Will You Teach Me?

by Xeres Malfoy

June 1773. Stephen Bonnet abandoned piracy to engage in much more profitable activities, getting all North Carolina's men of influence on his side. When he sues Brianna to claim custody of Jeremiah (and a few other things...), not for one second does she imagine she could actually lose. And yet...

22. A Horse With No Name

Will You Teach Me…?

Happy New Year 2023! I hope you had a great holiday and I wish you the best for this new year!

Again, Ffnet still hasn't fixed the notification system so if by chance you get here wondering why you haven't read anything for the last 2 months, I invite you to catch up on chapters 20 and 21 before you start this one! And don't hesitate to leave me a small (or a big) comment because since the notifications no longer work, a lot of people don't read or comment anymore and it's very discouraging...

Thank you LykkeF and AngelinaGaye for your reviews!

AngelinaGaye: Happy New Year! And if you thought last chapter was cute, wait until you see this one… ahahah. Hope you like it!

LykkeF: Happy New Year to you too! Being with her family will definitely boost Brianna's morale. But once again it might get her closer to her revenge but also… to her husband. Lololol. I hope you enjoy this long and very cute chapter!

~o~

22. A Horse With No Name

When Claire closed the door to their bedroom, Jamie immediately knew that something was wrong. Throwing his waistcoat over the back of a chair, he approached her and whispered:

"What is it, Sassenach?"

Claire walked into the room, crossing her arms over her chest. "I… I don't know what to think, Jamie."

"Please dinnae tell me ye're buyin' Bonnit's farce?", Jamie grumbled with a contemptuous expression.

"It's not Bonnet I want to talk about… I saw them kissing… Twice." Claire saw Jamie open his mouth to protest but cut him off. "The first time, I thought she knew she was being watched and was forced to play along. So I ignored it, but this time they thought they were alone. And it was… much more sensual."

"Bonnit must be forcin' her tae kiss him, whether they're alone or not..."

"She initiated the kiss. Both kisses, actually."

Jamie froze, understanding from Claire's appalled look that she was absolutely certain of what she had seen. He bit his lip and thought for a moment. "What aboot Jeremiah? Did ye see anythin' when he undressed? Is the wee lad hurt?"

Claire shook her head. "No. I asked him a few questions but he seems to like it here… You should have seen his room, Jamie… He's treated like a prince."

"And Brianna?"

"Jem said that she is happy too, except when she got sick. Twice, he said", Claire replied, making quotation marks with her fingers at the word 'sick'. "The thing is Brianna hardly ever gets sick. Twice in such a short time seems odd, to say the least…"

"D'ye think he's poisoning her?", Jamie groaned immediately, ready to get on his high horse.

"Jesus, no… Jem said she cried a lot, and he knew the illness was just an excuse and that something sad had happened, to use his words. But apart from that…"

Silence fell between them, and then Jamie shook his head. "I cannae believe that the three of them are happy here… Did ye see how uncomfortable Bree was at dinner? She's walking on eggshells with Bonnit, and Jeremiah must be too scared tae tell the truth."

"Jeremiah doesn't seem scared of anything... and to be completely honest, Bree didn't seem more nervous to me than any young woman whose family is having dinner together for the first time." Claire ran her hands over her face and sighed. "Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, this is unbelievable."

"She sent us a message, Sassenach…"

"To tell us that she was doing well."

"Because he is sequestering her in this house…"

"I thought so too, Jamie, and yet they invited us!" She took a deep breath, before lowering her voice in order to avoid drawing attention to them. "You didn't see them kissing down there… It was…" The sight of Brianna capturing Bonnet's lips as he eagerly caressed her hips and back haunted her and she could not finish her sentence. "When Roger came back to the Ridge and told us what had happened, I thought… he was overreacting. That jealousy and pain had got the better of him, but now… I don't know…"

Jamie walked toward her, moved by the distress in Claire's blue eyes. "D'ye think she would have lied aboot the rape?"

The Englishwoman immediately glared at him. "No. The only time Brianna lied to Frank and me about a stupid pack of cigarettes in high school, her lie was so pathetic that we'd rather avoid her any humiliation and pretended to believe it…", she said, while Jamie smiled briefly. "She didn't lie about the rape; I know it and I forbid you to even consider it. But something has changed in the way she acts around Bonnet. And I will find out why."

Jamie nodded and seeing his wife's chin tremble, he took her in his arms and hugged her tight.

~o~

"Blue? Give me a paw!", Jeremiah commanded, and the dog stared at him blankly. Ian gently grabbed Blue's paw and placed it in his own hand before releasing it. Sitting on the front steps – while Brianna, Claire and Jamie finished their breakfast on the sunny wooden deck – the boys were trying to teach Blue some new tricks. Which was quite difficult, the dog being more interested in Ian (and the smell that Rollo had left on him) than in his learning.

"How have you been spending your days?", Claire asked with an encouraging smile. Brianna took a sip of tea and glanced over at Hennessy, who was patiently waiting to clear up the table.

The young woman let out an embarrassed laugh. "Well… I don't have a lot to do, to be honest. Stephen has been spending a lot of time at home, lately, and the three of us have been going for walks. Jeremiah loves going to Cross Creek and Blue has a certain appetite for poultry hunting…"

"Give me a paw!", Jemmy repeated.

"I also draw a lot and I've been reading too…" She paused to take a sip. "A little more action would be great, though. I kinda miss working hard in the fields, designing and making instruments for your practice or simply tinkering…"

"What's keepin' ye from doin' any of that?", Jamie asked, although the real question was: who?

Another "Give me a paw!" was heard on the porch, followed by Ian's and Jeremiah's triumphant roars.

"Oh... I'm not sure..." Another glance at the unfazed butler. "Stephen would probably not like me coming home covered in dirt and dust", she finished with a tight smile.

Bonnet's sweet voice suddenly came out of nowhere, startling Jamie and Claire, but not Brianna – who was used to his way of moving as quietly as a hunting lion. "How would you know if you don't ask?", the pirate said, leaning over her shoulder.

"Well, I'm asking you now!", Bree said defiantly, with an adorable pout.

"What do you think, darlin'? Would I like to see my gorgeous wife covered in mud from head to toe?", he said with a sarcastic smile, before whispering in her ear. "Yes, absolutely."

Brianna giggled, under her parents' puzzled gaze, and Jeremiah finally noticed his father's presence and began to shout excitedly. "Daddy, daddy, look!"

Stephen straightened up and walked towards him, while Jemmy turned to Blue and commanded again: "Give me a paw!" Under his delighted eyes, Blue lifted a front paw and placed it awkwardly on his master's palm. "Did you see, daddy? Ian teached him that!"

As Stephen nodded, looking very impressed, Jamie put down his empty teacup and stood up, adjusting his waistcoat. "Mr. Bonnit, if ye dinnae mind, I'd like tae have a look aroond the plantation and see what's left of its cultivable lands..." The Scotsman's tone was as cold as ice and his contempt uttering the words "Mr. Bonnit" had ruffled a few of Stephen's and Hennessy's feathers, causing the butler to give him a venomous look. Stephen was about to ask Jamie why he even cared, but the Scot spoke first. "After all, Jeremiah is the sole heir tae River Run... fur his sake, I'd like tae make sure there's something left of the property on the day he comes of age..."

The pirate thought intently before he spoke, probably looking for an answer that would not cause the two of them to jump at each other's throats. But nothing came to his mind, so he turned to Hennessy.

"Ask the O'Donnell brothers to prepare two horses for us and also two for them…", he said before turning his attention back to Jamie. "I'm sure you don't mind if two of my men come with us?"

"I dinnae mind, Mr. Bonnit, but I wonder… Don't ye trust yer own father-in-law?" Jamie's voice was dripping with sarcasm, but Stephen chose to answer with his brightest smile.

"I trust you as much as you trust me when it comes to manage my son's assets..."

A heavy silence fell on the porch, except for Jeremiah who was still training his dog with Ian's help.

Brianna let out a nervous laugh. "Please try not to murder each other between two rows of crops…"

Jamie just groaned but Stephen turned to his wife and smirked. "Don't worry, darlin'. Captain Bonnet would have eaten him alive, but the new me respects the elderly now…"

The "elderly person" glared at the Irishman, who ignored him completely. And for good reason: Brianna seized the slice of lemon that was floating in her tea and threw it to her husband's face. Stephen caught it as it flew past, laughing, then put it in his mouth and sucked on it, winking at her seductively before walking to the stables with his usual swaying gait. Bree watched him walk away – shaking her head with a smile on her face – before picking up her cup of tea as the Fraser couple stared at her in complete horror.

"Christ, Brianna, will you finally tell us what is going on?", Claire hissed, leaning over the table.

Brianna blinked, wondering for a second what her mother was talking about, before realizing that her behavior must raise a lot of questions or even concerns. "Mama… listen, things are just easier that way… When we get along, all goes well, you know?"

"Oh, you two seem to get along more than well!" Claire shook her head. "What did he do to discourage you from fighting?"

"I haven't-", she began vehemently before lowering her voice, "I haven't lost hope, Mama…"

Jamie interrupted her. "Then why the farce and masquerade in our presence? He knows that we willnae believe a word of it... Is he hurting ye, mo leannan? Is he subjugating ye tae his will by force?"

Brianna opened her mouth wide and was about to answer when she saw Jeremiah's puzzled look; the kid had not missed a bit of their conversation. And behind him, Hennessy was striding back from the stables. No, Stephen did not hurt her anymore. Since Roger's visit and even more so since Murtagh's death, he had been nothing but gentle and thoughtful towards her, and she certainly wasn't going to complicate things by upsetting Jeremiah or letting Hennessy think she was talking behind Stephen's back. Her parents would understand everything thanks to her message anyway. So she just shook her head.

"No... I know Stephen hasn't exactly been a saint to me in the past... but he's changed. A lot. Everything is fine between us now."

Jamie scoffed. "A saint-?"

"Mr. Bonnet is waiting for you, Mr. Fraser", Hennessy pompously said behind Jamie's back. The latter fell silent, nodded and after one last look at Claire and Brianna, walked to the stables. "Are you finished, Madam?", he then asked Brianna who nodded.

Hennessy waved toward the entrance hall and Lloyd immediately appeared with a tray to take the dishes away. Brianna congratulated herself on her discretion: the footman was probably within earshot, and although he seemed like a nice young man, she did not have the luxury of trusting anyone.

Claire then motioned for Ian to walk away with Jeremiah, and the young man complied, taking the child and his dog to play in the garden. Great, now she's gonna interrogate me…, Brianna internally grumbled. She had dreaded this moment, when she would probably be asked to justify her decisions and behaviors, and her blood started to boil almost instantly in her veins. They weren't there... They don't know all I had to do to stay sane...

"Jeremiah told me you got sick just before Christmas?", Claire asked with a worried look. "But also… that you cried a lot."

She didn't waste her time... Brianna gritted her teeth. Hennessy was still nearby, and though he was staring straight ahead, she was sure he was listening to their every word. She looked down embarrassedly. "We… we went through a rough patch."

"He hurt you, didn't he?"

Brianna was so good at acting surprised that even Hennessy looked convinced and relaxed a little bit. "Who, Stephen? Don't be ridiculous…", she chuckled, her smile gradually fading to be replaced with sadness. Jesus, I deserve a fucking Oscar… "Stephen and I… we're trying to have another child." Claire gasped at the news, but Brianna just stared at Blue and Jeremiah, a few dozen feet away. "I miscarried. It's the kind of things that just happen. You know it better than anyone… Anyway," she shrugged but deep down, her heart was not in it, "it's over now. But I didn't expect Jeremiah to be so insightful."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could easily make out the bewildered expression on her mother's face. But she pulled herself together after a few seconds and bit her lip.

"And the second time…?"

Brianna looked down at her fingers, which were playing nervously with the fabric of her dress. She could not tell her what had happened after Roger left. Stephen's cruel trick, the catatonia, the weeks without touching each other that only made her crave even more for human contact and that turned Stephen into an ever more considerate and caring lover.

"I was… so sad when I heard Murtagh passed away." At least that was not a lie. "If only our letter had reached you sooner…"

"Your letter?", Claire asked, glancing at Hennessy, but he did not seem surprised by what he was hearing. That was no secret.

"About the weapons… Stephen let me write to warn you they had been tampered with. When the Gazette announced the victory of the Crown, we thought that the letter had arrived too late or had been most likely lost on the way…"

Did Bonnet even send that letter?, Claire wondered, but she could not ask this in front of the butler. In the distance, a bark and a burst of laughter broke the silence.

"Did Jeremiah mention anything else in his report?", Bree laughed to lighten the mood.

"Not really…", Claire raised her eyebrows briefly, as if she did not believe what she was about to say. "He looks very happy and healthy. I have to say I'm quite surprised. I imagined… a very different situation."

Brianna could not blame her. Not when she had herself spent entire nights imagining everything Stephen could do to her and Jeremiah after they got married. She had pictured them tied up in the basement, beaten and scared, until they eventually died of their wounds – thus giving Bonnet full control over the Camerons' assets. Hundreds of tawdry scenarios had crossed her mind, plaguing her nights with insane nightmares, making her jump every time her husband invaded her living space. But reality had been very different. The physical violence she had imagined had not happened – at least for the most part – only to be replaced by a more silent and elusive form of abuse: manipulation and psychological subjugation. Until things finally became easier. Livable. At least for her. Jeremiah had been luckier: he was much too young to realize what was really going on, and Stephen had made sure to be kind to him and satisfy his every wish from the very first day.

"If there's one thing I can't deny", Brianna went on, this time facing Claire, "it's that Stephen is a wonderful father. I mean it. And I think… that Jeremiah needed this."

Claire looked at her sadly. "If only Roger had-"

"I expected too much of Roger", Brianna cut her off. The last thing she wanted to talk about right now was how everything could have been different if Roger had been a better father. "Roger and his damn morals… I should have known from the start of our relationship that I could not rely on him to support me. I forced him to live with Jeremiah… hoping things would work out… but I was wrong." She took a deep breath and exhaled, a tight smile on her face. "It doesn't matter anymore. Now, Jeremiah has a father who adores him and takes good care of him. That's all that matters to me."

The sorry expression on Claire's face deepened. "Bree…" Just by the tone of her voice, Brianna knew she would not let go so easily. "You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you?"

Behind the young woman, Hennessy straightened up, his hands behind his back, and almost imperceptibly cleared his throat. But Brianna did not need any reminder. This had become like a second nature over the months and considering Stephen's latest behavior, it wasn't even a lie. Letting out a half-amused, half-exasperated sigh, Brianna rolled her eyes.

"Mama… I'm fine. I swear." Smiling brightly, she pretended to remember something important. "Oh, by the way... I haven't thanked you for sending me Hamlet. I really love it… Every time I read it, I feel like I'm discovering another detail or double meaning that I had never seen before. I never get tired of it…"

A conspiratorial gleam immediately shone in Claire's eyes, who smiled at her daughter. "Good. I knew you would love to have it here."

"I hope Jamie will love his gift as much as I did mine", Brianna added, mentally praising herself for her subtlety. "When I saw that watch, I immediately thought about him and the symbol of his clan. The case details are amazing and the mechanism inside? Pure wonder. Absolutely fascinating."

"You know your father, he'll certainly crack it open to take a closer look", Claire chuckled, shaking her head.

Oh, I'm counting on it…, Brianna answered inwardly and the spark in her mother's eyes was enough to tell her that she had understood the hidden message.

A few feet away, Jeremiah was hopping up and down, waving his arms. "Mama, mama, look!"

Brianna turned her attention back to him as he spun around, soon imitated by Blue. She felt a sudden urge to run and go spinning with her son and his dog, so she got up from her seat, smiling broadly.

"Would it work if I'm the one spinning around?", she asked. Jeremiah and Ian shrugged as one. "Let's see..." Gathering momentum with her arms, she performed two 360 degrees rotations, her long dress swirling around her. Blue recognized the signal and imitated her, to the applause of Ian and Jem. Her cheeks aching from a stupid grin, Bree bowed and greeted her audience with a laugh. Feeling light-hearted for the first time in months.

~o~

The next two days were quieter than Brianna or her parents could have imagined. Hennessy had probably reported Brianna's exemplary conduct to Stephen, because he did not insist on staying with them all day – leaving the family under the constant watch of the butler and his men posted at each entrance. Even Jamie – who had returned quite annoyed from his tour – had been more cheerful after a brief conversation with Claire before dinner.

Brianna had not smiled so genuinely in ages. The presence of her parents and Ian, the days spent together talking and laughing, the happiness she read in Jeremiah's eyes: all of this had cheered her up, bringing back a little hope in her heart, and for the first time since that fateful July 15th when she married Stephen, she felt… happy and confident about the future.

Stephen had noticed it too, but with mixed feelings. He loved to see her smile and laugh with a sparkle in her eyes, but he hated the fact that other people were the cause of her joy. She had understood this on the evening of May 3rd, the day before Jeremiah's birthday when after a particularly funny dinner, during which Jamie had treated the family to a few hilarious anecdotes about their life at the Ridge, Stephen had pounced on her like a hungry lion to devour her with kisses. And when she had asked what had gotten into him — as he rolled up her skirts and untied his own breeches — he had whispered a few words. It's the way you laugh… By Danu, I love the way you laugh…

He had then taken her on the windowsill, reveling in her erratic breathing as he did his best to pleasure her. Promise you'll keep laughing like this with me... Promise me, Brianna... Breathless and her body racked by pleasure, she had moaned a promise, seconds before Stephen came and carried her away in an intense last kiss.

Brianna shivered. The memory aroused her much more than it should and every detail had engraved itself in her brain and flesh, in the most disturbing way. The coldness of the window behind her back, Stephen's burning hot hands clinging to her thighs, the strong back and forth movements of his pelvis seconds before he came inside her-

"Mama!"

Brianna jumped violently, her glass of wine escaping her fingers and spilling its contents onto the tablecloth. "Fuck", she swore, as Lloyd ran over with a towel to mop up the mess. Lost in her thoughts, she had completely forgotten that she was still at the table, eating Jeremiah's birthday cake. At least, that's what was happening before her brain switched off. Her cheeks burning, she looked up at the other guests – all standing near their chairs – and especially Stephen, who was staring at her with piercing eyes.

"Fuck!", Jeremiah giggled, before immediately clasping his hands over his little mouth when he saw Bree's angry gaze.

"Jeremiah, language…", Stephen sneered, as the child pouted.

"But she says it all the time…"

"I'm sorry, I think my mind drifted away... Are you leaving already?", Brianna panicked when she saw her parents standing. They had planned to leave River Run in the afternoon, but she hoped she would spend a few more hours with them.

"Nobody's leavin', darlin'," Stephen answered for them, "I just told Jeremiah that our present was waitin' for him outside."

"Come on, Mama! Get up!", the child said impatiently as he headed for the exit.

"I'm coming, I'm coming…", Brianna sighed but Jeremiah had already disappeared into the entrance hall, followed by his grandparents and Ian. Stephen waited to offer her his arm and as soon as she seized it, he leaned a bit toward her.

"Your mind drifted away, huh? Where?"

His question was neither aggressive nor sarcastic. He was just wondering what was on her mind, something that Brianna was used to by now. That's why she did not try to lie; even better, she wondered what his reaction would be if she told him the truth. He couldn't do much about it anyway, with her family a few feet away.

"On… a windowsill", she whispered with an enigmatic smile. As she expected, Stephen frowned for a second before he finally understood the hint. She saw his eyes indecently undress her from head to toe, and blushed when he buried his face in the crook of her neck to whisper a few naughty words.

Ten yards away, Jamie was watching them from the entrance hall, frowning. He now understood a little better what Claire had wanted to say, on their first evening in River Run. The difference between the old Brianna – scared to death by Bonnet's presence – and the one who was openly flirting with her husband was obvious… and disturbing. But a sudden high-pitched cry snapped the Scotsman out of his thoughts. On the porch, Jeremiah was squealing with delight, about ten seconds before Brianna arrived and discovered the cause of the ruckus.

"A poney?!", she exclaimed along with her son, the latter with much more enthusiasm. And as Jeremiah ran towards his gift led by the groom, Bree let out a long sigh.

"Hmm, Mrs. Bonnet disapproves?", Stephen quipped as he went down the front steps beside her.

"No, I always knew it would happen… The day you brought the dog back, I remember myself thinking: what will it be tomorrow? A pony?... And here we are..."

Stephen chuckled, as Jamie and Claire helped Jemmy climb onto the animal. "Our son needs to learn how to ride properly… The sooner he gets comfortable, the better."

"You're right, it would be a shame if he reached the age of thirty-seven years old and still looked like he wants to jump off the horse, like his father..."

"Is it my fault that I'm much more comfortable on a galleon in the midst of a storm than on the back of those damn horses?", Stephen muttered as Brianna let go of his arm to follow Jeremiah.

"You're not more comfortable in a storm... you're just more motivated to stay on the ship!", she scoffed over her shoulder, laughing when he nodded approvingly.

The early afternoon went by peacefully, punctuated by Jeremiah's joyful screams and the Frasers' cheering. But each passing minute brought Brianna inexorably closer to her family's departure, and she felt the nonchalance and carelessness of the past few days slip away with each chime of the clock. Having Jamie and Claire at River Run – even if they had not been able to talk freely and had been forced to act out – had been a welcome interlude of pure happiness in her daily life and she prayed that Stephen would agree to do it again.

The moment Claire and Jamie hugged Jeremiah goodbye almost brought her to tears, but Brianna managed to push them back when it was her turn to be cuddled like a baby.

"We'll be back, mo leannan", Jamie whispered in her ear. "And you'll be rid of him for good…"

Brianna nodded against her father's chest, forcing a smile to her lips as he released her and climbed into their cart. He did not say a word to Stephen, who gladly returned the favor, and both men just nodded at each other icily. Sitting at the front of the cart, Claire craned her neck to stare at Bree and Jeremiah for as long as she could, until the greenery and the distance made them disappear. It was the second time in her life that she left Brianna in Stephen Bonnet's hands, and she hoped it would be the last, but she was not as nervous as last time. The fear of seeing her daughter and grandson killed or maltreated was not as strong as it used to be. Bonnet did not seem to abuse them at all, and even if Brianna was not free to come and go, her life was not in danger. No, the biggest risk was her getting used to this life. Perhaps to the point of being satisfied with it. Or that Jeremiah's happiness became more important than her own and she chose to stay with Bonnet. Or worse… she could grow attached to him.

Claire could vaguely hear Jamie's and Ian's voices debriefing the last few days, punctuating their phrases with disapproving grunts. But she chose not to listen to them, replaying the moment Brianna had confessed to her about her miscarriage. Stephen and I… we're trying to have another child… Was it a lie or the truth? Did he regularly rape her to conceive a baby, or had their relationship become consensual? Did she really miscarry or did she voluntarily end the pregnancy? Too many questions remained unanswered, and while she was sure Brianna was still out for revenge, she wondered how long it would last before her lies and pretenses eventually became her only reality.

"…Sassenach?"

Claire jumped and turned to Jamie, who gave her a questioning look.

"What?"

"I was wonderin' if we cood stop here and take a closer look at this watch or if ye'd rather wait until we're at the inn fur the night…", Jamie repeated without taking offense. He understood only too well how disturbing the last days had been.

"No… let's do it here. I had to refrain myself from ripping the damn watch open for two days, now I need to know what Brianna wants to tell us."

"Why haven't ye tried openin' it in yer room?", Ian asked with a shrug.

Jamie shook his head. "What if someone had caught us in the act, or if we had accidentally dropped the message fur Bonnet to find it later? It wouldn't have done Brianna any guid."

Ian nodded, while Claire spread a cloth over the seat of the cart and handed Jamie his small reading glasses as well as a pair of tweezers from her surgery kit. With infinite caution as he did not want to ruin his gift, Jamie unsealed the case of the watch and opened the back, revealing the complicated mechanism. The Frasers held their breath. The inside of the watch was empty. Claire was starting to panic when Ian gasped.

"The lid! There's somethin' stuck in the lid."

Indeed, a tiny roll of paper was stuck in the convex part. Jamie pulled it out with the tweezers and as he unrolled it, Claire ran her finger over the material Bree had used to secure the paper, and licked it.

"She made glue", the Englishwoman smiled proudly, "with honey and flour."

"What does the message say?", Ian urged, craning his neck.

Jamie did not answer. His eyes were staring at the few scribbled words, and he had to read them several times before fully realizing their importance. Claire could not bear it any longer and snatched the paper from his hands to read it aloud:

"Tryon raised taxes. Stephen makes sure everyone pays. They share the surplus."

The three Frasers slowly raised their heads to exchange blank stares. According to Bree, Tryon was making North Carolina taxpayers pay more money than necessary. And he shared it with his enforcer. The Crown would certainly not like that. A corner of Jamie's mouth twitched, his eyes sparkling with joy and excitement.

"We got him…"

"We have to find proof first… This paper alone will not be enough for the authorities", Claire tempered, but Jamie dismissed her remark with a sweep of his hand before replacing the lid on the watch. He checked that it was still working and slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"We'll find proof, Sassenach. We'll find everythin' we need, and rid Brianna as well as North Carolina of these common thieves..."

Before it breaks Brianna's heart…, Claire thought with a hint of concern. Jamie must have sensed her turmoil, because he stroked her cheek with one hand and smiled.

"I kenned it... Our Bree never stopped fighting...", he whispered, his eyes shining.

Claire smiled back a little less cheerfully and put the cloth and tweezers back in her kit, trying to ignore a small voice in her head. A voice that kept telling her that it would probably be too late.

~o~

After her parents' departure, a wave of conflicting emotions forced Brianna to isolate herself for a moment in order to let her tears run free. She was happy and grateful for these few days with her family, but also sad to see them go. She was relieved that no one had come to blows, but also frustrated that she could not be completely honest about her situation. Watching her parents leave with the watch – and the message it contained – had brought her some hope, but now she had to get back to her daily life with Stephen.

Then, she had stopped crying only to doze off for an hour. It wasn't much but it was enough to stop this emotional roller-coaster – and when she woke up, her first instinct was to smile. Regardless, these four days had been incredible and she felt invigorated. So when she heard the distant chime of the clock announcing that dinner would be ready soon, Brianna cheerfully jumped out of bed and left the master bedroom, looking for Jeremiah.

The child, however, was not in his room, and the small jacket full of pony hair lying on the floor told her that Phaedre had already changed him for dinner and abandoned the dirty clothes there to pick them up later. But as she was coming down the stairs, the young servant appeared, her arms filled with clean laundry that must have been drying in the yard. And the boy wasn't with her.

"Where's Jeremiah? It's time for him to have dinner…", Brianna asked as Phaedre stopped beside her, craning her neck behind the pile of laundry to look at her.

"Oh, Mr. Bonnet is already with him in the kitchen… He did not want to wake you up…"

Brianna thanked the young girl with a smile and went all the way down to the ground floor, hearing loud voices coming from the kitchens. The door was open and Brianna stopped in the doorway, watching as Jeremiah swallowed his mashed potatoes and peas while Stephen cut his meat into tiny pieces.

"Is it good, lad?", Stephen asked him, putting the knife out of his reach. Jeremiah nodded vigorously.

"I like peas."

"Aye, I did too, when I was your age… but I not to eat them." Jeremiah frowned, inviting his father to keep talking and Stephen did not need to be asked twice. "At the orphanage, vegetables were rare and precious, so I usually ate them all down to the last bite… Except for the peas, because it's impossible not to play with them..."

"Mama always says: don't play with food…", Jeremiah recited, as Stephen nodded solemnly, grabbing a teaspoon and three peas.

"And she's absolutely right", he finished. Just before spooning his ammo and catapulting it towards Jemmy. The peas hit the boy in the forehead, before falling limply on the table. The child giggled and tossed two of the peas back to their sender, who dodged them. As Stephen bent down to pick up the peas on the floor, Brianna crept into the kitchen, putting a finger on her lips to tell Jemmy to be quiet. The little boy clapped his hands over his mouth to keep from giggling, and Bree scooped up a large spoonful of mash and threw it at Stephen. The mashed potatoes hit him on the cheek, then slid down on his jacket as he got up with the peas. Taken aback, he first looked at Jeremiah – whose hands had no traces of mashed potatoes, thus clearing him of any wrongdoing – then saw Brianna, with her lips pursed into a mischievous smile and a spoon in her hand.

There was something incredibly satisfying about seeing Bonnet dripping with sticky food, and she chuckled loudly at his half-annoyed, half-surprised expression. Hearing his mother giggle, Jemmy removed his hands from his mouth and laughed in turn, as his father slowly scooped up the potatoes that were dangerously dripping toward his thighs, not taking his eyes off Brianna. Piling up the food in the palm of his hand, he slowly stood up to walk around the table while Brianna threatened him with her now empty spoon.

"Do not play with food, Stephen!"

"She says after throwin' potatoes at me…", the Irishman retorted with a smirk.

Brianna started trotting backwards, glancing behind her so as not to trip on something. "I only did so because you attacked Jemmy firs-…"

Before she could get to the end of her sentence, more mash landed under her chin, trickling down to her chest and cleavage.

"Ewww, it's dripping inside my dress…", she whined, wincing in disgust, but Jeremiah and her husband just laughed at her. Incited by his parents, Jeremiah also loaded up his spoon and hit Stephen right in the face, just when the pirate was considering catching Brianna and smearing the food all over her. His miffed face as the potatoes dripped down his cheek was so hilarious that Bree immediately burst into a hearty laugh.

A smile slowly made its way to Stephen's lips and when Bree met his fascinated gaze, she immediately remembered her promise of the previous night. To laugh with him like she did with her parents. She did not know if she could keep that promise in the long run, but the joy of the last few days would at least allow her to do so today. As he scooped up the food on his face to retaliate, Bree let out a high-pitched scream and tried to escape from the kitchen but Stephen was quicker and circled her waist with one arm while covering her cheeks with potatoes. Jeremiah was laughing so hard that he almost choked on a piece of meat and it was in the midst of this happy ruckus that Fitzpatrick and Phaedre barged in – both horrified at the state of the room. The spouses immediately froze, like two children caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and Brianna cleared her throat embarrassedly. She hated giving the staff extra work and blushed when she saw the mash and peas littering the floor.

"We will clean this up right now, Mr. Fitzpatrick", she apologized, while Bonnet winced. But her offer did not seem to please the cook, who shook his head.

"With all due respect, Mistress, I'd rather have you out of my kitchen… both of you."

"I'll help Jeremiah finish his dinner", Phaedre offered before biting the inside of her cheeks to suppress a giggle. "But first, I'll ask Lloyd to prepare the bathtub…"

"Um, aye, we sure could use a bath…", Stephen mumbled, dropping a handful of mash into the waste bucket under Fitzpatrick's surly gaze. Phaedre immediately went looking for the footman, while Brianna tried to leave the kitchen with what was left of her dignity.

Stephen and her remained silent the whole time – while Lloyd prepared their bath and as they removed their soiled clothes after the footman left. But when Brianna undid her corset and let out a disgusted sigh at the sight of the mash between her breasts, another chuckle escaped Bonnet's lips. A chuckle that was soon followed by an uncontrollable fit of laughter, and Brianna couldn't help but imitate him.

"I thought Fitzpatrick was going to fry us in one of his pans… Did you see his face?", Stephen laughed as he got into the tub.

"I really don't understand why he didn't let us clean up..."

Stephen briefly immersed to wet his hair, then rose back to the surface. "Because he knows we could have found a way to do much worse with water and soap…?"

Brianna nodded and stepped into the tub with a sigh. "Probably…"

Chuckling again, Stephen let her settle comfortably between his legs, smiling as she lay back in the water, her shoulders propped up against his chest. It wasn't uncommon for them to share a bath, but he loved how natural it had become for her to strip and settle into the tub with him. Whether she liked it or not, she had gotten used to a few aspects of their life and letting him touch her naked body was definitely one of them…

Reaching out, he grabbed the cloth and soap that had been left for them and lathered the soap on the cloth before gently massaging Brianna's neck and shoulders with it. The first time he had done that – a few days after Murtagh's death – Brianna had burst into tears as the gesture released all the tensions and emotions she had accumulated. He had done it again, at her request, on the following bath and every bath after that. With a satisfied sigh, Bree sat up to expose her back and allow him to proceed, which he gladly did. But Stephen knew from her chin resting on her knees, her eyes staring at the wall and her ruminative pout, that she was still lost in thoughts. Still, he kept cleaning her slowly, until she finally snuggled back against his chest. He was now placing the soapy cloth on her chest – and more specifically on her left breast – when Brianna seemed to snap out of her reverie and turned her head to stare deep into his eyes.

She was aware that the game she was playing was dangerous, that faking this perfect domestic life would inevitably have pernicious effects – and it might even already be too late – but Bree could not deny that Stephen had bettered himself. And that deserved to be rewarded. His behavior toward her had been of unparalleled tenderness and patience since Murtagh's death… he had even accepted to celebrate Jeremiah's and Jamie's birthdays with her family. Something that would not have been possible even a few months earlier... They had to keep going down that path. And then, everything would become much easier. Or more complicated…, a small voice snorted in her brain, but she ignored it.

"Thank you…"

Stephen immediately stopped admiring her breasts, beaded with hot water, to look straight into her eyes. He did not ask why she was thanking him. He did not tell her to forget it or that it was normal, because she knew full well that meeting the Frasers had wracked out his nerves. Dropping the cloth – that slid slowly down Brianna's stomach – he cupped her cheek with his hand. Brianna held her breath. The Irishman's green eyes were burning through her soul, while his hot hand made the water around them almost cold in comparison, and she unwillingly shivered. In a good way.

"The things I'd do for you, darlin'…"

Brianna's lips parted, letting oxygen in for the first time in a dozen seconds, just before Stephen's joined them into a languid kiss.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Ooopsie! Looks like Bree's plan has once again backfired. Yes, she managed to get her message across and to see her parents, but with the overflowing joy that it causes her and with Stephen who seems to adore the laughing and playful Brianna that he has discovered these last few days, the situation is likely to get more complicated. He's growing more caring and – yes – it looks like love is starting to replace the sick need for possession he had for her. And Brianna starts to feel it…

I hope you enjoyed this long chapter! Don't hesitate to tell me what you think, it encourages me to continue – I still have a few chapters ahead but to be honest, with Christmas and everything, I haven't written a single word since November so I really need some motivation!

The next chapter will be released on January 29th! Until then, I look forward to reading you and I wish you an excellent start to the year!

Xérès