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Fantasy Caught in the Waves (Closed)

Peter shook his head. "Of course it isn't stupid. Hell, you belong in a classroom," he said. He had been the one to first suggest it, as far as he was aware. He was just glad she was actually considering it instead of just accepting a boring life as wife and mother when she was capable of so much more. She should have the ability to choose whatever she wanted for herself, and the freedom to explore those avenues.

He was a little worried that just because he was excited about it and she wanted it and was more than capable of it, that society wouldn't agree and the administration would shut her down before even giving her the chance, but that was not a reason to not try. "If they give you trouble about it, then you'll just have to give them hell right back," he said. "And I'll be right there with you until they have no choice to let you in. You're perfectly smart enough. If it's marriage and families they're worried about, then I'll just tell them it doesn't bother me. I'm your boyfriend now, after all." He grinned, hardly able to believe he was using that word to describe his relationship to her now.

Her father was another avenue, but he knew the man was smart and wanted the best for his girls. There wasn't any reason Peter could think of that her father would be opposed to the idea. He had already raised his girls to go against some of the status quo, and obviously he had encouraged Ella to learn and be curious about the world. She was a strong, independent woman perfectly capable of making change in the world.

Josephine frowned, feeling a little sick to her stomach. She could tell he wasn't happy about this, despite his efforts to stay calm and collected. It wasn't even about John, which was what she was prepared for. Not this, not his criticism about how she was trying to help. She didn't know what else to do when it all seemed so complicated to her. She leaned her head back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. "Not at length..." she admitted. She'd barely spoken a word to father since they returned, but it was difficult when she felt resentful of him. He was also making it difficult to approach the topic of Alec, if not impossible. Every mention of him was met by a threat of "eliminating temptation", which meant Alec would lose both her and his job and she really couldn't bear being responsible for that.

She sighed, turning her head to look at him. Apparently betting was a lot more complicated than she had anticipated, but she still wanted to try. Her father had given her a little bit of spare money for today, and they hadn't spent it all. She could use it to help their relationship, or she could waste it on chocolates and useless trinkets. She felt better about one than the other. "Okay, I guess I'll try harder if that's what you want me to do..." she relented, even though the thought of going to her father about him again had her scared nervous this was going to backfire on them like it always had up until this point. They had such terrible luck and she was really stressed out about everything as it was.

"But Alec, I need to try this, too," she said, referring to the races. "Just this once. If I lose, then no harm done. If I win... then we'll be just a little bit closer." And hopefully he'll have a little extra to help him if she ends up costing him his job. She brought her face close to his again, brushing her lips lightly against his. "Please? It's the only thing that's going to make Saturday more bearable for me." She needed more purpose to go, otherwise she was just at the races with somebody who should be Alec.
 
Ella was excited to have Peter's support. She was liking her idea more and more as they talked about it. She laughed when he told her she'd just have to give them hell right back if they gave her a hard time about it. Ella was a little scared to stand in front of an administrative board and convince them that they shouldn't keep her out of the university because she was a girl. "I can give them hell," she said with a smirk. "They'll let me in just to shut me up." She wasn't entirely confident, but when Peter said that he would be right there with her, suddenly Ella felt like she could do anything. Her heart soared when he pointed out that he was her boyfriend- it was the first time he'd officially used that word, and it was amazing. "And I think I have the best boyfriend in the world," she told him, hugging him tightly before reaching up, putting her hand on his cheek and kissing him. "Thank you."

She knew that she was lucky, to have a man in her life who supported her and what she wanted to do. A lot of men would be intimidated by the idea of a woman wanting to learn and get a proper education, but Peter wasn't, and he shouldn't be. It shouldn't be seen as threatening. Peter was smart too, and if he wasn't working Ella would encourage him to come with her, give school a try. But if she was able to get in and start classes in the summer semester, then she would have something purposeful to do other than play piano, read, and steal strawberries all day. She would be able to learn and expand her mind, and maybe inspire other women to give higher education a try. Not every woman fit into the cookie cutter mold that society wanted them to fit in, and it wasn't fair. Ella wanted to change the mold. She didn't know if she wanted a big family or lots of kids- or any kids, for that matter, and if she shouldn't be forced in that direction. "Do you want a family?" she asked Peter curiously. He'd never told her his opinion on the subject.

Ella picked up the book again, feeling excited about what the future held. She opened it up to where Peter left off and started to read, not getting too far before her stomach growled. Ella put down the book again with a laugh and looked up at Peter. "Are you hungry?" she asked him. "I think it's about lunch time." She wondered if father knew they were home yet; probably not, unless Josie had run into him on her way to her room. Maybe she could talk to him about her idea.

Alec nodded, having anticipated her answer. He knew that it was difficult, but he felt like if Josephine could approach her father as an adult and explain to him calmly and reasonably how she felt, then he might be more receptive to what she had to say. Her father thought that their relationship was an act of rebellion on Josephine's part, a phase that she would grow out of. Alec felt like he had done and was doing all that he could, and the only way they had a chance would be if Josephine tried something different. Clearly, whatever she was doing now wasn't working. "Alright, well, why don't you start there?" he suggested. "Just...ask if he'd be willing to have a heart to heart with you. I think that might go over better, and I think it would help." It was definitely a more productive way to spend her time than betting on horses.

"Thank you," he murmured when she agreed to try. Alec had been feeling rather alone in all of this, not being able to see Josie or talk to her. He hadn't spoken to much of anyone else either; maybe it was time he went out into town a little more often, thought about making some new friends. If Josie was going to be spending time with other people, there was no reason that he couldn't. Not girls, of course, but it might be nice to have a drink with some other guys. Maybe he could even invite Peter, if Josie wanted them to talk.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair when she insisted on trying the betting. Alec wasn't feeling very optimistic about any of it, but he nodded. If it would make it more bearable for her, and it was only this once, then he wasn't going to stop her. He knew that he couldn't even if he wanted to; she was free to do as she liked. "Alright," he said again, kissing her back. He was feeling pretty discouraged at the moment and it was easy to see, but he tried not to look as down as he was feeling. Josephine could probably see straight through him, though. She knew him better than anyone, which was both a blessing and a curse in this moment. "Good luck with it."
 
Peter laughed, and kissed her forehead. "They'll let you in because you're smart," he said, but knew that she could still hold her own if they tried to discriminate against her. That was just the kind of person she was. Smart, strong, and very, very beautiful. To Peter she was the perfect kind of lady, and he kissed her back happily as she called him the best boyfriend in the world. He wasn't sure he agreed yet, but it was nice to hear she thought so. He certainly had the best girlfriend in the world.

Her question about family took him a little off guard, though. It was the kind of serious question he knew sometimes had young men who weren't ready for commitment running. He could honestly say he'd never thought about it. It was one of those new possibilities that came with this new life, when before he'd taken it for granted that he would always live at sea. No wife meant no children. At least, none that he would have to raise or maybe even know about. He still wasn't completely sure about marriage, even if he knew he didn't foresee a future without Ella. It was just not who he considered himself to be. Peter, who had been a pirate, becoming a family man. It seemed absurd. "I... I don't know," he said. "I don't really have much experience with kids. None, actually."

He looked to her somewhat nervously, not sure how she expected him to answer, or what she might be hoping for. Peter wasn't even sure what he was hoping for. "Food sounds good," he said, glad for the opportunity to escape that particular conversation for now.

Josephine would do it, but she wasn't particularly happy about it either. There were so many ways she foresaw it going wrong. She could lose her temper, he could lose his. Alec could possibly get fired because she even dared bring it back up to him. Father could force her into a marriage with somebody else, arranged, like he and her mother had been, but just because they'd ended up happy, didn't mean she would. Just the thought of it had her stressing out, but... if that was what Alec wanted her to do, and if that's what it took to make this happen for them, then she would do it.

"Alright," she echoed. "Thank you." It meant a lot to her that he would back her up on it. Just this once. "Maybe I'll even be good at it. And next time I go will be with you, I promise." She squeezed his hand, bringing it up to her lips so she could kiss it. She did feel incredibly guilty about going without him, with somebody else, but maybe in the end it would be okay. He had to know that even if she went with John, she would have Alec on her mind the entire time.

She wished she could have stayed in the loft with him a little longer. Despite the bit of tension she did miss this. She missed the loft, and the stables in general. Even the smell of horses brought her so much joy now because they reminded her of him. By now though, they were starting to push their luck. It was about lunchtime already and if she didn't leave soon somebody would come looking for her. "I should go," she said sadly. She hated not knowing how long it would be before she could speak with him again, and the goodbyes were the worst. She leaned into kiss him again, not wanting to miss any opportunity she could for them, since she never knew which one could be the last. "I love you."
 
Ella didn't know that she was all that smart, but she was glad that Peter thought so. She was more curious, really, and she loved learning about new exciting things. Not everything was interesting; Ella had never cared for or been very good at math when she was younger, but she was interested in history and science, and she loved to read. She knew that it was considered to be a masculine trait to be smart or educated. Women were expected to be submissive to their husbands and have some sort of artful skill, like painting or sewing or singing or, in Ella's case, playing the piano. She did have that skill and she loved the piano, but she was not interested in suppressing her opinions or pretending that she was something she wasn't just because it was what society expected of her. And if she actually had a boyfriend- maybe a potential husband one day- who was supportive of her...well, that was the best thing in the world. Not a lot of women had those kinds of opportunities or men in their lives who would encourage them in that direction.

She didn't mean to intimidate him with her question, she was just genuinely curious about whether or not he had thought about having a family. Ella knew it was what was expected of her, and if they stayed together then it would be expected of him as well. Her father wanted grandchildren, and a couples who didn't have children were uncommon. "Neither do I," she admitted when Peter said that he didn't have much experience with children. She hadn't exactly been isolated from them as he had, but she had never spent a lot of time with kids, and she wasn't overly fond of them. To her, children symbolized the domestic life that she didn't want. "I don't really want to have children," she said after a moment. "I just figured...it would happen at one point or another. It's one of those things I never really let myself form an opinion on, because it always seemed like the decision was already made for me."

But now, everything was changing. Ella was allowed to have her own opinion- it looked like she might be able to choose her own husband if she and Peter made it that far, but at this point Ella didn't see how they couldn't. Peter wasn't the kind of man to want to control her, either. He let her be herself and Ella let him be himself; that was one of the best things about their friendship, or now, courtship. Life was getting better than Ella ever imagined that it could be. "Okay," she said, standing and taking Peter's hand. "Let's get something to eat." She kept her arm linked in his as they headed towards the kitchen, where they ran into her father.

"Ella," he said with surprise. "I didn't realize you were home already. Where's Josie?"

"In her room, I think," Ella said with a shrug. "Josie didn't feel well, so we didn't stay long." It wasn't technically untrue.

"I see." He looked between the two of them, smiling when he noticed their arms linked together. "I take it you accepted Peter's proposal?" he asked Ella with a raised eyebrow. Ella nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, I did. Thank you for approving." She let go of Peter, but only to give her father a hug.

Alec didn't know that she could keep her promise, and because of the uncertainty of their future it didn't make him feel much better. He couldn't help the feelings of jealousy and the way it made his body tense. Peter had received the ultimate reward, the one thing that Alec had been denied, and now Josie was going to the races, of all places, with another man. It wasn't fair. He felt like he was about to explode with the injustice of it all. Still, he didn't know what to say to Josie. He didn't want to discourage her any more than she already was, but he was having a hard time looking on the bright side at the moment. "Okay," he replied.

He nodded, agreeing that she should probably go. It was only a matter of time before someone figured out that the girls were home and decided to look for Josephine. When they couldn't find her in her room or somewhere else in the house, this would be the first place that they would look. He kissed her back passionately, lingering for perhaps a couple of seconds too long before pulling back. "I love you too. Take care of yourself."

He watched her leave the loft and gave it a few minutes before going back down again himself. Alec felt a little bit anxious, hoping that no one saw her leaving the stables on her way back to the house, but when he finally came downstairs it looked like they were in the clear. Feeling a little disheartened, he went back to work, thinking that he might try to finish up early tonight.
 
Peter let out a small sigh of relief. Children made him nervous, and while if they ever did end married and she ended up wanting them, he would not deny her her wishes, he wasn't sure he was the parental type. How good of a father could he be if he spent his days away on a ship anyway? He knew what it was like to not have a father, and he didn't want to push that onto anyone else. "It seems like we have that in common," he said. "Being what I was... I guess I always knew I'd never have children, and I'm alright with that as long as you are. I mean, not that I'm a fortune teller, but I can't see myself without you now that I have you. If I do have kids one day, they'll probably be yours." Her father had said marriage would be the end goal, and as foriegn of a concept it was to him, it wouldn't seem so bad. Not if it meant endless days with Ella.

It wasn't like they had to decide these things right now anyway. Peter could see that despite their very different backgrounds, they still had many similarities between them. It sounded more or less like they were already on the same page. The standard, typical life of these times was not appealing to either one of them. They wanted more, not just for themselves, but for each other.

Following Ella to the dining room, he gave the man of the house a polite nod. "That's for the both of us," he said after Ella thanked her father and gave him hug. He pulled out a chair for Ella, then grinning said, "I'm surprised you're even hungry after all those chocolates."

Josie could tell this was hard on him. It was hard for the both of them. She just hoped he wouldn't start losing hope on her when he was just about the only thing keeping it alive in herself. Alec had been stronger than she was throughout all of this so far, and if he started to break... Well, she was already breaking, just barely holding it together. She knew when he kissed her back though, that hope hadn't been completely lost. Their love for each other had survived two years of secrecy and a pirate ship. They could survive this too, if they tried. When they finally broke apart, she gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze. "You too," she told him. He had been telling her a lot lately she needed to take care of herself, but he needed to adhere to his own advice as well.

Leaving was hard as it always was, but particularly this time as she wasn't sure when she would be able to see him again, or even the loft, which was one of the places she felt most at home because of Alec and their memories. Most likely she would be seeing John before she saw him again, but she tried not to weigh herself down with too many negative thoughts now that she needed to focus her energy on being proactive. Thankfully she made it back to the house without anyone seeing, and she had just enough time to go back to her room to cover the smell of horses with perfume before heading down to join the others.

"There you are," father said. "Are you feeling better? Ella says you weren't feeling well this morning."

Josephine glanced to Ella, confused for a moment, but then understanding why she might have made that excuse for her. "Yes. I was just tired, that's all. But I took a nap and am feeling much better now."
 
Ella wasn't sure she could really imagine herself and Peter as parents. She wasn't mature enough, for sure, and she couldn't really imagine Peter as a father. She felt like there was so much for them to do in their lives before settling down, and having kids meant settling down. Both of them were much too active and adventurous for that. She did get that warm fluttery feeling when he commented that if he ever had kids it would probably be with her; even though Ella didn't want children, she liked the idea of being that close to Peter, being that much of a family. "If I have kids, I hope they're yours," she dared to say, smiling at him before pressing one more kiss to his lips. She didn't want to have kids with a man who would just leave her to take care of them all by herself- if Peter was traveling about it could be like that, but somehow she didn't think so.

Ella smiled at her father as he hugged her back, and she moved back to take hold of Peter's hand. The older man looked at the two of them and smiled, glad to see at least one of his daughters happy. Peter was a good man, and Ella clearly liked him. "Oh, nonsense," he said when they both thanked him. "It's thanks enough to see the both of you happy." Now he he just had to make sure that Josephine found someone- hopefully John. Heaven forbid Ella got married first.

Sliding into her chair, Ella laughed when Peter mentioned the chocolate. "I didn't get to finish my breakfast because I woke up too late. And I didn't eat that much chocolate." It wasn't true; Ella had probably eaten a lot more chocolate than she should have, but that was all the more reason to have some real food. Her father decided to join them for lunch, and Rory brought out some delicious looking salads and sandwiches, with strawberries on the side for Ella. She'd had her fill of strawberries today, but she nibbled on them anyways out of habit.

They chatted for a few minutes with her father until Josephine came down. Ella looked up when her father spoke, setting her fork down and watching Josie anxiously. She was worried that she might not keep her promise, might decide to tell Father the truth about Peter right then and there. Surely she wouldn't, right? She held her breath, waiting for the truth to come out, but thankfully Josie played along with her little white lie.

"Glad to hear it," their father responded. "Maybe you and Ella can take a better shopping trip soon. Why don't you join us for lunch?" He gestured to the seat next to him and asked Rory to bring out another serving of food for her. "I'd imagine you heard the good news, about Peter and your sister?" He was hoping that Ella's new courtship would encourage Josephine to find a new one for herself, although he was very happy that she had agreed to go to the races with John. He was a good man as well, and he thought that they could be a good match if she was willing to move on from the stable boy and find someone who was better for her.

"Yes, Josie knows," Ella said quickly, glancing at her sister quickly and then smiling towards Peter. She didn't want him to worry, although after what they'd been through today, Ella was having a difficult time trusting Josephine.
 
Peter smiled, kissing her back. He was not keen on having kids, but he thought he could do it. If he had to. If it ever came to that. The fun part was really making the children, after all, and although there were ways to prevent pregnancy, accidents happened. They still had quite a while before they needed to even think about that possibility though, and just because he had never really had a girlfriend before, didn't mean he wasn't smart enough to know you couldn't just try to undress a woman you were serious about after a day of courting.

He took a seat by Ella, starving for one of Rory's meals. He had never tasted better food before coming to their home. Eating his food, speaking casually with Ella and her father, he had never felt more comfortable with himself or at home, even if it weren't on the sea. However, he did feel himself tense as Josephine entered the room. She was the one person who had the power to bring it all crashing down, he just hoped she wouldn't. He squeezed Ella's hand under the table and went to sip on his drink while he waited for what may or may not come.

Josephine looked toward the two of them as she took her seat. She hated that the two of them were together. It was not that she didn't want to see Ella happy, she just didn't like Peter. He reminded her of the worst times of her life, worried her about Ella's safety, and like Alec, she couldn't help but be envious of all he had been given. But, she was not one to break promises. She told Ella she wouldn't say anything, so she wouldn't, against her better judgement. She would just take Alec's advice. She couldn't help Ella if she ended up causing her to resent her.

"Yes," Josephine answered, placing a napkin on her lap as Rory brought her a plate of her own out. "I've heard. They make quite the pair," She couldn't say she was happy for them, so she didn't.

Peter relaxed a little now that he was sure Josie would keep his secret quiet. "Thank you," he said, then took another bite of his food.

"Maybe now the four of you can go on couples outings together, hmm? Ella and Peter, with you and John? He's a fine young man, don't you think? I'm thrilled to see you took him up on his offer to go to the races," her father said.

Josephine tensed slightly, but if she started an argument now it would do no good. "Maybe..." she said. "Actually father, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak with you after lunch. About my... future," she said. She didn't allude too much as to what it might be about, afraid he would shut her down immediately. Just getting the two of them alone together in a room without either one yelling at the other was an obstacle in itself these days, but she hoped he would just be happy that she was even willing to speak with him.
 
Ella squeezed Peter's hand in return, knowing that he was experiencing the same fears as she was. She noticed the way his body tensed, and she hated that it was her sister, her best friend, who was causing it. It was also irritating from Ella's perspective, the way Josephine was refusing to be supportive of them. After all Ella had done for her and Alec it was the least she could do, but apparently Josie wasn't having any of it. As long as she kept her promise, though...it would be okay. It might be hard at first, but it would be okay.

She narrowed her eyes slightly when Josephine commented that they made "quite the pair," interpreting it as a rather backhanded insult. Still, she felt Peter's posture relax slightly next to her, and Ella herself was able to sigh in relief. "Thank you," she echoed Peter, looking up at her sister. Ella still wasn't sure she trusted Josephine to not change her mind, but for now it was okay. She was caught by surprise when their father suggested they go on what essentially sounded like a double date; that sounded like a recipe for disaster. It did remind her of her idea, though.

"Peter's never been to the theater," she piped up. "Maybe we could do that."

"That's a great idea, Ella," he responded, smiling warmly at his daughter. "I'm sure John would be agreeable." He was a little surprised himself when Josie expressed a desire to talk to him about her future, and he was suspicious of what it might be about, but he supposed it was only fair to listen to her. He didn't know it was about Alec, and as a young lady who would be getting married soon, it was probable that she did have some questions about the future. Maybe it was even about John. "Alright," he agreed, taking a sip of his drink. "That sounds fine."

Ella frowned slightly, knowing that Josie was going to try and make a case for her and Alec. It wasn't a bad thing, but she just hoped that it didn't all go to hell. She didn't want Josie to get hurt any more than she already was, and she didn't want her to get upset and end up blurting out Peter's secret either. Ella knew that she was jealous, and she didn't blame her sister, but there wasn't anything that she could do about it. She let go of Peter's hand to continue eating her food, but as soon as she and Peter were both finished she requested to be excused. Maybe they could leave, get out of the house for a little while.
 
Josephine shot Ella a look. The last thing she wanted to do was go to the theater on a double date with her sister, Peter, and John. It was bad enough having to be around a pirate responsible for her kidnapping, but having to go there on a date with John in place of the man she really loved... it didn't sound like such a great idea to her. But of course, her father loved the idea of it. One of his daughters was officially locked into a courtship, and now he would use the opportunity to push Josie in the same direction with a man he had chosen for her. They'd both be married by the end of the year if he got what he wanted, or at least engaged.

She forced a smile. "If Saturday goes well," she premised. "I'll run it by him." But of course Saturday would go well. Josephine wasn't really allowed to do anything that might sabotage this set up, despite her father making it seem like she had a choice in the matter, and it was John. She didn't know him well, but it didn't take very long with him to figure out he was the type of man who wouldn't be able to hurt a fly. There was probably nothing he was capable of doing that would possibly sabotage the set up for her. They would have a good time together, or at least, he would. And she would have to pretend to.

Peter shifted slightly in his seat, uncomfortable. He was feeling equally worrisome about the prospect of double dating with Josephine tagging along, but it had been his idea to try and get at least the three of them together in the hopes she might warm up to him. Maybe with John there, Josie would be less tempted to make a scene. Or maybe it would just make it worse without Alec there... but Peter couldn't let himself dwell on how it could go wrong for too long. It was going to be up to him to make sure it went right. The responsibility of getting Josephine to like him rested solely on his shoulders.

"The food was delicious," he commented as they finished, then gladly exited the dining room as they were dismissed from the table. He let out another sigh to release the tension. Meals around here, although amazing, had a tendency to feel tense and wear him out. There hadn't been very many meals with all four of them that felt relaxed or easy going. "You don't think she'll... say anything while they're talking do you?" he asked Ella.

It was just Josephine and her father now, and she was nervous. She didn't know how this would go, but it was possible it would end badly. It was possible Alec would be the one who was punished for it if it did go badly. There had to be a way to bring Alec up that wouldn't immediately backfire. Father needed to see that Alec wasn't just some teenage act of rebellion, or a passing flirtation, but somebody that she was serious about. Somebody she loved.

She took a breath, putting down her fork. "Father," she said hesitantly. "I want to talk about my future, but first... I want to talk about what happened on the ship." It was a topic of conversation she'd sworn she would never bring up to him, for his own good, but her father would never begin to understand the lengths Alec had gone to for her, would go to, if he didn't understand what she and Ella had faced everyday on that ship. She and Alec, they had history that no other man could even touch. John was nice, but she could never see him taking those risks for her.
 
Ella panicked slightly when she saw Josephine's face. Maybe that wasn't a great suggestion, even if she thought it was at the moment. The last thing she wanted to do was upset Josie even more, both because she loved her and because she was terrified of causing her to reveal Peter's secret. Ella was almost afraid of her sister now, and she shrunk back in her chair, watching anxiously until Josie finally let the comment slide.

"Good," their father said when Josephine agreed to run the idea by John. "It would be nice for the four of you to have an evening out." He was also sure that their time at the races would be enjoyable. It was always a fun thing to do regardless of the company, but John was a sweet guy who would do whatever he could to make Josephine happy. And maybe, just maybe, he would succeed.

Ella was quick to get herself and Peter out of the dining room, which had become suffocating the moment that Josephine entered. She led him outside to the garden, wondering if it might be fun to go riding and blow off some steam. She bit her lip nervously, glancing back towards the door. "I hope not," she replied, but there was no way she could know for sure. "She promised me she wouldn't. If she does, I don't think it will be today." They needed to get her to like him as soon as possible, but Ella thought that they were probably safe for today. "I don't think you're what she wants to talk about, anyways." Josephine was probably looking for another way to plead her case about Alec.

She took Peter's hand in hers, swinging it as they walked along the garden path, away from the house. "Do you want to go somewhere?" she asked him. "We could go riding, or get the carriage to take us into town." It was only midday; there were lots of things that they could do.

Their father wasn't sure that he wanted to talk about the future just now, but he couldn't say no to her request. If she had questions or concerns, she deserved to have them answered. He just didn't want this to turn into another episode of her screaming and crying about Alec. He was sick of that, and wasn't going to put up with it. That was what he was prepared for when Josephine surprised him. She wanted to tell him about what happened on the ship? Both of the girls had been relatively silent about that, and he hadn't pressed them for details. He didn't even want to imagine what had happened, but if Josephine was ready to open up to him, he was all ears. Maybe this meant she was finally beginning to forgive him for the stable boy incident as well.

"Of course, darling," he said gently, leaning in towards her. "Whatever you need to talk about, I'm here."
 
Peter was not too sure, but he was probably just being paranoid. All he knew was he didn't want anything to ruin this for him and Ella. They were only just getting started, and it was too good for him to want it to end anytime soon. He tightened his hand in hers, thankful to be able to get out of the suffocating room and into the fresh, open air. It was no sea breeze, but the floral scent from the garden was a close second. It was soothing.

"Well," he said, thinking over how they could spend their day. "We haven't gone on a proper date yet, so I suppose now is as good a time as any." He thought about how they were talking about stargazing just last night, and how much he would love to do that right now. The problem was it was still light out, which really wasn't desirable when you wanted to see the stars. They would need to wait until dark for that. In the meantime, they would need something else to do.

"Well, you did tell me you'd teach me how to ride a horse," he said. She could teach her that now, and later he could teach her about constellations from the garden.

Josephine nodded, thinking that as much as she didn't want to relive those memories, it might actually do her some good to talk about them. They were like a weight on her chest, contributing to the anxiety she'd been feeling lately. She wasn't sure how or why Ella had managed to bounce back so easily, but then again, Ella had a stronger support system at the moment. Josie's was more or less limited by her circumstances, and as angry as she was with father, she still loved him, and she knew he only wanted the best for her.

She took a deep breath and just started from the beginning, leaving out choice details such as Ella's reluctance to wear her dress, and Peter's involvement. She didn't shy away from the comments that had been made towards them, the threats. Then she approached the day Nora made her appearance, starting with how close both she and Ella were to being raped. It was a heavy subject, hard topics to be sharing with her father, but he needed to know. She felt tears sting at her eyes and her throat tighten when she got to the part about how Alec had fallen under Nora's spell, and then how Tom had figured it out. "He had me in his arms, daddy. And he kissed me," she said with disgust. "Then the next thing I knew, he had his hands around my throat, and I could see the water under my head, and... and he would have killed me, if Alec didn't... didn't threaten to kill him first." She turned her eyes down, trying to hide how upset reliving this was making her. There was a pit in her stomach whenever she thought about what might have happened if Alec had been the one to kill Tom. If Nora hadn't worked her magic and intervened, they'd both be dead.

She wiped at her eyes, then looked back up her father. "Alec risked his life for me. He saved me, daddy, and I know you don't want me to talk about him or see him, but... I. Would. Not. Be. Here. If it weren't for him. I love him, and I've loved him for a long time, since way before we were taken. And he loves me. I'm just... begging you. I'll do anything you want me to do, I just... I need to know what it takes for you to at least give him a chance?"
 
Ella laughed, bouncing up to kiss his cheek. "Um, no," she said teasingly. "You haven't asked me on a proper date yet." It sort of seemed like they were on a perpetual date whenever they spent time together, but they couldn't just have their first date in the middle of the day because there was nothing else to do. Ella wasn't a very traditional girl, but she did have certain things she wanted, and being asked out on an official date was one of them.

Teaching him to ride a horse was a good idea, though. That sounded like fun, and it was something that would keep them out of the house while Father and Josephine were having their discussion. "Okay," she agreed, a grin on her face. Horseback riding wasn't Ella's favorite thing to do, but she did enjoy it and she was sure it would be fun with Peter. "I don't think you've met my horse yet." Ella's horse was named Nelly, and she was a lovely, athletic mare with light brown coloring. Alec took excellent care of her, as he did all of the horses.

Peter's hand still in hers, she led him down to the stables and straight up to Nelly in her stall. "This is Nelly," she cooed, stroking her horse's nose. "She's mine. Well, she's fathers, but I ride her mostly."

Hearing the voices, Alec poked his head around the corner from the back of the stables, raising his eyebrows when he saw Ella and Peter. "Hi," he said a bit awkwardly, stepping out to greet them. "What brings you down here?" A visit from Josephine this morning and now the two of them was making for an eventful day.

"Oh, hi, Alec," Ella said, letting go of Nelly and turning to look at him. "We were just, um, going to go out for a ride." Alec offered them a smile and nodded, grabbing Nelly's saddle and bridle from the back to prepare Ella's horse for her. "It's a beautiful day for riding, that's for sure. Have you ridden before, Peter?"

The girls' father listened to Josephine carefully, not saying anything except for an occasional acknowledgement of her words. His heart was breaking, listening to everything that they had been through. They hadn't been raped, but it seemed like everything else had happened. He believed every word she said, even the ones about the mermaid. There was no lie in her voice or in her face. He couldn't bear to picture his precious girls in the situations that Josie was describing.

Eventually, she did bring up Alec, but she wasn't screaming at him about it. She was being serious, and he had to respect that. "Josie, sweetheart." He leaned forward and brushed a stray tear away from her cheek. "I'm so sorry all of that happened to you and your sister. I can't imagine, it...it hurts to think about it, and to think that I wasn't able to save you." Even though his daughters had returned home safely, he would forever feel guilty for not being able to pay the ransom price.

"And as for Alec..." he hesitated, trying to think it all through. "I understand you care for him, Josie, and if what you say is true than he has more than proven how much he cares for you. But I need you to see things from my point of view, as well. As your father, it is my responsibility to ensure that you marry a man who is not only deserving of you, but who can provide for you. Alec is a good man, who is just as deserving of you as Peter is of your sister, but he has no forseeable way to support you or any family you may have together. I simply cannot allow you to marry him without being sure that you will be taken care of." He was quiet for a minute, trying to think of a way he could fix this. It was clearly important to her, more important than he had realized.

"I need you to try with John," he decided after a moment. "I need you to genuinely try. He is a good man, I won't have you wasting the poor boy's time. No going behind my back, no pretending to get along. But in the meantime...I will allow you to see Alec in a platonic manner. Not in the stables, but perhaps he can come to dinner once or twice and I will get to know him a little better. If you can promise me that, and if Alec is able to prove to me that he will be able to provide for you and for a family, I will consider the matter more closely. I want you to be happy, Josie. But if I don't see that you are trying to make things work with John, the offer is off the table. I hate to rush you and your sister into all of this, but I worry. I need you both to find suitable husbands- I won't be around forever to look after you."
 
Peter tilted his head to the side, giving her a small grin. "Cut me some slack," he said. "I'm new to all of this." Dating was not something he had ever done before. Not even casually. His experience with women was pretty much limited to one night stands or short periods of hook ups. No feelings involved, just lust and some alcohol. Ella wasn't like that though, and he was trying to navigate these unknown waters all on his own. Not even a father or brother he could turn to, although as they approached the stables be briefly wondered if Alec didnt hate him enough to offer some advice.

"How about I fulfill my promise and take you stargazing tonight?" he asked. "Once it's dark. We can make it a picnic, sip on wine, sit out on a hill with a pile of blankets. Would that qualify as a proper date?" He glanced down at her, hopeful. They wouldn't even have to leave the property if their father thought it was inappropriate to be left alone together past dark, even though they were always alone together in either of their rooms.

He reached out to try and rub Nelly's nose as Ella introduced her. It was gorgeous horse. He didn't have to ride to see that. "Hi, Nelly," he said. "You're a pretty girl, aren't you?" Then glanced up as he heard Alec's voice. It was a little awkward, but nothing they couldn't handle for the time being.

"Hi, Alec," he returned, then glancing back at Nelly, he shook his head. "Ah, no. Can't say I have. We never had any horses on the ship."

Josephine grabbed at the napkin and used it to wipe at her eyes, then her nose. She hated crying, and it had been happening with such frequency these days. She was feeling so alone in all of this, but it did feel better to be able to tell someone about it. They hadn't been getting along, but she did trust her father. It probably hurt for him to know all of this, but it might have also settled some of his worries. At least he no longer had to wonder. "It's not your fault," she reassured him. "They were asking for too much... We know you tried."

She set the napkin back down in her lap and listened carefully as her father answered her question. At first, she thought he was going to say nothing that would change anything. Her heart started to sink into her stomach with whatever last bit of hope she had left, as he spoke about Alec not being able to provide for her, about how she needed to see John. But as he continued, she was surprised to hear him say she might be able to see Alec too. Even if she couldn't see him romantically. It may not have been the exact outcome she was hoping for, but this was better than what she would have expected.

She felt a wide smile spread across her face, and in a moment she was out of her chair and by her father's side. She threw her arms around his shoulders, squeezing them tight. "Oh, father, thank you, thank you, thank you!" she breathed out in a rush. "You don't know.... You don't know how much this means to me!" She could adhere to those terms. She wouldn't so much like it very much, but if it meant she got to see Alec every so often, and that they had a chance, she would do what her father wanted. Maybe her and John could even be friends, which wouldn't be so bad.
 
((Did we ever come up with a last name for them? I feel like it's kind of weird to keep calling their father "their father," haha.))

Ella returned his smile affectionately. "I know," she told him. "Me, too." She had dated casually, mostly with Josephine, but this was her first serious relationship and Peter was the first man she didn't feel indifferent towards. She cared about him, and she wanted to do this right. Her smile widened at the mention of stargazing, and Ella nodded enthusiastically. That sounded like a perfect evening, and like the perfect first date. "Yes," she agreed with a smile. "Yes, let's do that."

She watched him interact with her horse, seeing immediately that Nelly took a liking to him. She neighed and tried licking his hand, thinking that Peter had some food to give her. Ella giggled and went to the other side of the stables where the sugar cubes were kept, bringing a small handful over to him. "Give her these," she said, demonstrating by holding her hand flat and letting Nelly eat a sugar cube. "I was little when we got her. I got to name her but I thought that her name was already Nelly because Father kept on saying, 'Woah, nelly!' as a joke." She laughed fondly at the memory, wondering not for the first time how she could have been so stupid.

Ella knew that Peter didn't know how to ride, but she didn't realize that he'd never ridden before at all. This would be fun. Alec raised an eyebrow, wondering how it was going to go. Riding was something that took a lot of practice, and it was more difficult than just hopping on a horse and telling it to run. "Okay," he said. "We'll get Silver out for you, then. She's easy to ride." Silver was a mellow gray mare, definitely the calmest out of all the horses. He got Nelly ready for Ella and helped her mount the horse before leading Silver out of her stall to saddle her up as well. When he was done, he led her over to Peter. Alec wasn't particularly thrilled to see either of them, but having the horses made it easier. It was important to him that they were both safe while they were riding, and he hoped that Peter liked it. Alec liked introducing people to horses and riding; it was his passion, and he enjoyed sharing it regardless of who he was sharing it with.

"Okay, so you're going to stand here on her left side," he explained. "Then I want you to grab onto the saddle horn here, put your left foot in the stirrup and swing your right leg over her back. Easy enough?"

Their father watched Josephine for her reaction, hoping that she would see that he was only trying to be practical and make sure that she had the best life that she could. He saw things from her perspective, but he also needed her to see it from his. His only goal was to protect his daughters and make sure they were always safe and taken care of. Their world was not kind to women, especially women who did not have a man in their lives. He didn't necessarily agree with that mindset; his girls were both independent and smart, and if society would allow it they would both be fine on their own. But that was not how it worked.

At least for now, Josephine seemed happy. He was taken by surprise when she threw her arms around him, but he hugged her back. It was the first time that she had actually hugged him since they had returned home, and he needed it. He wasn't sure what to say to her, though- Josie needed to be careful not to get her hopes up too high, and he was serious when he said that he needed her to try with John. It was, in his eyes, a better, safer match with a more reliable outcome. But if she genuinely would not be happy...then he may be forced to consider the better option. The least he could do was get to know Alec better as he had gotten to know Peter.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," he replied, holding her tightly. "But I'm very serious. Alec has his house, but I will not approve a marriage unless he can come up with a way to earn a steady, more sizable income. I can't afford to pay him more, so he may need to look at finding a different job." It would be a shame to lose his stable boy; Alec was a hard worker and he had a way with the horses, but he couldn't make a true living off of that income. He would need to find something else eventually if he wanted to have a family at all, not only with Josephine. "And I need you to promise that you'll give John a fair chance, and do your best not to compare him. He deserves respect from you, you understand?"
 
(I don't think we did. I agree it is a little strange though haha. We should probably just think of one)

Peter was looking forward to it already. A night out under the stars with Ella would be perfect, and they would probably even have more privacy outside than they did in their own rooms. He was eager to have a good time with her, although he didn't doubt that they would. "Good. It will be fun. I just hope the sky will stay clear."

Peter wasn't really sure what he was expecting from Nelly, and he looked a little surprised as the horse nuzzled his hand, prying it open with her nose and sticking it's tongue out into his palm. It was a strange sensation, and he pulled his hand away to wipe it on his pants. He did accept the sugar cubes from Ella though, and graciously offered them to Nelly when she came poking her nose into his hand again. He smiled, rubbing her face affectionately. He turned to Ella, chuckling when she explained the name. "That's adorable," he said. "I think it suits her, in any case. Nelly's way better 'Bug'. That's what I named my dog growing up." He smiled at the memory of the hound dog mutt that followed him home one day from playing on the beach. Technically he was never really his dog, and he never stayed around the house for very long, but he liked to visit. He wondered what happened to it when he left for the harbor.

Peter eyed Silver with a little apprehension as Alec got her ready. She was also very gorgeous and gentle looking, but he was a little nervous about this riding thing. He was afraid he'd embarrass himself in front of Ella and Alec. Peter could wield a sword, man the sails, navigate the ocean by only the stars, but mastering a horse just might threaten his sense of masculinity today.

He nodded at Alec's instructions. "Alright..." He said, attempting it for himself and swinging himself over onto Silver's back. It was more difficult than he looked, but he managed. "Now what?" He asked.

Josephine was so focused on the fact that Alec might actually be able to come around and that they had a chance, that she barely even thought about the terms for more than a few seconds. She pulled away from her father for a second while she listened. She still had to go out with John. It was... Less than desirable, really, but at least the man wasn't self involved, and he was respectful enough they could probably move at a slow enough pace that things wouldn't get too complicated too soon. She couldn't see herself loving him, but she might feel guilty if he fell for her while she was just pining after Alec.

She wiped at her eyes again, and with a small sigh, she nodded. "Okay," she said.She wasn't sure how she could not compare him to Alec, when she loved one and not the other, but she would do as her father wished and at the very least entertain John. "I will. I'll try." She couldn't wait to tell Alec the good news. It was a shame he might have to look elsewhere for a job now, but it wasn't as if he was being fired. This was a new opportunity for him, and it didn't mean he couldn't work with horses. Whatever he decided, she would support him, and at least now there was no worry of not being able to see him.

She gave him one last hug. "Thank you," she said again. A chance was all Alec and her really needed, and she was confident that between the two of them they would make this work. Her heart leaped at the thought of marrying him, and maybe sooner than she thought after all.

"If that's all, I think I'll go back to my room, now," she said.
 
((Haha yeah. What about something like Sinclair?))

Ella looked up at the sky. It was a perfect day- the sky was a brilliant blue color and there were no clouds to be seen. It seemed like the ideal day for stargazing, as long as the weather held. Ella thought that it probably would. Nothing could ruin a beautiful day like today. "It will," she declared, smiling at him. "I'm sure it will."

She giggled at his reaction to Nelly, watching him feed her the sugar cubes. It was sweet, and Nelly was a nice horse. Ella had learned to ride on her, and she didn't know that she would ever be able to ride on any other horse. She didn't love horses as much as Alec did, but she did enjoy them. "Bug," she repeated, laughing. "That's cute. Did he have fleas?" Somehow she could imagine Peter as a young boy, strolling through the streets with his long hair and a little dog named Bug at his side. "I've always wanted a dog, but Father says no. They would be too much to clean up after, he thinks." Ella hoped that she could have a little dog someday, a fluffy one that she could carry around with her.

Peter did well mounting the horse, and she smiled encouragingly at him. She knew that horses could be a little scary to ride sometimes. They were big and unpredictable, but Silver was very well-behaved. She was a good starter horse, and Ella was confident that Peter could handle her.

"Alright," Alec said, satisfied with Peter's mounting. "Now you'll want to adjust your posture. Sit as straight as you can, but don't tense up. She'll be able to sense it if you aren't confident. To move, lean forward slightly from the hips and squeeze your thighs together. Pull the reins back to slow down." It took strong thigh muscles to be a good rider, and Peter would likely be sore tomorrow if he did it correctly. Ella went ahead, doing as Alec instructed and ushering Nelly out of the stables into the field.

"We'll go slow," she promised Peter, waving for him to join her. "Silver doesn't like to go very fast anyways."

Their father was satisfied when Josephine calmed down for a moment to agree to his terms. He wasn't giving her permission to marry Alec, he was only giving them a chance. He wouldn't allow her to marry him if he couldn't provide for her, and that was the bottom line. If that was going to happen, then something would have to change, and there needed to be a suitable backup in place in case it didn't work out. He was thrilled that Josie was happy, but she needed to understand that.

He hugged her back, stroking her hair before letting her go. "You're welcome," he murmured. His smile turned into a frown, however, when she said she'd go back to his room. "Are you still not feeling well?" he asked in concern. "You've spent all week in your room."
 
(works for me!)

Peter recalled how disgusted his own mother had been whenever Bug came around with him. He was not exactly flea ridden as Ella asked, but he was pretty dirty usually. He liked rolling around in the dirt and mud, only cleaning off if he joined Peter for a swim. "Hmm. No, but flies liked him. He was kind of smelly most of the time, but he was a good pal." Animal friends always seemed so much better than human ones. "I think I'd like to get one some day," he said. "One that's actually mine to take care of."

Peter wasn't really sure what to expect when he followed Alec's instructions, but he was taken aback at the sudden movement that followed when he squeezed his thighs. Silver pulled forward, and he made a small noise, like a small grunt, while he acclimated to feel of it. He quickly caught up to Ella, waving a thanks to Alec, and found quickly that he sort of liked the soothing rocking motion of being on a horse. "Well this is interesting," he noted. It felt almost similar to being on the ocean, just a bit bumpy, and he wouldn't dare stand. Still, Silver kept him busy enough trying to balance so he wouldn't fall off the saddle.

"Have you ever fallen?" He inquired, hoping that wasn't just inviting a fall for himself. He'd heard horror stories of broken limbs and busted heads. Ella seemed confident though, and she had probably years of experience.

Josephine looked up at her father, her brows furrowed. She didn't know how to explain to him that the way she had been feeling lately wasn't due to an illness. She hadn't holed herself up in her room because she felt sick, she had holed herself up in her room because of emotional pain and feeling like she had a lack of control over the important things in her life. Alec, Ella, Peter... they were slipping through her finger tips and Josephine could be a bit of a control freak at times.

"I..." she wasn't really sure what to say. "I'm just taking a while to reacclimate. That's all." She did feel much better now though, after talking things through and regaining just a bit of the control she had lost over her life.

"Would you rather I find Ella and Peter?" She asked, knowing they were more than likely together. "I can do that instead. I don't want you to worry..." She honestly didn't have further plans for the day. She just thought about reading, or going through her closet to see what no longer fit her.
 
Ella laughed as Peter continued to describe his dog. It sounded sweet. "Why didn't you give him a bath?" she asked with amusement. Father would have a fit if she had a dog that liked to roll around in the mud. Not only would it make their house a mess, but it would likely ruin all of her expensive clothes. "He wasn't yours to take care of?" Ella wanted her own pet as well, though she wasn't sure how good she would be at taking care of one. She'd never had to take care of anything before, but it was probably better to start with an animal than with a baby. It gave her anxiety just thinking about the responsibility of raising a little human child, making sure she didn't ruin its life.

She waved to Alec as Peter came forward out of the stables to join her. "Thank you!" she called back to him. "I think I've got it from here." She looked to Peter, assessing how he was holding the reins. "Loosen up a little bit," she instructed him with a smile. "You steer by moving the reins, it's pretty self-explanatory I think. And you just squeeze harder to go faster." It was all pretty simple until the horse started running out of control, but that didn't happen often and it wouldn't happen with Silver.

"I feel quite a few times when I was little," she replied. "It was kind of stubborn, didn't want to listen to our instructor and I tried to go too fast before I knew how to control the horse. But I never got anything other than a scrape here or there." Ella had been lucky in that respect. She trotted around him. "How do you feel?"

Mr. Sinclair looked at Josie with concern. "Well, sweetheart, I don't think you're going to adjust any faster by hiding away in your bedroom," he advised her. "You need to get out, be active. Becoming a recluse isn't going to help you get over what happened, it's going to make it worse. I learned that when we lost your mother." He had hidden away in his room for a couple weeks, thinking that space from the rest of his family would allow him to heal faster. It had done just the opposite. He had needed to embrace his daughters and go through it with them to get better.

"If you want to find Ella and Peter, why don't you do that?" he suggested. "You and Ella didn't get very long together this morning, and I just worry about you spending so much time alone. It's not good for people. If you need some more rest then go get some more rest, but just do me a favor and don't isolate yourself, alright?"
 
"Ah, well, for one thing, he'd just dirty himself up again," Peter explained. "And for another, no, he wasn't mine. Not exactly, though I liked to pretend. I think he was just a stray, but he came by the house quite a bit. Mother would never let me keep him, or bring him in the house." Like Mr. Sinclair, his mother freaked out at the possibility of mess. "He was a good boy, though. I'd feed him scraps when mum wasn't looking." He grinned at Ella, thinking about how he'd bring the girls food sometimes when he wasn't supposed to either.

He raised an eyebrow when Ella told him to loosen up, having not even realized he was holding the reins so tightly. He let his grip loosen a little bit, bracing himself for the rockiness, but Silver didn't seem to notice much of anything and he was able to relax a little bit more. Still, he didn't think he'd be squeezing to go faster anytime soon. "I think I'm just going to take it at this pace for now," he said, still just starting to get the hang of it.

He really wasn't surprised to hear about Ella's tenacity as a child. "Some things don't change," he said, smiling at her playfully. Her and her sister both were probably the most stubborn people he'd ever met. No wonder they fought so much. Peter could be stubborn though, too, and he had to admire the determination that came with it. They were alive because they had fought back, hadn't given up. "I feel good," he said. "I can see why you enjoy this."

Josephine frowned, biting down lightly on the inside of her cheek. Father's words sounded eerily similar. Alec kept telling her the same thing, and though it came from love, she couldn't help but be just a little bit annoyed at everybody's insistence she go out and do other things. It might be easier now, though, now that she had talked to her father and had received a little bit of assurance that maybe things could still go her way. And she had actually tried. She'd gone to the party her father threw, she'd gone out with Ella even though it ended badly. And on Saturday... well, she'd be with John on Saturday, but at least she would be getting out of the house.

"You don't need to worry," she assured him, standing on her toes and giving his cheek a kiss. Maybe she wasn't completely back to herself just yet, not with Ella on her mind and the slight possibility that Alec still wouldn't be the man she married, but she was starting to feel better. It just took baby steps, and talking with her father had been one of them. Keeping an eye on Ella and Peter... that was the next.

"I'll go find Ella, then," she said. "Maybe we can still salvage what's left of the day." She did want to try and have a conversation with her sister again, one that would hopefully not escalate into a fight, but she didn't want Ella to think she couldn't trust her. If anything, she needed Ella to trust her more than ever right now. She said goodbye and dismissed herself from the table, and started wandering the halls for signs of the other two.
 
Ella smiled, able to picture the scene even clearer. "I bet you were cute as a kid," she commented, trying to imagine it. She pictured him being sweet and thoughtful, playful, but not like the obnoxious little boys she sometimes saw playing in town who didn't know when to stop. Ella had been a little wild when she was young, always getting into trouble and never listening to her parents. Her mother had compared her to a mischievous elf more than once. But while Josephine was the beautiful, sophisticated daughter, Ella was the curious girl who wanted to make everyone smile. They balanced out the family, with their different personalities.

She nodded when he said that he was going to take it at that pace for now, thinking that was probably a good idea. She didn't want him to fall off and get hurt, and they as much of an adrenaline junkie Ella was, they didn't need to go fast to have fun. The most important thing was that he learned how to ride, and then that opened up a whole new door of possibilities for them. Ella laughed at his comment that some things never changed, shrugging. It was true, she had retained many of her childish qualities, although that didn't have to be a bad thing. "I guess not," she agreed. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." Ella didn't think she was going to change anytime soon, either.

"I do like it," she said, drawing closer and walking along side him. "It's not my favorite activity, really, but it's fun to do every once in a while. Alec's an excellent rider- you should watch him sometime. It's partly his horse, too...he's got a fast horse, bought him really cheap as a baby and trained him himself. I know how to stay on the horse decently well but my technique isn't very good, and I can't go very fast." Ella had dedicated most of her time to mastering the piano instead of mastering horseback riding, but it was fun to get outside and ride Nelly.

Josephine had been giving him lots of reasons to worry lately, but there didn't seem to be any immediate solutions. She just needed time, more time than Ella did. They had both been through a lot, but Josie had been through a few more hardships and if Ella was struggling, she wasn't showing it. He needed to give his daughter her space to heal, but it was hard when he was worried about her and also needed her to understand why he did what he did, even when it hurt her more in the moment.

He was satisfied when Josie said that she would go see if she could find Ella. Josephine was happy enough right now, happier than he'd seen her in a week, but he still thought that spending some more time with her little sister would help. "Alright," he agreed. "I think I saw them head out back, you might check the garden first. Have fun, I'll be in my office if you need anything." He kissed her forehead and watched her leave before heading to his office to work. Ironically, his numbers were starting to look up now that the girls were home safe and sound.
 
"Damn right I was," Peter joked, although he barely remembered what he'd looked like as a child. All he could recall was that he was stick thin with a head of blonde hair that had gradually darkened over time. "I'm still cute," he added with a teasing smirk in her direction. "All the ladies say so."

He did quite like the idea of tiny Ella, though. He could only imagine the sorts of trouble she got in. She was a free spirit now, but children had even wilder imaginations and curiosities. He was glad that Ella had held onto some of her childish ways. It made her stand out. It made her even more attractive in his opinion too. He didn't like women who were passive and only did what they were told to do. Traditional was boring, but thankfully Ella was far from that. If she went to school and applied herself, she could really get somewhere, and he was proud of her for that.

Peter was really not surprised to hear that Alec was good at riding. The man worked in a stable, and before he learned that he knew the girls, "Adam" had never shut up about horses, especially after he'd had a few drinks. "I believe it," he said. "Quite frankly, I'd bet he loves horses almost more than he loves your sister. But hey, you're a better rider than me at least." As if to prove his point, he momentarily lost balance and wobbled, but managed to regain it a moment later. "I'd blame it on not having my land legs, but it's been a week already, and I guess I'm not walking either."

Josephine took her father's direction and wandered out round to the back. She hadn't actually spent a significant amount of time out in the garden since they had been back. She'd only wandered past them the couple of times she'd snuck out to the stables. But now, now that she was feeling at least momentarily happier, she took a few minutes to admire the roses, reflecting on memories of her mother and other good times. Her fingertips traced the soft the petals while she looked for Ella, but she didn't see her anywhere.

Frowning, she followed the trail to the gazebo, stepping up onto it where she had just enough height to get a good view of most of the property. Squinting into the sun, she spotted two figures on horses way back by the stables, getting farther from her with each second. Well, if that's where they were... she hadn't expected to go back to the stables so soon after her last visit, but she may as well now that she had an excuse, and she could tell Alec the good news while she was at it.

It took her a few minutes of walking from the garden, and as expected, she could see Alec going about his work after having helped the other two saddle up. She couldn't help the small smile on her face as she snuck up on him, feeling giddy and excited about not having to sneak out to see him for once, although maybe father still wouldn't be very happy about her being out here at all. She couldn't help it if this was where Ella had gone, though, and he'd been the one to want her out of her room.

Reaching her hand out to rub the nose of the horse he was with, she tilted her head at him. "If I left now, do you think I could catch up with them?"
 
Ella laughed at his joke, sticking her tongue out at him. "All the ladies you've encountered in your extensive experiences with women?" she teased back with a smile. Ella didn't think that any men had ever called her cute before, aside from maybe some of father's strange friends who always wanted to dance with her and Josephine at parties. They were a little creepy sometimes, even though she and Josephine had learned to laugh it off by now.

She smirked at his comment about Alec, shrugging. "It's possible," she supposed. She tried to imagine a scenario wherein Alec was forced to choose between Josie and horses, and she honestly didn't know what he would pick. On the other hand, though, no one should ever have to give up their passion for a person. That wasn't fair, and it usually meant that something was wrong with a relationship. With her and Peter, they both supported each other in what they wanted to do and that was how it was supposed to be. He would never ask her to choose between him and her desire to go to school, for example, and she would never ask him to choose between her and his future of traveling the world.

For a moment he scared her when he was wobbling around like that and she reached out to grab his sleeve, but he regained his balance pretty quickly. "It's something about...keeping your center of gravity in the same place...or something," she told him. "I don't know, I don't really understand it but that's what Alec says." Ella had just gotten used to the feeling of riding enough to kind of figure it out for herself. "You sure you don't want to go faster?" Ella nudged Nelly into a trot and ran out ahead of him, stopping where their property turned into a forest. She had gone exploring in the woods when she was younger, but she wasn't actually sure where their property ended and Father had always been concerned about her and Josephine accidentally trespassing on the estate behind theirs. She circled back around towards him, her hair windblown. "You're doing great," she complimented. "Don't worry about it." She came up close beside him and leaned over to kiss him, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear.

Alec looked towards the field every so often, making sure that the happy couple was doing okay on their horses. He found it hard to believe that Peter had never ridden before, but he supposed it wasn't all that surprising for a pirate who'd spent his life at sea. He shook his head, wondering again what Ella was getting herself into, when he was again surprised by a familiar voice. "Josie?" He jumped, startled when he said that she was so close to him, but his initial shock turned into a chuckle. "You scared me." He looked towards where Ella and Peter were venturing far into the distance and laughed again. "They're walking," he observed with amusement. "Peter's never been on a horse before, can you believe it? I think you could catch them on foot. But shall I prepare your horse?" He wasn't worried this time, not if she had come to ride.
 
Peter laughed. "Hey, one out of one is still a perfect score," he said, thinking it best he didn't allude to the women before she entered his life, no matter how many worlds apart she was from the rest of them. He couldn't care less how many women found him attractive, not before, not now, anyway. All that mattered was that Ella did. He certainly found her to be very beautiful.

He could understand the gravity thing perfectly well with his experience on the water. When the waves got particularly rocky, you really had to attune yourself to the movement of the ship and make sure you didn't lean into the wave, rather the opposite to maintain balance. It took some practice, but eventually he'd been able to do it without much thinking. It was instinctual. He figured the horse was probably much the same. You had to feel every little movement and make sure you adjusted with the horse to keep from falling. His wobble had been a momentary lapse, but he felt more or less confident on top of silver now.

When she took off into a trot, he smiled at her, admiring how easy she made it look all the way until she came back to him. He kissed her back, sighing contentedly, then nodded. "Might as well try, right?" he said, then squeezed his thighs just the tiniest bit. He was surprised when Silver started going faster, and it took him just a moment to adjust, but then he was laughing because so far, so good. "You coming?" he called over his shoulder to her as they got a little farther away from each other.

Josephine grinned with amusement as he jumped. All her years of sneaking off to see him meant she was quiet on her feet. It was a talent she used when necessary, but it was also apparently good for her own enjoyment sometimes. "Sorry," she said. "And good, maybe he'll fall. It'll do him good to get knocked down a few pegs." She peered past his shoulder to get a glance at them again, venturing close to the woods now. She hoped they weren't about to go off in there. Josie had always been annoyed when Ella did it as a kid when they were playing. She was always the adventurer, and Josephine was always the one afraid of getting in trouble with the neighbors or getting lost in the woods.

She looked back at him and nodded. It had been a while since she'd ridden. None of the horses were technically "hers," but like Nelly was basically considered Ella's, Josephine had her favorite too. Chestnut was exactly the kind of horse you'd expect from a horse named chestnut. He was a beautiful brown color, and stubborn just like her. When they were younger, he hadn't liked her very much, and for a while the feeling was rather mutual, but eventually she'd discovered how much he liked apples and they'd been able to tolerate each other ever since. So long as she fed him before she rode him. She reached into a barrel and picked one, holding it out for him to eat while Alec prepared him and they talked.

"So," she said. "I wasn't expecting things to move so quickly, but I took your advice. I already talked to father." Mostly because she knew if she didn't do it right away, she would have chickened out. It was easier to be angry at the world than be proactive sometimes, but it had paid off this once.
 
Ella didn't recall ever calling him cute, but he wasn't wrong to assume that she thought so. He was adorable, in his own way, and she liked to think that they made a very cute couple. Even if her sister didn't think so. She was impressed when he did decide to try going faster, and she cheered when he urged on. The sound of his laugh made her smile, and when he asked if she was coming she dashed after him, quickly coming up on his side. "I would challenge you to a race," she said playfully, matching his pace, "but I don't know if you're ready for that yet."

They kept to the edge of the woods, but Ella thought better of leading him inside. It was harder to ride in the forest, and it made for a bumpy ride. Maybe they would go exploring some other time. Ella hadn't gone into the woods in years- when she grew into a teenager she suddenly had to focus on things other than causing trouble, having fun and driving her sister crazy. Ella still managed to find lots of ways to have fun, but times had certainly changed. Sometimes Ella didn't think she liked growing up very much, but when she looked at Peter she was able to see all the good things that came with growing up. Deeper, more fulfilling relationships, and lots to look forward to in the future. The life she had always dreamed of was so near she could almost touch it.

"Our property is pretty big," Ella said, pointing across the large field. "It goes all the way down to that line of trees down there. We don't really do anything with this field, but at least the neighbors aren't too close." They had all the privacy in the world, and couldn't even see the neighbors from their house. The Sinclair estate was the largest and most magnificent in the area, something that Ella couldn't help but be a little bit proud of. She was proud of her family and their history, and she loved her home.

Alec laughed as Josephine expressed her wish for Peter to fall off of his horse. "Well, he may," he replied. "Everyone falls off a horse at least once. But looking at the two of them, they'd probably just laugh it off. It didn't seem like there was much that could dampen their spirits." They had both seemed pretty cheerful when they'd been in the stables, excited to go out and ride together. Alec knew it was unfair to resent them for that, but he couldn't help but be a little bit jealous of their happiness. It wasn't fair, but at least they hadn't tried to rub it in. "Are you going to talk to them?" he asked curiously, going to the back of the barn to get Josephine's saddle, bringing it back up front to put on Chestnut. He didn't know why she'd want to, but at least that way she could keep an eye on Ella, maybe try and get a feel for just how serious their relationship was.

He worked to finish getting Chestnut ready while Josephine gave him the apple, caught by surprise yet again when she revealed that she had already talked to her father. "Oh, really?" he said, raising his eyebrows. He felt the familiar nervous twist in his stomach. "That was quick." She'd been here to see him not even two hours ago. "What...um, what did he say?"
 
Peter chuckled as Ella caught up to him. She had the advantage of years of experience, and therefore could go much faster than he could. He had his own doubts about a race, but he wasn't about to let her know it, his competitive nature coming out. "Why? Afraid you'd lose?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at her challengingly.

As Ella explained their property was much larger than he could even see, he saw once again just how differently they'd lived their lives. He had the whole world to explore on the ship, but he could never imagine settling on such a large plot of land for long. There was a day he would have looked down on it. Owning so much land you hardly had use for seemed ridiculous when there was homelessness. He supposed a part of him still thought that way, but he could also see the other side now. The Sinclair family had worked hard to acquire and maintain their land, and it was quite beautiful for what it was. It was a status symbol, but it was also their home.

"You must have explored a lot growing up," he said. "What are your neighbors like, anyway? Did they attend the party?"

"I don't know yet," she said. Ella was probably still upset with her. This probably would earn her any points, either, but her protective nature didn't just cease because she might make Ella mad. "I just know that the longer I'm with them, the less they're alone together."

Josephine gave Alec the gentlest of smiles. He sounded nervous, but she was glad that for once she could give him some good news. "Well, you were right. Talking to him more calmly meant he actually listened for a change." She had to talk about the ship to get there too, but honestly she saw no other way of getting her father to understand where she was coming from. There was still so much he didn't even know about her and Alec, but she hoping, if everything went according to plan, he'd learn and come to love him just as much as she did.

"He's not... convinced," she prefaced. "But, he's going to let you have dinner with us sometimes, which means he'll actually get to know you." She stepped a little closer to him, placing her hand on his arm. "And we'll get to see each other now without worrying about what father will do." She wasn't sure she'd be able to help herself from stealing kisses when she could, but as far as she was concerned, they were practically back to where they'd been before she was kidnapped. Except now, he had a chance.
 
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