Had the most random flame ever on this story last time :P

yuanying
2010-11-04 . chapter 1
fucking lame, stupid puckleberry, so ooc, like puck would actually like ugly rachel, puh leeeease. not reading any more buh bye

Why are you reading a Puck/Rachel story in the first place if you don't like the ship? And of course it is going to be a little OCC its set in nineteenth century Britain! And it's not that much of a major hardship if you don't read anymore seeing as you don't like Puckleberry in the first place!

Does this make sense to anyone? Because it doesn't to me! Anyways this is a little shorter than normal but at least it's up :D and I have been useless at replying to reviews recently to any of my stories so if you have reviewed and I haven't replied I'm sorry and thank you so much! :D

Time 6

Rachel sighed and finally nodded in agreement to Finn's third request for a walk later that week, he was completely annoying her with his constant and persistent attention and when Rachel was annoyed she snapped. She had a short temper she know she did, but nothing she said to him seemed to faze him he either looked at her blankly or smiled and shrugged his shoulders as if thinking she was joking, and his buzzing around her shoulder was not only frustrating her but also her companion and the Duke.

"Please excuse me your Grace" Rachel said stiffly to Noah "I will back momentarily" she promised him before walking beside Finn, refusing to take his arm as Puck growled behind her in annoyance and turned away.

"That boy is annoying" Santana muttered under her breath, not realising that Puck had heard her until he snorted with laughter and nodded in agreement before looking over and watching the odd looking couple walk around the garden, the tall lanky young man towering over the small petite brunette.

"He is a decent enough young man" Puck said fairly gritting his teeth however "he just...he's a little obsessed with making a good match, and Rachel is a beautiful women..." he trailed off watching Rachel sink gracefully to a flower bed and smell a beautiful red rose, ignoring the young man talking beside her.

"And you?" Santana asked cheekily as she watched his eyes grow dreamy and distant "are you obsessed with making a good match?"

"No" Puck scoffed, he wasn't obsessed with finding a wife, he wanted someone who would challenge him, someone to keep up with him and not take his behaviour and the repercussions of that behaviour, and now he had met her.

Instinctively knowing exactly what he was thinking Santana curtsied to him and left him to make the move he had been skirting around for the last two weeks since he had started to get to know Rachel, squaring his shoulders and taking a steadying breath he headed towards the Marques of Anglesey.

"My Lord?" he questioned, clearing his throat at the high pitch it came out at "a word if you please?"

"Of course" Hiram said with a smile, shocking the men he was standing with as they watched their companion walk off with the notorious Duke.

"I assume that you know what I wish to talk to you about..." Puck trailed off again as his eyes were drawn to the couple in the lower garden just as Finn tucked Rachel's hand into the crook of his arm listening to her talk, his teeth gnawing at how comfortable Finn looked.

"My daughter" Hiram said smugly "my apparently very popular daughter who is only a month and half into her first season"

"Proud much?" Puck drawled with a laugh, Hiram nodding without embarrassment and joining in with the Duke "I can understand why" he finished with a gentle smile down at Rachel who had looked up at him just as he did and smiled back.

"I think you can" Hiram said gently, knowing that Puck really understood what he meant, meant that Puck understood that Rachel was special in more ways than then the usual for a pretty girl, she had a mind and opinions that she wasn't afraid to share even if they were completely wrong to some people, she was bossy and short tempered but under it all was this perfect mix of 'crazy' and determined.

"I almost cannot believe that I'm doing this" Puck admitted leaning against the low stone wall next to him "I'm sure you have heard about me...about my past...but this, this asking...courting someone...actually thinking I could spend my life with someone...it's crazy...and not me"

"Well that's not as elegant as when Finn asked me" Hiram drawled this time "but I think I could stand you as a son-in-law"

Sighing in relief that he had been given permission Puck's face broke into a grin and his cocky attitude fell back into place "thank you"

"You're welcome, want some advice?" Hiram added as he watched his daughter bite her tongue and roll her eyes at Finn.

"Yeah" Puck shrugged "I mean if you think it will help...Rachel...she's a little confusing occasionally, like walking through a field being bombarded with artillery never quite knowing if you are going to be hit"

Hiram burst into laughter at the analogy, his entire body moving with the force of it as his head tipped back, earning him a few glances from the people around at he yet another garden party, everyone enjoying the unseasonably warm and dry summer of early July. Calming down he whipped at his eyes a little and took a sip of his drink "right advice" he started trying not to laugh again "do not inform Rachel that you asked for my permission, she finds the system archaic and demeaning to women she told me a long time ago that she will chose her husband and I have accepted that"

"Well I didn't think you would complain about a Duke" Puck said scratching his head in confusion

"No I don't mean that, I just meant that it her choice, not mine, so she doesn't appreciate me having a say in who can court her"

"Oh right" Puck said getting what Hiram was getting at finally "so no telling her I talked to you first"

"Right, and get her on your own she won't appreciate a show for the society"

"That's not exactly proper..." Puck trailed off, worrying about how people would view the two of them off on their own and if Hiram really had heard about his reputation"

"I trust Rachel, and I assume that if you want to marry my daughter I should trust you as well"

Hiram smiled and nodded at the young noble in front of him before returning to the group of men his own age he had been talking to before as Puck approached Rachel and brought her attention to him with a delicate touch to her elbow.

"Lady Rachel, a word please?"

"Of course your Grace" Rachel said turning to the Lord Finn at her side "excuse me" she said with any type apology, happy to be escaping his mind numbing conversation and constant forcing off her arm through his, with a barely perceptible curtsy to him she took the offered arm from the Duke and let him lead her away.

"Thank you Your Grace" Rachel said with a grateful sigh "I needed an escape, I thought by finally agreeing to his request for a walk I could convince him to drop this ridiculous attempt at a courting"

"I saw your face and deemed it had been enough time" Noah agreed with a grin, following his hopefully future father-in-laws advice "I thought we could go for a ride, perhaps escape this party for a while, take a afternoon tea with us?"

"That sounds delightful" Rachel agreed happily, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow further before walking with him to the stables and ride out into the woods of Castle Arundel's land.

"I think you will live to regret what you just did" Lord Schuster said worriedly the men around them nodding in agreement as they watched Rachel and Noah walk away from the shocked Finn and away from the party.

"Noah Puckerman has quite a reputation" Sir Evans said, Baron and father to Sam, Quinn's betrothed.

"As has my daughter considering the gossip I seem to continually be hearing about her, because of her opinions and her avoidance of the other girls" Hiram rebuffed gently, trying not to lose his own temper the source of Rachel's even if he did have more control.

"Well do you not worry that she spends too much time with that Santana girl? And now giving permission to the Duke to court her? I think you should just let Lord Finn continue his campaign for her heart and let him guide her into the proper circles of society"

"I think I will let me daughter make her own decisions, and that Santana girl is lovely and I think you should all remember your manner, obviously I am working on the assumption that you were raised with some" Hiram finally snapped and walked away, content in the knowledge that they needed him and his contacts more than he needed them.