Author's Note: Just for clarification because I've been asked by several people about why I give Anne the title of Mistress when she is or was not cheating on George, and she owns no slaves only servants. It's because "Mistress" is a courtesy title. The dictionary's definition of mistress (the appropriate definition, since there are several) is, used formerly as a courtesy title when speaking to or of a woman. Although in theory she could be called "Mistress" by her servants because it also means a woman who employs or supervises servants.

Just a little vocabulary lesson there.

Disclaimer: -looks around for a Hanoverian and only sees her Quarter Horse- Nope, not rich yet. Don't own it.

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The next morning Anne had decided to sit out on her favorite balcony while, reading, and drinking her customary morning drink, coffee with whiskey. Her eyes burned from the hours she had spent crying last night. "It's already an old wound…" She thought to herself as she looked up from her book taking another look at the turbulent waters.

"Mistress Reynolds," One of her house servants said. "Commodore Norrington is here."

"You may tell him to come ou-" But before she could finish her sentence the Commodore appeared in the doorway out to the balcony.

"Good Morning, Mistress Reynolds." James said as he walked over to greet her. He bowed, but she only nodded in her seat not wishing to stand up. James looked at her uncomfortably she was still in her night wear. "Erm, I'm sorry I did not know that you-"

"Oh shush Commodore and take a seat," she said curtly gesturing to the seat that her son had insisted on sitting in earlier only to leave in favor of playing with his carved toys.

James was surprised at the way she had spoken, just last night on this same porch she could barley speak, and she looked so frail. But now she was sitting in front of him and hardly looked frail at all. Her auburn hair was as straight as a board, obviously it hadn't been done up yet in its usual bun. She had a silver chain hanging around her neck which held finely made Silver cross with a few very small rubies inlayed in it. He guessed some amazing Spanish silversmith had made it, and it cost her quite a lot.

She looked almost angelic sitting in front of him, with such a calm and peaceful exterior. It was looking at her that he realized how old she must have been, she appeared to be nearing thirty-five, around the same age as him. But when she was laughing merrily, she looked like she was hardly thirty. But now here eyes betrayed that thought, she was defiantly closer to thirty-five.

"How are you doing?" He asked after a moment.

"It's nothing that a little coffee and whiskey won't eventually fix." She said taking another sip of the black liquid she had in her cup. She always was a bit of a drinker, but always knew when she had to stop.

The Commodore gave her a disapproving look, perhaps they only time he had ever looked at Anne that way. "Mistress Reynolds, you can't drink your problems away." He commented wanting to take the beautifully painted china out of her hand and dumping the liquid over the side.

"But it certainly does help." She said with a wry smirk, before taking another sip of the coffee.

James glared at her again. "Well in other news, we may just be able to accommodate your request." He sighed, why did he have to tell her? Now he knew her heart would be set on this. "I wouldn't do it for just anybody Mistress Reynolds, but you cared about George so much and I doubt you can cause too many problems as long as you swear to listen to me and my men and do as you're told."

All of Anne seemed to perk up at that, her already straight back straightened even more and her eyes flashed with joy. "Really, Commodore?"

"Yes, Mistress Reynolds," James said. "But you must keep in mind that it will be a lot harder on us, and your quality of life will certainly go down for while at sea. We will do our best to accommodate and keep you comfortable, but not go out of our way. You will be permitted to sleep in the captain's quarters, as I am captaining this mission, and I will sleep with the rest of the crew." James smirked to himself at the thought they weren't all happy with this proposal. "I don't see why you wish to come along because almost the entire time you will be asked to stay in there for safety reasons."

After a few more moments of the Commodore's talk she rolled her eyes. "For some odd reason I think I can manage this Commodore." She looked down at her almost empty cup of coffee.

"What are you an expert on ocean travel?" He asked, her lack of respect irritating him slightly. She was never like this in public, she was always, or at least James thought she was always so kind he had never seen this edgier side of her.

She finished off the coffee. "I've been on a ship more than once," She said with a smile that only George would have been able to identify its true meaning; that it was her secret and she would indulge you in the information whenever she deemed appropriate.

James nodded. "Just out of curiosity," He asked. "How do you plan on raising a small boy all by yourself without your husband's guidance?

Anne stood up keeping her place with her finger in-between the pages of her book. She put the china cup on her seat, and looked at her book memorizing the page she was it. Looking him dead in the eye she said, "The same way I always have, he's never told me how to raise our children. He was hardly ever here anyways." And with that she snapped the book shut. "Now, I bid you a good morning Commodore, I'm going to get ready for the day. But if you feel the need I'll be down at the beach with Jackson later this afternoon." And with that she went off.