Author's Note: I've done a bit of revision for this story which why it took a bit longer than usual. I put in a new piece of dialogue in the very first flashback from the first chapter while also changing Prince Of Wales name to something that fits more with her pseudonym POW. I also decided to remove the chapter names because I realized that I'm not very good with them. Anyway, sorry if I kept you waiting. Enjoy this new chapter.
Chapter Four
"Wait just a damn minute! You mean to tell me that the whole press conference was just an act?! Why the devil would you do such a thing?"
That night Patience came to Hood's house as promised, every bit as angry as she expected. Right now they were in the living room sharing a bottle of wine.
"This a reason why I did what I did today, Ollie."
"There damn well better be! Right after you made that announcement my phone exploded with phone calls from angry generals, admirals, and Parliament demanding to know what the hell was going on! I couldn't answer them because I myself had no idea!"
Hood held back a growl of frustration, "I know I've put everyone in a tight spot with this, but right now I need you to listen to me very carefully Patience, because you're the only one I can trust."
At the sound of her first name Patience's hard expression softened. Hood would only call her that when she was being dead serious.
"Okay, I'm listening," she said.
Hood took a quick sip, "Back at the hospital I left out one important detail. When I said that I saw our own troops being killed by the weapons I created, that was only half the truth."
She told her the same story she had told earlier, but she included one other detail.
"They had an entire arsenal of your weapons?" Patience couldn't believe it, "Are you certain?"
"Everywhere I looked my logo was on them."
She shook her head, "That's not possible."
"I know, which is why I wanted to talk to you," she took a deep breath, "Patience, we have a traitor in our mist. There's no way in hell those terrorists could have gotten all of those weapons by themselves. Either someone on our side is selling my weapons at a cheap price, or someone in my company is giving them away. I seriously believe it's the latter."
"Bloody hell," Patience refilled her glass, "Are there any other terrorists groups who have your weapons? I don't want to even want to think about being on the receiving end of one of those Jericho missiles. So you're saying that you shut down the weapons department to stall for time?"
"Yes," Hood confirmed, "If someone in my company is double dealing I need to find out who is it and fast."
"And how do you intend to do that? People are already saying that you're bedridden."
She looked at her, "That's where you come in."
"Me?" Patience blinked.
"Since I'll have to stay at home for a while I need you to be my eyes and ears."
"What about Patty? Can't she do that?"
Hood slowly shook her head, "Actually... I don't trust Patty right now."
Patience stared at her, "Why?"
"Thank about it, Ollie. Only a handful or people knew I was going to Scotland. You, Lance, Patty, and the board. But only you and Patty knew exactly where the weapons demo was going to be held. You remember that Patty was originally going to come with us, only to change her mind at the last minute?"
Patience's eyes went wide as she realized what Hood was saying.
"You don't... seriously believe... that Patty tried to have you killed? I mean, she's been like a mother to you."
"I know," Hood said solemnly, "I pray to God she's not somehow involved, for that would break my heart, but she is the vice president of the company. She would have the most to gain with my death. Plus, you know how she often jokes about how she wished she were me?"
"Yes, but... it's only just a joke, isn't it?"
"After what happened in Scotland, I'm not so sure. When it comes to Patty I can't rule out the possibility."
"Good God," Patience rubbed her head, "This is madness."
"There's one other thing I need to tell you about," Hood swirled her glass, "I'm about to start a new project, Ollie. Something really big. Very different."
"Is it for the military?" her friend looked hopeful, "Because if it is that would make both the brass and Parliament very happy."
"No, it's not."
She scowled, "Then what the devil is it for?"
"A countermeasure. In case I have to take matters into my own hands."
Patience narrowed her eyes, "This isn't a game, Samantha. You need to give me more than that."
A long moment passed as Hood finished her wine, "I can't give you the full details just yet, but I'll tell you this much. This new project, it's going to change a lot of things. I would like you to be a part of it."
Her friend hesitated before shaking her head, "No. The less I know the better. I got enough problems of my own right now," she finished her glass and stood, "I'll keep my eyes and ears open for anything suspicious, but I want you to promise me that you're not going to do anything rash."
"I'm not going anywhere, Ollie. I'll be staying right here."
"Well, make sure you do. What you really should be doing is getting your mind straight and getting back on track, otherwise you're going to end up losing far more than your company. As someone who looks up to you, I would hate to see that happen."
Hood smiled fondly at her, "You're really are a very loyal friend, Ollie. I'm very grateful to have you by my side."
Her friend smiled back before turning serious, "Whatever you're planning to do, be very careful Samantha. You're now Joseph Grieg's number one target."
"I will."
"Thanks for the wine. I'll see you later."
When Patience left Hood sat there alone for a while, thinking about everything she had done today. With that announcement she had begun a chain of events that she had to see all the way through. Time would only tell how it would all turn out in the end.
"Hood Industries! I got one recommendation! Ready? Ready?! Sell! Sell! Sell! Does the HMS Hood sound familiar? Abandon ship! Because we've been blown to smithereens by the big bad weapons mongrel Bismarck!"
Sitting alone in the lounge Lance growled as he watched a rerun of Jim Cramer, host of the American finance TV program Mad Money, make a fool of himself once again. It was morning and the news of Samantha Hood's sudden announcement regarding her company had now spread far and wide. The networks were having a field day with this story and some were even making fun of his boss by claiming she had gone raving mad, like Jim Cramer in his usual childish way.
"Let me show you the new Hood Industries business plan!" the man picked up a baseball bat and with one swing sent a coffee cup flying in pieces, "Look! That's a weapons company that doesn't make weapons! A powerful yet not so secure Hood is way over her-"
Lance turned off the TV, having heard enough.
"What an arsehole," he muttered and went back to his laptop.
Part of his job was to keep track and observe the media's perspective regarding the company, but he literally could not stand that man. However, he couldn't help but wonder himself if his boss really had gone mad.
What on Earth had caused her to make such a drastic decision? Granted, what she went through was horrible but she didn't have to hold her entire company responsible. It was just plain selfish no matter how you look at it. Surely she had to be aware of the criticism and backlash she was facing as a result.
It was still her company and ultimately it was her decision, but as her secretary it was Lance's job to make her aware of public opinion and to inform her about the state of her company. In regards to that he'd hope he would be able to change her stance about the future of Hood Industries, because right now they were facing a lot of heat both inside and out.
He switched over to his tablet, going over what the finance situation would be in the upcoming weeks. Already it did not look promising.
Then he heard something.
He stopped what he was doing and looked around. It was just him and Lady Hood in the mansion with her still sleeping in her bedroom. Assuming that it was a bird call, he went back to work. A moment later, however, he heard it again.
This time he froze. It was someone crying, the same kind of sound his sister would make when she had a nightmare. He shifted his body around and looked at the stairs down in the hall. It sounded as though it had come from the second floor.
When he heard the third time there was no doubt. Lady Hood was having a nightmare.
Without hesitating he stopped everything he was doing and sprinted upstairs.
At the top of the second floor was a long hallway containing several guestrooms. Lady Hood's room was at the very end and the first he saw was that her door was partially open. That alone was unusual for she always locked her door whenever she was sleeping or drawing. He quickly made his way over and knocked softly.
"Miss Hood?" he called just loud enough for her to hear, "Are you okay?"
At first there was no response, that is until he heard the sound of heavy breathing. Then he heard cry out again.
"Miss Hood?" he said one more time before he warned, "I'm coming in!"
He opened the door further-and froze. Just as he feared, he found Lady Hood in her bed, her body locked in the throes of a nightmare. Her head was twisting back and forth and even at a distance he could see that her face was twisted with fear and pain. He was by her side in an instant.
"No... No!" she cried, her brow wet with sweat.
Unable to bear seeing her suffer like this he grabbed her shoulders and shook as gently as he could.
"Miss Hood!" he called out to her, "Wake up! It's alright!"
Her head shook violently and she tried to push him away, "No! Get away from me!"
Smothering a curse he tried again, "Miss Hood! Miss Hood! Samantha!"
At the sound of her first name her eyes snapped open. The blue orbs he knew so well were wide, distant, and filled with fear. He was the first thing she saw and she screamed, grabbing his hands to try and pry them away.
"Samantha!" he said again, not letting go, "It's alright! It's me! It's Lance!"
He words seemed to reach her for she suddenly stopped struggling. Her breathing slowed down and the dimness faded from her eyes. Not once did she blink. She stared right at him and to Lance it felt like he was watching her soul return to her body.
"L-Lance?" she gasped several times, "Is that... is that you?"
He bobbed his head, rubbing her shoulders, "It's me, Miss Hood. I'm here. You're safe."
Her breathing finally slowed and she looked around, still a little bit dazed.
"Where am I?" she asked innocently.
"In your room, at your home in Dover."
Eventually she realized that she really was in her room and she let go on his hands. After a minute she looked at him again.
"Was I... did I..."
He nodded, "You were having a nightmare."
He let go of her shoulders and stepped back. With a great sigh her face fell into her hands and she drew her knees up. Lance pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. He watched quietly as she wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked back and forth.
"I can't believe it," she breathed before letting out a sob.
Unable to help himself he reached over and rubbed her back. She made no protest and for several minutes she sat there softly crying.
He was again reminded of his sister. It was just like this whenever she had a nightmare. She would spend several minutes rocking back and forth while he stayed by her side until he was certain she was well again. To see the great Samantha Hood, a woman he admired and who lived her life freely without a care in the world, reduced to this was heartbreaking. Whatever happened to her in Scotland had changed her forever. He never expected to see her so... vulnerable like this.
Eventually her crying seized and she turned her head to look at him with puffy red eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
She looked so much like a frightened little girl, just like his sister.
"Hold me for a moment," she begged, "Please."
He didn't hesitate and moved from his chair. Sitting on the edge of her bed she shifted closer and wrapped her arms around him. His arms came around her shoulders and he held her somewhat tightly while she placed her head on his shoulder. For several minutes they sat like this silence. Her body was still trembling a little and he ran his head up and down her back. As they sat he looked around the room.
He'd only been here a handful of times, usually when he had to meet with her while she having breakfast in bed. Unlike the rest of the mansion Lady Hood's own room was made in Victorian era style. The walls were deep blue with gold flower patterns, the floor made of pure white carpet, and thick white curtains that also had gold flower patterns covered the windows. Her king-sized bed matched that of her room. A thick blue cover over white sheets and white pillows trimmed with gold.
His lips lifted a little. Blue had always been Lady Hood's favorite color and her elegantly designed room showed it. It was a room that belonged to a queen.
He felt her head stir and he looked down. She lifted her eyes to him and he felt his heart stop. That fathomless sapphire eyes were looking at him, begging him, to do... something. All of a sudden he wanted to touch her beautiful face, to wipe the wetness from her eyes, to lean down and...
No!
He couldn't do such a thing. She was his boss and he was her secretary. To do such a thing, to give in to his sudden urges like that was simply unacceptable. If he did it would change their relationship forever, not to mention her reputation. He wouldn't take advantage of her like this.
"Are you okay?" he asked again.
He saw a hint of disappointment in her eyes, but it quickly went away.
"Yes," she said, "I'm all right now."
She let go of him and he went back his chair, grateful to put a little distance between.
"Do you want to tell me about it? What your dream was?"
She shook her head, "I rather not, and I would prefer it if you didn't tell anyone about this either."
He nodded, "Very well. Would you like anything? Some tea perhaps?"
She shook her again, "I think I would like to sleep a little more."
"As you wish."
He started to rise from his chair when she suddenly grabbed his hand.
"Can you... stay with me? Please?" she pleaded, "Just in case..."
The way she looked at him made him realize that he couldn't refuse.
"Sure," he said before gesturing to the door, "Just let me get my things first. I still have to work after all."
To his relief she smiled and released his hand.
"I'll wait," she agreed.
When he returned with his tablet, laptop, and portfolio his boss had laid back down but as promised she waited for his return. When he looked at her again after settling down, he saw that she had fallen right back asleep. For a while he stared her face, watching her rest peacefully, before he shook himself and got back to work.
Just like before Hood had another dream, and just like before this one was different.
In the ruins of an abandoned cottage at the cliffs of Dover there were the sounds of wooden swords clashing. Hood was training her two apprentices, Renown and Repulse, how to properly fight with a sword.
Both ship-girls would take turns fighting her, sometimes doing it together, but no matter what they did they could not land a single hit on their teacher. Hood was far more skilled and experienced. She was easily able to counter their attacks with parries, blocks, and dodges.
Renown eventually decided to take a break. She sat down on a stone and watched her sister-ship Repulse continue to attack. Hood let her while she retreated, allowing Repulse to build her confidence before she went on the offensive. Repulse was unprepared for the sudden aggressiveness and within moments she was barely able to defend herself.
Hood drove her to the top of the steps, eventually cornering her, but instead of pressing the attack she backed down. Repulse blinked in surprise, looking at her curiously, before she attacked. Hood easily parried and thrust. Repulse just manged to catch the wooden blade and push it away.
"Never hesitate," Hood reminded with a grin.
Repulse spun around tried to press the attack, but once again Hood easily countered her and prodded the younger ship-girl's stomach with the tip. The two went back at it and this time Hood knocked Repulse downed. The battlecruiser was unfazed and got right back up, swinging her sword around in graceful arcs.
"Fancy swordplay," she noted before they engaged again.
"Nervous?" Repulse asked at one point.
"Petrified!" Hood sarcastically returned a few swings later.
They kept at it until Hood cornered her again by placing against Repulse's neck, but with one minor difference.
"You told me never to change sword hands," Repulse said with a pout, indicating to Hood's blade being in her left instead of her natural right.
"Yes," she admitted, "but once you've learned how to master the sword, you won't be taking any orders from me."
She disengaged, ready to go for another bout, when Renown suddenly called her name. She turned to see her other apprentice looking towards the sea.
"Someone's coming," she announced, "I think it's Prince Of Wales, along with her escort."
Tucking her blade under her arm Hood went to where Renown was with Repulse following. She looked to where Renown was pointing and saw a figure in red gliding over the ocean down below towards them, escorted by by four ship-girl destroyers. Winking at Renown she activated her rigging and summoned one of of her turrets. The two other battlecruisers covered their ears as Hood raised her cannons and fired.
Prince Of Wales heard the shots sail over her head before landing in the sea twenty yards to her left. Her escorts were startled by Wales only grinned. It was just like Hood to greet her by firing a shot across her bow. She told her escorts to wait on the beach before she flying up to the top of cliff.
Prince Of Wales was a fairly new ship-girl, being the second of the King George V-class battleship. Hood had been present at her launch and the two quickly became friends. At the moment her rig unit was still in development so for the time being she was only using her jet pack and water skates. She found Hood waiting for her at the top, her wooden sword cradled in her arms.
"Your reputation for hospitality is fast becoming legend!" Wales grinned before greeting the others, "Hello, Renown."
"Hello, Wales," Renown bobbed her head in returned.
The battleship noticed the other battlecruiser, "And who is this?"
"My sister ship, Repulse," Renown introduced, "Newly recommissioned."
"Greetings," Wales shook her hand, "Welcome back to the Royal Navy."
"Thank you," Repulse smiled proudly, "I hope to be of great service to Her Majesty."
"I'm sure you will. After all..." Wales grinned at Hood, "you're being taught by the best. Learning from the Mighty Hood herself! Many would kill for the honor."
Hood smiled, but she wasn't amused. She knew Wales hadn't come here for a chat.
"Have you come at The Queen's request?" she asked, getting straight to the point.
Wales's smile disappeared and she looked uncomfortable. She rubbed her chin as she contemplated what to say.
"We need to talk," she gestured Hood to follow.
The famous battlecruiser told her apprentices to continue practicing by themselves before following Wales to a more secluded spot.
"Let me guess," she began, "The Queen wants me to fight in Algiers along with my Iron Maidens."
Wales had to be impressed by her intelligence.
"In a word, yes," she admitted.
Hood rolled her eyes and shook her head, "Then you already know what my answer is. I will not fight for her, even if she orders it."
"I'm not asking you to fight for her," said Wales, "I'm asking to fight for the Royal Navy."
"Why? Because the Sirens are gone and we need somebody to fight against otherwise our existence is meaningless?"
Wales sighed heavily, "Hood, there is far more going on here."
"The Iris Libre isn't a threat and she damn well knows it. Neither Iron Blood or Sardenga have the means to supply them or the needs to use them."
"They have insulted England-"
Hood held up a finger, "They insulted The Queen, a spoiled brat who can't take no for an answer. Why should I fight for someone who has no honor?"
"You're the leader of the Royal Navy, my friend," Wales reminded.
"Am I?" Hood scoffed at that, "Is that all I'm good for? To be The Queen's lapdog?"
"Hood..." Wales took a moment to gather her thoughts, "We cannot take the chance of Iris Libre siding with the Crimson Axis."
"And you think that attacking them without provocation is a grand idea? That it will dissuade them from choosing their side? Come now, Wales. You know as well as I do this is nothing more than The Queen throwing a temper tantrum. She wants revenge by starting a war against a nation, who again poses no threat, simply because they hurt her ego. She has no right to dictate them. They're not her ships and yet she wants them to be. I won't be remembered as a tyrant's servant."
"She is still our Queen whether you like her or not," Wales took a moment to calm herself before continuing, "When the order comes, and it will, we will go. We, the Royal Navy, want you with us. With you and your Iron Maidens by your side we have a better chance of ending this quickly. You know this. If you don't come many of our ship-girls will be lost, and if Iron Blood should attack us then we will stand no chance against them. Even you won't be able to take them on on your own. Forget The Queen. Fight for us. We'll be lot happier if you do."
Hood went silent as she considered her words.
"Even if you don't come," Wales gestured to her two apprentices, "who's to say they won't? They look up to you, as does the rest of the Royal Navy. How do you think they will feel if you're not there? Do you want to send them to their deaths? We're expecting to face Dunkerque the moment we arrive and if she's as good of a fighter as they say I would much rather have you there to deal with her. I'll be honest with you. I don't support this any more than you do, but we have a duty and we have to obey. I told you Hood, there's a lot more at stake here than just you. Don't let everyone down."
She seemed to have gotten through to Hood, for the famous battlecruiser bit her lip as she stepped away and looked towards the ocean.
"Give me some time to think it over," she said, not looking at her.
Wales nodded. It was the best she could hope for.
"Don't take too long," she warned, "We expect the order to come very soon."
When she opened her eyes she laid there staring at nothingness for a while, her thoughts going over the names she never heard of before. Or had she? Iron Blood, Sardegna, Iris Libre, Dunkerque, Crimson Axis, The Queen, the Sirens. Just what were these things and why did it all seem so familiar?
The sound of a something rattling disrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see her secretary sitting in a chair a fair distance from her bed, a tea cup in his hand and frowning over his tablet.
For a moment she frowned. Why was Lance in her room? Then she remembered.
That's right, she had nightmare earlier and he had come to her rescue. It had been first dream she had when she had been killed by Bismarck and fell into the ocean, where she saw those monstrous black creatures with glowing yellow eyes coming down to drag her to the depths. Lance probably assumed that she had been dreaming about her kidnapping. Perhaps in time she could tell him, but for now...
Lance hadn't noticed she was awake. He was deeply engrossed with his work.
Hood smiled. He always had been a diligent worker. He never let anything distract him. It'd been the biggest reason why she hired him. When she first looked for a secretary she'd intended to hire a woman, but when she saw Lance's application something about him peaked her curiosity. On a hunch she brought him in for an interview based on that curiosity, and instead became very impressed.
Lance was someone who didn't like to fool around. He got straight to the point and always voiced his opinion regardless if they were heard or not. He wasn't at all bothered by the fact she was a British icon, nor did he seem to care. His entire focus was making sure that he was doing his job and doing it correctly. Now that she thought it about it not once had he ever requested a day off. He only did whenever she told him to.
The thing that impressed her the most, however, was his ability to put up with her nonsense. With her carefree lifestyle Hood knew right away she would need a secretary who had the patience of a saint and Lance filled that requirement flawlessly. While he did often criticize her lifestyle, not once had he tried to overstep his bounds. He still respected her decisions even when he entirely disagreed with it.
A lesser secretary would have quit by now, but Lance had stuck with it this entire time. Granted, it was a good paying job and he took it with stride, but not once had he ever asked for a raise or make any unreasonable demands. He seemed to be perfectly content with the way his job was now. However, Hood wondered if there was more to it than that. Could it be that Lance...
She instantly shook the thought away. Lance didn't feel that way about her. He was too professional and she was well out of his league. Both of them knew it.
As she looked at him she couldn't but notice just how handsome he really was. His appearance often made reminded her of Commander Data from Star Trek, without all the makeup of course. Lance also wore glasses when he worked, giving him a nerdy appearance. A nerdy Commander Data. She almost laughed at the thought.
Lance had a boyish face, a large straight nose, and his thick brown hair was swept back. Just like Commander Data. He even sounded like him at times, just with a British accent. He was also fairly tall. Six feet, perhaps an inch or so over, and he was surprisingly well built. He had taken his suit jacket off and draped it over the back of his chair so Hood was able to get a good look at his well formed shoulders.
She knew that he jogged almost every morning and was a regular at the gym so she was happy that he kept himself in shape and wasn't lazy like some secretaries tend to be because they were paid well. He also didn't spend money recklessly like she did. He would go to social events whenever he was invited but he didn't like to gamble or go to parties by himself. Hood didn't know what his hobbies were, but she was curious what he did do in his spare time.
He took a sip from his tea before turning slightly to set back down on its saucer on the coffee table. Hood caught the sight of his shoulder muscles moving inside his shirt and she watched in fascination. His shirt was more snug than she realized.
The simple movement made her wonder if he was more muscular than he let on. She then wonder what he would look like with any...
Her cheeks suddenly went hot. What on Earth was she thinking?!
Samantha, really! You shouldn't be thinking that way about Lance! He's your secretary for goodness sake!
She hid her blush by groaning, pretending that she had just waken up.
Lance glanced over the moment he heard her, "Good morning, Miss Hood. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, very well, thank you," she sat up on her bed and stretched, "What time is it?"
"Just about eleven. You slept for almost two hours."
"Did I?" she usually got up no later than ten, "Goodness, did I sleep."
When she looked up him again she saw that he had shifted his chair closer and was watching her quietly with his hands clasped. Hood felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the concern in his eyes. He must had been shocked when he discovered she was having a nightmare and she was deeply touched by how concerned he was.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Better, now that I've rested. Thank you for what you did. I'm sorry if I worried you."
He shook his head, "Think nothing of it. I'm just glad you didn't have another one."
She smiled in agreement before glancing over at the teapot, "Did you make some tea?"
"I had Henry bring up a pot while you were sleeping," he stood and went over to the coffee table, "It's peppermint tea. Do you want some? I have a cup for you."
She nodded eagerly and threw the covers off, "Please."
He poured some into another cup and stirred it before handing it to her. She placed her hands under the saucer and there fingers brushed. Electricity surged through her and she almost gasped. With all the men she had been with not a single one had had this kind of effect on her. How was it that Lance Holland was the first one she ever responded to?
She looked at him and found that he had frozen in his place. An instant later they found themselves looking into each other's eyes. Hood recalled when she had first met him was that Lance had very beautiful eyes. They weren't yellow like Commander Data's, but a rich fathomless moss green that often reminded her of green tea.
They broke the spell by blinking at the same time and she took her cup and saucer from his hands.
"Thank you," she said and quickly took a sip, relishing the warmth the spread across and distracting her from any further thoughts about Lance, "Hmm, that certainly hits the spot. It's been a while since I last had peppermint tea."
"I always prefer herbal tea over black," Lance poured himself another cup and sat back down.
A minute past before she asked, "How did you know I was having a nightmare?"
"Well, for one," he pointed, "you left your door open."
"Oh, I hadn't realized," she then frowned, "You usually work down in the lounge, don't you? You were able to hear me from all the way there?"
"Instinct really," he explained, "When my little sister was seven she was viciously attacked by a dog."
"Oh, my," Hood gasped.
He nodded, "It left her with scars on her back and she was badly frightened. It took her a while to recover. She had a nightmare almost every night. As a result I moved into the room next to hers so I could listen in case she had one. When she did, I would go straight to her room and hold her until she calmed down. Sometimes she would come over and sleep in my room."
She recalled how gentle he was with her and smiled, "You're very kind. How is she now?"
"Oh, she's doing perfectly fine," he suddenly chuckled, "The funny thing is she's now a veterinarian and she loves dogs more than anything."
"Surely you jest?" Hood laughed when he shook his head, "Wow! Talk about irony."
"I know, right? She's also married now and has a daughter of her own."
"Well, I'm glad to hear she's doing well," Hood asked for another cup of tea, "So when you heard me cry out, you knew right away?"
"I did," he looked at her, "I don't like seeing people suffer, especially when it's... someone I care about."
He was looking into her eyes when he said that, and Hood looked straight into his. Another long minute passed between them before Lance shook himself and cleared his throat.
"By the way, that girl from Ireland... what was her name?"
Hood looked up, "You mean Belle?"
"That's right. she called last me last night and said she was ready to move here. I arranged a morning flight for her," Lance glanced at his watch, "She should be flying over right now. Henry's probably left to pick her up. She should be here at around one."
"Oh, good. I should get ready to receive her then," she finished the last of her tea, "Thank you for the tea."
"You're welcome," he took the cup and saucer before turning to the coffee table to pick up the tray, "I'm sure you want to take a bath so I'll leave you be."
"Yes, I will. And Lance..."
"Hmm?"
When he turned his head back to face her he flinched when she suddenly touched his face. Then he received the shock of his life when she stood up on her toes and pressed her lips to his cheek. His entire body froze and his mind went blank. Time seemed to stop and he couldn't understand what was happening. His boss couldn't have just kissed his cheek right here in her bedroom, but she was.
It felt like an eternity had passed before she finally pulled back. She looked up into his eyes once again, smiling at the sight of him blushing and she gently caressed his other cheek.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue," she whispered, "You really are a good man, Lance. I'm very grateful that you've stayed by my side even after all the trouble I put you through. I really don't have anyone but you."
His heart skipped a beat and his blush deepened. He realized that she was right. He hadn't fully realized that Samantha Hood lived a rather lonely life because of her egotistic attitude. Her only friends were Miss Royal, Miss Wales, and now... him. He wasn't sure what to feel after she declared it so, but it did give him a sense of pride.
"You're... you're welcome," he cleared his throat again while fighting to put an end to the turmoil happening throughout his body, "Will that be all, Miss Hood?"
She smiled and released his cheek, "That will be all, Mr. Holland."
Belle MacAleese arrived at Hood's mansion that afternoon. As promised she had called Hood's secretary when she was ready to leave Ireland and Lance arranged to have her flown over to Gatwick where Henry picked her up. When she saw her new home for the first time she was more amazed than she'd ever been before.
"I've seen so many pictures of these kind of homes but I never imagined I would one day be living in one," she said when Hood came out to greet her.
"Wait till you the inside," Hood grinned, "You'll be even more amazed. Were you able to take care of everything?"
"Yes," Belle nodded solemnly, "My house will be put up for sale. Kind of sad to leave the home you grew up in behind, but what can you do?"
"I know the feeling," Hood patted the girl's shoulders, "I grew up in London and it wasn't exactly the most pleasant time of my life. It's the reason I built this home. Did you bring everything you need?"
Belle glanced over to where Henry was taking out her two suitcases and a box.
"I did," she chuckled nervously, "I never imagined riding in a Rolls Royce either."
"Made you feel like a princess, huh?" Hood grinned.
Both girls laughed before Hood took her inside.
"Wow!" Belle's jaw dropped, "You weren't joking about the interior! Is everything in here vintage?"
"Some of it is, such as the paintings. Everything else I either bought or made myself. Like those TVs over there. I custom built those."
Wow," Belle said again, "I really can't believe I'm going to be living here. I feel so out of place."
"You'll get used to it," Hood wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders, "Come. Let me show your-"
"Miss Hood?"
She turned to see Henry coming in carrying the box and saw that his face was filled with deep concern.
"There's a girl outside who wants to see you," he gestured outside.
"A girl?" she frowned.
"Teenager. Can't be any older than fifteen. And she's alone."
"Alone?" Hood was now confused.
"There's no one else with her. From the looks of it I think she walked all the way here after getting off the bus. She's also from Scotland."
Scotland? Suspicion began to grow in her.
"Did she say why she wanted to see me?" she asked.
"She said wanted that she wanted to ask you about her brother."
Her suspicion seemed correct. She had fairly good idea what this was about.
"Should I call the police, Miss Hood?" asked Henry.
"No, not yet. Bring her in. I'll see her."
He bowed and set the box down before going back out. Hood gestured to Belle and they moved to the living room. A moment later Henry came back with the teenage girl behind him.
Hood's eyes widened in surprise. The girl looked like she could be Belle's younger sister. Her hair and eyes were exactly the same color as Belle's. The only difference was that the eyes were much softer she also wore a pair of round spectacles. She glanced over at Belle and saw she was just as astonished by the resemblance as she was before looking back. The girl immediately gave the impression of being the nerdy type, but Hood could see a sweet innocence as well.
"Hello," she greeted, "What is your name?"
The girl hesitated before saying, "Edith. Edith Black."
Her accent made it clear that she was indeed from Scotland. Hood waved a hand to Henry and he stepped back, giving them some privacy.
"Where are you from, Edith?" she asked next.
"From Edinburgh."
She looked on the verge of breaking down and crying.
"You wanted to talk about your brother?" Hood asked as gently as she could, "Do I happen to know him?"
"Y-You might have. His name was Jacob. He was part of that convoy you were in. The one that the terrorists attacked," Edith then took out a picture frame from her pocket, "This is him."
She handed it to Hood. Looking down and saw that it was a picture of Edith with her older brother, who she immediately recognized.
"I see," she handed the picture back to the girl, "I do remember him. He was in the same vehicle with me, sitting in the passenger seat. He asked me if I had been the cover model for Vogue's Magazine twelve times in a row."
At that Edith smiled. Behind her glasses her eyes began to water.
"He was a big fan of yours. He always dreamed of meeting you," she sniffed, "Can... can you tell me... what happened? I only ask it's been difficult for to accept his death."
"Of course," Hood gestured for her to sit down before sitting on the couch.
Belle handed the girl a tissue box, who thanked here, before sitting down across from Hood.
"We were ambushed," she explained, "It was a surprise attack no one was prepared for. Our driver will killed right after it started and your brother got out to defend the vehicle. I think he was going to try and go around to pull the driver out so we could get away, but he never made it."
"I see," taking off her glasses Edith took a tissue and wiped her eyes, "Jacob always wanted to be a Royal Marine. I was so proud of him when he became one. I just never imagine he would die so close to home."
Her head finally lowered and she began to cry. Hood scooted closer, reach out, and rubbed her hand across the girl's shoulder.
"Your brother died a hero, Edith. You should be proud. If it hadn't been for him I properly wouldn't have survived."
Edith only nodded in response, still crying.
"Edith... do you parents know you're here?"
The girl shook her head, "Our parents died a few years ago. We sold our house and moved into an apartment together. Jacob's taken care of me ever since then. And now he's gone."
Hood was surprised to hear this, "You have no else?"
"I've been seeing my neighbor, sometimes spending the night, but... I feel like I just can't stay there anymore. Everywhere I look I see my brother," she sniffed again and paused for a while before saying, "I'm not really sure why I came all the way here. Maybe it's because I needed some closure. But now that I know how he died I'm not sure what to do from here. Jacob was all I had."
A long moment of silence passed. Hood's heart immediately went to her. It was clear that Edith had been very close to her brother, him being the only family she had left after losing their parents. Now she was all alone with no one to turn to.
An idea struck Hood and she turned to Belle, who had been sitting quietly. She sensed her gaze and turned to he. It seemed that she read Hood's mind and with a warm smile she bobbed her head, as though giving her approval.
Thanking her with a smile of her own Hood knelt before Edith and lifted her chin so she could look at her.
"I have an idea," she said, "Why don't you move in with me?"
Just like with Belle, Edith blinked at her.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm asking you to come live at my place," she waved around, "You'll be much safer here and you won't have to pay any rent."
This time she gaped at her, "Miss-Miss Hood! I-I-I can't accept such a thing! It wouldn't be right!"
Belle chuckled before she stood and came over to them.
"I said the same thing to her yesterday," she grinned, "You might as well give up, lass. Miss Hood is not going to take no for an answer."
"She's right," Hood confirmed, "This is Belle, by the way. She's also going to be moving with me. She and her dad were also captured by those terrorists we were held prisoner. Her dad died helping us escape and I promised him I would look after her."
Edith's eyes widened in surprised and she looked at Belle, "Oh, I'm so sorry for your loss. But I still don't understand why you would want to do this much for me."
Hood placed her hands on the girl's shoulders and squeezed, "For the same reason I'm having Belle move in. You brother gave his life to protect me. Since it's clear he didn't have a chance to make any plans for you in case something happened to him I'll be glad take the responsibility. It's the least I can do and I'm sure he would have been grateful. You're a very sweet girl and he would want to see you safe."
"If you think you're going to be imposing, you won't be," said Belle, "Miss Hood may be rich, famous, and a little intimidating, but she's a very kind person. She's being very generous by offering you a place to stay, Edith."
"And like she said," Hood added, "I'm not going to take no for an answer. In otherwise words, you have no choice in the matter."
The girl looked at Hood and then at Belle before looking back at Hood again.
"Well..." her lips lifted in a cute smile, "If you're really okay with it, then... I guess I can stay."
"Splendid!" Hood clapped her shoulders, "Why don't you spend the night here? You must be tired after coming all this way."
"But I don't have any night clothes. I left everything back in Edinburgh."
"You can borrow some of mine," Belle offered.
"And I'll all of your stuff sent over. Now, do you have the number of your neighbor?"
"Yes. I actually left them a letter telling them where I was going."
"Better give it to me then. I'm sure they're worried sick about you."
Right after Edith gave the number her stomach growled very loudly.
Hood laughed when the girl blushed with embarrassment, "You must be famished after making that long journey. Henry? Why don't you take her to the kitchen and make her a nice lunch?"
Henry nodded and guided the girl to the kitchen, but not before she thanked Hood for her kindness. Hood watched her go, happy that she'd done the right thing.
"Poor girl," she heard Belle say, "She's more vulnerable than I am, having depended on her brother so much. She's also very brave to have all the way down here."
"Yes, but it was also very foolish. Something horrible could have happened to her. Fortunately it didn't, so I'll let it go at that," she smiled at Belle, "Thank you for supporting my decision to have her move here."
"Don't mention."
"Do me a favor, will you, and keep an eye on her."
"Will do. In fact, it might be best if she stayed in the same room as me."
"Capital idea," Hood approved, "The room's large enough for you both. Speaking of which, how about I now show you to your room?"
She picked one of the suitcases and had Belle follow her upstairs to one of the guest rooms. Afterwards she went back to her room with a very cheerful smile on her lips. It seemed that in an amazement twist of fate she had acquired a something of a family. She couldn't be any more thankful.