May I have this dance?

[Lovely]

April 30, Year 2
Santa Fe


He'd spied her on the train, but had kept his distance. The likes of her weren't usually ones to notice or get involved with untitled apprentices. That was the old-school thinking from his type of upbringing and he fought it dearly as he'd watched the red curls and wisps dance even as she stood still. It was serendipitous to find her here at the very same party that Barrister Michaels had invited him to to 'mingle' and make himself known.

He'd loathed the suggestion until he saw that she was here, but now she was moving toward the door. He hoped she might only be stepping out for fresh air and not intending to leave entirely. Not yet, not yet, he breathed shallowly, hoping to intercept her gracefully... not too eager... things to do first.. not quite time. He looked up at the grand clock in the corner that still had a quarter-hour before the chime that would send him off as well.

"Running away?" He thanked the timing of the musicians who'd pulled up their bows and reeds as he approached her and set his drink aside.

Dressed in evening fashion with a daring but still proper cut and shoulders partially bared to the evening air, the girl turned to find the most stunning blue eyes she'd ever seen. She swallowed, for a moment her breath was taken away and she couldn't speak. Her cheeks warmed softly once the moment passed and she smiled. "Pardon my manners, you caught me by surprise.. I was going to step out for some air." of course she wasn't going anywhere now that he'd gotten her attention and it was clearly focused soley on him now.

He nodded and tried to keep her from the door, drawing attention to the music that was rising and the grand room that was suddenly a-swirl with fancy linens and straight shoulders. "And now? What if someone.. offered a dance?"

She glanced to the dance floor and then her gaze came quickly back to him, it seemed as though he was all she needed to see for the moment. The music had shifted and a handsome man was asking her for a dance, Nicolette's eyes lit up. It would be terribly impolite not to accept." She smiled softly, accepting the invitation with light butterflies tittering in her belly.

He offered a warm hand and a kiss to the top of her wrist. "M'lady...," he smiled politely, trying not to let his eyes stray too far from her face. Old school ways still held charm however dusty and rustic they seemed this far out in the wilderness. Why the Barrister and his partners would want to open an office out here made little sense to him, but he was willing to forgive them at the moment.

Her breath caught as his lips brushed her hand, she couldn't help the reaction and wondered if he noticed. Her fingers curled lightly over his hand and she dipped slightly, before taking a step towards him and allowing him to lead her away from where she'd been standing. He was refined, well groomed and mannered, not to mention handsome in his own way. She knew some of the girls of her circles back home would peck him apart as less than.. but Nic found him perfect.. he was beautiful. She moved gracefully beside him out to the open floor to share a dance.

He wasn't tall or proud or foppish, grinning gently as he moved with her like spring breezes, lightly around the room. He turned the grin to her as they turned, the color of his eyes piercingly bright like morning sky. "Thank you for this dance," he muttered, a tell-tale accent rounding his words as gently as they moved.

She shifted easily with him into the dance, flowing like a warm breeze and filling the space next to him. "Thank you for asking." She returned, her eyes warm, rich, sparkling and her smile still soft but genuine. She seemed to move so perfectly with him as though they'd danced a hundred times before, when in fact this was their first.

Were it not improper to do so, he would have continued their conversation there as they spun, but the words stayed from his lips while his eyes sought what answers they could find from her by watching her. She'd been taught quite well and it warmed his heart to know that even out here the women -could- be civilized. He hadn't been so certain, watching the others on the train.

[Lovely]

She wondered about the man, with his stunning blue eyes, who was he and where had he come from? She'd never seen eyes like that before -bluer than blue and brilliant.. She had seen him on the train but for the sake of good behavior had not stared and had not been able to find a proper way to engage him in conversation. Nicolette was delightfully surprised when she'd looked up to find him asking for a dance. What twist of fate had caused him to notice her and seek her out for a twirl about the floor?

She'd be left continuing to wonder, at least for a while. Once the musicians ended the piece, he joined the dancers in applause and appreciation for their performance and he again glanced at the clock. He excused himself, appearing a little more pale than he had, perhaps ill himself from the heat in the full room. "Thank you. It's been a pleasure," he said softly to the beautiful woman, politely removing himself from her company and the room. Barrister Michaels would simply need to accept his absence as necessary. He'd be back. If only for her, he'd be back.

Another half-hour passed yet he hadn't come back into the party. He wondered if she'd notice. Another event was unfolding in the square and it appeared he'd miss that as well. Somewhere down the main road a police whistle screamed out into the thickening evening followed by the pops of smaller hand pistols and a louder shot of a rifle. The sound of several horses, six or more, being ridden hard and fast could be heard approaching the grand hall and its participants.

Nicolette was disappointed to see him leave so soon, she wished him a good evening and extended a wish that he should feel better quickly, watching him depart with a bit of sadness. She was soon swept up by her cousin and though she didn't dance again she enjoyed the next half hour sipping punch and chatting with Elyssia.

Those close to the doors and hanging about outside were the first to hear the commotion but soon the buzz spread within the room that 'something' was happening. At this point in time Nicolette had decided to retire herself and was making her way to the doors, unaware of what others were whispering about until she overheard some. Several were curious and she was too late to weave out of the crowd that rushed to see what was going on. Nic sighed as she was swept out with the rest, planning to simply slip away and go to the hotel to rest. The gun fire had her jumping and trying to back away but too many had come forward and she was stuck, watching as the scene unfolded further.

The horses were ridden by gunmen, patched and filthy, muddied on purpose to obscure what they wore underneath. Their apparent leader sent off another shot toward the pursuing deputies and turned to try and lead his boys off through town. The alarm must have been wired through ahead of them. A policeman's wagon and a fire team blocked them from getting around the square. The pursuing teams lost a man to the shot from the rifle but another rider was quick to fill in and take up the man's gun himself. The options were rapidly thinning for the outlaws while the crowds in the meeting hall and the surrounding doorways spilled out to the street.

Turning full circle to avoid the firemen and policers, another shot rang out, leaving the leader with empty barrels. He then emptied his hands as well. The shot had been sent into the crowd and it pulled another victim down. While that distraction pulled the crowd's attention, he sacrificed the rifle, using it to bludgeon another victim to the ground in passing, before riding directly toward the crowd around the meeting hall, leaning out to take the first woman he could reach under his arm to prevent the pursuers from shooting him. The woman he grabbed had been pushed as the crowd swelled and swayed, knocking her into his path. Her long red curls swept out behind as he hefted her up under his arm to his sides and partly to his back. The boys followed him, three more women being stolen as they passed by before the others were tugged to safety toward the center of the crowd.

If she could see him at all, she'd see his hair was matted with soot and mud and his face covered too much to see by a neck kerchief. He led them out of town into the darkness of the plains to the south - eight men in total with their bounty and four innocent women in tow.

Nicolette saw the men riding towards the crowd and tried to moved out of the way but with the comotion and crowd and was actually shoved further into their path. The next thing she knew she was roughly grabbed and her feet left the ground.
She would have screamed as she was scooped up but the voice was knocked from her for the moment and by the time she recovered it was too late for wails though the other girls sounded out with the pitiful sounds. That was the only reason at the moment she knew there were others, because she could hear them. Her nails and fingers dug harshly into the rider who held her, not in attempt to get away but to hold on tighter. She was not foolish enough to try to have him let go where she'd fall to the ground that sped beneath them and be ridden over by those that followed.

Her heart was racing faster than she'd ever felt it before and though frightened beyond words she twisted and clung, curling closer to the man who held her and doing her best if he would let her, to get a better position and seat upon his saddle. Rather than ride half carried under one arm, it seemed she'd come to sit properly in front of him if he realized and let her.

[Lovely]

Whatever claws and spits and mean words she might have were forgiven over the thought of buckshot or lead she prevented the policers from shooting at them for now. He kept her down, half curled around him and unable to wrangle the reins away from him if she had half a mind to try. She wasn't likely to see their direction or the marks on the land to make her way back easily, either. Neither was she likely to get any better look at him should the scarf pull away from his face.

It appeared he wasn't going to cooperate in letting her up to ride decently and she worried that his arm would tire and he'd drop her. That thought had her sliding her arms about him the best she could manage and her fingers curling into shirt ot coat or even flesh if it was there to hold herself up closer and more tightly to him. There were no words exchanged as she swayed and bounced with the motions of the horse galloping. Her thoughts wandered to wonder where they were being taken and what would happen to them once there.

The ride was long but only as far as the horses could go. That worry was planned out ahead, a spot arranged to trade them out where six fresh horses waited for them, each now with two riders that continued southward. The girls that were smart didn't struggle much or they had it struck out of them to ride soundly asleep and bound the rest of the way.

They were a few hours from Santa Fe now and hidden in a gulch that had met its share of panning with nothing to give back now but sulforous rock and pumice. Quartz shards shone under the starlight up through the large patch of tallgrass that was probably seeded for pasturing once around the broken shack they stopped at to rest. The girls were tugged inside and the first watch set outside.

The boys were talking amongst themselves as their leader, still covered by the scarf, came in to check on their hostages. "... not necessarily dangerous, but definitely... unfortunate. And running out of time," he laughed a little, looking over the beauties in a way that would be considered less than polite, though his face was not clearly seen.

A couple of them had been 'handling' the girls a bit when their leader came in, the girls shoved roughly back and the redhead left to the front again as the others cowered or slept still from thier slaps earlier. Those that had not already been bound appeared to be getting their turn at being knotted up now, Nic was not exactly cooperating. It made her shiver to know she was the hostage of some outlaws and that the pawing might not be the worst of what happened to hem. She surprisingly kept most of her fear from showing or making her panic, though she'd managed to slap one of them sharply for a misplaced hand -she would have gotten it right back if the leader had not walked in when he did.

Their words prompted her to speak. "wh- wha..t does that mean?" She stumbled a bit over her words with a worried look on her face. Her eyes darted around in the darkness -looking for a way out.

Cold but amused laughter rose from a few of them in reply, but the leader's words were clear. "Sit down. You're going nowhere before sunrise. Probably not then either," he said, crushing what hope she may have had and plopping her down on her backside beside one of beams.

She made a noise of protest as she was 'dumped' down on her rear and she glared up at the one who was pulling at her hands to get her wrists into the ropes. She knew she should just be quiet and let him but the firey streak in her wouldn't let her be too meak. She yanked back trying to get her hands free, didn't matter if she had anywhere to run, just as long as she didn't make it easy for him. "Why not?" She demanded to know what they had planned in a even but quiet tone.

"Cuz we're keepin' ya an' that's all y'need to know, missy. Now hush up."

The voice was loud and rauckously overconfident, but was not from the man who secured her who was instead keeping himself quietly in the shadows behind her and still had the dusty cloth covering his face as he made the knots to hold her.

"I beg your pardon?" Her voice came out a little louder but with the shock and a small tremor of fear lacing through it. Her head turned as she tried more to look around her and her struggles became a bit more urgent. What did they mean.. keeping her? Why would they keep all these hostages? "What do you need all these hostages for anyhow?"

[Lovely]

The threat of force from an arm, the flat of his forearm and a opened palm, shifted swiftly and hovered menacingly close to her cheek as she turned and her immediate captor tried to still her. "Don't, or you'll tighten them and cut your hands," he mumbled through the cloth.

Her eyes widened at the threat, though he didn't strike her. She shrank back some, not sure he wouldn't hit her if it suited him. These were outlaws, dangerous and rough men and she had no idea what they wanted with her. Nicolette wasn't even from the town they'd taken her in.. she was just passing through and.. mother was going to be beside herself. She tested against the ropes a little and winced as they tightened, like he'd said they would. With a sigh she eased back a little to lessen the pressure and stared up at him with an angry little pout on her soft pink lips.

She was secured well, tight enough to keep her hands from slipping, but not enough to cut her unless she kept fussing with them. He muttered again. "Don't listen to the others. You'll be let go soon enough." She might feel the space as he and his deep quiet voice moved away, leaving her to hold herself up. He'd moved to a high window to peer out for a moment.

"Are you the one in charge then?" She asked softly, closing her eyes instead of straining them in the darkness. He'd hear her shift and teter a bit as she settled as comfortably as she could where he'd secured her. "Why am I here at all.. what is it you want with me?"

He laughed. "In charge? This here lot? The ones that got -caught- when they were told exactly how to do this so they wouldn't? No, I don't believe I am," he followed with a flat and annoyed hiss to his words, rapping the 'loud' one on the back of the head with the bottom of his boot, hard enough to bend him over, but not make him bleed. "You're what we call insurance. A bargaining tool, miss."

Her eyes had opened and she blinked to see around her, trying to watch the one who was talking. She flinched herself as he rapped the loud one on his head and turned her head away, afraid the threat of striking her might be carried out next. Still she wasn't timid, scared -oh yes, but not meek. "Bargaining? How?.. why? I'm not even from.. you have others.. what do you think you're going to get?"

"Time free instead of time spent or a hanging tribute that's better saved for flags and knickers, miss, not us. Mainly time, period, until the judge signs us back to our freedom. Believe me, he will." He made it sound definite and settled, though he didn't sound overly confident like his friend.

"What judge would sign freedom to outlaws who kidnap innocent folks? And you certainly don't intend to keep us here that long?" She questioned the logic and the length of her holding as she assumed such a proceeding would take some of time. "Why would you be hung.. have you killed someone.. or are you just that terrible in your other deeds?" Her voice almost sounded challenging as the last bit came out.

"Wouldn't y'like to know. Maybe we killed hundreds," said the 'loud' one as he nursed the back of his head and tried to scare her worse.

"Not hundreds," the leader confided, squatting down beside his loud 'friend'. "And if you say anything like that again, one more will be added to the list, understood?"

If the first one didn't scare her, the leader did very well at it, her breath caught in a small gasp and her eyes widened. Apparently they had killed some -and did a number really matter when she was held by killers? Would they kill her if it looked like they weren't going to get what they wanted? "I.. Is that why you took us.. going to kill us off to make them give you what you want?"

"Can I say she's smart?" The loud one asked, likely to find out the answer either way.

"Yes," the quieter one cooed, in thought as he looked her over, but not directly. "She is smart. Even better." Even though covered, he kept his face turned from her or stayed in the shadows just out of view.

[Lovely]

She swallowed the lump that was rising in her throat and did her best not to let herself fall into hysterics or panic. Breathing evenly and slowly turning her head to look towards the loud one and the leader in the shadows. "I don't think I want to be smart anymore." She murmured quietly, shifting as she was becoming more uncomfortable the longer she was in the same position. "If I'm stupid.. do I have a better chance of maybe not being killed?"

"There are no guarantees." The sound seemed to hold a smirk, though it remained hidden. He nodded toward the other girls. "Also depends on them. You're smart, so you know they'd better keep themselves quiet and do as they're told. That's your job, understood?"

"What?!" She started as if she'd stand and stomp her foot but the tug on the rope behind her stopped her sharply. With a restrained noise at the tightened ropes she eased back again, her eyes flashing sharply in the darkened room. "That's not fair! Why is it my job to keep a bunch of sniveling whinning.. how am I supposed to keep them quiet? I don't even know them.. they're not going to listen to me!" The last of her red hair that had remained in the pins after her wild ride here, shook free with her current motions and tumbled in a silken fire that licked and curled over her shoulders and the bare skin from the evening cut dress she'd worn to the dance. "You want them quiet.. take those scarves on your face and gag them! Better yet open the window and I'll push them all out!"

He laughed louder and seemed to enjoy the girl's fire. "I like a girl that gives me ideas, but no one's getting pushed out anything. It won't be necessary to gag them yet." He sat down opposite the louder thug and looked over their quarry. Four girls total, but the boys numbered eight with the two that held guard beyond the walls of their small confine, making twice as many of them to be sure none of the girls got very far if they managed to get loose.

"Yet.. makes one wonder why and when it will be.." She warned softly, her eyes closed again and she leaned back against the beam behind her. Letting the wood support her weight for a moment, the night was stretching on and she was growing tired from a long day, an evening out, the wine and dancing, and now this 'ordeal' as it played out. She snapped her eyes back open and shifted, not letting herself relax more than a moment, she didn't think it wise to fall asleep and was afraid she might if she allowed herself to. "Any idea how long this will take? I'm due on a train in the morning.." She almost laughed at the thought and her odd amusement might be caught in her tone.

"Not any longer. The train will have at least one empty seat. The only one you have now is right there, so you might as well sleep. You're going to need your rest." He stood again, getting ready to leave them to their guards.

"How do I know you won't just slit my throat while I'm sleeping?" She looked over at him as he remained 'hidden' from clear view. "If you want people to rest.. you should give them some place to do so. This is quite uncomfortable you know." It made her wonder a moment if any of them actually knew what this felt like? Her shoulders were already getting sore and it was hard to lean and be comfortable with her hands bound behind her.

"You don't know, but imagine the relief when you find yourself alive and awake and rested, maybe even relaxed in the morning. We're not the boarding house, miss. You're captives and you're where you're staying until I say otherwise." He snipped in a curious, amused fashion at the way she tried to wheedle her way from them.

She chuckled softly, he wasn't going to give in even a little but at least he wasn't beating or hurting any of them or letting the other men do so. Of course that was no promise that these things wouldn't happen later. "I can't say I'd be too relaxed worrying what a bunch of outlaws might do to me while I'm sleeping.. quite unsettling thoughts for anyone with an ounce of imagination." Her eyes did close now, though she wasn't dozing.

Her head was aching a little and she didn't know if she'd banged it or if it was from the wine and dancing.. dancing with a most intriguing man. She couldn't help the smile that softened her face as she thought of him. She'd likely never see him again.. but when he'd held her and gently twirled... now there was something worth sleeping for -if only to dream of dancing with him again. She didn't realize that she softly started to hum the melody from their last dance before he'd excused himself. The humming wasn't very loud but could be heard and paused with her sigh then started again, her smile growing just a tad brighter.

She'd been told to keep the other girls in check. If she had, the others would be asleep before she would and she'd still be resisting it, keeping watch and waiting, but eventually she'd nod off. Once she did, it was time to make the rest of the arrangements. The scarfed man excused himself, taking one of the boys with him and leaving one inside to watch over the sleeping angels.

Outside, the chattering was too quiet to overhear, but the men were dispersed into the shadows, except one left to watch the outside of the place. It wasn't foolproof, but not just any fool would be stopping by to repair the damage done. Even the one that kept his face hidden pulled his horse from the tallgrass and rode off, though opposite the ones he'd sent toward town. The one left behind settled into a chair beside the door and waited. It would be sun-up soon enough, but only two were left on guard.

[Lovely]

She swallowed the lump that was rising in her throat and did her best not to let herself fall into hysterics or panic. Breathing evenly and slowly turning her head to look towards the loud one and the leader in the shadows. "I don't think I want to be smart anymore." She murmured quietly, shifting as she was becoming more uncomfortable the longer she was in the same position. "If I'm stupid.. do I have a better chance of maybe not being killed?"

"There are no guarantees." The sound seemed to hold a smirk, though it remained hidden. He nodded toward the other girls. "Also depends on them. You're smart, so you know they'd better keep themselves quiet and do as they're told. That's your job, understood?"

"What?!" She started as if she'd stand and stomp her foot but the tug on the rope behind her stopped her sharply. With a restrained noise at the tightened ropes she eased back again, her eyes flashing sharply in the darkened room. "That's not fair! Why is it my job to keep a bunch of sniveling whinning.. how am I supposed to keep them quiet? I don't even know them.. they're not going to listen to me!" The last of her red hair that had remained in the pins after her wild ride here, shook free with her current motions and tumbled in a silken fire that licked and curled over her shoulders and the bare skin from the evening cut dress she'd worn to the dance. "You want them quiet.. take those scarves on your face and gag them! Better yet open the window and I'll push them all out!"

He laughed louder and seemed to enjoy the girl's fire. "I like a girl that gives me ideas, but no one's getting pushed out anything. It won't be necessary to gag them yet." He sat down opposite the louder thug and looked over their quarry. Four girls total, but the boys numbered eight with the two that held guard beyond the walls of their small confine, making twice as many of them to be sure none of the girls got very far if they managed to get loose.

"Yet.. makes one wonder why and when it will be.." She warned softly, her eyes closed again and she leaned back against the beam behind her. Letting the wood support her weight for a moment, the night was stretching on and she was growing tired from a long day, an evening out, the wine and dancing, and now this 'ordeal' as it played out. She snapped her eyes back open and shifted, not letting herself relax more than a moment, she didn't think it wise to fall asleep and was afraid she might if she allowed herself to. "Any idea how long this will take? I'm due on a train in the morning.." She almost laughed at the thought and her odd amusement might be caught in her tone.

"Not any longer. The train will have at least one empty seat. The only one you have now is right there, so you might as well sleep. You're going to need your rest." He stood again, getting ready to leave them to their guards.

"How do I know you won't just slit my throat while I'm sleeping?" She looked over at him as he remained 'hidden' from clear view. "If you want people to rest.. you should give them some place to do so. This is quite uncomfortable you know." It made her wonder a moment if any of them actually knew what this felt like? Her shoulders were already getting sore and it was hard to lean and be comfortable with her hands bound behind her.

"You don't know, but imagine the relief when you find yourself alive and awake and rested, maybe even relaxed in the morning. We're not the boarding house, miss. You're captives and you're where you're staying until I say otherwise." He snipped in a curious, amused fashion at the way she tried to wheedle her way from them.

She chuckled softly, he wasn't going to give in even a little but at least he wasn't beating or hurting any of them or letting the other men do so. Of course that was no promise that these things wouldn't happen later. "I can't say I'd be too relaxed worrying what a bunch of outlaws might do to me while I'm sleeping.. quite unsettling thoughts for anyone with an ounce of imagination." Her eyes did close now, though she wasn't dozing.

Her head was aching a little and she didn't know if she'd banged it or if it was from the wine and dancing.. dancing with a most intriguing man. She couldn't help the smile that softened her face as she thought of him. She'd likely never see him again.. but when he'd held her and gently twirled... now there was something worth sleeping for -if only to dream of dancing with him again. She didn't realize that she softly started to hum the melody from their last dance before he'd excused himself. The humming wasn't very loud but could be heard and paused with her sigh then started again, her smile growing just a tad brighter.

She'd been told to keep the other girls in check. If she had, the others would be asleep before she would and she'd still be resisting it, keeping watch and waiting, but eventually she'd nod off. Once she did, it was time to make the rest of the arrangements. The scarfed man excused himself, taking one of the boys with him and leaving one inside to watch over the sleeping angels.

Outside, the chattering was too quiet to overhear, but the men were dispersed into the shadows, except one left to watch the outside of the place. It wasn't foolproof, but not just any fool would be stopping by to repair the damage done. Even the one that kept his face hidden pulled his horse from the tallgrass and rode off, though opposite the ones he'd sent toward town. The one left behind settled into a chair beside the door and waited. It would be sun-up soon enough, but only two were left on guard.

[Lovely]

***
A little more than an hour had passed when someone approached on foot. He seemed lost and damaged by the rough and uneven terrain, but guided to the small shack by the waning moonlight. A torn sleeve and untucked shirt were the smallest of the worries he portrayed. Beneath pale eyes that shone silver in the low moonlight, a few scratches had marred the dapper man badly enough to send trails of red over his cheek and to the once-pressed collar of his muddied jacket. He stopped and seemed to intentionally cause a fuss, waving madly and whistling out poorly to the 'saviour' in the chair at the doorway enough to call him away from his post.

The man at the door tipped his chair down to the floor onto the customary four points it was meant to use, causing a hollow thump on the boards. The resulting creak of his boots shifting off the step and out to the field beyond to hush the man drew the attention of the one on guard within who left his post to check the door.

The noise of the man within the room moving and the thump from the chair outside was enough to make Nicolette stir. She'd not been sleeping soundly as it was and the disturbance roused her from that bit of unrestful rest she'd managed. Her eyes squinted to see in the dim room as she watched the guard get up and go to the door. She pulled against her ropes, hoping somehow they might have loosened, but they held and tightened as they had when she struggled against them before. By now they were starting to cut into her wrists as the man had warned her.

The first man had gone off into the darkness and the one inside squinted out the door to see. The lamplight inside had lessened the distance he could see and he too went off the step calling after the first. No answer came though two men were out there in the dark besides himself. He went further out, turning back to look to be sure he'd closed the door, though he chuckled to himself about the girls being able to get loose.

When he turned back around to watch where his feet fell, he was stopped by the lost man who popped up suddenly. The man gave the wayward guard a look from behind fury, silently accusing him of his stupidity before reaching up to cleanly snap the man's neck, letting him fall to the dirt, forgotten as the lost man resumed his course for the shack.

The soft thump in the grass was followed by a heavier one on the step now as the ragged man picked up the chair and pushed the door, carrying the chair in with him. He was taken aback at the scene, seemingly horrified at the girls strewn and threaded to the beams and fixtures in the small space. It appeared he'd intended the chair to be a weapon if anyone was still within to fight him. Instead, he now braced the door behind himself with it should any of the others return too soon.

As someone entered, Nicolette startled a bit and turned back to see the man bracing the door, she swallowed sure he'd come to kill them as promised or worse.. please just let it be a quick death. The others girls stirred more now -finally waking up to meet their fate and possible murderer. Nicolette pressed back against the beam behind her as much as she could, maybe if he went for the other girls first, she could figure out a way to get free and help them all. If he killed her first, she was sure the other girls wouldn't really be able to help themselves.. they all seemed more fragile and delicate. Of course she was a lady and refined but somehow managed to have a fire within and had not sobbed pitifully at their plight like the others had. She'd spent her time watching, questioning, and thinking.. trying to find a way to get some advantage.

He turned to look at the girl closest to the door and passed her by as she seemed unharmed and just waking. The second girl he stopped at, squatting down beside her with a curious smirk. "You certainly know how to treat a city boy to an exciting evening, don't you?" The pale eyes she'd recognize from the train and the dance she'd shared earlier. "I'm sorry, I wasn't graced with your name."

Her surprise was not hidden as her eyes widened with recognition and after the moment of shock passed a slow relieved exhale flowed out. "I do my best to keep things interesting." Her voice was soft, not much above a whisper and she couldn't help smiling at him. His eyes were simply beautiful and seeing them again nearly melted her right there. "What are you doing here?" Her eyes were taking him in like rain to the thirsty desert. "Pardon my manners.. how could I be so forgetful.. Nicolette O'Hare."

"Looking for a new tailor," he grinned, looking over the beams and ties for an end to untie. He vanished behind her, working at the knots and quickly loosening her hands. "You're pardoned if you'll pardon my abruptness. The men I followed here aren't the kind I want to get into a tangle with in any sense. Are you alright? Can you help me get them loose?"

[Lovely]

She winced and leaned forward to muffle the sound she did her best to bite back as the rope loosened and went slack behind her. Her shoulders ached at suddenly being free of the way they had been held for hours, her arms and shoulders generally stiff and sore. She moved slow, reflecting the discomfort and rolling the feeling back into her limbs the best she could. "I think I can.. I'll try anyhow."

Her voice stayed low as she reached to brace herself and stretch to stand fully. Her wrists hurt some from how the ropes dug into her tender skin, because she'd struggled instead of sitting meekly frozen like the other girls had. Maybe there was some merit to their sobbing and all -at least they didn't get pushed around so much and strung up so tightly. Nic took credit for it being her own fault, but still.. it hurt like the dickens.

He watched her move slowly, but didn't charge to her aide in case it might do more harm than good. "Do what you can. They're not getting in quick if they try. Any idea why they brought you all here?" As concerned as he appeared, he was a bit rough in his urgency to help the girl he untied now, or at least set her off into tears with his questions.

She watched as the girl he was helping started to cry again as did the one Nic was working to untie, she had the urge to slap them both but didn't. "Oh the usual.. ransom, raping, killing.." She smiled a little as that got both girls more upset. "I didn't get the specifics.. but we were to be used as some kind of leverage for something they wanted.. I think.. it's a pardon? for crimes they had commited.. I was given the impression.. that they'd use us.. alive or dead, whichever was most effective." She paused and turned to look at him. "It's only fair to warn you.. they may only be concerned with getting us out of the way if they come back, rather than recapturing us or doing so with us in one piece."

"A pardon?" He smiled, truly amused at that thought and unaffected by the woman as he set her loose to rub her wrists and fold herself into a ball of sobs. "Killers don't get pardons. Criminals don't get leverage to bargain at all if they're truly criminals." The smile faded quickly and he seemed to draw more pale. "Unless it's self-defense... I hope."

"I'm just telling you what I got from them.. they said something about having their freedom signed back.. or something.. which is what I took to mean a pardon and they spoke of.. well I suppose it doesn't really matter, does it." She crossed the space to his side, tilting to look into his eyes again, her hand reached to tentaively rest on his arm. "Self defense?" Her voice was hushed and she glanced around. ".. or if say.. they were already.. you found them that way." She didn't say anymore just yet, trying to pull out -just what he meant, by assuring him.

"Not sure how anyone was found or will be, but it won't look good," he looked up with a quiver in his smile. "I'll worry when the time comes. The thing is you're all innocent and need to get home... quickly before they come back. They were on horseback. It could be any time. I'm sorry, we'll have to go on foot, unless... well, one might have left a horse. Can you all walk?"

She was stiff and sore and possibly a little bruised, but she nodded and rubbed his arm softly. "Thank you." She murmured quietly and closed her eyes a moment to the sounds of the other girls crying and whining of having to walk and being frightened. This was not going to an easy task at all. "How far from town are we?" It had been hard to tell when being carried up here.

"On foot at least an hour, but it's nearly daylight as well. If you're ready, we need to go... now," he insisted them all. "I certainly can't carry any of you. I'm sorry. Hush your tears and gather your wits or I have half a mind to leave you. Listen to me. If these men intend to kill, don't think they won't. You can believe that that may be the best outcome if they're truly of that mind. Save your honor, save yourselves and save the tears for your reunions when you're safe, which you aren't yet."

Nicolette seemed to brace herself emotionally for what might come and looked to her former dance partner with a nod to let him know she was ready at least. She wasn't so sure how well the other girls were going to manage, why couldn't they have grabbed some sturdy farmer's daughters or something instead of such frilly delicate things. She sighed and brushed her hands down the front of her skirts. "Come on girls, the sooner we start -the sooner you'll all be home and this will be like just a bad dream."

[Lovely]

He nodded to her, acknowledging her bravery and take-charge tone as he moved the chair from the door carefully and peeked out. He turned back to wave them on through. "Thank you. I'm sorry if I don't sound kind, but it's best none of us are found here. The higher the sun rises, the more likely they are to see us crossing the fields."

Nic helped to usher the girls out of the small cabin or shack they'd been in, she wasn't stopping to get a good look at it now. She didn't really want to be in charge of the other girls, but somehow it had become her job and she was kind of annoyed by it. She didn't think he was being unkind, simply telling them honestly what needed to be done. She paused and half turned to wait for him and follow his lead.

He'd stepped back in to gather some of the rope that had been used, not explaining why yet as he looped it into a neat coil and met her at the door. One of the girls shrieked, tripping over something in the dark, realizing the shape as she fell across the form of the man that wouldn't be speaking a word about his innocence or lack of. "They couldn't have gagged them, could they? Hold this," he said, thrusting the rope to Nicolette and moving off to calm the girl if he had to slap her himself to do it.

"We still could.." She murmured, taking the rope and following him carefully, trying to watch where she was stepping but not wanting to see 'anything'.

He crouched to lift the girl to her feet and did so easily, defying his thin build and dapper dress. She was in near hysterics and not pulling much air to breathe in such short spurts as she stared at the fallen man in the grass. He grabbed her chin, turning her to look away, a fierceness in the cold, bottomless blue of his eyes. "Look at me. Look!" He hissed, trying not to let his voice carry farther than the two of them. "Breathe and keep walking unless you want to be like him. If you fall, you stay. Do you want to stay? Hm?"

She shook her head away from his grip and slapped him, opening the cut on his cheek. That slap was promptly returned. "Good," he smiled briefly and pointed toward town. "We have an understanding. Go. Hurry."

Nic watched the interaction from a few feet away and the other two girls rushed off in a swish to aid the third he'd pointed toward town. Nic was glad to have more than five feet between herself and them for the moment. She felt in the waist of her dress for the hankerchief she kept there, fiding it still tucked despite the night's events. She pulled it free and leaned to dab his cheek with it as she came beside him. There was just enough light to see him dimly and he could take the cloth from her if he wanted or push it away but she wasn't going to just watch him bleed when he was trying to help them.

He looked at the cloth in her hand, questionning what she had in mind and noticed where she looked. The back of his hand came up and pulled away with a dark smear on his wrist. He shook his head and pointed her along as well to follow the others. "It's fine, thank you. I'll deal with it later. I suppose I should explain, but I'll do that later as well, but my name, to be fair is Oenghus Tiernay."

Her eyebrow arched as he tried to 'shoo' her off as well. "Oenghus Tiernay.. it's nice to meet you.. you're bleeding." She insisted, firmly pressing the cloth to his cheek to at least stem the flow that seemed to have been reopened by the slap from the other girl. "You came all this way.. to help us.. least I can do is help you as well."

He pulled her hand gently away to leave the mark alone and let it dry itself. If he could manage it, he'd kiss her hand before she slapped him too. "I came all this way to help you. What kind of gentleman would I be to leave them behind, however? Are you alright? I was returning to the party and saw them as they rode away. I don't quite understand it myself, what came over me to startle Barrister Michael's coachman and steal away with his horse to follow this band here simply to get your name," he chuckled, a little nervousness now showing since the others were talking amongst themselves and he didn't need to put on the 'show' for them.

The cloth nearly fell from her fingers as she gazed at him in slight disbelief, her heart was racing in her chest as her fingers curled gentle around his hand where he'd captured hers to pull it away from his face. "You.. came up here.. for me?" Her voice was so soft, her eyes filled with wonder and admiration -no one had ever come close to such a chivalrous act where she was concerned. "I.. I'm flattered beyond.. expression.." Her fingers gripped his a little tighter as she nearly leaned to kiss him but barely held herself from doing so.

He couldn't fathom her shock. He lowered his hand, keeping her fingers tucked in his, although it was hardly proper to do so. "Are you? Why? There should have been a half dozen men willing to follow you here. I can only hope that I beat them to it."

"Should have been? Perhaps you feel so.. I only see one here." She was beyond grateful, beyond flattered... it appeared the young man had just won first place if there were a dozen other suitors waiting her back in town.

"Feel so?" He wasn't sure what she meant. "I know so. There simply should be. I'd be shocked to find out otherwise. Please... call me Iain. My employer calls me my proper name enough it sets my hair to standing. I'll see it enough in print if I ever become a partner, but until then, it's much simpler for everyone." He started to walk along or they'd be standing here staring at one another for a while.