Ooo you lovely people you! Your comments make me blush and put words to paper. Thank you for all your support, this for all of you!

Lonely Boy

I guess that's love, I can't pretend

Matthew groaned as he rolled to his back and felt the unwelcome rays of sunlight pouring through his window. Muttering to himself and keeping his eyes firmly closed, he felt around till he found the other pillow and pushed it into his face.

"I sometimes lose track of just how many vices you posses Judge." Matthew groaned as he recognised Frank's sneer.

"Was it you who opened my curtains cos I swear to God Frank, there are easier ways to kill me." Matthew threw the pillow at Frank who deftly caught it and laughed.

"Come now Matthew, why would I want to hurt one of my brothers?" Matthew slowly opened one eye and peered at Frank who was dressed in his finest forest green riding jacket and shiny black riding boots.

"Well don't you look the picture of domesticated glory." Matthew muttered and pulled himself into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes. His white shirt was wide pen exposing his toned chest and he was wearing his pants as he was not a man to sleep naked unless he had the right company.

"Some of us take our duties seriously. Now get up and get dressed. You've missed breakfast and your charge of Miss Swift started an hour ago. You are to take her to town. Don't keep her waiting." Frank ordered Matthew and threw the pillow back on the unmade bed before turning and walking out, subtly slamming the door behind him that made Matthew wince. He threw the duvet off and walked to the window, pulling off his shirt and looking at the bright morning sun creating a warm fuzzy glow across the gardens. Gulping down some water and herbs to help his eyes settle, he splashed his face with water from the basin in the corner of the room and proceeded to get dressed. He put on his dark red suit trousers and navy blue shirt. He rolled the sleeves up to his elbow and slipped over a grey waistcoat with black and white checkered pattern. Quickly tidying up his mutton chops, moustache and dampening his hair into a semi styled submission, he flung his dark red suit jacket over his shoulder and marched out.

Following the sound of voices, he headed towards one of the day rooms though made a quick stop to the kitchen where one of the kitchen girls shyly passed him a roll and apple blushing as bright as her red hair before rushing back into the steam and clatter. Taking a bite out of his apple he strolled into the roomand threw himself into a chair.

The room was brightly lit with two glass patio doors wide open to try and tempt some breeze inside. The sofas and chairs were cream with wooden curved frames and royal blue lining. The round table in the middle of the furniture showed a map of the world with the coloured countries and bright blue sea surrounding everything.

Theodore was talking and laughing with Frank, whilst William stood nervously next to Frank eager to impress. William's hair was pushed into a low ponytail, his scar not looking so furious. He wore a similar style riding coat with blue lapels and silver polished buttons. Thomas and Joseph weren't present, Matthew figured they had already put to their posts. In one of the big curved chairs sat Caitlin looking bored. She fanned herself with a delicate satin fan covered in Chinese pictures and symbols, obviously another gift from a far away world. Her blond hair had been pulled into a tight, neat bun with a silver ribbon tied around. Her fringe was pulled back into a little bouffant and two strands gentle curled kissed her rosy cheeks. Today she wore a pale green satin bodice with pale yellow cotton frills along her bosom and a strip around her cup sleeves. The middle of a bodice had a row of buttons leading to the base where her skirt flowed out. Pale green with pale yellow lining, it hung more fitted to her body than her other skirts had and she wore dainty pale yellow kitten heels shoes with a little bow and feather as decoration on each shoe. Sighing, Caitlin stared out of the open doors and into the garden. Her eyes were glossed over and clearly her mind elsewhere.

Finishing his apple, Matthew threw the core into a wicker bin, the noise stopping the conversation taking place and Caitlin to turn and scowl at him.

"Good morning Mr Judge, I hope you slept well. Please excuse me for today I have the final arrangements to make for my voyage. I will see you all for dinner." Nodding to each of the men and his daughter, Theodore put his black trilby on and marched out followed by his butler Mr Sanders. Frank and William nodded to Caitlin and put their hats back on before marching out. Caitlin sighed and dropped the fan into her lap.

"Well Matthew, seeing as your duties start today let us get started. There are some errands I need to do in town and you will accompany me. Please try not to talk to anyone." Caitlin pushed herself up, checkered herself quickly in the mirror and stared at Matthew who was still sat down.

"Oh yes, right. Lets get going." Matthew jumped out of his seat and pushed his hat back on. He offered his arm to her, to which Caitlin rolled her eyes at him and walked out of the room. Rubbing his face, Matthew followed behind her watching her bottom move against the fitted material. He really could not be bothered with all this hassle. What he couldn't see was that Caitlin was smiling to herself. 'There are many ways to destroy a man,' she thought to herself, 'and shopping is one of them.'

Matthew realized throughout the day that he had been wrong to accuse Frank of trying to kill him. He now knew Caitlin was trying to bore him to death. The shops became a blur of polite little conversations and dresses and shoes and bags and other bits he was sure Caitlin already owed already in one form or another colour already. Luckily they had by carriage so all he had to do was run the bags to the carriage instead of doing all the carrying, and he treasured those few seconds of being alone. Chicargo was a bustling city, so many people and carriages and so many shops offering things you had never heard of but couldn't live without. Closing the carriage door behind him, he heard Caitlin laugh softly and say goodbye to an owner of one of the shops she had been in. The one thing Matthew had picked up on was that he was starting to recognize Caitlin had a very particular fake, girly laugh. Walking down the steps, Caitlin smirked at Matthew as he walked up to meet her.

"I feel positively wane. Let's go and get a drink." Caitlin suggested began walking up the street. Soon he found himself outside of a tea room, the white door complete with little bell signaling your arrival. A waiter came and took him and Caitlin to a round table covered in a fine lace cloth against the window. He took off his hat and pulled out her chair for her, she smiled in thanks and he sat down. He couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief.

"I honestly thought my legs were going to drop off." Matthew groaned and rubbed his leg whilst Caitlin ordered them a cup of fancy tea and some fancy cakes.

"Hardly, you could barely keep up. I was raised to believe men were the stronger sex, yet you could be the missing link." Caitlin smirked and raised her eyebrow. Matthew laughed and rested his arms on the table.

"Men are stronger in different ways. Women have stronger will power, especially when it comes to pretty flimsy things." Matthew waved his hand in the direction of the various shops he had the misfortune of becoming acquainted with.

"I have been described as a pretty, flimsy thing before. More sugar please." Caitlin asked the waiter as he brought them their tea in a flower patterned porcelain teacup. Matthew frowned as he watched the waiter pour their tea for them and bow before rushing off to aid some other table.

"Then that person can't have known you very well." Matthew said, stirring in the milk with his tea. Caitlin dropped a couple of lumps of sugar in and offered him the bowl. "No thanks kid, I'm sweet enough." Matthew smiled and sipped his tea. It wasn't his favourite drink but right now he was just thankful to be away from the light, heat and girlish squeals. Caitlin smiled bemused and shook her head as she stirred her tea.

"And you claim to know me better?" Caitlin quizzed him, gentle picked up her tea and blowing the top before taking a sip. Matthew took a gulp, feeling the burning liquid slid down his throat.

"I know you aren't flimsy that's for sure. You have substance, and you aren't very good at hiding your dislike of idiots." Matthew smiled and sat back as a fruit scone and some jams and cream were placed on the table. Caitlin fiddled with her spoon and looked at him, her head tiled.

"I do a pretty good job of it with you. Everyone has a role to play and reasons why. Of course I have a specific role to play and the reasons are my own." Caitlin said, cutting her scone in half and started spreading the jam. Jackson nodded and put a dollop of clotted cream onto his scone.

"Reasons can change, as can the roles we play. Be rest assured that I am not here to judge you." Caitlin laughed, her natural laugh, which Matthew couldn't help but feel smug inside about.

"You aren't paid enough to judge me. Just to watch me. And I think we both know you have been keeping a very close eye indeed." Caitlin smirked and took a bite of her scone, her pink tongue flicking out quickly to catch some melting cream. Matthew inwardly sighed, that flicker of tongue had done more to him than the fresh pussy promised to him by a brothel he had enquired about. 'Dang I gotta get out more.' Matthew thought to himself and shifted position, forcing himself to take another gulp of hot tea.

"I can appreciate the finer things in life, especially when presented to me." Matthew smirked back and took a huge bite out of his scone. Caitlin laughed again and smiled at him.

"Well Matthew, you are fascinating for a Pinkerton." Caitlin smiled at him. After they had finished their tea and cakes, they made their way back to the carriage. Again, Matthew offered his arm and again Caitlin rejected it by walking right past him and pulling herself onto the waiting carriage.

As the carriage began taking them back to Saffron, Matthew looked out at the window watching the shops begin to close and children running in the street. Most city streets resembled any other, you seen one and you had seen them all. He used the window to look at the reflection of Caitlin who had her head resting on her hand as she stared out of the other window. The sky turned to dusk though the heat remained as the carriage began rolling towards Saffron, the shops seemed a thousand miles. Suddenly, he felt a hand grab his leg making him jump. He turned to face Caitlin who was breathing heavily and gently biting her red lip, her hand on his thigh. Without pausing for thought, and his penis hardening against his trousers, he grabbed the back of her head, his fingers stroking her soft hair. He pulled her face towards his, his eyes closing. But before he could do anything, Caitlin bit the bottom of his lip gently and pulled away. Opening his eyes he went to pull her back but realized they had just pulled up in the back garden of the Saffron. Smirking, Caitlin turned and opened her door and pulled herself out. Matthew took a few deep breaths and rubbed his eyes, willing his erection to go away. Groaning he kicked the other side of the carriage and jumped out of his door. He knew she was testing to see if she could have him, and he had let her. He was so annoyed with himself, walking around the carriage to say something to her but she was already long gone. Cursing, he turned around and kicked the wheel, which he instantly regretted as pain tore through his foot. Rubbing his throbbing foot, Matthew vowed not to let her near him in that way again. 'She has another thing coming if she thinks she can manipulate me that easily' Matthew thought angrily to himself as he yanked a cigarette out and shoved it in his mouth.

'She is nothing.'

Ooo what do we have here eh? Do we think he should have given in? Pfft nah, where would the fun in that be ;) Let me know what you think!