The Vanderbilts had arrived by the time we finished our dance, and Oscar looked as if he was going to punch every man that was stopping to say hello to them. It was only after they moved off that I saw why. Liz looked ravishing, her dress a brilliant shining gold that matched the setting for the massive diamond necklace she was wearing. It afforded her a little modesty on her neckline, although it did draw attention to the curves of her breasts as it lay against them. It also drew attention to the fact that her dress was extremely low cut, and like mine, rather tight. Oscar glared at me as we approached, "Anastasia, I know this was you."

"What?" I shrugged, looking to Liz. "You look magnificent, the color sets off your hair wonderfully."

"Oscar almost locked me in the carriage." She whispered as I came up to give her a hug, "Your Will looks like he's got murder on his mind."

"And your brother doesn't?" I laughed as I stepped back. "Oscar, she looks lovely."

"She looks like you do." He almost growled, "I know you two planned this. What exactly are you hoping to accomplish with this little stunt? Having every man paw at you all night?"

"If I remember correctly," I said, looking to Will. "You both promised to stay with us all night, specifically to prevent that."

"And you've just made it that much harder." Will muttered, but he did take my hand.

I squeezed his fingers, "You both know they'd have been at us even if we showed up in potato sacks." Oscar rolled his eyes at that, and we slowly began to circulate around the room. I hardly recognized anyone here, many of the ladies were wearing bright gowns and even brighter jewels, but what drew my eye were their faces. Their smiles seemed too wide, their laughs too high, and they hung off of the men like they were going to run away. I turned to Will, "What is going on with everyone here? I don't recognize any of these ladies."

"I think Mr. Perry brought some of his girls," Will gestured to Evan Perry and his wife, who were talking animatedly with Mr. Reichster and Samantha. "I wouldn't be surprised if some of them disappeared from the party later."

A gaggle of them actually stopped in front of us, the lead one with a flowing purple dress extending her hand. "Oh, I know you, Oscar Vanderbilt, correct?"

Oscar nodded, "Yes, although I don't know you."

"Don't worry, you will," She smiled, "Violet, and my dear friends, Pansy," She gestured to a beauty in a white and cream dress, then nodded to a girl in a yellow gown. "And Daisy. I'd so dearly like to get to know you better, Oscar."

"Oh yes," Pansy chimed in, "I would love to spend some time with you."

Daisy actually reached out and grabbed his arm, "Please say you'll join us." She batted her eyes at Will, "You're more than welcome to join us. Violet has always liked a man in uniform, especially one with a nice, long sword." One hand drifted to her dress, tugging at the neckline. "Maybe you'll even let her handle it, and then I can have a go."

"I think not." Will took both Liz and my hands, pulling us after him.

"What about Oscar?" Liz said as he stopped at a side room, holding the door open for us.

Will, looking back, merely shook his head. "Your brother is more than capable of defending himself. Now, get in."

Liz took a seat in a settee, her brow furrowed. "Why would he need to defend himself from those women? Who were they?"

"Probably just some giddy guests, haven't seen anyone like him before." Will, his face decidedly red, was still at the door. "He's coming along, don't worry."

"But they were so familiar." Liz frowned, "Maybe we'd met them somewhere before. I should go get their names, Mother might want to send a card."

"No!" Will almost shouted, "Ana, help. Please."

I shook my head, looking to Liz. "Trust me, those are not women you've met before." At her look of confusion, I sighed. "They're ladies of ill repute."

"And they wanted my brother to-to-" She paused for a moment, "Enter into a liaison with them? All three of them? At the same time?" I shrugged, although I did grin when Oscar entered, his suit rumpled and his eyes wild. Liz surged to her feet, "Tell me that you did not indulge in whores just now!"

"Dear God Liz," He sighed, sitting down and rubbing his temples. "No I did not. Where did you even learn that word?"

"It's in the Bible." She groused, sitting down again. "What did they want?"

"Money, although they kept asking about you, William." He glanced aside, "They kept saying you were rather dashing, what with your sword and all." He quirked up an eyebrow, "Felt a knife wasn't enough?"

"Not with Ana looking like that." Will grunted, his face firm as he looked out. I came to his side, following his gaze. Violet was deliberately looking him up and down, although her face darkened when she saw me. Pansy and Daisy had both vanished, although some people I recognized were now circling the room. Mostly new families, or the younger sons of some of the older ones. Will curled his arm around me, pulling me away from the door. "Perhaps we should just stay in here for the ball."

"It would be nice," Oscar sighed as he stood, holding out his arm to Liz. "But we've got to keep our reputations up, and snubbing people is not the way to do it." We all made our way out, speaking with those we knew and meeting those we didn't. There were quite a few single men, all of them desperate to make Liz's acquaintance. It was all Oscar could do to discourage them, his voice exasperated. "No, unfortunately we're not accepting callers at the moment."

The man currently in front of Liz sighed, raising her hand up and kissing it. "Then I shall pine away for want of your beauty. Please, send word when you're willing to take pity on my poor heart." Oscar then decided the only way to keep them from gathering around his sister was to dance, Will and I following them. We actually passed a pleasant time dancing, and Will even acquiesced to letting me dance a mazurka with Oscar while he spun Liz around. It was pleasant mainly because we could ignore everyone else, and focus only on our partners, although I did catch Will looking a bit harshly at Oscar toward the end, Liz smiling as he finished the last steps.

She was laughing as it ended, "Oh, that was such fun." She turned to me, "Although I think I'm in need of the powder room. Care to join?" With a glance toward Will, I nodded and we linked arms as we headed off the dance floor. The powder room had been set up away from the ballroom, although it had several ladies in it already, in actuality the sitting room in front of it. Fortunately I did not see Violet, Daisy or Pansy among them as Liz slipped away into the actual powder room.

Sophie was there though, and she surged to her feet to embrace me. "Anastasia! Please tell me you're enjoying yourself."

"Yes," I nodded, seeing Liz slip away. "It's been lovely."

Samantha, emerging from behind a screen, came over. "Oh I am so glad, it was such a hassle to bring everything up from New York, you know. But the flowers available in Newport just weren't fine enough." She sighed, "Nor were the bands, or the drinks."

"Such extravagance." I replied, "You'll make Her Highness here think she's back in Berlin!"

Sophie laughed at that, "Oh, it could never measure up to Berlin." She took my arm, tugging me slightly as if to pull me back to the ballroom. "Tell me, have you spoken to Otto yet? He was so surprised to see another naval officer here."

I resisted her pulling, "Really? Did you not know that Will held a commission?"

"No! I thought he was simply a merchant sailor." She shook her head, "What rank is he? Otto is a captain, you know, on one of the Kaiser's new submersibles."

"He's a Lieutenant." I blinked, filing what she had said away. "In the Royal Navy Reserves."

"Oh, of course you know that means he's not an actual Lieutenant." Samantha sniffed, "He's simply a backup, Otto has a career in the Kaiser's navy you know, he's not an understudy." I felt myself beginning to glare at her, when she spoke again. "Come along, Your Highness, I think it's about time we rejoined our guests." The two swanned off, laughing loudly and even slipping into some German as they left.

Liz emerged a few minutes later, although she took one look at me and stopped. "Anastasia, what's wrong?"

"What isn't wrong here?" I snorted, taking her arm. "Whores chasing after your brother and Will, German aristocrats looking down their noses at us, not to mention the mere presence of the Reichsters." We had gained the ballroom by then, and I cast about for Will. The crowd was dense though, and I was still trying to find him when I felt someone reach out and clasp my wrist. An older man, his eyes alight, was standing there. I stared at him as I tried to jerk my hand away, "Excuse me, sir."

"How much?" He grinned, not letting my wrist go. In fact he drew his fingers down to mine, bringing them up to kiss. "Tell me that bastard Perry isn't making you charge too much, I didn't bring a lot in my billfold tonight." He cast a quick glance over at Liz, "Although I'm sure you two would be willing to take it on credit, I'll be returning many times, I promise."

"You're forgetting yourself." I growled, pulling my hand back. "We are not like those women."

"Ah, an even finer prize then." He stepped forward. "I knew Perry was bringing in some higher class girls, but I thought he wasn't going to parade them around just yet." I watched him grin, "God, you really must be something if he's showing you off." I had to control my own grin as I saw someone approaching from behind him, although he barely turned as he addressed the newcomer. "You can wait your turn for this one, take her gold friend there for the first round and we can trade."

"If ye don't leave right now," Will growled, the Scots heavy in his voice. "Then ye will be leavin' without yer teeth." The man turned, took in the sight of a glowering Scotsman with his hand on his sword, and rightly fled the scene. Will turned stiffly to Liz, "I'm terribly sorry about that, Miss Vanderbilt. I saw him speaking to Perry and knew there was some mischief going on, I should have gotten here quicker."

Liz ducked her head, her cheeks a flaming red. "He was quite rude."

"Again, my deepest apologies. I can see your brother, I'll leave you in his care to recover from that." Will took both our hands, leaving Liz and Oscar in a corner as she rapidly told him what had happened. Will found us our own corner to speak, taking my hands in his. "I wanted to kill that man, Ana. Right there, just kill him."

"Oh Will," I shook my head, "Don't even worry about him. What happened while we were gone?"

"Sophie's brother, Otto, he kept coming at me." He sighed, dropping his head. "Wanted to know which ship I was assigned to, how I'd managed to get such a long leave to stay here. Once I told him I was in the Reserves, he laughed." His fingers tightened around my hands, "Said that I was just a merchantman playing at being a sailor. That I wasn't worthy of the uniform, was taking another man's spot. A man who deserved it."

"Don't listen to him Will, he's just jealous." I watched as he lifted his head, "The Royal Navy is so much better than his own, you know that."

Will grinned, "Oh I do, and I told him so. I also told him that I got my commission through my skill, not buying it." I laughed at that, and Will even chuckled. "He was rather put out, although Frederich said something to him in German and they went off." He looked out, his face falling. "What do you want?" I turned, looking at what had disturbed him so.

Zachary stood before us with Sophie on his arm, staring up at him adoringly. "I was actually wondering if you might like to trade fiancées for the next song, Mr. Murdoch."

"No, I would not." Will didn't even look over, his eyes still on me.

"I know you're adjusting to society, but it is considered rather rude to monopolize a lady's dance card." Zachary's voice had lost any charm, although Sophie hardly seemed to notice the venom that had entered it.

"She is my fiancée, and I will be the one dancing with her." With that, Will turned his back on the couple, leading me onto the dance floor. He barely looked at me, looking out in the crowd as we turned and strode around to the music. I gave his hand a squeeze, "What, Ana?"

"You could look at me, you know." I raised an eyebrow, "Or are you wishing you were dancing with her?"

"No, dear God no." He chuckled, finally looking at me. "I just noticed that they went to the Vanderbilts, we may have to mount a rescue in a moment." As soon as the music ended, that was what we did.

Oscar was standing partly in front of Liz, "I'm sorry Zachary, but she already promised me the next waltz."

"Oh, but surely you'd do me the honor?" Sophie batted her eyelashes, "I've been dying to dance with you all night."

"Oscar, you enjoying yourself?" Will gave a crooked smile at Oscar's rather visible distress.

Liz spoke up, "Zachary, don't tell me you've lost your touch and that's why Her Highness wants my brother to partner her."

I watched him flush, "Hardly Liz, but I have told her how talented Oscar is. She simply wants to see it for herself."

Sophie extended her hand, the diamonds on her ring flashing in the light. "Please, Mr. Vanderbilt, I really do want to dance with you."

"Your Highness," Oscar took her hand, glancing down. "My word, that ring, I had not seen it so closely before." Ignoring the way Sophie was preparing to preen, he turned to Zachary. "Did you have to get it resized? You know Anastasia has such delicate fingers, I would think you had bought her size when you thought you had your chance with her."

Sophie's hand went rigid in his grasp. "Zaza, what is he saying?"

"Oh," Oscar laughed, "He didm't tell you? He's been after Miss Dalian here," He nodded to me, "For years. Sending gifts, claiming dances, oh he tried everything. It was only after April that he proposed." He grinned at an extremely red Zachary, "But, she turned him down. She'd already found the one for her. But, why buy a new ring, right Zachary? It works well enough for your second choice."

"Don't listen to him dear," Zachary said, collecting Sophie and moving away. "He's obviously been drinking, you know you're the only one for me." Our little group watched him move off, the two of them approaching his parents in a conversation that seemed rather intense. Eventually Samantha led Sophie off to the side of the room, spoke to her for a moment, and brought her back over.

"I wonder what she said." Liz muttered, "Although I doubt it was anything in our favor. Why did you bait her like that?"

Oscar snorted, "Please, Liz, I am as reluctant to dance with her as you are to dance with him."

"I am sorry about that, I think they came to you after I refused him." Will at least had the decency to look a little chagrined. "I'll buy you a whiskey later."

"Speaking of drinks," I sighed, looking at my empty glass. "I could use another one, care to come with, Oscar?"

Liz immediately joined me, "Oh, I am dying for a drink. Would you mind terribly, Mr. Murdoch?"

"No, no. Go get your drinks." Will shook his head, looking out at the room. "I'll keep an eye on those two, don't worry about it." Our trio made its way to the where some footmen were tending to an elaborate bar, each getting a drink. Oscar only allowed himself a slight drop of whiskey in his glass, smothering it with soda water. I had a glass of champagne, and bid the two of them farewell as I started back towards Will.

I had just gotten close to him, shadowed by Oscar who still had an eye on Liz, when I noticed Zachary had sidled up to the crowd of men that Will had apparently been speaking to, Otto Metternich among them and growing redder and redder by the moment. I hung back, listening as Will and Otto once again lit into each other. I could hardly follow some of the technical talk, but from what I could gather Will had insulted him previously by saying that the Imperial German Navy was simply a crude copy of the Royal Navy and Otto was extremely displeased by it. His small pointed mustaches almost quivered with rage as he spat something at Will, who snapped back with a reply that caused Otto's face to grow redder.

During a pause, Zachary tried to regain the crowd's attention and gestured out to the dance floor, where Mr. Reichster was currently spinning Sophie around in a waltz, the ruby peacock around her throat glittering in the light. "Isn't she a vision? I'm sure she'll give me some beautiful sons, how could she not? What do you all think?"

"If you're lucky they'll actually be yours, and not your half-brothers." Will's voice was flat, and ignoring the startled gasps of some of the crowd, he turned on his foot and strode off, not giving Zachary a chance to respond. I followed Will through the crowd, finally catching him behind a pillar. He looked exhausted, although he grinned when I took his hand. "I hate it here."

"Then maybe we should have one last dance and leave." I stepped closer to him, whispering. "I heard what you said. God Will, he must be furious."

"I don't care," Will leaned down, "I only was next to him so that I could keep my eyes on the both of them while you went to get a drink. And that brother of her's, I want to bash his nose in too. He didn't seem to care for what I said either."

"I care Will," I cast a look around, and quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Now, one last dance and then we'll head out. And I'll show you how much I care back home." It was a polka that the band was playing, and Will proved himself more than capable of keeping up as we danced.

We had barely stepped off the floor when Otto approached, his face still flushed. "Lieutenant Murdoch, if I might have a moment of your time."

"I'm sorry Captain Metternich, but I am going to take my fiancée home right now." Will grasped my hand tightly, "Perhaps another time."

"Or perhaps now." Otto spun around as we stepped past him, his hand moving as if to hold a pommel that wasn't there. "I should hate for this to cause an incident between our countries, you know I must make a report of your comments to my commander."

"An incident?" Will barked, stepping up to him. "Why the bloody hell would me setting you straight about your damn Kaiser be an incident?"

Otto scuttled back, followed by Will. "You are a representative of your country, are you not?" I had just made to follow them when I felt a hand slip around my wrist, holding me in place.

"Anastasia, I haven't had the chance to speak to you all night." Henry Reichster, looming behind me, spoke softly. It didn't matter that the ballroom was filled with loud and laughing couples, or that the room was warm, I could hear every word he said and it sent a chill down my spine. "I also haven't had the chance to offer my congratulations in person. Come along, there's an office nearby. We can speak there."

I stared after Will, wishing he could hear my thoughts as I begged him to come back. His face was red though as he sparred with Otto, and a crowd had gathered around them. I cast about for Oscar, but he was almost holding back Zachary as he tried to get around him to speak to Liz. Sophie and Samantha were nowhere to be seen. I tried to tug out of Mr. Reichster's grip, "No, I will not speak to you."

"My dear," He gave a vicious pull, sending me stumbling into him. "It was not a request." He had my arms in his, pulling me with him as he made his way out of the ballroom. I struggled, I called for Will, but it was loud in the ballroom and he was stronger. The band was blasting away at a fast rag, and I could barely hear myself think let alone anyone around us. When someone cast a glance towards us, he shrugged. "She's had too much tonight, I'm taking her to a room where she can recover until the end of the ball. Maybe get her some coffee."

"Ah, that's awfully kind of you, Henry." The lady said, sneering at me as he pulled me away. I only managed to place her when we got through the door, it had been Daisy, one of the whores from earlier. None of the servants even batted an eye as he made his way through the empty hallways, pulling open a door and dragging me inside. It was only after the lock clicked that he let go of my wrist and I scrambled away. It was dark, and I bumped into more than one piece of furniture as I tried to find someway out of the place.

Mr. Reichster appeared unconcerned, slowly turning on each and every light to reveal a massive desk and a number of leather chairs scattered around the room. "There's no use in running, it's just the one door."

"Don't you fucking touch me." I spat, shifting so that I always had something between us as he began to approach. "You're a monster. A fucking bastard!"

"I told you I was done playing nice." He stepped closer, "And you rejected my gift, I was truly hurt by that. I had selected it just for you."

"Not hurt enough not to give it to your soon to be daughter-in-law. Did you make her the same offer you made me?"

He snorted, "She's pretty, I'll give her that, but her head is full of feathers." His voice was low as he threw the chair I was behind aside, "Now you, at least you can hold a proper conversation."

I lunged backward, bashing my shoulders against a bookcase. It did little good, he closed the distance and was up against me in a second. I leaned away as he brought his face towards me, "I thought you said women were only made to warm your bed."

"Oh, they are." He laughed, his hands bringing my wrists up above my head. "But at least you can talk about things other than the sheep in the fields by Berlin. By God, she always goes back to those damn sheep. It's that or talking about gowns and jewels. And speaking of gowns," Despite my struggling he could still hold my wrists with one hand, letting his other one play at the neckline of my dress. "Christ, I've been hard since you walked in. I'm practically throbbing now. Wherever did you get this dress? I'll have to order one for Samantha."

"Mr. Reichster-"

The hand on my neckline pulled away, his arm cocked back. "What did I tell you last time?"

I cringed, looking away from him. "Henry, please. Please let me go. My fiancé will be looking for me. How will it look if he finds me here, with you? Just let me go, it won't be good for either of us."

"It will be good for me," He muttered, yanking my wrists away from the bookcase and catching me about the waist. "You'll enjoy it too, I can see to that." I was begging by that point, trying to stop as he kept pulling me towards the desk. He stopped once to shake me, like a dog, his hand curling around my shoulder hard enough I thought it might bruise. "Stop that, you know it won't do you any good. If you behave I'll see to you after."

I kicked at his shin at that, stomping with my feet at anything I could reach. "I won't stop! I won't! I'm not just going to lay back and let you rape me!"

"Fine then," He threw me then, my stomach slamming into the desk as I caught myself against it. I was trying to get my breath back when I felt his hand on the back of my neck, pushing me down. "I'll just have you bent over like this, I'm sure you've let your sailor take you like this a hundred times." I vainly tried to swing at him with my arms, but it was like trying to hit a target in the dark. The hand on my neck slipped to the front, squeezing my throat. "I don't want to hurt you, Anastasia, but I will. Just lay there, spread your legs, and be a good girl."

I was crying by then, as I felt his other hand slip down, pulling my skirt up. "Henry, please, don't do this. Don't." My pleas did nothing to stop him though, my skirt draped around my hips as he let his hand run down my backside. "Don't touch me, please. Please." But he was pushing my thighs apart, and I knew his hand only left them to open his trousers. "No, no please."

"Shhh, Anastasia." He said, his fingers returning to my hips. "Just be quiet. I'll take care of you if that sailor leaves you, you know that." I almost heard him smile, "Although he's probably used to sharing his ladies with other men, no doubt he's been to one of Perry's places during his trips here. His establishments are very popular with widowers, you know. Maybe we can have a night there, you and I. You'd be quite the prize. Could clear a thousand a night, at least Perry thinks so. I have to admit, I'd be curious to see what you'd bring." He leaned over me then, his chest against my back as he settled his weight onto me. "God, why the devil are you wearing these combinations? It makes it so much more difficult." His hand dropped between my thighs, fumbling the buttons open to free what he was after. "Ah, there we are. Oh, don't close them my dear, I want to feel you."

My head was pressed to the desk, my eyes squeezed as tight as I could make them and I was praying that Will wouldn't leave me if this happened, if I was ruined. I had been such a fool, I should have just bedded him in Southampton. I should have married him before we came back. I should have done a thousand things to have had Will take me, before this. I should have just laid back when he was drunk, it would have been better than this.

Instead I would be ruined, I might not even make it home. He could lock me in here and keep me for his pleasure. Maybe he'd give me to Zachary, and then let Sophie's brothers take their turns. Just another gift to them for bringing their sister over. A present for Otto, a chance to get back at the British sailor who angered him tonight. I was contemplating my doom while he stroked at my thighs, seemingly entranced by the feel of them with his hands beginning to push them open, when the first thud sounded.

"The hell?" Mr. Reichster looked up, as did I. The door was shivering in its frame, and it barely had time to rest before another massive blow struck it. It jumped, the lock fracturing the wood slightly. It only took one more kick for it to be thrown inward, a figure stepping though. His face was furious, his eyes cold and distant as he took in what he saw. I had never before seen a man who had lost any compassion that he had had, who's only thought was murder.

Will, in the soft light, looked nothing short of a savior to me as he stepped forward. His sword was in his hand, his shoe scuffed from where he had been kicking the door. I saw the gold on his cuffs gleam in the light as he lifted the sword, his voice barely restrained. "I swore that if you came near her again I would kill you." Despite the anger I could almost feel rolling off him, his sword was level, the point unmoving.

"You did, and then you let her parade into my house dressed as a whore. You can't be surprised that I might want to taste what was being offered. Something that I've tasted before, but still so sweet." Mr. Reichster's hand lifted me by my hair, his other one busy with his trousers as he buttoned back up. "You practically placed her on a platter for me, thank you for that. Anticipation makes the eventual reward all the better."

"Let her go." Will moved closer to the desk, circling around it.

"Or what? You'll kill me? Those fifteen hundred souls may not rest entirely on you, but are you so eager to add more to your count?" Mr. Reichster seemed content to use me as a shield, moving back and holding me in front of him.

"If it's yours, then yes. I'd be doing everyone a favor."

"Yes, I'm sure dear Anastasia here would love to see you hang for it." At that he let one hand run down my face, and seeing Will glare even further, dropped it down my bodice. He kneaded my breast as he spoke. "Did she tell you what happened that day? How she moaned my name and spread her legs for me? How she wrapped them around me and begged me to take her right there on the parlor table?"

"He's lying, Will!" I barely managed to get it out before that massive hand clamped down over my mouth, his other crushingly tight on my waist.

I could see Will's eyes flicker for a moment, his voice deadly calm. "I know he is Ana."

"You really need to train her better, she's been cursing like a sailor since I brought her in. Although perhaps you like her rough." Mr. Reichster laughed, his hand slipping for just a moment. It was all the opportunity I needed as I bit into his finger as hard as I could, and when he pulled his hand away with a snarl I ducked, trying to get out of his grasp. His other hand around my waist was still there though, so I was bent over when I heard him gasp in pain. The hand dropped, and me with it.

I scrambled away on the floor, not looking up until I was behind Will's feet. The first thing I noticed was Will's face, his brow furrowed and his eyes flashing as he almost snarled at Mr. Reichster. The second thing I noticed was his sword, buried in Mr. Reichster's shoulder, blood seeping from the wound slowly. Will held his eye as he twisted it slightly, "This won't kill you, and as much as I want to, I won't end you tonight." The sword twisted again, Mr. Reichster shrinking away from the pain of it. "But you are done being around her. If she's at a party, you leave. If you see her in the park, you leave. If you see her on the street, you get in a cab and go." The sword slowly withdrew, leaving the older man grasping his shoulder as Will stepped up, the point now at his neck. "Or I will finish this. And if you let a word slip of what you have tried to do, or if you try to put it on her in any way, I will arrange for you to disappear." Will waved his sword slightly, "Clean it, use your handkerchief."

Mr. Reichster stared at him as he pulled the scrap of fabric from a pocket, dabbing at his own blood on the blade. "You're hiring assassins now?"

"Anastasia is fortunate to have the love of a good many people, who are willing to help." Will didn't pull the blade away once it was clean, "And so many get lost at sea." He held it on him as he helped me up, putting me behind him as he slowly backed away. "It was a damn shame that you survived that night and her father didn't. A goddamn shame." With that he swung the door shut, his sword still out as he led me through the hallways. We had almost gained the ballroom when he stopped short. "Oscar, why the Hell weren't you watching her?"

Oscar was currently holding Liz, who looked distressed as she wrung her hands. "Perhaps because Zachary was trying to proposition my sister on the dance floor! Asking her how much for a night? Telling her that he knew a friend who could see her earn good money?" Liz gave a little cry at that, burying her face in her hands. "I had a damn more important matter to attend to, besides when last I saw Anastasia she was at your side!"

"All it took was five minutes!" Will shifted his grip on the sword, the handle almost like a fist as he brought it up. "Five minutes and he hauled her away and had her bent over a desk! Christ, he had her dress up when I kicked my way in!"

Oscar winced, but did not look away from Will. "And I'm sorry for that, and glad that you got her out of there. But Liz is my sister, William." He breathed out, his body falling in on itself. "My sister, treated like a whore in front of everyone."

"Ah, damn it." The sword slid back into its scabbard, a soft shush of metal against leather. "I'm sorry Oscar, for that." Will reached over, clapping him on the shoulder. "And for my anger. It seems we were both targets. Or they were."

Oscar snorted out a small laugh, "Perhaps it would be for the best if we just never spoke of this night again."

"I can agree to that." Liz sniffed, rubbing at her nose with a handkerchief. "Let's just leave."

"Yes," I was only stopped from wrapping my arms around myself by Will coming back to my side, his arm around me as he led me out. We didn't even wait for the carriage to come to the front of the house, walking across the street to get into it. I almost wanted to grab my wrap from the floor, to cover myself and hide away. Instead I sat, bent over. "You were right Will, we never should have gone."

The carriage started slowly, and Will moved closer to me. "No, we should not. Ana, my poor sweet Ana." He collected me to him like I was a child, wrapping me in his arms. "I should not have been baited, but to have him insult my country. He said that it was no wonder the Germans would overtake us, if Britain relied on men such as me." He shook his head, "He insulted me, asked me why I could be considered for naval service when I'm nothing but a common tar. He said I was unworthy of my rank, that I was not enough of a man to wear my sword." I felt him sigh against me. "I should have stayed by you and ignored him."

"I'm sorry you had to hear him say those things." I pressed myself closer to him, "Otto and Mr. Reichster."

He was quiet for a moment. "Did you really say his name that day?"

"Yes, but only to trick him."

Another moment of silence as he considered it. "What about wrapping your legs around him?"

"No Will, I've never done that."

He moved forward in the seat, patting his lap. "Why not try it now?" It took some creative movement, and pulling a good deal of my skirt up due to how tight it was, but I eventually had my legs wrapped around his waist. His arms were tight around my back, holding me flush to him. We were perfectly aligned below the waist, and he shut his eyes for a moment as I settled onto him. When they opened again, they were dark. "When we're married, I'm going to take you like this. I'm going to take you every way that he tried to, so when you are in that position again you think of me, and not him."

"Take me now, Will." I breathed, dropping my head to his shoulder. "The entire time I was cursing myself for not letting you take me that night, that my first time would have been him, holding me down on his desk. I want it to be with you."

"Ana," Will sighed, one hand wrapping itself in my hair and the other rubbing the small of my back. "Your mother would not want her grandchild to be conceived in a carriage." I heard him chuckle, "And I doubt the coachman would appreciate it."

"Will," I gasped, falling against his shoulder. "Please, please, please." That dissolved into shudders and sobs against his shoulder as he held me close, rocking me slightly as he held me. It took a good deal of time for me to be able to speak again, and he brushed his handkerchief across my face. "Please, please don't tell Mother. I don't want anyone to know."

"I won't." He dabbed at my face, "The only ones who will know are those who were there. And if he talks," Will grabbed my chin, holding my gaze. "I will kill him, Ana. No matter what you want, or what you think should happen, I will kill him. He's deserved to die a dozen times over, but he's on his last chance now."

I stared into his eyes, the blue deep and sincere as he gazed back. "I'll hold you to that then, although you may have to fight Ezekiel for the honor."

"Who else did you think would be helping me?"