Dear Inkdrops, welcome back! I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Disclaimer: As always, I only own my OC's and the storyline.

February 1804

Personal business

Bill Adama

"Do what? Papa, no, I won't stop meeting him! I can't believe that you imply I have behaved somehow improperly, you have never even bothered telling off Lee for him fucking Dee right under your nose!" Kara all but screamed when Bill advised her to be more careful with her affections towards her love interest.

Bill cringed when he heard his daugter curse like a sailor, but she was also right in one point, he had given up on telling them off aafter the first few failed attempts. Better there own maid than another unsuspecting London girl charmed by his (according to Laura) attractive son, he had thought. At least he could do damage control in his own house and so far, it had all worked out. With Kara however, this was a lot more difficcult. It had been some weeks after his talk with Laura and the young woman's infatuation with the handsome, rich Samuel Anders had not lessened a bit, if anything it had even worsened. Her so-called "friends" were encouraging this fancy, though Bill had started to suspect it was more for their own amusement than for Kara's actual benefit. Now, he had decided, it was time to put an end to it, before she did something stupid and got hurt. Even though he did not shara Laura's cynical worldview when it came to love, he was all but certain about Anders' intentions. By now, the lad should have figured out that Kara did not have a penny in comparison to him, but he was either blind or he didn't mind a bit. Both options were disturbing.

"Kara, I am not accusing you of behaving improperly, but this ...relationship is no good, it won't work and will only end in a catastrophe!" he tried to reason with her, but she vigorously shook her head.
"No, you don't know him like I do! He is charming, and brave and trustful. He is a good man Papa, you just don't want to see it because you don't like him! Because your precious Ms Roslin doesn't like him! You are such a hypocrite! Do you think I don't know what is going on between the two of you? That is what I would call improper!"

Bill looked at her more surprised than angry, he had actually thought she had not figured it out yet. Also, she had just confirmed what he had discussed with Laura some time ago, that they were acting quite hypocritically.

"Well, I think you should deal with your issues first!" Kara spat.

"Kara, this is enough!" he roared, he wouldn't let himself be talked to like that, especially not by his daughter.

"No, you will hear me out! You are worried about me, but do you think she loves you? Papa, she does not, you are just a toy, someone to pass the time with, and she will toss you aside as soon as she finds someone better! You wouldn't believe how many men -"

"I don't care what you have heard Kara," Bill argued, his voice cold. He was fairly certain he knew who had fed the young woman the information - probably Gaius Baltar "This is between Laura and me and not your business."

"But you love her Papa, I can see how your face lights up each time she enters a room! I don't doubt she likes you and might even care for you in her own way, but do you really think she will ever be serious about you? She doesn't need any man and she doesn't need you and she doesn't want you! Sam wants me, he said so! Has she ever told you she would marry you in a heartbeat if she didn't have to sort out things first?"

No, she hadn't, and his silence waas enough for Kara to smirk. "I thought so."

"But Anders hasn't proposed to you either!"

"Because he is busy and because he wants to do some business in the North first and doesn't want to have to go away after we are engaged!"

That sounded so fishy to Bill, the man was toying with his little girl!

"That sounds like excuses to me Kara. And Ms Roslin and I have an agreement. I am very much aware about her character traits but you should be careful about your accusations if you only have the word of a jealous man and don't know the whole picture, girl!" he chastized her. "Now, you won't see Anders again until he leaves, maybe his absence will give you time to think about all this!"

Glaring at him in fury, Kara stormed off without another word, leaving Bill to wonder whether he had done the right thing.

Him and Laura had arranged to meet some time later in the week for tea, but when he was led towards the library where they would take their tea following their newest habit, he felt more uneasy than he had in a long time. Kara's words were still running through his head and he was debating how much truth value there might be to them. Still, he couldn't help starting to smile when he entered the library and saw her sprawled out on a chaise like a laisy chestnut cat, her hair glowing in the afternoon sun. She jumped up when she heard her maid Maya and him enter and somehow even managed to smoothe down the soft blue dress before curtsying (for for appearance's sake, he was quite certain Maya knew what they were doing anyway).

"I didn't expect you so early," she said, smiling.

"I am not early, you must have fallen asleep," he argued, slightly amused.

The woman blushed while the servant backed out of the room and closed the door.
Suddenly, his friend was in his arms, her head against his chest and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her. She smelled so familiar, like a home he wished for but couldn't have, that his heart ached despite the soothing contact. Laura seemd to have noticed that something was off, because she backed away a little and looked at him quizically.

"What is wrong?"

"I am just worried about Kara. She won't give up on meeting Anders. And she knows about us."

Laura frowned. "Well," she began, "I could make Anders let her go, if you would like that. But if Kara ever finds out, she might never talk to you again. In any case, I will make some inquiries." She smiled. "Did you seriously think she wouldn't find out about us? She is far too smart for that. The question is simply whether she will tell or keep quiet."

He got a bit confused. "But even if she tells things about us, they would still be rumours and they would blow over at some point."

She rolled her eyes.

"Bill, you still don't understand how this society works. There are rumours about people like me and Lord Adar, but there aren't rumours about people like you, serious people that usually stay away from this circus. If there is information going around, it is attested a high truth value right away. Also, I would hate Gaius Baltar having something on me, that slimy arse."
She scrunched her nose.
"In any case, the talk would not be so bad for me, but I would hate to see you subjected to it. You might want to start a business venture or court a lady at some point in the future and even if things are blown over for the moment, people will get them out again in these cases."

Bill looked down at the lady and wondered how he could ever court another when he already had her. Then he reminded himself that this, whatever this was, might not last. He nodded.

"I understand you reasoning but for one point. Why wouldn't it influence your options for future suitors?"

She laughed. "Because the type of man that would want to marry me is the type of man who wants me for money and connections and they won't mind me knowing a military officer."

Bill wondered why she couldn't see how wrong she was with this assessment.

Thank you for reading another (kind of frustrating) chapter! I promise the next one will be lighter and more fluffy :)