***YES, I'm back!! Europe was wonderful, for those of you who cared. Now onto the story.***

The house smelled heavily of lavender. When Belladonna walked in, she coughed a bit. Karen set down her folded parasol and gently pushed Belladonna behind her. She put her finger to her lips, indicating them, Jack in particular, to be quiet. She disappeared behind a corner. Belladonna looked around, and noticed that she was alone in the room. She spotted Jack sitting on the porch, and quickly drug him over by the arm. He came easily, being led almost like a dog. Belladonna shot him a sour glare before pasting on a smile and sitting on one of the dainty, flower-printed chairs, using perfect posture. Jack leaned against the wall.

Within five minutes, they heard two pairs of footsteps. One was light, well paced, swift. Those were Karen's. The other was a bit heavier, with shorted, faster steps. The owner of those feet stopped often. As they grew closer, Jack and Belladonna could hear them both wheezing slightly. Belladonna took a deep breath and let it out slowly, Jack doing the same. She grinned spitefully. Finally, Karen and her mother appeared in front of them. Belladonna was quite surprised by her mother's appearance.

Her once gaunt face was now puffy and chiseled with wrinkles. She was still very tall, although now she was quite fat. Her once black hair was now silvery gray. She squinted horribly, and it delighted Belladonna to see that it was hard for her to walk. She wanted to yell at her "HEEL TO TOE, HEEL TO TOE!" as she had been yelled at so many times before by that very woman. But she contained herself well.

"Here she is, Mother." Karen said softly, gesturing towards Belladonna. The old woman stared at her for a second, and then rushed over and gave her a hug. Belladonna hugged back slightly, but soon let go, realizing a terrible mistake she had made. Her mother had felt her hands. They were rough, worn hands. Not the smooth, milky-white hands of a lady.

"Dear Daughter, your hands as like a slave's." She said, turning them over in hers. "They feel as though you use them hard every day.oh, your skin, it is so dry.your husband must be horrible to you, dear."
"He's dead." Belladonna said, thinking quickly. She knew she had to get off the subject, as well as explain her sudden presence. "He was killed. In a pub fight. Over another woman." She said, stopping in-between parts. She gave a fake sniffle.
"There there, dear." Her mother said, hugging her again. Over Belladonna's shoulder, she saw Jack. She abruptly let Belladonna go, and curtsied to Jack. She held her hand out to him, and he shook it roughly. Karen frantically shook her head and quickly kissed her own hand, mouthing "Kiss her hand, Capitan Sparrow, sir!" silently. He did so, and the old woman smiled and backed away.

"Karen, dear, who is that?" She whispered, thinking he couldn't hear.
"Oh, that's Captain.Michael. Yes, Captain Michael. Lovely man, he is. An old friend of Belladonna's husband. He came here with her, insisted that she should not travel alone."
"It wouldn't have been safe, Madame." Jack said his voice sounding strangely clear. "Or else, I wouldn't force Miss Belladonna to be in the presence of another man so quickly after her husband's death."
Belladonna let out a fake sob, quite enjoying herself. It was like putting on a play, and she took the spotlight. She threw herself on Karen's shoulder, mumbling madly.
"James said he loved me!! He said he would forever.He said he loved me."
"James?" Her mother asked. "Wasn't your husband's name Charles?"
Karen quickly told her mother it was a pet name she had for him, and that she had best take Belle to bed. She also requested that "Captain Michael" would accompany them. Her mother nodded, falling back onto a chair as the procession made its way to Belladonna's room. Belladonna did not cease her loud, boisterous sobs until the door to her room was closed and all three were inside. Then, they all burst into laughter, except Karen, who frowned slightly.