A/N: Thank you again for the reviews! The support is really important for me :)

The Orient Express

CHAPTER V

"But we can order from a butler to the compartment," Angelica suggested for the tenth time.

Like the other ten times, Arie was determined to her decision. "No, I want to eat at the restaurant."

Angelica sighed. "But what about Emory?"

Arie was frowning whilst changing dress. She knew her mother was hiding something, but not what. She eventually surrended. "Fine. We can eat here if it is that important to you."

Angelica squealed on the inside. "Good. I'll go to the restaurant to order.

"Hmm..." Arie replied whilst reflecting herself in the mirror.

Angelica left the compartment to head off to the restaurant. She went straight to the corner were a servant took bookings for dinner service to the private compartments.

"Good evening Miss. What can I do for you?" he wondered politely.

"A chicken soup for my daughter and a salmon for me."

He noted it down before whistling to another servant. He handed him the note. "Give this to the chef," he commanded before returning his attention to Angelica. "Would that be all?"

She nodded and smiled. She managed taking two steps before Jack had crossed her heading.

"I need ye to sign these," he repeated and put the papers down onto a table.

She glanced to them and gave no indication of interest in signing them.

"No."

"Why?"

Carefully she tried. "Could you possibly pay Captain Lucifer 500£?"

Jack chuckled. "500£ for ye signing these papers? I'll have to think about that."

"Thousand. 500 000£," Angelica corrected.

Jack's eyes widened. It took quite some time until they went to normal. "I have no interest in doing so." Was the woman mad? Of course she was, but still. Even more mad?

He shook his head as if being in disbelief. "Ye be insane, Angelica."

Even though the words were not nice, nor intimidating either by the flirty tone, but it was the first time in a long while she heard him saying her name.

"Sign the divorce papers."

"Never."

"SIGN."

"NEVER."

"SI-," he shut abruptly as the door of the compartment beside them opened.

The lady had an angry expression. "May I suggest you and your wife to quarrel somewhere else?! I am trying to get some rest."

"She's not my wife," Jack shot back to correct her.

The lady was about to close the door but made a pause. "Then why are you trying to divorce her?!" she shut the door with a loud thud in anger.

The two stared at each other. But upon seeing his fiancée entering the room, Jack gathered the papers and left her alone. Angelica looked after him to see him approaching a woman she assumed was his fiancée. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, that woman was attractive. She was rather thin with long blonde hair. Ice blue eyes and pale skin. Something with her hard smile made Angelica see her as one of those false ladies she had met in her life.

Angelica straightened her back. Why did she even care?

There was perhaps a hint of envy when she examined the couple leave the wagon. Where were they going? Did they kiss? She felt disgusted by the thought of them together. When her expression softened was first by seeing Emory approach her. Instead she got nervous. Had he finally figured her out?

"Would you like to have dinner with me?" he wondered.

Angelica shook her head. "I cannot share dinner with you." She had to return to Arie.

"Oh," Emory seemed disappointed. "But what about the dancing that will take place at the third wagon?"

First she opened her mouth and was ready to dismiss that idea as well. But then she formed a picture in her head of Jack attending that place. Of course he would. And of all sudden she smiled and gave him a nod.

"Why not? Sounds excellent," she answered..

"We'll see each other later then," he lifted her hand and kissed it before he left.

Angelica was still leaning against the wall and smiled smugly. "Sounds excellent, perfectly excellent...," she murmured to herself.

She headed back to the compartment. Dinner had already been set out on a table with white cloth. The cutlery was made of gold and silver. A lit candle enlightened the dark room but darkness had already fallen outside. Arie was seated and ate from the chicken soup.

"You took such time," she stated.

"I know, forgive me," Angelica excused herself and sat down in front of her daughter. She unfolded the napkin and put it on her lap. "Emory invited me to the dance tonight."

Arie choked on the soup. "He did what?" she coughed.

Angelica sipped on the white wine. "I said yes."

Arie coughed again and frowned incredulously at her mother. "What in the world?!"

"Hey!" Angelica warned. "I am a grown woman, and I am aware of my deeds." She did not want to discuss the subject more with her daughter, as she was afraid she might develop more into it.

Arie held her hands up. "Alright, I might have been unfair. I just cannot understand your intentions of encountering an enemy."

Now it was Angelica that shot her daughter a glare. She took the note and shut her mouth before her mother would be too upset. But she could not just understand it. Not even a little bit.

"Perhaps I can come too," she suggested.

Angelica had just finished her glass of wine, and she shook her head dizzily to Arie. "No." Never in a million years.

"But I am supposed to get married someday soon. I should begin looking for possible future husbands, should I not?"

Angelica chuckled and shook her head again. "No, definitely not yet. Wait a few years until you are ready." Like she had been herself, she thought sarcastically. "Now finish the dinner."

After dinner Angelica had managed drinking a complete bottle of white Chardonnay. She was trying to get dressed but had to look over her shoulder to Arie.

"Please help me tighten the back," she said pleadingly. Arie sighed from her book and looked up. Again, her eyebrow quirked knowingly upon the sight.

"A red dress," she commented, thinking about her mother's previous words earlier that day.

Angelica rolled her eyes. "Just tie it, Arie."

She backed and returned to her book, only to look up and examine how her mother adjusted her cleavage and make-up overly much. She never cared that much about her looks. But tonight? And her hair was stunning.

"Is Emory really that wonderful?" Arie questioned by how much Angelica tried to look great.

"No, not him," Angelica let slip out without thinking.

"Then who, Mother?" Arie was fast like a shark to attack.

Suddenly Angelica realized what she had said and froze. She remained her back towards Arie but her daughter could see how she tensed. "Nobody."

But Arie could tell. Apparently her mother was up to something, although she still had no idea on what.

"Well," Angelica spun around.

Arie smiled genuinely. "You look... hot."

Angelica gave her a look. "Thank you," she leaned down to kiss her forehead. "You must stay here, and you won't move a centimeter outside this compartment."

A/N: Like it, hate it? Tell me your opinion :)