Katherine stared at the dress in dismay. She could barely breathe. The dress felt as if it were a second skin, fitted to perfection. Highlighting every curve she may or may not possess. Her dresses were usually fitted, but this one seemed to be plastered to her body, her décolletage being indecently low. If she could see herself now, she knew she would resemble a wanton harpy. What had her mother been thinking when making this dress! Katherine will her tears back. She would not cry.

They had arrived at the Rivers estate ere the sup, but her mother had insisted Katherine went straight to her room. She couldn't bare anyone to see her in such a state, her hair disheveled and the grime of travel on her person. She would put suitors off, her mother had said. Katherine had silently obliged. She saw no point in arguing. When the maid had asked if they wanted their meal brought above stairs to their respected rooms, her mother had declined the offer. Katherine had been famished but her mother seemed to think it would do her good to skip a meal or two. So she had gone to her room only to be kept up half the night being told what not to do. Unable to enjoy the bath which had been brought up for her. If that wasn't torture enough, surely this dress would be.
Katherine suppressed a sigh of frustration as her mother entered her room without knocking, Leslie quick on her heels.
"I see you were listening to me after all. The dress will do wonders. I have paid a small fortune for the dresses made wholly for these two weeks. The dresses alone should allow you to gain a suitor. Now, be a dear and do not look cloddish when being spoken to. You had that look about you last eve when I was speaking to you."
Katherine nodded once her mother had paused to run a critical eye over her attire.
Again.
It seemed she would have to go through the torture of these dresses until their stay here was over.
"Your hair will not do." Savannah informed her daughter with disdain.
"Leslie, arrange her hair in a bun with tresses hanging down the back, over her shoulder, as well as a few loose tendrils to frame her face. Make sure to add the silver hairpiece I purchased with the dress."
"Aye, m'lady."
Leslie hurried to Katherine's side to do her lady's bidding.
Savannah watched Leslie apply powder to Katherine's face, before she moved to do her hair. Lady Atkins frowned.
"There is no color in your cheeks." Lady Atkins snapped.

Katherine's eyes widened at the evident anger in her mother's tone of voice.
"Leslie, do we have any berries?"
The maid thought briefly before shaking her head, never stopping from her current task.
"Insolent child." Lady Atkins muttered as she moved towards Katherine and pinched her cheeks.
Katherine's eyes stung with tears but she willed them back. Keeping her expression completely neutral, she glanced at her mother through her lashes.
"That will do." Lady Atkins antagonized.
"Make sure you are not pale when we arrive below stairs to break our fast. We do not need the lords to think you are ailing." Lady Atkins said coldly.
Katherine felt the blood rush to her ears as her face flushed with anger and degradation. She could not help it if she was slightly pale. Truth be told, she had been retching for the past two days, it was bound to show on her face. Not that it had concerned her mother. She was at fault for being too weak to allow sickness to consume her.
"It may be too much to ask, but do try to capture the attention of Lord Abbot. He is titled as well as affluent. He arrived shortly ere we did. Seat yourself beside him to break the fast." Savannah instructed.

Katherine blanched. She could not believe her mother! Lord Abbot was as old as time. He was also known to take his fists to his woman. Her mother wanted to wed her to him of all people!
"Have I made myself clear?"
Tight lipped, Katherine nodded.

Her mother opened her mouth to continue when there was a knock on the door followed by the Rivers' servant boy.
"I apologize for any intrusions. His lordship awaits his guests below stairs. Everyone shall break their fasts together."
"We will be along shortly." Lady Atkins said dismissively but the boy stood his ground. He looked to be no older than fifteen summers, but his actions betrayed his age. He was wise beyond his years.
"I am to bring you along, my lady. Lord Atkins is already below stairs." He added pointedly.
Lady Atkins turned to her maid, not bothering to give the boy a respond.
"Are we finished as yet?"
"Aye, m'lady." Leslie answered as she placed an ornament in Katherine's hair, above her right ear.
Katherine stood, slightly shaky. She was feeling rather weak and frail. No doubt due to the retching and not eating. A meal would do her good.
Lady Atkins turned, stiffly heading towards the door. Katherine walked a bit less hotly, giving the boy a small smile as she exited the room.

***
"Where the devil is my tunic?!" Jonathan grumbled as he threw yet another tunic across the room.
"Mayhap on the other side of the room, where you might have just thrown it." Lord Edward said as he sat on a chair, legs outstretched in Jonathan's chambers.
"The other tunic. The one I prefer." Jonathan snapped as he, yet again, threw another piece of clothing across his chambers.

"Did you try checking your bags, my lord? Or perhaps in your armoire?"
Jonathan glared darkly at his steward.
"The devil be you! Knocking is unbecoming?"
"It is a pleasure to have you home, my lord." The steward, Albert, said with a face devoid of emotion.
Edward laughed. Albert had practically raised Jonathan. His words portrayed the emotions his face, or tone, lacked.
"I have brought you your tunic."
Jonathan grumbled some more as he took the garment, quickly donning it.

"How late am I?"
The steward arched a brow.
"You are concerned with being tardy, my lord?"
Lord Edward laughed openly at the steward's ill-disguised surprise while Jonathan scowled at both men.
"Just answer the damn question."
"I believe your father awaits the presence of Lady Atkins and her daughter. His lordship insisted everyone must break their fast together."
Jonathan perked up, some of his sour mood slipping away.
"I have time then?"
"I'm afraid not, my lord. I saw Henry going to retrieve the ladies ere I came to you."
"Damnation." Jonathan cursed. He had to at least pretend to be getting along with his father if he wanted his plan to succeed. Being late would not be in his favor.
"Worry not, friend. I shall be with you."
Albert grimaced. "I highly doubt that would help Lord Jonathan, my lord."
It was Lord Edward's turn to scowl while Jonathan laughed heartily.
"Do not find amusement in the less fortunate, it will come back to haunt you." Jonathan mocked all too happily.
Edwards scowl grew more pronounced.
"Let us be off, tis time to woo certain mamas and their daughters." Jonathan laughed as he led Edward out the chamber. It would be a good two weeks.

****

Katherine sighed in relief. Life gave wonderful small blessings. Once they had arrived below stairs to the great hall, it was to discover they had seating arrangements, much to the delight of Katherine and the vexation of her mother.
Now she was seated, peacefully eating her eggs and cheese. It seemed as if the world was on her side, for once, for the two seats next to her were both empty.
Katherine ignored the talk of the women around her, feeling slightly uncomfortable. When she had entered the great hall, not many of the women present had given her kind looks. Even now, they looked her way something akin to..... She didn't know herself. They would peer her way then begin to whisper to the person next to them. The men also looked her way rather strangely. She suspected it had something to do with her low cut gown.

"And you are?"
Katherine jumped slightly as she finally noticed the woman staring at her rather impatiently from three people down opposite of her.
Katherine blinked, unsure of what was being asked of her.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I asked for your name." The woman responded irritably.
"Miss Katherine Andrewson, of Atkins. And you are?"
The woman's already thin lips thinned further.
"No need to worry your pretty head regarding who I am. It would do you good to stay out of the business of others." The woman snapped.
Katherine stared at her affronted. Was there truly something amiss with her that even strangers disliked her? Before she could respond, a different woman answered for her.
"I believe you were the one continuously asking for an introduction, Jennette."
"That was before I knew who she was." The woman, Jennette, as Katherine had learned, answered tartly.

The woman opposite merely shrugged her shoulders, unperturbed by Jennette's attitude.
"What you know regarding her may not be true. I know a fair amount of things regarding you, most of them true. Yet, I do not behave in an uncalled manner towards you." The second woman said as she tilted her head to the side slightly. Her raven locks obscured her person from Katherine's eye.
Jennette cast a hateful glance Katherine's way but otherwise held her tongue.
Katherine wanted to thank, and ask the lady why Jennette disliked her, but before she could do so, two men sat beside her, each taking up the empty seats next to her. Katherine stared at them with large, wide eyes. They were...big, for lack of better words. Then again, perhaps she was small.
A blond man was to her right while a dark haired one to her left. They filled their trenchers high with food. Good Lord, how much did they eat?

"Good morn, sweetings. Do the pasties taste any good?" The blond man asked pointing towards the item of food on her trencher.
Katherine shook her head.
"Pastries."
"I beg your pardon?" The man was looking at her rather strangely, though he had kept his voice no more than a low murmur, Katherine noticed.
She cleared her throat delicately before explaining.
"You indicated to the food on my trencher, requesting to know if the taste was to my liking. You had referred to them as pasties, when they are in fact pastries, my lord. I am unable to tell you my preference because of their difference. If you in fact have a liking to pasties, then my opinion would be of no use because these are pastries. If you had indeed intended to say pastries, then I have not tried them as yet, therefore, I am unable to give my opinion.
"If eating the dish is your main concern, regardless of what they are, then you must simply have a taste, my lord. People's tastes vary." Katherine finished as she saw the bewilderment on his face give room to amusement.

The dark haired man on her other side seemed to be choking, turning a worried expression his way, she whispered.
"Are you unwell, my lord? Mayhap some water would do you good?"
"Nay, my lady. I am well. You need not worry yourself." The man answered with a charming smile. Unbeknown to Katherine, he had laughed at her expense.
Katherine frowned slightly but nodded her head, turning her attention back to her meal. She could have sworn the man seemed to be choking. A tap on her shoulder interrupted her eternal debate.
"How do the pastries taste?" The blond man asked with a somewhat amused smile. Katherine stared at him blankly. Hadn't she just answered him? Perhaps he was daft? She would need to be very kind when answering.
"My lord, I have as yet to taste them. Mayhap you should taste them for yourself and then you shall know." Katherine answered slowly.
Jonathan plucked the pastry from her trencher, taking a bite.
"Raspberry. It's quite delicious. It seems Cook has outdone herself, once again."
Seeing Katherine's appalled expression, he said.
"My apologies, you should have a taste."

With that being said, he took the bitten pastry and placed it inside Katherine's mouth. Katherine was so shocked by such behavior, she hardly protested, much less make a sound, as the pastry was shoved inside her mouth. But she regained her senses quickly enough.
"Mwa lwad!"
Seeing as her mouth was stuffed, Katherine hurriedly chewed, her ears reddening from embarrassment. She could hardly believe she spoke with food in her mouth. And she had let a man feed her! A complete stranger no less!
"My lord! It is unfitting behavior to take something from someone else's platter. Then you simply placed something in a stranger's mouth, without their consent," Katherine added, "much less a lady whom you do not know."
Katherine paused to take a breath when more pastry was placed inside her open mouth. She glared at the impudent man! Quickly chewing once again, she went to speak.
"My lor-"
"Saccharine little thing, is it not? I do think so. These are one of my favorites. Let's see now..." Jonathan said as he began to search across the platters laded with food. His eyes lit up with delight when he found the one he sought.
Katherine stared at him dumbfounded. Truly he could not be in his senses?
"Mayha-"
Katherine's eyes widened incredulously as a pasty was shoved in her mouth.
Again.
"You're going to choke, darling. Take a bite." Jonathan said drolly as he watched her with wicked glee. When she had taken a bite, he moved the pasty to his mouth, not breaking eye contact. Katherine blushed as she ferociously chewed. The man was being highly improper!
"My lord," Katherine began once she was done swallowing, her patience thinning.

"With utmost respect, I must inform you that what you are doing is highly improper."
"Additional spice to the pasties would be more appealing. What say you?" Jonathan questioned, completely disregarding what she had said.
"The spices are perfect, my lord. It seems you prefer savory food while the rest of us are keen on keeping our health about." Katherine snapped.
"Rough morning, my darling?" Jonathan smirked.
"I am not your darling." Katherine informed him acidly. The man was acting much too comfortable for liking. She was surprised he hadn't addressed her with her given name.
He leaned down until his breath kissed her ear. Katherine shivered.
"Horrid time of month? Cook may know a wonderful herb. I can ask him if you wish. I heard warm chocolate helps with the matter as well. Shall I fetch some for you?"
Katherine gritted her teeth. Her queer feelings increasing with his proximity. But what came out of his mouth was an entirely different matter. The man had the audacity to speak of such things. That to, in the presence of a lady. She had no desire to be anywhere near him.
"You, sir, are vile." Katherine hissed as she pushed back her unfinished meal, leaving the great hall and all its occupants.

Jonathan stared after the chit, a wicked smile upon his lips.
"Enjoying yourself?"
"She's a fetching little thing, is she not?"
Lord Edward grunted, he only found a certain gold eyed beauty fetching.
"Hmm, she did not finish her meal." Jonathan mused as he stared at her mostly full trencher.
"How could she?" Lord Edward inquired dryly.
Jonathan stared at his friend questioningly.

"You were breathing down the chit's neck."
"I had merely asked her if the pasty was any good. Her delectable mouth decided to give me a lecture on the importance of words." Jonathan retorted defensively.
"In her defense, you had urged her on with your nonsense." Lord Edward mumbled as he plopped a grape in his mouth.
"She was awfully pale." Jonathan frowned as he stared at her trencher.
"Some people are naturally very pale." Edward shrugged as he looked for something else to place in his trencher.
"Aye, but her complexion is not of one who is always pale." Jonathan scowled.
"Send her platter to her room." Lord Edward suggested with a shrug.

Jonathan reached for the crumpled paper besides her full trencher. Smoothing it out before him, he peered at the penmanship.
"Lady Katherine Andrewson."
"Tis a lovely name." Lord Edward commented
"Hmm." Jonathan mumbled as he looked around the great hall. Spotting the person he was looking for, he ushered him over.
"Henry, Lady Katherine Andrewson, which room is she residing in?"
"The rose room on the second floor in the left wing, my lord."
"Thank you, Henry."
"Where are you off to?" Edward asked with a slightly amused expression as his hand hitched higher up Annabelle's leg.
Annabelle swatted his hand in vain.
"To make the chit finish her meal."

***
"Audacious lout of a man! How dare he." Katherine fumed. She was so angry! She picked up the pillow on her bed. After giving it a good squeeze, she placed it gently back where it belonged. Pillows were for sleeping and resting, not to be thrown around in a fit, Katherine reminded herself as she took a deep breathe.
The infuriating man! How dare he! Firstly, he did not introduce himself, then he pointed at food to know whether it tasted good or not. He pointed!? It was highly rude, not to mention against table manners, to point! Thirdly, he had mispronounced said food. How could one not know what they are eating? Apparently the lord who had sat beside her. And fourthly he had put food in her mouth! A complete strangers. It was highly improper. He did not know her name nor had they been properly introduced. Katherine scowled. He hadn't introduced himself. He had simply asked for the pastry. The pastry which he had shoved in her mouth. Without her consent.
Katherine's stomach chose that moment to make its disapproval known. It seemed her stomach cared very little for propriety.
"What are you complaining about? You should be used to not eating properly by now." Katherine muttered to herself.
"Now I'm talking to myself. Good lord, that man's company is no good! His absurd behavior is rubbing off on me." Katherine chastised herself, once again, out loud. Next thing, she would be a tatterdemalion person. Although he was impeccably dressed. His clothes had been a pinch too snug, but it seemed becoming on him, Katherine noted before returning to her earlier thoughts.
She was still scolding herself when there was a knock on the door. She let out a tired sigh. She did not have a modicum of patience to deal with her mother. Even so, she walked towards the door. She would surely get scathing remarks about her untimely exit.
Katherine opened the door and stared in stupefaction.
"Tis impolite to make a person wait on the threshold." Jonathan said pointedly.
"Tis improper to be in the same room without a third person being present." Katherine retorted. Her tongue speaking before her mind could comprehend.
"I apologize, that was very rude of me." Katherine hastily amended. He was correct. She was being impolite. It must be the stress, she reasoned with herself. She was not usually so rash.

Jonathan pushed the door open without much resistance and allowed himself entry. He looked around the room, smirking slightly.
"Is this the chambers you shall be occupying?"
"Yes?" Katherine answered hesitantly.

Jonathan chuckled. Life could be very accommodating at times.
"Are you certain this is your room?"
"I am certain this is my room, my lord." Katherine said tartly while she eyed him dubiously. She had to be polite towards him, but his company was certainly not appealing.
"You did not finish your meal, I have brought your food for you." Jonathan said as the silent stretched. The chit was acting...strange. There was none of her earlier annoyance present. He wanted to irk her.
"That was most kind of you, my lord. You needn't have troubled yourself."
Jonathan shrugged. She was still being overly polite. How to rectify the situation? He put the trencher of food beside the bed and laid down.
"What are you doing, my lord?" Katherine half shouted, half whispered incredulously while she quickly shut her chamber doors.
"It is rather tiresome to sit. I like this position much better. Should I make room for you?"
Katherine's cheeks colored in anger. This was highly improper. He was highly improper! The asinine gauche. She did not have time for the piffle. Her mother would be arriving soon enough.

'Be polite.' Katherine reminded herself.
"My lord," Katherine began evenly, she must be polite! "If you are wary, then I implore you to seek out your own room and bed. Lord Rivers has assigned you a lovely chamber. You should put it to use. It-"
"What did you say?" Jonathan sat up faster than he could blink. Did the chit...
"I beg your pardon?" Katherine scrunched her brows in confusion. She was still by her position at the door while he peacefully sat on her bed.
"You said Lord Rivers had a chamber for me?" Jonathan prompted.
Katherine blinked. Was the man deliberately being daft? Or did he sneak into the estate?
"My lord, surely you know our host?" Katherine inquired. What if he was an outlaw? Lord! He was in her room alone with her. What if he killed her?
"I know our host, my lady. What my question is, what makes you assume I have a room here?" Jonathan smiled as he once more made himself comfortable. If the chit didn't know who he was, it would be most entertaining.
Before she could answer, he spoke again.
"I suggest you eat, my lady. You need all the energy you can get."
"I assure you, I am well."
"I may have to feed you myself then."
"There will be no need for such behavior." Katherine snapped as she made her way towards the bed.
Jonathan smirked. It seemed her fire had returned.
She hesitantly stood beside him on the bed before quickly taking the trencher and walking towards a chair to the left of the room.
"You could have sat beside me. It would not have been troublesome." Jonathan teased as he watched her with slightly hooded eyes. She had a lovely shade of green eyes. They were a dark green, like the forests he had seen on his travels. Whatever color they may be, they were exquisite.
"Tis improper, my lord." Katherine frowned as she bit into some bread.
"Do you always do what is proper?" Jonathan inquired. She was a strange woman. She sat serenely and ate her meal, not at all bothered by the fact she had to eat in front of him.
"I must, my lord. That is what is expected of me."
"But what if that is not your wish."
Katherine shrugged.
"We rarely attain what we want in life, my lord. Something's are expected. They simply must be done."
"You have never had the urge to follow your own desires?"
Jonathan sat up now. Her answers were enthralling. Or rather, the way she answered was enthralling. She did as she was told, without question. That was not the way to live. Surely there were some things she wished to do?
"It is not always best to act upon ones desires." Katherine advised as she finished her trencher. She had been ravenous.
"But what if your current state does not make you happy?" Jonathan prodded. There had to be something she opposed against.
"Then we make the situation a happy one. Life presents us with situations it prefers. It is our choice whether we want to be miserable or happy. It would do us little good to make our persons miserable simply because the current situation is not to our liking." Katherine said softy, knowing only too well the depth of truth which lay in her words.
Jonathan stared at her. She said it so simply. It made no sense to him. She accepted her situation, attempting to make it to her liking. She looked at the world through the eyes of a moppet.

Remembering his earlier interest, he asked. "You assumed I had a chamber here?"
"All the guests of Lord Rivers have been assigned chambers. Where you not assigned one?" Katherine questioned, her large eyes growing larger. They were very beautiful indeed.
Jonathan chuckled.
"Aye, I have a chamber. Do you know who I am, my lady?"
Katherine stared at him stiffly, her ears growing warm.
"You did not introduce yourself."
"Aye, but nor did you. Yet I know who you are."
Katherine watched him watching her.
"How?"
"By the seating arrangements." Jonathan answered as he fingered the parchment in his pocket.
"Seating arrangements? I do not understand, my lord."
"When we had to break our fasts, we were to sit at designated areas. I saw the card which contained your name." Jonathan explained.
"Where you not curious to see who would sit next to you? We had come down after some time."
"The small cards had our names written on them?" Katherine questioned slowly.
"Aye."
"What if you have the wrong lady?" Katherine inquired.
"Are you not Miss Katherine Andrewson?"
"Aye." Katherine nodded.
Jonathan fished out the piece of paper, intending to show her.
"There is no use looking for the card, my lord. I do not know how to read." Katherine told him evenly. She felt humiliated and angry. She had asked her parents time after time to teach her how to read and write, but they had refused.
"Tis no trouble, my lady. Most ladies of nobility do not know how. If you would like, I can teach you."
Katherine stared at him with wide eyes, not believing her ears.
"Why?" Her voice was a slight whisper, almost a croak. If she were to be too loud, mayhap the fates would hear and quickly re-arrange destiny and let her chance slip away.
Jonathan shrugged.
"These weeks are going to be very tedious week. Teaching you would be the light of day for me."
"My lord, do you know what you are saying?"
Jonathan grinned.
"I do not need a reason to teach you, my lady. If you want to learn, I will collect you at dawn. Providing you do not want anyone to know?"

Before Katherine could answer, there was a quick knock on the door followed by the sound of the door trying to be opened.
"Katherine, why are your chambers locked? Katherine! Open the door this instant!"
Katherine turned wide eyed from the door to Jonathan, fear clear in her eyes.

"I hadn't locked the door."
"I did." Jonathan said wickedly. Though his voice was of mischief, his eyes held a hint of concern for the horror on her face.
"You need to leave!" Katherine panicked, she would get the beating of a lifetime. She needed him to leave. But there was nowhere he could go. She did not have a balcony, simply a window. And her mother would surely check every inch of the chamber.
"Open the door." Jonathan commanded calmly.
"You need to hide, please!" Katherine begged. She was terrified.

"Katherine! I dare say, have this door opened immediately!"
Katherine hurried towards the door. Her mother sounded concerned, there must be people about. She would surely get a beating now! Quickly, she opened the door. The longer her mother waited, the worse it would be for her.
"Mother, I apologize-"
Katherine's head twisted to the side as she felt the sting of her mother's slap. Her cheek throbbed in pain.
"What were you doing?" Savannah menaced.
Katherine cleared her throat, keeping her expression neutral.
"Nothing, I was in bed. I did not realize the door was locked."
Savannah surveyed the room. Sure enough, the furs on the bed looked slightly disheveled. Katherine watched wide eyed as her mother walked towards the bed and peered under it, finding nothing there, she made her way towards the armoire, Leslie quick on her heels. When once again that was empty except for clothing, she walked towards the windows, removing the curtains to find nothing.

"You left the great hall rather early." She said shrewdly, not even bothering to apologize to her daughter.

Katherine shrugged.
"I did not have an appetite."
"Tis good you did not, you're healthy as it is. Losing a stone or two would not go amiss." Savannah informed her harshly.
"Who was seated beside you?"
Katherine shook her head.
"I do not know, mother. I left ere they introduced themselves."
Savannah clucked her tongue.
"You could have read the cards."
"You did not allow me to learn how to write, much less read, mother." Katherine reminded a bit bitterly.
"Do not talk back to your mother!" Savannah snarled as the sound of flesh against flesh resounded throughout the room.
Katherine resisted the urge to hold her cheek, her tears of humiliation on a tight leash. Her mother would only be too blithe.
"There was no one with you in your chambers?"
"Where would they hide, mother?"
Savannah grasped Katherine's cheeks, digging her nails into the girl's tender flesh.
"Do not get smart with me." She hissed as she harshly let go her face.
Katherine bit her tongue.
"Leslie, cover her disgusting freckles."
"Aye, my lady."
Katherine sat still while Leslie powdered her face, all the while thinking where he could have hid, and how long it would take for her mother to find him. Her mother was still keenly looking about her chambers. She prayed to God she didn't find him, else-wise being slapped would be the least of her worries.

***
"Would you two kindly retreat to your respected chambers? The site of the two of you has my stomach churning."
Annabelle glared at the teasing comment.
"Pray tell me, how do two persons sitting a respectable distance from each other has your stomach protesting?"
"Your knees are touching, my lady." Jonathan pointed out.
"Jonathan." Edward growled as he tried to pull Annabelle towards him.
"Edward." Jonathan snorted.
"May I remind you, these are my chambers. Pray tell me, why are you here?" Edward scowled in annoyance. He had been trying in vain to steal a kiss from Annabella all day. It seemed the day would end and he would be left bereft.
"I have a certain liking towards your chambers."
Lord Edward did not comment. He simply stared at his friend.
"I am off to retire for the evening. Do not do anything indecent." Jonathan winked as he took his leave.
"You are retiring quite early, are you unwell?" Annabelle asked worriedly as she made her way towards him. She grabbed his face with both hands as she examined his face, chewing on her bottom lip worriedly.
Jonathan smirked.
Edward scowled.
"Tis nothing my sweet. I must rise with the dawn."
"The ladies are already beginning to bore you?" Annabelle teased.

Jonathan grimaced. He felt as if he were a cow being examined for slaughter. An expensive, beefy cow. The mothers and daughters seemed to be his constant shadow.
"Aye, well tis only enjoyable when the daughters are alone. Their bothersome mama's can be a hindrance."
"I can imagine why." Annabelle retorted dryly as she walked back towards her seat.
"Aye, you can." Jonathan said suggestively while looking at his two friends.

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And if anyone wants to make a cover, that would be appreciated 😁😊