A/N: Hey, everyone! Here's the next chapter. Just to clarify, I'm pretty sure everyone knows that Mrs. Gooding is Gothel, but Rose isn't Rapunzel. I struggled with deciding whether or not she should be while considering that Flynn Rider is Mr. Wickham. I decided that I wanted her more in the role of Darcy's (Haddock's) sister than I did with wanting to keep her as Gothel's daughter. However, Gothel does definitely force herself into the motherly role for Rapunzel's character but that won't be seen until later. Anyways, Rose is Ruffnut. A bit odd, yeah, but eh. I had to make a decision.

Sorry this is a bit on the shorter side. Hopefully, I can push myself to make the next one longer.

Chapter Fourteen

The dining table was quite intimate; more so than Jackson would have believed possible for such a large room. Delicate lace graced the dark wood; ornate flower pieces stood proudly down the center of the table, and each carefully placed plate was etched with intricate swirls of a rich blue. His fingers traced over the gentle patterns as he hovered above his seat.

"Exquisite, aren't they, Mr. Overland? I highly doubt you've seen such porcelain in your life—if you have ever seen porcelain. I had these made especially for my table; they cost me quite a pretty penny, but for such beautiful tableware a bit of silver hardly goes noticed."

"I would be afraid to eat on them," he responded, looking towards the head of the table where Mrs. Gooding lounged.

"Yes, I'm sure you would. A few of these and your father would be able to pay off his debt to Mr. Black. But, no worries there, I know the inventory of my house well." Her voice was straight and chill. Finally, she turned away to him to reprimand her daughter for a small, trivial detail.

Jackson resisted the frown that threatened to pull down the corner of his lips as he sat at the end of the row on the left side. Mrs. Black sat down across from him next to her husband. The colonel took the seat next to him, leaving the chair to Mrs. Gooding's right to Mr. Haddock and the left to her daughter.

"Don't worry," the Colonel said in a hushed voice as he leaned over. "My aunt can be a bit crass."

"I see. Just don't tell me that if I get closer to her she will soften that rough exterior."

"Ah, no. If anything, it gets worse the closer she is to you."

The servants came out and placed the opening course in front of him. Reaching for his napkin, Jackson gave it a gentle shake open and laid it across his lap.

"I assume that's how it is with Mr. Haddock as well," he muttered.

His eyes glanced over to the copper haired gentleman to ensure he hadn't heard. The gentleman's attention was snagged by his prattling aunt and gave no indication of having heard the words that had poured from the young Mr. Overland's mouth.

"I would not say that," the colonel said.

Jackson arched an eyebrow in request for him to continue as he put a piece of lettuce in his mouth.

"He is quite a brilliant man. Had he not needed to take over for his father after his death and keep an eye on the upbringing of his sister, he would have proved to be a most brilliant inventor," he supplied, keeping his voice quiet and out of ear shot of said man you sat just across the table.

"Do you really hold him in such high esteem?"

"Of course I do. He's quite the forward thinker, creative too in his own right. But, I believe politics will suit him—he's a natural negotiator. However, I do fear his people skills are in want of improvement. He is not well adjusted to greeting new acquaintances. "

Jack let out a sharp laugh of agreement. "You have just won the award for understatement of the century."

"Oh, my cousin isn't that bad. True, he is either too shy or too sarcastic with new acquaintances, but once you get to know him, he's quite a pleasant fellow. Unlike our aunt."

"I hope you take no offense when I say that I find that difficult to believe."

"And I hope you will not continue to be so harsh on him. He is a good man. He had to grow up faster than anyone should be asked to. He has been through much and it has toughened his skin. I remember when we were boys—barely knee-high—he would always drag me out to the woods surrounding Berk with a wooden sword in his hands proclaiming that we were off to slay the dragon that inhabited the trees."

A weary smile tugged at the Colonel's face. "He was so full of passion and enthusiasm. The passion is still there but I'm afraid the enthusiasm has left. That is why I'm glad he has found a friend in Mr. Liely. The gentleman allows him to be with people again, to learn to trust and have fun again."

"That I can believe," Jackson offered. "I have met Mr. Leily, and he is a pleasant man, quite different from your cousin."

The soldier nodded and held up a finger. "Another thing that you cannot claim that Mr. Haddock does not have is loyalty. I've never seen a more loyal man in my journeys. In fact, he recently informed me that he saved his friend from a dangerous relationship—and just in the nick of time!"

The brown haired man felt his stomach sink as his jaw clenched. "Did—did he offer anything else in explanation? Why did he claim the relationship to be dangerous?"

Colonel Ingerman leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "Apparently he was in love with a woman who did not return his feelings. She was of a lower status, and he was convinced that all signs pointed to a marriage on her part that would…improve her standings. He couldn't risk his friend's heart to be broken over that discovery, especially if it were to happen after anything permanent had taken place. That is what I call loyalty!" he exclaimed.

Jackson set his fork down; his appetite gone. "Yes, quite the show of loyalty," he responded quietly.

He had had his suspicions, but now they had been proven true; Mr. Haddock had taken an active role in dragging Mr. Liely away from his sister. Somehow, knowing for certain made it worse. He had blamed the man, but there was always the small possibility that he hadn't. Everything the gentleman had ever done or said was no longer moot. If Jackson had been confused on the topic of Mr. Haddock before, he certainly wasn't now. The man was horrid, a manipulative bastard and that wasn't going to change.

Green eyes flickered to meet his; his turned to stone as he glared at the gentleman for a moment before turning away. Jennifer met his gaze imploringly. He only shook his head. Perhaps he would tell her later.

His dark thoughts were distracted by the removal of the second course that had come during Colonel Ingramen's speech, and the appearance of the main course. Picking up his fork, he attempted to eat the fish on his plate. He pictured Mr. Haddock's face and jabbed at the meat; he took a bite and chewed it fiercely.

A loud sound ripped through the dining room that Jackson had never heard in such a setting before. He turned to Ms. Rose Gooding with an arched eyebrow. A small smile pulled at her lips as if the noise that had spilled from her mouth had been humorous before she placed a hand over it.

"I apologize," she said, but he could see the lack of apology in her eye.

He rather pitied her the more he thought about it; she seemed so different from her mother. He was convinced that she and Mary would get along quite well. Both were constrained free spirits with good hearts; they just didn't know how to act properly and failed to see the reasoning to do so.

After dinner was finished, Jackson contented himself with curling in the corner on a chair and listened to the babbling conversation until the Blacks deemed it timed to leave.