It was a blustery day as we waited on the platform at the station, the afternoon train from London would arrive to a bright and breezy day, perfect weather it seemed. I, on the other hand, was frustrated with the skirt of my traveling suit that kept blowing up around my knees. I heard Will chuckle as I batted it down for what seemed like the fifth time in the past hour, "It's quite alright you know, your stockings aren't showing that much."

"I wouldn't be having this problem if you'd let me wear the dress here." I reached up to touch the hatpin securing my straw hat to my hair. I hadn't thought to need one this morning when I had set it out, but after we had spent the first five minutes outside of the house chasing my hat down, Will had managed to find an old hatpin of Ada's in his wardrobe. It was plain silver, but it did to hold the hat on my head. "The skirt is much heavier on it than this one."

"After what you spent on that, I am hardly going to let you get it covered in soot and dirt." He pulled me back from the platform, which was quickly growing crowded with passengers waiting for a train. I let him pull me along, using the opportunity to stand close to him so my skirt wouldn't blow up any more. We must have watched three different trains pull out of the station before the boat train arrived. We patiently watched as crowds of people started making their way down the platform, porters following with carts tacked high with luggage.

I pointed out a lady wearing a skirt that bore a striking resemblance to a lamp shade. "Do you think she has a first class ticket?"

"Perhaps she's in third, and she can use it as an umbrella for her children." Will kept his voice low, but I had to cover my mouth to not start laughing loudly. The crowd had mostly moved off before I saw him start and stand up straighter. I followed his gaze, finding an older couple standing to the side of the platform, talking to a porter who was loading a single trunk onto his cart. Will caught my arm and began to walk over, and I took the brief walk to study his parents. His father was a burly man with a clear pair of blue eyes looking out from above a beard that must have been dark but was now scattered with silver. Where his father was large, his mother was small and fine, with a small nose but a great mass of gray hair braided and dressed above her head, a small white hat pinned to it. I looked aside at Will as he stopped, "Mother, Father, it's good to see you again."

"Oh me Willie," His mother stepped forward, drawing him down to an embrace before she stepped back to take him in. "Ye're looking even better than ye did last month." She turned, "And this must be Anastasia, my Will, she's a beauty."

I ducked my head, blushing. "It's very nice to meet you Mrs. Murdoch."

"Call me Jeanie, lass." She reached out and patted my hand, "We're to be family after all. Samuel, come meet your future daughter-in-law."

Having apparently settled with the porter to take their trunk away, Will's father lumbered over. "'Tis a pleasure to meet ye, miss. Will here couldn't keep his mouth shut about you back home."

If I had thought Will's brogue got thick sometimes, his father's was almost unintelligible and it took me a minute to figure out what he had said. "Oh, well, he has told me so little about you. I'm looking forward to getting to know the both of you."

"Perhaps we should get you to your hotel," Will smiled, taking my arm, "And we can join you for dinner tonight." We wound up following the porter with their trunk through the station, and Will saw them off in a cab before claiming another for us. He looked aside at me, "I'm sorry about them, they were just so excited back home."

"Oh Will, they're lovely." I pulled his hand into my lap, running my thumb along his knuckles. "Although your father's accent is, quite thick to say the least."

"My grandfather was far worse. Sometime's I wasn't sure if he was speaking English." He shook his head, "It took me a long time to lose mine."

"I like it when you have your Scottish accent." I glanced forward, making sure the driver wasn't looking back as I leaned over and whispered, "It makes me want to go to bed with you."

"Ana, not right now." Will had a slight flush to his cheek as he leaned away. I kept ahold of his hand though, wrapping my fingers through his as we drove along. Samuel had apparently arranged for a hotel that wound up being step above the one I had lodged at for the first night, and it actually had a restaurant where we met them for an early dinner. Actually, they wound being the ones to meet us as Will and I had been sat for a short while before they appeared.

Jeanie was holding a package that she set before Will, "Peg asked me to bring this down, ye apparently forgot it."

"Oh, the model." Will gently took it off the table, putting it on the floor. "Thank you, Mother."

"Model?" I turned to Will, raising an eyebrow.

Samuel wound up answering, "Aye, Willie's been making them since he was a lad. Had them all over his room."

"They're not as good as the ones in your office," Will had lowered his head, but he still managed to catch my eye. "It's just something I enjoy."

"I'm sure they're wonderful." I patted the hand he had on the table, "Have you made any of the ships your father sailed on?"

"He's made a number of them," Samuel laughed, "This is one of them, a clipper I took from Liverpool to San Francisco."

"That's quite a distance, how often did you sail?" I kept my eyes on Samuel as he fell into talking about his career, interrupted briefly by a waiter who took our order. To hear Samuel tell it he was one of the greatest sailors of his day, taking out larger ships and bring them in quicker than anyone else, facing down storms that sunk a dozen other ships but he got them through and into the clear. Will had apparently got his start as an apprentice under his father, and Samuel had been quite proud to have his son onboard his ships. Even after Will had left to continue his training he had continued to sail, having made port all over the globe and each stop included some adventure that he gladly recounted. He had barely finished before the food arrived, and I smiled at him over my roast chicken. "You must be proud that Will is carrying on such a legacy."

"He's a fine lad," Samuel said as he dug a spoon into his stew, "Especially to have caught one like ye, how exactly did ye notice him?"

"Oh," I glanced down to my plate, spearing a piece of chicken. "It was quite silly really, I tripped boarding the ship and he saved me from falling." I ate the piece, as well as a forkful of vegetables before continuing. "I wound up in a situation with a certain man that I know and who refused to leave me alone, and Will was kind enough to accompany me several times during the trip," I gave Will a smile, "I suppose I couldn't help myself from falling for him. Not to mention that he saved my life during the sinking."

"She's being modest," Will took a drink from his glass, "She caught sight of the New York slipping her moorings and warned me. You looked a fright," He chuckled, looking over to me, "With your hair blowing everywhere and your eyes wide. I still thought you were the most beautiful thing I'd seen though."

"Aye Will, she's a bonny lass." Samuel shook his head, half his mutton chop having vanished from his plate.

"Thank you, Father."

"Ach, boy, you sound so English."

"I've told you before Father, they don't like that kind of accent down here."

"Well you're not working for those English prigs anymore, are ye? So speak like I taught ye." Samuel's voice was firm, and he gave Will a pointed look that seemed to pin him to his chair. "Unless they are keepin' ye on. Are they?"

Will shifted uncomfortably in his chair, but his brogue was rolling through his voice when he spoke. "No Da they aren't, but don't be embarrassing me in front of Ana."

"It's hardly embarrassing ye, boy. I'm trying to make sure ye don't forget yer home, once yer settled in her mansion in America where ye can lay about all day."

Jeanie cut in, "He said ye've got a wonderful house, Anastasia." I settled into a talk with her about the dock house and the Fifth Avenue house, speaking around enjoying my meal and trying to ignore the almost visible tension between Will and his father. Jeanie helped a bit, trying to draw Samuel into the conversation but he simply shook his head and continued glaring at his son. By the time dinner had been cleared away, Jeanie gave Samuel a pointed look. "That's enough, we're only here for two more days Sam. I'd rather not have ye two fighting the whole time."

"He's doesn't have a job, Jeanie." Samuel fairly growled, "And he's takin' on a wife."

"That's been settled, Da." Will shoved his chair back from the table, collecting the package and holding out his arm. "I'm joining Ana's company."

I took the proffered arm, using it to lift myself from my chair. "Oh yes, Samuel, don't worry about it. Will is joining us as an officer on our newest ship."

"Secured that fer him, did ye?" Samuel cut his eyes over to me. "Makin' it easy for him?"

Jeanie curled her and over Samuel's wrist, "Sam, if ye insist on doing this, could ye not wait until we meet them fer dinner tomorrow?" He gave a grumble that must have been some sign of assent because Jeanie quickly stood and gave me a brief embrace as a form of farewell and kissed Will's cheek. She briefly took my hand, "Please don't worry about Sam, he's just concerned."

I nodded, letting Will guide me out through the lobby and into another cab. The ride back to the house was short and silent, and Will roughly dropped the package on the front table as soon as he got in. He raked a hand through his hair, blowing out a breath. "God, he never changes."

"He seems nice," I pulled my hat off, leaving it and the pin on the table with Will's model. I took his lapels in my hands, "As does your mother."

"Oh, Ma's lovely. But me Da, he hates me havin' gone to work for an English line." Will's voice was still thick with his brogue, and I felt a thrill race through me. "Wanted me to work for a Scotch line out of Liverpool, but White Star was the better one, hired me on as third when I would ha' been fifth with the other."

"Will," I wrapped my hand behind his neck, lifting myself to press my lips to his ear. "If you keep talking like that, I'm going to want you to ravish me tonight."

"Ana," He closed his mouth for a moment, breathing and when he spoke his voice was back to normal. "God, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, but if you use that accent again, I can't be held accountable for my actions." I dropped my fingers to his collar, working the stud through it. "I don't suppose you'd be up for a little fun tonight after all that?"

"Not tonight." He muttered, pressing his lips to my forehead. "I'm going to need a drink, probably a pipeful of tobacco as well, and I want you up in bed while I have it. If I come at you again, throw me out and lock the door." The way he chuckled at the end made me realize he was joking, and I left him with a kiss as I went upstairs. I needed to wash, and more than likely he would only be having a drink or two. It would make him warm though, and I was content to curl myself around that warmth later.


Samuel and Jeanie had spent the majority of the day calling on old friends who had moved down here, which left me an entire day to worry about having them over for dinner. Will and I had attempted to make it look like we hadn't been sharing a bed, folding a blanket across the back of the settee and leaving an extra pillow on it to appear like Will had been sleeping down there. It was either that or move my trunk downstairs and I would have posed as having been sleeping down here, but considering the weight of my trunk, that idea had been swiftly discarded. I had engaged a cook to come over this afternoon and begin preparing dinner, and Will had gone out to buy a bottle of wine to go with it.

"Will, are you sure this isn't too much?" I said as I looked over the menu I had given the cook. "Soup, a roast, sides and dessert? Perhaps I should tell the cook to leave off the soup."

"It will be fine," Will placed his hands on my shoulders, "You just need to relax."

"But what if your father goes off again?" I set the menu down, turning to look up at him.

He winced, "Last night was not a good start, I will admit that. If he still is like that, we can at least get it out of the way early."

"Is he really against you working for me?"

"He's against me getting preferential treatment," He sighed, and I stood to step into his arms. "You know that's what you're doing, right?"

"You are perfectly qualified," I held him tight, "I was just lucky to snap you up before the other lines could."

"And the fact that we're getting married had nothing to do with it?"

"I hired Moody and I'm not marrying him." I stepped up, giving him a peck on the cheek. "We just have to make him see that it's not just because I love you that I'm hiring you. Maybe we can take him to the offices tomorrow and show him around? Let him see how much I need a person like you to help me?"

"And what would I be doing in your offices?" Will quickly swept me up off the floor, and I wrapped my arm around his neck. "Fetching your coffee?"

"You'd be advising me on ship repairs," I mumbled, feeling him begin to step upstairs. "Telling me if cargo was damaged." He removed a hand to open the bedroom door, but quickly replaced it. "Letting me know if there were any problems with the crew." I felt him lift me up, and I quickly settled on my knees on the mattress, him still standing and holding me. "You're really going to be quite useful."

"Hmm, useful." He leaned down, pulling me close and kissing me. I smirked against his lips as I felt his tongue swipe its way into my mouth, trying to pull him down with me. He stayed firm though, and broke off. "I can be useful to you right now, Ana."

"Then join me down here," I tugged on his shoulders, laughing. "Come on, Will."

"Just lay back," He whispered, "And hand me the pillow." I tossed it to him, and he knelt on it in front of the bed, his hands drifting to my skirt. I had only worn a wrapper, saving my new dress until it was closer to dinner, and Will gently gathered it up, draping it over my waist. The blue in his eyes flashed, "Now, come closer to me and lay back." I moved farther toward him, and leaned back so that I was laying across the bed. I felt his hands find his way to my hips, pulling me even closer to that my legs dangled off the bed.

I shivered, feeling his breath on my thigh, his lips kissing their way upwards. "Will, what are you-oh!" Whatever I had been about to say died in my throat as I felt him press his mouth to me, his tongue flicking against me. "Ah, Will, God." He moved slowly, almost teasingly, like he wanted to taste every inch of me down there. I twisted my hands in the blanket as he latched his lips around me, sucking. "Fuck." I moaned, almost crying out as he gently sucked on me again.

"I told you ladies liked this." I felt him speak more than I heard him, his voice was quiet underneath the panting that seemed to erupt from me as he went back to his business. It was better than his fingers, the pressure of his lips as he kissed and teased, the way his tongue just grazed at my entrance without actually entering me. He moved his tongue in such a way that I clapped my fingers around his head, crying out and pressing him close to me.

"Will, Will, please. Please." I could barely form words as he repeated his motion, my voice rising and sobs almost wrenching from my chest. "Please, oh God, oh fuck, Will." All it seemed to take him was a simple movement, and then he sucked hard at the part of me that was begging for attention. I screamed as I came apart, my throat raw as my muscles seized and I fell back onto the bed, feeling the pleasure not slow as Will kept sucking and licking at me. By the time he raised his head to look at me, I could barely move. I could barely keep my eyes open, "Will, Jesus Christ."

"Are you relaxed now?" He reached into a pocket, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping his face. It had been wet, and I almost blushed to see my own desire spread over him.

"I can't move." I mumbled, reaching for him. "I can barely talk." But he stepped away, and I heard he sink run briefly before he came back, landing next to me on the bed. I pressed myself to him, almost whimpering at the feel of him under me. "Do you want me to?"

"No, it's fine." Will drew his fingers through my hair, curling it over my shoulder.

"Later then? After dinner?" I felt my eyes slip shut, my libs heavy. "If that is what it's like for you, I want you to feel like this,"

"I'll think on it." He muttered, and I fell asleep against his chest. I couldn't tell how long I slept, but it was getting dark when Will came up and gently shook me awake. I could smell dinner roasting down below, and Will quickly set his hands to the ties of my wrapper. "Are you ready?"

"To get changed or to have your parents over?" I slipped it off, moving over to my trunk and pulling out a chemise that I quickly slid into. Will actually had to help me into my corset for a change, and he fumbled with the laces for a moment.

I shifted as he tightened them, his voice low. "I'll try to settle things with my father fast."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, it's going to be between us." He stepped back, and I drew on a petticoat over my head. Will shed his own clothes, moving to the wardrobe and pulling out the suit I had tailored for him. It was black, with a pleasing stripe pattern that emphasized his height. "If I can't get him to settle, I can at least take him outside until we settle it."

I adjusted the bodice of the dress in the mirror on the wall, lining the lace insertions up so they fell nicely along my breast. "And leave me alone with your mother?" I shook out the skirt, letting the pleats drape down to swirl around my ankles.

"She's harmless." Will pulled the jacket on, and I turned to button it. "So is he, he's just rather gruff." Together we made our way downstairs, Kate had set the table and was uncorking the wine. I gave her a nod, moving to check in on the kitchen. The cook when I engaged him had despaired of using such a small kitchen, but everything seemed to be humming along well so I left him to his work. Will had moved to the parlor windows, moving the curtains aside. "They're here."

He moved toward the door, opening it wide and I plastered a wide smile on my face. "Jeanie, Samuel, welcome!"

"Anastasia," Jeanie stepped forward, giving me a brief hug. "Such a lovely dress!"

"Oh your's is quite beautiful too," I stepped back, taking in the dark green wool she wore. It was of a more conservative cut, a high neck and long skirts, but the lace collar she wore was quite intricate and set itself off against the wool with it's brilliant white. I could see Will and Samuel already falling into some discussion, although thankfully their voices hadn't raised themselves yet.

Jeanie moved into the parlor, taking a chair. She looked over as I sat next to her, "Now, ye' can't have been spending all yer time with me son, what else have ye been doin?"

"Oh, we have some company offices here that I visited, and I spent some time with Mrs. Lightoller."

"Will has written to me about her boys, did ye' meet them?"

"Unfortunately I was unable to, they were off with their friends."

"Ah, well, there's always next time." Jeanie looked up as Samuel and Will joined us, sitting on the settee. "Have ye settled things between ye?"

"Yes Ma," Will glanced aside at his father, "He's at least agreed to come to the offices tomorrow and see the company."

"Really Sam, is it such a bother to have our boy working for her?" She cocked her head at me, "They are ta' be family soon, ye' know."

"I want ta' see how it runs," Samuel grumbled, "But I'll hold off fer tonight."

"I think you'll be very impressed Captain Murdoch," I will admit that it was blatant flattery that I was engaging in, "We're a very large company, with offices all over the world. And Will is being assigned to our newest ship, when I brought up his qualifications and experience it was all I could do to keep our manager here from coming to find him straightaway!" A lie, but all in service of keeping things calm.

Samuel gave a low hum at that, "Well, I'll be seein' it fer meself tomorrow. Now, have ye got dinner ready yet?"

"I think the cook has just sent out the first course," I leaned back, seeing Kate set the table with four bowl of soup, "Shall we?" Both gentlemen escorted us over and handed us into our seats, and Samuel at least appeared mollified enough by the food to keep mostly quiet through the first course, and the second once the plates of roast beef and potatoes made their way out. I was just beginning to think we might have moved past anything embarrassing being brought up when Jeanie spoke up.

"I've been meanin' to ask ye Anastasia," Jeanie smiled over her plate, "That's a name ye not hear very often, unless yer readin' somethin' about the Czar in the papers. Why'd ye get that name?"

I swallowed the mouthful of potatoes I had, "Well, it's a bit of a family legend. We're not sure if it's true."

"Sounds like quite the story," Samuel had cleaned his plate before any of us and he raised his eyebrows at me.

Setting my silverware down with a small clatter, I blotted my lips before I began. "Well, according to my grandmother, her mother was a ballerina in Saint Petersburg who caught the eye of a Grand Duke. One thing led to another, and she quickly found herself pregnant with his child and unable to dance. Her lover was not too hard hearted though, and arranged for her to emigrate to America and possibly set up a ballet company there. She had barely settled in Philadelphia before giving birth to my grandmother, and quickly found that American tastes did not follow Russian ones. She wound up marrying a shopkeeper, and my grandmother was raised as normal as a possible bastard Romanov could be. She eventually answered a marriage advertisement from a gentlemen in Nebraska, my grandfather, and moved out to be with him. My mother named me after her."

Will, holding his wine glass, stared. "Your grandmother is related to the Russian royal family?"

"So she says," I sipped my own wine, "But perhaps it was just a story she told my mother when she was little so she felt special. But she is named Anastasia, as am I. Maybe it's true, maybe it's not, but I highly doubt I'm going to be placed in line for a throne anytime soon."

"Ye're marryin' royalty, Willie." Samuel chuckled, "Ye've got a good cook, Anastasia."

"Our one back in New York is very good too, I'm afraid I only engaged this one for tonight. Kate is quite skilled though, so it has not been a hardship to be here."

Will chuckled, "Yes, Charles threatened to stay longer in New York if the food stayed so good." We all had a laugh at that, and the cook sent out a round of small cakes that finished the meal. They proved quite filling, and Jeanie was practically dozing at the table as Samuel collected her and they set out for their hotel. The cook had departed as soon as the cakes had been served, and Kate had already collected the dishes to wash in the morning, leaving Will and I alone. He had taken a seat in one of the chairs, his pipe flaring to life and the smoke perfuming the room.

I sat in the other chair, reaching across to take his hand. "I think that went rather well."

Will blew out a breath of smoke, "Only because I managed to delay it."

"We just have to get through tomorrow, and then we can see them off." I gave his hand a squeeze, "Would you like me to-"

"God Ana, not tonight. Once they're gone, maybe." He cut his eyes over, and I felt a thrill of desire race through me as his brogue came out. "As long as yer willin' lass."