A/N: It's alive! IT'S ALIVE! Another chapter in my growing story. Can you handle the suspense? Or must you just skip my little notes and dive right into the story. Either way I just hope I keep your interests. Welcome to my newest reviewer Quick 29...I'm glad you found me! I love all of the wonderful reviews from all of my ladies so far. Y'all are so great about that, and I'm so appreciative because of it. Okay, enough about me, let's talk about the Earl.

Chapter 8 is fast approaching,

McFadden-

Chapter Seven

Billy stole Kathryn away from the theater before she even had a chance to begin her mending. Of course, she would've started had it not been for the delay of a jealous, insidious, not to mention childish antics of a certain Earl. As she looked at Billy now, she wondered how such a good hearted and humored free-spirit like him ever got wrapped up with the likes of Wilmot. The man did say on more than one occasion that John was his best friend. But yet, all Kathryn could see in the two of them were polar opposites. Billy turned and winked at her when he caught her studying him so intently. With a flourish, he hooked his arm with hers and bumped her in the hip with his.

"Where shall we dine for the midday, My Lady?"

Kathryn pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind for later and returned his mischievous grin with a shy one.

"Hmm..."

Billy mocked her thinking by looking thoughtfully at the ground and tapping his chin with his finger. He cast a sidelong glace at her and saw a playful evil eye aimed right at him. Kathryn diverted then to an baker's cart, where numerous rolls and loaves of bread and wedges of cheese were set out for sale. She picked out her small coin purse from the stitching pocket in her apron and took out 5 pence to pay for their choosing. Billy however, beat her to it and lightly pushed her money down.

"I couldn't live with myself if I let you pay...I hope you understand why."

Such a gentleman... That's all Kathryn could think as the jolly baker wrapped the goods in cloth and handed them over. After the transaction was done, Billy put the food into the bag he carried on his side and he led her over to the great fountain in the center of town. The day was a beautiful and abiding one for such a thing as eating outside. Not a single cloud marred the azure sky. All this combined with the company of a beguiling new friend made Kathryn blissfully happy, although her mind did seem to tingle with unanswered questions pertaining to a much more bothersome acquaintance. She just tried her best to keep them at bay for as long as she could. Billy spread their picking out inbetween them and pulled out a small but fat little bottle from his bag. It was filled with a clear liquid. Kathryn hadn't a clue what kind of potable it was. All she knew was that it made the sunlight cast a pretty glow upon Billy's face as he leaned over it to set up a plate for her.

"What's that?"

He retrieved the bottle and uncorked it.

"Here...You have to smell it first."

Billy held it up for her and Kathryn inhaled the scent carefully. It smelled of flowers...roses, to be exact. Never had she smelled such a thing besides its flowered form. Billy watched her awed reaction with his own restrained excitement.

"It's Roses! I've never seen anything like it. It's like you're holding a bunch of liquid roses in your hands..."

Billy nodded, smiling brightly.

"I found it in a rather curious medicinal shop, rose water... Apparently it has many purposes, but you can also drink it."

Kathryn examined the tonic closely as the contents bounced colored light through the glass and on her face and clothes. Billy smiled and touched her cheek.

"I wish you could see yourself like I do right now..."

Her eyes met Billy's soft and appreciative stare. Kathryn nervously bit the inside of her lip under the heaviness of his gaze. He must've noticed this because he dabbed his fingers in the bottle and leaned over to her. Talking quietly as he looked over the features of her jaw line and neck, gently pressing his fingers to her pulse and spreading them out, rubbing the small amount of water across her skin..

"Some women are know to even sprinkle it upon themselves to attract strange but gallant men to cover their neck in kisses and drive their minds mad with the scent."

With that said, his placed small, well thought out cherishments all over her neck, causing her skin to heat up and blush from the attention. Kathryn stifled a small giggle from the tickling she felt from his breathing.

"I see it works well then..."

A small smile crept on Billy's face as he put one last lingering kiss under her ear.

"Apparently so."

Kathryn found it difficult to meet his eyes a little while for fear of turning red. She tasted the rose water and found it heavenly. It was a lovely compliment to the bread and cheese in the absence of wine. Their meal turned silent as they just enjoyed the peace of one another's company. The food was nearly gone when Billy snapped his fingers, startling Kathryn out of her thoughts.

"I almost forgot..."

He untied the small blue sash that was used as a belt and walked over and sat behind Kathryn. She stiffened momentarily wondering what was going on as he proceeded to tie the fabric over her eyes.

"What are you..."

"Shhh... hold out your hand."

She did as she was told and she felt a cold and flat piece of metal being laid into the palm of her hand. Her brow furrowed as Billy whispered into her ear from over her shoulder.

"Make a wish."

Kathryn smiled instantly. It must've been a pence in her hand. She began to laugh and Billy contagiously followed with his own because of her giddiness as she tossed the coin into the air and heard it splash into the fountain seconds later. He felt Billy move from his spot behind her and move to face her even though she still was blindfolded. He grabbed the sides of her face and kissed her soundly over and over again, whispering to her.

"Come true, come true, come true...come true...come true..."

Moving her fingers up to his lips, Kathryn quieted him and removed the sash from her eyes. Looking at him with a shy smile she bit her lip again.

"Shhh...It just did."

In the shade of a large weeping willow tree stood John, watching the whole scene unfold in front of him. Each passing moment of the pair's passing affections made him lean more and more on the tree trunk for support. A flask clearly attached to his hand making the short journey to and from his mouth. His eyes were filled with utter hatred and his paled face streaked with angry, forgotten tears. He felt betrayed...and that feeling hurt him to the depths of his bones. He found it hard to push himself from his hidden spot, but he couldn't possibly take anymore of this blasphemy unfolding right in front of his face. John forced himself to turn away and walk back to the theater that was quickly becoming his depressing sanctuary due to the absence of the one woman her feared that he was falling in love with.

The whole scene took place without the knowledge of either Billy nor Kathryn as they got up and continued to walk and chat. However that incessant nagging in the back of Kathryn's brain made itself known again and she just had to question Billy about it.

"I know that you and Mr. Wilmot are very close friends, but I still can't seem to see how that particular binding came to fruition. The both of you are so different in your ways."

Billy furrowed a brow and shook his head.

"Not really Miss Kathryn. If you take a closer look, Rochester and I are very much similar in all kinds of ways."

Kathryn just couldn't believe that! She instantly protested.

"Certainly not! You're charming, and funny, and very endearing. Not to mention I actually want to be around you."

Billy smiled, flattered by her words and amused by her flustered state as she recalled his dear friend. He was also quick to point out some things of his own.

"Is he not charming, funny, and also endearing in every way when he's around you? Yes, he is a stubborn man, but there's so much more to him than that barbed wire, hot and cold exterior. Here is one thing you must understand...Rochester is like a big secret. It's enticing, it's seductive, sometimes dangerous, but always based on truth. No matter how far it may be stretched. You want to know it, you want to keep it, but at the same time, you want everyone to know you have it. That's just his way. No matter how vile the man is, or how despicable he can be at times...for all those faults comes an infinite well of loyalty, and that is more valuable these days than any amount of gold the King can give you."

Kathryn was shaken by this. It was true, he was all of those things. She believed every word he said. But then why did he torment her so? Although she hadn't seen him or his personal henchman all day. He could always still be at the theater. She had just left him there and now she was beginning to worry. Billy saw her apprehensiveness written across her face and wanted to cheer her up. He offered her a goofy grin which seemed to do the trick because she smiled despite her best efforts not to and elbowed him in the ribs. She sighed and lightened the subject, still keeping it to John.

"So...why is it that you call him Rochester?"

Billy laughed and scratched his cheek.

"Honestly? I think I'm the only one he lets get away with that. His complete title just makes him sounds like more of an portentous ass than he already is. So I just poke fun at him referring to him as Rochester. It just implies that he could own us all and we'd still have a laugh at his expense."

Kathryn grinned into the back of her hand.

"I bet he loved that when he figured it out."

"Actually, he's a very good sport about those kinds of things. My only wish would be he stipend his intake of the wilder side of life once in a while. I fear it's going to send him to an early grave..."

"Mmm...I beginning to see that myself. But it looks like you're going to have to pry that wish out of his cold, dead hands."

They continued on, discussing John a bit more, then turned their conversation to the things around them. It wasn't until the sky darkened in hue that Kathryn realized that they had spent the entire day outdoors and that she had completely forgotten about work. She tossed her hands in the air and exclaimed.

"Billy, it's nearly dusk! Oh what have we done with our day!"

He simply smiled at her, finding her personality more and more delightful as he discovered her new mannerisms.

"Enjoyed it...I hope."

She stopped suddenly, ashamed to have sounded ungrateful for his company.

"I didn't mean..."

He caught her chin in his fingers and stilled her.

"I know..."

Billy kissed her lightly on the lips and then offered his arm to her once more.

"Come now, My Lady. I shall escort you back to the theater. It is not quite curtain call for the actors, maybe I can get you there in time to complete your work in peace before their arrival."

Kathryn felt a certain form of relief wash over her as she took his arm to go back to the theater. What a wonderful day it turned out to be.