Will You Teach Me…?
Last chapter kinda flopped, I only had one comment so maybe it wasn't as good as you expected, I don't know. I hope this chapter will make up for it! Phaedre will be the main character here so get prepared to see our girl take action (no matter how it will end, she did what she thought she had to do…).
Thanks Rath101 for the review and Zenna90 for hitting the follow button!
Rath101: ummmm some insight about my next art… Well it will be a mix of comedy and drama, and it's a sick fic. To sum it up, Bonnet is on his way to abduct Brianna and their son, he waits until she's alone cuz the Frasers have to attend an event at John Grey's; but when he decides to act he finds her with a very bad flu and fever that makes her unable to take care of a 6 months old baby… and he decides that he's the hero Brianna was waiting for. Except she absolutely doesn't want him around, but she has no choice. To be honest, I'm still unsure about the ending. I've written 4 chapters so far and I don't know if I'll be satisfied with the story so I'll keep working on it, see how it goes and if it's worth posting online… I also wrote another fic (some kind of Tarzan AU with Bree and Stephen) for a friend's birthday and I will also post that one cuz it's hilarious and contains a lot of sexy smut. Lololol And she loved it so you guys will probably enjoy it too. Also, I wanted to ask readers what would be their dream fic about Bree/Stephen and if they have any idea they would want to read. I could make a series of one shots or short fics for you guys, it could be fun!
oOo
32. Love Is A Losing Game
January 1775.
There are places on this Earth where you immediately feel at home, on familiar ground and safe, even if you have never set foot there. Fraser's Ridge was definitely one of those. Perhaps it was due to the many drawings that Brianna had made of the house, or to Jeremiah's inexhaustible rambling about the cattle paddocks and the vegetable garden where he used to play… but Phaedre knew instinctively that they had reached their destination when they finally saw the large beige wooden house, its two red brick chimneys, Claire's practice, as well as the stilted terrace that surrounded most of the building.
"This is it!", she called, and Angeni immediately tugged on Onacona's arm – who was holding the reins of their horse – to make him stop.
"Are you sure?"
Phaedre winced. Unlike what she had hoped when they left the tribe four days earlier, the journey had been no picnic. The vegetation was dense and the mountains steep in this part of the colony and even if they knew the right direction, they had already gone too far south once, turned back, got stuck in a dead end after a scree and had unwittingly scared to death a German family building their cabin near the river. They had no desire to repeat the experience. But Phaedre was now sure they were at the right place. Well…
"Pretty much. I recognize the house."
"I hope so. I do not want to have another rifle pointed at me today…", the young teenager grumbled, but she was interrupted by Onacona who said something in Catawba. And his tone was not very friendly.
"What did he say?", Phaedre asked, wincing again.
Onacona was not a bad bugger. Aged eighteen or nineteen years old at most, he constantly looked annoyed, but it had only gotten worse in the last couple of days. He could not speak a word of English (and categorically refused to try) and had made it perfectly clear to Phaedre that he was not there to help her, but only because he refused to let Angeni take part in this reckless adventure without him.
"He says you better be sure, because if we go down into the valley, we will be exposed. Easy targets…", Angeni translated, gazing worriedly at the Fraser's house below.
"I understand… I can go alone, if you want-"
"No."
This time, Wohali – sitting behind her on their horse – had been the one to speak and Phaedre suppressed a delicious shiver as the Indian tightened his arms around her. To shorten the reins and prepare the horse to move again, but also to tell her that he would not let her go on her own.
"Phaedre and I, together…", he added, digging his heels into the horse's sides.
"We're not waiting for you here either…", Angeni sighed before motioning for Onacona to follow their friends. The Indian boy breathed a loud sigh but complied anyway and Phaedre pursed her lips to hide a smile. Despite his grumpy looks, the young man could not refuse anything to Angeni – which also explained why he was here today.
For about another hour, they carefully came down the mountain, until they reached the edge of the trees and paused. Once in open land, they would be vulnerable – as noticeable as a red fox in immaculate snow – and Phaedre searched her memory one last time for any clues that might confirm that this was indeed the right house. Yes, she was ninety-nine percent sure it was, the remaining one percent being just fear. A stupid fear of throwing herself and her friends into the White lion's den.
"Let's go…"
They trotted off, slowing down around the house to show they were not a threat, and just as she had expected, the front door opened when they were still a hundred yards away. Jamie Fraser appeared, staring at the newcomers and his rifle leaning against the wall behind him, just in case. He let them get closer, until Phaedre – helped by Wohali – jumped down from the horse and raised both hands on either side of her head. She was about to identify herself when she saw Fraser's expression change dramatically as the man shouted at the house.
"Clairrrrre!"
Phaedre's sigh of relief was so loud that even Jamie heard it, and he ran down the wooden stairs to meet her. Behind him, Claire Fraser had just closed the entrance door, and it took her a few seconds to understand why her husband was running to greet four lonesome Indians as if they were old friends. Until her gaze rested on Phaedre.
"Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ…"
Wiping her hands on her apron, she came down the steps and joined her husband, her eyes going frantically from Phaedre to the Natives and from the Natives to Jamie in complete awe.
"Good Heavens, Phaedre, everyone thought you were dead!"
Phaedre smiled. Of course, such an attack on one of North Carolina's most influential and wealthy men must have hit the headlines. But she still liked being thought dead better than being listed as a 'runaway slave'.
"I was taken in by the Catawbas. They took care of me, fed me and…"
But Claire wasn't listening anymore. Her doctor's eye had immediately spotted the swollen scar that was still visible under the young woman's frizzy, short hair.
"Christ, that's one hell of a wound you've got here... Come inside, you must be freezing... and I'll have a look at this head..."
Claire gently pushed Phaedre's back, but things got a little awkward when both Frasers and Phaedre started moving, while the three Catawbas exchanged uncomfortable glances.
"Don't be sc-", she began, but a young man's voice with a heavy Scottish accent rose behind them.
"I told ye she wasnae dead, Uncle Jamie…"
Everyone turned around on a pale-skinned young boy wearing a stunning and eclectic mix of settler's clothing, with Mohawk jewelry, feathers and make-up, and whose partially shaved skull was topped by long, braided hair that ran down his neck. And on his heels, a huge wolfhound that yawned lazily. The young man smiled at the three Catawbas, who once again exchanged a long (and eloquent) skeptical look. Ian did not mind; he was used to inspire curiosity – sometimes even contempt – among both people: the settlers who thought he looked too much like an Indian or the Indians who thought he looked too much like a settler. But to Phaedre, he was just her savior, who had come just at the right time.
"This is Mr. Ian Murray… He is my friend Brianna's cousin. Sorry… I mean, Mrs. Bonnet…", she added, but Claire smiled gently, indicating that it would not be considered disrespectful here. "He spent two years among the Mohawks."
Ian nodded and there was a silence, during which she cast pointed glances at her traveling companions, as if to make them understand that they had absolutely nothing to fear and that this family was one of the most open-minded she had ever met. Finally, after a few seconds, Angeni started speaking hesitantly and Phaedre breathed another sigh of relief.
"My name is Angeni, this is Phaedre's husband Wohali and… my future husband, Onacona", she added, aware that the said future husband would not contradict her since he neither understood nor spoke a word of English.
Phaedre's lips stretched into a discreet smile, which turned into embarrassment when Claire's eyes went from Wohali to his wife, as if the sight of the young man and his manly charm were enough to explain why Phaedre had so quickly embraced this new way of life. Jamie introduced himself as well as Claire, whose brain had already started working intently. Finding out Phaedre was alive was quite surprising, but her presence at the Ridge was even more mysterious. Why – if she had been offered the chance of a new life as a free (and presumed dead) woman – had she come all this way at the risk of being captured and returned to slavery? It could only mean one thing.
"Is Brianna all right?", Claire asked immediately, while Ian and Jamie invited the travelers inside the house.
Phaedre frowned. "I was about to ask you the same question, Mrs. Fraser… Haven't you heard from her? Mr. Bonnet was quite satisfied with the outcome of your visit... Didn't you receive another invitation?"
Claire's eyes widened and she shook her head. "An invitation? We don't even know where they are!"
A shiver ran down Phaedre's spine. Did she hear correctly? How was it possible to lose track of a woman and a child who hardly ever left their home? She began to stammer. "What do you mean you don't know…?"
"River Run is empty… except fur a few servants", Ian said, as they entered the house and led their visitors to the dining room. "They're gone."
"Gone? But…? Are you sure they aren't visiting the Tryons in New Bern? Or… or in Wilmington? This is where I was going when we were attacked... Maybe Brianna is looking for me there?"
Jamie and Claire exchanged a knowing look, and Jamie shook her head slowly as Claire left the room to make tea.
"It's been said that yer body and that of one of Bonnet's men were burnt with yer cart…", said the Scot in a soft voice. "Nae one was looking fur ye, Miss Phaedre. Nae one at all."
"As for New Bern… Marsali and Fergus moved there in October. Fergus initiated publication of a newspaper. Trust me, we would know if Brianna was there…", Claire added as she rummaged through the cupboards. Her nervous gestures betrayed her disappointment. She had foolishly hoped to find out through Phaedre where Bree was hiding, but the young servant was not even aware of her disappearance. Back to square one.
Phaedre sank into one of the chairs, completely disconnected from reality. The gears in her brain were smoking, desperately searching for a solution, some sort of logic to what was happening. Brianna and Jeremiah couldn't be in danger, it was simply unthinkable. Phaedre could not imagine anything that would ruin the relationship between the Irishman and his captive enough for him to hurt them. It was just ridiculous, unimaginable and she ruled that first option out without even considering it. The second option could be Bonnet's duties. Perhaps Tryon had asked the Bonnets to move closer to New Bern so that his partner would be more available? Brianna would hate that…, she thought before changing her mind. No, it was very unlikely. Besides, Bonnet had already been away for days, even weeks, and he had never asked Brianna to leave with him. He was too attached to River Run. Not emotionally, of course… but the plantation was the symbol of his victory. He would not let it go anytime soon.
Bonnet had never mentioned any desire to exile themselves before Phaedre was kidnapped by the Catawbas. If he had had the idea, it was therefore necessarily after her own death. That's it… Brianna could not bear to live there anymore… He took her somewhere else to ease her pain… Definitely… The young girl smiled before she realized that this option was not good news. It was good for Brianna and Jeremiah, who were now probably living in a heavenly and expensive place, but not for her family, who had lived in uncertainty ever since. But chances were high that it was just temporary: Bonnet would not have kept River Run or posted people to take care of the house in their absence if he did not intend to come back.
"I understand your concern, Mr. and Mrs. Fraser, but… I sincerely believe that Brianna is safe and sound. Though I admit that I wished I knew more about her current situation…", she mumbled before thanking Claire for the steaming cup she placed in front of her, as well as a dish filled with scones and other pastries made by Mrs. Bug.
"How was the daily life at the plantation?", Claire asked, as Ian offered the Native Americans food and took the opportunity to try and break the ice. "Our visit... was courteous, but there was still some sort of..."
Phaedre let out a chuckle. "…Uneasiness?" Claire nodded and the maid took her cup between her fingers to warm them, thoughtfully fiddling with the handle. "Well… I won't lie: they had a difficult start. Brianna was… terrified. Mr. Bonnet's mere presence in the same room was unbearable to her. Especially as he was constantly trying to get closer, to touch her, or catch her attention."
"Did he…" Claire pursed her lips, sickened at the mere idea that the Irishman could have raped her daughter again. "…forced himself on her?"
Phaedre frowned. "I… I do not think so. I remember they had a few arguments during the first weeks, some of which might have got out of hand... but Mr. Bonnet was... determined to project the image of a respectable man... Not only in the eyes of society, but also in private. He let her come to him… even at the very beginning, before she consented to be intimate with him… he allowed Jeremiah to sleep with them. Because he knew it made her feel safer, more comfortable."
Claire's relief was palpable and she closed her eyes for a few seconds, before turning to Jamie who had not missed a bit of the conversation.
"But they cannae be in love. The kisses, the smiles… it was an act sae that our visit wouldnae end in a bloodbath, reit?", the Scotsman asked, eager to prove the theory he had been mulling for months.
But the face Phaedre made at that moment did not bode well. "Well… For several months, the answer to that question would have been very easy to give. But the miscarriage, then Mr. MacKenzie's intrusion, your godfather's death… those events brought them closer... so to speak."
Claire Fraser's features expressed no surprise, unlike her husband who seemed utterly gobsmacked.
"Brrrought them closer? That's rrrridiculous…"
Claire shrugged. "Not so much…"
"Aye, Sassenach, I ken what ye think of all this… But Brianna is nae fool. Bonnit actually behaving like a human being once or twice isnae enough tae-"
"Mr. Bonnet has been nothing but a caring and loving husband for almost a year now, Mr. Fraser. And no, Brianna is not stupid. She would not have been fooled by a few sweet words or empty promises if that did not entail sincere efforts and actions", Phaedre retorted vehemently.
She did not really know why she had lost her temper so easily, or why she had suddenly felt the need to restore the pirate's image in front of his in-laws, but their tendency to systematically paint too dark a picture of the situation exasperated her. They weren't there, they had not seen what she had seen. Of course, things had been pretty grim sometimes between Brianna and Mr. Bonnet, but he had made efforts. Outstanding efforts to make life pleasant for his wife and son, to become a better man, a respectable father, and a considerate husband. The same could not be said for everyone...
With a devil of a din, the door leading to the hallway and stairs to the bedrooms swung open, the handle hitting the wall and causing the crystal glasses to rattle in the dresser. The three Catawbas jumped out of their skin, ready to defend themselves, but Ian raised a reassuring hand while gazing disdainfully at the intruder.
Roger MacKenzie staggered into the dining room, with a nearly empty bottle of whiskey in one hand and a shaggy beard hiding three-quarters of his face. He took a few steps forward, wondering how Ian had quadruplicated during the night, then shrugged and opened a cupboard looking for food – only to find another bottle of whiskey (that one a little bit fuller). The alcohol seemed like an acceptable snack to him, as he put the empty bottle in the cupboard and took the new one with a satisfied grunt, under Fraser's murderous glare. Jamie did not exactly like hosting a drunkard at his own expense, especially when he was trying to prove that the said drunkard was a better choice for his daughter than a pirate seemingly turned saint.
Roger turned around, ready to go back where he had come from, when his eyes fell… on Phaedre. And growled.
Brianna definitely dodged a bullet with that one…, she thought with a contemptuous scowl. Her hand went unconsciously to the leather satchel she was carrying tight against her waist and that contained the precious ledger. She wished she could be sure of her choice, to take responsibility for giving the ledger (or not), and bear the consequences of her actions. But the more time she spent at Fraser's Ridge, the more she feared she had made a mistake. No matter how much respect she had for the Fraser family, none of them knew enough about the situation to help her make her decision. They had no news from Brianna, no idea what she had been through or how fond she had grown for their enemy. They would not have Bree's best interests at heart: their only goal was to get their daughter, their grandson, and their plantation back, and finally defeat the dastardly Captain Bonnet. In other words, they and their opinions were all stuck in 1773.
"What the Hell…?", Roger grumbled, spreading his arms, which made him lose a bit of his balance.
Phaedre was determined not to answer him — after all, that boor had almost endangered Brianna with his stupid decisions — but she had not reckoned with Angeni and her two compatriots. White people's liquor kept most of Native Americans away as easily as lemongrass repelled mosquitoes. Drinking made the settlers dumb, aggressive and above all dangerous. Now that a completely drunk man was in the room, the three Catawbas would surely want to scuttle away before things got complicated.
"Phaedre, please give them the ledger so we can leave!"
The young girl turned around in shock. She could not believe Angeni had just done that to her. Now she would have a hard time convincing the Frasers to contact Brianna and make sure she still wanted to part ways with Bonnet before they did anything.
"A ledger?"
Dammit… Phaedre swore internally, getting up from her chair. But all eyes were on her, especially those of the Frasers, in whom Angeni's intervention had rekindled some hopes of finding a way to avenge their daughter.
"Brianna had asked me to have a ledger passed on to you, through your apothecary… But that was two months ago, and she did it on what I thought was a whim… Mr. Bonnet had done something silly, but…"
"D'ye still have it?", Jamie urged her. He had also stood up, towering over her. He was so impressive that Phaedre could not help but take a step backwards, clutching her satchel to her side and Wohali jumped on his feet, ready to attack anyone who touched a hair on his young wife's head.
"Yes, but... please do not act in haste... You must try to get in touch with Brianna. I would feel better if she approved the use of this evidence…", Phaedre begged hastily. The situation was getting out of her control, literally: two hands appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her satchel, stealing its contents from her.
Roger MacKenzie had put his bottle down by the fireplace and was now busy leafing through the ledger, with the concentrated look of someone who had miraculously sobered up.
"Hey!", Phaedre protested, but Roger walked away toward Jamie, taking the book with him.
Claire got up and trotted over to them. "What is it?"
Jamie had put on his small reading glasses, and was going through the names, the amounts, the sums indicated on each page. "Taxes… Brianna told us that Tryon and Bonnit were embezzling tax money fur their own benefit. I believe that this ledger would help us prove it."
"Ha!", Roger exclaimed with a triumphant smile. "We got him! I kenned it… I kenned my Brianna was pretendin'…"
Claire made a face. It was wrong, of course. Roger had spent months calling her daughter a whore, and she had only put up with it by convincing herself that alcohol and sorrow were to blame. Watching him pretend that he had always believed in her left a bitter taste in the healer's mouth.
"She was, at first, but today-", Phaedre interjected, but Roger completely ignored her and spoke again in a loud voice.
"We should make this ledger public!", he shouted, although Jamie and all his interlocutors were at a reasonable distance and not at the other end of the valley. "Send it tae Fergus fur his newspaper!"
Outraged, Phaedre opened her mouth wide, but this time Jamie took it upon himself to call his ex-son-in-law to order.
"D'ye want an insurrrrection, Roger Mac?", he growled, his Scottish accent at its peak. "Warrr is comin', and if an angry mob rushes tae Tryon's palace and drrrags them out of their beds, they willnae dae things by half. And wherever they are, the Bonnits will suffer the same fate when they get their hands on them. We willnae dae anything tae put Brianna and Jeremiah's lives at risk. I will write tae Laird Grey, he'll ken what tae do so that this matter can be settled without endangerin' our family."
Silence fell in the room as Roger sulked again, and Phaedre took advantage of the calm to restate her opinion.
"I still think we should try to find Brianna first and make sure that-"
"She gave ye the ledger, aye?", Roger barked, pointing at the book.
"Yes, but that was over two months ago and the situation-"
"Her mind hasnae changed in two months."
"How would you know?" The conversation was heating up. Phaedre was tired of being cut off, but also tired of them sweeping aside her friend's feelings just because they thought they knew better what was good for Brianna. "She was already changing her mind! Mr. Bonnet is a whole different man! The situation itself is different!"
"Nonsense…", Roger spat, running a hand through his beard. "I say ye're quick tae defend yer Master… If I didnae ken ye better, I'd say he messed with yer brains, Miss Phaedre, or perhaps he bribed ye with money or gifts? Maybe he seduced ye too?"
Her hand went off on its own and hit Roger's cheek like a whiplash. Phaedre stood dumbfounded for a moment, her palm still sore from the impact, and a wind of panic washed over her as she made a quick list of all the punishments she faced for laying her hand on a white man. Behind her, Wohali was close to dig up the hatchet. He had not understood all of Roger's words, but he knew that it was nothing pleasant to hear. Though none of the Frasers moved to arrest her and hang her up to dry, she lifted her chin defiantly to hide her fear.
"How dare you… ?", she hissed, both furious and terrified by her own temerity. But fortunately, Claire rushed towards her and grabbed her gently by the shoulders.
"Everyone calm down! You too, Phaedre. And don't be scared, absolutely no one saw that you slapped Roger."
"Slapped who?", Ian quipped, as Roger glared at him. Jamie was not the only one who could not stand seeing Roger limping along around the Ridge like a human mop. And watching him being put in his place was extremely pleasant.
"Jamie is right, Lord John will know what to do with this evidence. Better than all of us," Claire went on. "As for Brianna, it will be difficult to contact her before they get home… But they can't have gotten far. Tryon would not let his partner slip away. All we have to do is wait for them to reappear."
A weak smile made its way on Phaedre's lips, but a persistent bad feeling kept twisting her insides. And as she held out her hand to put the ledger back in her satchel, Roger snatched it from Jamie and held it out of her reach.
"Thank ye, Miss Phaedre, but we'll take it from here."
Phaedre gloomily watched the book disappear along with Roger down the corridor, but none of the Frasers moved to stop him and give the evidence back to her. As for the Catawbas, they looked like they considered their mission complete and the young servant nearly burst into tears when Angeni and Onacona got up from the table, dryly thanking the Frasers for their hospitality. Wohali was the only one to sympathize with her situation and he gave her an encouraging smile, backing away towards the exit.
Phaedre knew full well that the Catawbas would not want to linger here for too long and her own resentment toward the Frasers after this heated conversation would not allow her to stay without causing more arguments. All she had to do now was to hope they would get in touch with Brianna to know whether or not she wanted to be rescued.
"Thank you for your time."
With tears in her eyes, she ran off without even looking back and joined Wohali near their horse. They were ready to leave when Claire burst out of the house and strode towards them.
"Why… all the hesitation?", the Englishwoman asked, her eyes digging into Phaedre's soul. She wanted to understand, and that's why Phaedre decided to play her trump card. To help Claire Fraser understand that the priority here was Brianna and not the family's revenge. Phaedre remained silent for a few moments, searching for the right words.
"At the very beginning, Brianna and Jeremiah were in my prayers every night. I also prayed for Mr. Bonnet to become a good husband, a good father, a good master… And one day… I realized… that I had stopped praying."
"Why?"
Phaedre bit her lip and gave a faint smile. "Perhaps because I had the feeling… that my prayers had been answered?"
Claire frowned, looking completely lost, and Phaedre instantly knew she was about to ask her the question.
"Do you think she loves him?"
Phaedre looked down at this worried mother, to whom she was about to speak the unspeakable. That her daughter had fallen in love with her rapist and that despite all the hatred the family felt toward him, they had to take that fact into account. But the lump in her throat betrayed her, and she just nodded approvingly. Both women smiled sadly at each other and Claire took a few steps back to let the horse turn around. And after one questioning look at his young spouse, Wohali pulled on the reins to take Phaedre back into the forest, her mission finally accomplished.
~o~
"Checkmate..."
Brianna's forehead banged loudly against the surface of the coffee table, as Stephen flicked down his wife's black King, which was surrounded by various white pieces. The Irishman cracked a smirk and reached over the chessboard to pat Bree on the shoulder in consolation.
Around them, everyone was bustling about: Hennessy and a few men were busy packing all their belongings into trunks and loading them to the ship that would take the Bonnets back to the mainland in the afternoon. But far from taking part to the preparations, Brianna and Stephen had decided to play a few final games of chess during Jeremiah's nap. As if to make this last day of vacation last a few more hours.
"I can't believe it... I've only just taught you and you're already beating me? How is that even possible?", Brianna lamented, raising a sulky face. I mean, come on... The man can barely read and write... while I went to MIT... and it took him only three weeks to win all our games of chess...
Stephen modestly shrugged. "Beginner's luck?"
"No, you're an evil genius, that's the only explanation..."
The pirate burst out laughing and leaned comfortably against the back of his chair to savor his victory. "Your mistake, darlin', is that you play the game… instead of playin' the opponent. And you've always been my favorite opponent, so..." Bree scowled and he smiled. "If you had figured that out earlier, you might have won the trial... but then we wouldn't be here today."
The young woman squinted while putting the different pieces back in their respective places, on each side of the board. "Liar. I could not win. It was cruel."
"Cruel, but necessary…"
Bree nearly choked at his words. "Absolutely not!"
The pirate straightened up, resting his elbows on his knees and pointing his index finger at her over the chessboard. "Oh you mean that… if I had put on my best suit and knocked on your door askin' for your hand, you would have called off your wedding to MacKenzie and married me instead?"
There was a moment of silence during which Brianna made a point of putting on the most hypocritical yet comical face possible. "Obviously, dear", she drawled ironically.
Stephen was not offended, though. "You're a terrible liar", he blurted out and Brianna let out a sarcastic laugh as she finished placing the last pawns. "And yet, look at yourself today. You're a happy woman. Maybe even happier than you would have been with MacKenzie."
Brianna sighed and tilted her head to the side, her lips sealed. She would not give him the satisfaction of condoning his crimes, even if the outcome was happier than she had imagined. But as usual, Stephen took her silence as a "yes" and his smug smile widened.
"That's what I thought… I did all of this for your own good and I'm glad you finally realize it. You're welcome, darlin'."
This time, Brianna couldn't help but smile. "You're unbelievable. You would say the most stupid things to justify your evil deeds…"
Stephen did not answer and stared at her with his insufferable smirk, until she finally cut short and took her first pawn in the game. Before looking back up into the Irishman's green eyes.
"I love you, Brianna…"
A dumb smile made its way to her lips, but she would not let him get away with it so easily after such nonsense, so she sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"Right… just shut up and play. You will not leave this island undefeated."
And with a loud chuckle, Stephen and Brianna Bonnet entered their final game.
oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Dun-dun-dun-duuuuuun… Lol. Okay so, I wouldn't say Phaedre's visit to the Frasers went bad but… it wasn't great either. (Let's thank Roger MacKenzie for that and please, you're free to hate him in the comments, he deserves it.)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter even if it happened mostly far from our two lovebirds! The next chapter will be posted on July 9th!
Xérès