corridor, where he had heard Brianna's voice. He felt the urge to go and find her, but restrained himself and closed his door with an annoyed sigh.

Across the corridor, Brianna was pacing up and down her room under Phaedre's sorry gaze, while Jemmy was playing with the toys they kept for him in River Run.

"I can't do this… I can't do this…", the young woman moaned in a low voice. "What the hell happened? This morning, I was still married to Roger and now here I am with... with..."

"Madam…"

"With the man who raped me! And who will certainly do it over and over again, until..."

Until when exactly? Until she found a way to escape and reach a stone circle – the closest being a couple of weeks' walk away – not even knowing if Jemmy could follow her? Until her family stormed the plantation and killed Bonnet, which would certainly earn them a one-way ticket to the scaffold? Or until she died? Taking her own life in despair? Her eyes fell on Jemmy, sitting on the carpet, and she bit her lower lip. No, suicide was not an option.

"He won't touch you tonight, Madam. Ulysses and Mrs. Cameron will see to that."

"One night's respite, Phaedre. And then, what? I won't be able to escape him forever!"

The maid lowered her nose, not knowing what to say to appease the young woman's torment. "Maybe with Jeremiah sleeping in your room…?"

"I don't want Jemmy sleeping in the same room as this lunatic…" As the young woman kept pacing like a caged lion, Phaedre gave up and walked over to the cupboard to pull out a suitable dress for dinner. She had just chosen a purple blue French summer dress with a square neckline and lace three-quarter sleeves, when Brianna suddenly froze. "Wait… What if Jemmy needs me in his room?"

"What do you mean?"

Brianna walked over to the young girl, her eyes wide. "If Jemmy is having a nightmare or starts crying for some reason, I will have to go and see him, right?"

"I guess..."

"What if he starts crying every night when we go to bed?"

Phaedre frowned, shaking her head. "A child does not cry on cue. Something or someone would have to…", said the maid before noticing Brianna's insisting gaze on her. "What... what exactly are you suggesting, Madam?"

"Every night, when Bonnet and I will go to bed, you could wake Jemmy up… with a scary little noise or… I don't know, you'll find something! That way, I'll have an excuse to leave Bonnet alone in our room. He will probably wait for a while and when he finally gets tired of waiting and comes looking for me, he'll find me asleep in Jemmy's bed. He won't dare to wake us up for fear Jem would cry again..."

The poor maid didn't seem too convinced by the plan, nor thrilled at the thought of scaring an adorable little boy in his sleep, but his mother was obviously losing her mind after a disastrous day. And she couldn't blame her. "It won't work forever, Madam… Mr. Bonnet will suspect something, or I'll get caught… And what about poor Jeremiah…"

Brianna buried her face in her palms, realizing her brain was getting out of control. She was so focused on her own fear that she was ready to sacrifice Jeremiah's well-being and imperil her maid just to delay the inevitable for a few nights.

"You are still breastfeeding Jeremiah, aren't you? You can tell Mr. Bonnet that he needs to be fed?"

Brianna sighed. She had stopped breastfeeding a few weeks earlier. The frugal, crop-dependent diet in Fraser's Ridge had forced her to breastfeed for three years in order to avoid any deficiency, but with the stress of the past few weeks and the hearty meals they were served in Wilmington, Jemmy had started to reject her breast and it had definitely dried up. Sometimes, the child would still crawl into her bed and nibble on her nipple during the night, as he used to do in the past, but it was more a pacifier than actual food. Brianna hadn't had the courage to break him of that habit, especially when Roger was gradually pulling away from his son, making him even more clingy with his mother.

"Not anymore…", she sighed, before turning away to take off her clothes and freshen up with the cold water and soap that Phaedre had brought to her room. At that moment, she would have loved to dive into a hot bath, filled with scented suds, drink a cold beer while listening to a Beatles LP. No more eighteenth century, no more sponge bathing, forced marriages and plantations full of slaves. Until now, she had enjoyed every minute of her time spent with her family, knowing that she would have to abandon them someday. But today, she almost regretted leaving Boston to save her parents. Renting that damn room in that damn tavern. Arguing with Roger. And everything else after that.

When she was clean, Phaedre helped her dry up, put on her dress and comb her hair, in deafening silence. The maid was running short of arguments to comfort her, and Brianna was beating herself up for every single decision she had made over the past four years. Even Jemmy was as quiet as a mouse. Phaedre had just finished combing her hair when someone knocked on the door, making both women jump. Jemmy, who was nibbling at Bonnet's scarf and nose-diving on his toys, flinched as well and looked up at the door. Phaedre turned the doorknob and almost cringed when she saw that their visitor was none other than the cause of all their problems.

Bonnet first saw Jeremiah, sitting on the floor with his new wubby and the child smiled, waving his hand to say hello. That kid would follow any pervert offering him candy after school…, Brianna growled internally as she stood up from her chair. The Irishman was smiling back at Jeremiah when her movement caught his eye, which began to gleam with lust. He had always been insanely attracted to her. The second he had seen her in the tavern, he had wanted her. And he had taken her. Then, he had forgotten all about her. Until that day when their paths had crossed again. With her pregnant belly, elegant cape and delicate jewelry, she had awakened his desire for a different kind of life. Far from muddy harbors, from questionable brothels. Away from the sea and jails of all sorts. A few months after that, he had decided to change. Change his social status, his activities, his customers, to go from rags to riches, climb up every rung of the social ladder. It had taken him over three years to get there, and countless intimidations, kickbacks, bribes and backstabbing. And all this for what? So that one day – and every blessed day after that – he could do this.

Raising one arm towards Brianna, he offered her his right hand, keeping the other propped up against his lower back. What was the wording now? Would you do me the honor of accompany me to dinner? Would you please come down to dinner on my arm? He had no idea and it was a bit frustrating to just stand there and say nothing, even if his outstretched hand was sufficiently clear. He thus decided to say the only inartificial thing that crossed his mind.

"You're beautiful, darlin'."

But the compliment did not bring any smile on the young woman's lips. Beautiful… That was the word he had used to describe her in Court. The reason why he had been interested in her in the tavern. Why he had taken her without her consent. Brianna stared at his outstretched hand for a few seconds, then turned to Phaedre.

"Don't worry, Madam, I'll take care of Jeremiah's dinner and put him to bed", the maid said before Brianna could even ask. The redhead nodded and tried to thank her with a smile, but to no avail. When she turned back to Bonnet, he was still waiting for her to take his hand and she knew he would never give up on this ridiculous idea. She considered for a moment to ignore him, as she had when getting out of the carriage, but something in Bonnet's green irises told her he would not let it pass twice. Shivering, she raised her left hand, but her arm kept jerking backwards, as if it was trying to escape against her will. It took nearly fifteen seconds before Brianna's fingers finally brushed against Bonnet's, but the man showed no signs of impatience. So much so that it was almost disturbing. But as soon as she rested her palm on his, he trapped it in his fingers and pulled her gently into the corridor, leading her to the dining room.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Poor Brianna is trying hard to delay the inevitable, but Bonnet might have learnt a lesson or two during these last four years… He has a plan to win Brianna's obedience – if not her heart – and the centerpiece of this plan is… her own son. And yes, this will drive Bree crazy. I hope you enjoyed Jocasta's retorts, there will be a lot more of these in the next chapter ! x)

Let me hear your thoughts and see you soon for chapter 5 !

Xérès