AN: So, I have heard a rumor, and just wanted to share it. There's a rumor that the site may be soon losing support and that all the stories may vanish. I encourage you to use a free service called FicHub to quickly download any story that you like to make sure that you can still access it. This story is cros posted to Ao3 and Wattpad, so there is no chance of losing it. If the site vanishes, you can still find it there.

The sound of Will trying to find his way through my sitting room was exciting to say the least, to know that he was so anxious for the wedding night he wanted to enjoy it as soon as he could. I had not intended on him actually bedding me, I had locked the door to my bedroom, but I had wanted to tease him a bit. He was always fun to tease, especially when he almost lost control of himself. I had gone to bed happy, knowing that soon enough he'd be behind the door with me.

The next morning, I slipped out as Reggie was bringing Will's breakfast to his sitting room. I held out my hands, "I'll take that, he gets a bit tetchy when he's hungover." With all the men in the house, poor Reggie had been pulling double and triple duty helping them so he was more than glad to unload it on me. I set it on Will's dark wooden table in his sitting room, slipping into his bedroom. He was passed out in his bed, half the covers hanging onto the floor and revealing him in his shirt and trousers. I couldn't help the little smile that broke out on my face. I shucked my nightgown off, locked the door, and snuggled up against his side. I artfully draped my hair over his shoulder, laying my head down gently on his chest. It took a minute to calm myself to the point where I could feign sleep, to maintain the facade that I had fallen asleep with him after a passionate night of lovemaking.

He stirred briefly, his hand brushing up against my hair. "Mmmm, Ana." I sighed, pressing myself against him further. He shifted, "Ana?" The hand that brushed up against my hair became rigid. "Ana! Good God, what did I do?"

I faked a yawn, stretching back onto the pillows. "What didn't you do, Will? Last night was incredible."

He was sitting straight up, staring at me. His face was red, and his hands clenched around themselves tightly. "No, no you were supposed to lock your door."

"I did! You didn't lock yours." I smiled, reaching out a hand to caress his shoulder. "I just couldn't stand the wait."

"Ten days!" He dug his fingers into his short hair. "I couldn't make it ten more days!" His voice was thick, breaking. "I promised you, and I broke it. I promised myself. Hell, I swore it!"

I felt a curl of guilt in my stomach. "Will, we didn't do anything."

"You're naked in my bed!" He stood, weaving for a moment before sitting down on the edge. His voice was more confused though, "And I'm clothed. How am I clothed if I bedded you?"

"Because you didn't," I sat up, clasping around his shoulders and not so subtly pressing my breasts against his back. "You wanted to, it took everything Harold had to get you out of my room, but you fell asleep here, alone." I pressed a kiss to his cheek, "I brought your breakfast in and wanted to play a little trick."

"Ana, you need to get out of here before I actually bed you." He suddenly turned, taking me in. "You're lust made flesh, and if not for my damn headache I'd have taken you twice already."

I chuckled as I drew on my nightgown, "Well, keep that ardor up then. Our wedding night should be memorable, you know."

"Christ woman," He turned at that, catching me around my waist and pulling me to him. "You might not be able to walk after."

"Sounds lovely." I muttered, leaning back and drawing him into a kiss. I wrinkled my nose and pulled back after he slipped his tongue into my mouth. "Ugh, but that is not. How much did you drink last night?"

"Far too much." Will groaned as he rested his head on my shoulder. "Or not enough, at least if I'd had a bit more I'd have broken your door down last night. Or at least locked Harold out."

I snorted, stepping away and watching him stumble a few steps back to the bed. "The last thing you need is to have thrown him out, you all might not have made it home without him."

"Don't let him hear that." Will groaned, laying back on the bed. "And send Reggie when you see him, I don't think I can stand up on my own."

"I think Reggie is going to have enough on his plate." I sat down, patting his hand. "I could always help you dress." He gave a groan as if he was in pain, and I couldn't help but laugh as I stood and unlocked the door to leave. "I'll send him if I see him." Fortunately no staff was in the hall as I slipped back to my room, although Louise did raise an eyebrow at me as I walked through. I shrugged, "Will overindulged last night, I just wanted to check on him."

"In your nightgown?" She shook her head. "I swear, you two are going to be impossible on the honeymoon."

I smiled as she helped me into my day dress. "Oh, as if you and Reggie are actually going to be doing anything."

"Getting you dressed in Paris?" Louise rolled her eyes, "Or sending you out in London? You do know that will take me hours to get you dressed and turned out properly." She raked a comb through my hair, a bit harsh as she picked out the knots. "Even though Mr. Murdoch will probably have you out of it in minutes."

"You know we won't be requiring that much work." I handed her a pin as she twisted my hair up. "We're not planning for much beyond a trip to the ballet and the theater, and I highly doubt I'll need to wear a ball gown when we're in Dalbeattie."

"I suppose so," Louise mumbled, spritzing rosewater over my hair. "Although I will make sure you're looking your best when you meet his family." With a wave of dismissal she sent me downstairs, ready for breakfast. It seemed only the female members of the house had managed to get out of bed so far, Sylvie and Liz setting to on a spread in the dining room.

Sylvie smiled at me, "You're a tad late."

"Will was making noise like he was dying," I snorted, "I had to check on him."

"Well I did not check on Oscar," Liz growled, stabbing a sausage. "Stumbling into bed drunk, he always seemed to know better."

"It's one night." Sylvie sipped at her orange juice. "We have allow them some indulgence, and besides they're punished for it this morning."

"How is Charles?" I spooned a portion of eggs onto my plate. "He was, um, rather amorous last night."

"He's quite well." She laughed, "And he spent the night on the settee, I locked him out." A smile spread across her lips, it would not have looked out of place on her husband's face. "Although I did indulge him in his favorite remedy for a night of drinking."

Liz cocked her head. "What is that?"

"I let him watch as I dressed." The grin on her face spread further. "He always maintains that it would bring him back from the brink of death to see me unclothed. He did act like he was dying this morning, so I indulged him a bit."

I couldn't help but laugh at Liz's rapidly reddening expression. "They are married Liz, I think it's allowed."

"And do you plan to do that with Will?" Liz whispered, her eyes flitting over to the door. "Let him watch you dress?"

"They'll be doing much more than that soon." Sylvie chuckled, but seeing Liz's face, decided to show mercy and began telling us of her boys and what mischief they got up to. It seemed the boys had not only inherited their looks from their father, but their attitudes. After telling us about how the three of them would cause such chaos that she could barely think, she sighed and placed her hand over her stomach. "I'm praying for a girl, and a calm one at that."

"Calm is not one thing I can expect from our children." Charles, his eyes still rather bleary, stumbled in and commandeered a cup of coffee. "We'll be lucky if they don't become a gang of outlaws." The other officers slowly trickled down, including James who took the seat next to Liz. Charles snorted, "You could at least look at her you know, we all know you're courting, we don't care."

James, who had been staring down at his plate, popped his head up to smile sweetly at Liz. After a moment, he turned to me. "Is Mr. Murdoch not joining us?"

"He was rather exhausted." I shook my head, "Reggie brought him a tray, I don't think he'll leave his room at all." Will's absence was quickly glossed over, as Charles and Sylvie quickly drew the attention of the entire table. They bickered with each other, but it wasn't mean spirited. It was almost as if they showed each other affection through it. I couldn't help but smile as I listened to them, although I was a bit uncertain. Would Will and I bicker like this? Would seeing me naked cure his hangover? Well, I already knew that it only seemed to arouse him. God, after we were married and if he got drunk, I probably wouldn't be able to get out of bed the next morning.

After breakfast, everyone seemed to find something for themselves to do. The other officers went out, Harold wanting to buy something for his sweetheart and the other offering to help. Charles and Will seemed content to sleep the day away, and Oscar hadn't even shown his face. James and Liz were mooning over each other in the garden, while Sylvie wanted to take advantage of a bath. My request to have the carriage ready to take me to Mother wasn't too odd, for Peggy simply nodded and Louise handed me a hat to wear. By the time I was inside the grand house, smiling at Mother, I was about ready to burst. In fact, everything seemed to spill out of me. "Oh Mother, I'm just so nervous."

"About what, my dear?" She took my arm and drew me on. "The wedding night?"

"Well, yes, but also what it's going be like after." I let my eyes pass over the paintings and sculptures that adorned the walls. It was better than meeting Mother's eyes and having her discern that I was far too excited for the wedding night, that I was not frightened of it in the least. "When I'm Mrs. Murdoch, if I'm going to be different. Were you, after you married Father?"

She tilted her head, "A bit, I had to adjust to the society here, but I was still the woman your father married."

"But what if, oh I just don't know." I sighed, stopping. "I want to be married to him, I want to be his wife, but I feel like everything is going to change."

"Some things will." Mother pulled me to a sitting room. "You won't be seen as a girl anymore, but a woman grown and married. People will want you to have children quickly, and may begin to imply things." I stiffened at that, but she brushed her fingers through my hair. "But if you love him, and he loves you, then that won't change. I'll still love you, and you know your father would still love you too."

I closed my eyes, letting my head drop. "I know Mother, and I will always love you, and Father. I'm just nervous, I guess, about everything."

"Every bride is dear, there's nothing unusual about that." She patted my hand, "Now, did you hear that the Reichster offices were vandalized last night?"

"No, I-" I had just started to answer when the door suddenly burst open, slamming against the wall and revealing a disheveled Duchess in our midst.

Mr. Rigby was behind her, speaking from over her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Dalian, I told her you weren't receiving."

"It's quite alright." Mother stood, a look of concern wrinkling her brow as she took in Sophie. "Please, bring up some refreshments, I feel we may need them." Mr. Rigby nodded, the door closing softly behind him, and Mother turned to our guest. "Please, Your Highness, sit. Whatever has brought you here?"

Sophie, her dress wrinkled and her hair coming out of her pins, sank into a chair with evident relief. "I must apologize, first, Mrs. Dalian. I should not show up unannounced like this, but I could think of no where else to go."

"Please, Your Highness, you know my door is always open." Mother gave a very brief wrinkle of her nose at that, but her face was smooth and happy again. "Now what has distressed you so?"

"I, I should not speak of it." Sophie pulled a handkerchief from her pocket, dabbing at her brow. "But it is only, oh, I have seen such a fight between Zachary and his father. And all about Anastasia, right here!" She held out a hand to gesture to me, and I started. Mother cast a glance to me, but she nodded for Sophie to carry on. We were only briefly interrupted by the arrival of lemonade and cookies, and Her Highness continued after draining half a glass. "Did you know that Mr. Vanderbilt stole those ships from Zachary?"

"Ships?" Mother turned to me. "The new ones?"

I pursed my lips, nodding. "Yes, I knew they formerly belonged to Reichster Transport, but Oscar assured me that he bought them from Zachary after encouraging him to order new ones."

"That we can hardly afford!" Sophie burst, then clapped her hand over her mouth. It took her a moment to compose herself. "I am sorry, it is only that I am not very well versed in these matters, but that is what I heard Henry shouting at Zachary." She sniffed, rubbing her nose with her handkerchief. "They almost came to blows over it, please tell me that you didn't send Mr. Vanderbilt out to do that."

"I did not." I shook my head, looking to her. "He did it of his own volition, I didn't influence him at all."

"You must have some how!" Sophie gripped the arms of her chair with a violence that startled me. "You hate them for no reason and you encouraged your friend to harm us!"

Mother's voice cut through her tirade. "My daughter has every reason to despise that family." Sophie's head whipped over so fast that one of her hairpins flew onto the table. "As do I, you can be certain of that."

"But why?" Sophie pouted, her fingers twitching out to collect the hairpin. "Why do you hate them?"

"Mother," I looked over to her, "Perhaps I should tell her. She's marrying Zachary, she deserves to know who he truly is."

Her brow furrowed. "Anastasia, what happened is not something to bandy about."

"I won't tell." Sophie's voice had calmed, and she tucked her hair back behind her ears. "I promise."

"If it comes out, we know who to accuse." I gave a ghost of smile to Mother, and turned to Sophie. "What I'm going to say is going to upset you, you do know that?" At her nod, I continued. "Zachary and his father have tried to force themselves upon me, his father several times actually." The sharp intake of breath from her made me blink rapidly, trying not to remember things too vividly. "Zachary really did propose to me, with your ring. And the kidnapping was to offer me to Mr. Reichster as a prize."

"You're lying?" Her voice was tremulous, a mere whisper.

I shook my head. "No, I wish I was." I pressed my hands to my temples, trying to pull out details from my memory without letting it overwhelm me. "Henry and Zachary both wear a cologne, rather musky. I could never forget the smell."

Her face was drawn. "They do."

"Zachary uses a lemon scented pomade."

"He does." She looked miserable. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have accused you."

"What will you do?" Mother reached over, patting her hand. "You could always go back to Germany."

Sophie shook her head. "I can't, and Henry hasn't made a move towards me." She stood, brushing down her skirt. "But I shall write my brother, Frederich shall know of something to do, I'm sure of it." She nodded to me before moving for the door. "I am very much looking forward to the wedding. And to finally see your gown, I am so excited to see it."

"I will be glad to finally wear it." I ignored the way my gut was twisting. "Will you be joining us for the reception?"

Sophie didn't even flinch. "I shall have to think on it, it may not be for the best with the current circumstances." She opened the door, stepping out and nodding to someone. "Pardon me." The fading sound of her footsteps was quickly replaced by a raging voice in what I could only assume was Gaelic as Samuel rushed in, followed quickly by Jeanie. Despite knowing that she had been given the greatest care while she had been staying here, she still looked drawn and haggard. The hand that gripped her cane trembled.

"What in the world?" Mother stood, gesturing for Jeanie to take her seat. "Were you two listening?"

"It wasna my idea." Jeanie slowly thumped her way over to the chair, sitting gratefully. "My Sam here was listenin' in, now love ye need ta calm yerself." Her words did nothing to soothe the anger that was currently engulfing Samuel, pacing around the room and dragging his fingers through his hair. "We canna understand ye."

"Bloody bastards!" Samuel spat, hurtling off into Gaelic again. He threw his hands up on the mantel, breathing hard. It was a moment before he spoke again. "If what ye said is true, Anastasia, why are they still breathin'?"

"Because things are complicated." Mother stood, drawing herself up and facing him. "Who would you have wanted to kill them? My husband? Your son?" She almost forced him back from the mantel. "You?"

"Someone!" Samuel stood firm. "How could ye have let yer daughter go through that and not done somethin'?"

"And you think I didn't?" Her voice was icy, "You think I didn't use every connection I had to keep my daughter away from them? It did nothing, for if I told them why I wanted Anastasia away from them, I would have secured her dismissal from society. From her friends, from any potential matches." Samuel flinched at that. "I did what I could without making my daughter a spinster."

"He's ta be at the weddin'?" He looked to me. "The son, no the father, I mean."

"Yes, and we will go to theirs." I tried to summon a smile. "But we will have so many of our friends around us, I am not worried."

Samuel grimaced as he nodded. "Nor should ye be, for if he tries anythin' I'll kill the boy meself."